Colonial oppression, a walk around Auckland, DIY CGI, fireworks night, frustration, and a very physically expressive style.
The Brain Slaves “We’re All Lions”
The Brain Slaves has this song funded under their old name Coshercot Honeys, but soon changed to something less sweet. There’s great art direction in this video. The band look good, and their British colonial style wardrobe works both with the historic themes of the video and as general cool-dude rock get-up.
Director: Trophy Wife
The Exiles “Circles”
The Exiles’ previous video, “The One”, created a slick CGI world of bold colours and shapes. “Circles” does a similar thing but uses reality. So the geometric backgrounds are created using painted backdrops and dramatic lighting. It works, blending with the Exiles’ electro-influenced pop-rock and the reality of them as an actual band.
Director: Luke Sharpe
The New Freedom “What I Need”
The YouTube description says this video was for the “first single off debut album”, and it looks like it was the first and only. The “What I Need” video follows the lead singer as he walks around Auckland – and it’s a long walk. From a central villa to the Parnell rose gardens to Judges Bay and finally to Devonport where he joins his bandmates on stage at the Victoria cinema. Both the song and the video are very inoffensive.
The Valves “Light It Up”
This video was shot at the Woodford Glen Speedway in Kaiapoi on their annual fireworks night. The band are in the middle of the race circuit, rocking out as the crowds politely sit in the distant stands. The cars don’t get going until about two minutes into the song and then things finally get interesting. When Deja Voodoo pretty much made a career out of subverting this sort of rock video, it’s hard to take it straight. NZ Musician has an article reporting on the filming of the video.
Director: Richard Bell
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
These Four Walls “Under the Shadows”
The last time we saw These Four Walls, they were having a dramatic freak-out in the “Walk Away” video. “Under the Shadows” has skipped the violence but kept the drama and I’m willing to accept that as a compromise. The video is focused around the band rocking out in a studio, with the lead singer showing that, ok, he has a very physically expressive style of performance. He just needs to find the right outlet for that energy.
Director: Scott Boswell
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Tiki Taane “Now This Is It”
As Tiki Taane explains in a YouTube comment, the video is an expression of his “frustration at tha media, TV, politics, police, government”. What this looks like is Tiki looking down on the camera as it moves around in a warehouse bathed in red light. So domination, anger and power. The video looks like a low budget shoot, which is a nice contrast with the much more complex “Tangaroa” vidoe.
Director: Greg Riwai
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Tim Finn “Still The Song” – missing
This video used to be on the Fish & Clips website, but it’s since been removed. All that remains is a lone screenshot from the video – Tim Finn captured performing the cute pop-rock song.
Director: Paul Taylor
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision