7.10.2009

Alice In Chains eyeing A Looking In View video

Directed by Stephen Schuster from the album, Black Gives Way to Blue.

Black Gives Way to Blue is the band's first album since the death of vocalist Layne Staley in 2002. William DuVall of Comes With the Fall is the current lead.

A music video bordering on epic length, three distinct story lines are exhibited with all carrying the same underlying theme. The teen suffering from childhood based PTSD has the most constructive method of concealing his pain compared to the other characters. The NSFW female's section has a redemptive quality after she undergoes a self inflicted near death experience. The adult male's final scene on the bed has a whiff of contradiction. Will he bend to his temptations within a room filled with the symbols he used to try and cleanse himself?

The Sound of Animals Fighting eyeing Another Leather Lung video

Created by Eric Stodolnik from the album, The Ocean and the Sun.

The musical collective, The Sounds of Animals Fighting's, body of work ended with the release of The Ocean and the Sun. Nine rotating members had only four live shows under the Animals Fighting banner.

Those in an altered state of mind will find greater appreciation watching the video than those sober. It features the works of painter Vasily Kafanov though the manner in which they are exhibited greatly enhances the paintings in a manner that draws one's attention to certain elements. I would really like to know how the animator came up with his trippy vision...


[AbsolutePunk]

Third Eye Blind eyeing Don't Believe A Word video

Directed by Stephan Jenkins from the album, Ursa Major.

Those who will be in New York city on July 17 can attend a free show at Central Park. Third Eye Blind will be taping for Good Morning America for those willing to be there at 6 a.m. when gates open.

Stop motion + performance video = whatever this was...

7.09.2009

Odium eyeing At the Bottom video

Directed by Chad Archibald from the album, Year of the Sun.

2009 has been the breakout year for Odium. They signed to Year of the Sun records earlier in the year, released their debut album Year of the Sun(coincidence?) and filmed their first video, At the Bottom.

Great video that uses both the name of the band, and underlying track to create a captivating clip. The kid's transformation at the end was unexpected, though children in these kinds of videos seem to always have an otherworldly way of solving their problems. Why is everything but his face completely clean?


[Blabbermouth]

Neverdice eyeing Praying In the Name Of video

Directed by Janne Tamminen from an as of yet announced album.

The Finnish band has a quite a lot of free media on their website. All the tracks from the Neverdice EP and the video for Praying In the Name Of are available for download.

The concept for the video, don't judge someone by the clothes they wear, was interesting. Too bad the execution faltered with long shots of the girl driving. They should have hinted at the twist earlier on so as not lose the viewer's interest. Tattoos...

Daath eyeing Day of Endless Light video

Directed by Robin Fuller from the album, The Concealers.

Eyal Levi(guitar) on the band's current album, "call me cocky if you will, but check out the record and if you disagree feel free to write me on our Myspace and call me a prick". Levi states that The Contenders features the best writing he has ever done and that everyone else's play level has increased since their last release. [CenturyMedia]

Interesting animations in the background but nothing else but a performance clip...

7.08.2009

Blitzen Trapper eyeing Black River Killer video

Directed by Daniel Elkayam from the album, Furr.

Furr was released September 23, 2008 and was listed 13th on Rolling Stone's "Top 50 albums of 2008". Two tracks from the album, Furr and God & Suicide were featured on the NBC show Chuck.

Country songs have some of the most literal lyrics in the music medium. "Black River Killer" takes a queue from that genre which gave the director a pre-made screenplay ready for filming. Which means if you liked the song, the music video is going to be an easy fit.

The Human Abstract eyeing Counting Down The Days video

From the album, Midheaven.

Midheaven is a concept album that follows the rise and fall of an unnamed man. Former bassist Mike Nordeen's sections were entirely re-recorded by Sean Hurley, who tours with John Mayer.

Claymation video that features an array of unique characters building a doomsday clock. Too bad they included live action shots of the band because it took away from the storyline that was unfolding. Every time you got lost in the alternate world, you would be snapped back into reality with performance shots of the band. And for those not in the know, a doomsday clock is always approaching 12 O'Clock. If it ever reaches that time, the world ends. The clock in the video doesn't make any sense if it is supposed to be one...

The Twilight Sad eyeing I Became a Prostitute video

From the album, Forget the Night Ahead.

The band's first album, Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters was recorded in three days whereas their new album, Forget the Night Ahead, took two years to come together. They found it hard to write while touring and didn't want to have a rushed final product. [DrownedinSound]

Grainy footage of a burlesque dancer takes up the entire length of the video. Was there any purpose for her? Maybe burlesque leads to prostitution...

7.07.2009

Harlem Shakes eyeing Strictly Game video

Directed by Supermarché from the album, Technicolor Health.

The past two months have not been going well for the band. Their van was robbed in early June and with the expected clothes and equipment pilfered, some extra strings were also stolen. They also had to cancel their July shows in the UK for reasons not stated.

At first glance the video looks homemade, it even includes the typical Windows Movie Maker opening. Then what appears to be a slideshow of still photography turns out to be greatly composed video snippets with the slightest(purposeful) movement betraying the photo look. One forgets how the composition of an image immediately defines it as either a video or photograph.

Aiden eyeing Scavengers of the Damned video

Fromt the album, Knives.

wil Francis(vocals) sold his car to raise money for the band's first release, Our Gang's Dark Oath in 2003. Through self marketing, especially the handing out of self made CDs, they signed to Victory Records in 2004.

It's an entirely different artistic avenue when a band can take a vision and not only use it in their music, but also in their outward appearance. In this case it's the horror theme that carries through both the video and the track. The priest-like outfit wil is wearing at the end really stands out with all that happened beforehand...

Knife eyeing Fake Man video

Directed by Perrone Salvatore from the album, The Gloomy Side of Things.

The Italian band Knife finally came together in 2000 to release their debut, The Soul of the Bull. They placed third in a "headbanging" contest later that year which won them a publishing deal with Dave Records.

The tension created is quite notable, since the ending turns out to be a twist on what you probably thought was going on. Why he needed all those tools to complete a simple job at the end? No one knows, at least I don't...

Bible of the Devil eyeing The Turning Stone video

From the album, Freedom Metal.

Bible of the Devil will be playing a free show in Chicago, IL at the Cobra Lounge. They will play on August 5, 2009 at 7 PM and will be held on a first come first served basis; advance tickets will not be handed out.

If Vegas carried out such a policy as demonstrated in the video for out of control gamblers, the number of addicts would quickly dip to zero.

Hackneyed eyeing Deatholution video

From the album, Burn After Reaping.

Recording for Burn After Reaping finished in early June in Germany. They call it louder and more brutal than their previous release, Death Prevails.

The video features a Samara Morgan/Sadako Yamamura look alike who terrorizes a Hackneyed fan. Not a great premise for those who love Hackneyed but are deathly terrified of horror films. Who knows, maybe every couple of viewers she makes a visit...

Ash eyeing Return of White Rabbit video

Directed by Nico Jones from the A-Z Series singles.

Like many band releasing music in the new digital age, Ash will be embracing the new technology with the digital consumption of listeners in mind. Beginning in September, the band will be releasing one out of 26 tracks every two weeks through digital outlets and also vinyl for those on that side of the coin. Download Return of White Rabbit here. [Link provided on band's website]

Unrequited love from childhood through adulthood would definitely make the character's actions in the video acceptable. He wasn't even rejected by the ladies, just simply too shy to pull the trigger. Too bad he chose a ridiculous method to end the cycle. Great art style that keeps the story moving...

Rose Elinor Dougall eyeing Start/Stop/Synchro video

Directed by Ali Taylor from the album, Without Why.

Rose was a former member of the British band, The Pipettes, before branching out to pursue her solo work early last year. Start/Stop/Synchro was the first track released under her solo name.

Wide open seascapes fill the video making it look like a retro Bahamas vacation ad. They even walked all the way from the prairies of nowhereland to the beach, too bad someone left a shoe...

7.06.2009

Holiday Shores eyeing Phones Don't Feud video

Directed by Scott Ross from the album, Columbus'd The Whim.

Columbus'd The Whim is the Florida band's debut album. The band's hometown gives a summery vibe to their music, according to their label's info. page. You can download Phones Don't Feud free here and decide for yourself. [Link provided on label's website]

He's running from something, too bad we never find out. The earlier sections of the video could be the makings of a horror film...

Eels eyeing In My Dreams video

From the album, Hombre Lobo.

Hombre Lobo's cover art references Cohiba brand cigars. They were originally produced only for the former president of Cuba, Fidel Castro.

Prominent product placement of Mark Oliver Everett(vocals) book, "Things the Grandchildren Should Know" leads of the video as we watch his child variant prepare for bed. The rest of the clip features a long search for a frog that the child knows the exact location, even though its somewhere deep in the woods. Obviously anything is possible in dream land...

Bloc Party eyeing One More Chance video

From an as of yet named album.

Bloc Party is going back home after almost a two year hiatus. The band will be touring the UK in October, which they are dubbing "Bloctober."

Somewhat confusing video if you simply watched and didn't already know the lyrics. Seems like the characters are reliving past memories with those who have passed.

U.S. Royalty eyeing Raincoats video

Directed by Shruti Ganguly from the U.S. Royalty EP.

The band is currently based in Washington D.C. with the self titled EP as their only released work. It is available in digital format only from respective retailers.

Too bad information is sparse on the band because I would like to know how they managed to bring in Miss India 2007, Sarah-Jane Dias, for their video shoot. The director seemed to have capitalized on her presence because their is a 50/50 split between the band's shots and Dias'. Yet she doesn't do much but look extremely contemplative, too bad he gets rejected anyway. The limp candle close-up was great, dead heat...