Two Weeks Running are a five-piece alternative indie rock group, the band members are Alex Goulding, Jon Wilkes, Kriss Restall, Phil Alstead and Sam Goulding. This is their first music video and have released an EP called 'Lions' which is available to download on Soundcloud. Their second EP is 'Beats For The Heart'. They are not my sort of band, and I wasn't into this song, however I can't knock them, they are growing bigger and bigger supporting well-known acts on their tours as well as featuring here there and everywhere. This is one band that won't go down without a fight, and that is exactly what makes a band... I'm interested where these guys will go to.
The music video is their first video, and so I have to hold off the harsh comments as first music videos usually aren't that great, but compared to ones I have seen this isn't so bad.
I like the split of a narrative and a performance piece. The performance piece is quite static, but that's explainable to due the crowding and the close quarters of the gig, making it difficult to spread the energetic field of playing.
The narrative side is less interesting, they are throwing rocks at empty alcohol bottles, personally I don't find that fun, unless I was a child... Before hand they drove to that place going past pubs and shops. I like how it shows the area off, so that people who know where they are could go there too.
Overall a song that has potential, but not my sort of thing, and a music video that slightly fits and slightly doesn't. The narrative and performance adds to the overall feel of the video, but it fails to keep me interested long enough.
Bauer are a four-piece band who have just released their album 'Sleeping Giant'. They followed me on twitter on 21st February. The band consists of Greg Matthews, Neil Treppas, Lee Bradbury and Michael Reed. They aren't my type of music, however I was surprised by it and intrigued in what their album includes.
I had to pick between this song and "(Feels Like) Heaven". I thought this music video was slightly better than the other one. The song has a catchy quality to it, when I had finished listening to it, it was kind of stuck in my head, so much so I wanted to listen to it again. If they manage to do that to me, they can do it to a lot of other people too, gaining the audience they need to make themselves popular.
This music video uses a lot of lighting to create a lot of tension during this performance piece. It's quite technical great, but that is how far it goes.
The lighting doesn't help at all to give across what they are like on stage, suggesting that we may not want to see them, especially since I don't get very many vibes from them, however for all I know they could be amazing live, but this video fails to portray it.
There's a few extras, plays with lighting, and some computers set up that are in striking blue, that is so different to the lighting from before that it intrigues me, unfortunately it doesn't go anywhere, leaving me unsure of what is going on.
Overall, a song that actually gets quite catchy, and an accompanying music video that is insightful to watch, but fails to keep me entertained, and I lose interest half way through, because nothing happens, it's almost repeated footage, and that is never good.
The Dead Famous followed me on 15th February, after I reviewed Elliot Minor's "I Believe". One of the band members used to be in Elliot Minor. The Dead Famous consists of James Matthews (Go:Audio fame), Dan Hetherton (Elliot Minor fame), Ollie Collins and Dave Baker. They have released two singles, "Superstar" and this one.
Before today I have never listened to their music, I was waiting until I reviewed them, so that their sound was new to me, and that is exactly what they are. I can't possibly name any band out there similar to these, they are creating a new line of rock, that is so unique that it will not take too much time before they're popular. Could The Dead Famous bring back rock?
"Hide Your Halo" has been popular, and to be honest I don't blame it, as it's extremely catchy and very different to rock songs out now. So many bands are trying new things, look at Paramore's "Now". But this band is going to hit the charts soon, mark my words.
The music video is split between the main piece (the performance piece) and the backing piece (the narrative)... This is usually what gets top ratings from me.
The performance piece is always the main piece in most rock music videos, as they wish to portray what they are like are on stage, and wow, there's fire, there's energy, an amazing singer: James Matthews and amazing instrument work from Dan, Ollie and Dave. How can you not want to see these live after watching this?
The narrative is top notch too, and although I generally hate black and white media, this pulls it off as it isn't the centre piece, but in doing so, they have brought the narrative into focus. The angel theme is one that isn't taken on by many, one angel video that stands out is Alanis Morissette's "Guardian". This one has a similar theme, but the angel saves the day.
Overall, a song that I shall be buying soon as it blew me away, and a perfect accompanying music video that I can't stop watching and listening to. How can I not give this a top rating, this is fill of the very essence of a great video, and I cannot wait to see what is next for these guys. Especially since previously I wanted Elliot Minor to get back together, now I hope they don't because it means putting The Dead Famous on hold, and I DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. Keep going guys, I am now an official fan.
Sylosis are a British metal band who followed me quite early on, making them the second artist to be a part of my Twitter Followers Special. I think they're the only artist who I'll be reviewing this week who has a 'Verified Account' twitter tick. They have released three albums, one of which 'Edge Of The Earth' charted at number 139 on the UK chart. They are a four piece band consisting of Josh Middleton, Alex Bailey, Carl Parnell and Rob Callard. This song is on the 'Edge Of The Earth' album, and this video is the only video made for the album.
The video reflects the album more than anything else, the idea of forming a more real version of the album cover, is very unique, and manages to engage the audience into watching it, to see where it will go on to.
The video is both narrative and performance based, but there is more scenes of the performance side. This is typical of most metal music videos I have watched. As they want to show what they will be like lived to try and sell tickets to their gigs.
This performance piece is powerful, you know that you'd have a good time at one of their tours, although it's not my sort of music, I can see why people would go and see them live.
The narrative side of things features a guy who looks like a caveman, walking through tunnel caves. He has a candle ruling out the whole caveman thing since candles wasn't around back then. He finds images on the wall and also becomes possessed in the last half of the video.
It's different, it's surprising and actually really works. It may not be my sort of music but I can appreciate it for what it is. The video is dark and perfect for this music.
Aalvin is marked as my 30th follower on Twitter (at the moment) and so becomes the first of my Twitter Followers Special. He is my longest artist follower who has a music video, just behind DixonBeats. Although I have already reviewed DixonBeats' music video "Afraid" that is a collaboration with Dante. Not much is known about Aalvin, but I can tell you this. He is a singer/songwriter, and claims to be from London/New York. His voice is full of soul, creating goosebumps up my arms within seconds. With the right people behind this person we're going to see him in the limelight, but with the wrong people behind him, he'll just be another artist who gave it a go. I'm not quite sure music is ready to give up this soulful voice. "Hope For Better" is taken from his EP 'Never Forger' which is only available on SoundCloud so far.
This music video is simple but emotional, fitting perfectly with everything you would've expected. There is a narrative and a performance side.
The narrative features a couple, who start off on the stairwell reading 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson, which I have read myself, and personally I don't think it's one of those books you'd read together, I would naturally go for a Nicholas Sparks book. The relationship takes a spin for the worse where they start to ignore one another, I love her t-shirt saying 'Don't you want me?', a clever way to use speech without interfering with the song. The ending leaves him going on the Underground while she stays here, but they're smiling so there is hope.
The performance side is also simple, although at the start, the people and the buses and other traffic are put in reverse motion as Aalvin is moving forwards. It suggests he is reflecting on something that happened in the past. Various other scenes are included such as him singing down a payphone, which means he's trying to get a hold of someone, or is possibly asking and hoping for better the next time they meet.
Overall a song that is enriching and pulls at my heart strings at times, that is how powerful his voice is. The music video links perfectly, and has everything I possibly need to give it a high rating. And although I'm desperately trying to find something wrong with this video, I fail in finding it, and so my rating is totally justified and this video clearly deserves it.
