The 5 Best Videos Of The Week

The 5 Best Videos Of The Week

Father John Misty’s “Total Entertainment Forever” video fucking sucks. An attention-needy folk rock star makes a video where the kid from Home Alone plays a crucified Kurt Cobain: This should be the subject of a Father John Misty song, not an actual thing that Father John Misty did. And I might forgive all the bullshit if the video looked good, if it wasn’t just gallingly and repulsively ugly. So that video isn’t on this week’s list. Instead, you’ll find this week’s picks below.

5. Young Thug – “All The Time” (Dir. DAPS)

Throughout history, whenever rock stars have held and brandished snakes, it’s represented threatening, oozing masculine sexuality. Young Thug has turned snakes into just one more cool-looking thing that you can wear. He is a pioneer.

4. First Hate – “The One” (Dir. Anton Falck)

Give these terrifying, Funny Games-looking Nordic kids credit for making a fucking harmonica look like an intimidatingly fashionable accessory.

3. Ty Segall – “Break A Guitar” (Dir. Matt Yoka)

From its opening drool-streamer to its Cronenbergian ending, this is just an absolute psych-punk delight. I may have involuntarily clapped my hands at the end.

2. HAIM – “Right Now” (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

Literally anyone could’ve directed this, but there’s something about the deep focus and classical framing — or maybe just the fact that one of our greatest filmmakers has his name on this — that turns a fine in-studio performance into what feels like a real cultural event.

1. Cashmere Cat – “9 (After Coachella)” (Feat. MØ & SOPHIE) (Dir. Jake Schreier)

One of the best things that a music can give us is context. This video is all context, and it turns that mission into a lovely formal experiment. Between this and Young Thug’s “Wyclef Jean” video, 2017 is starting to feel like the year of the meta-video.

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