OK Go. Ok went.

I’ve decided to make this the final post of this blog, but let’s end with a bang, shall we? Chicago natives OK Go reached one hit wonder status in 2006 with their famous video “Here We Go Again”. Since then they’ve largely and unfortunately fallen off the radar, but perhaps Rube Goldberg can help them out? I’ve only seen one Rube Goldberg video before this and I can’t say it was as impressive (The Bravery’s Honest Mistake). I think OK Go has outdone themselves. Care to disagree?

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this little space for music videos these past few months! Keep watching!

Vogue

I find it odd that if you say “vogue” most people will know to create a box around their face with their hands, but have never seen the video that inspired such an odd dance move. Personally, I don’t really care for Madonnna’s video for “Vogue” as a whole, but it has some of the strangest, and most fascinating choreography I’ve ever seen in a video – including, the moves that inspired the famous dance move. Artistically it’s quite a historically inspired video. Many of the shots are meant to imitate Horst P. Horst, a German-American photographer for vogue and the set is inspired by the Art Deco movement. Naturally, the video was nominated for many awards and won best editing, cinematography , and direction at the 1990 MTV music awards and best video from Rolling Stone. Take a look:

Vogue

Also, this is where Madonna first displayed her infamous cone-bra.

Love Long Distance

I’m always a sucker for animation and the Portland band “Gossip” has definitely tickled my fancy. Though their video for “Love Long Distance” suffers from the kind of plotlessness that plagues many videos, their animation gimmick was enough to keep me entertained throughout. Props to the band as well for those skin tight spandex costumes!

Because it had to happen

The number one male British recording artist of all time released this number one hit ten years ago in 2000. The 26-year-old Robbie Williams bares all and then some earning himself MTV’s music video award for best special effects. But enough talk, let’s watch Robbie take it all off!

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Sharp and stylish, Franz Ferdinand is one of the few English bands that’s been able to do really well in America in the 21st century. Though “This Fire” wasn’t one of their big hits, it’s definitely my favorite video of theirs. I’m a sucker for animation and their video’s creative mix of rotoscoping, live action, stylish sets, and a great a color scheme has me hooked. Enjoy:

Oh, and if you were following the series of Grammy nominated videos posted on here, The Black Eyed Peas took the award. I have to admit, it was an innovative video, but I was really rooting for “Her Morning Elegance”.

Land of Confusion

Teaming up with the creators of the British satirical television show “Spitting Image”, Genesis used their song “Land of Confusion” to create a politically charged, puppet-filled music video in 1986. The video focuses on eighties greed, cold war politics, and, of course, Ronald Reagen. However, there are countless caricatures of famous stars of the day — David Bowie and Leonard Nimoy to name a few. With all the work put into it, it’s no wonder it won the Grammy’s short lived “Best Concept Video” award in 1988. It was also nominated for best video at the 1987 MTV VMA’s, but lost to former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer”.

I couldn’t find a very high quality video, but it’s a bizarre trip even with a little fuzz:

Land Of Confusion

Caution: The Moving Walkway is about to end

Three years ago, in the wake of OK Go’s treadmill takeover, I wondered if anyone else would try a similar stunt. Quite quietly, Canada’s Feist followed up by dancing on airport people movers. You may remember her from the 2007 Ipod commercial featuring her song 1,2,3,4. For such a mellow singer, her videos are surprisingly exciting and choreographed. Let’s check her out:

My Moon Man

Delphic

Hailing from Manchester, Delphic is a brand new group that combines atmospheric synths with melancholic guitar riffs. In an interview with BBC they touched on the musical heritage of Manchester, a city which spawned punk groups in the late 70′s like The Buzzcocks and post-punk and college rock groups like Joy Division (subsequently New Order) and The Smiths. Melancholy was the theme Delphic mentioned that united many of these groups and it is not absent from their debut album. If their songs draw on the past, however, their music videos are totally modern. Take a look:

Doubt

Pop Royalty

With a new decade underway, I can’t help but wonder, “Will Lady Gaga dominate the teens like Michael Jackson did the eighties?”. Though Lady Gaga regulary lists her influences as Queen, David Bowie, and Boy George, it’s easy to draw parallels between her and the king of pop. After all, both launched a careers full of unconventional fashion, powerful vocals, and stunning music videos.

With videos like Lovegame and Paparazzi, Lady Gaga brings to mind traditional pop videos of the early 1980′s and turn of the twenty-first century. In Lovegame the parallels with Michael Jackson’s Bad are all too clear: urban underground setting, leather jackets, crotch grabbing – it’s all there. So, without further ado, here are two videos from the king of pop and 2009′s pop princess:

A-List Contenders

The last two Grammy nominees for best music video are Coldplay and the Black Eyed Peas. It’s interesting to see their two videos’ very different approach to technology. “Life in Technicolor II” utilizes the traditional art of the puppet show. Meanwhile, “Boom Boom Pow” makes use of all sorts of never-before-seen digital effects, though it all combines into a video that seems, in my opinion, sort of disjointed. Do these major names have what it takes to beat Depeche Mode and the two brand new nominees? Only time will tell.