Courier Club Finds Coming-Of-Age Clarity On New ‘Rural Escapist’ Video Single “Where Do I Run”

Courier Club has had one of the most unique stories in all of indie rock during the pandemic era. Banding together in Philadelphia during the summer of 2018 Courier Club offers a high energy, fiercely anthemic post-punk sound, with cultural reference points reminiscent of aught rock greats and early 2000’s sports video game soundtracks. After gaining their initial following through a series of house parties and forging their sound over four single releases throughout 2018 and 2019, the band firmly established their staying power with their debut EP ‘Drive Like Your Kids Live Here’ in April of 2020. Unable to tour following the release, the band created ‘Block By Blockwest’ a Minecraft music festival which hosted over 40 artists, attracted tens of thousands of virtual fans, and gained them critical acclaim from not only the music press but from mainstream news and entertainment outlets. 

“Where Do I Run” finds the band growing in sound and style without sacrificing the aesthetics that have made them so appealing for such a young and quickly popular group. Finding space somewhere between the better A-sides of the early/mid 00s guitar revival (ala Tokyo Police Club and Band of Horses), with the well worn and world-weary maturity and presence of generational songwriting greats like Neil Young and Elliott Smith, Courier Club can continue to claim each new single as their best written to date. “Where Do I Run” is no exception; if this is considered something of a pop-anthem and clean guitar ballad, it achieves what it sets out to do, showcasing the band’s depth while always providing a chorus that will be stuck in your head long after each listen. The accompanying video, and its “rural escapism” feel, creates a beautiful backdrop for the simple existential longing that Timothy Waldron gets across so well in his lyrics:

“The idea for the video was nothing more than an excuse for the four of us and our elusive cameraman Ben to take a vacation. We found a small farm in the Catskills that allowed guests to set up shop on the farm’s property for a few nights. We laid around, met a ton of farm animals, and explored the surrounding grounds. It was a pleasant and mellow break we all needed. There’s this tired cliché of “the band runs off into the woods together and finds themselves” and although we didn’t experience ego death or receive that ‘coming-of-age-esque’ moment of clarity; spending those few days together under the silence of that farm did more help than hurt to our overall well being.”

“Block by Blockwest delivered on that aspiration, as the closest we’ve yet come to an authentic festival experience.” 

INSIDER

“Courier Club have built their reputation on alluring textures and pop sensibilities. Most bands have agendas about what they want to accomplish with their music. To their credit, Courier Club just want you to live your best moment in front of them.“

Alternative Press

“Drive Like Your Kids Live Here sounds like a band putting out a resume of the full scope of their work.”

PopMatters