Three Beautiful Visuals that Accompany Great Songs

I'm not calling "music videos" of high/artistic quality "music videos" anymore. That calls to mind rappers with models and pop singers walking down streets lip synching into a camera, and that's not what I want you to think of when I introduce these visuals.

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe

Winner of "Best Music Video" at South by Southwest 2010 (a.k.a. SXSW), "Luv Deluxe" is a song that I highly recommend playing around 2AM on steamy nighttime summer roads with the windows down. The visual tells the story that everyone imagines themselves at the center of as a teenager, but never lives out. Cinnamon Chasers have created a remarkably full song that will resonate with anyone who ever wondered what could happen if they picked up their keys and drove west.

Janelle Monae - Cold War

This video is so intimate it borders on discomfort. I felt as though I was violating Monae's privacy by watching all the through the video. On this striking accompaniment for a beautiful song, Monae sings:

I'm trying to find my peace; I was made to believe there's something wrong with me, and it hurts my heart. Lord have mercy, ain't it plain to see?

Yes it is, Ms. Monae. We don't need cuts to scenes of cliché domestic violence images to explain the emotion, and the director refuses to fall into that trap, letting Monae's tearful face and soulful voice cary it. It does so much more work emotionally then, say, a hobbit and Megan Fox can.

Kanye West - Power

Yes this is the second straight post with this song in it, but this video really has no precedent for what it's trying to do. It's laden with classical symbolism, and only lasts 90 seconds. While 808's crossed the line between different musical genres, this effectively marches straight through three different genres of art. The director, visual artist Marco Brambilla, said of the video to MTV (which provided the ultimate comedic juxtaposition by premiering this after Jersey Shore):

“It didn’t answer all the questions,” he added. “It just becomes more provocative and a little bit more tense at the end, because it cuts away just before the action within it resolves itself, so it kind of leaves you with the feeling that something’s about to happen.”

I am unspeakably excited for his album, which is now due out in November, and apparently will no longer be called Good Ass Job. A decision I agree with, as the former title sounds way too domestic to have a song like "Power" on it.

Music Videos are Confusing

Music videos have an interesting role in today's manic music scene. Sometimes artists use them as artistic statements. 80% of rappers use them as opportunity to stand next to exotic cars with their crew, or to see how many models they can fit into a pool party scene. Many performers like to walk down a street and sing straight into the camera, and some seem to like singing during slow motion parties.

More recently, we have these crazy kids who go out of their way to be interesting and avoid any sort of formula. You've seen examples of this on this very blog, "ONE" (below), "Little Secrets", "The Reeling", "Giving Up the Gun". Maybe they're just trying to get publicity, but it's cool enough that I'm happy to give them my own bit of attention. Here are a few more that have been fit the anti-formula and make for great entertainment. Some are more

Animal Collective - "My Girls"

An appropriately trippy, underwatery video for this contemporary classic.

MGMT - "Flash Delirium"

A brand new song that really gives a good look at the direction MGMT are taking their music in with their new album Congratulations. Look for a review from tableau in the next two issues.

Gorillaz - "Stylo"

Bobby Womack and Mos Def guest feature on the vocals, and Bruce Willis makes an appearance in the video as an emotional father figure. Just kidding, he's a badass in a muscle car here.

Kanye West - "Flashing Lights"

Even if you hate Kanye, it's hard not to respect him for pushing mainstream hip-hop in a fresher, if not more artistic, direction. This video is one of the more interesting departures from your typical rap video format.

Erykah Badu - "Window Seat"

You can watch this one on her official site. Badu gets dressed in reverse in this NSFW video filmed in Dallas, in the same plaza where JFK was shot. Yeah, there's a lot to chew on with this one.

Where's The Justice?

If you were alive and had ears in 2007, you probably heard Justice drop a little album called †. If you were too busy being under a rock or something, you most likely eventually got washed in the resounding shockwave that occurred afterward. I mean seriously, we are approaching the two year mark since the Justice ship has landed; it's almost impossible not to have heard at least a snippet from what many argue to be the most influential electronic artists today.

But, since their firey release, little more seems to have emerged out of the creative minds of French DJs Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Besides a live album and DVD that catalogue the massive success of †, fans have been wondering what those crazy Frenchmen have been up to.

Here's the answer: they've been producing, and I'm here to give you the low-down on all the important Justice happenings since 2007.

-First and foremost is Justice's remix of MGMT's Electric Feel. This is probably their most significant release since †, and so many of you probably know of its existence. Still, it's been very popular to the point of snagging a Grammy, and has since been used for many a mashup involving artists like Kanye West and Notorious B.I.G.

	MGMT - Electric Feel (Justice Remix)
	Found at skreemr.com

-Next, we have Justice's remix of "Get On Your Boots," the lead single off of U2's most recent album, No Line on the Horizon. It's a fun little number, but I personally prefer the Crookers remix.

	U2 - Get On Your Boots (Justice Remix)
	Found at skreemr.com

-Outside of remixing, Justice has also been working to produce original material for other artists. This first one I have here is a track by dance punk outfit Poney Poney entitled "Cross the Fader." Apparently, their whole upcoming album is being produced by Xavier de Rosnay and will be released sometime (hopefully) soon. In the meantime, you can learn how to play the song by watching the video.

	Poney Poney - Cross the Fader
	Found at skreemr.com

-And, lastly comes a track by the DJ crew Birdy Nam Nam called "The Parachute Ending." I'm probably most excited about this track because it sounds the most like the Justice I know and love. Plus, the music video is being animated by Will Sweeney. Check the teaser trailer for the video and the full track below.

	Birdy Nam Nam - The Parachute Ending
	Found at skreemr.com