Ditch Pigeon "Spitball Girl" Music Video Review
Review by: Lucas Kurmis, Writer @KurmisTheFrog
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @melodicnoisemedia
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A Perfect Primer
If you are wondering what Ditch Pigeon is about, there is no better song they could’ve chosen as a lead single. Musically, “spitball girl” is intimate and powerful, wavering between genres, sounds, and tempos as naturally and effortlessly as singer-songwriter Hayley Anne describes the “spitball girl” of the song. This song showcases Ditch Pigeon on all fronts, with Hayley’s sweet and rich lyricism and vocal delivery accompanied by a very full ensemble of guitar (Hayley), bass (Nathan “Honeypants” Johnston), drums (Morgan “Liluna” McCandless), violin (Anna Hare), cello (Caitlyn Benson), saxophone (Zach Miller), and harmonies (Andrew Lentz). I don’t always name-drop musicians involved in a project, but this song is a really impressive who’s who of talent, and the song and video highlight them all.
“Spitball Girl”
You might wonder what a spitball girl is or who this song is about, but I was fortunate to hear from Hayley themself, who told me that the song is about Hayley’s drummer and fiance Morgan, who is a “spitball girl” because Hayley wants to shoot spitballs at someone she has a crush on. The lyrics go further on these feelings, beyond a crush and pointing towards someone “graceful, unassuming, and radiant.” Hayley goes on to say, “My disguise is thin with her.” The song is the deepest of love letters, dedicated to someone whom Hayley can trust and hold close.
A Love Letter to Not Just the “Spitball Girl”
The music video extends that love letter beyond one person and highlights all the people in Hayley’s life, myself included. Full disclosure, I might be biased, having appeared in the video myself. I didn’t know I’d be in the video, but it was sweet to see myself appear amongst the many friendly faces to Hayley and the band. Going back to the name-dropping of band members, it feels important in this review since all of the band members get some screen time along with other friends. In the video, we see Andrew’s heartfelt performance in the studio. We see Anna ever-smiling while delivering iconic and complementary melodies on the violin. We see live performances with Nathan bouncing around on stage. And of course, we see Morgan, the spitball girl herself, both in her drum performances and in her detailed line-work art animated on screen throughout the video. Countless videos of different performances all fit into the timing of the song perfectly and, again, effortlessly. And of course, all of these performances are intercut with a lot of small moments that add a deeply personal layer to the video.
A Warm Nostalgia
The personal element works on a technical level, too. I think Morgan told me the band used over a dozen different lo-fi cameras they bought at Free Geek, a local electronics thrift store. Couple that with the hand-drawn art peppering the video, and it’s easy to sink into a warm nostalgia. The video is also layered with different shots, sometimes four or more shots popping in and out over each other, with moments of life, levity, and tenderness. Created in collaboration between Ditch Pigeon and Suede Studio, this video seems like it has so much to share about the love in the lives of this band, and it’s bursting with a love comparable to the love Hayley gives to the spitball girl this song is about.
The Whole Package
Once again, I don’t think Ditch Pigeon could’ve picked a better way to debut their music in their current form and current lineup. We get a window into Hayley’s care for Morgan at the same time as we get a window into the care this band radiates as a whole, reflected in the care shown by and for everyone in the video. We also get a great showcase of what this band has to offer: mixing genres, impressive and layered performances, and overflowing pathos.
Another fun thing about Ditch Pigeon is that they’re always playing shows. You can catch one at Dayblock Brewing on July 24th or their album release show at Amsterdam Bar on August 6th, or you can follow them at instagram.com/ditchpigeon. You can also buy their music at ditchpigeon.bandcamp.com or stream it on a platform of your choice.
