The video for Frederic Anthony’s latest single, “Peasant,” begins with a literal bang, as he and a group of friends play out scenes from the life of a mafioso-type hit man amid several of New Haven’s most iconic landmarks and locations.
To highlight his new song, the New Haven-based singer/songwriter/musician, also known as Frederic Kaeser, worked with director Jimi James to create a two-and-a-half minute trailer to a movie that doesn’t exist, though by the end of it you may find yourself wishing it did. Kaiser reached out to James after watching the documentary Inside the American Mob.
“Jimi’s done a lot of videos that I’ve loved,” said Kaeser about James, formerly of New Haven but now living in California. “I love their art, and we’re both movie buffs. He had done these ‘Void Tales’” — a series of short videos on Instagram — “that led me to him. That’s how I knew his talent.” It’s also how they became friends.
Inspired by the documentary, Kaeser contacted James and set the gears in motion to film a video for “Peasant,” a song with a “dark vibe” he had recently recording with Sam Carlson at Sans Serif Recording. It all came together on a cold December evening when James was back in town for the night. Kaeser was in awe of how it all worked out.
“He did it all in that one night,” said Kaeser. Filming took four hours total and the video was edited in less than a week. “I didn’t know how perfect this guy could get it.”
Scenes were filmed at various locations all over the city, including the New Haven Hotel, Union Station, Cafe Nine, Temple Street Garage, and Goodfellas, where Kaeser noted they had “a big pasta meal.” “They” included a few of his friends who co-starred in the video.
Jimi James Photo
cover photo for Peasant
“Good friends of mine are in it,” he said. The cast included musicians Brian Antonucci — Kaeser’s bandmate from RYXNO — who plays his partner in the video, and Paul de la Reza, who played lead guitar on many of Kaiser’s songs this past year, including this single. The cast also included Nadia Solati, Emily Mansi, Margaret Milano, and Donato Biceglia of Dual Stage Amplification, where scenes were also filmed. The piece strikes a balance between the familiar and the new, delivering unexpected moments of intrigue that makes the viewer hungry for more of the story. Kaeser himself even wished he was filming a whole movie.
“Jimi has shots that are so insane,” said Kaeser. “He made me look mafia style, like at Long Wharf with dead fishes all around.”
The video premiered this past Saturday night on YouTube, the same day the single was released on Spotify. Kaeser is planning on releasing it as part of a full-length album later this year on cassette and on Bandcamp. He has found the pandemic offering a multitude of challenges, but also an opportunity to expand on some of the work he has had sitting around for a while.
“When Covid began we were in the midst of working on a new RYXNO album and wanting to play out, but when it hit, it stopped the process,” said Kaeser. “I saw Sans Serif had started. I knew about Sam and the way he records and I hit him up. I told him I got these demos, my personal stuff. I wanted to keep producing, so I sent him the demos and he enjoyed them.”
Kaeser’s first release — a single with an A and B sides “Time to Break It” and “Crazy” — came out in April 2020.
“That record had ten thousand streams in three months, the most streams I ever got,” said Kaeser. Dylan McConnell added flute to “Time to Break It” and Carlson added drums, bass, and a little something else that was a big deal to Kaeser.
“The organ part in Crazy was ‘Sam,’” he said. When he heard the demo, he “started playing air piano. Then he filled it in and sent it to me. It ended up being this screaming ‘70s organ and made that song rip. It was a eureka moment.”
Kaeser added more music videos to the mix in 2020 to find another way to release his creative energy and get his songs to a wider audience.
“All the walls that went up…we got to find a way over them or around them,” said Kaeser. “So many walls went up last year.”
Kaeser ended up filming two more videos with Sotorios for the songs “Il Tempo,” featuring Cody Freedom on saxophone, and “Piece Of It,” both released in the fall of 2020. “‘Crazy’ and ‘Il Tempo’ we did in our kitchen,” said Kaeser. “‘Piece of It’ we did at Pacific Standard Tavern, which was nostalgic.”
Kaeser also made a video for his song “One by One” using his own visual art. Another video for the song “Smooth Sailing,” which featured de la Reza on guitar, was shot by Jeff Buckholtz from Brooklyn.
The year 2020 also saw Kaeser back behind the drum set with a new band. Shady Street Allstars, a ska punk band, came together in January last year while Kaeser was hanging out with another group of friends at a couple more iconic New Haven locations.
“Shady Street began the day Kobe Bryant died,” said Kaeser. “I was at Three Sheets with Julian and Cody saying ‘I wanna drum again. I’m down to play.’ I wanted to stay active.” The band is made up of Kaeser, Sean Koravo (also of RYXNO), Kevin Mackenzie of The Hulls and The Redactions, Cody Freedom of The Hempsteadys, and Julian Wahlberg of The Screw-Ups.
Freedom is Kaeser’s coworker. “He got me back into ska music, back to my roots. I’m a drummer at heart, and I love ska punk.” The band released three singles in 2020, recorded at Sans Serif, and continue to rehearse regularly (and safely). Kaeser, who is known for his electric personality on the stage and off, is working hard to keep creative and inspired, and to also not break the rules imposed to keep himself and everyone else healthy and safe.
Emily Mansi Photo
Frederic Anthony and Tucker
“Everybody had a hard year,” he said. “You have to understand that everyone was going through something. It’s selfish to wallow in your grief and not talk about it. I sing. I’m a hugger. I had to rethink my whole social organism. I do the Covid bump now. I’m used to impulsive public acknowledgment, so I’m trying my best.”
Kaeser’s plans include more recording solo and with Shady Street, and he’s also hoping to get back to that new RYXNO album.
“We’re giving it time and playing it safe,” he said. “We’re gonna go with the flow for what can possibly be.” Through it all, Kaeser is determined to keep making new music — and to get back to the live performances and the audiences that he loves, once he can do so safely.
“PSA: I’m taking this shit seriously,” he said. “You can quote me”.
Peasant is available to stream on Spotify and the video is available to view on YouTube.