2013 Scene Awards - Video of the Year

Well, well, wellity, well then. The Scene Awards are back for a fourth go! Party time! Excellent! Or something? Until the end of the month (and year) the five boozehounds "critics" that make up It's My Kind of Scene will be rolling out their (our?) favourite videos, Australian artists, EPs, best new artists, groups, men, women and, of course, albums of 2013! Will Miley come in like a wrecking ball and destroy the awards? Probably not, but maybe. Will we be bound 2 Kanye like we were a couple of years ago? Probably not, but... no, definitely not. Will we be showing off the best of the best from a year that was chock full of goodness? Yes. Absolutely. And we hope you enjoy and play along by letting us know your favourites too. First up, we've got the award for Video of the Year. Enjoy!

VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

#5. This Is Why I Love You

by Bec and Ben

Directed by Lee Launay

Have you heard of Bec and Ben? No? You should. Described as PMS rock they are a to and fro rock duo with Ben rocking the guitar, Bec not just rocking but completely owning and dominating her drum kit and both sharing vocal duties. This powerful vibe that Bec embodies is apparent in their awesome single ‘This Is Why I Love You’. Again, I discovered them at Bigsound this year and fell instantly in love with their brash, brazen and sexually dripping brand of melody driven power rock, which this video demonstrates to perfection. It turns their bedroom antics into a fast paced hypersexual rock version of the move Speed… or something. My fave parts are where Bec is straddling Ben on the bed and bashing either side of his head on the pillows like her drum kit and then where they both get dragged out of the bed as if they’re being sucked into a vortex or through a waterslide. So much perfection, so much aggression, so much catchiness and so much sexy visual stimulation!

Bec + Ben = #Drumoguitaristalisationingsexyrockeringhairflickeringgyratingslikeahookerness. 

(Nayt Housman)

#4. Future Warrior

by Palms

Directed by Jon Mancinetti

Palms is the post metal love-in featuring members of Isis, and fronted by Chino Moreno of Deftones fame. For me, just reading about that line up got me excited. I’ve fallen madly and deeply in love with any music that Chino touches. I grew up on Deftones and have taken the leap with Chino with all of his side projects – Team Sleep, Crosses, and now Palms.


‘Future Warrior’ is atmospheric, and moody, with a video that captures these sentiments perfectly. Directed by Jon Mancinetti, it begins with scenic landscapes and rolling clouds. The good news is that we’re not then subjected to Kanye or Kim Kardashian on motorcycles. Instead we see the silhouette of a woman and man, intertwined with more gorgeous (is that word wanky? Whatever. Deal with it) backdrops. We follow the journey of the woman, who seems to have a love of water – first we see her gliding through a pool, and then taking a dip in the ocean. All the while the silhouetted man is watching from the shadows. Is he stalking her? Or just trying to pick up some swimming tips? Look, I don’t want to give away the ending, but it does get a little creepy…


Why have I nominated this video for “Video of the Year”? Well, look here, I’m not even going to attempt to explain technical terms, because it would only end with me using “stuff” and “things” a lot. I’m going to keep it simple: it looks cool, and it embodies the spirit and sound of the song. And all the stuff and things are great too. (Katie Langley)

#3. Despair

by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Directed by Patrick Daughters

There are things about this clip that I find indescribable. There are images all the way through that make me sigh, that make me wonder and it’s the images at the very end that make me smile. When I first saw this clip and reviewed it way back in July, I wrote of how I could write a thousand words about the song, the imaginings, the lyrics and my love for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’s funny looking at those words now, because what was I thinking? A thousand words? There are none. How could I possibly use simple words to describe the wave of emotion that starts at the very base of my spine, runs itself all the way up my back and over my shoulders to raise the teeny tiny hairs on my neck in a wave of goose bumps? I couldn’t write a thousand words about any of those things, because, like I said in the end of my last review, there is only one thing I feel about this clip. It’s the same thing I feel when I hear the lyrics, which mean a thousand different things to a thousand different people and are probably my favourite of 2013; “My sun is your sun, your sun is our sun”. Love. (Jo Michelmore)

Runner-Up: You Are New

by The Trouble With Templeton

Created by Tinker Films

This clip had me guessing from the outset. Tom Calder plays a very dashing, very stylised character that had me asking questions such as: “Why is he so sad/melancholy/devoid of something almost human?” “Why is the set so childlike and messy and simplified?” “Why is he sitting at a table with fake food?” “Why are there giant stuffed scarecrow-looking people next to him in these scenes?” And "How can someone have so many stylised facial expressions that engage me with their comedy and subtle nuance?” But once I got to the end I was delighted beyond all questioning. 'You Are New' does not contain a punchline as such as an ending, but instead delivers a beautifully realised filmic concept: hook in the audience with questions and keep ‘em guessing to the end. Then they will be enticed to watch again to really take in the clues that were there all along. And probably show all their friends and share it around social networks. Have you noticed I haven’t said what the film clip is about here? It’s because if you haven’t seen it, then watch it and ask the questions yourself. Maybe you will come to surmises yourself. No doubt you will be entertained by this gem of a clip.


I will however say this: Tom Calder – one of my favourite Australian singer/songwriters would no doubt be just as comfortable on a film set as he is on stage with a guitar. His screen presence in this clip is simple mesmerising. In the countdown last week I talked about how much I loved this song and made mention to the acoustic version of the clip. It was a hard clip to beat with its raw heart and pure emotion, so I was interested to see where The Trouble With Templeton would take this with an official video. Every music clip TTWT create is a little novel unto itself and manages to capture a new essence of the song as well as stand alone piece of art in its own right. I hope that the trail that this band is leaving via these gorgeous clips (and music) will lead the band to being one of the standouts of their generation. (Lou Endicott)

WINNER: The Bed Song

by Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra

Directed by Michael McQuilken

It was pretty bold of Amanda Palmer to create a video for ‘The Bed Song’. You might remember the track. We loved it so much last year, the heartbreaking ballad that takes you from exhibit A to E came in at #3 on our Top 112 Songs of 2012 countdown. For those unfamiliar, ‘The Bed Song’ details the consequences to a relationship resulting from a breakdown in communication. One might call it a masterpiece in storytelling. One would be correct and probably incredibly good looking. To attempt a video was bold, to attempt a literal video was even bolder. But what’s that old saying… ‘in Amanda Palmer we trust’. So I stole that from something else and adapted it. Whatever, it works. What we got in a video for ‘The Bed Song’ was as beautifully constructed as the song itself. Directed by The Grand Theft Orchestra’s Michael McQuilken (drums, backing vocals) for Q Motion Pictures, ‘The Bed Song’ was filmed while Palmer and the band where completing a residency at New York’s Bard College.


We open with a sweep across the piano, leading up to Amanda playing the piano in a white wedding dress. For those familiar with the song, seeing her in the wedding dress is like a little opening kick to the face. She sure does look purty in white though. We then meet the starring couple, let’s call them Mr and Mrs X. They move as the songs does from the carefree days of sharing a sleeping bag in exhibit A to the emerging emotional distance between them in exhibit B and the swanky condo (of lies!) in exhibit C. Throughout each stage presented to us, the distance between Mr and Mrs X grows to ridiculously wide lengths – that bed in D is bigger than my flat – representing the great emotional divide. I understand things! Like a good film, I wouldn’t want to spoil the ending for those that haven’t seen the clip. So watch on and enjoy the final moments from Exhibit E to the tearjerker of a closing shot, which gives an insight into how the sets were constructed in Bard’s Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.


As a piece of emotional storytelling, the clip for ‘The Bed Song’ hits all the notes required to represent such an incredible song. From the actors to McQuilken, the set designers, everyone who worked on it and Amanda Palmer herself; everyone played their part to perfection in creating this one. Watch. Share. Love. (Matt Bond)

2012 Winner:

'Bad Girls' by M.I.A

Runner-Up: 'Hey Jane' by Spiritualized

2011 Winner:

'Lonely Boy' by The Black Keys

Runner-Up: 'Somebody That I Used To Know' by Gotye ft. Kimbra

2010 Winner:

'Islands' by The xx