WATCH IT: Broken Bells "The High Road"

Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, and James Mercer, aka The Shin — collectively aka Broken Bells — wander along a strange road filled with all sorts of bad omens. There's a wreck on the highway, a projection screen displaying a fire, a kid playing with a remote control car, a burlesque stage and a lone white horse. It's all quite ominous, leading me to think that "The High Road" is a reference to the afterlife, or they're all just high. --> watch "The High Road"

Broken Bells "The High Road" (Columbia)
Sophie Muller, director/editor | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Steve Chivers, DP | Dilly Gent, commissioner

WATCH IT: Har Mar Superstar "Tall Boy"

Funky white boy Har Mar Superstar may not fit the usual definition of superstar, but he shows some serious clout by pulling in a damn fine cast of guest stars in this his slick video directed by Tomorrows Brightest Minds. Actresses Eva Mendes and Alia Shawkat (aka Maeby from Arrested Development), along with Tim And Eric co-star Eric Wareheim, appear in an intergalactic Tron-meets-2001-meets-Barbarella stylistic romp, where HMSuperstar shows he can fill out a spacesuit better than any astronaut out there (except Jane Fonda, maybe). --> watch "Tall Boy"

Har Mar Superstar "Tall Boy"
Tomorrow's Brightest Minds, directors/producers/vfx | Oil Factory, production co | Beatriz Lopez @ BeeHive Management | Simon Thirlaway , DP | Russell Lichter, editor | Christopher Kreiling, stylist | Matt Fuller @ Mind Over Eye, telecine/colorist

WATCH IT: Ting Tings "That's Not My Name"

The Ting Tings may be out in the middle of nowhere, on a pitch black night, but they're not alone for long. A troupe of glow-in-the-dark celebrants burst on the scene to match the band's energy. The marching band members, cheerleaders, double dutchers, and even the fools holding up signs with the wrong names, match the band's energy for a few festive minutes. --> watch "That's Not My Name"

The Ting Tings "That's Not My Name" (Columbia)
Alex and Liane, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | David Lanzenberg, DP | Chris Giammalvo, production designer | Nicholas Carmen @ Radiant, colorist/telecine

SHOT: Miranda Lee Richards - Piper Ferguson, director

artist: Miranda Lee Richards
song: "Early November"
label: Nettwerk
director(s): Piper Ferguson
production co: Lodger/Oil Factory
producer(s): Andrew Molina
DP: Michael Rizzi | editor: Dean Gonzalez @ Final Cut

WATCH IT: Cold War Kids "Something Is Not Right"

Cold War Kids return with an off the cuff rave-up and a fittingly loose video to match. There's some sort of fixation on the eyes as the CWK fellas perform and generally goof around in what looks to be an old school for the insane. --> watch "Something Is Not Right With Me"

Cold War Kids
"Something Is Not Right" (Downtown)
Sophie Muller, director/editor | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Simon Thirlaway, DP

SHOT: Secondhand Serenade - Ryan Rickett, director

artist: Secondhand Serenade
song: "Your Call"
label: Glassnote
director(s): Ryan Rickett
production co: Oil Factory

SHOT: Jolie Holland - Stoney Sharp, director

artist: Jolie Holland
song: "Mexico City"
label: Anti
director(s): Stoney Sharp
production co: Oil Factory

WATCH IT: Kings Of Leon "Sex On Fire"

Although I'd like to joke that Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followil is burning up with a case of the clap in this hot, sweaty clip for "Sex On Fire," it seems he's merely possessed by good old fashioned lust. Director Sophie Muller keys in on the Followil clan's Pentecostal background: Although the Kings have long since ditched their rural roots for a much more cosmopolitan and stylish look that suits their increasingly grander rock 'n' roll sound and lifestyle, they still seem to consider that natural libidinous rush as a kind of demon that takes over and makes you do bad, bad things. And no, the video doesn't depict cock. It's a hen. As in chicken. A female chicken. And apparently it gets fried. And eaten. (And as my friend Doug just joked, "They probably choked that chicken to death") --> watch "Sex On Fire"

Kings Of Leon "Sex On Fire" (RCA)
Sophie Muller, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Jonathan Sella, DP | Sophie Muller, editor/telecine

SHOT: Cold War Kids - Sophie Muller, director

artist: Cold War Kids
song: "Something Is Not Right With Me"
label: Downtown
director(s): Sophie Muller
production co: Oil Factory

WATCH IT: Walter Meego "Forever"

Maybe it's overcast today. You have no friends. No pool. Certainly no topless friends at said pool. Take a page from this video for electro-pop duo Walter Meego and just use your imagination. Director Piper Ferguson — best known for her rock photography — starts with a woman waking up with this summery song in her head. Through the power of its tunefulness (or drugs, maybe) she finds herself transported into summery fantasies while actually still being sequestered in her house. The evening is even better than the day, since it involves actual reality and not just hallucinations: A bunch of friends pop by and they head out to see Walter Meego. --> watch "Forever"

Walter Meego "Forever" (Almost Gold/Oil Factory)
Piper Ferguson, director | Rob Schroeder, Georg Kallert, Peter Nieves, producer | Lodger Films/Oil Factory, production co | Beatriz Lopez, rep | | Matthew Rudenberg, DP | Bill McShane, editor/effects