Steady Holiday’s “Terror” Is A Chilling Meditation On Xenophobia

The L.A. band’s new song and video are about the wrong way to deal with fear.

February 28, 2017

L.A.'s Steady Holiday is following up last year's debut album with a new EP this April. The first single from that EP, "Terror," is a spooky, orchestral pop track that bubbles with tension like a psychological thriller under lead singer Dre Babinski's gentle voice. The video for "Terror" is, well, terrifying: while cleaning her house, a woman finds a rat-like creature that will not die — a proper metaphor for fears and anxieties that become destructive when you try to shove them away without thought.

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"I wanted to make something that combined totally overt absurdity with the grooves of fear and xenophobia that have been deepening in our country," Babinski wrote to The FADER over email. "Both the video and song describe a character that is threatened by an unknown, and thinks and acts before taking the time to understand. It is upsetting to see that kind of reactiveness becoming common and accepted at every level, not just in our government but also in our homes and communities. It's a bit of a cautionary tale. Also, my director Joseph Armario and I really wanted to make a monster."

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Steady Holiday’s “Terror” Is A Chilling Meditation On Xenophobia Joseph Armario
Steady Holiday Tour Dates:

03.02 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's*
03.03 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's*
03.04 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge*
03.05 Somerville, MA - Once*
03.07 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern*
03.08 Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe*
03.09 Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme*
03.10 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall*
03.11 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry*
04.18 Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar*
04.19 San Diego, CA - Irenic #
04.20 Pomona, CA - Glass House #

* w/ Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
# w/ Mitski

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Steady Holiday’s “Terror” Is A Chilling Meditation On Xenophobia