The "Best Short Form Music Video" category at the Grammys have longed seemed like an aftethought — ranking somewhere above Polka, yet below the main categories — but this year's crop of picks is as appropriately diverse, or scattershot, as it should be.
Grammy Best Short Form Music Video 2012 Nominees...
For an individual track or single promotional clip. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer.
Adele "Rolling In The Deep"
Sam Brown, video director
Hannah Chandler, video producer [XL Recordings/Columbia Records]
The biggest hit of the year, for the biggest artist of the year. Also the most traditional of all the video nominees.
Memory Tapes "Yes I Know"
Eric Epstein, video director
Eric Epstein, video producer [Carpark Records]
Sometimes a piece of under-the-radar art sneaks in. This was striking when it first grabbed attention back in June and it's great to think that it'll now perhaps get a shot at mainstream exposure. Not sure how this got nominated, but it's the kind of nod that makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.
OK Go "All Is Not Lost"
Itamar Kubovy, Damian Kulash Jr & Trish Sie, video directors
Shirley Moyers, video producer [Paracadute]
You could debate whether this was OK Go's best video of the year, which is really just proof of how above and beyond they've been with their visual work. (Actually, I think their dog extravaganza clip fell between nomination windows, coming out just as the 2010/2011 window closed, which means that there should be no debate: This was their best video. Sorry, Muppets. Sorry, toast.)
Radiohead "Lotus Flower"
Garth Jennings, video director
Garth Jennings, video producer [XL/TBD Records]
Sometimes you just gotta dance.
Skrillex "First Of The Year (Equinox)"
Tony Truand, video director
Noah Klein, video producer [Big Beat/Atlantic]
Remember the year of techno on MTV? Prodigy? Aphex Twin? Chemical Brothers? Amp? Skrillex makes me think that the kids were tuned in after all. Creepy, catharctic electronica as descended from Aphex Twin "Come To Daddy."
"Weird Al" Yankovic "Perform This Way"
"Weird Al" Yankovic, video director
Cisco Newman, video producer; [Jive Records]
It's good. Of course it's good. You don't last 30 years in the parody/music biz by not being good. But, if not for the dust-up about whether Gaga would approve this parody/homage, I wonder how many people would have seen it. I wonder if you've seen it. (PS: Al won the Best Video Grammy in 1988 for "Fat," and has been nominated several times previously. So, eat it.)
