Psych-Pop, A Milli and the fourth wall

So two recent music videos I’ve seen have followed a theme that has been done through the years. Its interesting to see it coming back as an element, even though its not the most interesting stylistic behavior.

The most recent video was for the new Midnight Juggernauts single “Into The Galaxy”

Now the narrative of the video is vague enough (mysterious dirt-bike rider with crecendo of song firework superpowers) but the setting, and band cuts make it entertaining. Its a promotional tool, doesn’t really feel that amazing or inspiring, but I love the song. I do enjoy the overlays at the end of the head sillouettes singing. Doors album cover-inspiring. Though I feel like the Animals or someone else did that cover art first. The fourth wall breaking? Not sure if it’s all that necessary. “Oh sweet, let’s see what the band’s doing while on break. While we’re at it, can we see what they were having for lunch?”

Which leads me to my next recent video featuring the fourth wall break-out:

This track is the cause of eight billion bad redubs, fake videos, etc. Must mean that its appealing in some way. I’ll go with anybody talking about how much money they have the way weezy does it can bank on their single blowing up pretty big for a second. Then in two months we’ll all be very VERY glad he put some songs on Tha Carter III that have more intensive and inventive production behind them.

I love the “hand cam without the nausea” feel of the video, and the fact that it both makes fun of and supports the aspect of what goes on behind the scenes in music video production. publicicty, etc. The video is slightly more elaborate than the song itself, and Lil’ Wayne holds down the attention of the camera well even when he’s just doing guest shots on radio shows, so its still entertaining to watch him just go through the motions.

What I see with both though is a sense of imagination present on the part of the director, but very little statement of that imagination aside from a skeleton outline that leaves me wondering what could be done with a little more time, a slightly bigger budget, or just better editing.

The Midnight Juggernauts video is beautiful but feels like an 80’s fantasy film with only a few creative camera shots. Lil’ Wayne’s video leaves me wanting in on some jokes that I feel like I’m missing. Name drops, relevance. Whatever.

Demetrius and I started work on the new mixtape (we’ll just release them annually, its absurd to try to do it more often with the amount of detail we put into them, and yet the amount of time we aren’t in the same room.) Still, look out for it.