2014 Scene Awards - Video of the Year

We now return to your regularly scheduled programming... with the 5th annual Scene Awards! Yeah, we don't even know how we've done up five of these bad boys. We've got all the big names performing and presenting and by that I mean we don't... because we're just a blog. This isn't televised. And there's no like, statue or physical award or anything like that. We say we'll post out certificates to the winners, but we don't. But that doesn't make them the big winners that they are. We're sticking to the same awards as last year, so that means up until the end of 2014 we'll be telling you about our favourite Video of the Year (that's today!), Best New Artist, Australian Artist of the Year, EP of the Year, Group of the Year, Man of the Year, Woman of the Year and Album of the Year. Will Queen Tay slay? Probs not. But maybe, who knows these days? Stick around to find out! Now... let's go all "classic" MTV and talk about music videos...

VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

#4. Far From View

by Jack Colwell and The Owls

Directed by Brian Fairbairn and Karl Eccleston

"A sweeping and nostalgic story about a teenage girl's sexual awakening on prom night." Themes of shame and regret amongst a somewhat 80s inspired clip. A dramatic, atmospheric clip that not only goes with the song, but makes the listening experience even better. Jack Colwell's music video for 'Far From View' was definitely one of the year's best and it blows my mind that something of this quality is coming to us from an emerging, unsigned, Australian artist. It also blows my mind that the YouTube view count is sitting around 5800 when it should be something like 5 800 000, but that's a gripe for another time and doesn't stop Brian and Karl's video for 'Far From View' being one of the absolute best clips of 2014. (Matt Bond)

#3. Frameless 

by Hudson and Troop

Directed by Darcy Prendergast and Andrew Goldsmith (Oh Yeah Wow)

I have an interesting relationship with the music video. It takes a special one for me to notice, because if they’re playing, I’m probably more likely listening to the lyrics, tapping to the beat or harmonising with the tune. For me, it’s generally all about the sound, which is what makes the start of Hudson and Troop’s clip for ‘Frameless’ so fascinating to me. A big blue monster, wandering the street, communicating in a way completely unexpected in a music video – sign language. You know, the way hearing impaired people communicate, with a gentle flurry of hands and gestures that most of us don’t and won’t ever know. A secret language for those lucky enough to speak it and a language not often associated with such an aural medium as music. 

The sign language led into a story of a broken heart, a lonely soul, an empty life and a path all too familiar, a dead end job, some empty streets, an outburst of heartache which lead into the words that repeat at the end of the song “yeah this love it aches for more”. All of the images so striking in their uniqueness, so perfectly matched to the emotion of the song in the strangest way. The creators, Oh Yeah Wow, have put together such striking images that remind me just how powerful the visual medium can be when matched with just as passionate sounds and it’s clips like this that make me want to watch some more. Those moving images, in combination with the amazing talent of Hudson and Troop, have managed to do exactly as is described in one of my favourite songs of 2014; “capturing all the light as it bends” and in doing so, have created one of my favourite clips of the year to go with that incredible song. (Jo Michelmore)

Runner-Up: I'm A Fantastic Wreck

by Montaigne

Directed by Guy Franklin

A little bit deranged, but deserving of all of our love. The video for Montaigne's 'I'm A Fantastic Wreck' beautifully lays some hand-drawn animation and computer generated trickery (yes, that's the technical term) over an arresting performance from our leading lady. I've never been great at interpreting, well, anything... but I took what happens after the opening reveal with the animation to represent that wish for someone to actually see and understand all of those thoughts that are constantly running through your (or in this case, Montaigne's) head. You can take it as something quite deep that matches the content of 'I'm A Fantastic Wreck', or you can enjoy it as a visual companion that matches the quirkiness of the music. Guy Franklin knows a little something about directing clips like this that make a big impression, like Kimbra's 'Settle Down' and 'Cameo Lover'. 'I'm A Fantastic Wreck' might be his most "simple" effort yet, but it might just be his best. Perfectly suited to the song, we'll be loving this one for a long time to come. (Matt Bond) 

WINNER: It's Alright

by Fractures

Directed by Matthew Chuang

Even though I adore it, I’ve been putting off writing about this clip. I’ve been so unsure as to how I can do it justice with simple words. How do I describe something that almost brings me to tears with every play and how do I describe something so intense, so painful and so beautiful all at once? Where do I start in the description of a journey that most of us will never have to make, but lots of us already have in our own ways?

I have watched it over and over and thought about how I shall write about the story of a man, returning to his home town of Pripyat, Chernobyl. I shall write a historical piece about what happened there more than twenty years ago, about how many people’s lives were lost and how many lifestyles were left behind and I will go into a detailed explanation of the fallout, how and why and what the social effect was and has been since. Then I will write about the clip itself, the sights and endless shots of destruction and abandonment, buildings bare, walls and windows destroyed, the representation of what those buildings mean and what they mean to the lone man wandering and what they mean to me, half a world away with the vaguest idea of what it is actually like to have lost everything and almost nothing at the same time.

I would type all of those words and maybe someone would read them but none of them would mean a thing. Because words don’t mean that much when the art is this powerful. I adore this clip and this song and I adore them on both a very basic and a very complex emotional level, so words are really irrelevant. I adore it because of it's joy and it's pain and I adore it because with all those images and all of our experiences, no matter how much it hurts, there are always the words in this delicate song that we all need once in a while; “It’s alright, it’s alright”. (Jo Michelmore)

2013 Winner:

'The Bed Song' by Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra

Runner-Up: 'You Are New' by The Trouble With Templeton

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  

Video Review - Cupid

Cupid

by Boyeur

EP: Gold Street (30 May, 2014)

Cupid miss my heart,

And hit me square in the head... 

Now this is how you do a debut video. I had never heard of Melbourne's Boyeur before I watched the Matthew Chuang clip for 'Cupid', but after one viewing I definitely want to know more about them. Their sound really grabs you. Pop vocals over some nifty hip hop beats and classical strings, catchy hooks to keep you coming back for more and different layers to explore as a reward for each time you do hit repeat. This duo, comprised of Tim Ischia and Hugh Middleton are kicking off something you can already tell is going to be extremely awesome. And it doesn't get more awesome than a complex video, filmed completely in one shot.

I'm a huge fan of the 'one shot' music video and I'm sure you are too. Think of clips like 'Ava Adore' by the Smashing Pumpkins, 'Call Your Girlfriend' by Robyn or Massive Attack's 'Unfinished Sympathy'. They're all visual delights, yeah? 'Cupid' offers just as much visually as the clips previously mentioned and it's being released from a local act, I imagine without major label support. Hats off to you, Boyeur. 'Cupid' is going to be regarded as one of the best videos of the year. We get the expertly choreographed, done-in-one clip that benefits from the sorta cute/sorta sad story that goes through a relationship that only exists in the eyes of the blond-haired fella. The pay off is gold. And young lady actor, just quietly, you are stunning.

Moving on, we get to see quick scenes (are there scenes in a 'one shot'?) of Ischia and Middleton playing a bunch of instruments, including guitar, drums, violin and keys (electronic, double keys thing). It's nice that it was touched on they are talented multi-instrumentalists. And everything is filmed in a minimalist record store too. That just makes it better. It just does, alright. Boyeur's got a great debut here. I haven't seen if rage have picked it up yet, but if they do, this has to be a lock for the rage Fifty come the end of the year. There's a lot of great clips coming out of Australia right now and this is right up there with the best of them. It might even be the best. Enjoy the many repeated viewings! 

Matt Bond gives the video for 'Cupid' four and a half Michael Hutchence heads out of five...    

Video Review - Pretend

Pretend

by Dan and Amy (out now)

Since I was a little girl I have had almost nightly dreams of flying. As I get older I seem to be able to fly higher and higher. It’s a bizarre thing, our sleeping dreams, and how they inform our sense of imaginings and our daydreams. I often just wish I could take a jump and leave the ground behind and soar over beaches, oceans, forests and rivers.


So I was smiling ear to ear when I hit play on the new film clip 'Pretend' from Melbourne folk duo Dan and Amy. This clip will make you feel like you are absolutely flying. But first, let’s talk about the flavour of sound that this brother and sister music team make. The music of Dan and Amy is epic in its journey – each song has many layers and textures in terms of stripped back sections and bigger builds and beautiful duel harmonic lead vocals. 'Pretend' is a fantastic example of these complex intricacies. This song hit the top five earlier in the year on IMKOS’ weekly top 25. I also was fortunate enough to write up a gig review of Dan and Amy that I saw back in February.


The film clip for 'Pretend' literally from the get-go had my jaw dropped down - so much so that I hit replay immediately after. And later that day when I had several friends over I said, “You simply MUST see this!” The footage that accompanies this beautiful song is breathtaking. The camera flies high above the ground. The scene sweeping beneath and ahead of us is firstly a beach – perhaps at dawn or dusk. We are then flying above a gorge with a little river below. Next we fly high over green lush forest lands. We are taken on montages back and forth between these and other natural scenes. The link here is that every scene is devoid of any human or any sign of human life. There is ultimate peace and majesty in these pristine images. And the feeling of flying (for me anyway) was immediately obvious and slightly intoxicating.


As the music shifts to an almost colonial guitar section we are then set to soar over firstly farmlands and then over the city skyline of Melbourne. Around here the drums crash and the intensity of sound builds. Dan restarts the vocals as we see the industrial landscape of the city and its back urban water ways. There is also a stunning shot of flying between power lines. The shot flies higher and higher under the lines and just when I thought we were above them it flies higher again. Simple symmetry rules, as does perspective.


And perspective perhaps is the underlying theme of this clip. Perhaps being given a new perspective of our beautiful land we might stop to consider our involvement in the changing landscape. And truly consider what is more majestic – the power of progress and industry or the actual beauty and irreplaceable uniqueness that is Australia.


The clip ends with a shot of birds flying high above the trees and we are taken back again to the ocean almost following the birds themselves. I think this is one of those clips that you might want to share around and say “I saw this first”. For its footage alone, its incredible. But with the gorgeous music of Dan and Amy accompanying it – it’s a winner. 

Lou Endicott gives the video for 'Pretend' five Nick Cave heads out of five...

Video Review - Love Letters

Love Letters

by Metronomy

Album: Love Letters (due March 7, 2014)

It's so funny how the music video works. Some have such impact, some have no impact, some you watch again and again, others you can barely remember. Some evoke such emotion and imagery that no matter how any times you hear a certain song those clip images come to mind, even years later. Having said all of that, I feel almost silly having not known. I should have known. How ridiculous of me. I know lots of music clips, but only someone who is considered royalty of music video making could possibly have made a clip that is not only clever, but also made me fall a little in love with a song that I didn't have as much interest in before I saw the clip.


Michel Gondry is the one I speak of and has worked with such an array of incredible artists, big names and big clips you would remember, even if you think you don't. So when I pressed play on 'Love Letters', the latest clip from Metronomy, I guess I should have immediately spotted the Gondry feel; the quirky set, the array of visuals, the need to keep watching just-to-see-what-happens-next. I should have also known only someone with the talent of Mr Gondry would have the ability to take an incredibly retro sounding song and make an incredibly retro feeling clip, without feeling overdone or costumey or kitschy or old or fake. It's none of those things and a little bit all of those things and that makes it just so vintagey good. (I know vintagey isn't really a word, let's just be clear about that, alright?)


The vibrant hand painted rotating set takes the band from car to studio to forest to stage and back again, but it's the intelligent angles and well placed visuals that make it a clip you want to watch again and again to see what you missed last time and to make it that little but more interesting, it was shot in one take. While the song didn't grab me at first, it was after the third watch of the clip I found myself singing along, loving every chord, every chant of "love letters"...and that's the cleverness of music video making. You can take your twerking and your girls and your silhouetted shots and you can keep 'em. Just give me a vintagey(!?) song and a Gondry clip every day and I'll be happy.

Jo Michelmore gives the 'Love Letters' clip four Presets heads out of five...