The Battle of the Music Videos: The Showdown (part 1)
Just to put some (more) spice in it, I decide to pick videos directed neither by Michel Gondry nor by Spike Jonze.
Thus I eliminated a good dozen of my fav videos of all time (Bjork, White stripes, Weezer..).
Only then I realized that:
- shoegazer bands (that I totally love) usually have blurred psychedelic videos
- Dinosaur Jr have uncool videos only
- early 90s Brit bands.. same as Dinosaur jr
- Pixies.. well.. Pixies have three videos in total, and they all suck (just think of “Velouria”..).
- embedding’s disabled for NIN’s “March of the pigs”.
But I won, anyway. Period.
Let’s face it, you losers.
Sigur Ros - Untitled #1 (2003)
Yes.. I know already that you consider it such pretentious choice.
But try to invest 6′ 44” of your life in pure poetry, and turn off the lights, and shhh..
(directed by Floria Sigismondi, born in Italy, raised in.. guess where? yes: Hamilton, Ontario)
Bjork - Pagan Poetry (2001)
Words are unnecessary. Just keep the lights off and sip slowly every single note and frame, ’til the end.
And the sweet things for last.
Why is this video one of the best three?
Because when I first saw it on Videomusic (italian music channel: we got MTV only in 1998) I thought: “ok.. I think it’s time to form a band”.
And this is enough, to me.
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock (1993)
Posted by Sergio
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June 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
1. I really wanted this video to be good, cuz Hamilton kicks ass and all, but it’s mostly long/boring/depressing/filled with Sigur Ros music.
2. I really wanted this video to be bad, cuz I hate Bjork and all, but it’s not. Kinda gross but mostly cool.
3. I commend your strength for only putting up one video from the 90’s.
So we’ve got two safe choices (ALL indie kids love Icelandic ambient poprock with artsy-fartsy videos, right?) and one that actually represents your music taste. I’m so on to you.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Hahahahaha. You call me pretentious over a Gondry video and then throw down Sigur Ros AND Bjork?! Then throw in Smashing Pumpkins? Puhleeeeease. Haha.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
You can’t mark as “boring & depressing” every band with noone wearing an unicorn mask. Joking! I’m only joking!!
Anyway, I do find both icelandic vids I chose moving, enveloping; I think images fit music perfectly, and vice versa.
I would have preferred to pick, among Bjork’s videos, “All is full of love” (the one with the two robots sort of making love). But, you know.. the “No Gondry” self-imposed rule..
The weirdest thing of all is the “don’t you find me arty?” issue.
This blog is full of ultra-indie (excellent) stuff, to me: so indie and fancy and refined to make Sigur Ros appear mainstrem, like they were some Bryan Adams.
And, seriously, I liked all of your choices.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Yeah I like yours too. But we’re assholes. Too pretentious for pretentious stuff. Where does it end?!?!
June 24th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
How could it happened?
I forgot Johnny Cash’s version of NIN’s “Hurt”!
June 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
No that video is too depressing for this blog.
Great song though.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
(I found a.. er.. Kermit’s version)
June 24th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
What, you mean this?
June 24th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
(teehee! i made it pink!!)
June 24th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Yess! cooler than Reznor!
July 8th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
hey, wait a minute. all dinosaur jr videos are NOT uncool! i must object. feel the pain, for example (that i incidentally posted on my blog a few weeks ago) is totally cool! come on; slackers in golfing outfits driving around the city in a golf cart, acting arrogant and hitting businessmen with golf clubs. how is that not cool?!
July 8th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
man, that cherub rock video made me warm and fuzzy. siamese dream-pumpkins hold a special place in my heart.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
You’re right, Jen. the video of “Feel the pain” is, together with “I don’t think so”, well directed, with intriguing scenes, and, here and there, cool (like when Mascis hits both golf ball and glasses). When if first came out, I thought “wow.. amazing.. hope the album will be as good as this single”. But, unfortunately, “Without a sound” failed, to me. So I didn’t even think of choosing a video from that album.
and.. do you run a blog??..
July 9th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
hellz yeah she does. don’t you click our links, sergio?!
http://jennyorgana.blogspot.com/
July 10th, 2008 at 11:38 am
oh my!
what a blog!! what a surprise!
Jocelyn! you know all of this already and didn’t tell me anything about it!
however.. my sincere compliments.