On July 15th, doubleVee releases their new album Treat Her Strangely, nine new songs whose conception began during the height of the pandemic, with their new material written and recorded while staying holed up in their home studio as much as possible, attempting to keep themselves, their loved ones and others safe from the virus. Three guest musicians recorded parts on various songs on the album: Brent Williams handled violin and viola, Christi Wans played the trumpet and piccolo trumpet and Kevin Webb performed trombone parts. The album was produced and recorded by Allan Vest and co-produced by Barb Vest. It was mixed and mastered by Wes Sharon at 115 Recording in Norman, Oklahoma and co-mixed by Allan and Barb. Treat Her Strangely will be released on CD, digital download and via streaming platforms.
doubleVee was put into motion in 2012 when it became clear how Allan Vest and Barb [Hendrickson] Vest’s musical backgrounds complemented each other and how well the two worked together in the studio. The pair married in October of 2015 and went on to release their debut album in 2017, The Moonlit Fables of Jack the Rider. The concept album follows the story of the title character, with his tales being told in a theatrical style with Jack at the handlebars. He’s a traveler who descends into a world reminiscent of The Twilight Zone where nothing is exactly as it seems, with pieces of his history unfolding over the course of the album. Their follow-up EP Songs for Birds and Bats was released April 12, 2019.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for “When Dawn Comes Tonight,” one of the standout track on the new album. Filmed in vintage noir fashion, the song features jagged guitar soloing atop a punchy drum beat and the duo’s shimmering harmonies hitting with rock and roll precision.
According to the band, “‘When Dawn Comes Tonight’ shares lessons on how to keep up with the modern woman: treat her strangely, with mystery and magic. Have no doubt, dawn is coming! This musical mantra with eccentric jazz chords and magnetizing synthesizers gives a nod to 80s nostalgia, applauding those who know what they need.“
Indeed, what sets the song apart is the way it veers from some of the other tracks on the album and also kicks things off in properly rocking fashion. “As the one song on the album without any horn or string flourishes, we focused on quirky distorted guitars and retro synths when fleshing out this song. It kicks off the album with a catchy melody, setting the tone and inviting the listener in for a sonic adventure as sunrise approaches,” says the band.
Watch the video and read the band’s story of how it all came together below…
Allan and Dan Brown were childhood friends who met at a summer camp the year before they started the 5th grade. He later worked with Dan and director Mike Mitchell on the puppet-driven music video for Popsickle, a single released by Allan’s former band Starlight Mints in 2001 that was featured in several MTV reality shows and played on 120 Minutes. The song was later highlighted in the end credits of the animated movie Barnyard (2006.) Dan went on to co-found the production company Curiosity Shoppe before launching his own Austin, Texas-based production company, Royale Film Company in 2020.
When we finished our album and started sketching out music video ideas, we reached out to Dan, who was an early doubleVee supporter and one who pledged for our debut album during our fundraising campaign. We shared the song and were grateful when he was instantly interested in working together, saying he dug the song and was very kind to be able to work with our limited budget.
We enjoyed the weeks leading up to the shoot, as we brainstormed ideas with Dan and crafted the storyline of the video together. He did a fantastic job directing and editing the video and was amazing behind the camera, as well. Dan’s father Pete Brown was great in his appearance as a judge.
On shoot day, we were so excited to arrive at Austin’s Sound Stage on St. Elmo and be greeted by the fantastic Stage Manager Dave Wolfe. It was an ideal space with plenty of room, a green screen and production stage. We loved getting to meet the lovely Anne K. Hadley, who does a beautiful job of starring in the video and was such a pleasure to work with. The wonderful Glen Nordell was there with his vintage Honda CB550 motorcycle. Ace producer Stuart Mydlow was a delight to get to meet, who then introduced us to expert cinematographer and gaffer Charles Seligman. So pleased superb key grip Austin Shurley could join us, too. The charming and highly-skilled Tracy McCaskil did a fantastic job with Barb and Anne’s hair and makeup. It was a fantastic day working to bring the storyline of the video to life with such a creative crew of people. Robert Lin would later add his wonderful graphic design skills.
The finished video spectacularly captures the spirit of the song, and we love the idea of there being a house somewhere in the forest where our spirits play on forever. So treat her, strangely…open it bravely…easy, but maybe…when dawn comes tonight!
