Video Rewind 10.24.2014

Ugly Kids Club “Head Games”

latest music video for “Head Games” opens up with the drama of a Jaguar car or high end fragrance commercial. From there we find shots of the Aliegh Shield and Steve Wilson. Sometimes they’re in the same room at the same time. Other times, they are shot in the same place but apart. One shot that keeps coming up is of Aliegh’s profile as she looks to the right of the screen while Steve looks straight at the camera from the background. His face is half hidden by hers, but you can see him. In a way, it does express the way head games can feel like. It winds up being one person looking at the other almost helplessly. You’re not in control and you feel desperate. You want the head games to end, for the person playing them to change. Or if you’re the one playing the games, you aren’t aware of what harm you are causing. You’re trying to have fun, or just protect yourself without regard for how the other person feels. Either position can find themselves leaving as though they are alone out there in the universe, sort of like the shots of the night’s sky.

Wretch 32 “6 Words”

People have left their homes in search of a better life for probably ever. Sometimes it’s just moving to another country to take advantage of what they have. That’s the story of people coming to America. Other times it’s about going off to some place that isn’t touched by people in hopes of scoring a fortune. That’s more the story of the Gold Rush that began in late 1848. People left home to head out through the wild west to make it to California all in hopes of finding treasure. In his new video for “6 Words”, Wretch 32 finds himself out in mostly barren landscape. There’s a small dilapidated shed, some train tracks, and other abandoned items. The six words that the song is about are “I found my treasure in you.” What we also see are glimpses of people with the treasures they’ve found. A man with his young daughter. A couple. A group of friends. Even a man with his dog. The treasure Wretch describes is a relationship. The video really hits home that things are just things, and that people are to be treasured.

The Kooks “Bad Habbit”

The latest video for “Bad Habbit” by The Kooks features a cam girl. That’s the reason their video made the Rewind this week. But it’s not how you might think. The video features a woman with plenty of tattoos in nothing but a loose fitting shirt and underwear. She’s got her webcam going and is ready to perform for her audience, none other than a bunch of gentlemen looking to see naked women. What never made sense to me was how this worked for some women to give them pleasure. I guess in a way we all want to be the center of attention, at times possibly even for our bodies. But when you allow people to treat you as a thing, it could lead to you living as though you are just a thing. The camgirl here does a dance in front of the window, and then another as someone asks for more. But she does write that they it is the “last time”. After her final dance, she removes her top, turns towards the camera using her shirt to cover up her breasts, and makes towards the camera. This is where she tosses her shirt over the camera. What happens next is a mix between disappointment and anger. Some people type things that are absurd. One bloke writes that she’s hurting him. She is hurting him by refusing to show her breasts. If this is actually possible, then I would like to admit that I am in chronic pain. The character in this video is obviously upset about something, but all her audience sees her as is a servant who is there to do what they want in terms of taking off her clothes and performing, however that may be. If you can treat someone like that online, you might just want to treat someone like that in real life.

FartBarf “Homeless in Heathrow”

With Halloween just a week away FartBarf’s video for “Homeless in Heathrow” gives us a twisted take on the babysitter fantasy. Usually, this fantasy deals with either the father or perhaps one of the boys being babysat having sexual feelings for the baby sitter. Not this time. This baby sitter is a serial killer who puts up flyers advertising her services complete with a reference number that says she’s to die for. What she does is wait for the parents to leave, put the kids to bed, and wait. She’s a good looking girl, so there’s no shortage of young men looking to have a good time with her. In the heir of Gone Girl this video ends with a twist all because of the appearance of things and the stereotypes of men. There’s blood, there’s gore, there’s suspense. This could actually be quite a fascinating movie.

Jez Dior “Clean Me Up”

Jez Dior’s video for “Clean Me Up” centers around a man who goes into rehab. He finds himself sitting in his room alone fondling with his shoes and other items he was allowed to bring. From there he is in a group therapy session and not wanting to join in. He feels empty while dealing with the transition of going from unhealthy addict to a recovering addict. This is a transition he may not want to go through. To fill the void that he’s experiencing he starts to develop feelings for another patient. When they’re alone outside, and having a good time, he leans in to kiss her but she pulls away. Later, when there is a dance happening for the patients he starts to dance. The woman joins him, but when the song finishes there is an awkward moment before she walks away. He’s left standing there feeling bad. Thoughts of what he’s doing there may be running through his head. Or maybe he’s just struggling to like himself when it seems like no one else does.

Leave a Reply