Local bands, even the most talented of those from Boston, have a tough time breaking out of their own neighborhood for a number of reasons. For one, touring is expensive, and it’s not incredibly easy either. Touring as a musician is a lifestyle choice as much as it is a career choice, and the concept of living on the run must be looked at optimistically in order to really work. Quilt, Jamaica Plain’s greatest psych-folk quartet, just finished up a trek of 85 gigs away from home, spanning the US and Europe. From the looks of the band’s new video for “Eye of the Pearl, which is basically a collection of clips from the massive trip, the band made the most of it, too.
“Eye of the Pearl” appeared on the band’s latest album, “Held In Splendor,” which was released earlier this year and is already being featured on “best of” lists for the first half of 2014. While it’s a beautiful track in its own right, it adds a calming, but dazzling perspective to the snippets of the band’s journey. Whether they’re setting up in front of regal European buildings, casually passing time with antique pianos, exploring the redwood forests of the west, or exploring new stretches of road from the windows of their van, the video recreates specific reflections in slow motion. Quilt is back in Boston for now, but will hit the road again later this summer, kicking it off with a show at the ICA on July 11 with Dean Wareham of Galaxie 500.