Bloc Party “Ratchet”
Bloc Party have a new EP that you may or may not have heard of by the name Nextwave Sessions. The lead track off the EP is “Ratchet”. The video features the band playing, but with some creative visual effects by animator Cyriak. It starts with the drummer doing his thing when suddenly his head is replaced by a leg and then the neck of a guitar. At one point we see Bloc Party just standing there when about five other Bloc Partys just randomly shoot up. Imagine that concert, it would be epic. We see mouths where eyes should be. We find the band members growing exponentially out of themselves. It’s as though total pandemonium is happening with science. Yet, the band continues to rock on in a most enjoyable way.
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The Torn ACLs “Feeling with Feeling”
From the Pacific Northwest we get The Torn ACLs. They don’t have a new album to release but their 2013 has been filled with their singles project. “Feeling with Feeling” is their third installment. The video takes an interesting look at the music industry. William Cremin is walking down the street when he sees a microphone. He picks it up and starts singing. The rest of the band is inside a building and are listening to what is going on. They like the sound so they pull on the mic cord dragging Cremin into the building. Here he continues singing as they tie him up in a straightjacket. They force him to record the song, make a video, do a photo shoot, all in the jacket. He tries to make his escape but is constantly getting caught. That is, until the very end. When the song stops the band starts to congratulate each other on a job well done. Cremin slips from his restraints and takes off leaving only his straightjacket on the microphone.
Boys Noize “Starwin”
Boys Noize has a new EP called Go Hard. His latest release from the album is “Starwin”. The video features some people who were probably all the rage in the 80’s. I’m talking about roller skaters. These skaters aren’t as young as they used to be, but damn can they move. I can’t dance like this on my feet. The way they just roll with ease while performing spins and twirls is awesome. They are figure skating on concrete. The one skater literally does a split in his performance. He clearly steals the show and has earned his tired fall upon the grass at the end of the video. My other favorite has to be the old man dressed as the American flag rocking it out on roller blades. Most people that age can’t move so gracefully on their feet. This guy looks like he was born for wheels.
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Thomas Azier “Ghostcity”
Thomas Azier will release his debut album, still untitled, in January of 2014. His latest track “Ghostcity” will be featured on that album. The song is a great electronic pop song and is accompanied by an equally appealing video. What we see is similar to a computer framework of Azier’s face. I’m assuming Azier had a green suit on when recording this video. We get the shell of his face as he sings. It’s lighted in a sort of fluid metallic effect. It reminds me of the sculptures where from the front you see the face, but when you walk to the side or the back its as though you’re only the layer of skin that comprises the face. Or you see the face as it would look like from inside the head. If you don’t understand, I’m just going to say watch the video.
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Travis “Moving”
After five long years Travis are back with new material. Their new album called Where You Stand will be out August 20th, but we get a taste for the album with their track “Moving”. The video has to be one of the most interesting things I’ve seen in a long time. Picture a projector being placed to one side of the band as they stand staring at each other. Facing into the projector to the other side of the band is you, or the camera. You don’t see anything but what looks like a light in the distance. It’s cold, so when the band breathes out you see the projection in front of their faces. You watch this action sequence take place, at some point using three projectors and all the band mates. At other times it focuses on just one of them. Perhaps the coolest visual comes towards the end of the video. The lead singer is singing in unison with a projection of himself. The only way we see the projection is when the singer breathes out while he’s singing. At the end, he stops singing but breathes out while his projection is still singing. Nothing over the top here, but I just find it one of the most interesting things I’ve seen in a while.
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