London, ON, folk-pop duo, The Marrieds, have just released a brand new video for “Lying Next To Me,” a track found on their acclaimed fourth studio album, “Heavy Hearts.” While this is not a true holiday-themed release, the husband and wife team of Kevin Kennedy and Jane Carmichael have created a miniature 3:12 minute tale that seeks to put a smile on your face and some warmth in your heart. And if you happen to love Pixar’s “Toy Story” series, you really won’t want to miss this.
Releasing a video in early December, The Marrieds are certainly cognizant of the festive season, choosing to craftily commence the video with a young girl unwrapping a gift while seated next to a Christmas tree. And in true ‘Hollywood’ fashion, the gift turns out to be figurines of both Jane and Kevin, who ultimately become separated and face different adventures, yet determined to once again find their way home.
“Lying Next To Me” was written and composed by Kevin as a love song to Jane; his best friend, life companion, and wife, and inspired by some time the couple spent together at a cabin out in the Muskoka region of ON. “It is easy to get wrapped up in the busyness of life without fully taking time to appreciate the things that matter most to you, even if they are right beside you,” Kevin explains. “[It’s] about being thankful for what you have and not spending time longing for the things that you don’t … those precious moments that often get overlooked or pushed aside.”
Entrusting their good friend and visual director, Danny Dunlop, to bring their concept to life, the trio sought the imagery services of Toronto based company ‘Selftraits’ to create the life-like 3D printed figures featured in the video. “The song tells its own narrative so I wanted to be sure to honour that while not following it verbatim,” offers Dunlop. “I thought it would be a fun opportunity to do something really off-the-wall with some crazy visuals, and utilizing action figures afforded us the ability to do that without breaking the bank.”
Take a trip to London, ON, and while there is always a chance you could bump into The Marrieds, you’ll unlikely find Kevin strapped to a rocket, or see Jane arm in arm with Shrek. But thanks to Danny’s whimsical imagination and direction, you are presented with such opportunities here. A world where Kevin flies through the air like Superman one minute, then squares off against a larger-than-life wrestler the next. And where Jane shares a space craft ride with Scooby Doo and Shaggy, running for her life from the scariest Tyrannosaurus Rex of them all. This is an alternate universe where Jane is found on a shelf at Value Village, and Kevin is air-brushed for his debut ‘ebay’ listing. Not your average day in London, ON.
This video is an absolute treat, and represents pure escapism at its finest. And of course, the burning question now is will our favorite couple be reunited? Don’t let me spoil it for you – go ahead and spend 3:12 minutes of your day and find out what fate has in store for our on-screen heroes. Trust me, it’s quite the ride!
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
