You Have to Take the Good With the Bad

A few high profile music videos wandered on my radar this past week, so I thought I would take a moment or two and share them with you.

The first one is "The Fear," the first single off Lily Allen's latest CD It's Not Me, It's You (You've all heard it, right? It's fan-fucking-tastic!)



It's quite breathtaking, non? The concept is nothing original, but the execution, with it's bright pastels, quirky male dancers and oversized sets, is astounding. To me, it feels like a lost sequence to the greatest musical never made, if that makes any sense at all. With so many artists wasting opportunity after opportunity by making shitty music videos, it's nice to see someone like Lily Allen taking risks and doing things a bit differently than everyone else. Then again, that's always been a part of her charm.

Next up is Girls Aloud's latest single from their Out of Control album (the #1 album of 2008, in case you forgot), the 4 minute radio edit of their 6+ minute masterpiece, "Untouchable."



It's no masterpiece, but it's 100 times better than the "Biology" video (which is the epitome of shit videos, especially disheartening since the song is easily one of Top 5 of the decade) and that's good enough for me. "Untouchable" copies the usual Girls Aloud/any girl group music video formula- stick the girls in different "situations" and edit them together- but does it in a totally kick ass way. The escalating manicness of the flashing lights and frentic camerawork as the song (and video) reaches a heart racing ending is nicely done.

On a side note, you simply must watch this fanmade video for the Girls Aloud B-side "Singapore" (thanks Dave for the heads up!). If only more music videos took risks like this.



Finally, after three great videos, I have to bring you back down to reality and show you that not every (in other words: 99%) music video being made is amazing. The latest example: the Ciara and Justin Timberlake duet "Love Sex Magic"



Let it be known that I actually quite like the song, but, oh Lord, this video is a complete piece of garbage. Where do I even begin? The general misogyny of the video- Justin gets to sit back and enjoy while it's up to Ciara to provide the sexual stimulation by dancing sexually and wearing skimpy clothing- very nearly turns my stomach every time I see it. It's especially disheartening to see Ciara stoop to the cheapness of this clip after her brilliant anti-gangsta-bullshit anthem "Like a Boy." What happened to that Ciara? I loved her so. Also, just as with the "4 Minutes" video, why are you going to waste the talents of two talented dancers by having them sit around and, in Ciara's case, do ridiculous stripper moves? I want to see them suggest sex through a swanky, sexy dance, not see Ciara lick Justin's earlobe. Gross. I think I'm going to take a shower now.

Top 20 Songs of 2007: #5-1

5. Nelly Furtado "Say It Right"
Okay, so it can be argued that this song is technically a "2006" single, but I'm including it on my list because I didn't actually hear it until January of the year. If you don't like it, you can suck it because it's my list. Anyways, the reason I love this song so much is because of it's mysterious nature. I have no idea what the song is about, but Furtado's haunting vocals and the out-of-this-world aura surrounding it draw me in ever single time (Listen, and watch this hypnotic video)

4. J. Lo "Do It Well"
While everyone had an opinion about another certain someone's big comeback in 2007, J. Lo released what I believe is her strongest album since J. Lo and probably the catchiest single of her career: "Do It Well". I don't think I'll ever understand why this wasn't played on the radio- this has to be better than "This Is Why I'm Hot," right?

Right? (Listen)

3. Rihanna featuring Jay-Z "Umbrella"
This is pretty much a "duh" pick for any pop music lover. If you don't like this song, then the terrorists really have won. (Listen, though you've probably heard this 10 million times)

2. Ciara "Like a Boy"
Finally! Someone with enough balls to stand up to all the gangsta, wannabe rappers who objectify women and brag about treating them like shit and asking them to think what it would be like if the roles were reversed. The song was a big hit on the radio in my area, and I'm definitely thankful for that, but I just wish it got more respect for what it is trying to accomplish. "Like a Boy" has an interesting message to get it across and it conveys it brilliantly through the lyrics (definitely more deep than "Hey hey, you you, I don't like your girlfriend") all while being compulsively listenable in the form of a perfect pop song. (Listen)

1. Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats"
I went back and forth for awhile about whether "Like a Boy" or "Before He Cheats" should be number, but Carrie Underwood finally won out because I realized that I'm damn scared of her now after this song. I didn't think much of Underwood's career post-Idol: her country music was nothing special (definitely not on a Martina McBride or Sara Evans level) and, let's face it, "Jesus Take the Wheel" was just plain annoying. But then a funny thing happened. "Before He Cheats," the fifth single from her debut album Some Hearts, crossed over onto the pop charts. I resisted at first, but after awhile I fell in love with the pure anger and hatred Underwood puts in her voice toward this man who's done her wrong. Just listen to her sing "Well, I dug my keys into the side/Of his pretty little souped up 4-wheel drive" and tell me you don't think she has the ferociousness to actually do it. "Before He Cheats" takes the principles of Girl Power to a whole new level and empowers anyone, whether your male, female, gay or straight, to stand up and say you're not going to take it anymore. And that is why Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" is the Number 1 song of 2007. (Listen)