Nathaniel Rateliff Depicts the Distance of Quarantine in ‘Time Stands’ Video

Nathaniel Rateliff has released a cinematic new video for “Time Stands,” a track from his solo album And It’s Still Alright. The project was released earlier in 2020 via Stax/Concord.

Filmed during quarantine, the clip, directed by Rett Rogers, captures the lonely detachment and distance necessitated by the present moment. Shot after shot of stunning drone footage reveals carless highways, empty commercial districts, serene beaches, and peaceful wilderness from around the world — locations include California, Brazil, Scotland, Nigeria, and Tokyo. It’s simultaneously eerie and beautiful, dovetailing with Rateliff’s musings about a fraying connection. Rateliff appears in a single shot near the end, standing against a majestic backdrop of snowcapped mountains with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

After its release, And It’s Still Alright was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2020 Americana Honors and Awards, while its title track picked up a nod for Song of the Year. That event will take place September 16th at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, though it remains unclear if public health guidelines will allow there to be an audience present.

And It’s Still Alright marks a slight return to solo recording for Rateliff, following a pair of albums with his band the Night Sweats that included the breakout hit “S.O.B.”