The clip features Paul Williams
Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man has released the official music video for “Anxiety: Clarity” featuring Paul Williams, the second video release from the band’s Chris Black Changed My Life Music Video Trilogy. Starring frontman John Gourley, the video was shot in the band’s home state of Alaska – where the band has filmed many videos throughout the course of their career – and filmed on the unceded ancestral lands of the Knik Tribe.
The release follows the official video for “Doubt,” released last month. Both songs are standout tracks lifted off the band’s most recent album, which arrived to immediate acclaim upon release in June.
Both videos were directed by acclaimed cinematographer and frequent collaborator Michael Ragen, who has directed many of the band’s other visuals, including official videos for “Noise Pollution,” “Evil Friends,” “Sleep Forever,” and more, and served as DP on “Feel It Still,” among many other releases over the years.
“The videos are daydreaming … we’re capturing the recklessness of us as kids where we can be creative in our own little worlds. We can be Alaskan creative, you can go big; as far as you can see there are no limits,” states John Gourley. “I love it, because the people there are up for anything, and they know how to find the fun and humor. The humor in all of it…that is so stupidly Portugal. The Man. We make videos there because in Alaska, anything is possible — that’s it, but also it’s also about family and our community. I want to make art with the people I love.”
“Filming PTM videos in Alaska has become a tradition at this point,” adds Michael Ragen. “We’ve been filming there for the past four albums and I guess I can’t get enough of the subzero temperatures, but ultimately it’s an unmissable opportunity to escape the traditional structure and roles of filmmaking and just go experiment in the harshest possible environment during the coldest time of year with the coolest people.”
Chris Black Changed My Life is the band’s first full-length album since the release of their Platinum-certified, 2017 album, Woodstock. The album’s opening song, “Heavy Games II” featuring Jeff Bhasker, teased the album with a companion visual featuring and produced by Bhasker. The album is dedicated to the band’s late friend and honorary band member, Chris Black.
The band teamed up with collaborators Paul Williams (John Lennon, David Bowie, Mac Miller), Sean Leon, Asa Taccone, Black Thought, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Jeff Bhasker (Beyonce, Harry Styles, SZA, Mark Ronson) and Natalia Lafourcade on the highly anticipated album.
