November 2013

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Phoenix "Chloroform" (Sofia Coppola, dir.)

Because sometimes a great performance is defined by the audience reaction and not what happens on-stage...

from MoMa.org PopRally, which premiered the video with a lengthy interview with director Sofia Coppola:

Q: Your brother Roman has directed a number of music videos for Phoenix, for which your husband Thomas Mars is the lead singer. Why are you now directing the video for the new song “Chloroform”?

Sofia Coppola: I’ve always loved Phoenix, and the videos Roman did for them. I love the song “Chloroform,” and I had an idea based on a photo, and since I haven’t done many videos, I like trying things that are unfamiliar. The idea came from a photo by Joseph Sterling in his book The Age of Adolescence. Thomas’s sister’s boyfriend, Mateo, who works at the Book Marc store, gave me the book last X-mas.

Watch "Chloroform" via Moma/org's PopRally...

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Machine Gun Kelly "Swing Life Away" (Charlie Zwick, dir.)

The crossover playbook is in full effect here: Machine Gun Kelly is definitely a rapper, but looks like a rocker, and the song has Sleeping With Sirens emo screamer Kellin Quinn helping push the 2005 hit Rise Against ballad "Swing Life Away" into a nü-metal territory. The video itself is a crossroads story — with a screenplay by MGK himself — thinking back on his life and what should come next. 

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Arthur Rigby & The Baskervylles "Moonlit Strangers" (Josh Hatfield, dir.)

The new video for 'Moonlit Strangers', the new single from Arthur Rigby & The Baskervylles. Releases on 25th November, 2013.

As far as look and logic go, the video for Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles’ latest release bears far more in common with the dreamscape than it does waking reality. With heavily symbolic elements and a landscape that radiates colour and light, the whole piece is suffused with a degree of surreality that somehow seamlessly fits with the intimate sound of Arthur Rigby. 

Commercial Break

Martin Scorsese Directs Dolce&Gabbana Ad Starring Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson

We've come a long way from Mean Streets...

The legendary Martin Scorsese goes shortform for Dolce&Gabbana's The One fragrance with Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson along for the ride.

Now, we all know that music videos don't pay like commercials for smelly water, but being that Scorsese clearly has music on his mind lately — most of his work in the Oughts has been music related from a concert film for the Rolling Stones, and documentaries on Bob Dylan and George Harrison —   perhaps somebody could lure The Master back to our world...

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