IN DEPTH: TV On The Radio "Province"

It's easy to focus on the controversial nature of this TV On The Radio, which is probably the first video since Jay-Z's "99 Problems" to prominently feature somebody getting struck down by a hail of bullets. Director Jeff Scheven of Canadian production house Soft Citizen would rather focus on other aspects of the production and he's right. "Province" is not about acts of violence; It's about the love and the beauty that is still somewhat evident even when humans fall to our basest instincts. To put it another way, violence may lurk right in the middle of the screen, but hopefully not in our hearts.

Jeff Scheven, director: "The last time TV On The Radio played here in Toronto, [band member] Dave Sitek mentioned this vision he had of a beautiful, stoic USO girl being shot by animals. We've known each other fairly well over the past couple years through music and discussed the idea in detail one day while suit shopping. I really liked the theme of the natural world banding together and rising up  to take on war-hungry man. And, I really liked the idea of man being represented by this pure and beautiful element, which is something that we all have inside of us. I told him I wanted to bring it to life.

It was important to me that everyone involved was excited about the project, as I knew that it was going to take a lot of hard work to pull it off. Luckily for me, every single person that came on really put his or her heart and soul into the project. The sets were all hand crafted and painted by art directors Rob Southcott and Mate Szemeredy. The costumes were hand stitched and made from scratch by my beautiful girlfriend and costume designer extraordinaire, Vanessa Fischer. We shot in black & white under the skilled hand of DP Chris Sargent to give it a timeless, classic feel, but also to help make the sets stand out more. The idea with the gunshots was not to be violent, but to focus on the beauty in the moment. Interscope was somewhat concerned about the concept and we actually did shoot a no-gun version as a back up, but never did anything with it.

The star, the beautiful Cynthia Udriot, is a friend of my girlfriend and I here in Toronto.  I immediately thought of her when Dave mentioned the beautiful soldier girl. She's from Switzerland and her first language is French, so it took a while for her to learn the words of the song, but she really came through. There was a lot of pressure on her, because she's front and center the whole video. If the performance was off, the whole video would be lost. So, Dave came down the week before the shoot to help Cynthia with the lyrics and explain where they were coming from. Through this process, she and Dave became close, and in the most magical outcome of all, they fell madly in love! In a video where heart was so present, it seemed so fitting that both great friendships, and close relationships where formed. Just goes to show that once in a while all the right people come together and everything clicks. Love truly is the province of brave."

--> watch "Province"

TV On The Radio "Province" (Interscope)
Jeff Scheven, director | Nick Sorbara, producer | Soft Citizen, production co | Chris Sargent, DP | Michelle Czukar, editor

NEW RELEASE: Teddybears "Punkrocker"

Being that this Teddybears song is best known for its inclusion in a Cadillac campaign, you would think it'd be unwise for the video to feature a Cadillac being driven through NYC streets. Thankfully, it's a vintage model and the clip does reveal itself to be more than just another Koyaanisqatsi (or "Ray Of Light," for all you youngsters) montage. Legendary punkrocker Iggy Pop is the featured guest here, delivering his deadpan vocals as the lone passenger in this driverless car. The feelings of Pop's alienation from the current prefab scene that are evident in the lyrics are replicated in the video concept, which depicts Pop as the last human left in a city populated by people who all wear those comical Teddybear heads. Not only that, but the video also shows that the  "teddymogrification" has affected some familiar Times Square billboards and the Statue Of Liberty. All in all, a fine video and song, but hardcore punk fans are forgiven if they find themselves wishing Pop was en route to a session with his reformed Stooges and not just out on an evening joyride. --> watch "Punkrocker"

Teddybears feat. Iggy Pop  "Punkrocker" (Big Beat/Atlantic)
Teddybears, directors | Sarah Grey, producer |  Black Dog, production co | Klas Ahlund, editor

BOOKED: Shadows Fall - Zach Merck, director

artist: Shadows Fall
song: "Redemption"   
label: Atlantic
director(s): Zach Merck   
production co: @radical.media

BOOKED: The New Atlantic - Greg Jardin, director

artist:  The New Atlantic
song: "Wire And Stone"
label: Eyeball
director(s): Greg Jardin
production co: @radical.media

BOOKED: Lloyd - Erik White, director

artist: Lloyd
song: "Get It Shawty"
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

SHOT: !!! - Ben Dickinson, director

artist: !!! (chk chk chk)
song: "Must Be The Moon"
label: Warp
director(s): Ben Dickinson
production co: Greencard/Black Dog

Video being independently produced by Greencard. Director Ben Dickinson is signed with Black Dog.

NEW RELEASE: Grizzly Bear "Knife"

Most videos take a few weeks to go from conception to finished product. This video for Grizzly Bear has been in production for so many months that it's taken on almost legendary stature. If you were hoping for something as unique, beautiful, odd and enveloping as the band's music, you are in luck. The video is ostensibly a science-fiction parable that I like to think is about the band's, and perhaps mankind's relationship to rock — both in terms of the music and the geologic mineral formation. Or, maybe it's just weird eye candy with a creepy dude who looks like an alien, some quicksand and a contraption that would make Rube Goldberg proud. Either way, it's one compellingly strange world on display here.   --> watch "Knife" (via Stereogum)

Grizzly Bear "Knife" (Warp)
Encyclopedia Pictura, directors/DPs/editors | Mark DePace, producer | Ghost Robot, production co

NEW RELEASE: Snowden "Like Bullets"

You could just say this Snowden clip is "creepy" and be pretty accurate, but that's not really fair, especially since it's creepy on purpose. Footage of the band members gets projected — that's right, no green screens —  onto dancers wearing full body  leotards. Since these "screens" are naturally lumpy and constantly in motion, we get treated to lots of weird images — enough, in fact, to make their heads explode at the end of the video. --> watch "Like Bullets"

Snowden "Like Bullets" (Jade Tree)
Geoffrey Plauger, director | Jake Cohen, producer/editor | Refrigerator Art Productions, production co | Paul Marschall, DP

BOOKED: The Willowz - Ace Norton, director

artist: The Willowz
song: "Evil Son"
label: Dim Mak
director(s): Ace Norton
production co: Partizan

BOOKED: Aqueduct - Charles Spano, director

artist: Aqueduct
song: "Living A Lie"
label: Barsuk
director(s): Charles Spano
production co: Commondeer
commissioner: Jill Kaplan/Skyway Productions