Surprise! Normally these video round-ups aren’t posted until the end of the week, but there’s SO many great new videos already, and it’s only Wednesday! So we thought we’d include a few of the best ones here. Stay tuned for new music videos from Everything Everything, Sui Zhen, Tempesst and Patrick James. Enjoy, and check back at the end of the week for the usual list.
Everything Everything – Spring/ Sun/ Winter/ Dread
I have found a new favourite in Everything Everything. After reading our review of their Splendour set, I knew they’d be good. Their pop-rock charm took over and I found that I had been watching more of their video, some of them repeatedly, for about half an hour. Their newest video is to blame for starting my addiction. As stated in our coverage of their single Spring/ Sun/ Winter/ Dread, “their refrain ‘Spring Sun, Winter Dread, I don’t want to get older’ will no doubt ring out like an instant anthem”. I couldn’t agree more. That part of the song has been stuck in my head all day.
The video has the boys dressed in astronaut suits, performing the song on, what I guess is, the moon. The use of Ultra-Violet and Infra-Red cameras gave the video a cool filter that make them look almost alien-like. Jonathan Higgs explains their interesting reason for doing this. “The song talks about seasons passing and getting older, so we wanted to concentrate on the Sun and make it into a kind of oppressive force – positive and life-giving but also burning and destructive.”
Sui Zhen – Take It All Back
Ready to release her album Secretly Susan at the end of the month, Sui Zhen has released her second single with a nice little video. Take It All Back is quite an airy song, so the brightly coloured music video suited the dream-pop sound perfectly. The emotion of the lyrics was captured in the storyline lived by Sui’s alter-ego. She daydreams on a couch as she watches Sui sing on a small TV set with smeared makeup, reflecting her lost and broken state of mind.
Sui explains the plot in more detail. “Susan is the album’s namesake – a manifestation of meta-data, her personality has been cultivated from the collective anxieties, hopes and dreams of the digital documented public. Susan is also an individual, someone’s digital doppelganger. In this video she is trying to connect with her true self. I took a particular liking to mannequins wig models that manage to convey human emotion whilst simultaneously being completely vacuous simulacrum.”
Tempesst – Tidal Wave
Animation is often a great music concept. I didn’t like it much when I was younger, but I grew an appreciation for it. The limitless nature of hand-drawn images mean that absolute anything can happen; our imaginations show no bound! The fact that this is animated by the Tempesst boys themselves makes it extra cool. Tidal Wave has a vintage rock sound that is both timeless and super retro. The 248 ’70s psychedelia-inspired images matched the song’s sound perfectly, fueling the imaginative juices and stimulating the minds of all who watch. Many hours of work paid off, boys!
Patrick James – Bugs
Finally, Patrick James’ new video for fresh track Bugs that premiered yesterday afternoon on Frankie. I’ve taken a liking to the Sydney-based busker ever since California Song so I’ve been keen for this new track. Like the song, the video is sweet and simple. James stands in the ocean, fully-clothed, getting soaked by the crashing waves and others splashing in the water. I hope he shot the video during the warmer months. He then moves onto beach and walks along the shoreline. The song is a chill, folk-like tune, which will leave you feeling relaxed and warm inside.
He’ll be going on tour at the end of the year. Go see him in action if you like what you hear:
Thursday October 15th, The Gov, Adelaide
Friday October 16th, Amplifier, Perth
Thursday October 22nd, Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Friday October 23rd, 170 Russell, Melbourne
Saturday October 24th, The Workers Club, Geelong
Thursday October 29th, Sol Bar, Maroochydore
Friday October 30th, The Soundlounge, Gold Coast
Saturday October 31st, Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
Thursday November 5th, Lizottes, Newcastle
Friday November 6th, The Metro, Sydney
Saturday November 7th, ANU Bar, Canberra
Sunday November 8th, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul