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For as melancholy as their music is, the emo pioneers of American Football are no strangers to comedy. They’ve appeared on not one, but two episodes of Comedy Bang Bang, and their live shows are well fortified with humorous asides. The laughs continue on their latest music video for “I’ve Been Lost For So Long”, a standout track from their 2016 self-titled LP, their first album in 17 years. As a nod to the video’s playful tone, they’ve released it via Funny or Die.
Directed by Ben Wietmarschen and Matt Mayer, the video follows three generations of goths, jocks, and weirdos, all of whom are trying to connect in spite of their disparate tastes. While a studded choker allows one philistine father to connect with his black-clad son, a similar gesture only further alienates a boy who just wants to share his “Dirty Joke Book” with pops. The narrative is funny in itself, but it’s the little things that stand out, such as the black battle axe in the corner of a goth teen’s room or the jock pounding a can of beer that simply says, “Beer”.
While the song itself doesn’t lend itself to comedy, the sense of a too-distant longing certainly does. Watch it above.