'Lorde' Of The Flies: Music Video Roundup
Every other week, Editor Mara Hyman takes a look at the buzz-worthy short films coming from the music video universe. Here are her latest picks:
Justin Bieber - "All That Matters"
It seems as though all we've been hearing about Justin lately are his crazy antics in the headlines, but he has made a return to music with a more mature sound. The song has a very smooth, almost Justin Timberlake-wannabe feel. It has a slight nod to old-school '90s pop which is refreshing.
The video concept is fairly simple, with model Cailin Russo playing his girlfriend who kisses and cuddles with him through it. It's very slow-moving as it transitions to different dimly lit rooms with just the two of them. And yes, Justin takes his shirt off. It seems like he's trying way to hard to appear croon-worthy and as though he's grown up, but it's questionable whether that's actually working. Are you a Belieber or are you over him trying to be too cool?
Pitbull feat. Ke$ha - "Timber"
Pitbull has once again joined forces with a music hit-maker, this time with Ke$ha. In a surprising twist, this song has a country vibe with a harmonica melody in the background. It feels a bit tacky, but the song is extremely catchy and almost as if it's meant for a hoe-down. One wouldn't think that Pitbull would work for a song with country flair, but it somehow fits.
No surprise, the video primarily takes place at a saloon. It uses obvious country imagery as Ke$ha strips down to Daisy Dukes surrounded by scantily clad dancers. What is surprising is that these scenes are juxtaposed with Pitbull next to a girl on the beach, which doesn't fit the intended vibe in the slightest. The video seems to represent Ke$ha 2.0 as her voice has slightly improved and she dances more. Overall the video doesn't flow as well as it could have, and almost feels like two different videos fused into one. What do you think of the Pitbull/Ke$ha duo?
Rebecca Black - "Saturday"
Best known for "Friday," Rebecca comes at us about 2.5 years later with the follow-up song and video, "Saturday." The song picks up where the last left off, but instead talking about how amazing Saturday is. It's hard to tell whether she is just parodying "Friday" or whether she's actually taking the song seriously, because it's surprisingly catchy in parts and the complete opposite. The lyrics are pretty bland, but she seems to attempt an EDM/house track feel.
The video is also very different from the first - she wakes up at 2pm in a trashed living room (keep in mind that she's 16) and gets ready for the next night as she hangs out with friends at the beach and dances at a house party. She definitely has a sense of humor, especially with a reference to the alarm clock in "Friday" and a bowl of cereal with "Gotta have my bowl" written on it. There's even a girl at the party representing Miley Cyrus twerking on the dance floor. At the end we see a guy being held back by a cop, most likely representing the creator and rapper of "Friday." Should we take this song seriously or is it all just a joke?
Lorde - "Team"
Lorde successfully digs her way out of one-hit-wonder status with this latest single. It's not as stripped back as "Royals," including more elements and much stronger percussion, but the lyrics have the same bluntness and honesty to them. Surprisingly, it feels a bit more mainstream and radio-friendly than her past hit.
Like "Royals," the video is very out-of-the-box and abstract. The storyline appears to surround an island of misfit teens as Lorde is surrounded by nature. It feels very creepy with the dim lighting and dark green hue permeating throughout Lorde's scenes. It feels very reminiscent of "Lorde of the Flies" (pun intended), representing young people's independence and rebellion. Are you on Team Lorde or is she too out-there?
Daft Punk feat. Julian Casablancas - "Instant Crush"
Coming off of the success of "Get Lucky" among other recent hits, Daft Punk is back with "Instant Crush." The song has an obvious '80s smooth rock vibe wih a consistent guitar riff in the background. It's definitely not as catchy as "Get Lucky" or some of their past work, but Julian's voice fits the song well.
The video definitely stands out more than the song itself because of its humor. While pretty random, the storyline follows two museum dummies and their love story. It tragically ends with the two dolls being "killed" in a fire as they lay next to each other, melting away. The video cuts between the dolls staring at each other and Julian jamming out to the song on a platform. It's certainly a unique concept that doesn't really fit with the song, but it's entertaining. What are your thoughts on the video?
Reach Associate Entertainment Editor Mara Hyman here.