First Glances – Preoccupations
Another cheat. Another ‘Second Glance’ really. Preoccupations were Viet Cong, known and loved in this parish and the name change is purely that. A re-brand. Previous moniker “Viet Cong” had proved troublesome to the Alberta, Canada act. In certain corners of the planet it had given cause for offence, even preventing the band from being booked in certain cities.
The band released this statement:
After finishing our latest record and taking some time off, we are excited to announce that we will be performing and recording as “Preoccupations” going forward. We will be previewing new material from a forthcoming record in a series of festivals and shows in North America and Europe in the coming months. We apologize to those who were adversely affected by our former band name. This was never anticipated nor our intent. We are artists and not politicians, we understand that the name reflected pain to some individuals and we are happy to change it and move on and focus on our music. Thanks to all our friends and fans. See you all soon.
Given that two of them had previously been in the band Women before starting Viet Cong, it has proved a staggering start for the Calgary quartet. Here’s hoping forthcoming self-titled album will cement their place at post-punk’s high table. First cut, ‘Anxiety’ is described as “a catalog of childhood phobias and anxieties.” The video features the band’s members exploring the backwood areas of an unknown forest, alongside sepia-toned footage of masked figures and a dilapidated family home.
Preoccupations is out September 16th on Jagjaguwar.
Check out ‘Anxiety’ below.