A great music video to an awesome song can be as satisfying as complimenting your meal with a fine wine (and with only half the calories). Though rarely seen on television these days, the art of the music video is no more apparent than when animation is thrown in to the mix. In no particular order, here’s a list of five animated music videos that you must see.
5. of Montreal – “Wraith Pinned to the Mist”
Kevin Barnes recorded the seventh of Montreal record, The Sunlandic Twins, over the coarse of 2004 and continued to explore the digital textures that first sprouted with his previous release, Satanic Panic in the Attic. Certainly one of the strongest singles, “Wraith Pinned to the Mist” gained immense popularity from this music video rounding digital and interactive festivals, and eventually the likes of Fuse/Much Music and MTV. Directed by Lauren Gregg & Craig Sheldon of Athens, Georgia based Kangaroo Alliance (most recognized for their work with Yo Gabba Gabba and Nick Jr.), this fun and graphic video captures (or maybe creates) the perfect mood for the tune.
4. Korn – “Freak on a Leash”
Directed by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane in February 1999, this unique music video combined traditional animation of children in an eerie landscape avoiding a runaway bullet that smashes out of the band’s album art into live performance footage of Korn themselves. Winning MTV Video Music awards for Best Editing and Best Rock Video in ’99, and a Best Short Form Music Video Grammy in 2000, this moody vid helped solidify Korn’s reign in alt/hard rock during the early 00’s.
3. Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out”
An abstract journey through Russian Constructivist digital collages with an animation style reminiscent of Terry Gilliam, this music video for the Glaswegian Franz Ferdinand’s first single brought the band to the world’s attention in the “last days” of the MTV era. Though this was the first time Franz Ferdinand worked with Swedish music video and film director Jonas Odell, it would not be the last, again teaming up for FF’s 2013 single “Right Action.” This timeless video continues to inspire, perfectly melding classic design with modern techniques.
2. Gorillaz – “Clint Eastwood”
Dancing zombie gorillas doing the “Thriller” dance and a rapping ghost. Need I say more? Released as the first single from virtual band Gorillaz’s self-titled debut in March 2001, “Clint Eastwood” won an award at the Rushes Soho Short Film Festival Awards (2001) and helped turn the “band” into an international phenomenon. Directed by Gorillaz concept co-creator Jamie Hewlett (known for co-creating Tank Girl) and Pete Candeland (animator for Bonkers, Aladdin the tv series, Tank Girl the movie, and many others), this video introduced many to the animated and ever growing universe of Gorillaz.
1. Junior Senior – “Move Your Feet”
Created by the brilliant gents of Shynola in 2002, this animated romp features pixelated versions of the now defunct Swedish duo Junior Senior interacting with a protagonal squirrel trying to get his nut. Using an old-school 8-bit video game style and pontificating with cute athropromorphic critters, this video is sure to make you “Move Your Feet” and booty.
Do you disagree with any of my choices or have any suggestions for videos you think people must see? Feel free to leave a message in the comments below, and thanks for reading.