The video for And The Kids' "Devastation Celebration" opens with a black box warning, "No functioning instruments were harmed in the making of this video." You can imagine what happens next.
Forty seconds into the video, synth player Megan Miller takes a sledge hammer and a running start, laying the inaugural blow on an old upright organ. Keys go flying, marking the beginning of the bands personal devastation celebration. Guitarist Hannah Mohan's striking vocals rival the vibrato and boldness of Siouxsie Sioux. The song revels in the catharsis and necessity of destruction, with the band sacrificing instruments before they become furniture or corrode in a landfill.
But that's not all that happens. We're quickly introduced to a masked man in uniform who walks into a house out of which the organ is being led to its bitter end. While the girls take swings at their instruments, our masked man settles into his new quarters, unloading mounds of dirt into the room that overlook the activities outside. The film cuts between the band, the man and a much tinier version his room where hands delicately place props from the ceiling, appearing simultaneously in life size. As the "ahhhs" of the bridge sink in, the film becomes fantastical. Narratives merge and things get weird, leading to a surreal conclusion.
You probably won't find any satisfaction trying to ascribe meaning or find symbolism in the bizarre scenes that unfold. Not from a band that trades understanding for cool effects and spontaneity. The real joy is watching the women of And The Kids interact with each other and give us a glimpse of the creativity behind the band: three best friends who make music that's both fearless and entertaining.
And The Kids debut full-length album Turn To Each Other is out now on Signature Sounds.
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