Today, Lykke Li shared the video for her song "Gunshot," from her album I Never Learn. Here are my initial impressions of the video after watching it just one time.
1. Oh great, it's a barking dog. I love dogs, but I've been pretty turned off by barking dogs in videos ever since I saw that horrifying Die Antwoord video.
2. Were certain sections of this video filmed backwards? Or is she just dancing like that for real? This could be the new moonwalk.
3. I'm loving the white kabuki make-up on her face. It gives off the impression that she's a ghost who's just wandering through this weird, post-apocalyptic society (I'm assuming it's post-apocalyptic, since everyone seems to be living outdoors).
4. This video could also double for a trailer to that new Mad Max movie they're making (which I imagine is a "gritty reboot," because what isn't anymore?).
5. When she gets "shot" by that boy's finger gun, I immediately thought about this old Eddie Izzard joke about guns. He basically says that no, guns don't kill people, but if you want to kill someone, the gun definitely helps, since you can't just point at someone and go "bang!" This video proves that joke wrong, apparently.
6. More stand-up comedy! The chalk outline reminds me of a John Mulaney joke: "We'll draw chalk around her body! That way, we'll know where it was!"
7. This guy lifting weights in the mirror reminds of the scene in Gummo where that weird looking little kid tapes a bunch of spoons together and exercises with them in front of a mirror in the basement while his mom tap dances in the background. What a weird movie. Even though he lives outdoors, though, this guy can apparently afford at least one dumbbell.
8. Well, it is 2014, so there was bound to be at least a little bit of twerking in this video. I bet Lykke Li's going to be called a racist, just like every other musician who dares to incorporate twerking into his or her videos or live performances. For the record, I don't think she's racist, but then again, I don't know anything about her.
9. Why did they feel the need to insert the sound of the motorcycle into the audio track? Unless that's part of the actual song, I don't think it was entirely necessary, especially since nothing else in the video was amplified that way.
10. So after the apocalypse, apparently people live in giant parking lots, but men and women have been separated to different sections. The women's section seems like a lot more fun, since all they seem to do is dance. All the guys did was lift weight and recklessly ride motorcycles, which isn't really my thing.
11. Snarky commentary aside, this video is actually very beautiful, particularly the parts that were filmed backwards (I think). It's ethereal and surreal without resorting to clichés or really resembling anything else out there right now. The song isn't bad, either.
What did you think of the video? Let us know in the comments section!
