• News

• All

Oct 19, 2020 Skullcrusher By Christopher Roberts

Skullcrusher, the musical moniker of LA-based singer/songwriter Helen Ballentine, has shared a new song, “Farm,” via a video, and also released a cover of Radiohead’s “Lift.” They follow her self-titled debut EP, released in June via Secretly Canadian. Silken Weinberg, Angela Ricciardi, and Jeremy Reynoso all directed the “Farm” video, with set design by Leigh Dagan, and it was filmed via Super 8 film. Watch it below, followed by the Radiohead cover.

Read our recent interview with Skullcrusher.

Ballentine had this to say about “Farm” in a press release: “‘Farm’ was created out of time I spent reflecting on my childhood and family. The process of developing it to its current version ended up being really tied to these reflections. Noah [Weinman] and I were visiting my family on the East Coast when the decision was made to release it in the coming months. We went up to a studio in Woodstock, a couple hours from where I grew up, and recorded the song in a day. I was able to gather a lot of really nostalgic sounds from the area: crickets, cicadas, the beach in CT, and the creaking of old homes. I had the ability to really talk through the memories and emotions of the song and how they could be manifested sonically.”

Of the video, Ballentine says: “The video also developed out of ideas from my childhood. Silken, Jeremy and I wanted to create a performance like a children’s play with handmade sets and props. Angela shot it on Super 8 in a black box theater called The Yard. The Super 8 really makes it feel like a videotaped play. Leigh built custom sets for us out of cardboard to create three scenes: a boat rocking in the waves at night, an autumn farm scene and a music box in the clouds. We choreographed all of the scene changes to really make it feel like a live performance.”

“Lift” was performed live by Radiohead when touring The Bends and was recorded in the sessions for 1997’s OK Computer but didn’t make the final album. It was finally released as part of the 20th anniversary reissue of the album, OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017.

Skullcrusher featured four tracks, written by Ballentine and produced by Noah Weinman, all about the influx of media she consumed after leaving her 9-5 day job. The EP is available digitally today and will have physical copies out October 23.

Previously we shared the EP’s “Day of Show,” which was one of our Songs of the Week. Then we shared the video for “Trace.”

Support Under the Radar on Patreon.