Guster's New Lightning Rod Music Video

Guster has just come out with another music video, folks! I watched it this morning and was a little mystified, to be honest. Chris VanGaalen, a singer/animator from Canada took on the project, and he did an admirable job. The animated sequences are really kinda trippy. It was like Guster on acid (I've heard it's better that way, but still). I'm not a big fan.

So, a couple of my observations on the music video (tell me if you agree):

1. This is the third Guster music video in 4 from the new album that doesn't feature the band. What is this trend all about? I'd like to see the band in my music videos, even if it is just for a second or two. This is a cool idea, but Guster needs a bit more creativity here. They're letting VanGaalen do all the work for them.

2. This video seemed a little less fitting for the song than the other GUOTS music videos. The digital-looking plush world really fit One Man Wrecking Machine, and Segway Scooter violence was rather funny for C'mon. This animation has a bit of the feel of the song, but it seems just a little too surreal.

3. What on earth is with some of the animation here? Who exactly was high? Guster or Chris VanGaalen? The scene with the naked guy swimming and turning into a frog and back at the end? The rapid transition of odd/distorted faces near the beginning? I liked the very beginning, with the mountain turning into a person of sorts. That had a bit of a Men in Black feel. I'm not so sure about the rest, though. I'm just confused.

Anyway, I've attached a YouTube embed of the video to this post. Enjoy. Let me know what you think, too. I'm interested to see if other Guster fans agree with me or not on this latest effort.

Satellite Music Video

Hey,
Sorry it's been a while since the last post...my Christmas has been just as busy as everyone else's, if not more so. Enough excuses though...back to Guster.

If you haven't seen this yet, you're in for a treat Guster's new Satellite music video is finally finished. I watched it tonight, and was blown away by some of the really cool things Guster's done in stop-motion animation for this album. The One Man Wrecking Machine Music Video featuring a pillow tearing his world apart was awesome. The Satellite video isn't quite as cute and funny, but it makes up for its lack ov humor with a dramatic increase in style. Adam Bizanski, an Israeli indie filmmaker, put the piece together for the band just recently. He's done stuff for Zero 7 and Wolf Parade, too, all in this really cool cinematic style, playing with different stop motion techniques.

Satellite has really worn on me as a song. I find that the layering is quite amazing, the lyrics are fantastic, and the melody is quite catchy. This video seems to capture the essence of what this song is all about, too, with its slightly melancholy tone and satellite-like movement in sound. The hint of regret in the idea that "maybe you will always be a little out of reach" tugged at my heartstrings just a little bit. I've known some girls like that.

Anyway, check out the new video. It's amazing. It has cutouts of the band. It SPINS! I've stuck a YouTube connection below for your convenience. Please comment--let everyone out there know what you think of thi latest music video effort. Enjoy!

C'mon Guster music video

So, I just checked out the new C'mon music video on YouTube. I gotta thank the folks at Music Ramen, another cool blog, for pointing it out for me. I'm still rather partial to the One Man Wrecking Machine video, and I've commented on it already, but this is a classic as well.

Who doesn't enjoy watching people on Segway scooters beat up those riding lesser-quality scooters? I mean, really--a gang of Segway thugs? C'mon! C'mon back! This is some pretty funny stuff. I wonder what kind of initiation rites you have to pass through for that gang...

Check out the video at YouTube by linking this post's title, and you'll know what I mean. Not bad on the timing, either--Music Ramen said it took Guster a mere 45 minutes to film the whole music video! Not a lot of retakes and studio production here.

One Man Wrecking Machine Video

Have you seen the new One Man Wrecking Machine video? It's amazing! If you haven't, take a few minutes out of your busy day and check it out. The video can be found on Guster.com and clicking Media, or by clicking on the link above. The video features a yellow pillow man wearing a tie who falls in love, gets high, tears apart his little plush world, then sews all the little bits back together with his giant sewing machine--which he then triumphantly rides into town. This is Guster originality at its finest. Who else would ever think to make a music video this cool and strange? I'd like to own that yellow pillow some day. He's pretty cool. I wish I could sew my world back together with a sewing machine.

This video fits so well with the lyrics of the song, and gives quite a bit of background to help interpret the song. I've been "inspired by true events on movie screens" here, or at least my computer screen. Check out this video and be prepared to be amazed.