4th Place: David Holmes – I Heard Wonders
(Dir: Sarah Hay)

Love to watch riots in the one country that cannot win a war? This video cross footage of two different riots in France at two different times. What’s a country to do?

3rd Place: The Meek – I Wanna Live Again

(Dir: BucksBoys.com)

Not just your typical “let’s walk around and do nothing video.” There is some good Brick style lighting. San Fran holla at your boys.

2nd Place: Rory Nunn – Time to be Taken
(Dir: Paul Stevenson)

One shot. 12 hours. Time lapse. Too rich for my blood.

1st: Kid Ego – Hair of the Dog
(Dir: ClockWorkLime)

This is called several levels of juxtaposition. Metal guys inside a dark comic that is pretty damn cute and funny. Sure, why not. This kind of video shows thought and the effort to finish the job. Take something and make it your own. Do work, kids.

3rd Place: Public Symphony – Stronger (Dir: Theodore Ushev)

A simple animation that at first might strike you as childish, but things pick up and eventually make their way to enjoyment. I felt like the main character wasn’t emotive enough compared to the somber song. He was really jumpy and rough, which I felt took away from the purpose.

2nd Place: El Sr. Antipirina – Me Voy (Dir: Stathis)

Man, this really could have gone somewhere. We start out with an interesting women, standing in her kitchen. We get a sense that something is gonna happen, but instead we get fooled into the, ‘character putting the cd into the stereo and then singing along to the song’. Why? It attempts to get back on course for the ending, but it’s too late for ‘Me Voy’ (I go away). Nice visuals though — the editing and camera work really were superb.

1st Place: Those Dancing Days – Run Run (Dir: Daniel Eskils)

It’s pretty hard to have a bad video when you have a lead singer that is cute and has a fro. I think that’s all I need to say, right? I was transfixed with this girl’s hair the whole way through. I never thought I could find that much hair attractive but it has happened. Bravo Daniel Eskils, well done. This video is a delight.

On another note, what is going on with the girl-pop coming out of Sweden. It’s getting goddamn ridiculous.

This weeks round up has a common theme, “being patient.” Can you man up and watch something for four minutes if its not filled up with colors like a children’s show?

4th Place: The Puppini Sisters – Millionaire (Dir: Alex de Campi)

A bit slow, a bit beautiful. This is as simple and classic as a music video can get.

3rd Place: Honey Honey- Homeless Heart (Dir: Michael James Johnson)

Who loves a one shot with hidden cuts? I do! (I also love quicktime links) This video, while being slow, has some intriguing and unexplained aspects; blood stained clothes, hot girls, hiding a gun, and religion. Truly an intriguing video.

2nd Place: The Puppini Sisters – Jilted (Dir: Alex de Campi)

Now we have a video with a clear story. I feel like I’m in the middle of a game of Clue at 4 a.m. This classic look was achieved on a minimal budget, so give it up people.

1st: Jonathan Wilson – Natural Rhapsody (Dir: Michael Graham)

This video requires a little bit of work and patience. All the best things do. Click the link. Go to Music Video. Jonathan Wilson – Natural Rhapsody. Or watch the shitty YouTube version. This choice says a lot about you. What will you choose?

4th Place: Monade – Regarde (Dir: Rosa Barba)

This video is the poor man’s version of “DVNO”. Get some of those lyrics up on the screen and mix in some crazy-cool lights… Blam! you got a music video. What did one of our writers say, “good by default”.

3rd Place: Kaki King - Pull Me Out Alive (Dir: Doug Karr & Edward Boyce)

I haven’t seen a good stop motion video in forever. This one is a straight rip from those Sprint commercials and they almost take it somewhere I like. They try and take the happy streaming light somewhere it’s never been, maybe add some violence. But alas, it still is the happy streaming light, just as it always is.

2nd Place: The Teenagers – “Love No” (Dir: Carolyn and Andy London)

My favorite part of the whole video is that it looks like the lead singer cannot keep a straight face. Not even for a single take. He just looks like a 5 year old boy who stole a cookie and thinks he fooled you. In this case what he stole was a girl’s relationship, but he still stole it from you.

1st: The Presets – This boys in love (Dir: Casper Balslev)

You know how I know you’re gay, you’re watching a video about two guys wrestling…that just happens to look stunning. It’s dark and edgy, almost looking like a SAAM video. And if you get mistaken for a SAAM video you know you’re doing good.

4th Place: Santogold – L.E.S. Artistes (Dir: Nima Nourizadeh)

Why is half of this video about a woman on a horse and her two friends, while the other half is about crazy-awesome? But the better question might be, what is this video about? I’m not sure and I think I need Chuck Klosterman to figure it out for me.

3rd Place: The Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead (Dir: Whitey McConnaughy)

A performance video without fans. That seems contradictory. It’s a good start. Bright lights. Colorful lights. We’re definitely headed in the right direction. A stage in the middle of streets, this shits gangster!

2nd Place: The Switch – Marilyn (Dir: Zina Brown)

I have no idea what is going on this video either, but it looks good. It’s got some good locations. It’s got a white feather on a red door to symbolize whatever. Not sure what makes this better but I know it is. Try it out, see if its the right fit for you.

1st: Young Galaxy – Come And See (Dir: Felix and Paul)

This video looks great and the people in it want to destroy the moon. Now this video makes perfect sense. Destroying the moon? Completely plausible! Not only plausible, but possible. It’s going to happen on the 13th of October, so be ready. Plus the video has flashes of Hal from 2001, the big board from Dr. Strangelove, and Eeyore watching the clouds. That’s why it’s great.

4th Place: Bedouin Soundclash – St. Andrews (Dir:???)

If you know anything about me I’m a big fan of violence and crazy funerals. When I go out, oh man, it’s going to be with a bang. I’m going to have my body shot into space. This is a pretty good way to go too.

3rd Place: Sue Scrofa – Can’t Take Mine (Dir: Douglas Burgdorff)

This happened to me once but the lawyers say I’m not legally allowed to talk about it anymore. I wonder how many crimes she committed?

2nd Place: What Made Milwaukee Famous – Sultan (Dir: ???)

These guys clearly do not understand the rules of Fencing — the great and majestic sport that it is. But you know what/who they do know, Lance Armstrong. And if they’re good enough for the seven time Tour de France winner, then they’re good enough for me.

1st: The Ruby Suns – Tane Mahuta (Dir: ???)

Yeah, I have no idea what is going on in this video but I do know that it is not your normal music video. I also know that I love people dressed up in animal costumes. AKA Teddybears. So sit back and just remember it makes more sense then a Uwe Boll film.

Editors Note: In the hopes of giving some up-and-coming directors and artists some love, we are starting a Video Round Up feature which is basically what it sounds like. We take a handful of the videos we received in the mail that week and say a few words and rank them according to whatever we feel is important at the moment. Check the clips out and then tell us what you think. Show us some love. We also recommend anything but YouTube.

4th Place: Taken By Trees – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Dir:???)

While I love the track — a somber, tasty cover of Sweet Child O’ Mine. Somehow three and a half minutes of a dog grooming video just doesn’t cut it for me. I completely get the reference that the dog is her child but that doesn’t make the video any better. Plus what’s with the doctor jerking the dog’s head towards the end. Not cool, not cool.

3rd Place: Mixel Pixel – Fake Girlfriend (Dir: Radical Friend)

“A virtual reality serenade.” That’s gotta be disappointing. Wouldn’t that just be like RL. You would pay all that money for a show without an ending. Plus this guys fake girlfriend kinda looks like his keyboardist. Just me?

2nd Place: Fiago – myTV (Dir: shotshotshot)

Can you call this video a performance music video? I’m not really sure. I’d imagine it would be something like that in real life minus the moving TV screens. Although I cannot read a word on their webpage and they sing in English, I love that. No embed video for now but take the moment out of your busy blogging lifestyle to watch it.

1st: Yeasayer – Wait for the Summer (Dir: Mixtape Club)

Laddies and Gentleman, welcome to quality. Meaning, plot, understanding; these things can all be sacrificed when we have amazing quality. This video and track are woven together perfectly to make one beautiful harmony of a music video. Those space shots are top notch. This video is worth everyones’ time. So stow your tray tables in the locked and upright positions and you’re welcome.

Editors Note: In the hopes of giving some up-and-coming directors and artists some love, we are starting a Video Round Up feature which is basically what it sounds like. We take a handful of the videos we received in the mail that week and say a few words and rank them according to whatever we feel is important at the moment. Check the clips out and then tell us what you think. Show us some love. We also recommend anything but YouTube.

4th Place: Adam Green – Morning After Midnight (Dir:???)

I love this video for…well let me give you a guess. Girls in Nurse uniforms? Yes. That’s number one on the dress up list for the girlfriend. Flappers are around 8. This video gets better as it plays. It’s also cute but I can’t help but think that maybe if it had Daughters on board, it could get over that hump.

3rd Place: Menomena – Wet and Rusting (Dir: Eli Stonberg)

Ahh the unofficial video. We’re no strangers to 16mm film and doing a video out of love, off student loans, and using our friends. We’re also no stranger to destruction, breaking the law and getting away with it. So, let’s say we relate to this video and you probably do too.

2nd Place: Johan Agebjörn (feat. Nintendo) – Mega Man II (Dir: lichterloh)

This video features Mega Man, seriously. It’s Mega Man 2 the best Mega man game there ever was and he kicks the shit out of the Mecha Dragon near the end. I f-ing hate that dragon. That was always the worst part for me. So here’s to living in the past and wishing I was a half man, half machine crime fighting mutant.

1st: Kate Micucci – DEAR DEER (Dir: Raul B. Fernandez)

Alright you got me. Sticking kids in adorable little animal suits is a great idea. Look how cute they look. Look at them! Add some animal brutality and you have one little ditty of a music video. All of this in a two minute package. And no I did not see that ending coming either.

Editors Note: In the hopes of giving some up-and-coming directors and artists some love, we are starting a Video Round Up feature which is basically what it sounds like. We take a handful of the videos we received in the mail that week and say a few words and rank them according to whatever we feel is important at the moment. Check the clips out and then tell us what you think. Show us some love.

4th Place: A Place To Bury Strangers – I Know I’ll See You (Dir:Adam Grabarnick)

Give this Kid an A for Effort. While the quality is lacking the band went through hell making it. The clip features them traveling across the country, virtually killing their RV and almost missing a show. Watch it, people put effort into these videos.

3rd Place: The Cribs – I’m a Realist (Dir: The 3 Pronged Attack)

You know what’s been bothering me lately — it’s the absence of the big ending in music videos, they all end up so anti-climatic. I watch three minutes of a clip to have nothing happen. I understanding taking away the big bow ending from the audience but you have to leave them something, maybe a different sorta present. You must give me something damn it, I’m American.

2nd Place:
The Harpeth Trace – Locked Out and Wandering (Dir: Manny Marquez)

You ever been inside a dream? I haven’t but it sounds nice, real nice. I just wake up in the morning feeling nothing at all. I wish I could dream of keyboards, birds and The Harpeth Trace playing guitar. The song and video make the experience very much like a dream I would want to have. Well played, Manny. Well played.

1st: The Volunteers – Fuck My Ghost (Dir: Matt Schuman)

Ready for a video so simple it punches you in the throat when your not looking. Take some real hardcore lyrics over a very simple idea and pull no punches, then headbut him when the ref is not looking. Now you got something. They call it juxtaposition. Don’t believe me? The Volunteers are completely DGAF about the whole dying situation. “I probably wont know that you came [to my grave]” over a game of badminton. Believe me now?

Editors Note: In the hopes of giving some up-and-coming directors and artists some love, we are starting a Video Round Up feature which is basically what it sounds like. We take a handful of the videos we received in the mail that week and say a few words and rank them according to whatever we feel is important at the moment. Check the clips out and then tell us what you think. Show us some love.

4th Place: The Brunettess – Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth (Dir:???)

Welcome to all the fun you can have in front of a green screen. Plus knowing someone with access to the local college’s costume department.

3rd Place: Erykah Badu – Honey (Dir: ???)

Not a technique we haven’t seen before. Still fairly effective plus it has a bonus at the very end. Stick around or you will miss it.

2nd Place: Eugene Francis Jnr – Poor Me (Dir: ???)

Those little dudes from Gulliver’s Travels take or protaginist away and throw a party in the Keeber Elves’ house and make the lead guitar play with the Captain America Shield. It’s a little slow in developing but it’s got some weird stuff to watch and enjoy.

1st: OURS – Live Again (Dir: Michael Maxxis)

This video scares me a bit. Not sure if it’s those drums or the brown title cards. Maybe because I fear horses. It’s dark, disturbing and not overly demonic. Just a shitty situation and what some people must do to survive, kinda like the situation we call life.