NEW RELEASE: The Myriad "A Clean Shot"

They say that every living creature has a soul, even the most hideous monsters. The beast that's terrorizing a forest of nice lil' creatures in this strange and surprising adventure clip not only has a soul, but flashbacks reveal a whole human-style life, complete with a wife, a job, a baby and all the others entrapments of society. That doesn't sway The Myriad, however. They show the same tenacious drive that got them 2007 MTV2 Dew Circuit Breakout band competition. They get "A Clean Shot" on their prey and they take it. --> watch "A Clean Shot" via YouTube or Quicktime plus a "making of" at YouTube

The Myriad "A Clean Shot" (Koch)
Josh Forbes, director | Justin Benoliel, producer | Winch + Pulley, production co | Lanette Phillips Management, rep | Steven Drypolcher, DP | Ryan Bartley, editor | Ghost Town Media, post | Romaire Studios, puppet

BOOKED: Jack Black + Cee-Lo - Elliott Lester, director

Well, you just knew they were gonna pull out a cover of "Kung Fu Fighting" to support the star-studded DreamWorks animation flick, Kung Fu Panda... Extra points for getting the movie's lead voice, Jack Black, and Danger Mouse singer Cee-Lo to update the kitsch classic.

artist: Jack Black and Cee-Lo (from Kung Fu Panda)
song: "Kung Fu Fighting"
director(s): Elliott Lester
production co: Karma Kollective
rep: Laure Scott

BOOKED: Alanis Morissette - Sanji, director

artist: Alanis Morissette
song: "Underneath"
label: Maverick/Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Sanji
production co: Gertie Productions
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: Three Six Mafia - Dale "Rage" Resteghini, director

artist: Three 6 Mafia
song: "Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)"
label: Columbia
director(s): Dale "Rage" Resteghini
production co: Raging Nation Films
rep: Yell Productions

NEW RELEASE: Hawk Nelson "Friend Like That"

Watching this video makes me think I'm not the only one to have been hopelessly addicted to the PSP game Loco Roco. Director Christopher Sims and vfx team etypical place pop-punkers Hawk Nelson in a cutesy animated world that should make fans of Loco Roco or the hip Nick Jr/Kid Robot venture Yo Gabba Gabba such shiny happy peoples. That said, the direct inspiration for the video is the album artwork for Hawk Nelson... Is My Friend. If you dig it, you should check out its designers, Don Clark and Ryan Clark of design squad Invisible Creature. In addition to creating CD artwork, posters, merchandise and a whole lot more for a whole lotta bands, they also front the metal band Demon Hunter. Neat, huh? --> watch "Friend Like That"

Hawk Nelson "Friend Like That" (Tooth & Nail)
Christopher Sims, director/editor | Mark Staubach, producer | DNA, production co | Jessica Young, DP | etypical, VFX

NEW RELEASE: The B-52s "Funplex"

Leave it to The B-52s to have way more fun than I ever have at a mall. Then again, they seem to be on way more hallucinogens than I would ever dare take before heading to Paramus or Sherman Oaks. The video is very future-leaning — Fred Schneider on a Segway seems strangely natural  — especially for a usually retro band that is in its third decade of existence. --> watch "Funplex" via MySpace.com premiere

The B-52s "Funplex" (Astralwerks)
Roboshobo, director | Chris Lauer, producer | The Revolver Film Co, production co | Labuda Management, rep | Don Burton, DP | David Baum, editor | Howard Shur, Jeff Dotson and Roboshobo, post/fx

NEWS: DNA Signs Director Travis Kopach

DNA has signed director Travis Kopach. Music video credits include:

• Thursday "Ladies & Gentlemen"
• Straylight Run "Soon We'll Be Living In The Future"
• Panic At The Disco "Lying Is The Most Fun"

BOOKED: The Red Hearts - Dylan Mulick, director

artist: The Red Hearts
song: "Let's Get Lost"
label: April 77
director(s): Dylan Mulick
production co: Bucks Boys Productions

NEW RELEASE: Dizzee Rascal "Where The G's"

English rapper Dizzee Rascal may be backed by the almighty Pound and he's certainly savvy enough to know that the bling bling lifestyle is largely a myth, but even he probably wasn't quite expecting the impoverished state of the Houston neighborhood where they shot this video for "Where The G's At." On the micro, it's a pretty simple, but devastatingly powerful indictment of the usual hip-hop video displays of conspicuous consumption; Zooming out to the macro and you realize that Dizzee and guest rapper Bun B — who hails from Houston — are looking at the economic wreckage that's all too common the South. That said, the ending section goes in an entirely different direction when we learn that Dizzee and Bun B are there to close a deal for a pair of high-tech gangster specs that let the wearer detect True G's and snitches. It's a little bit sci-fi for my taste and basically obliterates my "deep" reading, but doesn't diminish the impact of the realness that precedes it. --> watch "Where Da G's" via MTV.com or YouTube.com

Dizzee Rascal "Where Da G's" (Definitive Jux)
Tom Campbell, director | Mike Torres, producer

NEW RELEASE: The Knux "Cappuccino"

This clip serves as proof that eclectic New Orleans hip-hop duo The Knux and director Jason Bergh learned a thing or two from the school of music video. The raucous classroom setting, the fashions and the alternative sensibility are all reminiscent of De La Soul's classic hit "Me, Myself & I," but updated to the present day with a a fresh, yet retro twist. --> watch "Cappuccino" via YouTube or MTV.com

The Knux "Cappuccino" (HHH/Interscope)
Jason Bergh, director/DP/editor | Davin Henson, producer | UX Entertainment, production co

BOOKED: Lyrics Born - Neon, directors

artist: Lyrics Born
song: "I Like It, I Love It"
label: Epitaph
director(s): Neon
production co: Partizan

BOOKED: Cobra Starship - John Stalberg, director

artist: Cobra Starship
song:  "Guilty Pleasure"
label: Fueled By Ramen
director(s): John Stalberg
production co: Mt. Vernon
rep: Labuda Management

Director John Stalberg is signed with Merge @ Crossroads

BOOKED: Forever The Sickest Kids - Shane Drake, director

artist: Forever The Sickest Kids
song:  "Whoa Oh"
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Shane Drake   
production co: Red Van Pictures
rep: Labuda Management

BOOKED: Fat Joe f/ Plies - Gil Green, director

artist: Fat Joe f/ Plies
song:  "Ain't Saying Nothin"
label: Terror Squad/Imperial
director(s): Gil Green
production co: 305 Films
rep: Labuda Management

NEW RELEASE: Santogold "L.E.S. Aristes"

Get on your horse and ride. Or don't. Just sit there on it. In the fake forest. With two fairly static dancers who look like a mix of the "Addicted To Love" posse and the S1W's. It all looks beautiful, but things get much more fun once Santogold starts dreaming about the real world where, thankfully, all the horrible violence and misfortune is gleefully fake and rather colorful. --> watch "L.E.S. Aristes"

Santogold "L.E.S. Aristes" (Downtown)
Nima Nourizadeh, director/editor | Grace Bodie, producer | Partizan , production co | Adam Frische, DP

SHOT: Sandi Thom - Paul Minor, director

artist: Sandi Thom
song: "Devils Beat"
label: SonyBMG UK
director(s): Paul Minor
production co: Streetgang Films
rep: Free Agent UK / Lanette Phillips Management 

NEW RELEASE: The Sword "Fire Lancers..."

Centuries of war have plunged the world into a post-apocalyptic nightmare that looks like a more surreal version of The Road Warrior. The quest in this video for modern metalheads The Sword is for booty unknown, but it's all for naught since there's a nasty doublecross in the end. Religious overtones abound — the "hero" and crew carry an ark to the final destination, while one of the main clues along the way is a sort of burning bush, but in the form of a beast with Menorah-worthy antlers. The video has a painted-on animation style, courtesy of some After Effects work done in collaboration with Blacklist and Mass Market. --> watch "Fire Lancers" via Stereogum.com premiere

The Sword
"Fire Lancers Of  The Ancient Hyperzephyrians" (Kemado)
Josh Litwhiler & Mike Colao, directors | Matthew Achterberg, producer | Ghost Robot, production co | Steve Maing, DP | Michelle Antonisse, production designer |

SHOT: Rahsaan Patterson - Anthony Garth, director

artist: Rahsaan Patterson
song: "Feels Good"
label: Mack Avenue/Artistry Music
director(s): Anthony Garth
production co: Fallout Entertaiment

SHOT: Socratic - Spence Nicholson, director

artist: Socratic
song: "Boy In A Magazine"   
label: Drive-Thru
director(s): Spence Nicholson
production co: PandaWorks

SHOT: Steel Train - Spence Nicholson, director

Director Spence Nicholson pointing the way for Steel Train frontman Jack Antonoff...

artist: Steel Train
song: "I Feel Weird"
label: Drive-Thru
director(s): Spence Nicholson
production co: PandaWorks

MTV Adds for the Week of 3/24/08

Britney Spears "Break The Ice" (Jive/ZLG) 
Lil Wayne "Lollipop" (Cash Money/Universal Motown)

MTV2 Adds:
Ashes Divide "The Stone" (Island Def Jam)
Atmosphere "Shoulda Known" (Rhymesayers)
Consequence "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" (G.O.O.D.)
Lil Wayne "Lollipop" (Cash Money/Universal Motown)
Shawty Lo "Dunn Dunn" (Asylum)

MTVU Adds:
Be Your Own Pet "The Kelly Affair" (XL)
Bishop Allen "Click Click Click Click" (Dead Oceans) 
Eddie Vedder "No More" (Sire)
Estelle f/ Kanye West "American Boy" (Homeschool/Atlantic)
Paramore "That's What You Get" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)
Raheem DeVaughn "Customer" (Jive/ZLG)
Shawty Lo "Dunn Dunn" (Asylum)
Snoop Dogg f/ Too $hort & Mistah FAB "Life Of The Party" (Geffen)
The Whigs "Right Hand On My Heart" (ATO)

MTV Jams Adds:
Shawty Lo "Dunn Dunn" (Asylum)
Webbie f/ LeToya "I Miss You" (Trill/Asylum/Atlantic)
Wyclef Jean "President" (Columbia)

VH1 Adds for the Week of 3/24/08

Vh1 Adds:
A Fine Frenzy "Almost Lover (remix)" (Virgin/Capitol)
Counting Crows "You Can't Count On Me" (Interscope)

VH1 Soul Adds:
Jordin Sparks f/ Chris Brown "No Air" (Jive/ZLG)
Lizz Wright "My Heart" (Verve)
Snoop Dogg f/ Too $hort & Mistah FAB "Life Of The Party" (Geffen)

BET Adds for the Week of 3/24/08

Adds:
Chris Brown "Take You Down" (Jive/ZLG)
Day 26 "Got Me Going" (Bad Boy)
Estelle f/ Kanye West "American Boy" (Homeschool/Atlantic)
Lyfe Jennings "Never Never Land" (Columbia)

Rap City Adds:
Lupe Fiasco "Hip Hop Saved My Life" (Atlantic)
Shawty Lo "Dunn Dunn/Foolish" (Asylum)

Fuse Adds for the Week of 3/24/08

Adds:
Avenged Sevenfold "Afterlife" (Warner Bros.)
Coheed and Cambria "Feathers" (Columbia)
Snoop Dogg f/ Too $hort & Mistah FAB "Life Of The Party" (Geffen)

Music Choice Adds for the Week of 3/24/08

Adds:
A Cursive Memory "Everything" (Vagrant)
Angels & Airwaves "Secret Crowds" (Geffen)
Big Shug f/ DJ Premier "Play It" (Babygrande)
Casely "Emotional" (Epic)
Consequence "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" (G.O.O.D.)
The Dillinger Escape Plan "Milk Lizard" (Relapse)
Edwin Yearwood "Weekend" (VP)
The Exies "These Are The Days" (Eleven Seven)
Morgan Heritage f/ Laza "Faithful" (VP)
Pig Destroyer "Loathsome" (Relapse)
Rick Ross f/ T-Pain "The Boss" (Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam)
Ryan Shaw "Do The 45" (Razor & Tie)
Simian Mobile Disco "I Believe" (Wichita)
Skillz "Crazy World" (Koch)
Tonya Ware "Put My Hand In Yours" (Princess Productions)
Vanessa Carlton "Hands On Me" (The Inc./Universal Motown)
Yael Naim "New Soul" (Atlantic)
The Young Punx "You've Got To…" (Ultra)

CMT Adds for the Week of 3/17/08

CMT + CMT Pure Adds:
Taylor Swift "Picture To Burn" (Big Machine)

MuchMusic Adds for the Week of 3/17/08

Adds:
Ashanti "The Way That I Love You"
Jesse McCartney "Leavin'"
Mic Boogie "Good Look"