The Tragically Hip have released the official music video for “Ouch,” the lead single from their brand-new album, Saskadelphia.
A Revolver Films production, the music video was produced by Craig Fleming, directed by Sara Basso, and stars Canadian actor and director Jay Baruchel, Rebecca-Jo Dunham-Baruchel, and comedian and television personality Rick Mercer.
The video, inspired by Twin Peaks and From Dusk Till Dawn, is in part a love letter to the period when the band’s sophomore album, Road Apples (1991), was released―a nostalgic throwback to music videos of the early 1990s.
“I wanted the video to be something that long-time fans of The Tragically Hip would appreciate but also create intrigue for a younger audience to connect with the historic moment when a small town Canadian band flipped everything on its head and got the whole world listening,” Basso notes.
“The track has a rebellious and audacious tone, which I felt required an off-beat narrative; a tongue-in-cheek thriller, contemporary, with nods to 30 years ago.”
Says Dunham-Baruchel, “Like most Canadians, The Tragically Hip have softly played in the background of so many defining moments in my life. I imagine this song will become a piece of the Canadian soundscape and play across the lakes and cities of our country all summer long. To be a part of something they created is very special and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Over thirty “easter eggs” have been planted throughout the video for fans to connect with The Tragically Hip’s mythos. Viewers are encouraged to identify these subtle nods to the band’s storied history, and share their findings in the comments across the band’s social platforms.
“Ouch” is the first single off the new album Saskadelphia (Universal Music Canada/UMe), which is made up of six previously unreleased tracks written in 1990.
Since its surprise release on Friday, May 21, Saskadelphia has been an instant success among fans and critics. The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart.