Sunday (1994)’s new track, “Doomsday,” strolls in with a sweet, heavy doses of charming nostalgia — drenching you in delectable new wave sound, before Paige Turner’s lush vocals come in, pontificating about death and love over Lee Newell’s bright guitar parts. As PAPER witnessed last year when the duo played a crowded Mercury Lounge show, their sonics and respective transatlantic scenes (Newell is from London, Turner from LA) have given them the ideal perspective for a timeless, yet modern sound, layered under witty, sometimes dark, waggish lyrics.
Ahead of shows in LA, and following sold-out gigs in NYC, the band spoke to PAPER, about the music video for “Doomsday,” — premiering here today — about miracles, the end of the world and “good old fashion existentialism.”
What was the inspiration behind “Doomsday”?
When a rare good mood strikes, we must act — so naturally, we wrote a song called “Doomsday.” It’s not about the end of the world, but rather the end of your world. When a miracle happens and we actually get what we want, we can’t help but wonder: When is it all going to go wrong? Good, old-fashioned existentialism. Pair that with some guitar that’s as silky as a gigolo’s compliment, and you have “Doomsday.”
How do you hope your fans feel when they hear it?
Hope is a dangerous thing for a band like Sunday (1994) to have. We’re just grateful that anyone is listening at all.
How did you translate the song into the video?
I love when a music video offers a glimpse into the band itself rather than telling a story. We’re a band, after all—not an acting troupe. So we just point a Super-8 camera in each other’s faces until something looks good. Pepper in some slow motion twirling and you’re on to a winner.
What are some challenges you dealt with while creating the music video?
We shoot everything on film so there’s not a lot of room for error, but that’s also the charm of it. Orsen Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” Which sounds terribly clever, so we’ll leave it there.
What are you working on and excited to share with fans next?
We’re very thrilled about our upcoming debut headline tour in April and May. We’ve been busy working on the show whilst finishing more new music, and it’s something we’re very proud of. To see dates selling out already is a fever dream. Well, maybe not quite a fever dream but it’s very nice.
Any additional highlights you’d like to share with PAPER readers?
It’s been one year to the day since we released our first song, “Tired Boy.” So much has changed in our lives, and we’re incredibly thankful. Feeling seen is a special thing — and having a Guinness makes it even better. So, we’ll be doing exactly that. If you’ve been part of this journey, thank you from the heart of my bottom. And if you haven’t listened to us yet… why are you even reading this? Do you not have better things to do?
Photography: Jussy