Customer Service’s newest music video is a hilarious drag-fueled accompaniment to an emotional track full of longing and a tinge of hope, and it feels like a balance only they can strike.
The Halifax-based emo band released their single “Never Meant To” on Sept. 10 in the lead-up to their third EP, If You’re Here, You Must Be Fine. The song itself features mid-west riffs, an energetic chorus contrasting low-key verses, and lyrics about flicking through old memories and dredging up ancient feelings. It’s another fantastic showing from the band, and it’s only elevated by its music video.
A mid-2000s throwback. Four typical nerds sit around, playing Wii Sports, wondering how they can change themselves to pick up girls at a slumber party. They copy Fred Durst’s hand gestures. They learn to jump while shredding a guitar. They even wear period-appropriate clothing, including a bandana-hat combo that screams 2006.
The girls they’re trying to impress? Well, it’s the band in drag—an idea that came about due to, in part, a time crunch. The band toured all throughout August, and the filming was done in the few days they could spend at home with their video production friends at MOOSECANFLY.
“We just kind of wanted to do the really classic narrative, like, over-the-top cliche girl slumber party and over-the-top cliche nerds, as well,” says vocalist Matt Cheverie in an interview with The Coast. “I’ve been doing (drag) for years. It’s about time that I got these guys to join me.”
The video is also a celebration of Customer Service, in a way, with multiple references to the band throughout, including a portrait of the cover art for their first EP, Live More Forever, painted by guitarist Max Hayden’s mother.
“The video we put out for it was lots of fun to do, and it’s been really nice hearing what people have to say about it,” says drummer Nick Adams. “We just tried something a little different, had a lot of different costumes for ourselves, a little skit at the start and stuff. It’s nice to know doing a different kind of music video still worked out pretty well.”
On top of nailing aesthetics, the song and music video show the true strength of Customer Service as a band: their ability to make you feel melancholy while still having fun. Some of it comes from their inspirations, mostly bands like Mom Jeans and Modern Baseball, but it’s also part of their philosophy as a band.
“We are acutely aware that writing about an emotional time… it only feels as crazy as when you’re going through it,” says Cheverie. “There’s a human element that’s a little bit funny, and I think we can be tongue-in-cheek about some of that stuff sometimes and have fun with it.
“We’re all writing about these times where we’re really down bad, but then we get to jump and dance around with our three best friends on stage… it kind of has to be fun.”
There’s no doubting the relationship between Cheverie, Hayden, Adams and drummer Owen Harris. On top of writing music and touring across Canada together, they also all live in the same house. While not all of them were turned onto the emo stylings that they would adapt, Adams says living together shaped all of their tastes.
“Really soon after starting the band, we did all move into a house together… and from that point on, we kind of listened to a lot of the same music together. Somebody in the house would be playing something, and (we) kind of had more of a collective taste from there.”
Their camaraderie is palpable during their live shows. There’s no doubt whether or not they’re all having a good time on stage—Harris in his iconic hat, keeping it down on the drums while the others bounce off each other musically and physically. Their shirts fly off as the music soars, and it can feel like you’re on stage with the band in their most powerfully charismatic moments.
It’s this stage presence that’s allowed them to rock out on tours across Canada, including a recent appearance at Sommo Festival in P.E.I., which Cheverie described as “super fun,” but when it comes to their favourite shows, they all think back to their EP releases.
“So many people that you know, it’s so many people that you see around just when you’re doing groceries and stuff, and it’s just like all these people decided to spend their night coming out to the show and sticking around for us, and singing along,” describes Cheverie.
Whether they’re away or playing a hometown show, however, their favourite aspect of their live shows remains the same.
“Seeing the same people, becoming friends with people, whether that’s people in other bands or just people who come out to the shows,” says Harris.
As for the new EP, Cheverie says it’s their biggest departure yet from their first EP, Live More Forever, striking a sound that is influenced by classic emo songs from the mid-to-late 1990s.
“There’s a lot more care that we put into guitar tone, and just the arrangement of the different guitar parts,” says Cheverie. “In particular, there’s a lot more layering going on.”
Their next single, “Picture This”, drops Oct. 8. Harris says that the differences between each track on the EP will be incredibly apparent.
“Every track feels super different. The next song is very much influenced by bands like Title Fight. The last track in the EP, “Riley Workman 2: Working Harder”, feels more like a traditional Modern Baseball song.
“It’s still fun and goofy, but it just all sounds bigger and better and tighter, and like all the musical decisions are smarter than they were in the past.”
Customer Service’s new EP, If You’re Here, You Must Be Fine, releases on Oct. 31. They’ll be playing a show as part of their current Eastern Canada tour on Oct. 3 at Gus’s Pub.