It’s the middle of March, which means that we’re finally approaching the time of year where people start to shed their Winter skin. It’s like magic from the moment that daylight savings kicks in. The daylight sticks around a little longer, the ground begins to thaw, and all of the harsh cold that bleeds over into the demeanor of those around you begins to slowly fade away. People start to become more like themselves; readying themselves for sights of Spring and settling back into the minutia of everyday life. This is a time of welcome transition for most and became something of a focus for Benjamin Lieber (of Head North) as he began to write new material for his solo project, Marigold, and it’s this warmth that radiates throughout their incredible self-titled album.
The record is due out April 6th and feels an awful lot like the first stretch after a long nap. There’s a warmth that immediately floods you from the first note that starts at the top of your head and works its way through your entire body. Lieber spends a lot of time creating a world for this loosely conceptual album; Marigold tells the story of a man that’s left home in search of truth, fall in love, and cement his own set of beliefs. Often it feels as if he’s lost in the details of the story he’s trying to tell, but it always feels like this is done intentionally. He’s found a way to take his craft and allow that to be the vessel from which he builds his moral compass.
The music video for lead single “A List of What I’m Owed” applies this concept to the visuals portion of the craft. Shot entirely on Super 8 film and directed by Brett Ballachino, the video is assigned a kind of character that feels at home in Lieber’s folk-leaning brand of Americana. The two work together to create something beautiful — feeling at home in the small details of life but always striving for something more. You feel trapped by the same circumstances that make you feel at home and coming to terms with this idea seems to get a little bit easier with each passing of the seasons.
When asked about the track, Marigold said: “‘A List of What I’m Owed’ was the first song I wrote for this record. I wrote it a week or two after finishing my first solo LP and before I had any real idea of what the record was going to be about. I just tried to capture my feelings that day, sort of like an entry in a journal. The song turned out to be (IMO) the best song I’ve ever written, and I think the fact that it wasn’t forced had a lot to do with that.”
He continues, “This song is about feeling frustrated in your current situation / like you aren’t getting what you think you deserve out of life, as well as the intensity of harsh winters and the effect they have on your mental health. The video was shot by Brett Ballachino. It was shot entirely on Super 8 film; something I approached him about wanting to do, and he has hit the ground running with it and done 2 videos for me now as well as a few for Super American. We filmed it in this side room of the building Head North has a practice space in, and basically wanted to re-create that empty, bland, robotic feeling the song talks about. i.e. rearranging your furniture over and over, ‘cause you’ve got nothing better to do.”
Marigold will be released on April 6th. The video for “A List of What I’m Owed” can be seen above.