With its intense, yet lulling tone, Communist Daughter's single "Roll A Stone" inspires an emotionally charged response when paired with visuals highlighting warm human relationships – though the spotlight of the paired visuals shines not on your typical boy vs. girl romance.
This video instead shines a softer light on a young biker gang, a little-explored angle that is far removed from the conventional depiction of studs in leather vests and bar fights. It follows a very obviously tight knit group of young adults, male and female, living casual lives and enjoying each other. The most striking feature of the production is it's relatable character, the juxtaposition of portraying a common archetype as something other than archetypal. Human tenderness is so artfully woven through both the graceful falsetto vocals and the select shots of communion that it is powerful while being far from sappy or over the top. The candid simplicity makes both the visually featured subjects and the band real, and ties that universal connection to the track.
Communist Daughter is a ballad-inclined folk rock group that came together out of founder, guitarist, and vocalist Johnny Solomon's recovery from a long uphill battle with addiction and substance abuse. Now reformed and recently married, Solomon is fully committed to this blossoming band as they anticipate the release of their sophomore album, "The Cracks That Built the Wall", out this October 21, 2016 on iTunes and Spotify.
Words: Darby Dayton