In this week’s top music video picks, we take a journey through futuristic half-time shows, seedy hotels, and night-vision goggles. From hip hop to electronic and indie rock, and featuring artists such as Mumford & Sons and Beach House, see which music videos are becoming viral this week.
Kelly Rowland: “Kisses Down Low”
Kelly Rowland is revealing her inner sexy vixen… and we like it! In her latest music video for the suggestive track, “Kisses Down Low,” Kel seductively dishes on where she’d like to get kissed, even giving directional pointers (see 3:54). Ever since her stellar performance with Destiny’s Child at the Super Bowl this year, fans have noticed that the 32-year-old still has it going on. In this vibrant video, Rowland is dressed up in a variety of fun looks—from a glamorous and scantily-clad Marilyn Monroe to the pin-up stylings of Betty Page—all while showing her fierce and silly sides.
New Kids on the Block: “Remix (I Like The)”
2013 must be the year for pop revivals, as New Kids on the Block are taking it step by step to get back on the charts. In advance of their “10” album, slated to be released on April 2, the kids… umm, the men have put out a marvelous video for their first single, “Remix (I Like The).” Artemis Pebdani, funny woman from FX's It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is the video's “lonely and awkward wallflower,” who breaks out of her shell and emphatically gets down, even in the pool for a synchronized swimming routine (see 2:06). While this is all happening, the group, dressed in handsome suits, energetically performs in a fashion reminiscent to the stylings of J.T.’s “Suit & Tie."
Beach House: “Wishes”
It’s Friday Night Lights meets the opening ceremony in The Hunger Games. In this hilariously bizarre and engrossing Beach House video directed by Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show), actor Ray Wise (Twin Peaks) elegantly lip syncs to the dreamy indie-pop song “Wishes” while futuristic athletes wow a full stadium with nunchucks skills and competitions involving squirting water bottles. There’s even a Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric Awesome Show) cameo (see 2:35) worth mentioning, alongside the fireworks and a majestic white stallion.
Taylor Swift: “22”
Stars, they’re just like us! Pop supernova Taylor Swift released this lighthearted video for “22” this week, revealing a fun, just-one-of-the-girls side of herself, as she traipses through a normal day of giggling with girlfriends, sunbathing by the pool, and jumping on trampolines. And the other girls in her video? They’re her real-life gal pals, as she pointedly mentioned on Good Morning America during the debut of her video.
Phoenix: “Entertainment”
French rock quartet Phoenix delivers an epic first video off of their upcoming “Bankrupt” album, out April 23, utilizing some major Korean cinematic montages. In a mash-up explosion, we get to follow a K-pop star’s performance, some deadly knife fights, and more. Also, true to Korean soap opera form, there are a lot of tears shed in this video.
Wavves: “Demon to Lean On”
Ever wonder what happens when your car gets towed? Well, surf-rock group Wavves delves into that burning question. In this cinematic video, a boy napping in the back seat of his father’s car wakes up to find himself in a tow yard, but he’s not alone. Let’s just say some extreme Lord of the Flies-type insanity takes place.
Mumford & Sons: “Whispers in the Dark”
This Mumford & Sons video might be worth watching four times… because there are actually four music videos taking place at the same time on a split screen. In this video, we intimately follow each band member on their separate journeys to get to their concert gig—from frontman Marcus Mumford performing some Easy Rider moves in the dark to multi-instrumentalist Ted Dwane fresh off of a battleship—with all stories intersecting at the end.
Portugal. The Man: “Evil Friends”
When Portland-based band Portugal. The Man recently announced their collaboration with mega-producer Danger Mouse for their upcoming album, “Evil Friends,” they also released a visually-enticing video for their title track and first single. Shot in the dark and filmed with a night vision camera, we visit an off-putting Blair Witch Project woodsy environment, full of ski-masked men and weaponry.
Foals: “Late Night”
The latest venture for heavyweight director Nabil—who’s created imaginative videos for the likes of Kanye West and Frank Ocean—is a dark NSFW music video for British rock band Foals. The video, all shot on location in Romania, captures what might just happen “late night” in a seedy motel. Shooting and cutting through hotel walls, Nabil intersects three story lines about asphyxiation, graphic sexual encounters, and a woman giving birth.
