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Oct 23, 2017 Angel Olsen By Christopher Roberts

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Last year Hamilton Leithauser of The Walkmen teamed up with Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend) to release a collaborative album, I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, via Glassnote. Then a couple of weeks back he shared a brand new song, “Heartstruck (Wild Hunger),” that featured the guest vocals of Angel Olsen. Now the song has a video. Peter and Nick Simonite directed the video, which was made by the Austin-based “full service creative company” Preacher. In it Leithauser wanders a lonely highway and a small town, ending up at a gig in a bar. Along the way various different women fill in for Olsen (who is not in the video), pretending to sing her parts. Watch it below, followed by Leithauser’s upcoming tour dates.

The orchestral ballad is very much in Leithauser’s recent wheelhouse and Olsen slots in well. The single is out now via Glassnote. There’s no word yet if it’s taken from a future album or EP.

Rob Baird, Preacher Chief Creative Officer, had this to say about the video in a press release:

“We were thrilled to get the opportunity to work with Hamilton Leithauser to bring his new single, ‘Heartstruck (Wild Hunger) ft. Angel Olsen’ to life in a way that brings the themes of the song to the forefront in a beautiful and conceptual way. Hamilton is such an incredibly talented songwriter and storyteller that we worked closely with him to craft a visual story that tackles the feelings of heartbreak and longing, the ghosts of lost love that haunt us all at some point in our lives. Hamilton’s character in the video is one we all can relate to, and the desert landscape and western town really helped amplify the isolation that comes marching behind a broken heart.

“We wanted to use a few symbols throughout-the car, the pink scarf, the burning heart-as constant reminders, the things that you project your feelings upon that you can’t help but notice every time they pass. Most importantly, we really wanted to craft an ending that leaves the viewer with a bit of despair themselves, knowing that this isn’t an A-to-B story, but a circular one. Nothing gets resolved, nothing really gets easier, but you’ve got to keep going. It’s hard, but beautiful in it’s own way.”

Leithauser had this to say about the song in a previous statement: “This song is about catching yourself off guard when an emotion hits a little harder than you were ready for. It’s a desperate and funny situation. The desperation can be a little bit ridiculous, which can be a little bit funny, but it’s also desperate, so it’s agonizing. I thought ‘Wild Hunger’ should be delivered with huge passion and energy, and I needed a fierce and booming voice as a counterbalance. Luckily, I got my first choice: Angel Olsen.”

Olsen is releasing, Phases, a new collection of B-sides, rarities, and demos, including some previously unreleased tracks, on November 10 via Jagjaguwar.

Hamilton Leithauser Tour Dates:

10/23 - St Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall*
10/24 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall*
10/26 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave*
10/27 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre*
10/28 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre*
10/30 - Toronto, ONT @ Danforth Music Hall*
11/1 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel*
11/2 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer*
11/3 - Boston, MA @ Royale*
11/4 - Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall*
11/9 - San Diego, CA @ Belly Up*
11/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda*
11/11 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore*
11/14 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret*
11/15 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre*
11/16 - Portland OR @ Wonder Ballroom*

*with Courtney Marie Andrews

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