Image white background green graphic image of a car with the band members inside the car works well ontop of the plain white background the characters are of all shapes and sizes different races dressed "cool-ly"
Text graffiti style writing of the band name slightly drippy- also red, connotations of blood, death red is bold ontop of the white and is edgy
the text and the image work well together ontop of the white background. the text is graffed under the car. the red graffiti matches the little bits of red on the car, the lights for example.
the lay out of the graphics is quite messy and adds to that edgy effect
all together i can see the target audience is for a younf trendy audience ranging from about 12 to probably about 25. it also seems more male with the car and the graffiti which have more male connotations.
you would expect the music to be quite upbeat and funky, which in fact it is.
MUSIC VIDEO
This music video uses animation, as the band are more fictional characters, and don't actualy reveal their true identities. this adds a mysterious out of this world effect to the video.
The genre of music is a mix between hip hop and rock.
The visuals amplify the music in that they are listening to the music in their car.
In the video they go on a journey thorugh an animated world, which to an extent illustartes the lyrics as they talk about a new world, and slowing down, and it goes well with the visuals as they are zooming through a trsnage world in a cool car.
The performers are cartoons but are shown singing to camera, in the car, which works well, its is quite intersting watchin a cartoon character perform.
Some research on past and present album covers CONVENTIONS
- Artist Name/Logo (Front, Spine, sometimes Back) - Album Name (Front, Spine sometimes Back) - Tracklisting (Back) - Record Company Logo/Info (Back, Spine) - Copyright Info (Back) - Barcode (Back). However, the main image(s) on an album cover often vary depending on the music genre. Pop and RnB acts tend to be more polished and airbrushed, featuring a CU/MCU of the artist in a glamorised pose. CATEGORIES - Genre (Pop; R&B; Rock; Dance; Alternative etc.) - Chronologically (Release Date) - Format (CD, Vinyl etc.) - Target Audience (Age; Gender; Music tastes etc.) - Image (Illustrated, Photograph or Artists' Photograph?) - Artist (Mainstream, Independent or Unsigned?). . FUNCTIONS
Promotional Image: Artists' personality, musical style or influences can be portrayed by constructing an effective image that the audience can identify.
Genre: The genre of music is often identifiable just by looking at the cover. Dance albums, for example, tend to use lots of visual effects whereas a mellow indie band may use an abstract photograph..
Tracklisting: By providing the names of all the tracks it helps, for example, new fans of an artist who are aware of some of their singles and want to branch out and hear their other tracks. This is particularly important in the new ages of digital music, where consumers can download specific tracks from an album at their discretion..
Basic Information: Covers need to provide certain vital information very clearly. The name of the artist must be very prominent so it catches the audience’s attention and the album title must be clear so it is distinguishable from other releases. Institutionally, important record company and copyright information is needed..
Lure the Audience: If the cover is striking, bold and eye-catching then its visual appeal will entice audiences into both looking at the cover and finding out more about the artist. This is vital when marketing an artist in such a overcrowded industry – each cover must be something new to get the audience’s attention.
Indie rock/ punk/ rock album covers
these covers have an indie feel to them, using earthy or dull colours, browns, black and whites
the razorlight album and the killers album have the band posing in a line. this is quite conventional of bands, to have them lined up all together wearing clothes that will appeal to their targhet audiences- in this case- skinny jeans, tee shirts, trainers- will appeal to indie kidsm teenagers, young adults, etc.
Uk Grime album covers
these album covers all have the artists on the front in a 'street' pose. they also have lots of graphics on them making them more urban and edgy.
American hip hop/ RnB album covers
the hiphop album covers all seem to have an image of themselves looking attractive and sexual on the front, maybe to appeal to the oppsite sex and to make the same sex idolise them. this is how they construct a star image on the front cover of their album.
Lyrics: He knew what he wanted to say But he didn't know how to word it The dirty little Herbert Was thinking an escape But the place was well guarded
The guiltiness that started Soon as the other part had stopped
D is for Delightful And try and keep your trousers on I think you should know you're his favourite worst nightmare D is for...
Desperately trying to stimulate what it was that was alright 3 quarters of an hour ago That had led him to be in a position
And every compromising Another freak episode
He's nearing the brink but he thinks first The parallel universe perhaps could be the perfect scene He's nearing the brink but he thinks first The parallel universe perhaps could be the perfect scene He's nearing the brink but he thinks first The parallel universe perhaps could be the perfect scene He's nearing the brink but he thinks first The parallel I think you should know you're his favourite worst nightmare
D is for delightful And try and keep your trousers on You should know you're his favourite worst nightmare
Idea for music video: • Teenage boy in a girls house with a girl getting off on the bed • suddenly the door flies open as the track drops • we then cut to the dad chasing the boy out of the house • he is carrying his jeans and half putting his shirt on • for the rest of the song we follow the chase through the town and bit by bit the boy finally has his clothes on
The inspiration from this chase idea has come from ‘we are scientists’ music video with the bear chasing the band.
TEMPTATION GREETS YOU LIKE YOUR NAUGHTY FRIEND- featuring Dizzee Rascal
This song is about tough times that teenagers have to go through. The themes being, peer pressure, temptations, influences. This song is about teenager’s lives and how they can get tempted and pressured to do things and influenced by friends that aren’t really that good a friend. They are in fact “naughty friends” getting you into trouble, etc. Even though u should hate them, u feel like you can’t. This comes out clearly through the lyrics of the song:
I don't ever want to hate you, So don't show me your bed, The only roads are cul-de-sacs, The first thing that she said.
Temptation, greets you like your naughty mate, The one that used to get you in bother, But one you could never bring yourself to hate.
And she said we've got that spark, That only lights a fuse, Helps you see in the dark, But it's a sight you'll lose when, The temptation greets you like your naughty friend.
I don't ever want to hate you, So don't show me your bed, The only roads are cul-de-sacs, The only ends are dead.
Temptation greets you like your naughty mate, One that made you steal and set things on fire, But one you haven't seen of late.
And I said that kind of talk, Only adds intrigue, To the cauldron of thought, It's already exceeding, Temptation, the very thing that held her back.
I don't ever want to hate you, So don't show me your bed, The only roads are cul-de-sacs, The only ends are dead.
I don't ever want to hate you, It's not part of the plan, So keep your charm where I can't see it,
And your hands where I can.
{Dizzee Rascal}
We used to be in tight me and my naughty friends, Caused enticement[?] in the air, I mean day 'n' night, We robbed, we stole, we loved to fight, Smoking, drinking, joyriding, Drugs, thugs, not law-abiding, Reckless gangsters[?] no direction, No sign of correction, But then i switched it off, Changed my ways, What the hell! Like oh my days , But like my naughty friends, They're not phased, Can't believe that this music pays, See no reason why we can't do, All the things we've always done, Still in my heart I know thats just what, But its hard to fight the temptation son.
{Arctic Monkeys}
The panic will fall down around you, If you don't do what i say.
I don't ever want to hate you, So don't show me your bed, The only roads are cul-de-sacs, The only ends are dead.
I don't ever want to hate you, It's not part of the plan, So keep your charm where I can't see it, And your hands where I can
All teenagers can relate to situations like these Ideas for the video: Shots of teenagers smoking, drinking, fighting Knives, hoods, Night time, car parks Gatherings Stealing things
This music video is very minimalistic yet effective using a white pure background adds to the pure and meaningfull effect of the song using lots of bright close ups of intense and meaningful facial expressions we realy feel something. the images we are being shown very much illustrate what the lyrics are saying and the performance illustrates the music as the artist is playnig the piano making the music stand out. the images we are shown create lots of emotion as with the words and the slow soft music, it makes us think about what we are being shown. and in this respect the music video is a success.
P Diddy- bad boy for life
this music video is exciting to watch, and gives an insight into P diddys life. this is exactly what he is singin about, therefore the viusla sillustrating the lyrics also the visuals of him and his friends dancing and singing illustrates and amplifys the music. this video is almost like a short film, the narrative and the performance blend in to one. it all happens in his neaghbourhood.
the song is hip hop and the video conforms to the hip hop style of video- a rich lifestyle, girls, and being a bad boy! Kelis- Milkshake
the genre of this song is hiphop/rnb
Kelis sings about 'her milkshake bringing all the boys to the yard' now this may be code for something else but in the video, you see what your hearing she is literaly in a milshake shop making ood milkshake and lots of boys are coming for the milkshake but realy, the boys are coming for her as the video clearly shows her being sexy and seductive, the fact that theyre in a milkshake shop singin about milshake is realy nothing to do with anything. and this is why the video works. this video's visuals are illustrative of the lyrics in a big way, we hear and see milkshake, it is based around 'milkshake' although this is realy subtext for her being sexy and getting lots of boys attention; this stands out in peoples minds after watching it.
these days music videos are becoming alot more artistic and constantly striving to break the conventions of music video. one example of this, is ok go's music video for their single 'here it goes again'
this music video is unique and unusual as it is one continuous shot. the band are performning an entertaining dance routine using treadmills. this genius idea actualy makes this music video interesting and fun to watch and it stands out in lots of people minds.
because of this the video was talked about alot and i have often seen it posted up on people myspaces. the band also have performed it live, with the treadmills and that was good promotional material for them.
so through trying to break music video conventions with a oneshot, solely performance based video, ok go have managed to achieve a more popular status and a success of a music video and single.
This is a great music video, its a simple idea and comes across as being very funny, whitty and entertaining. The thrill of the chase gets you excited about the upbeat song. Using a bear costume is cheap and easy to do and it's genius. the band are scared for their lives and are running around the whole town as if this bear is going to kill them. this gives the song lots of energy and adreniline. the visuals amplify the music in a big way the fast action of the performers in the narrative make the music realy exhilerating and together they work realy well making the music video fun to watch. the genre os music is indie/rock this is mostley shown through the iconography of the band wearing skinny jeans, shirts and ties. converse and messy hair. the close ups of the guitars and drums construct the indie/rock genre.
Arctic Monkeys- quick lets leave before the lights come on
This music video is quite simple and filmed and edited in a real time, story like way. this music video belongs to the indie genre the relationship between the viuals and the lyrics are contradictory what we are being shown is not literaly what the lyrics are saying. the music and the visuals also have a contradictory relationship the visuals are film like and have a narrative ther is no real performance and they are not especialy cut to the beat
pendulem- slam
this music video is very funny and also simple and easy to shoot, yet it is very effective and has a big impact on the audience. pendulums style of music is drum and bass, a dark and grimy genre this video is a fat man dancing in the streets of london... very contradictory of the music and lyrics yet it works very well and is memorable to audiences.
music videos work around 3 codes- music lyrics and iconography! the relationship between these codes is key to understanding music video.
Andrew Goodwin in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (1992, Routleedge) has identified the following features of music video.
music video conventions
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics 2. there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals 3. there is a relationship between music and visuals 4. the demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of thye artist (visual hooks) and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style) 5. there is frequently referance to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body 6. there us often intertextual referance- films tv, other music videos, etc.
