One of my favorite theme weeks last year was a series I did on some of the best videos from the previous year. I discovered a slew of fascinating clips, mostly from artists I’d never listened to before.
Even when the music wasn’t anything special, the videos were alternately fun and thought-provoking. It seems that the ease and relative affordability of digital filmmaking has given a whole new generation of artists the chance to express themselves with images as well as sounds.
Over the next two weeks, I’ll feature ten 2012 videos that stood out to me in one way or another. I’ve culled these from “best of” lists around the Web. This week I will highlight five videos that are fun, clever and light. Next week’s clips are all provocative and in some cases disturbing — real conversation starters, I hope.
Starting things off is the funniest clip of the bunch. Benjamin Gibbard, lead singer of Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service, released his first solo album last year. In this video for the first single, ‘Teardrop Windows,’ he is encouraged to take on a bad boy persona in order to sell records.
Fun fact: Gibbard was married to Zooey Deschanel for two years before they split in 2011 (she sings on this album, presumably recording her part after their break-up).
He is all alone and wonderin’ why
Ivory white but feelin’ kind of blue
Cause theres no one there to share the view
There’s too many vacancies
He’s been feelin’ oh so empty
And as the sun sets over the sound
He just goes to sleep
Built in boast as the tallest on the coast
He was once the city’s only toast
And old postcards was positioned as a star
He was looked up to with fond regard
But in 1962
The needle made it’s big debut
And everybody forgot
What it outgrew
He wonders where the workers are
Who once filled every floor
The elevators operate
But don’t much anymore
Anymore
Anymore
Teardrop windows cryin’ in the sky
How the years have quickly past her by
Gleaming white ‘gainst the deepest baby blue
He is lonely just like me and you
Cause there’s too many vacancies
He’s been feelin’ oh so empty
And as the sun sets over the sound
He just goes to sleep
There’s too many vacancies
He’s been feelin’ oh so empty
And when the maids they turn out the lights
He just goes to sleep
.
.
Source:
http://meetinmontauk.com/2013/01/21/song-of-the-day-1655-teardrop-windows-benjamin-gibbard/