Shamir’s transition from dance-pop maven to prolific indie rocker came into full bloom with with his surprise-released, timely new album Resolution, which came out earlier this year. The Philly-via-Vegas indie rocker debuted the video for the melancholy “Larry Clark” on Tuesday (Oct. 23).
An ode to the work of Kids filmmaker, photographer and purveyor of gritty teen culture Larry Clark, the song is sorrowful but uplifting, in no small part thanks to Shamir’s extraordinary range.
“When life gets so ugly, he lights me up when I’m feeling dark,” he sings.
The Richard Smith-directed video plays out as an explicit homage to legendary singer and civil rights icon Odetta’s “The Water Boy,” right down to the acoustic guitar, the dim stage lighting and the fuzzy, transported-from-the-‘50s visuals.
“The song to me is about how Clark’s films makes me feel better when I’m down,” he tells PAPER about the song’s inspiration. “His films contain so much angst and sadness in such a bold way that it makes me feel less alone.”
Watch the video below: