Photo by Samuel F. Houston

Montreal band TOPS have unveiled their new EP Empty Seats. Released via the band’s Musique TOPS imprint, the record is a breezy ride of 80s nostalgic pop wrapped up in a 5-track package. The EP follows the band’s album ‘I Feel Alive’, which released back in 2020.

TOPS have also shared a new video for their latest single ‘Janet Planet’. Directed by Anthony Martino Maurice, the visuals feature the band performing the track in a studio under blue gelled and spot lighting.

Regarding the single, TOPS singer Jane Penny mentioned:

“‘Janet Planet’ is about feeling trapped inside of your own head, trapped by your thoughts, trapped by everything, looking for an escape, and all of the misguided ways I’ve tried to dispel these feelings.”

Touching on the video, Jane Penny added:

“I wanted to make an intimate performance video which captures the sense of frustration and the bliss of escapism. I decided to channel the videos that inspired me as a kid, where a woman forcefully inhabits the screen and gives all of herself to the moment as she performs her song (think Bjork, Lisa Loeb, Sheryl Crow etc.). We chose the color blue as the guiding visual theme because of its mystery, depth and otherworldly quality, and used this color to take me in and out of two different modes: exasperation and fantasy. I’m proud of the way that the video succeeds in having a strong artistic direction while also capturing the energy of our live shows in a very direct way.”