Pep Rally has unveiled a creative lyric video for their latest single, “Roll Around.” This new track explores the complexities of a relationship that feels enjoyable yet ultimately destructive. The accompanying video illustrates this theme by depicting the relationship’s decline through a series of text message exchanges, allowing viewers to witness the deterioration in real time. Rather than simply displaying the lyrics, the video serves as a narrative tool, showcasing the undeniable chemistry between the two individuals involved, despite their toxic connection.
Tommy Joyner, the band’s frontman, shared his thoughts on the concept of the video, stating, “Director Amy Roy knows me and had this idea to make the video from the perspective of the characters in the story. It’s a ‘lyric video’ that contains none of the lyrics! It’s something I’ve never seen before, but with this crazy toxic exchange I feel very seen (laughs).”
In discussing his personal inspiration for the song, Joyner reflected, “’Roll Around’ tells the story of a particular set of bad decisions that I’ve made, going back to an ex when we should have known that it was over. There are times when the loneliness has been stronger than my willpower. I think we can all relate to that kind of human weakness, not that any of us are particularly proud of it.”
Joyner’s creative partner, Emily Roane, collaborates closely with him in Pep Rally. As co-founders of MilkBoy the Studio in Philadelphia, they both share a profound passion for music and performance, evident in their eclectic songwriting style. Although they tackle serious subjects like incarceration and substance abuse, they do so with an engaging approach that brings a unique vibrancy to their sound. As Joyner and Roane have noted, their music presents a fresh take on melancholy, offering listeners a distinctive blend of upbeat melodies and heavy themes.
Pep Rally is set to perform at the MilkBoy End of Summer Block Party on South Street in Philadelphia on September 21.