Teenage Dads head to Brighton in the music video for their latest single, “Speedracer”.
Released at the beginning of June, as Teenage Dads were whizzing their way around Europe, “Speedracer” referenced the classic ’60s anime (and later 2008 film) Speed Racer.
“Speedracer” is the person that sends your heart racing at a 1000 miles per hour without a second thought,” the band said at the time.
Belying its name, “Speedracer” is a song that takes its time, allowing funky baselines and vibrant synths time to breathe and Jordan Finlay’s softly sung chorus line, “You’re my speed racer,” to be properly felt.
“Speedracer” was the swift follow-up to Teenage Dads’ Midnight Driving EP, which earned plaudits upon its release in March (check out the band’s track-by-track breakdown of the EP).
And now the official music video is here, premiering on Rolling Stone AU/NZ below. Directed and produced by Scarlett Anderson, the clip shows the sharply dressed Teenage Dads boys furtively pining after the girl of their desires, from foggy moor to seaside esplanade.
There’s almost something Beatles-esque about the purposefully vintage video, which also intersperses grainy footage of race cars and crashes.
“To us, “Speedracer” feels a little random yet comforting, which is why we wanted to create a video that was more about the visuals than the story,” the band explain. “Nothing really makes sense here, it just feels good. Your car crashes and falls off a bridge but hey, everything is okay, you carry on.”
The video was shot in Brighton, England, while the band were supporting Lime Cordiale on tour. “It was a dream to shoot a clip overseas – the new backdrop created this random and imaginative world that we were visualising. It’s also a cool reminder to see that our art is now going beyond Australia,” they add.
After making their Splendour in the Grass debut in July, Teenage Dads embark on a massive tour of their home country this month. They’ll perform 30 shows across Australia – and New Zealand – on comfortably their biggest headline tour to date (ticket information here).
Teenage Dads’ “Speedracer” is out now via Chugg Music.
