Weathers Debut Reworked Music Video for ‘Problems’
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, alt/indie band Weathers, is a band on the rise. The band consists of lead singer Cameron Boyer, guitarist Cameron Olsen, bassist Brennen Bates, and drummer Cole Carson. Their latest release, a brand new alternate music video for their song ‘Problems’ debuted on May 29th, 2019, ending off Mental Health Awareness month on a high note. This music video is rather special for the group, being that it was directed and choreographed by Weathers’ front man, Cameron Boyer. It greatly contrasts the former music video for the song, which followed more of a heist theme. ‘Problems’ is just one of the songs off the band’s debut album, Kids in the Night, that came out on June 22nd, 2018.
Weathers have never been ones to shy away from shedding light on tough topics, and ‘Problems’ is no exception. In fact, a majority of their songs include some kind of reference to mental health, i.e. depression, anxiety, among other issues. The lyrics “I don't know if I can get out of bed, my mind said that there's nothing wrong…” may allude to a rather common situation that people with either anxiety or depression face when trying to start their day. It’s uplifting, and more often than not somewhat inspiring to see a group such as Weathers tackle such important topics, that most artists of today don’t think twice about. They speak from personal experience, and do so in a way that seamlessly blends lyrical storytelling and a beat you can dance to.
The true story of the music video is told in chapters, in which there are several references to pop culture, music videos of the past, as well as some cult classic films. One of the first examples we see of this is when there are four sets of what appear to be army boots walking in sync with each other towards the camera, down a dirt road. This is paired with who could possibly be in those sets of shoes, (i.e. the band themselves) shown from behind, all wearing matching jumpsuits with ‘WEATHERS’ inscribed on the back. This imagery is quite reminiscent of The Outsiders, with the dark clothing and army-style boots.
Chapter one follows two men fighting each other in what appears to be some type of warehouse, while bystanders, including the band themselves are watching the scene unfold. The film reference here might be hitting the nail on the head, with clear reference to Fight Club. Towards the end of chapter two, we see one of the men on the ground, ready to give up; which could draw potential inspiration from what it’s like to battle a mental illness. He symbolizes the underdog in this situation, and doesn’t let the fact that he appears to be losing defeat him completely.
At the start of chapter three, we see the same character get back up and start fighting again, showing his perseverant spirit and go-getter attitude. Synchronized dancing from the band follows, which seems to draw inspiration from The Breakfast Club, and maybe even Michael Jackson’s ever-famous Thriller video. Chapter four begins with the ensemble cast and band waiting in line at what appears to be some kind of jail, where they are given back their belongings in the form of bandanas. This ‘jail’ might foreshadow how someone who is depressed or anxious, might feel ‘trapped’ or ‘imprisoned’ in a sense within their own minds and or bodies. The dancing continues in a parking garage, signaling nostalgia for not only music videos of the past, but a Glee segment as well, where Thriller and Heads will roll were mashed together in a musical dance number. The band is no stranger to dancing, especially lead singer Cameron Boyer, who seems to channel his inner Elvis and/or Jim Morrison, while losing himself to the music on stage.
Getting back into the lyrics behind the video, “What's wrong with me? Why do I always let you down?” really channels the constant struggle people with mental illness go through, and the possible strain it puts on their relationships. The lyrics that follow, “…And I'm down here crawling (crawling). Wish I could change, blame it on my DNA…I could have a million dollars, but baby, I got problems…” continue with the previous theme of wishing you were someone else, or that you could ‘fix’ yourself, in a sense. It also calls reference to the age old saying that even if you have money, in the end, that’s not what truly makes you happy. Throughout the entire song, whether bad or good things happen to the subject, they always follow it up with “problems, or I’ve got problems.”, which continues to reinforce the fact that crazy positive things can be going on in your life. Even though there might be this constant overarching feeling of whatever personal issue you might be dealing with, it’s important not to let it take you over entirely as a person.
Weathers have an incredible gift of being able to tell important, and sometimes overlooked stories through their music. Although the band is featured in a majority of their music videos, including ‘Problems’, they fit rather well into the ensemble cast of the video. This gives the viewer the idea that they are not the main focus of attention, the most important aspect of the video is to tell a story in a new and interesting way. Whether it’s through their lyrics, or music videos, the band always find a way to represent and showcase issues people are facing every day of their lives, but might not have the means to talk about with others. Their ‘it’s okay, not to be okay’, attitude really shines through, especially in Problems.
You can catch Weathers on their headlining tour across the Midwest and California this summer, as well as at the Firefly Festival. They will also be touring the West coast, with some Mexico dates in support of Japan-based rock band, One Ok Rock this July.
