“Boy” has been “handpicked” as the debut single from The Orchard, Ra Ra Riot’s sophomore album, and the video recently crash-landed on the internet courtesy of label Barsuk Records.  A mere sixteen-count in and there’s no question why it is “the chosen one.”  The bubbling bass line immediately demands reciprocal head nodding.  If you’re not sure what this looks like, just watch the bassist, yo!

While Wes downplays his “hold my keyboard in one hand, play it with the other” maneuver, the Riot girls execute a perfectly choreographed demonstration of the “indie hipster knee-bend jam dance.”

Warning:  before you try this at home make sure your properly stretched and in a judgmental mood.

Soothing vocals soar over steady strings and driving drums, underscored by a subtly staccato guitar. All of this instrumental interplay practically makes you forget about the crowd of feral cats that seems to appear out of thin air, as if someone just threw a bucket of KFC into the alley.  Multiplying faster than a TI-85 (NERD ALERT!), the band members show no signs of panic, disregarding the potential cat-astrophe.  “Whatevs, kittehs r cute!!”

Wait, what?! THE DEMON CATS HAVE STRUCK!! Eyes ablaze like a Lite Brite of the Damned; their eerie gaze illuminates a pair of singing lips that is surely channeling Satan.  However, something tells me that this Syracuse sextet is not in league with the devil and that the magic kitty eyes are some sort of technological hoax.  Blast!…these confounded computers and their trickeration.

The remainder of the video consists of volunteer NYU film students, with an affinity for fashion noir, experimenting with avant-garde lighting techniques.  Throw in a tap-dancing old-timer shuffling off to Buffalo (only 151 miles away from Syracuse) and that’s a wrap.

Ra Ra Riot isn’t exactly pushing the boundaries of pop music or music videos, but Boy can they write a catchy tune.

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