Review: Current Music Videos

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This week has been a keystone for the entertainment industry. To put it simply, some fabulous music videos came out from Oct.19 to Oct. 23, ranging from a gravelly One Direction pop hit to well, Drake. Here’s a rundown of a few videos that really tickled my fancy.

One Direction//Perfect

I’m a low-key Directioner who’s admittedly been losing faith lately with what seems to be an endless chaos of quitting band members and pregnancy scandals. But this video rekindled my flame, pairing a terrific music video and an even better song for me sitting on my bed, giggling at how good it was and pressing replay for a solid six hours hours, no joke. The song is about the boys being perfect for you if you like living the high life, but can still endure the chaos and screaming. The entire video has an artistic vibe, flashing to cityscapes between takes of the band members singing, all in black and white. The video takes place in a hotel, starting out with the four the band members hanging out in their rooms. They slowly begin to wreak more and more havoc, playing soccer in the hallways and raiding the kitchen, until finally they end up jamming out on the rooftop. The song’s got a rock-pop vibe to it, which isn’t what typically comes to mind when you mention One Direction–that stereotypical pop-based boyband, prancing around in bright, coordinated clothing. Combine that with a music video that’s almost indie, and you’re in for a surprise.

Drake//Hotline Bling

I first watched this music video through the eyes of my Drake-obsessed statistics partner. I’d snicker as he furtively watched clips of Hotline Bling on his MacBook on a daily basis, the teacher regularly screaming at him for paying more attention to Drizzy than her. When I finally decided to check out what all of this fuss was about, I can’t say I was disappointed. The video started in an office, with cute girls being all professional-like, answering sex calls. It was so clever it made me laugh out loud. The entire song revolves around booty-calls. The rest of the video, according to my stats partner, takes place inside an art exhibit. The primary focus is its bright colors, which really makes for some interesting videography. I especially enjoyed Drake’s silent hint to us on how cold it must have been inside there (his wardrobe was consistently thick turtlenecks and a tangerine bubble coat), on top of his tiptoeing around everywhere and making bizarre, sudden movements. The only thing I didn’t exactly appreciate about this video were the random silhouettes of girls wearing tight clothing scattered throughout the takes. But with the provocative vibe of the song, I can see how they’re relevant.

Adele//Hello

Finally, Adele ended my giggly tailspin of emotions with something much more melancholy. Watching her music video made me feel like a recently divorced housewife, sitting Miss Havisham-style in a house alone, staring at my wedding ring and wondering what the hell went wrong. The video is absolutely beautiful. It’s filmed in a sepia filter and is set in an abandoned house in a forest, where Adele sits in the dust, pondering. We watch her relive her love, starting out with the happy moments filled with laughter. The good memories melt into frequent arguments, concluding with her boyfriend throwing her an exasperated look and trudging off through the rain. The lyrics match the scenes perfectly, encasing the muddled apologies that Adele’s trying to get across to her lost love as she calls him repeatedly from her seclusion. The video is actually pretty long, edging just over six minutes, but with me fighting back tears for the majority of it, it never really grew old.