Arizona pop-rockers The Summer Set announced an indefinite hiatus just a few weeks ago that left fans heartbroken yet hopeful for where their individual projects will take them. With the announcement came news that frontman Brian Logan Dales had spent the last year working on a project of his own under the moniker DALES. Today we’re thrilled to share the music video for his newest single, “Girls On Their Phones.”
Fans of Black Mirror have surely seen “Nosedive,” the first episode of season three which follows a woman overly obsessed with her social media rating. If you haven’t seen the episode, we’ve got some spoilers coming. The episode’s main character, played by Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help, Jurassic World), strives for a perfect social media rating by befriending those more popular than her in order to land the house of her dreams. Through the episode, she reaches her breaking point and falls into a downward spiral leading to a low status that makes it nearly impossible to live her previously picture-perfect life. Inspired by this show and the attachment of people to their phones leading to the absence of human interaction, “Girls On Their Phones” is a real-life portrayal of what happens when we fall into the black hole that is social media.
Dales chats with us on the making behind the video, which was directed by Morgan Freed (Ride or Cry, Emo Nite). “We wanted to make a video that really captured the song’s deep-rooted loneliness; the way our addiction to getting attention from strangers on social media can drain the color from our lives.” He adds, “We had a great time collaborating on this video with Morgan and Jon for Ride or Cry, and hope you guys enjoy the first visual representation of what DALES is all about.” With honest lyrics and a more mature sound, ”Girls On Their Phone” is sure to be an essential listen for fans, old and new alike.
Check out the music video for “Girls On Their Phones” in the player below!
When asked about how this solo endeavor differs from the music Dales has previously released with The Summer Set, he shares with us, “I’d say the biggest difference is that I’m not the teenage kid I was when we started The Summer Set. I’ve done a great deal of growing up. The last ten years of making TSS albums were the most rewarding learning experience of my life, but now I want to show you what I can really do.” He adds, “I grew up on Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, and Tom Petty. They were my heroes. I want be that for the younger generation.”
It’s safe to say that “Girls On Their Phones,” along with DALES’ previous single titled “Young For The Summer,” is just a taste of what’s to come from the artist. “Right now we’re taking everything one song at a time. I’m really learning to love the process again, and I feel really great about everything we’ve made together so far,” Dales shares. With the help of friend and producer Matt Beckley, there are nearly 20 songs written and in the works. “Matt has really helped me define who I am as an adult musician, while at the same time helped me get back in touch with what I loved about music as a kid,” he explains. Although there are no current plans for an album, the end goal is to make the best album possible and that’s it!
Fans (21 and up) can experience new music from DALES at his free show tonight at The Satellite in Los Angeles. For more information, head on over to www.wearedales.com.
