V – You Stood Up
Finally the 4th best single of 2004 gets a video! And it’s a very good video too – the bit where one of them appears to be about to castrate himself with a sword is highly amusing and the fact that I managed to forget Kevin even existed until the final shot is not a bad thing. However, despite both video and song being very good, I’m a bit unsure of them together. They don’t really seem to match as the mood of the video is far too jolly for the song. It is a bit sad with Antony being in love with a girl and getting teased, but then she cuts his face with a sword which, unless I’m missing something vital, is rather random. The video didn’t really make me go “Wow! Best video ever!” as it should have, but it did keep me watching intently throughout (apart from when I was wondering what happened to a) Kevin or b) Aaron’s hair), they’re still the best boyband of the moment and the song is the best boyband ballad in many years, so it has to get a high scoe of poptasticness.
96% Poptastic!
MIA – Galang
For months I thought MIA were the initials of some indie band, and I’m still not sure who I was confusing her with, but MIA is in fact a young Asian girl who is releasing this strange but very ace song next month. Her last single Sunshowers was equally unusual but grew on me quickly and surprisingly (her ‘urban’-ness put me off at first), so I think this will be the same. Both videos are extremely ace as well. Galang has MIA in various fab outfits in front of several different very colourful backgrounds.
78% Poptastic!
Jay Sean – Stolen
I couldn’t stand Jay Sean or his last, ridiculously crap single Eyes On You, but I have a newfound respect for him for letting himself be made so uncool. He seems to be being marketed as the Asian Craig David and I may not be a big Craig fan but I’d have cheesy r’n’b ballads over *insert whatever Eyes On You was supposed to be* any day. He’s also had a bit of a makeover (ie. hair cut and posh suit), which has revealed his true Darius likeness. The video stars him and his Beyoncé lookalike (how original!) girlfriend, who is clearly far more popular than him (just like real life, where Beyoncé IS far more popular than Darius!) which seems to mean he needs to go and snog someone else in an airing cupboard. Hmm…
45% Poptastic!
Scissor Sisters – Mary
When I bought their album earlier this year, the Sisters quickly became one of my favourite bands of the moment and the album was my favourite of the year for a long time. This is a lovely song, but the video is a bit strange to say the least! It involves a lady, presumably Mary herself, going about her daily routine – waking up going to work, looking frazzled around the office. As odd as this is, it is when she looks into the photocopier that it gets really strange. Inside the photocopier seems to be a whole cartoon fairtale world, with a Rapunzel-esque character about to be saved by her prince charming, until he is suddenly knocked out of the tower window by some evil green creature, and both end up swinging from her endlessly long blonde hair. Very odd!
86% Poptastic!