Elbow Room have shared their video for single “Vanity,” we have some behind the scenes photos from the shoot. See them below.
Credit: Dan Cornelius
“Vanity,” is a passionate, post-hardcore track. The song embodies impactful lyrics paired with clean and screaming vocals that carry out infectious melodies. The music reaches a new dynamic and showcases growth within the band making it one to remember.
We got the chance to catch up with Elbow Room to talk about the new video, the song itself and more.
APU: Your video for your new song “Vanity” features many eye-catching elements, from an abandoned church to broken glass, can you expand more on what the overall concept of the video?
ER: Shout out to Dan Cornelius for helping us bring this video to life. He did an awesome job running with the concept and turning it into something special. We all contributed to the little details like scene setups and camera angles, overall, it took an immense amount of creative energy to bring this song to life in such a visual way.
Yeah, the video was shot in an abandoned church and we really liked this setting for a couple of reasons. We liked the idea of being somewhere that was once full of beautiful architecture, designs, and paintings, but now is left abandoned and decaying. You can see this in the video; the place looks like it’s falling apart from ceiling to floor. It’s reminiscent of the past and sets the mood we’re going for in our song “Vanity.” We feel like there is something to be said about a place so vandalized and destroyed in the present, meanwhile knowing it must’ve been beautiful and respected in the past. We think this imagery really fits the theme of the song.
APU: Your last video for “Underneath” was more light-hearted and laid back, where as “Vanity” showcases growth, what were the challenges you faced when dealing with more mature content
ER: You’re right – both songs have a totally different flow of emotions. It was interesting to record these two songs back to back! Even though it was the same band and we recorded in the same place, each song had its own vibe and flow. From a musical perspective, “Vanity” is one of our more intricate songs to play and it pushed us as musicians and vocalists.
Fun fact – the abandoned church wasn’t in the safest location… so the edgy/creepy vibe really helped us get into character for the song. The building didn’t have power either, so that limited the amount of time we got to spend there. When we saw the building for the first time though, we knew it was the right place for this video.
APU: “Vanity,” has a little more depth to its lyrics, where do you pull inspiration from when writing?
ER: The inspiration, the music and the name, “Vanity”, were all inspired by real-life events. The definition of vanity is being obsessed with one’s own self and lack of respect for others. The song dives deep into emotions of misery and angst – emotions that oftentimes accompany us when dealing with people who have a lot of vanity. The biggest takeaway from this song is that it’s vital to let go of people who pull you down – doing that even if you’ve spent many years together.
APU: Your previous single “Underneath,” highlighted your ability to write an incredibly catchy pop-punk track, whereas “Vanity” emphasizes your post-hardcore side, what influences your decision to keep your sound so diverse?
ER: We always want to offer something new to our listeners. Some of our favorite songs come from bands who took risks and weren’t afraid to reinvent the formula. “Vanity” is a song where we wanted to push our boundaries yet keep the sound that makes us Elbow Room. As time goes on, we hope to write even heavier songs and even lighter songs. Our biggest goal is always to reflect the emotions and messages of each song in the truest way possible.
APU: What has your experience been with recording, including working with producers and mixing?
ER: “Vanity” and “Underneath” are the last two songs we self-recorded in Scott’s home studio. It was a luxury to be able to take our time and record for over several months this past winter. Both tracks were mixed by Seth Henderson (Real Friends, Knuckle Puck) and mastered by John Naclerio (Brand New, My Chemical Romance.) Working with them was a great experience – both guys are extremely skilled and experienced. Plus, they’ve both worked with some of our favorite bands! We’ve really valued their input and appreciate them bringing our songs to life.
APU: You’ve played multiple shows leading up to the release of “Vanity,” how has your experience been live as you continue to grow?
ER: In 2019, we took a lot of time to focus on our live sound. It’s been our busiest year to date! We’ve traveled regionally to Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and several other states on a few short tours. We appreciate every single person who’s helped make it possible for us to travel. We plan to hit the road a lot more in 2020… so keep an eye out! We added “Vanity” to our setlist last spring, and it’s already one of our favorites to perform. The song brings out some great energy live and we embrace it every night we get to be on stage.
APU: How much can new fans expect from you has 2019 plays out?
ER: We have a few more shows lined up for 2019! In the meantime, we’ll be taking some time to focus on writing our next release. For now, you can catch us on Oct. 18th in Lakewood, OH with Handguns or Nov. 23rd in Pontiac, MI with Last Night Saved My Life and Gold Route. Hope to see you there!
Be sure to follow Elbow Room on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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