Premiere: Arlo Parks, "Black Dog"
She immersed herself in the world of poetry and found the company she was seeking in the verses of Allen Ginsberg and Jim Morrison. By the age of seventeen, Parks had a more confident and clear vision of who she was: an artist. She translated the written words which helped define the most critical moments of her life into an ethereal and innately human sound. Now nineteen-years-old, all eyes are on Parks.
Following the release of her single “Eugene” in February is Parks’ latest single, “Black Dog,” a bewitching and generous tale of isolation and intimacy which is paired with a stunning video directed by Molly Burdett. “The aim was to explore the nuance of human relationships,” Parks told office via email. “It’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world.”
In “Black Dog” Parks is a caretaker, an ally for those facing heartache. “I’d lick the grief right off your lips,” she sings, almost in a whisper. There’s a powerful restraint present in Parks’ music—she describes her new track as having a “quietly visceral nature.” She lets every word hover and solidify with each breath before moving to the next. It’s the mindset of a poet, an artist wholly consumed by the power of words. “All my songs come from poetry—my lyrics are heavily inspired by poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Nayyirah Waheed, and Dylan Thomas. Words have and always will come first to me when I write songs.”
The track is a much-needed reminder that we aren’t alone. Molly Burdett, the director for the “Black Dog” music video is a longtime collaborator of Parks. “It was such a blessing,” Parks commented on working with Burdett for this latest video, “We’ve worked together on four videos now and I feel like she’s almost telepathic in terms of how completely she understands my work and visual tastes.” The video depicts the oppressive silence which can creep up unexpectedly into daily life, and the beauty that can be found within it, all displayed through domestic imagery. Loneliness and disheartenment aren’t romanticized, but rather displayed as they are—confusing, evasive, and often-times mundane. “Let’s go to the corner store and buy some fruit / I will do anything to get you out your room,” Parks serenades in a moment of honest introspection. It’s her focus on these overtly specific and honest vignettes that make Parks such a compelling storyteller.
Watch the exclusive premier of Arlo Parks’ “Black Dog” directed by Molly Burdett below.
