Tadpole “Alright”

2000-tadpole-alright“There ain’t enough to go round in this world. It’s alright!” sings Renee. Is this an upbeat anthem in favour of inequality? Well, kind of. It’s not on a world scale. Instead it’s intended as the voice of wisdom for a younger woman worried that her boyfriend doesn’t love her as much as she loves him. That situation, it seems, is alright.

It’s an energetic tune that makes conscious use of a DJ, putting it bang on trend in the world of nu metal. The video goes with this energy, staging it as a live performance. It’s a slick but simple video, keeping things basic but making it look good. It reminds me of Stellar’s “Bastard” video but with an audience.

The video opens with a doorman sliding back a metal door where an audience moshes in slowmo. Then it all kicks off. The first band member we meet is the DJ, just to make sure we know that Tadpole have DJ. And he is scratching.

Eventually Renee appears, with exotic makeup that includes rectangular eyeshadow with little pearl beads glued to the corners. I blame Bjork for this alien chic look that invaded fashion at the turn of the millennium.

To help illustrate the song, we also see young couples at the venue who are having issues in their relationship which conveniently enough match the theme of the song.

We also see the rest of the band, each shot as individuals. This might actually be because they’re not playing on a full width stage. I mean, we never actually see the band together as a full group. Maybe it was a conceptual performance art piece where each member played his or her part individually. Or perhaps this also ties in with the theme of unequal relationships. Whoa.

Best bit: Renee’s eyeball acting, emphasised by her exotic makeup.



Director: Michael Lonsdale, Alex Sutherland
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Next… the honeymoon is over.

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