★★★☆☆
Releasing the deluxe version of its EP Remote and the music video for “Quarterback” on the same night, Wallows is coasting into the weekend on a high. The deluxe version features three new songs that give the original EP a more dynamic layer: “Another Story,” “On Time,” and “Quarterback.” “Quarterback” was released earlier this week as a single, with its music video dropping with the rest of the extended EP on Friday. While the song provides a solid foundation for the construction of a fun video, Wallows took the opportunity to showcase themselves rather than the song itself.
A mashup of a ’90s and 2000s aesthetic sets the tone for the music video. Wallows bring back the fisheye lens camera (used in previous music videos like “OK”) and present film quality comparable to those used in early 2000s home movies. Clips of band members Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston adorned in suits and smiles are stitched throughout the video. But, there is no real narrative—you almost forget that this is the music video for “Quarterback” until Preston is shown mumbling the lyrics.
Their decision to showcase themselves instead of the song emphasizes the band’s famous playfulness and triviality. Clips of them brushing their teeth, shaving, and getting their pictures taken by their grandmas aren’t necessarily what come to mind when thinking about the song, which is about the melancholy that follows a summer fling. But those types of clips do come to mind when you think about Wallows: a band that’s still exploring its sound and having fun while making hit music. The “Quarterback” music video does a poor job of promoting the song, but it’s successful at promoting the band.
Photo Courtesy of Atlantic Records
