The California-based group debut the music video for “Magdalene.”
The premiere: The music video for “Magdalene,” the latest single by Taken by Canadians.
The band: Formed in 2012 by songwriter Ben Ambrosiana and musicians Anna Zinova, Marco Savoia, and Timothy Douglas Sams, the Oceanside, California-based group Taken by Canadians have been gaining major regional attention with their revitalized rock ’n’ roll. With three albums already under their belts, they’re well on their way to leading a new era of California rock.
About the song: “On this recording we wanted to experiment with different tones such as 12-string acoustic and Farfisa, instruments not normally in our live arsenal, in order to embrace the sonic spirit and psychedelia of San Francisco, where the song was recorded,” says Ambrosiana. “In addition, I wanted to push those instruments to the front of the mix, creating a new musical landscape for the band and redefining what we’re capable of.”
About the recording process: “We recorded the song with engineer Eric Bauer (Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Howlin’ Rain) at Bauer Mansion in San Francisco,” Ambrosiana says. “The studio is in the Financial District, quite small, and underground, literally. The songs were not songs yet when we arrived — just ideas, riffs. ‘Magdalene’ unfolded effortlessly before us. It was a gift. We tracked and mixed in the live room by day, and slept on a pull-out couch in the control room by night. The studio is equipped with a record player and fantastic collection of records, so we spent our nights on the couch listening for inspiration ... strumming guitars with the steel wheels spinning until the sun came up. We then brought the tracks over for Mike Butler to mix at Lost Ark Studio in Pacific Beach, California.”
About the video: Filmed, directed, and edited by Blake Dean, the music video for “Magdalene” was filmed in Joshua Tree, California. With sepia-washed shots and live group performances, the video follows Ambrosiana as he digs a grave until he reaches his beloved “Magdalene” guitar.
Why we like it: A mix between contemporary jam-band-esque beats and profound lyrics, “Magdalene” is the happy medium between classic and relaxed rock. And we’ve got to admit that we’re inclined to love anything filmed in Joshua Tree.
For more information on Taken by Canadians, visit their website.