Phoenix's Catchy New Song "Entertainment" Arrives wrapped in a Asian Soap Opera
Whoah! The new Phoenix song/video "Entertainment" is pretty fantastic.
It could almost be too ambitious, but Entertainment is just that, entertainment, and it successfully (even heroically) juggles several complex story lines, crossing time and countries, into one humble song narrative with finesse.
Entertainment is lofty: The plot contains a Major Love Story, some costume drama, a bit of communism, several doses of revenge, hate, longing, loss, even murder, and redemption…Pretty ballsy to attempt weaving issues as thematically dense as these are into one little old rock video. But, it works. (And not just because it's cast with incredibly gorgeous actors, either.) I guess this is why smart music producers hire good directors, like Patrick Daughters, to make these things. Key word: Smart.
Heck, I truly enjoyed it. Frankly, I always appreciate having something worth pondering while rocking out. So much more brave than just trying to be ambiguous for the sake of messing with our heads, which in the end is just plain tedious. (Beck.)
Truthfully, I can think of so few other good examples of stand-alone great songs with equally good videos lately: What comes to mind is the poetic, yet visually coy work of LCD Soundsystem's Someone Great, or the uber layered, politically rich work of MIA such as her Paper Planes.
And then there's videos like this one, as complex as a Korean soap opera along with a tidy footnote about love, sex and oppression. But, hey, if done right, music with a message is the only way to fly.
Watch.
It could almost be too ambitious, but Entertainment is just that, entertainment, and it successfully (even heroically) juggles several complex story lines, crossing time and countries, into one humble song narrative with finesse.
Entertainment is lofty: The plot contains a Major Love Story, some costume drama, a bit of communism, several doses of revenge, hate, longing, loss, even murder, and redemption…Pretty ballsy to attempt weaving issues as thematically dense as these are into one little old rock video. But, it works. (And not just because it's cast with incredibly gorgeous actors, either.) I guess this is why smart music producers hire good directors, like Patrick Daughters, to make these things. Key word: Smart.
Heck, I truly enjoyed it. Frankly, I always appreciate having something worth pondering while rocking out. So much more brave than just trying to be ambiguous for the sake of messing with our heads, which in the end is just plain tedious. (Beck.)
Truthfully, I can think of so few other good examples of stand-alone great songs with equally good videos lately: What comes to mind is the poetic, yet visually coy work of LCD Soundsystem's Someone Great, or the uber layered, politically rich work of MIA such as her Paper Planes.
And then there's videos like this one, as complex as a Korean soap opera along with a tidy footnote about love, sex and oppression. But, hey, if done right, music with a message is the only way to fly.
Watch.