Eight videos (May 2020)

Billie Eilish, Soccer Mommy, Red Velvet, and more!

Billie Eilish: “Xanny”

Don’t forget that behind Finneas’s obscuring clouds of sound, she’s a hell of a writer. The ease with which she ironizes “dying by mistake” with “in Silver Lake” suggests she could get work in a sitcom room if pop music is no longer logistically possible.

Soccer Mommy: “Circle the Drain”

Her most ’90s song (the video even has skateboarding), so her best, probably. The generational difference is she’s she’s no mere slacker: better public understanding of depression is one of the few things that’s got better.

Master KG ft. Zanda Zakuza: “Skeleton Move” (2018)

Absolutely straightforward elements: Pachelbel, hooting, insistent clapdrum, one-finger synth pre-set to annoy, “remember the road that will lead you home.” Since this is dance music, no reason not to track down the full six minute version.

Rina Sawayama: “STFU!”

This seems to be the best realization of the elusive nu-metal riffs/pop structure hybrid theorists have long sought. The secret is that the riff is both meaty and tucked away in the back, like hired muscle in case you talk back.

Merle Hazard ft. Alison Brown, “(Gimme Some of That) Ol’ Atonal Music”

down is but on one goofs touching for Schoenberg always unusually this

Red Velvet: “Psycho”

The structural trick is to make the bridge from “Creep” into a pre-chorus, changing its mood from it’ll-never-be-requited-waaah to “this is unhealthy but cute.” The upper register singing from (checks Color Coded Lyrics) Wendy and Seulgi is uncharacteristically individualistic.

Usher ft. Ella Mai: “Don’t Waste My Time”

Two excellent singers, as business-like as the title suggests. When Jermaine Dupri initially interjects “Y’all know what this is!”, he’s just setting expectations, which, happily, are met.

Kalie Shorr: “The World Keeps Spinning” (live)

Later: she got COVID-19. She got over it. COVID’s still here.