Kostars - Red Umbrella

What this video is

Released in early 1996 on the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal Records, 'Red Umbrella' sits at the intersection of mid-90s indie alternative and acoustic pop. Kostars was a side project formed by Luscious Jackson members Jill Cunniff and Vivian Trimble during a 1995 tour, conceived as an outlet for quieter, transistor-radio-influenced songwriting distinct from Luscious Jackson's hip-hop-inflected sound. The album…

Why it matters

Represents the quieter, acoustic-leaning wing of 1990s female-fronted indie alternative — an underrepresented counterpoint to the louder Riot Grrrl and grunge movements dominating the period. As a Grand Royal release, it connects the punk-adjacent Beastie Boys universe to folk-pop songcraft,…