Sunday, February 28, 2021

38/100 Video - "Enjoy The Silence" - Depeche Mode (1990)

"Enjoy The Silence" by Depeche Mode inspires us with a synth masterpiece from the Violator album.

Dave Gahan's poignant lyrics accompany amazing scenery as he walks the Scottish Highland and the Algarve Coast of Portugal, presumably in search of silence. 


He also appears dressed for a snack at the local Burger King, presumably a rarity in rural Scotland and Portugal.  

Words are indeed very unnecessary. 

Saturday, February 27, 2021

39/100 Video - "World" – New Order (1993)

Following a banger of a first single like Regret was always going to be a tough nut to crack. Yet the second single "World (The Price of Love)" delivered, with a mega-synth dance vibe. 

The black-and-white video, shot along the French Riviera, is a cinematic masterpiece. The perspective changes as the camera follows four resort guests walking from the beach, through a dining area and ultimately into the hotel of a call girl.

What truly makes this video remarkable is its flow. It feels like a single edit, with only 4 cuts when the perspective is briefly changed

And in a 'Where's Waldo' sort of way, it's also fun to locate each of the four band members blended into the clip in different spots. See if you can spot all four!

Friday, February 26, 2021

40/100 video - "Go" - The Chemical Brothers (2015)


I love videos directed by Michael Gondry.

"Go" by The Chemical Brothers is the first of two of his innovative videos to appear on my list.


Filmed in Paris, the concept behind the video was beautifully simple.

Michel focused on the music for his visual interpretation.

The power of the bass line reminded him of a moving train.

The crossing of the single long iron bar by the six girls symbolizes a steam engine's side rods.

For a more detailed look behind the scenes of the making of "Go", check out this clip:





Thursday, February 25, 2021

41/100 Video - "Right Here, Right Now" - Fatboy Slim (1999)

 

The video for "Right Here, Right Now" by Fatboy Slim, both provocative and educational, has been shown in some biology classrooms.

Although scientifically inaccurate, this fast-paced animated video is an entertaining and somewhat educational way to learn about the big picture of human evolution in less than four minutes.

The end of the clip shows a man walking through a city while eating a hamburger (taken from a cardboard cutout of Fatboy Slim himself). 

Then he pulls off the beard and morphs into the obese character depicted on the cover of the album.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

42/100 Video - "Der Kommissar" - Falco (1982)

A few years before "Rock Me Amadeus" topped the charts, Falco scored a hit with "Der Kommissar". 

I think the first time I heard this Falco classic was at a junior high dance. 

Not sure if it was the original version of "Der Kommissar" or the American knock-off by After The Fire, but I've always preferred Falco's.

Now about the video.  

Somehow this low budget video is one of the best and worst at the same time. 

But the cheese oozes with authority. 

As nighttime clips from some sort of German version of Cops play in the background, our hero sings verses with a rap-like vocal and wears dark shades with confidence. 

The video is all about Falco superimposed on a screen. He spends almost four minutes running, dancing, looking behind him at a video showing menacing police cars "chasing" him. 

All while rapping a tale in German a story about running from the law.