R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe has released a new music video for ‘No Time for Love Like Now’ in collaboration with Big Red Machine, an artistic collective originally founded by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and the National’s Aaron Dessner. Check it out below.
Back in March, Stipe released a demo version of the song, which has now been given the studio treatment. On top of Aaron Dessner’s production and Vernon’s guitar playing, the song was also orchestrated by Aaron’s brother and the National bandmate Bryce Dessner.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Dessner revealed that the song is one of 20 songs that Big Red Machine has been working on. “On a whim, I shared a folder of in-progress BRM sketches with Michael last year, and it was exciting when he really gravitated to a few of them,” Dessner explained. “Michael wrote the lyrics to ‘No Time for Love Like Now’ last fall, but when the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing and self-isolation descended, they felt like they were written about this time all along and perhaps the message resonates especially now.”
He continued: “Working together to arrange this song in person and ultimately finish it from our respective isolation at home was definitely one of the more surreal experiences I’ve had as a musician. He has an incredible vision and focus for the art that he makes.”
This is the third track Stipe has released in recent months, following ‘Your Capricious Soul’ and ‘Drive to the Ocean’. Alongside the new song and video, Stipe also has a new line of merch, with all profits going directly to Equal Justice Initiative and the COVID-19 Protest Fund.
