Bo Jankans featuring Lyriciss “1 More Shot”
Virginia’s Bo Jankans is preparing to release his The Motormouth EP. His latest video is for “1 More Shot” off the album, and featuresLyriciss. The song is sort of saying YOLO, without the obnoxious term for it. In fact, it’s more of the original Carpe Diem, in terms of enjoying one last drink with your friends at the bar before you leave. It doesn’t have to be leaving to do anything crazy, just one last drink before you go on to the next thing. The video begins with Bo in front of a white screen with his boom box. It cuts to scenes of him at the bar with drinks in front of him. At one point he’s trying to talk up some women sitting next to him, before puking on one of them. It can happen to anyone. It’s refreshing to see a rap video that features booze and girls but not in the overdone, to the excess as usual. The booze is whatever is on tap and behind the bar. Most likely Bo is splitting the tab if not paying entirely on his own. And though there are women, none are dressed like strippers, no one (maybe) is throwing herself at Bo. He has to work these ladies as us normal folk would. Why, even when things don’t go well, Bo doesn’t get upset. He picks himself up and goes back about his business. That’s why he’s a winner.
DFALT “Take”
DFALT’s latest single is off his EP Take. The song is also called “Take” and the video features a desert. It also features Vedette Lim of True Blood and Chicago Fire fame. Vedette is struggling as she makes her way across the desert. Her canteen is empty and she will surely die soon. Then she comes to the top of a dune and falls. Her hand falls and feels grass, which rouses her attention. She looks and wipes away the sand revealing a patch of grass. She lifts the grass and finds another body, that is a body that looks like hers, resting there. As she touches the cheek of this second body, we are transported to random images of Vedette dressed and doing awkward things. This is awkward in the sense of standing on a balcony in a towel with a large glass filled with I’m guessing liquor and holding an ax for no particular reason. Or ironing the before mentioned patch of grass, you know, to get the wrinkles out. While not completely coherent, this video does have some great visuals as we watch the progression of Vedette’s soul from one body and world to the next.
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Potty Mouth “Black and Studs”
Off of their debut album Hell Bent we get Potty Mouth’s “Black and Studs” video. It’s a black and white, partially animated feature giving us a glimpse into the bedrooms and lives of the band’s four members. We see each girl getting dressed and primped in some way with little animations about the books, music, posters, windows, etc. her room. Then we see them all united in the basement performing their song. From time to time the lyrics pop up. We also get some leg shots, just because. The video does introduce us to them. They don’t dress the same, they’re not a gimmick band. Some apparently prefer to have the mattress on the floor. Other’s still listen to vinyl and cassette. It’s the cassette that really stands out (all my cassette players have broken). It’s really about four individuals who have a common love for music coming together to make that music no matter the surroundings. We all have humble beginnings, no matter how big we may rise to be. It’s nice to see that Potty Mouth are like the rest of us, human.
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Bear Hands “Agora”
Off their soon to be released (Februrary 18th) Distraction we get Bear Hands’ “Agora”. The song and video deal with the feelings and anxiety of a man suffering from agoraphobia. Dylan Rau, vocals and guitar, is featured as a man who is shut in. He spends his days alone, often wanting to move on with his life but incapable because of fear. He sings about how no one will come over and he can’t leave. He just sits at home and takes pills, apparently medication, but to no avail. When a rectangle of sun makes its way to the floor by Dylan’s foot, he pulls it away in fear that like a vampire his flesh will burn at its touch. Dylan takes baths, scrubs and sweeps the floors, lies on the couch in the fetal position, watches television, and has his trusty bearded dragon (by the name of Smaug). It’s bizarre to see such panic and chaos at the thought of going out leading to such order and cleanliness in his home. Bravely, Dylan opens the front door as if to leave, but we don’t get to see what happens after that. It’s up to us as viewers, and whether we’re pessimists, optimists, realists, or whatever to figure it out for ourselves.
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Shakira featuring Rihanna “Can’t Remember to Forget You”
Shakira will release her self-titled Shakira on March 25th. As a taste we get her song “Can’t Remember to Forget You” featuring get Rihanna. The video features both women in something that I’m sure will make some men nut. Bathing suits are donned, with some other provocative if not too revealing clothing. You even see the duo smoking cigars in bed. And there is booty shaking, it’s Shakira and Rihanna. What else should we expect? Towards the end we see Shakira literally be her own band as she pulls a Jesus-like walking on water act. Let’s just there’s a lot of booty in this.
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First one is a nice track. This dude’s flow is tight!