"But one lesson I have learned/It's not to trust you when my back is turned/So don't be phonin' tellin' me you're blue/cos' baby I suffer, too/When the night falls/When the night falls."
November already?
Traditionally, this is the time of year that we give thanks for still being here, fogging the mirrors on Planet Earth, the only home we've ever known.
It's a place where visionaries, sullen teens, posh private school kids, and emerging artists from all over the map send us Unofficial Music Videos for perusal and possible praise.
That's basically it. On a monthly basis, usually rooted in the recent past, we award the Barclay Trophy to the budding auteur whose work knocks our collective socks off.
So without further ado, our Top Five for November.
1. Producer: Ross Reinier
Artist: Gary Clark Jr
Song: "Come Together"
Category: Abstract
Now this is editing you can dance to! Precision cuts combined with a gnarly rock 'n' roll insurrection demonstrates the power of attitude over authoritarianism. We see an emboldened youth culture given a glam makeover by director Ross Reinier. If the kids are united, we will never be divided.
2. Producer: Sean Corbin
Artist: The Struts
Song: "Body Talks"
Category: Narrative
Great casual choreography and loads of editing flair! It’s a credit to producer Sean Corbin that the video flows like water, never once pausing for breath. This, kids, is showbiz with all the requisite snap, crackle, and pop.
3. Producer: Megan Lang
Artist: Billie Eilish
Song: "You Should See Me In A Crown"
Category: Abstract
Our heroine uses secret mystic woman powers to cast off her oppressors—lousy boyfriends, mansplainers, dirty old men—îand takes a victory lap. Billie Eilish continues to serve as the patron saint of the Emerging Young Female Empowerment genre.
4. Producer: Kazuhiko Hiromaki
Artist: Machina
Song: "Namu Amitibul"
Category: Abstract
Managing to be both austere and vibrant isn't easy but this one pulls it off. The mood and sound shifts gracefully from surface world sensations to inner turmoil freakout, and it really builds exquisitely.
5. Producer: Latymer Media
Artist: Oli Orson
Song: "Dance With Me Tonight"
Category: Performance
Hey kids, let's put on a show! Can we call this "adorkable" and leave it at that?
More than ever, our video offerings are reflecting the tension and stress that's become the new normal. And when you can no longer deal with all the hate, corruption, and lies that rain down like a manure typhoon?
You take action and "come together" as we see in the first video. Or dance like there's no tomorrow—îbecause there may not be.
