An odd memory or three...

The air turns colder and the night comes in earlier, and I imagine that Fall, being the most earthbound of seasons, should make me become steady about my tasks, my work. But this latest crop of videos on the kid's MTV doesn't leave me with anything particularly funny or insightful to share with you. No, I'd rather just pull some great old oddities out for your viewing pleasure.

Pumping On Your Stereo
Supergrass


This was all inspired by suddenly remembering Supergrass's classic Pumping On Your Stereo. Don't ask me how that came about; I haven't really pulled out a Supergrass album in who knows how long, mired as I currently am in my old-timey ska and prohibition-era jazz ghetto. But when I did just up and remember this one, I found it again and realized it was more than just some random album promo.
At the risk of sounding sentimental, this one manages to be both funny and warm. The use of the Oxford quartet's heads on top of goofy puppet bodies is a gimmick that pays off immediately. There's really this sort of "Sid and Marty Kroft"-with-a-wink quality to it. You feel like it would be appreciated by the 8 year old kid we all knew that got all the adult jokes before the rest of us did.

Closet Freak
Cee-Lo



And from the land of puppets to the land of... freaks, this Cee-Lo video came at a time when I wondered what he would be like away from the Goodie Mob. This was a big, big answer. Out of Cee-Lo Green's crazed mind comes 70's glamour, gospel strutting, and more than a slight nod to Earth, Wind, and Fire. In a way, this video sort of reads like some kind of black man's heaven... with laser lights. The way it pokes fun at this kind of video (this is clearly a lampoon of Let's Groove Tonight), but at the same time reveres it; that's what makes this such a classic.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love
The Darkness



And to end this on something of a bittersweet note, let me present you with the legendarily goofy I Believe in a Thing Called Love from the newly lead-singerless Darkness. Justin Hawkins quit the glam-rock collective after being admitted to rehab... what this group will be without his glass-cutting falsetto, his rock-star prancing, I dunno (this dude's some kind of Robert Plant lovechild or successor). The Darkness are famous, at least in my estimation, for being a tongue-in-cheek group that are dead serious about their music. In short, they rock the hell out and then some. It's almost as if to make great hard rock anymore, you can't take it that seriously. As this video shows... they very much don't.
However, I'm afraid that stint in rehab appears to be very much grounded in reality. As rock and roll as that may be, I think we'd be a whole lot happier if it was just part of the script.

No Knock
Spec Boogie



For the first review on Threeminute Opera, I decided to take a look at the debut video "No Knock" from indie hip-hop artist Spec Boogie. I did this for two reasons, both somewhat connected: 1) I sort of know the guy. Well, we were both at the Okayplayer barbecue, anyway. In this increasingly disconnected world, I imagine that counts for something. But more importantly, full disclosure notwithstanding, 2) It's a great example of what I look for in a music video.
Underground hip-hop videos generally fall into the "rap into the handheld camera" camp, and I can't say with any sort of straight face that I've appreciated many that ventured into more... ahem... creative directions. As a basic rule, the more basically on-message the indie hip-hop video tends to stay, the better for all concerned. This one makes me quite the believer: Stark still images zoom by and enhance the story Spec tells over a frantic few minutes. These are images of police, of a love/hate relationship with NYC, of despair... and yet, with all going on there are a total of three moving characters for the entire video (four, counting the intro). It's affecting stuff, and a brilliant first effort for all involved.

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Remember Me
British Sea Power



This is the video for "Remember Me" from theatrical rock outfit British Sea Power and boy is it a doozy. At times frightening, at others humorous, and instilled with an underlying sense of sadness, the gist of it concerns ancient statues coming alive and singing. That's it. But it's not overdone and silly in any way; it's done in such a way that you start to feel sorry for them. As if they're pleading in some way for recognition. The excellent and anthemic rock track playing in the background almost becomes part of the visual, and the direction is urgent and pleading. Special thanks have to be given to the make-up artists that worked on the band; their ability to look like moving weathered bronze statues is especially disturbing.
As is the ending.

Other videos notable for their excellence in directing include Pharcyde's Drop, which features the legendary So. Cal hip-hoppers performing the video in reverse on a crowded Los Angeles street. We have Spike Jonze to thank for that (pay attention for two Beastie Boys cameos as well). Thom Yorke of Radiohead actually allowed himself to be submerged in some sort of space helmet device for the eerie No Surprises video... yes, folks, that's honest-to-god gasping for air. He goes on to finish the song being the trouper that he is. Beck's videos for his classic Odelay were all vastly memorable. The Midnight Cowboy inspired Devil's Haircut features here. Finally, Xzibit's What You See Is What U Get shows us the earlier days of the Pimp My Ride star; you know... walking through a urban war zone, performing at an impromptu show, bringing his wife the groceries. It was a simpler time...

(Click on video titles to go to their YouTube links)



Until Next Time,
Maurice

Threeminute Opera:
A Music Video Review

In short, because I'm a fan of brevity, Threeminute Opera is simply a review of music videos: that form of artist advertisement you see on MTV and such channels all day and night. The way it will work is that this page will feature one or several different music videos at a time and basically discuss whatever impact it had on me. Sometimes it'll be a certain director whose work I enjoy, at others I may feature videos that represent a time or a style of music, and most of the time I'll just say what I like and don't like about current releases.

Cheers,
Maurice Downes
October 6, 2006
New York