Tag Archive for 'music video'

Keri Hilson - Flashdancing Takes a Lot of Energy

Keri Hilson just released the video for the lead single Energy off her new album. I don’t know much about Keri, but it turns out she actually has been active for some time. I do know that Timbaland has been promoting her quite a bit these last few months though. So, how does the video stack up? Read on to find out.

The Track: When I realized this was the track from the Verizon commercial I’ve seen at the movies for the last 2 months, I almost shut it off. But I lingered. It turns out the worst part of the song is that keyboard intro before the bass really drops in. The beat is courtesy of The Runaways and not Timbaland. No guest verse, no vocoder, no screechy notes, no skits, no dance breakdown, none of that stuff. It is listenable, and so far, I haven’t noticed the severely flawed logic present in other current hits such as Danity Kane’s Damaged. Love it or hate it - prepare to hear this in the club all effing summer long.


The Video:
Whoever wrote the treatment for this video watches a lot of HBO. This is Million Dollar Baby meets Flashdance meets The Pussy Cat Dolls. Confused? There is boxing, a wardrobe stolen from Jennifer Beals’ closet, and wet hair / dancing that reminds me of Nicole Scherzinger. Perhaps she rubbed off on Keri during the Scream shoot?

It probably went something like this: Ok, We’ll dress up Keri in something totally backdrop-inappropriate and she will alternatively spar and makeout with her trainer; he must have tattoos. Oh - she knocks some other chick out too, and at the end she gets ugly highlights and leaves.

Keri’s silver tapsuit (is that what it’s called?) is as ridiculous as her interpretive dancing/voguing, and I swear I saw some Happy Hands Club choreography in there. It was kind of hard to watch this without wanting to laugh. Hilson does look good and is clearly doing the damn thing, but I’m not sold.

The Bottom line: Energy is better heard and not seen.

MTV’s FNMTV, I Hate To Love You

I don’t have cable. I consume media via Netflix, torrent, and various streaming sources. That said, I noticed that MTV started a new feature on Friday nights called FNMTV. Basically, Pete Wentz (the D-bag that knocked up Ashlee Simpson, hosted a segment involving a bunch of new music videos with some wrap-around filler. I am ashamed to say it, but I love the idea of getting 5 new videos to criticize at a time. It’s like a game, ‘how pejorative can I be in 30 minutes?’ I can’t wait till next week!

The new music videos are linked below along with a very brief synopsis. Honestly, I disliked all of these videos enough that I won’t waste our time with full length reviews.

Flo Rida w/ Will.I.Am - Ayer
Will.I.Am and Flo Rida do a club track with a crappy hook - in a bank. At least it’s not about strippers this time. Of note: the video girls are not up to par; I posit this video was done on the cheap - ironic considering the setting.

The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go
It’s basically a younger (blonde) version of The White Stripes. Remember Seven Nation Army? Yeah, this is just like that. Seriously, track and video.

Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up
Carmit, Kimberly, Ashley, Jessica, and Melody - I totally get it. You wanted to be famous sooo bad that you smeared on fake tanner, took dance classes, and did a lot of crunches. And look, you totally got it! Now you get to dance in the background and compete for screentime while Nicole sings! Sofa King Great!

Snoop Dogg ft. Everlast and Willie Nelson - My Medicine
Hey Snoop - didn’t Nelly have a country crossover hit back in 2004 with Tim McGraw? Aren’t you a bit late to the party? Snoop is a pimp no matter what medium he operates in. This ‘country’ track is no exception. I have to give him cred for attempting this, but “I’d like to dedicate this record right here to my main man Johnny Cash - a real American Gangster” Are you effing serious?

Panic at the Disco - That Green Gentleman (Live)
A live performance is hardly a video - and I am fairly ignorant about this group. So, I looked up the actual video. WAY BETTER. I don’t dig the track, but the video is totally watchable.

And the coup de grace: Snoop Dogg and Panic At the Disco - Gin and Juice
E P I C   F A I L. This is as pointless and brand damaging as Snoop’s shortlived TV show. I know, I know, MTV sort of created you - but did you take a bloodoath or something requiring you to do whatever they ask?

Ray J - Gifts Is The Least Creative Slang Ever

Hey remember Moesha? Perhaps you have forgotten Ray J’s first grasps at fame. Granted, being the younger brother of a Grammy award winning R&B singer creates pressure to be successful - that doesn’t excuse Ray J’s discography. Wait a Minute was a mess of a track; I don’t even think Lil Kim was that into it. Ray J - I hope you are giving Kim Kardashian a percentage of the sales from Sexy Can I, because it’s her ass that has been selling your records for the last six months.

In any case, Ray J’s new video for Gifts drops this week and guess who has something to say about it.

The Track: The song itself can be summed up pretty easily, this girl has nice humps and is rather adept at working poles. Perhaps it is obvious, but Ray J would like to stick it to her. I can certainly appreciate the sentiment. But seriously, when is hiphop’s obsession with strippers/stripclubs going to end? I’m not sure this is how we should be spending our stimulus checks. Additionally, how uncreative is ‘gifts’? My humps introduced a new phrase into the lexicon - gifts does nothing for me.

Regarding the beat, I dig it. I’m not sure it’s a club beat, but maybe it’ll get remixed. If you take your beats with brutal knock you may want to sit this one out. The vocoder is a bit excessive and I could do without it, but there’s no escaping it these days.

Something that surprised me was the absence of a guest verse. I was really expecting another lame wannabe like Yung Berg to lay down a short ‘me too’ verse. Considering the ubiquity of guest spots on today’s hiphop records, I am actually pleasantly surprised. I like it when an artist pulls off an entire song by himself - so kudos for that.

Ray J is all about making accessible music for people who don’t really listen to hiphop. While I was on vacation I was reminded of how many people ignore hiphop lyrics at the club. If that is you, this could be your new summer jam.

The Video: It is official, I am sick of the “white background, widescreen” video. Jay Z, this is your fault. It may be easy to film, but come on - how about some production value, a little bit of spectacle.

The video combines the following: hot ladies, dancers, an entourage, a few high priced accessories, and an official 2 step. This may have passed for a cool minimalist video a few years ago, but not today. I need a little more than this to hold my attention. I need visual gags, punchlines, and a shot of at least one car.

There are no strippers in this video. The girls we see are definitely not strippers. Most songs with references to strippers at least have some suggestive booty dancing. This video has a 2 step - which is one step removed from swaying back and forth. In fact, the girls seem to be included only because without them it’d be a sausage fest. This video is all about showcasing Ray J and his post-Kardashian / Sexy Can I image.

Lastly, like any artist Ray is proud of his record sales. Unlike other artists, he seems to be exceptionally proud of his digital downloads and presents us with a large plaque. Apparently he has sold over 500,000 copies of Sexy Can I online, primarily to 13 year olds and sorority girls no doubt.

The Bottom Line: It’s Pop-hop. Plain and simple.

A Few Good Pints

A Pint!I will be taking a brief transatlantic starting tomorrow to the UK for about a week. I apologize in advance. Video reviews and “Girls I’d Like to Stick it to” will return upon my repatriation. In the mean time, check out our blogroll, read our bios, and peep the archives.

And remember, you can always reach me, Nick, or Justique anytime by emailing us @ audioshocker.com