Watch: Mark Growden Video Premiere

Amazing animated video for "Coyote" from Growden's new Saint Judas album.

By Fred Mills

We've got an incredibly cool video to unveil for you today from veteran singer-songwriter Mark Growden. He returns with his first studio collection of his own material in 8 years, Saint Judas, issued today, March 16, on the Porto Franco label.

The song "Coyote" - viewable at BLURT here - is given a delightfully dark animated treatment by Christiane Cegavske that will have you laughing and crying at the same time - think "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" meets Dostoevsky (sorta).

Those creaks and clanks and touches of arcade noir that Growden conjures, equal parts Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Kurt Weill, will chill you to the bone too, yet as with the video, there's an odd undercurrent of redemption lurking. Accompanied by his backing band - guitarist Myles Boisen, bassist Seth Ford-Young, percussionist Jenya Chernoff, cellist Alex Kelly, trumpeter Chris Grady (several of them have played regularly with Tom Waits, incidentally) - the San Francisco-based Growden has crafted a tour de force full-length as well that sonically burrows under your skin and finds its way up the spine to lodge permanently in the cortex.

Check out Mark Growden at his official website. He's got free MP3s, more videos (including live clips), tour dates and more. He's got a CD release show tonight in L.A. at the Hotel Café and will be touring around the Southwest through April.

[Photo Credit: Eric Gillet]