So today my randomiser picked Edges for my special, this week. Which happens to be a coincidence since I went to town with him to see The Hunger Games today. He hadn't got any idea what music video to pick, so I suggested a few reasons why he might send me a specific music video, the main one that came up was "One you'd think I might never get the chance to review". This must have been the reason that sparked up this music video as I hadn't really heard any of Keith Urban's music, although I am aware of his name for some reason...
Keith Urban is a big country star in the USA, here in the UK we don't know him much, and don't really know who he is. As for releasing... Well a few songs have made it on to the UK chart, which were "You'll Think Of Me" and "Once In A Lifetime", and a couple of albums. If he were to start releasing here in the UK, promoting is definitely a need to do thing, and since Country is slowly making itself known here, then it's the perfect time to give the UK another shot. But would we take to this country/rock music? There's only one way to find out, and I hope he does end up releasing a few more singles and albums here in the UK.
"Long Hot Summer" was written by Richard Marx and Keith Urban. Richard Marx is a singer, and in the late 80's early 90's had a successful career, worldwide, including the UK. Lately he has fizzled out, but have had some great collaborations in songwriting, this being one of them.
This music video is a great music video, narrative and performance is used, which generally makes up the best of music videos. And although there isn't much to the story, there's no need for it. It's basic, it's simplistic, but also engaging and understandable.
Keith Urban and his backing band is pretty good, you know that if you saw him live you'll know you'll have a great time, which is exactly what you want from a video like this one. I also like how they are performing on the sand, where the couple meet up later on in the video.
The couple, who are played by Summer Glau (I know her from Dollhouse, but she has been in loads of films and TV) and Alexander Rodriguez (actor/model appeared in Hot 'n' Cold by Katy Perry). Alex plays a surfer who's in lover with Summer, who has come and met him at the beach with a friend, which is pretty far away, so a road trip is added in as well. It looks like they plan on having a party since there is quite a few of them, and obviously the connection is still there. A basic and simplistic narrative, that captures you no matter what.
Also, after much comparison, this seems to be the same beach as One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful", due to the fact that the steps leading to the beach are the EXACT same, unless in America they have the same steps on every beach... Which I highly doubt.
Overall a great song and music video, and definitely something I would never have come across. I don't think I have anything bad to say about this music video, there's a few things that doesn't quite fit. But apart from that it's great and definitely worthy of this rating. Although the song's not to my taste, I can see it being stuck in my head all day.
So first day of my new special, guys. It's called "Critic Jonni's Friends Exclusive". Using my own randomiser, Hollagram Star comes out first. She has picked You Me At Six Featuring Oli Sykes - Bite My Tongue. Her reason is "because it's got Oil Sykes in it and the song is absolutely amazing and it's my favourite one off there new album [Sinners Never Sleep] I can listen to it over and over".
You Me At Six is a rock band from the UK, they are a five piece band consisting of Josh Franceschi, Max Helyer, Chris Miller, Matt Barnes and Dan Flint. They have been going for a number of years, and have gained many fans. However I've never really been taken to them, and only really like their songs when I've heard them again and again and again. The collaborator is Oli Sykes, he is the lead singer of Bring Me The Horizon, another band that I'm not as interested in.
"Bite My Tongue" was written by Josh Franceschi. Again bands usually write their own songs, so it's not much of a surprise, and it's understandable since they can easily convey what they mean by the lyrics. This song is really catchy, and I think I quite like it, it's already stuck in my head.
This music video is pretty different to what is around at the moment, as far as I know. It's quite dark, which most music videos of this genre are like, and it has both performance and narrative, in a very artistic way.
It links in with the song. They've taken the part of "I can't hate the ones who made me" and made it look like Josh is creating people. The wires looks like they were difficult to play instruments with. I like it when Oli Sykes comes in, he becomes the maker which changes the whole concept of the narrative.
Overall there isn't a lot to this music video, but you can definitely feel the energy from the band during their performance, and you know you'll receive the same energy if you went to see them live. It looks like there's not much to it, but that is what makes it great.
Olly Murs is becoming a well known singer and presenter, he has had quite a few number ones here in the UK, and I'm sure he's going to become bigger and better in the future. He came second on the Sixth series of the X Factor. This series had quite a few successes such as: Joe McElderry (winner), Olly Murs (second), Stacey Solomon (third), Lloyd Daniels (fifth) and Jedward (sixth), there's bound to be more in the future, but we'll have to wait and see.
"Oh My Goodness" was written by Adam Argyle, Martin Brammer and Olly Murs. I was quite surprised to see that Olly Murs had wrote part of this song, as usually when an X Factor contestant releases songs it's usually a song written for them.
The music video is the sort of music video you expect from Olly Murs. He has this genre all to do with himself at the moment, and the music videos always link in with that.
He is obviously chasing this girl who catches his eye, but near the end he is so warned out that she probably isn't interested in him no more. Besides how does he not know she doesn't have a boyfriend? He's done all that running for nothing.
I particularly like it when he falls over, but he gets back up again and starts running after her. Also I like the fact that when he starts singing about going so fast, he is on one of those machines that makes him slower. How did she get so far in front? Surely it wouldn't take that long to catch up with her...
Overall it's a typical Olly Murs song and music video, something that I'm not that interested in watching, although the song is catchy. Will it become a hit? Maybe, but I don't see it going to number one.
The All-American Rejects are an American rock band, who have got my Sunday revisit this week. I reviewed "Beekeeper's Daughter", and have done a few others in the past. The band consists of Tyson Ritter, Nick Wheeler, Mike Kennerty and Chris Gaylor. They have been around since 1999 but released their first song "Swing, Swing" in 2002.
Swing, Swing was written by Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter, as expected since most of the songs are written by these two. This song charted at number 13 here in the UK, which is surprising, as rock was in back then, and this song would have no chance at getting to that chart position nowadays. But what's even more surprising is that The All-American Rejects have yet to beat that chart position, meaning this is their highest charting single to date. Apparently it is about Tyson's ex-girlfriend, and it was written when times were really difficult, and the second verse is about moving on.
The music video portrays the song amazingly, but this band looks so young, but what do you expect? Considering it's 10 years ago since it was released. That band is definitely not the band we see in Beekeeper's Daughter. They've grown up and become more confident in themselves, they don't look like the average band no more. But I still don't understand why it was such a hit in the UK.
It is both performance and narrative. It's a pretty good first music video, considering others we have seen in the past. And although not the best, it's not bad either. As for the performance side of things, they look pretty nervous, and not entirely sure what to do, which is weird since they aren't like that no more.
As for the narrative, it's easy to understand, and we follow a couple going through their relationship, everything's all good and then something happens with the car and they have an argument, and they end up splitting up. I like how this one focuses on the male's side of the relationship, usually a lot of music videos decide to focus on the girl's side of things.
Overall a great first music video from these guys, still cannot believe this is their highest charting single in the UK to date, I hope they can release a single soon that will get into the top 10, there's lots of good potential singles on their new album. But promotion is one of the most important things, and they aren't doing much.
So SpeedATW decided to suggest this music video on to my suggestions page. I have never heard of The Naked And Famous, so I was interested in what I would think of this, but then I heard the song and realised that I have heard it before. It was used in an advert in the UK for the Cannon EO5 Camera. It has been used in various TV shows and on various adverts worldwide.
The Naked And Famous are a New Zealand indie rock band. They consist of Alisa Xayalith, Thom Powers, Aaron Short, Jesse Wood and David Beadle. So there's 5 members, which is quite a lot to be honest, but if they create music like this, how can anyone complain. This song became a big success worldwide, however people didn't link this song with the advert, and I bet it would have done much better if it were promoted more.
"Young Blood" was written by Thomas Powers, Alisa Xayalith and Aaron Short. Again it's another band who have wrote their own song, meaning they can connect with it easily and it's usually what makes the song all the more better. It was created to convey the spirit of youth, and it sure does that.
The music video is interesting, that is the only word I can use to describe it. There is a lot of footage used but nothing links this song to the music video. If I turned the song off, the video could be for any song, and the only identifiable bit is the fact that everyone is free and having fun and doing whatever they want to do.
There's a lot of footage used such as the water, which is quite clever as water is open and free which is what young people want to be. But there's just not a lot going on. It's not performance or narrative based, and it just looks like a lot of footage compiled together.
Overall the song is really catchy and I do like it (now I know who created it). But there's nothing special about this music video. And I don't really have much to say about it either.
