Jason Savio

If you’re familiar with Worcester-based band Dearbones, then the last thing you would expect to see the alternative/emo band do is dress up like ‘80s rock stars with big hair and eyeliner. It would really seem like the antithesis of this oftentimes moody and atmospheric group. 

That’s why the Spinal Tap-like video for their new single “Novena” comes as such a big surprise.  

Not only do the members of Dearbones dress up like ‘80s rockers, they play the part, too, hamming it up as though it’s second nature to them. All the stereotypical tropes from the era are included, from the band freaking out when they find the wrong M&Ms in their dressing room, to the keyboardist indulging in an illegal substance right off the top of his instrument. 

“To me, music videos are just kind of dumb, so it’s like, why not have fun and make it funny?” says guitarist Jason Pascucci, calling in on a group chat with the rest of the band on a writing retreat in Vermont. “We had a blast filming that video, it was so much fun. The song is pretty serious and we thought it would be funny to conflict it with the dumbest video ever.”

The video was directed by Burke Cullinane and Justin Bedard of Connecticut’s King Wolf Creative and was filmed at Ralph’s Diner in Worcester, a venue Dearbones calls “home base.” The song itself, produced by Jason Maas, a sludging tune with a heavy tone, is much different from any ‘80s rock song.

Given the content of the “Novena” video, though, does that mean the guys in Dearbones are secretly metalheads of the bygone era? Not exactly. Although one member might be.

“[Drummer Jacob Blondin] had some dreams fulfilled there,” says Pascucci, citing Blondin’s love of Metallica. Perhaps one of the funniest running gags in the video is Blondin struggling to stay in his seat as a fan meant to blow his hair nearly topples him over. The group says a leaf blower was used for the effect and Blondin really couldn’t breathe when it was on him.

So, no. For the most part the members of Dearbones are in fact on the complete opposite end of the rock spectrum. 

“If you take an emo kid from 2007 and make them in their early 30s, that’s when you get Dearbones,” says Pascucci, adding with a laugh, “We’re elder emos.”

“I listen to the Allman Brothers on the daily,” jokes singer Frankie Chuili. “No, I definitely don’t.”

Dearbones formed in 2018 when Chuili and Blondin, who were in a previous band together, started playing with bassist Andrew Quinn. Pascucci joined later via a Craigslist ad. The group released its debut five-song EP The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters that same year and followed it up in 2019 with the two-song New Medicine EP.

For now, Dearbones is going to keep following the trend of releasing singles, says Chuili.

“I think it’s the shortening of attention spans,” adds Pascucci. “People really don’t seem to listen to full length (records) anymore. It seems like people just stream individual songs, so we’ve just been focusing on releasing individual songs with a music video.”

As for the meaning behind the band’s name, Chuili encourages the curious to listen to their song “The Sleep” for the meaning. “We like to make it a riddle,” he says.

The members of Dearbones say they’re all for supporting local music spots, having not only played at Ralph’s but also Hotel Vernon and other venues. They have traveled as far south as Philadelphia and as far north as Bangor, Maine, to play gigs, too.  

They say they can’t wait to play live shows again, but want to ease into it. “We don’t want to be the first to play shows,” says Pascucci, “but we’re excited and ready.”

In the meantime, the guys in Dearbones are going to try making the most of the remaining days of the pandemic, although they admit it hasn’t been easy, hence the writing retreat up to Vermont. 

“It seems like even though everything has been stopped, I don’t know why it seems so hard to find time,” says Pascucci. “That’s why we came up here. We’re trying to write, practice.”

For more, visit: Dearbones.com.