Once upon a time, in a not so distant past, there was a time when alternative rock wasn’t afraid to be unabashedly melodic. Bands didn’t feel the need to bury their knack for syrupy sweet and infectious melodies beneath quirk or try to force a marriage of their sound and whatever might be popular at the time — it was simple, melodic indie rock that felt good and was easy to get lost in. It’s that genre-brevity, that desire to strip away all of the bells and whistles that makes listening to Arc & Stones feel like you’ve just blown the dust off of the holy grail.
“Now or Never” is a delectable slice of pure indie rock; a melody that feels swampy feels right at home alongside a vocal melody so pristine and ready to roam around your head for days on end. It’s the kind of song you could listen to with the windows down, sun shining on your skin, and the wind blowing through your hair. The video, much like the song itself, longs for a simpler time. There’s no elaborate story, no need for jarring visuals to aid in keeping your attention. Instead, Arc & Stones has decided to present the song in the way that it was meant to be consumed: a captivating performance that you can’t tear yourself away from.
When asked about the video, the band said: “Shot by our great friend and low-key mad genius Austin Huelsbeck, we wanted the “Now or Never” video to do one thing:
Visually represent the high energy of the song, and the new sound & look of the band. This video not only shows just how much fun we have playing “Now or Never”, but how much fun there is in finally telling someone how you’ve felt for so long. We thought we’d give you a taste of what it would be like live, and give you the opportunity to dream up the perfect video for this song. How and where and why you tell them is up to you, now go and do it.”
The music video for “Now or Never” can be seen above.