Enjoy Otherworldly Vibes with Dust City Opera’s “Alien Summer” Music Video [Premiere]

Sometimes a musical act’s whole sound, look, act, personality, and dynamics are a product of their hometown, and Dust City Opera is certainly a case of that. Even if you didn’t know the band originated from Albuquerque, you may venture a guess that they are from New Mexico, what with their sort of country, horror, gothic, rockabilly sound, and eccentric approach to songwriting.

And, with that said, there are certainly some extraterrestrial, otherworldly vibes in their new music video for “Alien Summer,” the title track from the sextet’s brand new record, to be officially released tomorrow; twelve new tracks that play out like an epic drama.

In discussing the “Alien Summer” song and music video, frontman Paul Hunton tells us:

“It’s hard to tell because of the costumes, but this is the same cast from our very first music video, ‘Bring Me Back Home.’ My longtime friend Noah Armstrong, our band manager Sydney Counce, and myself joined forces again in ‘Alien Summer.’ It was not intentional, but a cool way to pay homage to that first video. It was also fun as hell to work with director Chris Walsh again. He directed our ‘Stars’ music video and he’s just a joy to work with and we love his vision for our music. This song was inspired by violent video games and three months of listening to my neighbour’s tile saw while under lockdown with a newborn and a toddler. I hope you enjoy it.”

The band likens their music to a soundtrack of stories that are coated in cosmic horror, transformation, and transcendence. They have slowly but surely built a cult following, relying on Kickstarter campaigns to keep them moving forward, and affording them the musical freedom to make a record like Alien Summer. They refer to the album’s sound as “gothic grunge orchestra,” with the grandiosity of opera assembled with the traditional approach of rock n’ roll.

There’s a sort of oddball element to Dust City Opera, with Hunton instilling a dark sense of humour into the band’s sound. Tragically, he lost both of his parents to suicide, and as an outlet, he pursued songwriting, with much of that pain put into the recording of the band’s 2019 full-length debut Heaven. Through his experiences, Hunton gravitated more towards black comedy, but that also succeeded in making him a more honest songwriter. Fans have really latched onto that element of the band, which is partially the reason for their cult following.

A crowdfunding campaign late last year helped Hunton and his bandmates finalize the album, and now they are set to welcome more members to the cult with their cinematic, ambitious, splashy approach to their music.

Tour Dates:

03/18 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Lobo Theater
03/25 – Pueblo, CO @ Blo Back Gallery
03/26 – Denver, CO @ Lion’s Lair

Artwork for the album ‘Alien Summer’ by Dust City Opera