The world famous love machine, winding up, a front porch strum, sci-fi heroes, and chilling in Raggiz.
Ill Semantics “Rock On”
“Rock On” was Ill Semantics’ final funded video before their 2014 comeback. It’s not their best work. It feels like the song of an inexperienced up-and-coming group, trying to establish themselves on the scene. Nothing in the song or the video feels fresh. If they were on the verge of a hiatus, it seems like a very necessary move.
Jackie Bristow “The World is Turning”
As Jackie’s website describes, the video was “shot in the countryside near Melbourne, Australia”. It has a gentle country feel to it, and Jackie spends a lot of the time strumming her guitar on a farmhouse porch. There’s also an unusual scene where Jackie is leaning over with her hands on her knees, like she’s calling a dog. Perhaps the song is an ode to a pooch.
Director: Jasmin Tarasin
Katchafire “Love Letter”
What’s up with all these videos shot in Raglan? It’s ignored for years and then suddenly it’s the hot location for vids. Never disguised as a non-specific location, it’s always Raglan, usually featuring the Kopua footbridge. This is Katchafire at their most chilled out, jamming around Raglan town and in someone’s garage.
Director: Adam Jones
Kora “Skankenstein”
The “Skankenstein” video takes the form of a cartoon, a sci-fi adventure where five hero brothers from around the world must unite to save the planet from an asteroid. It should be noted that the asteroid takes the form of a lady (with boobs) and the five brothers hurtle towards her like cosmic sperm.
Director: Jeremy Mansford
Luke Thompson “Bleed”
This video has been made unlisted on YouTube, so I’m not going to link to it but I’m still reviewing it. It involves Luke waking up on a bench in Sydney’s Hyde Park, wandering around the city, around King’s Cross (where a doorman attempts to lure him into the “The World Famous Love Machine”), before he goes to a house and takes comfort playing his guitar on a couch. As to why he’s unlisted it? Well, it’s not a terrible video, but I can’t help wonder if it now just seems a bit old and embarrassing. If that’s the case, I offer the archives of this site as proof that not everyone is a super cool dude right off the bat.
Director: Giles Lambert