BOSTON, Mass. – It’s a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl, boy gets girl’s number, and boy calls girl, but things ultimately don’t go as planned. That’s at the connective core of The Shang Hi Los’ new single “Op-Operator,” hitting the streams today via Rum Bar Records.
The band will also release a Joan Hathaway-directed music video on March 20.
Marking The Shang Hi Los’ first dedicated dose of new music since last year’s debut album Aces Eights & Heartbreaks, the hook-laden “Op-Operator” showcases what the band does best – linking up the retro-pop melodic cool of yesterday with a modernized sound. And in the case of “Op-Operator,” it’s all about looking for love amongst stacks of vinyl – and finding something else entirely.
“A chance meeting in a record store turns into a telephonic love affair – or so it seems,” co-vocalist and co-guitarist Dan Kopko said. “Unfortunately for our protagonist, he soon finds it is a one-way connection and he is but one of many gentlemen callers.”
“Op-Operator” is the first in a series of forthcoming new singles and videos, all released by Rum Bar Records, further showcasing the band’s 2024 lineup of Kopko (Watts, The Peppermint Kicks); co-vocalist and co-guitarist Jen D’Angora (Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents, The Dents); bassist Lee Harrington (The Neighborhoods); drummer Chuck Ferreira (Eddie Japan); and guitarist Chad Raleigh (The Rationales).
“This is the sound and feeling that is fundamental to the band – upbeat, hooky, rich with layers of harmonies and guitars, and solid backbeat,” said D’Angora, who added that the release is timed for escaping the doldrums of winter.”
But the central theme behind the track is relatable – especially for those who once found love standing behind a counter surrounded by music.
“Jen is working in a record store and Dan notices her in a ‘Hey baby, how YOU doin’’ kinda way,” D’Angora said, “He buys a record (Al Green), and to his delightful surprise, Jen gives him her phone number. Little does he know, she gives her number out to ALL the guys. What a hussy! When he gets home he tries to call her, but she doesn’t take his calls.”
Check out ‘Op-Operator’ here:
