“Everybody But Myself” (Single-Video) by Rad Horror

Slipping away from the silence as if to escape its grip just in the nick of time, the first few bars we hear in the new single “Everybody But Myself” are definitely some of the more entrancing we’re going to find in all of the latest release from Rad Horror, but in some ways, they’re but a mild introduction to the deluge of decadent melodicism that is about to come flowing from the stereo just moments from now. Rad Horror are a band I had never heard of before getting into their music via this most recent studio work, but while they’re anything but a household name to most alternative rock aficionados like me, they’re playing like they belong in the hall of fame in “Everybody But Myself.” 

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The beat is as implied by the cadence of the verses as it is the actual swing of the percussion in the background here, but this doesn’t end up making the rhythm of the music seem disjointed at all. There’s absolutely a psychedelic influence impacting that way Rad Horror chose to build their harmonies out of scratch here, but it’s coming through in a surreal state rather than a druggy one. That’s partly because of the classical pop style used for the chorus, and more importantly, the unbelievable amount of self-control that Rad Horror show off around every twist and turn this composition can put in front of them. They’re nimble even when it’s not necessary, which is a great attribute in any genre of music. 

As a music video, “Everybody But Myself” feels retro and grainy but completely in line with the postmodern motif of the soundtrack. I would have been incredibly disappointed if the band had brought in a lot of useless props and fluff in the visual element of this release, but Rad Horror were smarter than many of their alt-rock brethren in this department. They’re not trying to make a movie in this video but simply enhance the blueprint for the song in the boldest and most affective means they can (save for performing it live, that is). I can’t wait to hear what they do in concert with this piece, as if it’s on the level of the video and single itself, it won’t be a performance that I would want to miss out on. 

“Everybody But Myself” drifts away into the ethers with much of the same subtle swagger that it first cuts through the darkness with, but somehow it doesn’t feel like an isolated, standalone single for Rad Horror. There’s a much longer, more personal story being told here than the lyrics could ever be able to allude to, and depending on how it unfolds in the future output of this band, Rad Horror are going to see a lot more time in the American indie spotlight than they were in the years leading up to this brand new release. I might not have known about them a month ago, but they’re here on my radar to stay now. 

Mindy McCall