Oscar “Sometimes”
Oscar’s video for “Sometimes” makes me think of a Wes Anderson film about a guy visiting his grandparents. First, he gets to meet all his grandparents’ friends at places like the lawn bowling club, or the model steam train club. Then he meets their friends’ grand kids of all ages. He gets to hang out at all the extracurricular activities the other grandchildren have, including the lowrider bicycle club. It’s a neat little video that sort of reminds me how life changes as you get older.
Daughter “How”
Daughter’s video for “How” centers around a young woman who’s become agoraphobic. She has several locks and chains on her door, which she makes sure to check often. She lives alone, clinging to a shoe box filled with mementos of a love now gone. There is an old man, maybe her father, who shows up to deliver her groceries, and liquor, but she hides in the bathroom until he leaves. Eventually she forces herself outside and runs to the beach where she takes her shoes off and walks into the water. She has a moment of clarity, or a breakthrough before she starts to freak out. At this point, you can see several shots of a woman in red in the background, or walking by. When the agoraphobic woman returns home and locks herself in, she heads back to her bedroom and finds a red coat on her bed. To me, this is the moment at which she must choose. Does she stay shut inside her blue home? Or does she don the red coat and move on becoming someone stronger, like the woman in red we see on the bench. It’s like a moment where who she is and who she could be pass each other, and you have to wonder if her moment to change has passed her by.
Jacobs Banks “Unkown”
Jacob Banks gets serious for his video “Unknown”. The actors in the video play a couple who are going through a very rough patch. The woman has just found out she’s pregnant. She’s got morning sickness on top of her concerns about her boyfriend. He’s been drinking. And when he comes home, he stops to have another sip from his flask which she notices. If the mood wasn’t great already, it’s about to get worse. Tension rises even as the man starts to get grabby. She forces him off and makes for the bedroom. He confronts her here, even getting rather violent. She tells him she’s pregnant, and he seems floored by this. She becomes the violent one now. Eventually she grabs her things, takes a swig from the flask, knocks him to the floor and leaves. He gives chase, and this is where things go from bad to worse. As she steps out onto the street, he calls for her. She turns around screaming and that’s when a car hits her.
Kerli “Feral Hearts”
Kerli’s video for “Feral Hearts” serves as an advertisement for you to go visit Estonia. The areas of woods and water in Estonia where the video was shot are breathtaking. I just don’t know if there’s an easy path for tourists to make it out there. The story of the video deals with a young girl who makes her way into the woods, and crosses through a doorway made of branches and twigs. Once she enters, the magic takes hold. She starts to float, and Kerli takes the form of several forest spirits, including a mermaid. Other than that, I can’t say what the video is about. I just know the woods are beautiful and they did some great costume work on Kerli.
Dillon Francis and Kygo featuring James Hersey “Coming Over”
Dillon Francis, Kygo, and James Hersey recorded “Coming Over” for Dillon’s EP This Mixtape is Fire. The video tells the story of a breakup. Losing someone you care about because it just seems like no matter what it’s not going to work can drive you down. The man in the video does nothing but mope for days. Eventually, he decides to act on his mood by trying to sleep his way to a better place with women. Someone once told me the way to get over someone is to sleep with other people. I personally believe that’s terrible advice. For the man, it doesn’t turn out so well. The first woman gets drunk and pukes, so he’s not in the mood anymore. A second woman turns out to have a boyfriend, who catches them and pain ensues. A third one turns out to be a dominatrix, and that means more pain. It’s not working out for him. He’s not forgetting about his ex. And that’s when he’s sitting at a bar just drinking. He turns his head and he sees her, but she’s with another guy. The look she gives him leaves things open to interpretation. It could be her having remorse for breaking up. It could be that she pities him. It could be her trying to tell him she feels sorry for him, but no. Relationships are tough, but if you can act like a mature adult you’ll get through it for the better.
