Frankie Cosmos - Apathy

What this video is

Released April 30, 2018, 'Apathy' was the promotional centerpiece of Frankie Cosmos' third album Vessel — their debut for Sub Pop Records, marking a milestone transition from Bayonet Records and from Greta Kline's prolific bedroom-recording origins (over 50 self-released recordings) into the infrastructure of a storied indie label. The video's comedic premise — a name-conflict with a fictional rival band — wryly…

Why it matters

The video documents the comedic-narrative music video tradition as practiced by indie-rock artists in the mid-2010s — a mode emphasizing wit, low production values, and in-group cultural references over spectacle or performance. It also captures the specific moment of Frankie Cosmos' artistic…

The director

Thomas John Giuliano II (b. February 9, 1969), known professionally as Tom Scharpling, is an American comedian, television writer, producer, music video director, voice actor, and radio host. He is best known for hosting The Best Show with Tom Scharpling…