Music Video | Heartbreaking Bravery

August 15, 2014

Radiator Hospital – Bedtime Story (Music Video)

There are very few things that were as consistent in 2014 as Radiator Hospital’s career-best effort, Torch Song. Mixing Sam Cook-Parrott’s characteristic pathos, humility, heart, and grit into a fiery new breed of songwriting, the record showcased the very best of what today’s outsider pop has to offer. While the inimitable Salinas Records will be releasing the LP in the very-near future, it’s already lived through an endless amount of plays via the band’s bandcamp (where the lyrics to each song have also been made graciously available). Torch Song is a full-length that’s almost over-stuffed with highlights, from the opening trio of tracks alone (“Leather & Lace”, “Blue Gown”, and “Cut Your Bangs”, respectively) straight through to the rambling, off-kilter closer (“Midnight Nothing”), the band’s crafted a very strong contender for album of the year honors.

“Bedtime Story” is essential to that, it’s right in the record’s halfway stretch and manages to both sustain and further Torch Song‘s momentum- no small task for a towering fifteen-song effort. Now, it’s been given a warm, black-and-white video that revels in the “old home movie” aesthetic. There’s a nostalgic familiarity that runs strongly through the veins of Radiator Hospital’s work, something that Perfect Pussy‘s Meredith Graves touched on expertly with her piece for The Talkhouse, that the video for “Bedtime Story” plays off of perfectly. Featuring little more than lo-fi clips of the band and their friends, it’s a low-key entry that’s both personal and personable, rendering it an impossibly welcoming bit of multimedia art for the people that really care.

This is a video that premiered over at The Media, which is one of the only things that can claim to be as consistently excellent in 2014 as Torch Song was- and Cook-Parrott offers a perfect explanation for why he chose that venue as the vehicle to premiere the video. As always, it’s worth reading and reflecting on (a trait that The Media seems to specialize in) and can be read here.

Watch “Bedtime Story” below and make sure to order a copy of Torch Song directly from Salinas here.

RADIATOR HOSPITAL, “Bedtime Story” from the media on Vimeo.

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August 15, 2014

Big Ups – Justice (Music Video)

There were a lot of treasures revealed in the weird little corners of the music world this site loves to mine today, including a full album stream (courtesy of Kanine Records) of Beach Day’s Native Echoes, an unofficial video of Ty Segall’s “Susie Thumb“, and an official music video from doom overlords Windhand. Additionally, there were streams for excellent new songs from GAMES, Abattoir Blues, and, especially, Nude Beach. Mostly, though, today belonged to a band who are no strangers to this site: Big Ups.

Eighteen Hours of Static, Big Ups’ most recent record, set the tone for what’s proven to be a tumultuous 2014 back in the middle of January. Since then, they’ve toured fiercely, experienced a growing profile, and quite an impact on this site’s Watch This series. The band also seems to have an eerie predilection for anticipating things on a large scale, something that could serve them very well in the future- and something that made the video they unveiled today for “Justice” so jaw-dropping.

Given the extremely unfortunate events happening in Ferguson, MO regarding journalists and journalistic rights, a video showcasing the plight and persecution of such a figure is not only timely but incredibly arresting. That “Justice” furthers its plot into a torturous state of affairs involving a grotesque allegorical sequence involving a bloodthirsty parasite that only adds to the overall discomfort. As aesthetically jarring that sequence is, it’s worth noting that “Justice” is a visual feast that’s soundtracked by Big Ups’ very peculiar brand of post-hardcore. The whole affair is intense and extremely disquieting, which will likely continue Big Ups’ deserved ascension in name recognition. This is a timely piece of multimedia art that’s worth watching and reflecting on. Don’t miss it.

Watch “Justice” below, read up on the situation in Ferguson, and buy Eighteen Hours of Static from the band’s webstore.

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August 14, 2014

Happy Diving – Weird Dream (Stream)

This week has had no shortage of great material to choose from thanks to great new songs from the likes of Glish (whose upcoming self-titled is among the year’s best releases), Miss Destiny, Straight Arrows, Colleen Green, Cozy, and VCR. There were also eye-catching music videos from the likes of site favorites Creepoid and Happyness to round things out on the visual end of the spectrum. One of the most arresting things to be introduced into the world, though, was Happy Diving’s lo-fi basement punk rager “Weird Dream”.

Bookending a song with sheets of feedback is a bold move that normally indicates a fair amount of aggression. It’s a trick that Dinosaur Jr. has used to great effect and a proclivity that Happy Diving seems to have picked up (among a few others that offer a strong connection between the two bands). From the scorching guitar work to the scuzzy production, “Happy Diving” isn’t content to drift by without landing a cavalcade of punches. As damaging as it is damaged, the song’s one hell of an introduction to a band on the verge of releasing their debut record, Big World, through a label as revered as Father/Daughter Records. If “Weird Dreams” does prove to be truly indicative of what Big World has in store, October 21 can’t get here fast enough.

Listen to “Weird Dream” below and make sure to pre-order Big World directly from Father/Daughter Records here.

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August 14, 2014

Follies – I Make Sense (Stream)

Over the past few days, there’s been a lot of great content to be unveiled. This is including, but certainly not limited to, a great new Dead Soft video “Everything”, a stream of a new Parlour track for an upcoming compilation from the always-outstanding Marshall Teller imprint, a look at the upcoming album from the deservedly legendary Blonde Redhead, and a new stream from Big Mess (courtesy of Allston Pudding). There was a great new self-titled EP released by Crossed Wires, a first look at Trust Fund‘s side of their impending split with Joanna Gruesome, a new song from Colleen Green, and an engaging music video from The History of Apple Pie.

Now, 2014’s already seen a treasure trove of genuinely great releases bearing the Double Double Whammy stamp and they’re adding to that already enviable streak with an impending split between Wishbone and Follies. The latter of those two bands has raised anticipation for this release considerably by offering a glimpse at their side by offering a stream of the damaged, feverish “I Make Sense”. It barely eclipses three minutes but packs so much raw lo-fi weirdness into them that it’s difficult to gauge the run time at all.

Changing at the drop of a dime, there’s a myriad of fascinating influences all gnawing at each other in the forefront of “I Make Sense”, rendering it a winsome mess that’s utterly entrancing. Whether it’s outsider pop through a psych lens or a new breed of shoegaze-influenced post-punk or just an unfiltered version of Phil Hartunian’s personality (he’s the driving voice behind the Follies project), “I Make Sense” still stands as a gripping piece of music that, like all of the best art, is impossible to completely define. There are very few songs that have been released in the past month to be this courageously weird- or this unrelentingly hypnotic.

Stream “I Make Sense” below and make sure to pre-order the split from Follies’ bandcamp.

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August 10, 2014

Naomi Punk – Firehose Face (Music Video)

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Naomi Punk specializes in a very specific type of post-punk, one that feels closer to shrapnel than a shotgun blast. It’s contained but laser-focused and unrelenting, with “Firehose Face” playing up the band’s woozy unease. It’s one of the stronger moments on the band’s recent Television Man and now it has a video to match. Shot entirely in black and white and presented with a lo-fi, low budget aesthetic, “Firehose Face” is a nervy collage if quasi-surrealistic imagery that’s next to impossible to be torn away from. Artfully hypnotic, it winds up being a perfect visual complement to Naomi Punk’s characteristically damaged madness.

Watch “Firehose Face” below and order Television Man from Captured Tracks here.

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August 9, 2014

Shy Boys – Life Is Peachy (Music Video)

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Between Saintseneca’s “Happy Alone” and Perfume Genius’ “Queen“, Christopher Good’s already responsible for two of the most arresting music videos of the year. A few days ago the Director/Editor/Producer unveiled his most recent effort, a constantly-evolving visual puzzle for Shy Boys’ characteristically surf-tinged “Life Is Peachy”. Playing with the linearity of time, the video hinges on a repeated chase involving a thief and a dental patient. It’s an intriguing concept and Good gives it his typically artful execution. As the single chase scene repeats, tiny details are added and subtracted. One mirror evolves into three, red evolves into blue, and a “Wanted” poster is brought full circle by a series of Polaroids. It’s the perfect balance of accessible simplicity and subtle high-concept, essentially becoming a mirror of the song. Everything’s always in motion, everything builds momentum, and it all comes together with a satisfying close. Music videos are rarely more clever than they are here, which is something that’s deserving of celebration.

Watch “Life Is Peachy” below and order it from High Dive here.

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August 2, 2014

Songs in Screens: A Look Back (Music Video Mixtape)

We’ve hit the approximate 2/3’s mark of the year 2014 and this very post is the 250th to run on this site. Over the course of its duration Heartbreaking Bravery has included a fairly strong emphasis on the music video and this year’s offerings made that commitment a complete non-issue by virtue of their excellence. Songs in Screens: A Look Back is a visual-based “mixtape” and serves as a reminder of a lot of the videos that earned acclaimed here- and a few that, whether due to time or an overabundance of other predetermined material, were egregiously overlooked. For all of the videos that have been featured, there will be a hyperlink leading to their respective write-ups. Those that didn’t receive a write-up will get a very brief one below the mix itself. All of these videos came out in 2014 and made an impression- and they all deserve to be remembered. Let’s give them the recognition that they deserve.

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1. Perfect Pussy – I
2. Bleeding Rainbow – Images
3. Creepoid – Baptism

4. Thee Oh Sees – Drop

While Thee Oh Sees’ “The Lens” did land itself a nice write-up, “Drop” was unfairly pushed to the side during its release. Arguably the better of the two videos (and songs), it gets the most out of its constantly evolving, simplistically animated black-and-white presentation and felt like a more appropriate inclusion for this list.

5. together PANGEA – Offer
6. Diarrhea Planet – Babyhead
7. Potty Mouth – Black & Studs
8. Dead Stars – Summer Bummer

9. The Coasts – I Just Wanna Be A Star

It’s almost cruel that both this song and this video were overlooked due to festival coverage. Both are either perfect or near-perfect and embody just about everything this site loves most. “I Just Wanna Be A Star” is a joyous celebration on record and the video gets one hell of a performance out of its unlikely lead. Make sure to not skip this one.

10. PUP – Guilt Trip

11. Anna Calvi & David Byrne – Strange Weather

This spot was always intended to feature an anomaly- an act or style that doesn’t regularly earn a feature spot on this site. clipping. came a hair’s breadth away from claiming it with their mercilessly arresting video for “Work Work” but Anna Calvi & David Byrne made something so staggeringly beautiful and emotive with their video for their “Strange Weather” cover that it would’ve been criminal to ignore it. No video this year had cinematography this stunning- or a mood this anxious. A genuine work of art.

12. Beverly – Honey Do
13. Mean Creek – My Madeline
14. Fucked Up – Sun Glass
15. Mozes & the Firstborn – Bloodsucker
16. Tweens – Forever
17. PAWS – Owls Talons Clenching My Heart
18. Iceage – The Lord’s Favorite
19. The So So Glos – Speakeasy
20. Marvelous Mark – Bite Me
21. Savages – Fuckers

22. Lower – Soft Option

No video from 2014 had this amount of unrelenting tension. From its bare-bones premise to the engaging execution, it’s something with the potential to be permanently embedded into the brain of anyone lucky enough to come across it.

23. Greys – Guy Picciotto

24. Cloud Nothings – Psychic Trauma

At this point, it’s fairly evident that Here and Nowhere Else will stand as one of 2014’s best records. The video for “Psychic Trauma” comes as a welcome reminder of that fact and features some basic (albeit eye-catching) visual effects. That combination’s enough to land it a spot in this list.

25. White Lung – In Your Home

Of all the 2014 music videos to be released so far, very few approach the levels of insanity attained by White Lung’s fiery “In Your Home”. Mixing a lot of the items featured prominently throughout this list (unexpected psychedelic imagery, contained animation, and the black-and-white aesthetic, especially) with something that’s uniquely their own, “In Your Home” stands tall as a testament to the fact that being weird is way more fun than being standard. And it offers up a perfect wrap for this mix. Roll credits.

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July 31, 2014

Dead Stars – Summer Bummer (Music Video)

It wasn’t too long ago that a post ran on here detailing this site’s love for Old Flame Records, Dead Stars, and their outstanding Slumber. Recently the band released another music video from that record for one of its clear-cut standouts, “Summer Bummer”. Perfectly timed, and even more perfectly executed, the video follows the adventure of a down-on-his-luck muppet as he spends a day on the beach. His big day out takes plenty of twists and turns as the video progresses, leading him from a crush to crushing embarrassment to exhilarating redemption. It’s a decidedly more cleaned up visual aesthetic than the one featured in “Someone Else” but the charming, low-key aspects all remain in tact. “Summer Bummer” itself, in all it’s sun-dappled glory, lends the whole thing a surprising amount of purpose and when the final payoff comes, it feels like it’s genuinely been earned. From the downtrodden facial expressions of the protagonist in the video to the searing, scuzzy riffs that inject the song with a jolt of surging adrenaline, this stands as one of the most perfect examples of summer music done right since Mikal Cronin’s stunning MCII.

Watch “Summer Bummer” below and make sure to pick up Slumber as soon as possible.

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July 31, 2014

Iceage – The Lord’s Favorite (Music Video)

There was a seemingly never-ending flood of great music that was released while this site’s attention was solely devoted to festival coverage. While Cymbal Eat Guitar’s hard-charging “Warning” and LVL UP’s career best “Soft Power” were both given their proper due earlier today, it just wouldn’t be right to not mention Iceage’s absolutely insane “The Lord’s Favorite”. One of the more severe hard lefts for a band with an established sound in recent memory, “The Lord’s Favorite” not only saw the unrelentingly bleak Copenhagen quintet firmly plant their feet in the wide-open expanse of the country-punk genre- they released it with an absolutely insane music video that looks like a champagne-drunk Nicolas Wending Refn update of Midnight Cowboy (and if that’s not enough to sell this thing, nothing is).

This write-up has to stop here or it’ll go on for far too long because there’s too much to say (and too much to spoil), so the video’s been provided below. Watch it, be entranced by it, and then hum that monster of a chorus into 2015.

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June 15, 2014

Lemuria – Brilliant Dancer (Music Video)

Lemuria’s Brilliant Dancer was featured way back when as one of 25 Best Demo’s, EP’s, 7″ Singles, and Compilations of 2013. Now, the song that the 7″ took its name from has a delightfully engaging, low-budget video to accompany it. Directed by Phillip Freedenberg, the clip combines DIY-friendly art, no-frills special effects, basic visual tricks, and some lovingly shot live footage into something strange and memorable. “Brilliant Dancer” is an overwhelmingly simplistic clip that comes laced with the effect of an old home video, triggering a strange nostalgia that gives it a surprising amount of emotional impact. By the time the collage-heavy presentation wraps itself up, the video winds up approaching becoming both a distinctively unique entry and a timeless piece of multimedia. All in all, it’s one of the better surprises of the past few months.

Watch “Brilliant Dancer” below and make a music video this month.
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Tag: Music Video