Tag: Music Video

Rediscovering Music Videos

Hannah Levine Leave a comment

Remember back in the days of nostalgic MTV and VH1 when you could turn on the television and spend hours watching countless music videos? It’s been a long time since those channels expanded their repertoire from solely music to teenage moms and original shows. Recently, though, after delving deep into the documentary and music video world of Justin Bieber in my Digital Media Theory class, I rediscovered the joys of music videos. They’re so much more than little nothing videos you used to put on when you couldn’t find the song you wanted to listen to! Each music video has its own taste, style, and message.

Binge watching a bunch of music videos this afternoon for this post; I realized that a lot of music videos are like little movies. They have to tell an entire story in less than four minutes in a creative and entertaining way. And, they have to sell the artist, the song, the album, and the story! That’s got to be hard, but somehow, the creative minds of our world make it work. And really well might I add.

Every music video has to make hundreds of little choices in order to get to the vision the artist wants. Does the artist want to show off his or her musical talents as if he or she is playing or singing live, or would they rather show themselves dancing or going through the motions of a seemingly average or ridiculously extraordinary day? Do they want to be alone or with friends, family, other artists? What is the real message of the song, and how do they want that message to be portrayed? Should the video be shot in color, black and white, sepia? So many choices!

There are so many worthwhile music videos that it was hard for me to choose which ones to highlight, but let’s take a look at a couple of popular videos that I really like.

First, let’s all take a moment to bask in the beauty that is 1998-99 Semisonic and check out “Closing Time”.

Great video right? The split screen makes it so not only do we get to see the story, but we also get a little inside look at the band playing, too. By the end of the song, we really do feel bad for our favorite band member that he doesn’t get to connect with his love interest, just as we would after watching a 90 minutes rom-com. Don’t you just want to give Mr. Glasses a pat on the back?

Okay, moving on. Now let’s take a look at Canada’s real-life Robin Sparkles  in Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”.

I distinctly remember when my grandma told me to Google this video because, as she put it, “the ending is just so cute!” Here, we do get to see Carly singing along, but the story is almost more important to the video than Carly’s vocals. If not for Carly’s crush and the surprise ending, this music video would be a lot less interesting, but because we have all of that included, watching the music video is really fun to watch.

Of course there are thousands of music videos and these two definitely do not encompass all that goes on in the music video industry, but I hope they did get you a little more excited about the joys of these videos. Who knows, maybe your favorite song has the best video of all time and I’ve never seen it? If you think that might be the case, post your favorite music video in the comments so I can spend more of my time sitting in front of my computer jamming out to little music video movies. I’d love to broaden my music video horizons!

Unabashed Taylor Praise

Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

Okay, so, Taylor Swift. I talked about her in a previous post but honestly I’m not ashamed I’m talking about her again. Why? Because she deserves it. And she’s been making me proud since 1989 dropped.

So I guess first is the album. I’m actually really happy with the way it turned out. I’m especially happy with the longer tracklist of this album, making it definitely worth the wait and a lot more accessible. Not a big fan of the opening track “Welcome to New York”, or you don’t really wanna “Shake It Off”? Well, good news for you, there’s 17 more for you to choose from. I haven’t listened to it enough to give a definite ruling on it yet, but I’m satisfied at the moment, though I’ll always maintain Red is her best record to date.

But really though, I have to admit, half the reason I’m satisfied as much as I am is because of “Blank Space.”

You’ve heard of “Blank Space,” right? Because it’s pretty dang good. Like…really good.

First, there’s the song. It’s midtempo, which is a rarity for casual Swift fans, but hardcore ones will know how well she can pull off a midtempo track (think “State of Grace,” “Tell Me Why,” “Long Live,” etc.). And “Blank Space” is no exception. Her lyrics are also on point as usual, being easy enough to remember to constitute a good pop hook, but also clever enough to surpass one-hit wonder status.

And not just the lyrics are clever, but the whole premise. It’s a dark-humor parody of herself, which actually doesn’t surprise me coming from Taylor – she’s not stupid and she does know everything people say about her – and she’s using her favorite medium to get back at everyone in a really clever and tasteful way.

But man, them lyrics.

Screaming, crying, perfect storms
I can make all the tables turn
Rose garden filled with thorns

I like this verse especially because of the rose garden image, which goes perfectly to my next point, which is the video.

This video guys. This video is it. And it’s why I’m not ashamed to talk about her after one post about her. Because she deserves it.

Now, okay, maybe she doesn’t deserve all the credit since she didn’t actually direct the video. But its no secret that she’s heavily involved in her creative process. And even if she didn’t have any say in how this video went, she wrote the song. The song is a parody of herself. But it also applies to every girl like Taylor, every girl who gets beaten down and ridiculed for being “boy-crazy” or “too clingy” or “too emotional” or any of the thousand ridiculous things girls get ridiculed for.

So, the video. In case you’ve been living under a pile of homework (which, okay, I’ll admit, is very plausible), a quick synopsis: boy comes to Mansion di Taylor, Taylor’s chilling with her cat when ding dong, she meets boy and smiles creepily, boy and Taylor do that dating thing in this abandoned castle thing. Boy texts some other girl, Taylor gets jealous and a little violent, cries a lot if her mascara is any indication, stands on a horse at some point, and scares away the boy because of her “emotions.”

Why I love this video is because the parody goes even further than a parody – it becomes a satire, akin to Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Taylor isn’t just making fun of her haters, she’s doing exactly what they say she does and exaggerates it to show how ridiculous it is.

Which leads me back to rose garden filled with thorns. Okay, I’m gonna show off my English major skills a bit here and talk about why this line is so brilliant, especially in context of the video. So, if a girl’s a rose, right, she’s pretty, she smells nice, delicate, yada yada stereotypes. But then she has thorns…but she’s not supposed to. She’s supposed to be pretty, perfect. Pretty, perfect things aren’t supposed to have bad things like thorns. But roses are made with thorns…there’s no way to make a rose without thorns, unless you cut them off. They can’ come thornless. So it’s ridiculous to expect a rose to come without thorns.

Now, if you get the metaphor and go WAIT BUT I’M A GIRL AND I’M NOT EMOTIONAL I’M COOL WHATEVER HAHA I DON’T GET EMOTIONAL DON’T STEREOTYPE ME please don’t jump down my throat. I’m not saying all girls identify with this problem, or all girls are like Taylor. You don’t have to be emotional if you’re a girl, just like you don’t have to be emotionless if you’re a boy. But for those of us that are on the emotional side of the spectrum and do get criticized for it, well, this song comes as a much needed relief.

Because calling girls crazy for having emotions, for being normally jealous and sad and possibly even angry…well that’s not cool. And Taylor got it right.

Now, besides all that, I loved this video because of how absolutely gorgeous it is. From her outfits to the setting, the video is so artsy without being like “oh this is artsy because art.” I mean, there is that apple part that I get but not really, but other than that, it’s treated like a piece of art, with the colors and the set and saturation and I love that. Overall, it’s well made, and quality in music videos is something I’ve actually forgotten over the years, since Internet killed the Video Star.

So, there you go. My praise-rant on Taylor’s awesome video/song combo. You go for that 2-1 punch, Tay. I’m proud of you. You’ve grown and gotten complex and you tell those haters. And after, go Shake it Off. You deserve it.

Khalil Fong and the Lost Art of the Music Video

Jeannie Marie 14 Comments

khalil1_js

Throughout my time as a blogger for Arts at Michigan, I’ve talked about music in various ways – through concerts, through single releases, and through innovative lyrics that I find fascinating.

However, I have shied away from the topic of the music video, mostly because, to me, the issue is complex. I really enjoy music videos – I think they can add an interesting component to a song, and I often think of music video scenarios when I listen to songs that don’t have music videos.

But unfortunately, due to an overwhelming number of bad music videos throughout the years, I rarely ever seek out a music video to watch. If something comes up on my radar, through Facebook or some other social media, then sure, if it’s an artist I like, I’ll check it out. But honestly, I don’t like many music videos that I see anymore. I think they can provide a great opportunity to make something great and artistic, and yet most artists (or rather their companies) squander that gift.

But even though I don’t watch many American music videos, I enjoy watching kpop (read: Korean pop) music videos. In that genre, music videos are considered one of the most important aspects of that artists work, and thus many companies spend much time and effort into creating something that is visually appealing and entertaining, and while they aren’t all gems, a lot of them do come out being pretty good, in a way that I haven’t seen in American music videos in a long time. Because of this, though, I’ve watched more music videos this year than I have in the past.

Which brings me to the main point of this whole spiel, which is Khalil Fong.

A friend of mine showed me Khalil Fong a little while back early in the fall semester. She told me that he has an amazing voice and I should listen to him. She also told me that he sings in Mandarin. So alright, I already listen to Korean music, why not Mandarin? So I listened.

Instantly I was blown away by this man’s voice. With a perfect blend of pop, R&B, and jazz, Khalil creates a genre that is almost his own. No matter what he sings out of the three, whether it be a slow ballad with a full violin section, or an upbeat dance tune with a vintage-40s feel, his voice matches it perfectly.

Now, as a college student, I must say I’m very busy, and very bad about keeping up with artists. So when my Spotify told me that Khalil had a new song out, I didn’t listen right away even though I dearly love his music. But this weekend I took the time to listen to his new single 危險世界, which translates to “Dangerous World.” At first, my plan was to listen to a lot of different music that I’ve missed throughout the semester that has been collecting dust on my Spotify playlist. But I couldn’t listen to anything else after I heard – and saw – “Dangerous World.”

First off, this song. While it strays a bit from his pop/ballad roots (most of his songs are slow, easy going love songs), this single is pure gold. It has a distinct, 80s era Michael Jackson feel, but instead of making the song feel retro, vintage, or a copy, he adds in a futuristic, contemporary element that makes it feel like this song is the dangerous world. I honestly have been listening to nothing but this song for the past four days. It has an addictive bass and downbeat that always makes me want to dance, and every time he sings no no no no no, almost going into falsetto, interrupting the pre-chorus and launching straight into the next verse, I feel a small chill run down my spine. The song ends with an elaborately constructed breakdown, which feels like a reinvented dubstep beat until you hear the beautiful violins playing over the random noises and resounding bass. Overall, this song is amazing and I don’t care if you don’t understand him, you need to listen to it.

But the song isn’t it. Khalil also directed the music video, an elaborate 8 minute masterpiece involving gas masks, flying trains, revolutions, an elaborate kung fu sequence worthy of Jackie Chan, and an incredible blend of traditional Chinese dress and steampunk fashion. After finishing the video, I was left wondering what in the world I just watched, and wanted more. I’ve now watched the video multiple times, even though I already know the “surprise” at the end (which I won’t spoil for you). And thus, I’ve come to question what makes me love it so much.

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Is it the cinematography? The compelling story that I don’t quite understand? Is it the myriad of scenes that create convincing and interesting settings for me to watch? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that I want to share this video with anyone who is willing to watch it, and hopefully they’ll like it just as much as I do.

Khalil’s full album Dangerous World will be out April 11. You can pre-order it on iTunes here, which automatically comes with three songs, Dangerous World, Xiao Fang, and Lights Up, his single sung entirely in English.

Also if you watch the video and are extremely confused and would like to discuss theories please comment and I will share my ridiculous and by no means correct theory on what the music video’s plot is. 

I Don’t Have Any Big Dreams: Positive Messages in Korean Rap

Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

At first look, there are probably three things that you will tell me about the band BTS.

  1. They are all Asian (Korean, to be specific)
  2. They are singing in a different language
  3. They are very young

And yes, I’m aware of all three of these facts, and yes, I still choose to listen to them. They ended up being one of my favorite bands of 2013, and are going to release a single and album this week, which is one reason why I’m talking about them.

But another reason is the fact that every time I listen to their first single, it strikes me again how odd the lyrics are – but how much I love them.

For reference, BTS is a K-pop band, K-pop being “that one song Gangnam Style.” BTS is also an initialism (not an acronym – thanks Hank Green), short for “Bangtan Boys’ which translates as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” which, in a weird way, makes sense, since these boys range in age from 16 to 21 years old – basically boy scouts age, when taken in the context of the entertainment sphere.

The song I’m referring to is called “No More Dream”, and with the backdrop of burning buildings and a crashed school bus in the music video, you’d think that BTS, a hip-hop/rap group, are boys singing about being lazy and not having dreams, which, to be fair, is a logical explanation. But thanks to both the internet and the smart execs at Loen Entertainment, the company that reps BTS, the lyrics which are sung/rapped in Korean can be magically transformed into English.

And they convey the exact opposite of what you’d think upon first glance. Oh sure, the first verse starts off well – in English they say “I wanna big house, big cars and big rings, but really I don’t have any big dreams - obviously lending their voice to the youth in Korea. But the boys go on to sing “Go your own way, even if you live for a day, do something, put weakness away” and the main chorus consists of them pointing at the screen, demanding to know “What’s your dream?” and “Is that it?” The last line of the song ends with one of the members stating “For all the youth without dreams,” making it clear who their audience is.

Part of me wants to believe that this is just a song. In truth, most hip-hop/rap groups that are popular in Korea sing about trivial things, and aren’t as explicit nor as raw as the hip-hop in America, because they represent different things. Popular rap (excluding the Korean rap subculture) is meant for consumption by the highly conservative Korean media, not for boundary pushing, which is one reason why I like BTS, since they obviously are taking on the hip hop persona but aren’t actually appropriating or disrespecting the hip hop culture grown and bred in America in order to entertain viewers (although it can be said that the fact that they are even singing hip hop without knowing and experiencing the history behind it is still representative of appropriation, but I’m not as strict with my definition). But because BTS isn’t a group that is meant to push boundaries and sing about things that Korean media would deem inappropriate – what ARE they going to sing about?

And to me, that’s the beauty of the song. I mean, they’re 19 years old for crying out loud. They represent the youth they talk about in their song, which makes them an authentic voice. They’ve also gone on to help write and produce their work in the future, which also contributes to the fact that their singing about what they know, not what a company told them to sing. And in particular, this song serves to criticize the culture they live in, asking their peers to have a dream, even if it’s something as small as studying in order to graduate high school and go to college, which are both things mentioned in the song.

Altogether, it’s kind of funny to me that this group, attempting to come off as hardcore hip-hop, chose to sing about positive messages such as inspiring dreams within kids who are apathetic to the world around them. But maybe that’s the inherent beauty of it – that rap is becoming a mode of social critique in South Korea, just as it’s often viewed in America. And however strange, it’s something that I really enjoy and appreciate, and hope to see more of in the future – both in Korea and here in the U.S.

“Icona’s Ball”: insight or violence?

Taylor 1 Comment

I know Icona Pop through frat party spectacle’s, angsty/mainstream dance parties, clubbing, working out–basically every occasion of my life can be narrated by, “I DON’T CARE, I LOVE IT.” Or really just “I don’t care . . . .”
Due to the nature of this song, I didn’t expect much from Icona Pop’s newest song/video combo, “All Night.” I was looking for another outlet for my “poor” angsty privileged self where I can thrive in my suburban ennui, hiding in my one bedroom apartment inside of my full-size bed. But I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued, and full of feelings. I love song-screaming and I love new anthems but there were just so many damn feelings, so little time. I’ve watched the video over and over and I can’t tell how exactly I feel.
On one hand, the lyrics make my heart beat faster and I feel that it magically matches the video. Now while the “official video edit” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FWRT9C9XMQ) is  palatable for the average YouTube viewer estranged from queerness in general (coming in around 3 minutes), the better “official extended video” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuNJLlq8eQ) is what really packs the punch–around 5 minutes of personal narratives, the names of the participants (NAMES! SUBJECTS! HUMANS!), and glimpses of people in and outside of the Ball. Lived experience oozes through the pop anthem’s video and it’s as if you’re being sprayed with a bottle of champagne. It’s pretty magical.
But is Icona Pop really paying tribute? And even if they intend to, are they really respecting and not exploiting the Ball scene, queer people, people of color, queer people of color, etc.? Is this trying to reach an audience (obviously) just to raise more profit and have more sales? DOES EVERYTHING STILL SUCK?
I support the Ball scene getting publicity if it’s what it wants. I support all of them having their shining moment for not only the people in the room but the 270,000+ people that have not and will probably never go to a Ball. I support Ball Culture.
But on the other hand, I feel guilting going into the space as a viewer without any real interaction with the humans whose lives depend on the Ball for happiness, community, and solidarity. My gaze is different from the average viewer because I’m queer but my other salient, privileged identities still hold when viewing it. Part way through I feel like I’m watching this beautifully orchestrated video that Capitalism has created: something that seems inclusive of Ball Culture in all of its queerness and diversity but something that is still a bit terrifying. I feel like this video is equating my life with those of the participants and say that I, too, can have this shining day. While this isn’t a bad message I feel like a message of equality is not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a respectful celebration of difference where I get to celebrate people. That often does not include me, and that’s ok.
The extended cut makes the video purely magical. Although it is no “Paris is Burning” nor is it intending to be, the video portrays the hope and joy found within Balls and I think Icona Pop really show that through their intense, repetitive lyrics and rhythms that there is no room for any option besides a constructed paradise, a better life.