VIDEO PREMIERE: Street Nights (Jake Morris) Shares Down Tempo Charmer “OMG” Featuring Kathy Foster (Thermals)

Street Nights is the solo project of Jake Morris, longtime drummer for Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, and his new album, The Long Goodbye, is due out on October 23rd. However, based on the casting of contributors, it’s, in retrospect, a whose who of Portland, Oregon indie rock respectability. Joanna Bolme (The Jicks, Quasi) and Jay Winebrenner (31 Knots, Blesst Chest) shared the bass duties. Rebecca Clay Cole (The Minders, Wild Flag, Pavement) on pianos, synths, organ and backing vocals with Kathy Foster (The Thermals, AllGirl Summer Fun Band). Guitar leads from Darrell Bourque (The Joggers) and Daniel Wilson (Dommengang), Pedal Steel from Rick Pedrosa (Abronia, Federale) all lend their talents to Street Nights. Sounds like one long PDX mini-festival.

The Long Goodbye wraps meditations on vulnerability and growth during ecological and societal collapse (mostly) in a lush array of indie rock at its most pacifying. The initial bones of The Long Goodbye were primarily written at home or whispered into a phone in various public places. “I had the good fortune of being able to finish the lyrics and fine-tune the arrangements at my wife’s grandmothers’ home in Sint Maarten to get my mind and vibe right,” tells Morris, “Before heading into the studio in February, much like David Crosby would’ve done.”

Glide is premiering the video for the seductively indie “OMG” (below), which sounds like it could be covered on a new experimental Wilco album. Morris contributes sweet and seductive melodies that capture a vibe of classic songwriting, while brass overtones and tender but impactful guitar interludes awaken the senses. The video features a brilliant appearance from Kathy Foster of The Thermals, whose on-camera dynamic is undeniable.

“I gave director Jeff Rowles carte blanche on which song to make the first video for my upcoming album The Long Goodbye and when he chose OMG, I said “huh, interesting” and he replied, “Wait, you DON’T think it’s the best song on the record?” says Morris.

“And with that response, I was sold. What he was able to create from there within the already vulnerable narrative definitely expanded the dimensions of the song and Kathy Foster’s (The Thermals) performance steals the show.”