Welcome to our brand new velvet-lined Music Video Lounge. It’s a place to sit back, relax and enjoy spanking new videos of the musical variety, while reading our insightful commentary. The rules are that simple so if you’re ready, let’s lounge… Laying themselves open for scrutiny this week are Ida Maria, Bloc Party, Mike Bones, Sky Larkin and The Walkmen…
Sky Larkin - Beeline - Out January 26th
On their MySpace page, Sky Larkin list the ingredients for a Sky Larkin cocktail, including bourbon, raspberry puree, ginger ale and cranberry juice. This is surely proof positive that a band who make such contagious music cannot necessarily be trusted to mix you a decent drink. For this storming new single, the band have put together a gorgeously lilting track and decided to illustrate it by jumping into themed shopping trollies while dressed in lycra-strenthened casual attire, then playing guitars and drums while free-wheeling. RealMusic Blog recalls doing a similar thing in Basildon in 1989, probably after too many drinks containing raspberry puree and bourbon…
Ida Maria - Oh My God - Out January 26th
Next up in the Music Video Lounge we head over to Norway, home of Oslo and other things Scandinavian. Like A-Ha, Vikings and er, fjords. Ida Maria broke big last year with her album Fortress Round My Heart and this is the first track on it, a re-release after she’s buggered off from her record company to go it alone. Throughout, Ida looks bonkers in a red nylon blouse, pleading with us to try to find a cure for her life. By the end she’s screaming “Oh my god!” and thrashing about, all the while looking like she’s on her lunch hour from the dental reception she fronts. A mad and slightly static-haired dental reception, granted.
Bloc Party - One Month Off - Out January 26th
Next up is Bloc Party, them of the grinding guitars and oft high-pitched indieness. We’ll fess up first: this isn’t a track that will blow you away. Rather it’s plodding and predictable apart from the key change at the end where it goes a bit Westlife and, like we suggested, high-pitched. But where the song might not be up there with Bloc Party’s high points, the video is a bizarre mish-mash of animated fairytales with bitter ends. Witness Little Red Riding Hood chased by a tank, Humpty Dumpty flattened by one, Rapunzel blown up by anti-aircraft fire and Hansel and Gretl laser-fried in the forest. We can’t make head nor tail of it either, but it puts some gloss on a track that’s curling at the edges.
Mike Bones - What I Have Left - Out January 26th
During the first 30 seconds of this video, we learn a few things about this artist: his name’s Mike Bones, he favours dark jeans, he laces his shoes tightly and he likes to stamp. Then the video goes all arty on us, a bit of jagged animation here, coloured lights and geometric shapes there, culminating in fireworks and twirling divers. The song meandering in the background is engaging enough in a modern-day Bob Dylan kinda way, but take away Mike’s indie stylings and he’s almost cantering out of the same stable as David Gray. Still, Dave lives in a posh house in Hampstead Heath with lovely neighbours, so it could be worse couldn’t it?
The Walkmen - In The New Year- Out February 23rd
Last up to lounge are The Walkmen, brought to you all the way from New York City. Singer Hamilton Leithauser is clearly desperate to be Brandon Flowers and spends the whole video doing his bestest impression of him, superimposed as he is over vintage movie footage. It’s not a bad try but he ends up sounding more like a strained Chris Martin as the track builds to an impressive crescendo with hulking guitars and keyboards swirling in the video’s spooky mist. Top marks for the video, but the jury’s still out on the song. It’s sub-Killers but it might just be a grower…
(Clare Lydon)
