Bent Knee have shared their new video for “Black Tar Water.” Their new LP, Say So, is out May 20.

It’s widely-acknowledged that Bent Knee are on the verge of a pop culture breakthrough. Following the strong critical reception to 2014’s Shiny Eyed Babies, the Boston band is about to release Say So, its most intense, incendiary and enthralling album to date.
Imagine 45 years of rock and avant music melted down into addictive, mercurial pop and you’ll have an idea of how diverse and expansive Bent Knee is. Having road-tested the songs at hundreds of shows, the band is excited to announce its third LP Say So on 5/20 via Cuneiform Records.
Say So epitomizes Bent Knee’s knack for adventurous arrangements, at once incredibly complex and remarkably accessible. Standout track “Black Tar Water” creeps up on you with the kind of agonizing intensity that begs you to savor it as it unfolds.
As Jessica Kion of Bent Knee tells it, “Black Tar Water is about escaping depression and cleaning up the mess it’s made of you. The title refers to anything evil or poisonous in the world, and the music video spawned from the idea of escaping a bad situation and starting anew. “ Filmed over the course of a fifteen hour day inside of a small shed, Kion and guitarist Ben Levin acted as writers, directors, set designers, smoke machine operators, food runners, make up artists, editors, and producers. The production was further brought to life by videographer Eric Freeman and actor Jake Brasch.
Since its inception, Bent Knee has remained true to the incredible spectrum of its diverse musical personalities. Swain’s riveting vocals lead the way through often dark lyrical themes, while guitarist Ben Levin sets the atmosphere, shifting seamlessly from melodic riffs to extreme dissonance, often in a moment’s notice. Bassist Jessica Kion and drummer Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth contribute deep grooves, full of unexpected accents and ornamentation that glue the boundary-pushing work together. Violinist Chris Baum soars atop and through the material, further expanding the group’s sonic palette, and producer/sound designer Vince Welch combines it all with understated brilliance.
The band has performed more than 300 shows across the US, Canada and Japan, including a recent showcase at Lincoln Center, and will soon embark on North American and European tours this summer. Stay tuned for more from Bent Knee coming soon!