Undun - The Roots, 2011

I've been meaning to go back a little and give you reason to pull an older slightly-neglected album off the shelves again, but new music has been so good lately!  Undun is the record I can't get enough of right now, and I want to offer it up as an alternative to Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as an album that attempts to push rap music in a new direction.  The Roots, however, are able to do so far more narratively and positively on Undun, which focuses on a man - Redford Stevens - who dies at the beginning of the album, and everything we hear after that looks back to what led up to that particular moment.  And that's about as much pre-amble as I want to give you, because something tells me Undun is the kind of thing that we'll enjoy as we discover new things each time we listen.

The first thing I notice, before I even hit play, is the album art depicting a kid "flipping in the ghetto on a dirty mattress" as Lauryn Hill so eloquently describes.  Like any great rap album, Undun is full of reference, even in its few, but intentional visuals.  The first track, "Dun", builds (or fades out backwards-ly) sonically toward the first full song, "Sleep": stunning in its short and slow depiction of Redford looking on his own death through incredibly poetic rap.  Similarly, "Make My" is Redford's coming to terms with his near-approaching life's end.  This song is so beautiful, and strikes me as brutally honest in its ability to realistically capture someone's final song or word.  As conceptual as Undun is, I can't get over how catchy the music is throughout.  The Roots are relatively un-rivalled in the arena of instrumental hip-hop (heck, they created it), and prove they are still on top.  The bass line from "Make My"slips and slides around everywhere, and "One Time" is driven forward by percussive piano chords that, although with a low bpm, force physical movement out of its listener.

"Kool On" introduces a completely different beat with one of the slickest transitions I can remember - and it's just a fade in!  And let's face it, using an old-school vocal line as a rhythmic beat is so awesome right now, whether it's on Watch the Throne or not.  This and the next, "The OtherSide" is the closest track to a dance groove that you'll find on the album, but they are not really for dancing at all since they are gritty looks at a life of chasing drugs and money.  Greg Porn has some of the most direct and simple phrases, like "I'm on the edge of my bed making love to my meds".  

I keep thinking that the worst must be over; Redford is dead, so eventually we'll get to some happy memories, right?  On the contrary, it seems like his death is the most peaceful moment on the album, and "Stomp" definitely intensifies things, and gets the physicality of life, viscerally describing "blood sweat and tears, broken teeth and spit".  "Lighthouse" continues that theme as guest rapper Dice Raw asks us to "take a look at my lungs and my liver - it's disgusting".  Again, the rawness of the story is never abandoned in the midst of thoughtful and catchy hooks that can be played anywhere.  I have cooked and cleaned and just chilled out to this record, and it all works.  

"I Remember" suggests that Redford never really had a chance, drawing "a two from the deck" and continues to be fairly aware that death is not too far off.  "Tip the Scale" is the last track that gives us any lyrics, and I suppose it can be seen as the beginning of the end in multiple ways.  It reveals either a real or felt decision he is making between a friend's life and his own.  Knowing the end outcome gives this song even more dramatic weight.  And we are left to contemplate the short life of a thug over Sufjan Stevens' "Redford (for Yia Yia & Pappou)", and its 3 variations in the form of movements.  Each take a very different approach while holding a recognizable piece of Sufjan's original: "Possibility" is high and dream-like, "Will to Power" is is dark and jazzy, and ends with chaotic chordal clusters, and finally "Finality" feels much like a string quartet at a funeral, yet ends with a low hammer on the piano.  

Undun allowed us to peer into a common character's last bits of life, but Redford's stereotypical thug-like behaviour never distracted me from his humanity.  Nothing about this album felt like every other rap about money, drugs, sex, and death.  It was neither braggy nor preachy, yet honestly looked at nothing less than the meaning of life, and I'm left wanting to have another listen.  Don't mind if I do...  

4 - Beyonce, 2011

One of my favorite things to do around the new year is reflect on the finishing year by reading lists and making some of my own.  There are a number of artists that have shaped my 2011 with new and newly discovered albums - Bon Iver, Florence, Adele, Josh Garrels - but I've decided to talk about Beyonce's 4, because I doubt I will ever be inspired to write about any of her other albums, past or future.  And I cannot stop listening to it.

Who would have expected this?  A chock-full collection of hit after hit, that somehow sound even better together, from a woman who has built her career on singles and music videos.  Beyonce has never been what I've considered great at the art of album, but 4 is an incredibly happy exception.

"1+1" reintroduces Beyonce to us as a sexy balladess with clear control on her vocal range.  Before we dance, we are asked to remember that she is not only a beautiful, engaging performer, but a vocal contender as well.  "I Care" and "Miss You" are best paired together, both using 80's instrumentation to recall a classic pop-r&b fusion, and both wrestling with relationships either on their way out or regretfully finished.  Come to think of it, "Best Thing I Never Had" is a part of the series too - but adds some real Beyonce attitude.  Sure it's a pithy chorus, but Beyonce's never been hailed as a lyricist anyway, and it's a great song to sing at the top of your lungs in the car.  Try it sometime.

By now, we've remembered what Beyonce is capable of, but we're not sure if she's still really got the power to start the party.  By the time I listened to 4 in it's entirety I had already seen the video for the last track, "Run the World (Girls)", and was at best disappointed.  Was that going to be the strongest dance song on the album?  Certainly not.  And this is where the party begins, appropriately with "Party", which brings along with it Andre 3000 and Kanye, and a sample of La-Di-Da-Di.  It's a massive summer party track, but was unfortunately released a little too late to get the attention it deserves.

There's always one song I don't love, and on 4 it's "Rather Die Young", which feels inauthentic and silly, referencing a bad boy who is worth all the trouble.  Beyonce is getting too old for that, and I find "Start Over" to be far more believable as she searches to reignite a spark with a long-term partner.

"Love on Top" is a throwback to past divas such as Whitney of the 80's and even Diana of the 60's, as she once again shows what she can do, this time in 6 key changes.  It was the perfect song to let the world know of her anticipated Knowles-Carter child in this pop-historic VMAs performance.  You should probably watch it here if you haven't yet:

The party refuses to stop as Beyonce uses a counting down sample from Boyz II Men (good move B) to "Countdown" which is one of the most eclectic songs that doesn't sound scattered ever made in the r&b world.  The video is nearly perfect as it mirrors this collage of a song, with great dance moves and even greater outfits.  If you haven't seen it, you should probably watch it here:

THEN, "End of Time" comes on, with its massive horn shots and epic marching beat.  This for me is the highlight of the album.  By now I am sold on B, and all that is left to do is shake whatever your mother gave you, regardless of how it compares to what Beyonce received from her mother.

"I Was Here" slows everything down again with the track that will likely be played at Beyonce's funeral.  Written by legendary love song writer Diane Warren, it might be a little melodramatic for my taste, but every diva needs to plan ahead for a memorial or life-time achievement award.

The album ends with "Run the World", which actually has an incredible beat and similar energy levels to "End of Time", but falls flat when compared to other girl-power/feminist anthems like Destiny's Child's earlier "Independent Women".  The video has some amazing dancing, but it mostly frustrates me by what it could've been.  Still, considering this post has been video heavy, I might as well conclude one last performance that almost convinced me of this song:

When I think of 2011, I will undoubtedly think of Beyonce's 4.  What will you think of?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West, 2010

*Note: I wrote this blog draft back in November and forgot to finish/post it!  Better late than never...

I have been thinking about Kanye West quite a bit lately.  Perhaps because of my favorite November game - attempting to predict the Grammy nominations - and now that they have been announced, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has become the most talked about album, not only because of the nominations it has received, but also those it has evaded (namely, Album of the Year).

What do I like about Kanye's Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy?  Well, to begin with, it's a great title.  The album not only embodies each descriptor, but holds them in tension with one another.  The fantasy often leaves us (and Kanye himself) wondering if he's bat-poop crazy, yet always in awe of the demented beauty in his stories and sounds.  And sights too, if we've watched "Runaway", the accompanying short film that makes use of all but 4 of MBDFT's songs.  

But for now, this is a post about the listening experience, and the album begins with Nicki Minaj quoting(ish) from Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhymes", setting MBDTF up as one of those classic, twisted nursery rhymes that we routinely censor and disney-fy.  Not that I think we try to child-proof Kanye, but perhaps it's on this album where he most deeply attempts to come to terms with the person that he feels he truly is, with the person of his celebrity.  "Dark Fantasy" kicks off the album with an almost Moby-esque repeated line over piano chords, long before he funnels to the center of his psyche, peaking at "Monster" and then spirals back along a slightly different path, getting "Lost in the Woods" along the way, and finally wondering who can survive America - perhaps the source of his insanity.

Kanye can't help but offend most people at some point.  He certainly would like to. But I appreciate that the shock is rarely for shock value alone; He actually has some really great motivations. The song that is getting the most Grammy attention, "All of the Lights", is epically full of everything: guest appearances, horns, catchy hooks, and an anthemic sense of greatness.  At face value, the song is about Kanye walking in on his girlfriend cheating with someone else, and him wanting to reveal the truth with the brightest lights possible.  It may seem hypocritical if he weren't starkly honest with his own imperfections on tracks like "Runaway" and "The Blame Game". The whole album is really a call for turning on the lights - to quit hiding what we're not proud of.

I am finding it difficult to write about Kanye's Fantasy in a linear fashion, and I wonder if the songs simply aren't meant to interact with one another that way.  We are meant to think of "All of the Lights" during "Hell of Life", and we are meant to hear "Gorgeous" echoing in our mind when listening to "The Blame Game". Kanye has provided transitions with intentionality and artistry that is hard to beat - it seems he is following a true and free flow of his own thoughts.  The songs and themes feed into one another. Together the songs work at getting to the bottom of what makes Kanye West tick: they explore a mourning of his two greatest role models (his mother and MJ), his experience of celebrity, and his incredibly dysfunctional relationships with all female creatures; They bring some of the best and most eclectic artists in the business together, from Bon Iver to John Legend, to create something even better than Kanye could do by himself (GASP!?); They creatively combine all the things Kanye has done best on his previous 4 albums: the raw, catchy hooks of College Dropout and Late Registration, the dark and epic sense from Graduation, and the experimentation of 808's and Heartbreak.  And I know I could say that he has done all of these things more successfully together on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Let's rewind to some of the stand-out moments on the album.  Because it was leaked early, many of us heard "Power" before anything else, and while it sounds like a political question, there is something personal about it as well.  What is the power we have handed over to Kanye himself, or any one person for that matter, why do we do it, and does anyone deserve it?  Meanwhile, KWest is not about to let go of any he finds.  Even when he offers a confession of sorts in "Runaway", we know it is a backhanded apology, as it proves that none of us are actually ready to run away from him.  He knows he deserves to be dropped, but lets us know on an addictive beat and catchy hook.

Recently for my birthday I was given Blood Bank, The Bon Iver EP from which "Lost in the World" gets its foundation (the song "Woods").  I keep listening to this song, trying to imagine Kanye hearing it and thinking, "I can make that even better".  In its own right, it is hauntingly beautiful.  And although I know several haters (or Indie purists?) who will vehemently disagree with me on this, but there is something that Kanye really does add to this track.  He seems to have made it his own, and although very different from Bon Iver stylistically, both artists seem to deeply wrestle with and understand the concept of lost in a deep way.  For me, "Lost in the World" holds its own more than any other track on the album, and yet every song is given context within this bizarrely personal and introspective Kanye collection.  Whatever you think of this egotistically, self-proclaimed workaholic jerk-off, MBDTF is an honest look at a complicated man that at its best calls us to question our own motives and behaviour, and at its worst sounds good.  Sounds like a grammy-contender to me.

Lungs - Florence + The Machine, 2009

I have begun to write this particular blog so many times that finally an incentive occured to me.  Last night I went out and bought F+tM's new record, Ceremonials, and I am allowing myself to listen to it only once I've finally published this.  So you can be guaranteed what I'll be up to for the hour following this post.  I'm pretty stoked.

I think my problem has been that I have attempted to listen to Lungs (with the intention of blogging) on several trips, and by the time I arrive at my destination I have no time to actually do something with my thoughts.  This has happened on 4 separate occasions, and I am left to at least notice that this is a great album to travel with.  It sounds especially great when you are alone and the volume is up, so that you can sing along loudly whether or not you know the lyrics; it just makes us want to yell.

Dog Days Are Over is one of those songs that has been impossible to avoid, not that I've bothered to try.  The hopeful anthem is rather perfect for drama of all kinds, being pushed forward by action, excitement, and fantasy.  The first track wisely asks us to let go and set our sights on the good that's coming, and sets the tone for the rest of the album both instrumentally - with plucked harp and heavy drums - and atmospherically.

"Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" continues with a similar sense of freedom.  It's hard to picture anything other than some beautiful Stevie Nick-ian woman running through an enchanted forest.  Spiritual-mythological themes are introduced, causing many to describe Lungs as Goth-pop as she uses fantasy lit imagery to invite us into her world and question it with her.   In turn, we are also invited to question the things we know of our own world.

"I'm Not Calling You a Liar" is so stunning and always makes me think of the Ani lyrics that compare liars with alcoholics, asking, "Has he changed?...  Or is he just a liar with nothing to lie about?"  By the time "Howl" hits the course, I am seriously wondering how one woman can carry the energy of so far 4 phenomenal tracks in a row on one album.  I know recording isn't that simple, but I am almost exhausted just from pretending to Florence; what must it be like to have such ideas and passion that exudes itself all over this record?

Now for something a little different.  "Kiss With a Fist" was my first Florence song, so I have a soft spot for it.   Even though this song feels more similar to contemporaries like Lily Allen or Kate Nash in its playfulness and violence, Florence hits this genre harder, and shows off her ability to just plain rock out.  And right before slowing down and giving us the bluesy, and morbid ballad, "Girl With One Eye"; one of the many tracks that reminds me of Annie Lennox in her uniquely powerful, story-telling voice.

"Drumming Song" "Between Two Lungs, "Cosmic Love" come as a triplet, acting as not only the middle section of the album, but the mysterious center of the setting we've been drawn into.  The first and last are two of my favorite songs to blast in the car and drum along to, and all three give a context for the album title as they explore the physical and visceral of life and death, love and purpose.  Life and death continue to be contemplated even more explicitly in "My Boy Builds Coffins". 

"Hurricane Drunk", though still thematically dark has a lighter tone and sounds the most like a pop song so far.  I get a little annoyed when this song fades out, but when "Blinding" sets in I forgive and forget, as the softer song builds.  I really can't believe that this album is able to sound so cohesive and consistent in tone and setting, and yet I still can't say I've had enough.  I am still stoked to rip open the new album and listen to more of the same!  But before I need to do that, Florence presents me with one of my all time favorite covers of "You've Got the Love".  The album finishes, but my time with Florence does not.  If you loved the last track as well, it was remixed by the genius Jamie from The XX.  Listen to it here.

The Final Video Stars: Art Films

I suppose I should have warned you that there would be a catch-all category.  Music videos - because of primarily their length - can get away with doing something entirely conceptual, without clear plot or emotion, but still something freaking cool to look at.  Some of these videos still draw us in using character or idea, but generally there was no other genre that they naturally fit into.  Because of their un-film like way of using the music video medium, this category turns out some of the most memorable videos of all time.  Let's get to them.

10.  Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill, 1998.  Directed by Big TV!

If you've been following this Video Stars series, you may have noticed a theme of musicians making multiple appearances in their own video.  Here we are again with Lauryn Hill showing us the best use of the split screen in music video history.  The video is a perfect mirror of the song itself which marries doo-wop of the 50's to hip hop of the 90's.  And to be honest, it becomes visual proof that the only thing better than one L-Boogie is two.

9.  Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes, 2003.  Directed by Michel Gondry.

Although the concept itself is simple, I can only imagine the amount of labour would have been necessary to create this stop-motion classic; dragging numerous drum sets all over the place.  To be exact: 32 Ludwig sets, 32 amps, and 16 mic stands, which when added together equal pure awesome-sauce.

8.  Buddy Holly - Weezer, 1994.  Directed by Spike Jonze.

Set within Arnold's restaurant of Happy Days, Weezer - a 90's band paying homage to a '50's rock legend - are cut seamlessly into an episode of a 1970's show that pays homage to the decade from which Buddy Holly comes.  Brilliant and believable, Spike Jonze makes yet another outstanding video.

7.  Pursuit of Happiness - Kid Cudi, 2009.  Directed by Megaforce.

Megaforce is able to capture a surprising, gravity-defying  world where Kid Cudi is either dreaming or stoned out of his mind.  Or perhaps both.  That could also be the reason he chose a terrible mainstream version as the official video instead of this masterpiece.

 6.  Crazy - Gnarls Barkley, 2006.  Directed by Robert Hales.

What does it say about you if you keep seeing Cee-Lo Green in your inkblot tests?  I think you're crazy... actually it's more likely that you are watching this video for Crazy that finds a visual concept that questions the viewer's mental state.  Bryan Louie gets the nod for all the inkblot art design that is best described as mesmerizing. 

5.  Islands - The XX, 2010.  Directed by Saam Farahmand.

I am pretty late to The XX fanclub - I've only started listening to them after discovering Jamie's awesome remixes of Adele and Florence + the Machine - but this video is absolutely worth your attention.  At first you think it's the biggest cop out ever, but then you notice details, and how brilliantly it expresses the singer's need for freedom from convention and routine.  And then you watch it again.  

4.  Cry - Godley & Creme, 1985.  Directed by Godley & Creme.

We all thought MJ's "Black or White" was brilliant for the seamless morphing of faces, but this one-hit-wonder did it first, and for 1985 it was pretty darn good.  Although sometimes a bit creepy, the up close faces are able to elicit sympathy as they sing about tears. 

3.  Let Forever Be - Chemical Brothers, 1999.  Directed by Michel Gondry.

One woman's reaccuring nightmare becomes another's entertaining music video, with this magical illusion that juxtaposes crisp kaleidoscopesque images with effect-less handheld film, and as Gondry loves to do, makes us feel like we are watching one continuous shot.  When I'm not thinking "this would be so fun to shoot", I'm thinking "how did he do that!?"

2.  Drop - The Pharcyde, 1995.  Directed by Spike Jonze.

An early and stunning use of backwards filming.  Sure Chris Martin did it, but he wasn't rapping!  These guys pull off all of the best backwards tricks, including graffiti, dressing themselves, realistic swagger, and pouring water.  Not necessarily in that order.  And although many more have attempted to follow in The Pharcyde's footprints, they will forever need to fight to be more than a mere reference to Spike Jonze's mastery of the technique. 

1.  Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Radiohead, 1995.  Directed by Jonathan Glazer.

At first glance this video didn't quite register when I watched it out of the corner of my eye.  But soon enough I was sucked into the beauty of these juxtaposed ideas that defy the laws of time.  The song is almost meditative, and the video lends itself to that as the black and white film exaggerates the play of light and shadow across Thom's face.  I notice something new everytime I watch it, and would likely rank this with the best of the best music videos of all time.

The Video Stars: DANCE Vids

I have been waiting and waiting for this.  I still have one more category to go after today, but I have been anticipating this particular group of ten videos more than any others.  Here are the top 10 dance music videos of all time:
 

10.  Runaway - Kanye West, 2010.  Directed by Fredrico Fellini & Stanley Kubrick.

Why yes, I am one of those who think Kanye will get the Grammy nod this year for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but that's not the point.  This video is strikingly beautiful in its juxtoposition of ballet dancers, warehouse setting, and Kanye's rap, yet everything works more than anything the rest of us could have imagined.  By far the most noteworthy excerpt from the full-length film.  If you do still want to watch the whole thing, you can watch it here.

9.  Like a Boy - Ciara, 2006.  Directed by Diane Martel.

The choreography is great, but that's not even why it's here.  Sure, Ciara isn't the only woman to ever try to use a music video to question gender roles, but here she plays both parts incredibly well, always looks super fly, and shows off her moves, which are as smooth as ever in this vid.  I think we also get a kick out of watching Ciara grab her crotch and kiss her biceps. 

8.  Vogue - Madonna, 1990.  Directed by David Fincher.

Perhaps I should have warned you, there is something about a black and white dance video, because this is clearly not the first and certainly won't be the last.  The dance in this video is subtle, because Vogue is all about the relationship between style, grace, and attitude.  But it is indeed a dance, and has inspired many partiers throughout the following decades to "strike a pose" whenever the moment deems it appropriate.

7.  Alright - Janet Jackson, 1990.  Directed by Julien Temple. 

In the style of a 50's musical, we get to watch Janet have fun dancing around an old-school New York in a pinstripe suit.  Madonna got to do Dick Tracy that year, and perhaps Janet got jealous and made this video?  I dunno, but "Alright" is proving to stand the test of time, and even being referenced by other younger dancers like Usher (at 1:35 in this Janet tribute) and Chris Brown in Yeah 3x.

6.  Tightrope - Janelle Monae, 2010.  Directed by Wendy Morgan.

Perhaps I should have also warned you of the number of women in suits that appear on this list!  Janelle Monae (if you don't know her, here's a blog I posted earlier this year) is a genius, and her feet are full of magic.  As for the video, it has a great story, the production is perfect, and it makes us want to dance just like Janelle Monae, although most of us can't because of my previous sentence. 

5.  Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO, 2011.  Directed by Mickey Finnegan.

I'm positive this is the only video from this year I'll have in any of my lists.  I've hummed and hawed over it; how can we possibly know if this will stand the test of time?  I guess we can't, and at the rate that many of us are watching it, there will likely come a time when we are so sick of shuffling.  However, I'm not there yet, and this video has a hilarious concept, and some truly great hipster dancing... which until PRA, I had thought was an oxymoron.

 4.  Lose Control - Missy Elliott feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop, 2005.  Directed by Dave Meyers.

This video reminds me of reminds me of a video game the way it finds itself in 5 distinct settings as if they are levels to achieve.  Each one is full of stark and surprising visuals that incorporate some truly phenomenal dancing.  Besides, even in real life the combination of Missy and Ciara is one of my faves to dance to!

3.  Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce, 2008.  Directed by Jake Nava.

This has become the "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." of music videos; it is one of the most parodied videos of late; although attempted by many the dance is actually really difficult; and the whole thing - although Beyonce and her dancers are scantily clad - comes off as incredibly classy.  It's because of this that "Single Ladies" has been elevated to legendary status.

 2.  Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson, 1986.  Directed by Colin Chilvers.

Although we don't understand what's going on (even in the context of Moonwalker - the film for which Smooth Criminal is the climax) we can't help but be sucked in to the general action of gangsters in a nightclub.  Not only is it full of drama and intrigue and costume and swagger, but the quintessential Jackson moves that, for most of us, define our pop King.

1.  Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson, 1989.  Directed by Dominic Sena.

The only person in the world that could beat MJ in a music video contest is his sister.  Choreographed by Anthony Thomas (who also choreographed "Alright") this video uses a harsh militant routine that fits with the song and setting of an abandoned warehouse, and shows off Janet dancing unlike she ever has before (or after for that matter).  With the very short exception of some solo dance moments, the group is always dancing together in tight formation to a street style that seems as though it musically and physically demonstrates what a true rhythm nation could be.  Or perhaps it's just a lot of fun to dress up and look tough.  Either way, I'm sold.  Although it sounds crazy cheesy, and I know nostalgia is probably working against me, this video still has the power to inspire hope and desire for a better world.  If you could stomach more of me praising JJ's Rhythm Nation, here's my blog devoted to the whole album.

Happy Dancing!

PS. I can't not mention the runner up for this list, because it was so hard to leave out.  Another video by Wendy Morgan, this time for Gnarles Barkley's "Going On".  Check it out if you have time and space to move in your seat.  My other difficult choices in case you're interested, were MJ's Bad and Daft Punk's Around the World. 

The Video Stars: Animated Edition

I am hardly an expert on animation, but these are the 10 that stand out as music videos using the medium creatively and fittingly:

10.  Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins, 1996.  Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris.

The dreamy imagery in this video is inspired by the album cover art of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and turn of the century silent films.  I feel like I'm reading a storybook where the pictures are coming to life. 

 9.  I Miss You - Bjork, 1995.  Directed by John Kricfalusi.

Directed and animated by the creator of Ren and Stimpy, we see Bjork as a cartoon sex-symbol.  And believe it or not, it gets even stranger and stranger from there.  Don't say I didn't warn you.   



8.  D.A.N.C.E. - Justice, 2007.  Directed by Jonas & Francois. 

Such a simple concept, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how they do this so smoothly.  The t-shirt designs are fun, hilarious, colourful, and keep our attention throughout the whole video.




7.  Float On - Modest Mouse, 2004.  Directed by Christopher Mills.

This video is complete with stop-motion sheep heading towards their unfortunate destiny.  This song is awesome on it's own, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have a video you can't take your eyes off of.

 6.  Fell In Love With a Girl - White Stripes, 2002.  Directed by Michel Gondry.

I would argue that LEGO is to this day the best toy ever invented, and here the brilliant Gondry uses it as one of the best stop-motion tools ever.  This video makes me want to listen to the White Stripes all day while playing LEGO.


5.  Flood Pt. 1 - The Acorn, 2008.  Directed by Christopher Mills.

Although not as popular as Mills' "Float On", there is something so stunning about not only the style, but also the musicality. Everything is to the beat, and yet it doesn't feel over-emphasized. The characters, though only 2 dimentional drawings, are so compelling.  Everything seems just right - I almost wish the song was written for the video instead of vice versa.

4.  Do The Evolution - Pearl Jam, 1998.  Directed by Kevin Altieri and Todd McFarlane.

A comic rendition of a not exactly sugar coated human history set to the ironic lyrics of "Do The Evolution".  Somehow this one video is able to touch on nearly every tragedy and issue ever referenced by nearly any other video.  Pearl Jam don't make a lot of videos, but when they do, you can trust that they'll go all out. 

3.  One More Time - Daft Punk, 2003.  Directed by Leiji Matsumoto.

This is here less based on the one video, and more as a representation of the film from which it comes - Interstella 5555 - the anime that goes along with Daft Punk's album Discovery.  "One More Time" is my favorite, and kicks off the film by introducing us to it's main characters - the band, The Crecsendolls.  The other highlight for me is "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger".

2.  Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel, 1986.  Directed by Stephen R. Johnson & Adam Whittaker.

Although not the first video to ever use this kind of animation, thanks to Nick Park it was the first to use it so well.  Sledgehammer continues to be a marker for all videos that use stop-motion animation and holds the record for video to be most played on MTV ever, proving that it continues to translate 25 years later.

1.  Take On Me - A-ha, 1985.  Directed by Steve Barron.

Not only is the animation incredible (transitions between live action and drawings are seemless), but the story is uber 80s romantic.  I mean, this video caused numerous women around the world to fall in love with a line drawing.  Unfortunately the lead singer Morton Harket is far more appealing as a cartoon than the live action version of himself.  Still, the combination of story and the use of brilliant graphics make for an absolutely legendary video.