Canadian indie rock band Metric have been together for a little over two decades and in September they released their seventh studio Art of Doubt. The record is a return to their rock roots after the slick electro-pop of 2015’s Pagans In Vegas. Our Song of the Day was an early single off the album, “Dressed to Suppress.” Frontwoman Emily Haines described the song in a press release.
“Lyrically, the song explores the maze of conflicts we encounter in our attempts at finding and holding onto love; the absurd mating rituals we routinely perform; and the vast divide between the desires our appearances can imply and the way we actually feel inside. Sonically, it’s one of the most intense songs on the album. We’re already playing it live and it’s getting stronger every night. The contrast between the delicate, dreamy opening and the heavy riffs of the verse and chorus match the dramatic emotional shifts we all go through when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, the push and pull of retaining our own identities in love.”
The song is accompanied by a low-budget video made by Justin Broadbent, who has directed videos for Metric since 2009. Created on an iPhone X, the black & white clip focuses on the quartet as they perform the song on a barren stage, zooming in closely and intimately on their faces. The video ends with a ceremonial move, as Haines kicks off her suppressive (and rather sparkly) heels to walk off the stage. Watch it below. Metric will play the Moore Theatre on Saturday, March 16.