OK, now that still shot we posted from the “Australia” vid shoot makes sense. Those orange outfits aren’t prisoner uniforms, they’re prospective-prisoner’s uniforms! Not sure how petty theft ties into “Australia”‘s lyrics (or why the song’s called “Australia,” for that matter). But who cares, look at the pretty balloons! In related dopplegänger news, James Mercer may soon be a better actor than Kevin Spacey.
UPDATE: The Shins are criminals, Australia’s first settlers were criminals. Discuss.
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Vaguely “Bottle Rocket”-inspired? No video could do the song justice, anyway.
the shins are way better actors than they are musicians. i think they should quit the music industry and go into VAUDEVILLE! they’d be almost as entertaining as the slipnuts from conan o’brien. almost.
SUCH a better video than the one for Phantom Limb. Actually.. Australia is a better song than Phantom Limb anyways. Turn On Me should be the next single!
Somehow I like the song ‘Australia’ better when I see it with a video.
Being Australian myself I have never actually had any idea of what the song has to do with the country. The idea of the criminal uniforms connecting to the settlement of Australia was good but it doesn’t make too much sense for the rest of the video. I guess I’ll just have to re-think all those years of studying Australia’s history in primary school.
The Shins: killing birds and other animals with balloons since 2007.
Discuss? OK.
Australia’s first inhabitants were the Aboriginals. The ‘criminals’ came much later, but there were also free settlers who came along with the criminals. They started farming and turning the Aboriginals into criminals by taking their land and killing them when the Aboriginals tried to defend their country.
This song and video have nothing to do with Australia at all. The song and video are criminally bad. Perhaps that’s the real connection.
Well..I don’t know about a better actor than Spacey. But, he really looks like him. I will always think that.
There is nothing about that video that doesn’t scream “Bottle Rocket” homage. Seriously. There is NO other explanation. Even the “Australia/criminals” one doesn’t hold up in comparison.
James Mercer had a bad experience in Australia?
Seriously, I’m loving this video. Their bassist Marty has this sly grin.
i like this song much better when they play it live. they play it at a faster tempo and has better momentum. it drags a bit in this video.
compare:
The Shins – Australia (Live at Palladium Ballroom)
Oops, I tried to link it but the html didn’t work.
Here’s the link to the live video of Australia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z9BPhxhB0Y
“Australia’s first inhabitants were the Aboriginals….”
Beat me to it. And also, the first people off the boat would have been the ship’s crew. After 9 months at sea, they would have let the convicts off first.
Beside the point tho, the song is good.
According to a Radio interview I heard here in Australia, the song is called Australia because James Mercer wrote the song whilst on tour in here. Lyrically it has nothing to do with Oz – it is actually about a woman he used to work with.
Total Bottle Rocket homage.
Good god, lighten up, everybody! While you’re at it, find me a recent video (intentionally) funnier than “Australia” and then I won’t feel so bad for all of the harsh nit-picky b.s. on here.
Just to out-technicalize the several that are getting all technical about those-that-first-tread-on-Australia, you should be using “Aborigines” not “Aboriginals”.
I hope they realize that they just sent those balloons off to a premature death. Trying so hard to be activists. Did it ever occur to them that maybe the balloons were tied to cars for a REASON?
Goddamn hippies…
totally agree with Evan on Turn On Me being the next single. best song on the album, methinks.
LET IT BE KNOWN that about 80% of those balloons you see are actually computer generated.
Bottle Rocket: yes, but i can’t believe nobody has gotten the A-Team reference yet!!!
Are they “liberating” the balloons/releasing them into the wild akin to certain animal-rights activists or are they just taking the balloons to watch one spectacular release? Agree with Pippa, watching the video makes ya like the song better…
They are good actors! The guy in the suit is sly. Those car lot attendants are good too, are they in the band?
They are good actors! The guy in the suit is sly. Those car lot attendants are good too, are they in the band?
This vid was filmed in Vancouver, WA. Which has even LESS to do with anything, lol
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