Exclusive Video Premiere: ‘When I Get Older,’ Wild Party

Wild Party was thrust into an early limelight when the San Antonio-born band was tapped to tour the U.K. with the Wombats after just two previous live performances. Last year, their full-length collection Phantom Pop quickly caught the ear of studio execs; and now, on the heels of a series of sets at South by Southwest, Wild Party will release Phantom Pop with the support of Old Friends Records and the lead single “When I Get Older.”

The track is catchy and energetic, with a sound that bears similarities to that of Julian Casablancas, fun., or Of Monsters and Men—all manufacturers of instantly recognizable pop hooks. Lyrically, “When I Get Older” laments the jaded and cynical perspective of the middle-aged. “When I get older, I’m going to be there to hold her,” chants lead singer Lincoln Kreifels. It’s a song about sticking to your guns in the face of celebrity and the pull of the fast life. “Maybe there’s still hope,” Kreifels repeats.

But the idealistic new video for “When I Get Older” showcases the band in a staged, Back to the Future-esque imagining of the route to stardom. It’s a bright and visually appealing homage to childhood dreams that finds the band members in the classroom, showing off the requisite, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” drawings with crayons and construction paper. Astronaut, president, surgeon, hungry musician? Jump forward to the future, and the kids see their youthful, idealistic dreams eschewed in favor of the rock-star life. They watch their future selves abandon their careers in order to take to the stage together. “We all have dreams and aspirations, but true happiness is found by pursuing what you’re passionate about,” frontman Kreifels says. The song suggests that while perhaps they didn’t choose the limelight, it definitely chose them. “If you’re lucky,” Kreifels adds, “you can party with your friends too!”

WILD PARTY WILL RERELEASE PHANTOM POP ON OCTOBER 7 VIA OLD FRIENDS RECORDS. THE BAND IS CURRENTLY ON TOUR THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST. FOR MORE ON WILD PARTY, PLEASE VISIT ITS WEBSITE.