Athensville Photo credit: Chris Sikich
The Big Takeover brings you the world music video premiere for “Desiderata (Free Tyree Wallace)” by indie alt-rock outfit, Athensville. The video was directed by Tim Thompson (Reel Big Fish, Weird Al) and filmed on location in Wayne, PA. The single for the video was the first in a series of singles that led up to the release of their EP Crossed With Lightning in November 2024, recorded by their long-time producer Derek Chafin at BarnSound Studio in Chester Springs, PA.
“Desiderata” pairs the hopeful lyrics of singer Matthew Taglang with the angular, flanged guitar riffs of David Perry, backed by the forceful rhythms of bassist Ed Moman and the percussive drive of drummer Brian “Scooter” Hassinger. The video sheds critical light on the wrongful conviction of Tyree Wallace and his fight for freedom, but also on the thousands of wrongfully convicted that remain in U.S. prisons.
Latin for things wanted or needed, “Desiderata” is directly inspired by the words of Tyree, who served nearly 27 years in Pennsylvania prisons for a crime in which he had no involvement. Athensville guitarist and Philadelphia attorney, Perry, fought for Tyree’s freedom for over four years, alongside the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and an array of longtime supporters.
“Dave showed me this incredible guitar riff on the same day he encouraged me to watch a speech Tyree delivered from prison,” explains frontman Taglang. “Not only is the message of Tyree’s speech emotionally powerful, it is lyrically beautiful. It was a no-brainer to combine the riff with the message. And hopefully Tyree’s story can get more sunlight as a result of our song.”
“What was both challenging and special about this video is that its story arc evolved over the course of several months, twisting and turning in real time alongside Tyree’s ongoing fight for justice,” says Perry. “At its core, this is our version of the political rock we grew up with and still embrace. Bands like Midnight Oil, U2, Rage Against the Machine, and REM have always used their platform to raise awareness of social issues they were passionate about. We hope to do the same and introduce more people to Tyree’s story and his fight for justice, and the many wrongful convictions that plague our justice system.”
Athensville draws its name from the history of Ardmore, the Philadelphia suburb where rehearsals first took place. Forming in 2016, the band released its first EP Proper in 2018. Performing in and around the Philadelphia area, the band wrote and recorded their debut LP Undressing Minds for Show, released in 2021. As the band’s profile grew, it enjoyed an opening slot for A Flock of Seagulls at Ardmore Music Hall, as well as airplay on Philadelphia’s Alt-Radio 104.5 FM, and a video featured on WHYY’s “House Concert Series.”
Catch Athensville on June 7, 2025, at Wayne Music Festival along with The Ocean Blue and many more.
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