A rainy night in Tokyo, another ’06 Bonnie and Clyde, the rehearsal shed crashers, teen glam, punk pop prancing.
5star Fallout “Perfect Kind of Pain”
This is the most upbeat and poppy of 5star Fallout’s offerings so far. The chorus especially is pleasingly hooky, but at the same time the video feels destined to have a very short shelflife. Mike and the lads perform the song in a black studio with stylish light panels. The video can’t resist using dancing ladies, no doubt to personify the “she” of the song lyrics.
Director: Jonathan Gerard
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Annabel Fay “Lovin’ You Baby”
https://youtu.be/TH5JwahwjUA
Just like any other popstar, I’m not reviewing Annabel Fay in terms of her parents. (The only exception I’d make is Liam Finn and Neil Finn wrestling in their undies in the “Wrestle With Dad” video.) It’s 2006 and Ms Fay is a young, upcoming pop singer. “Lovin’ You Baby”, which reached No.9 in the charts, is a soul-influenced song. It’s not a fancy video and is comparable production-wise to other videos of the era from Fay’s label mates Opshop and Goldenhorse.
The video puts Annabel on stage with a big band orchestra of teens. Annabel was only 19 and she doesn’t quite seem comfortable with the role of sexy chanteuse that the video is requiring. There’s a certain self-consciousness to the way she moves (compare with Kimbra, who at the age of 16 was a natural in front of the camera). I can’t help wonder if the video would have worked better if they’d gone for something sunny and teenage and fun, instead of attempting to vamp it up.
Director: Adam Jones
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Bleeders “Night Sky”
The mid ’00s have a lot of videos based on Bonnie and Clyde situations. It’s a way of making a love song cool and edgy, not soppy and romantic (eeew, girl germs). In this situation, Angelo Bleeders plays the Clyde. He picks up his Bonnie, they pull on ski masks and rob a petrol station. This invigorates them so much that they pull of the side of the road for a celebratory pash. Of course, every Bonnie and Clyde story needs a dramatic ending. “Night Sky” throws in a car chase, a surrender and a double cross. Visually it’s a very dark video, which more happening in shadows than in light.
Brooke Fraser “Deciphering Me”
It’s a pleasant surprise to discover a music video filmed in Japan that is actually a real music video and not just random footage of the streets and the metro. The video was filmed during a rainy evening. I don’t know if that was deliberate, but the city streets look amazing, gleaming in the neon. Also, Brooke’s hair is holding up really well in the humidity. There’s a slight Lost in Translation influence, particularly with Brooke being moody in a hotel room. But yes, it’s so good to see something done with Tokyo that’s more than the view out the train window.
Director: Anthony Rose
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Cobra Khan “Sleepless Lions”
A gentle hippy muso is rudely disturbed from his cross-legged practice by the noisy punks of Cobra Khan. They quickly set up in his rehearsal shed and belt out “Sleepless Lions”. The song is noisy and energetic and it feels like the rehearsal shack can barely contain them. Also – the shed’s decor, walls decorated with dozens of classic album covers, is grand.
Director: Andrew Morton
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision