Although the main attraction of any track should be the music itself, sometimes a really good music video can make the whole experience. If the fit is good enough, the film morphs into the music and is sometimes remembered for as long as the song. Some might say the visual for a piece should take a back seat, but for me a video that matches the mood of the song is a rare and beautiful thing, for matching sound and vision can be difficult, whilst cringe-worthy or bland offerings are plentiful. I understand that expense is a factor, and newer bands suffer when trying to produce something amazing to match their sound, but sometimes a little daring and a dollop of down-right lunacy can be as effective as any highly choreographed piece set in an exotic location. For me, a little humour can swing it too. So here are a few offerings that have made me smile over the last few years.
Rango by Catfish and the Bottlemen
Who can forget the feisty little spermatozoa and his fight to win the egg of his dreams? The roughness of the animation only makes this tongue-in-cheek little offering better.
Touch the Leather by Fat White Family
Surreal and disturbing, with some slightly ludicrous nudity, who else could this be but the Fat Whites? In a toss-up between this and ‘Cream of the Young’, this comes out marginally in front as a video that suits the music perfectly. Also, as I’m not fussed on men who play with their food, ‘Cream of the Young’ is pretty revolting.
Sin Digger by Falls
If all else fails, you could always get a wrestling tag team to beat the crap out of you, right? The humour is all here, fitting in with the crazy ethos of Falls’ music and live performances. If you’ve ever seen their live antics and had to dodge them as they play most of their set from anywhere in the auditorium other than the stage, you’ll know what I mean.
A New Wave by Sleater-Kinney
Transported into an episode of Bob’s Burgers, Sleater-Kinney get the full Simpsons treatment. Just the kid bouncing up and down gets me every time, oh, and the bit where the view-point is from inside Carrie’s mouth. Class.
As you can see, the only contender with a big budget is the Sleater-Kinney video, which I had to include for the pure love I feel for it. So, let’s hear it for lo-fi ingenuity and originality. It beats over-production any time for me.