Photo credit: Constant Smiles
Life getting a bit hectic? Kids under your feet? Dogs barking? Don’t bother taking a break with a Kit Kat. This is what you need. Sit back,close your eyes and drift off to the latest track from Constant Smiles. It’s called “Allowed To Be” and comes from the album Moonflowers, out November 7th.
On the video, the band said “Internally, director Sam Mason and I were calling this video Day on Earth, inspired by Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, a love letter to New York City and the people who inspire me. At first, we even considered centering the entire piece on my neighbor Bobby Puleo, a true skateboard legend whose found art practice and larger-than-life presence capture so much of the city’s spirit. That “day in the life” idea eventually evolved into what became this video.
The project became a way to weave together the community of artists who shape my world. Leya, one of my favorite NYC bands, live nearby. Blaze from Bambara has long been part of Constant Smiles. Long Beard and Mallory Hawks are two musicians I admire deeply. Shahzad Ismaily, an absolute legend, played a pivotal role on our record. And Slowspin, another artist I’ve long hoped to collaborate with, also joined the project.
Sam and I share a long creative history, we grew up together, and he was actually the first person I ever recorded with. Bringing him into this project felt both natural and essential.
Everyone who appears in the video is an artist whose work profoundly influences me. The video is ultimately about that web of connection, neighbors, collaborators, and friends whose creativity makes NYC feel both infinite and deeply personal. Within the video’s relationship to the song, it also speaks to the idea that in life you’re going to make mistakes and have bad days. You have to take life on life’s terms. Sometimes you’re down, but it won’t last forever, things can always turn around.”
DeClunk 