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VIDEO PREMIERE: The Pendletons – “Keep It Working (ft. Gizelle Smith)”

Jake Craney
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The Pendletons is a long-standing boogie-funk and modern soul project of E da Boss (one half of Myron & E) and Trailer Limon. The group emerged with their very first release in 2010, a 7″ inch of “Coming Down/Waiting On You” on the Slept On record label, which set the tone for the group to emerge… It instantly became a cult classic receiving constant play at nights like Sweater Funk and Funkmosphere, and fetching for serious sums among collectors.

Now armed with a live band with a full horn section, a vast array of accomplished jazz and funk contributors, and a knack for quality song-writing, the Pendletons’ sound has shaped into something fresh and unique. The duo recently released their debut full length album, 2 Steps Away, on Bastard Jazz and we are thrilled to premiere the video for “Keep It Working” below!

The song is funky, groovy, and basically impossible not to like. The animated video is a perfect accompaniment to the track. It’s clever, entertaining as hell, and just plain funny. It’s a smart take on a looming economic issue. If you weren’t in a good mood before, watch this and start nodding along to that groove.
 
In their own words:

As a kid, I remember imagining my future would be like The Jetsons, robots, flying cars, etc. We are promised new technologies and jobs though the majority of our lives remain the same. Although we have new technology such as robots, drones, and the Uberd taxi service. We tend to rely on old technology like a coffee maker or a 57 Chevy Bel Air. This is a statement on classism, which only seems to be getting worse.

As well, the animation captures the isolation of the working class US citizen. I wanted to show the impact of the gig economy, which forces people to work more than they should for less money. Hence why the main character Rose works 4 jobs a day and poorly at that. She is just another cog in the machine.

 

Watch the video below! Be sure to connect on socials and check out the album

The Pendletons on Facebook | Instagram

 
 

 
Video Credits:
Music: The Pendletons
Animation: Neon Brown
Filter added to animation: Chris Simpson