Luyas Light Up in Honour of 'Too Beautiful to Work' -- Video Premiere

When the Luyas watch the Derrick Belcham-directed video for 'Too Beautiful to Work,' the title track from their latest masterpiece released earlier this year, the Montreal band can't help but think of the scene that didn't make the cut.

"When we first tried to shoot this video, we had amazing footage of Stef dancing, and while we were setting up, he took a bit of a fit and started singing 'We Are the World,'" frontwoman Jessie Stein tells Spinner.

"The footage from that session is among the best blackmail material I have ever seen."

Though the clip of drummer Stefan Schneider tackling the '80s charity anthem sounds pretty incredible, as it stands, 'Too Beautiful to Work' offers more than enough intrigue with its playful strobe effects and monochromatic theme.

"[The song] 'Too Beautiful to Work' is a natural for quick cuts and exuberant, high-impact images," says Belcham.

"We spent two days with installation/performance artist Ruby Kato Attwood building light boxes and sets to create the light bulb-fetish world of the video, and knew that the simple recipe of those props mixed with the natural energy of the Luyas' personalities would be enough to make the piece great."

Just as long as no one in the experimental pop outfit electrocuted themselves, of course.

"During the wiring phase of the lights, we enlisted lighting designer Alana Ruth to draw us cartoon wiring schematics to save us from electrocution," says Belcham. "Without fail, if we strayed from her simple layouts, we would end up blowing bulbs or arcing current to our resilient fingertips.

"During the material build, a francophone Home Depot salesman taught us the best way to make Doctor Octopus arms out of plastic piping," he adds gleefully.


Thankfully, the Luyas' next project deals with a lot less voltage and potentially scorched fingertips. The quartet are teaming with Brooklyn's Twin Sister to release a split seven-inch -- featuring the irresistible gems 'Meet the Frownies' and 'When I Am a Woman' -- in honour of Record Store Day on April 16.

"We are all avid supporters of local record stores," says Stein.

"Special edition singles are always super fun, and it's one great way of being able to feel connected to a less abstract community of people who share your interests. It's pretty neat!"