Alt-J - Breezeblocks
This video stands out by the way that it breaks the generic narrative structure of many music videos. The video for Breezeblocks is actually played in reverse and by doing this it engages the audience because it (a) grabs their attention by breaking conventions and (b) requires the viewer to actually concentrate in order to interpret the events. The style is reminiscent of the thriller 'Memento' in the way that the events happen in reverse. The lyrics and title of the song is made evident in the very beginning of the video, and the events follow very closely to the actual lyrics. For example, from 0:00 to 0:05, the lyrics "hold her down with soggy clothes and breeze blocks" applies directly to the video. Many music videos, especially when talking about the pop or rap genres, rely heavily on quick cuts as this matches the pace of the music. For example, in 'Classic' by DJ Premier quick cuts are used often, especially in the verses (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnl7Q_IBXbw). However, in this case the video has longer shots and fewer cuts, matching the slower, almost eery feel of the soundtrack. Breezeblocks has a very dull colour grade, this is an interesting point as it breaks the convention of having brightly light and vibrant videos to instil a feeling elation in the audience, hence making it memorable.
Bonobo - Cirrus
I came across this on Bug Videos, and it appealed to me because it is not very often that you see a music video entirely composed from old found footage.This element makes it interesting because it tackles the idea that new is better, when in fact old can be just as good, if not better. What is even more appealing is the way that the footage has been remixed and cut together to create a kind of collage/montage of footage that would otherwise be quite banal on its own. The video does fit the song really quite well, as the song has a kind of dreamlike quality, and the mixture of found footage amplifies this as it is the sort of thing that would only be possible in a dream. It can also be more challenging to make a video for a track that doesn't have any lyrics, however, the video is perfect without having to illustrate any lyrics. The video has a psychedelic feel to it, and elements feel as though you are looking through a kaleidoscope which is fairly unusual in terms of music videos. The video matches the style of Bonobo's music, as the track is composed using various samples, just like the video so in a way the video does amplify the artists style.
Kid Cudi ft. MGMT - Pursuit of Happiness (Megaforce version)
This version of the of the video differs significantly from the other video, directed by Josh Hartnett. This video is much more intriguing because of the individuality in the way it is shot, particularly in the first half of the video, and the way that these shots transition and merge in to the next. The artist occasionally breaks the fourth wall, this is effective in making a stronger connection with the audience as they are able to relate to the lyrics of the song. The way that the camera constantly changes angle/orientation is an interesting technique and it matches the lyrics. For example, "the pursuit of happiness" is a frustrating one, and the way that the artist ends up in the same place (the sofa) whenever he attempts to leave could represent this struggle. The track also has a dream like element and the video emphasises this by using the orientation of the camera to disorientate the audience, something which is often avoided. In addition, the mise en scene is full of dream like elements, such as the smoke and the other characters dressed in peculiar costumes. All of these combine to reinforce the idea of a dream world, illustrating the lyrics.
Is Tropical - The Greeks
The music video for The Greeks explores several delicate issues, becoming clearer/apparent when you watch the video more. It delves into dark concepts by mixing child like gore animation/effects with real footage to create the idea that the audience are seeing the kids imaginations and the worryingly violent games they play that are inspired by real events. The video could be exploring the issue of violence and war and the exposure that is readily accessible by the internet and on the news. Children could easily gain access to this and as they are influenced easily, could even attempt to recreate what they have seen, much like the video. It could even go as far to suggest the issue of child soldiers, however, it seems more appropriate to link the video with the imagination of children and the link to media. The video also touches on the issue of drugs, which are also becoming increasingly easy to obtain, but what is more worrying is that it features in the kids game. This again suggests the link to media/society and the coverage of drugs. The video uses dark humour to explore the issues of violence, which seems to add more discomfort to the idea that the kids are innocently imagining the events in their games. The video could be seen as a metaphor, reflecting the society that we live in today and the prevalence of violence/drugs in the community and the media. It could also be a stab at what the consequences will be if society continues down the same rocky road. Whats more is that the video makes use of children, making it even more hard-hitting and memorable.
Another music video, released at around the same time (Arcade Fire - The Suburbs) seems to tackle the same issues as seen in The Greeks. What makes this interesting is the video is composed of clips from a short film called Scenes from the Suburbs. The Suburbs has a better sense of realism than The Greeks and comments specifically on society in America, which seems to be incredibly corrupt, and so the two videos could be linked. However, the sense of realism associated with The Suburbs makes it feel a lot more worrying because the issues surrounding violence and society in the video feel current and as though they could not be far off of what is already happening now.
Biting Elbows - Bad Motherfucker
I added this video on the end simply because of the way that it is shot in first person. I don't think I've seen a music video that has been shot in first person before, hence why I found it interesting. However, it doesn't really feel like a music video but in saying that it does seem to fit with the lyrics. In contrast it does divert attention from the song because of the 'action' type genre. The use of first person could be an interesting concept if it had been used in perhaps a more reserved way, especially if it amplified the lyrics of a song. Unfortunately, the video seems to intend to target a predominantly male teenage audience who enjoy this kind of music video and so the idea of first person is tainted. It could be said that the video doesn't seem to work as a music video, however, it does seem to successfully embody a B-movie action film. Anyhow, one of the main points of a music video is to garner the interest of the audience and the video seems to have done this with over 14 million views on YouTube, so it could be argued that it is successful as a music video.
