“No Face” was directed by Evan James Atwood and consists of nothing more than a gorgeously framed shot of Heynderickx running through “No Face” using stop motion techniques and the assistance Atwood’s fingers to convey something that strikes deep, tapping into something near the transcendental. As a narrative, it suggests complications and simplicity simultaneously, hinting at the distances of the relationships we form around our identity and how those relationships shape our existence.
At every turn, “No Face” is mesmerizing, pulling the viewer in until their eyes are practically pressed against the screen. It’s another beautiful example of how minimalist trappings can lead to maximized results, as the clip finds a way of climbing from the world of curiosities into the realms of the unforgettable. One of the most distinctively compelling clips of the first half of 2018, it’s hard to fathom the imprint it leaves behind fading anytime soon.
Watch “No Face” below and pick up I Need to Start A Garden here.
Fresh off releasing one of the year’s best basement pop records, Big Eyes come through in a major way yet again via this performance of that record’s title track, “Stake My Claim”. While the band certainly has made a sizable impression thanks to their recorded work, they’ve been an even more dangerous force as a live act. After going through several mutations, the band’s finally landed on a unit that allows their sound to be as expansive — and as aggressive — as possible.
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2. Boss Hog (KEXP)
One of many projects to include DIY punk icon Jon Spencer, Boss Hog first gained some notoriety in the late ’80s thanks to their sudden existence (they were created out of a need to fill a vacancy on a bill at CBGB’s), vocalist Christina Martinez playing that first show nude, and their relentlessly aggressive hybrid of punk sub-genres. The band’s been experiencing a resurgence lately, which led them to the KEXP studios for this gorgeously-lensed session presented in crisp black-and-white. From just about every angle, everything happening here is exhilarating.
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3. Mumblr – Mudmouth + Domingo (Out of Town Films)
After the beginning of their career brought about a handful of upbeat, party-leaning (but surprisingly introspective) anthems the quartet went through some sort of awakening. A lot of their more recent material has approached being confrontational thanks to a newfound darkness and a staggering amount of patience. The band’s been stretching their influences in surprising ways and nearly all of them are present in this beautifully-shot two song turn-in for Out of Town Films, which doubles as a definitive showcase for this era of one of the more fascinating bands making music right now.
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4. Tigercats – Rent Control (Fortuna POP!)
Every once in a while, a spectacularly made live video surfaces and causes people to question its validity as a live presentation. In many cases, most assume it’s just a particularly convincing music video. This is the fate that awaits Tigercats’ scintillating new “Rent Control”, which is one of the more memorable entries in that niche format in recent memory. Set in a house overflowing with people (presumably friends of the band), there’s a liveliness that informs “Rent Control” and elevates it past similar efforts. The song itself is an exuberant burst of indie pop and every aspect of the clip ties together beautifully, ensuring it a spot on this list.
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5. Japanese Breakfast (Audiotree)
Michelle Zauner anchored one of my personal favorite entries in this entire series’ run in Little Big League‘s extraordinary “Year of the Sunhouse” clip from Little Elephant and has remained a powerhouse performer in the time that’s passed since that clip. Zauner’s other project, Japanese Breakfast, has been turning quite a few heads since the release of their excellent Psychopomp. The band recently wrapped a tour with Mitski and Jay Som, taking control of every opportunity to better their already-formidable live show. Their recent session for Audiotree demonstrated the band’s continuously evolving live show and curiously quiet strengths. The entire session is masterful both in performance and presentation, leaving behind an artifact that should be visited and revisited for quite some time.
Heartbreaking Bravery 