Christmas Videos That Don't Suck

One last thing... Here, once again, is a list of Christmas videos that will help both "culture warriors" and "secular-progressives" ring in the Holiday.

All links are via YouTube...

• Run-DMC "Christmas In Hollis"
• The Ramones "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)"
• The Kinks "Father Christmas" (terrible quality, sorry!)
• Sufjan Stevens "Put The Lights On The Tree"
• Bing Crosby and David Bowie "Little Drummer Boy"
• The Flaming Lips "Christmas At The Zoo"

End Of Year Shout Outs

Video Static will be wrapping up for what has been a very successful and fun year. Thanks for contributing. Thanks for reading. We'll be in repeat mode from here on out — barring any huge stories, like the Apocalypse — returning on January 2.

Extra special thanks to my advertisers, without whom I wouldn't be able to spend as much time as I'd like on the site. If you're interested in coming on board in 2007, please don't hesitate to get in touch. It's good for you, good for me.

Happy holidays and all that kinda stuff,

Steve

TOP TEN VIDEOS OF 2006

Video Static took a little stroll through the New Releases listed in 2006 to come up with a quick Top Ten video list. Not exactly in order, but close enough for this time of year. Enjoy.

1. OK Go "Here It Goes Again" - The video story of the year (and maybe the decade). A simple idea so stupid it's brilliant. And, quite possibly, a harbinger of a new kind of music video tailor made for Generation Y(ou) .
2. Kanye West "Touch The Sky" - With apologies to Mr. Kneivel.
3. Teddybears "Cobrastyle" - Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll. And bears.
4. Gnarls Barkley "Smiley Faces" - The music video version of Zelig.
5. Gnarls Barkley "Gone Daddy Gone" - Reminded me to call the exterminator.
6. Muse "Knights Of Cydonia" - A chop suey salute to kung fu, sci-fi and spaghetti western movies.
7. The Softlightes "Heart Made Of Sound" - Words made of art.
8. Juvenile "Get Ya Hustle On" - A man not afraid to express his right to be hostile.
9. Stone Sour "Through Glass" - A clever effect that illustrates the cliche that the substance of Hollywood is paper thin.
10. Korn "Coming Undone" - Leave it to a hip-hop director to craft one of the best rock performance clips of the year.

NEW RELEASE: The Shins "Phantom Limb"

Indie juggernauts The Shins return with a video that plays a bit like a combination of Max Fischer's stage productions from Rushmore and the R.E.M. video classic "Losing My Religion." A cast of mostly kid actors use homemade props to re-enact various violent confrontations from historic times. Toss in a Jesus figure and you've got a good Passion Play (or a Mel Gibson flick). --> watch "Phantom Limb"

The Shins "Phantom Limb" (Sub Pop)
Patrick Daughters, director | Karen Lin, producer | Black Dog, production co | Shawn Kim, DP | Mike Colao, editor (note: Patrick Daughters is now signed with The Directors Bureau)

NEW RELEASE: The Format "Dog Problems"

The spirit of Senor Wences lives on in this video for "Dog Problems" by The Format. Simple hand puppets — essentially hands au naturel with maybe one or two props — perform the vocals and bop along to the tune. The video begins with the hands making simple shadows on the wall, but the set-ups get increasingly intricate and clever as things progress out into the real world and onto various parodies — the highlight of which, for me at least, being a spoof of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." --> watch "Dog Problems"

The Format "Dog Problems"  (The Vanity Label/Nettwerk)
Geoff Oki, director | Joe Montalbano, producer | Nylon Motion, production co | RW Media, rep | Nick Jeong, DP

BOOKED: Dropping Daylight - Justin Francis, director

Director Justin Francis of The Saline Project will use a collage of newsreels, tabloid pages and other forms of media to help spread the message of Dropping Daylight in "Tell  Me."

artist: Dropping Daylight
song: "Tell Me"
label: Octone
director(s): Justin Francis
production co: HSI
rep: Robin Frank Management

SHOT: RX Bandits "...And The Battle Begun"

As you can see from this production still, things should be nicely trippy in the forthcoming RX Bandits video   "...And The Battle Begun." (click pic to enlarge)

artist: RX Bandits
song: "...And The Battle Begun"
label: MDB
director(s): Adam Thomson
production co: Refused TV

NEW RELEASE: Papoose "Alphabetical Slaughter"

After making his name in the mixtape world, New York rapper Papoose officially enters the music industry with his first clip, "The Alphabetical Slaughter." The Jive recording artist takes down the alphabet letter by letter amidst brilliant animation that underscores his delivery. It might make your head spin, but it’s worth following to the fantastic finale as Papoose uses his vocabulary and creativity to craft a song with strong narrative elements that he's seemingly reading from a dictionary. Call it a stunt or a gimmick, but it’s one that won’t be forgotten fast. --> watch "The Alphabetical Slaughter"

Review by Craig Belcher, curator of the blog Rap, Lies & Videotape

Papoose "The Alphabetical Slaughter" (Jive/ZLG)
_U_P (Panch & Uti), directors | Connie Orlando, producer | Saintkid, production co | Ted Tucker , editor

SHOT: Airpushers - Neon, directors

The Neon directing duo of Nabil Elderkin and John Pina recently oversaw a shoot for Airpushers, the songwriting/production team responsible for hits from Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.

artist: Airpushers
song: "Hold The Onions"
label: Sarathan
director(s): Neon
production co: Partizan

NEWS: Black Dog Signs Melina

Black Dog Films has announced the signing of Melina to its roster of directors. Her music video directing credits include:

• Ying Yang Twins feat. Wyclef "Dangerous"
• Ludacris feat. Pharrell "Money Maker"
• Lloyd Banks "Help"
• Shareefa "Cry No More"