New Jersey-based indie rock band Real Estate announced the release of their forthcoming fifth full length studio album, The Main Thing, slated for a February 28 release via Domino. The announcement of the band’s forthcoming musical offering comes on the heels of the release of the record’s lead single “Paper Cup” that was released this past Wednesday, January 15 accompanied by the endearing, yet comically eccentric music video. According to a press release, Real Estate “…have brought in outside instrumentalists and special guests like Sylvan Esso, whose vocalist Amelia Meath features on first single ‘Paper Cup.'” Real Estate’s The Main Thing is the follow up project to their fourth full length studio album, 2017’s In Mind.
The ethereal dream pop groove of Real Estate’s latest single “Paper Cup” is a throwback sound with a disco-tinged flavor. The video opens up with a boy enthusiastically sprinting towards what seemingly feels like a frequented family entertainment center, circa the 1980’s, called Chipper’s. In the vein of a Chuckie E. Cheese, once inside the establishment the boy slams down two whole hard earned dollars at the cash register. From there he is seated enjoying a hearty slice of pizza while being entertained by the run-down Chipper’s animatronic squirrel mascot. The squirrel has definitely seen betters days with one of his glass eyes shattered, visibly peering into the loose wires of the robotic unit. In the duration of the video, the viewer gets a behind the scenes look at the highs and lows routine of the fading rock star squirrel and seeing that star reach its final performance in front of the endearing young boy’s eyes.
Real Estate’s current touring roster includes frontman Martin Courtney (lead vocalist/guitar), Alex Bleeker (bass), Matthew Kallman (keyboards), Julian Lynch (lead guitar/vocals) and Jackson Pollis (drums/drum programing). As previously noted in the aforementioned press release, Real Estate frontman Courtney went into great length at detailing the genesis of their latest single “Paper Cup” and the message behind the single in regards to the recording process, saying:
Those questions don’t really get resolved in this song, but ironically, the process of making this record – really diving deep and trying to make it the best thing we’ve ever made – reaffirmed in me, and I think in all of us in this band, why we are doing this.”
To listen to “Paper Cup” stream below, via YouTube.
Photo Credit: Owen Ela