Obtusity

Voltage Spikes: Radiohead "House of Cards"

2008-07-15T05:55:00.011Z

An elegiac and important vision of human struggle...
[Best New Videos]

Radiohead "House of Cards"
dir. by James Frost
There is an inherent fragility in "House of Cards" - a simplicity which hints at deeper tones of beauty. A gorgeous, soothing ballad made up of humble parts, yet filled with apprehensive ideas. It is precisely this combination of romance and anxiety that director James Frost captures in his revolutionary new video for Radiohead's tune. It's a vision of humanity disintegrating into bits of digital information - albeit with grace and beauty.

Thom Yorke and company have continually been ahead of the industry curve when it comes to new technology, whether singing about it (OK Computer), embodying it in sound (Kid A) or utilizing it in new ways to market (In Rainbows). Thematically they've tackled the unnerving and exciting collision between our creativity in industry and classical human self-expression. And with the video for "House of Cards" they (and Frost) present human feeling existing within the futuristic walls of our computers, yet existing on the very edges of extinction.

There is a story of lust, love and emotional detachment told through the 3D graphics on screen. It begins with the distorted image of the singer, as if emerging through television static, struggling to break free from the banality of his current state. In the lyrics of the song he asks for a lover, not a friend - inviting a girl at a suburban soirée to "throw your keys in the bowl" and swing over to his side. They are both tied to other people, but Yorke proposes flinging caution to the wind and diving into lust despite knowing that it will almost certainly end in disaster.

This is where the video soars. The images of not only the collapsing lovers, but of the falling world around them, invites the viewer to make larger connections between the small story in this apartment and the broader implications of the pictures. The singer wants us to forget the debility of life and emotion, but the fractured scenes make this impossible. What does it mean to be in "denial," as Yorke croons in the chorus? Are we kidding ourselves to believe true romance is possible; is trying to escape from the futility of loveless nights in itself futile?

Furthermore, there is the suggestion that as we progress into and become one with our technological creations, we are losing something invaluable. The telephone lines which fade into darkness could mean that the things we invent to further enhance meaning, will actually give us nothing; disconnecting us from each other and leaving the world black, void of color. Perhaps, even in making this video, we risk losing part of the artistic hand in film making.

Yet, like the music, the despair is accompanied by serene hope. After all, Yorke's romantic suggestion, despite going against the better judgment of the lovers, is an avenue for escape from the sameness of that party - a momentary surge of energy. Maybe in denial, in letting our house crumble, we actually defeat inevitability. In a way Frost illuminates the world through his graphics, like an infrared lens finding the rainbows hidden in society. Even though we are bombarded with static fuzz, faces push through and make themselves visible - like Yorke's surprising, transcendent vocal melody rising above the repeating tune - we see the unrelenting spirit of human expression. Unclear, uncertain, but alive.

Keep Watchin': Nas "Sly Fox"

2008-07-10T21:48:00.003Z

A blogger-friendly rap video...

Nas "Sly Fox"
dir. by Rik Cordero
This video fits well with Shad's "Brother (Watching)," which we posted earlier today. It continues the theme of corrupt media and poisoned messages reaching our youth, but Nas aims directly and specifically at Fox News - the poster child for modern news spinning. Clearly Fox aren't the only ones playing that game, but they are a worthy target for Nas and director Cordero to attack.

That being said, the video was clearly rushed together, and perhaps intentionally so. The poor sequencing and hokey breakdown (with the Office Space-like smashing scene) embody typical YouTube aesthetics, and are in stark contrast to Nas's more widely released video for lead-single "Hero," but also correspond with rapper's call for citizen journalists to overtake mass media's stranglehold on the "truth." Though it lacks the artistic merit of Shad's video, the message is perhaps more forcefully put forth here: "watch what you watching," or our kids are the ones who will suffer.

Hand-Me-Down: Death Cab for Cutie "Cath"

2008-07-10T18:28:00.008Z

Speak now, or...

[Best New Videos]

Death Cab for Cutie "Cath"
dir. by Autumn De Wilde
"...it seems you live in someone else's dream..."

That's the line lead singer Ben Gibbard sings half-way through "Cath," just as director Autumn De Wilde superimposes an image of the protagonist bride over the faces of the band members. In truth, she is exactly that; a dream, a figment of their imagination, a story carved out by Gibbard, envisioned by De Wilde and given further depth by the music of the band. And as the last lines of the song imply, this story is less about a woman turning her back on the possibilities of her own life, and more about the "safe" decisions we all make, everyday.

Yet Cath exists in a different sort of dream as well, beyond that of the artist's who created her. Dressed in purity, in a beautiful church (De Wilde emphasizes the cross a number of times) and with a picture-perfect white American crowd (and fiance), she is fulfilling the ideal which has been handed down through generations of women. She looks forward to a cookie-cut life, a flowery backyard and a "well-intentioned" man, and she walks away from the scruffy-haired potential of the world beyond that picket fence.

She decides, just as millions of people do each day, to take the beaten path - the sure thing. And who can blame her? As Gibbard says, "I'd have done the same as you." Yet the look in her eyes, the crooked smile she holds, defies the beauty and happiness this moment is supposed to elicit, and we know she is looking in that rear view mirror, towards the church door that is just closing. The realism of the video, matched with the tone of the song, is what makes it such a devastating scene.

But there is also the young man in the room, the one with just enough unkemptness to be likable, who doesn't run up to the altar and kiss the bride - as she so romantically envisions. Even if she has decided to reject that moment in her head, the most frustrating fact is that he doesn't even try. He is left outside, on the grass, with the rest of us who've ever let a moment like that pass us by.

Into the Light: Shad "Brother (Watching)"

2008-07-10T17:42:00.004Z

Look outside, it's a beautiful new day...

Shad "Brother (Watching)"
dir. by Ed Gass-Donnelly
Shad is surrounded by black. He is speaking of black people, and thus he is appropriately framed by the color around him. But he is also inundated with images of black people which are confining, limiting and defeated. Images which are emitted by the TV screens everywhere, by the media which continues to pigeon-hole him and his people, and which are consumed by impressionable youth.

The Canadian rapper wants to open doors, but rather than consciously breaking the few molds society creates for minorities, he asks his audience to simply be themselves. By ignoring the stereotypes, and simply pursuing your own dreams, he suggests you will be going against expectations. It's a message which is underlined by the images of people struggling to emerge; particularly the piano player who begins inside the TV but ends up outside, on his own, free.

Thus Shad continues to "watch," not only to see how the television misrepresents black people, but to also observe how the next generation of black youth grow up - to see where they take us next. The director and Shad are also asking the viewer to look at something other than the TV (which is symbolically burnt), movies and even YouTube - he wants us to see beyond the screen; to seek out the truth about ourselves, and each other. The video ends with the rapper walking out on the darkness, and into the real light of day.

The Life-Throb of Ages: Garry Schyman "Praan"

2008-07-08T17:13:00.010Z

The way a music video can remind you of your own humanity, your own beauty...

"Praan" by Garry Schyman (vocals by Palbasha Siddique)
dir. by Matt Harding and Melissa Nixon

"Matt, thanks for the hope you're giving! The world is not as bad as it seems so often. "
- Comment from YouTube user

Though it has oft been trumpeted as a revolutionary tool for social change and universal connection, YouTube and the Social Networking phenomenon have seldom been used to produce the kind of colossal sea change or global moment of synergy many had dreamed of at its birth. The vast majority of YouTube's all-time "Most Viewed Videos" are pop music videos from Rihanna (which, if you know anything about this site, aren't all void of content), or goofy clips like "Charlie the Unicorn" - almost all of which are primarily American-made, featuring American people and American locales. Yet an article in today's New York Times suggests that despite the multitude of junk we post on the Internet daily, Social Networking really has provided us with a platform for global change. We just don't always know what to do with it. Most of the time it takes an artist - yes, YouTubers can be artists - to show us the possibilities of creation.

Matt Harding's "Where The Hell is Matt Harding?" (2008) (or more appropriately, "Dancing") is an example, more so than the stateside "Free Hugs" phenomenon, of how one person, with one camera, and one idea can simultaneously - and positively - affect millions of people around the world. To be more exact, it's really a stunning exhibit of what a music video can do in modern times.

It's an important distinction to make, that this is indeed a "music" video. Like everything else we review at Obtusity, it's a series of images accompanying and working with a musical track. Yet unlike most music videos we see, it was conceived as an idea independent of the music originally (a far more modest idea, at that). But in Harding's third incarnation of his literal globetrotting, he has really grasped the emotional and engaging element that music can provide. "Praan" was composed by Gary Schyman specifically for this video, and the singer - Palbasha Siddique - was recruited from YouTube to sing these specific lyrics. She croons in Bengali, and it emphasizes the worldly view at the heart of the video.

There is also a degree of intentionality in the editing and sequencing which underscores the artistic hand at work. The way Tel Aviv is placed by East Jerusalem, or a scene in New York mirrors the next one in Tokyo, is indicative of the broader ideas behind this particular YouTube video. Yet the specific countries visited are less important than the fact that Harding is going to many different places, all around the world, and unifying them with the oldest of human languages - that of free movement.

The lyrics, which are adapted from a Rabindranath Tagore poem, are also very significant in understanding the full scope of Harding's vision. The poet describes an epiphany in which he sees all of existence, from the natural world around him to the entire history of humanity, dancing with the same blood - the same stream of life. Thus in Harding's video we are all tied by this unseen energy, personified in dance, and illuminated by the joy that surrounds us as we watch. In many ways Facebook, YouTube and the rest of the Internet have improved our access to the stream, but it is up to us to follow Harding and continue to make art that ties humanity together.

Stream of Life
by Rabindranath Tagore

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Step Back: The Year in Review

2008-01-01T04:00:00.000Z

Though Obtusity hasn't been updated in awhile, we never stopped watching music videos. How could we? There were many, many videos to watch this year - more than perhaps any year prior. Yet despite the hundreds of promos we came across each month, the overall quality of the industry was not diluted. Instead this year brought us many of the more creative and ambitious projects in recent memory, from R. Kelly's massive hip-hopera to Justice's ubiquitous D.A.N.C.E. phenomenon.

So we return with a year-end compilation of our favorite releases of the past 12 months. It was no easy task whittling our list to a mere 25 (our staff started with a ranking of 100), but in the end we leaned towards those videos which made a significant artistic statement that went beyond pretty aesthetics. These are the works of art that stayed with us - those we imagine will continue to delight for years to come.

Fergie "Clumsy"
dir. by Marc Webb & Rich Lee
Fergie stumbles into a brilliant concept from Webb & Lee and manages to give a fairly decent, grounded performance (despite the obviousness of her product placement). Yet if the visuals didn't match the tone of the song and its lyrics so well, the entire video would have fell flat. In many ways the self-proclaimed "Dutchess" has a very childish view of love - in the breakdown she talks of constantly needing a boyfriend - and that mirrors the pop-up book concept around her. At the same time the nervousness she displays is a universal symptom of desire, suggesting that even as we grow older, love can make us awkwardly young again.

Liars "Plaster Casts of Everything"
dir. by Patrick Daughters
The first, but not nearly the last appearance of Daughters on our list:

"Escaping from prison into a dark and dreary night, adrift in the desert, this troubled soul is fleeing more than a state institution. He wants to "run away" from the guilt, confusion and fear of whatever it is he's done - or is at least accused of doing. But he doesn't need to look in the rear view mirror to know that these regrets will not be leaving anytime soon."
read the full review

Justice "D.A.N.C.E"
dir. by Jonas&François, design by So Me
The year in music videos will likely be remembered as the year of "D.A.N.C.E." And as Kanye West can attest, So Me's design has been and will be hugely influential in the years to come. As a celebration of hipster fashion, colorful graphic design and skinny indie boys, it's endlessly consumable.

Yet in other ways it's strangely pointless. The video's anti-conformist imagery - from loaded guns to overt sexuality - works primarily because it looks so typically "indie." Is the circular and repetitive journey then a comment on the futility of hipsterdom, or is "D.A.N.C.E" actually the ultimate example of the increasingly empty image-based bandwagonism of this culture? Regardless, the fact that people clamored to own every t-shirt on display here is both ironic and proof of the video's infectious quality.

The Shins "Phantom Limb"
dir. by Patrick Daughters
Though originally released in late 2006, this whimsically complex Daughters-directed clip warrants a closer look, and high praise.

Here's what we said back in January:
"...[Daughters] takes the cutesy undertones of Saturday morning serials and after-school specials and turns The Shins' "Phantom Limb" into a full-fledged morality play for adults. While we can still smile at the adorable performances of the players, there are a series of haunting images which negate any attempt at portraying this as simply a kid's music video."
read the full review

Stephanie Dosen "This Joy"
dir. by Dan Sully
The first minute is astonishing in its build-up, never failing to give us chills.

"Director Dan Sully uses deep close-ups, understated colors and slow motion to really let the beauty of the words fully bloom. The animated wallpaper is also a nice touch, and when it switches from a cage above Dosen's head to a print of leafy vines, it directly connects the singer to the birds who wish for freedom. Yet it's only a momentary experience; a step through doors into the light of an adjacent room."
read the full review

Fionn Regan "Be Good or Be Gone"
dir. by Si & Ad
A song is a living, breathing thing. And just like the artist who writes it, it has a history - a constantly evolving story. It exists in every space it has ever been played, and carries with it the memories of how it was played that day, how it sounded in that space and who was there to hear it.

As Fionn Regan tells us his story of loss, the images present something else - perhaps even hope. It reminds us that a good song, like a strong memory, is never as simple as one idea or feeling. It's a myriad of emotions all beautifully rushed together in melody.

RJD2 "Work It Out"
dir. by Joey Garfield
"...in a single continuous take, Bill Shannon (born with a hip condition that requires crutches) expresses uninhibited individuality and freedom - rejecting any notion that he is incapable of beautiful movement. He hops, skates and glides through the crowded city, garnering looks of astonishment wherever he goes. After all that he climbs right back up those stairs - past the stranger who once doubted his ability."
read the full review

M.I.A. "Boyz"
dir. by M.I.A./Jay Will
"Though it's hard to believe, M.I.A. has taken the visual themes of 2005's Arular (seen everywhere from the cover art to the video for "Galang") and created something even more gloriously epilepsy-inducing for sophomore LP Kala. The vibrant collage of neon colors and cheap special effects found in the promo for new single "Boyz" (as well as her fantastic website) is a homage to everything from 80's video games to the advertising and film culture of Nigeria, Southeast Asia and Jamaica. But it's also a completely singular vision, and one that is impossible to pin to any particular movement or region of the world."
read the full review

Emily Haines "Our Hell"
dir. by Jaron Albertin
Albertin uses heatvision to expose the burning underbelly of conformity - the hell that is created by groupthink. Shots of sunbathers and frat boys intersect with portraits of wolves and clowns, with the final image of surrender being the most chilling. Everything from blood to tears is dulled into two sad tones of emotion, all passion and desire drained from the world.

Feist "1234"
dir. by Patrick Daughters
This is the type of video that requires no elaborate description or interpretation. Its brilliance speaks for itself. From the perfectly flawed choreography to the energy of Feist's performance - all shot without a single cut - Patrick Daughters deftly captures the simple bittersweet beauty of the song.

The Bees "Listening Man"
dir. by Dominic Leung
The tone of the video is quite light-hearted, but when the quiet scruffy-haired man who dreams of tennis glory takes his talkative girlfriend in his arms and kisses her with all his might, it's as dramatic and powerful a moment as we saw all year.

Lisa Lindley-Jones "Step Back"
dir. by W.I.Z.
"As Lisa Lindley-Jones stands somberly in a nearby alley, holding a bright flare and only partially obscured by shadow, her police officer pursuer walks by without even a glance in her direction. The two are so close at this moment that it seems nearly impossible that he wouldn't notice her, but it appears to be the case nevertheless. Yet perhaps he doesn't really want to catch her. And even if much of the video implies that she may actually want to be caught, here she makes no move to alert him of her presence either. Is she saddened by his lack of perception? Or is the thought of capture suddenly unpleasant and scary?"
read the full review

Ludacris "Slap"
dir. by Philip Andelman
"It isn't nearly as complex or gripping a portrait as Scorsese's magnum opus, but in its own way it relays the troubles of modern society while mirroring the themes of isolation and paranoia. It's also a monumental video for hip-hop right now. Bill O'Reilly once used this exact song as the basis of a seething critique of the Grammys and Ludacris (who won for Rap Album of the Year), repeatedly referencing the "slapping" as proof of the rapper's promotion of violence. It was clear then and it's clear now that O'Reilly never listened to this track or gave the artist a chance. I'm certain, considering Ludacris's history with O'Reilly, that those words where in the back of his head during the shoot. For this reason alone the video must be counted as an unqualified success; a dramatic affront to anyone who fails to see the potential of hip-hop expression."
read the full review

Kanye West (feat. Zach Galifianakis & Will Oldham) "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
dir. by Michael Blieden
It's a joke, but as director Blieden writes on his website, they "took the song very seriously." Galifianakis is phenomenal, his performance providing a seering critique of the hyper-masculine bravado Kanye and others champion so often. The entire video is a send-up of your typical macho rap video - from the dancing girls to the souped-up tractor - while at the same time a comment on the mass consumtion of hip-hop (particularly Kanye West) by numerous disparate groups in America. There's also a slight jab at the abberant or random appearance of overt religion in his music. Yet Mr. West has always been self-aware to a fault, and the irony of his own work doesn't escape him (as his brief apperance suggests). In many ways Blieden's masterpiece is the perfect anecdote to Hype Williams overwrought epic commisioned for the same song - bringing Kanye, his mega-stardom and the hypocrisy of misogyny in hip-hop back to reality.

Jarvis Cocker "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
dir. by Dougal Wilson
"The quality of Wilson's vision is rooted in his ability to capture the appeal of Cocker's songwriting while maintaining his own fresh perspective. From the subtle humorous touch to the extravagant disco finale, Wilson creates a fun ride that matches the song in wit and replay value."
Interview with Dougal Wilson

Bat for Lashes "What's A Girl to Do?"
dir. by Dougal Wilson
"Rolling down the street in the dark of night is akin to playing catch with butcher knives - someone is bound to get hurt. Yet Natasha Khan (a.k.a. Bat for Lashes) can't seem to stop playing Russian roulette with her heart"
read the full review

Coparck "A Good Year for the Robots"
dir. by COMRAD
"In the process of becoming "more human" in the video, Alex the robot is exposed to a series of horrific images of chaos and violence, as well as heartwarming footage of lovers and babies. He emerges energized and full of feeling; skipping along the roads he once mechanically trudged. But the majority of his co-workers are less than thrilled by Alex's transformation. They generally preferred the stoic and efficient version that one co-worker called "a retard" prior to the operation. In many ways they liked him as an unfeeling and focused employee because that is precisely what they are."
read the full review

Interview with COMRAD

Lyapis Trubetskoy "Capital"
dir. by Alexey Terekhov
"The video seems to suggest an aversion towards globalism with its crazy 7-headed conglomerate shilling horrible products and ideas from every corner of the earth. But the real problem is any one person, or group of people, attempting to force a single ideology on the billions of unique humans that live on this planet. In the finale the piggy bank-heart is destroyed and put back in the hands of the television viewer - the consumer. Having individual choice and spending money is OK - as long as we make educated decisions."
read the full review

The Strokes "You Only Live Once"
dir. by Warren Fu
"If machines were to find our relics in the distant future, would they have a positive first impression? What if they found only your artifacts, your time capsule? These are the important questions that linger after watching Warren Fu's beautifully realized music video - you only live once."
read the full review

Cornelius "Like a Rolling Stone"
dir. by Koichiro Tsujikawa
"...sometime after the halfway point, Tsujikawa zooms in on a Venus de Milo-type women spinning inside one of the many portal-like doorways. Not only does she seem a unique figure in this redundant universe, but there is something unexpected about her beauty. Now as the director pulls out to show us this world once more, it suddenly has symmetry and grace where it once seemed pointless and stagnant."
read the full review

Cat Power "Where Is My Love?"
dir. by Josh & Xander
In one fleeting moment we see it all, from joy to sorrow, love to loneliness. "Where is My Love?" is a devastatingly beautiful video, shot with wonderous warmth and detail. We watch as a women's uproarious laughter - happiness personified - turns slowly into a pathetic and desperate crash to the floor. Each character is so unique and seperate in the bar, yet like in a classic Altman picture, the characters are tied each to each simply via their humanity - their struggle to connect, to live.

Beirut "Elephant Gun"
dir. by Alma Har'el
"There is beauty in this strangely erotic room, and no doubt most of its residents are enjoying themselves. There is something sublime in "letting the seasons begin" and completely embracing the energy of the moment - the lust, the drinks and the music. But the look on Condon's face is the clue to everything he hides inside - the bored desperation of his dreams comes pouring out the weary notes of his trumpet. He can live in distraction or follow the postcards on the wall, but either way a life of escapism will leave one unfulfilled - dragging empty cans along the beach."
read the full review

Petrol "Cera"
dir. by Postodellefragole
"This may very well be a lonely man watching his love fall apart at the hands of his own indecision and hysteria, but it's precisely the mystery of the narrative which keeps "Cera" such a compelling treat. There is a shot of the women running across darkness as if upon water, subtle effects distort the visuals on close-ups and throughout cuts are hidden in the same black where secrets are kept. The directors create a mood that is as disquieting as it is hypnotically beautiful. An enigma that wants no solution - only to evoke and entice feeling."
read the full review

Aereogramme "Conscious Life"
dir. by Tobias Feltus
"Tobias Feltus's "Conscious Life" is a near-perfect example of the symbiosis between picture and sound...They called The Jazz Singer a "talkie" in 1927 because human speech, or a lack thereof, was the real defining quality of the silent films that preceded it. Aereogramme's music contains words, but they aren't directly spoken by any of the characters in "Conscious Life." Rather they serve as our guide through the psychology and context behind the happenings on screen."
read the full review

Dizzee Rascal "Sirens"
dir. by W.I.Z.
From the moment we saw it, we knew this one was special.

"W.I.Z.'s music video for Dizzee Rascal's "Sirens" is loaded with vibrant imagery, but one of its most quietly potent ideas centers around Dizzee's choice of attire. The hooded jacket he wears (and is forced to remove) is about more than a conflict between young and old, it's the fear of the unknown itself. It's about those in power being afraid of "difference," of what they don't understand and can't see. And it's about exploiting those in a weaker position without concern for the long-term effects it has on society at-large."
read the full review

Mirrors On the Wall: R. Kelly "Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22"

2007-08-16T07:30:00.000Z

R. Kelly "Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22"
dir. by R. Kelly and Jim Swaffield
There's a point in Chapter 8 of R. Kelly's magnum opus, as James the police officer is on the verge of discovering Bridgette's bizarre secrets, where the room darkens and bars of light are thrown across the nervous wife's face. In that moment you begin to understand perhaps the meaning behind all these illicit affairs and love triangles. Whether you're a gay priest, a stripping midget, or even a multi-platinum world famous R&B superstar (who just so happens to be amidst a rather aberrant real-life court case himself), we've all got our own skeletons tucked away somewhere.

As we watch with rapt enthusiasm as Kelly unveils the latest installments of his hip hopera (daily on IFC.com), we'll save the rest of our comments 'til the complete tale is spun. Check back next week for a full run through.

Pretty Girls Make Graves: Candie Payne "One More Chance"

2007-08-09T07:34:00.000Z

Obtusity is in the process of moving, and consequently the blog will be on hiatus for a week or so. But as we pack up and head out west, we leave you with this delightful new video from Candie Payne.

Candie Payne "One More Chance"
dir. by Indica
The English singer-songwriter and her director Indica play against the expectations set-up by the sweet music and the even sweeter appearance of our heroine. As a parade of men are distracted by her long silky legs and batting lashes, the not-so-innocent beauty is masterminding a plan to escape scot-free. Meanwhile a crew of stereotypical "criminal" types walk around in the background, subtly challenging the viewer's own perceptions of what "bad" people look like.

Saturday Night Fever: M.I.A. "Jimmy"

2007-08-07T11:00:00.000Z

One of the best songs of the year gets a far-out video makeover...

M.I.A. "Jimmy" [Hi-Res]
dir. by Nezar Khamal
Disco Dancer, which provides the inspiration for "Jimmy," is one of the great soundtracks of the 80’s, and the Indian musical is exactly the sort of gaudy mess that fits perfectly with M.I.A.’s aesthetic of celebrating the forgotten and marginalized art of the third-world. While the song channels the extravagant emotions of unrequited Bollywood love through dreamy guitars, gorgeous epic strings and her most impassioned vocal performance yet, the video amplifies the effect by riffing on space travel, Buddhism and the "disco" theme.*

The final shot is of M.I.A. tearfully calling out to her lover Jimmy, and it initially seems at odds with the buoyant energy of the previous 3 minutes. It's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it's also a telling moment of sincerity. The artist is, after all, working within a specific style which calls for dramatic gestures and visuals which convey the grandness of human feeling. In the 1983 movie the song "Jimmy Jimmy" is sung by the female protagonist during a dance competition, meant to entice her suddenly hesitant partner to come join her on stage. He never does gather the courage, and she finishes the performance alone. M.I.A. extracts the metaphor from the scene, using it as a mirror for her own struggles with love - dancing and singing in hopes of capturing the wavering heart of her own Jimmy. In many ways her spin on Disco Dancer (which to be honest, is remembered more for its music than its feeble plot) is more romantic and more animated than the original scene - she makes it brilliantly more Bollywood.

*Parts of this paragraph are quoted from my own review of the track at Stylus

The Riot is Yet to Come: Kaiser Chiefs "Angry Mob"

2007-08-07T07:52:00.000Z

Kaiser Chiefs "Angry Mob"
dir. by W.I.Z.
[via antville]
The name of the restaurant - Noblesse - is engraved in the window that separates the outcast women from the diners who excised them. The French word means what it looks like, but is perhaps more widely know as in the phrase "Noblesse oblige" - a concept which implies that those with wealth or prestige have a heightened social accountability. Or to quote Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility."

Director W.I.Z. has previously tackled issues of class and discrimination, but here his commentary is laced with a hint of modern political allegory. The privileged patrons of the glossy establishment observe the members of the bachelorette-party with condescending smirks and glances. Eventually they set the two groups of rowdy drunk women against each other, observing the ensuing brawl with glee - simultaneously sharing knowing looks (as if to say "I told you they were uncivilized") while quietly relishing in the spectacle of the physical altercation. The lower "class" fights amongst itself while the upper, protected by the institutions of society, stands back and watches with a sense of moral superiority - a pattern which could apply to a certain war in the Middle East, or recent riots on the streets of Paris.

Yet it's the restaurant itself which got half these ladies drunk in the first place. And while they may pretend to be above the crowd, the seated folks have the same human desires and emotions as the skirt-lifting women they shun. While one group expresses their sexuality with blow-up sex toys and racy lingerie, the other resorts to secretive touching under the table. The wine-n-dine crew resent the scantily-clad and loud women across the restaurant precisely because they expose the suppressiveness of their own stuffy mentality. They stand in the window and relish the altercation out there because it releases all the emotion they hold back in the name of everything that is "proper."

It's only a matter of time before the mob realize they are being used. And when that happens they will do as they've been trained to do: express their anger through base violence. Sadly only in these moments when the fear comes home do the wealthy and powerful truly understand their social obligations - and hopefully the ersatz nature of "nobility."

Still Not Tired of Hypocrisy: 50 Cent feat. Justin Timberlake "Ayo Technology"

2007-08-03T07:49:00.000Z

Classy male cinematic masturbation...

50 Cent feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland "Ayo Technology"
dir. by Joseph Kahn
Before we get into the obvious criticisms of extreme female objectification, it should be said: this is an exceedingly attractive modern hip hop video. Director Joseph Kahn manages to find novel and visually exciting ways of playing with the cliches of the genre - namely girls, cars and inordinate displays of wealth. As my friend Jason observed upon his initial viewing, it's like the Minority Report of 50 Cent sex-themed videos (which constitutes nearly all of his videos).

But now that we've got that out of the way: are there any men in mainstream hip hop who have any sort of regard for females as human beings at all? We've addressed this topic numerous times before, but from 50 literally aiming a sniper rifle at a lingerie model to JT spying on girls with binoculars - this is just kind of ridiculous. What's silliest about this scenario is that the song itself is literally about pornography - and men masturbating to said pornography. Thus it's the epitome of male sexist fantasy to depict what is normally a lonely and self-pleasurable act as an avenue of expressing sexual power over real women.

That being said, the video would be somewhat justifiable if we were shown the other side as well. Objectification isn't a terrible thing per se - both men and women enjoy being in control and being controlled at different times - but it's the lopsided nature of power in our society which makes it such a harmful activity. Try imagining the opposite of this video, with popular female artists simulating sexual activities on powerless scantily-clad men...and now try imagining that video ever being made.

In mainstream media male pleasure has never been considered "sexy," but it's sad that there are seemingly no directors in the music video community (or Hollywood for that matter) who have the guts to show it - even when the song is actually precisely about 50 Cent getting off far too often to porn. In reality he and Justin are the ones being controlled by women (or at least pictures and videos of women on the Internet), but in the end even the source of this "technology" is shown to be a man playing with his computer in his bedroom.

Some Ugly As Well: The Good, The Bad and the Queen "The Good, The Bad and the Queen"

2007-08-02T08:09:00.000Z

The Good, The Bad and the Queen "The Good, The Bad and the Queen"
dir. by Stephen Pook
The rising pulse of the music works wonderfully with the brilliantly edited film - splitting apart and turning psychedelic at just the right moment - but it's the content of the images which poses a problem in interpreting this video. On the one hand it seems the director intends to capture the mysterious and mesmerizing spirit of this Sufi religious gathering, using the spiritual experiences of these men to attribute some transcendent power to the music, and subsequently the video itself. Yet as one astute YouTube member so eloquently described it, it also comes off as "Hindu hippies rockin round the Beep man!!!"

The director needn't be concerned with correctly representing each person's religious affiliations (it is actually possible that these men are indeed Hindu, as some Hindus practice or incorporate Sufi traditions), but there does seem to be some problematic objectification of the "other" underlining the final product. Would this video work if the men weren't specifically pot-smoking brown-skinned people? The psychedlia of the finale seems to reference the surge in interest during the hippie movement of the 60's in Indian culture and religion. Yet it's a vague and superficial sort of interest - only by keeping the culture at a mysterious ("spiritual") distance can we sit back and enjoy observing these people as symbols or caricatures of the unknown.

Don't Try This At Home: Dude 'N Nem "Watch My Feet"

2007-08-01T22:23:00.000Z

Dude 'N Nem "Watch My Feet"
dir. by ?
We've already analyzed the decent Down South "Cupid Shuffle" and the more impressive "5000" from New York, but the freshest dance craze of the moment comes straight out the dear old Midwest. This modern version of the "Juke" is on full display in Chicago natives Dude 'N Nem's latest video, a journey across the Windy City showcasing kids and grown-ups alike practicing some very fancy footwork. Yet for all the thrilling and captivating dance moves, the most exciting fact here is the emergence of another quality Chi-town underground duo to add to a burgeoning scene spearheaded by the flyer than fly Cool Kids.

Tell Me I'm Right, Tell Me I'm Wrong: The White Stripes "You Don't Know What Love Is"

2007-07-31T09:20:00.000Z

The White Stripes "You Don't Know What Love Is"
dir. by The Malloy Brothers
Loyalty is not necessarily love. Jack White describes the frustrations of being with, or wanting to be with, someone who blindly and silently sticks in a relationship. It isn't that the other doesn't say "i love you," it's that she rarely says anything else. The lack of criticism or anger comes off as a lack of interest or passion.

In the video the Malloys show the couple walking on the beach, but though they begin holding hands they end up separately framed. Jack makes his way over to her side of the duplex, but she remains coy and blank. Yet Meg's reasons for staying away are likely more complicated than he understands, and in one scene she clearly points at him while the chorus of the song plays - implying that perhaps neither of them really know what love is.

Dirt Don't Hurt: Bonnie Prince Billy "The Seedling"

2007-07-30T05:14:00.000Z

Click below the trailer to watch full-length video...

Bonnie Prince Billy "The Seedling" [Full Video]
dir. by Aran Reo Mann
The trailer for Bonnie Prince Billy's latest video is rated "R" for "coarse language and sexual situations." This could very well be a perfunctory detail meant to identify the clip as a preview, or perhaps placed against the red background it foreshadows the horror filminess of the piece. Yet the choice of words, specifically "sexual situations," is hard to ignore when the first verse of a song about making seedlings grow ends with "My full-sized child is fully unclothed."

The other, more limpidly vital detail of the trailer is the phrase uttered anonymously by a satirically creepy voice, "god made dirt, and dirt don't hurt." It's a phrase you've probably heard before, the type of thing your grandparents might say, and is generally interpreted as a sort of positive axiom. (It's also often translated on schoolyards as the "five-second rule.") Yet here it sounds reticently sinister, as if the unseen narrator is mocking that second half of the rhyme: "dirt don't hurt." Or it could just be silliness.

The actual video is even darker than the trailer promises. After some beautifully scenic and aquatic imagery - which immediately brings to mind life cycles, i.e. "the miracle of birth" - we are shown an ominously empty rocking chair. The exact origins of the rocking chair are up for debate, but it has often been viewed as a symbol of parenting - perhaps a result of its association with the old nursery rhyme "Rock-a-bye Baby" (which itself is rather unsettling, "down will come baby, cradle and all"). Thus this vacancy implies bad, non-existent or perhaps "ghostly" child-rearing.

Buy the album
When the seat is finally filled, it adds no measure of comfort. A faceless man sits in almost complete darkness, singing his song with his deathly bright lips. Blue lips would normally suggest a voice from beyond the grave, but the fluorescent sea of life in the opening challenges this assumption. There is also something sensually abashing about putting such emphasis on the lips - conjuring images of unfulfilled desire.

In a parallel narrative a mysterious character takes his lantern into the forest to steal a bit of nature's beauty for himself (he chooses mushrooms, which can be both nutritious and poisonous). He hordes these living things in his bedroom, and uses them to create his own world. Whether Bonnie Prince Billy is singing of actual "illegitimate" children conceived in secret or making an analogy to songwriting, there is something about this creative process that keeps the artist up at night. The little girls who awake in his test-tubes almost all look to him for guidance, but the final shot of the video features one such exiguous creature stare directly towards the camera - as if cognizant of her confinement and now ready to be released.

Director Aran Reo Mann, who may or may not be related to Michael Mann (probably is), worked with the famous director on art direction in his films Collateral and Miami Vice. The gorgeous use of color and shadow here is perhaps the biggest link to those movies, yet whereas blue tends to represent either isolation or safety in Michael's films (including Miami Vice), it is used more ambiguously in "The Seedling." There are effulgent jellyfish in that pretty ocean, but it's a beauty that will sting you upon embrace.

Detour: Liars "Plastic Casts of Everything"

2007-07-27T08:54:00.000Z

Liars "Plaster Casts of Everything"
dir. by Patrick Daughters
Escaping from prison into a dark and dreary night, adrift in the desert, this troubled soul is fleeing more than a state institution. He wants to "run away" from the guilt, confusion and fear of whatever it is he's done - or is at least accused of doing. But he doesn't need to look in the rear view mirror to know that these regrets will not be leaving anytime soon.

In David Lynch's Lost Highway (an obvious influence here) Fred Madison suffers from a psychological "fugue state." This means that Fred creates in his mind a fresh identity (full of new people, places and memories) and proceeds to forget his true self. Yet like the crazed driver in this Daughters' video, Fred can't really erase his memories and begins to subconsciously repeat or relive his mistakes. In fact the protagonist of "Plaster Casts of Everything," who imagines a strange woman in his passenger seat, may very well be haunted by the same guilty demons as Fred - that of his wife's murder.

A fugue also happens to be a style of musical composition, one which features multiple parts that come together in a sort of circular form (returning to the opening key). The Liars' excellent single doesn't necessarily follow that style, but there is a connection between the repetition of the pulsating music and the building tension on screen. The final coda implies that rather than an endless cycle of shadows and desert, things may actually get worse for this guy. He's caught in his own nightmarish spiral of horror and self-hatred - and there's no going back.

Parallel Lines: Slim Thug vs. NYOIL

2007-07-26T07:01:00.000Z

Ridin' dirty and pretty...

Slim Thug "Wood Grain Wheel"
dir. by ?

NYOIL "Unreal"
dir. by E-Hab

The first is a visually stunning mainstream hip-hop video, while the latter is a cheap - slightly corny - indie production. Slim Thug looks cool coasting in his shiny new car with his "wood grain wheel," accompanied by stylish cinematography and a fantastic brooding beat. NYOIL looks awkward in his wife beater, and the silliness of his introduction is distracting and unnecessary. Yet in many ways director E-Hab's low frills and poorly executed video for "Unreal" is an excellent commentary on Slim Thug's more accessible work. Together they provide fresh perspectives on tired subjects and common iconography.

Both videos are very much about staying true to yourself and the places you come from. As Slim Thug rides through his hometown of Houston, the pictures are often faded or intentionally worn - implying the laidback rapper hasn't forgotten his roots. In many ways he represents himself as a hero out of the past, like a character in Grindhouse, or an extension of the classic cars he drives.

The video works because it tells a story while creating a compelling and beautiful world around it. The tale is very familiar - my neighborhood is rough, baby mama drama and "hey, I'm rich!" - but it's told with such flare and fits so well with the music that it clearly distinguishes itself from the pack. Slim Thug's city, as seen through the reflections of shimmering car doors and rear view mirrors, becomes a surreal vision of typical hip-hop culture.

Yet essentially it's built around the biggest cliche of the genre: the ride. Not only is Slim in his vehicle most of the time, but there are countless shots of tricked-out Cadillacs swerving in parking lots in the background. NYOIL's nostalgic look at coming up in the rap game is also conceived entirely around the rapper's mode of transportation, but it serves a very different purpose. It begins rather predictably: the rapper in his leather-seated car, cell phone rings, and an agent calling. Yet the minute we realize NYOIL's car isn't a super expensive indestructible dream car - but rather one that breaks down just like normal people's - we know this is going to be a unique hip-hop video.

The car is made the focus here in order to comment on the vanity and cosmetically obsessed messages of contemporary music. NYOIL wants to say hip-hop is about more than that - that it's about people coming together for a cause, self-expression and the American spirit of hard work. The acting is forced and the finale is cheesy, but the anachronistic image of a rapper pushing his own broke down dreams with the help of complete strangers is more than refreshing. Slim Thug's world is prettier, but NYOIL's has a tangible and important message of self-confidence. Now why is it that these two categories of hip-hop videos always seem to be mutually exclusive?

Smiley Smile: Blonde Redhead "The Dress"

2007-07-19T07:42:00.000Z

Blonde Redhead "The Dress"
dir. by Mike Mills
Though not entirely original, the video for "The Dress" is a compelling portrait of sadness - and the beauty which lurks in every lonely tear. We see or hear people cry quite often, but rarely do we simply observe a stranger progress into weeping. Normally, especially if you knew the person, you would say something or reach out your hand to comfort. But here you are helpless; forced to be a spectator.

What you see, other than anguish, is fear. Lead singer Kazu Makino avers, "fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose," and director Mike Mills fills the spaces around these troubled folks with foreboding darkness. The black emptiness seems to trap them in their sadness, swallowing all hope of escape.

Yet there is something quietly uplifting about watching these individuals sob. Each of them is uniquely distressed and have their own way of expressing that grief, but they are all crying - almost as if they lament some universal tragedy. And in that undeniable connection, one can indeed find beauty amidst the frowns.

Weapon of Choice: RJD2 "Work It Out"

2007-07-17T07:13:00.000Z

RJD2 "Work it Out"
dir. by Joey Garfield
A man who appears disabled faces a steep set of steps. Immediately a stranger offers to help, assuming the man will have difficulty completing the task on his own. Yet our sharply dressed hero rejects the stranger's help, and seems stubborn in doing so - after all, we also expect him to have some difficulty in descending the stairs.

But in a single continuous take, Bill Shannon (born with a hip condition that requires crutches) expresses uninhibited individuality and freedom - rejecting any notion that he is incapable of beautiful movement. He hops, skates and glides through the crowded city, garnering looks of astonishment wherever he goes. After all that he climbs right back up those stairs - past the stranger who once doubted his ability.

Simply brilliant.

No Alarms, Some Surprises

2007-07-16T09:04:00.000Z

There isn't a new video to discuss today on Obtusity as we are still recovering from a whirlwind weekend in Chicago spent covering the Pitchfork Music Festival. So in the meantime we've posted some photo and video highlights from the 3-day extravaganza - unfortunately not including any Sonic Youth, GZA or Slint photos (our camera crapped out on Friday night). It was the best P4K event yet, featuring everything from a g-stringed Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) to the legendary Prince Paul arriving unexpectedly on stage with De La Soul. In between there were multiple appearances from members of Grizzly Bear, a bunch of brand new songs from The New Pornographers and a fence-shaking, insanely crowded semi-nude dance party curated by Girl Talk. Like we said - still catching our breath.

Sam Beam returns for an encore after a ho-hum set, unveiling this gorgeous cover of Radiohead's "No Surprises."

Clipse "Grindin" through an electrifying set that featured hits from both LP's and nearly every mixtape the Virginia duo has released thus far.

Though marred by technical difficulties, and only lasting a little over a half-hour, Junior Boys managed one of the more memorable shows of the weekend. They stuck mostly with the new stuff ("In the Morning" sounds even better live), but "Under the Sun," from first album Last Exit, was the real stunner.

Chicago natives Cool Kids had the crowd going wild over their unique blend of indie-style (check Mikey sporting form-fitting acid wash jeans) and hip-hop wit. The new songs sound fantastic, and experiencing "Mikey Rocks" with the crew of rabid hip-hop fans in the front row (including close friends of the rappers) was an unforgettable moment.

We'll get back to talking about music videos tomorrow, promise!

Heart It Races: Tracey Thorn "Raise the Roof"

2007-07-12T07:25:00.000Z

Tracey Thorn "Raise the Roof"
dir. by ?
The girl begins the video in yellow sneakers, a shy cat meowing at her feet. She works a menial job shining anonymous men's shoes, wearing a confining bonnet in a stark and lonely room that must surely reek of polish. Yet there is no despair in her eyes today, she pulls out her red shoes and dreams only of the coming night. Because this evening isn't just another Friday night - this evening she has a date.

Across town the boy of her dreams (or at least some guy who had a compelling MySpace profile), has just flown into town and anxiously hails a yellow cab. The fact that he comes from some distance implies their relationship - at least on the Internet - is more than a few days old. Thus the anticipation of this meeting has been building for a while on both sides, despite their mild-mannered appearances. As they each lay on their bed admiring pictures of the other, or practice dance moves in front of the mirror, they expose how truly ebullient - and optimistic - they are about this rendezvous.

Normally in these situations the cynic in you might take over, but the two characters here are played with such caution and humor that we allow ourselves to believe. Though the girl is wearing her Dorothy-shoes and the man initially jumps in a cab called "Confident Taxi," neither of them ever appear completely secure. Thus we are in the dance hall with him as he waits - wondering if she'll ever show up - and we are on the bike with her - worrying if he'll be anything like his online persona.

But once she finally does step in the room, without speaking a word, they know this is going to work. She crumples the picture in her hands and he waves sheepishly, but they are suddenly caught in the adrenaline of the moment. Their confidence grows by the second, with each furtive glance and every awkward dance move. The potential love that permeates the shrinking space between them is what lets them temporarily "raise the roof."

They don't kiss, because the music ends, but they stand inches apart waiting for it to resume. One imagines they don't speak at all in that silent gap. It's all about the dance tonight, finally being near each other and finally being free to express long dormant desire. Their heels kick up in unison - standing in their new shoes.

Wake Up: The Mint Chicks "Walking Off a Cliff Again"

2007-07-10T07:51:00.000Z

The Mint Chicks "Walking Off a Cliff Again" [Hi-Res]
dir. by Sam Peacocke
The white rabbit is coaxed out of his hole by the Mint Chicks, in hopes that it might inspire the bored and suppressed people of the world. As our speedy hero splashes wonderland all over these previously static characters, they suddenly erupt with emotion and desire - coming to life just as he seems to lose his.

Peacocke, who also directed the Mint Chicks previous video, does an excellent job of capturing the energy and tone of the band - especially here as the protagonist runs with the rising adrenaline of the song. His images of mundane offices and bland classrooms are delightfully composed, and the performances here are brief but sweet.

And could that opening shot be another indie reference to Donnie Darko (waking up in the middle of the street, rabbits, martyrdom, maybe?).

Re-Definition: eMC "What It Stand For?"

2007-07-10T07:33:00.000Z

eMC "What It Stand For?"
dir. by Rob Alphonose
In many ways eMC seem to stand for the same things as everyone else in the game, at least thematically. But as they rifle off one clever phrase after another, you begin to hear a lyrical creativity that sets them apart. The video has its moments (the transitions are nice), but it primarily defers to the song to keep things afloat. The beat by Nicolay (of Foreign Exchange fame) is supremely addictive, and the references to "eMC" in almost every line are entertaining - though we were left waiting for the obvious Einstein shout out.

A Different Perspective: Ellen Allien & Apparat "Way Out"

2007-07-09T08:42:00.000Z

This is an old video newly unearthed...

Ellen Allien & Apparat "Way Out"
dir. by Postodellefragole
In the reflection of the window we can barely make out the face of a young girl. She watches in awe and confusion as the shiny world whizzes by. The opening notes of the song are channeled into a quivering vision, as if everything out there is just barely being held together. Likewise she sees toy-like robots amidst an epic war, destroying the icy beauty of the city towards some unknown end. But in her daydream there can be some meaning to all this - there can be sides to choose and heroes to champion.

Yet in the real world these things are far harder to explain. When a child sees their environment destroyed without reason - whether through warfare, pollution or otherwise - it must be a terrifying feeling. While a strong imagination can go a long way towards rescuing hope, it's only a matter of time before despair sets in. The beautiful mystery of the world unknown suddenly turns ugly and fearful. The blooming mind of a child, assaulted by society's madness.

Put On Your Red Shoes: Cupid "Cupid Shuffle"

2007-07-09T08:01:00.000Z

Cupid "Cupid Shuffle"
dir. by ?
As much as karaoke songs like "Macerena" or "Electric Boogie" pain the ears, when played in public they provide a unique opportunity to get lost in communal self-expression. In recent times hip-hop has been especially adept at releasing songs which are specifically intended to bring people together on the dance floor - whether it be to "Lean Back" or "Walk it Out." These are songs which instantly spark a certain type of movement in the crowd, and thus create an exhilarating sense of unity. Cupid celebrates this phenomenon, calling on folks of all ages to join in his new "shuffle."

But even though he gets people moving, this is not the next "Charleston." It's catchy and easy enough to learn, but it's also a tad bit derivative. I imagine it will do quite well nevertheless, but in terms of the 'next big thing,' my money's on the "5000."

[via Notes From a Different Kitchen]