Austin indie rock band Blood Pumps have released a late ‘70s post-punk and new wave-inspired song and video, “Love is a Paradox.” The Gavin McGlynn-directed video prominently features Taryn Lavery, a professional choreographer, dancer, and co-founder of the Austin dance company BLiPSWiTCH.
“We’ve been sitting on this song since before COVID and have been demoing and writing an album,” singer and bassist Bill Stevenson told 360°Sound. “I was listening to a lot of late ‘70s/early ‘80s Australian punk/power pop/hardcore at the time of writing this tune – bands like Shy Imposters, the Riptides, Boys Next Door, Tactics, and Hoodoo Gurus.”
Stevenson, who is also the bassist for Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, calls “Love is a Paradox” a “streamlined, tightly syncopated New York City 1978 joint.”
He acknowledged they’re not reinventing the wheel with this bouncy, groovy tune.
“This isn’t even new for Blood Pumps,” he said. “This isn’t anything more than what it’s supposed to be.”
Stevenson, who co-wrote the song with Mike Brinley, pointed out that the clean guitars and production hark back to ‘80s Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, and The Cars. Stevenson’s hiccupy vocals recall Ric Ocasek.
“This song sounds naive. Almost squiggly. Maybe even squirmy. Like a hot summer day on a crowded beach in Australia, or a brisk, damp walk through a gritty Cleveland alley,” he said.
For now, the band is a studio project, but Stevenson plans to put together a live band soon.
Check out the video below.