Coming back after being trashed by old people and surviving a serious van accident (and collegiate a cappella), the Dirty Projectors have unleashed an entertaining, unexpected video directed by Matthew Lessner. From its early days at SXSW to when we heard Bitte Orca in full, “Stillness Is The Move” stood out on an album that many of you have argued is the best of ’09. It was always clear it would be the single, but what wasn’t clear was that its video would involve synchronized dancing in powder blue jumpsuits or the Projectors wearing hoods and running with wolves. The gals are the main focus, but solitary Dave makes a believable llama herder.
Watch a larger version here.
Bitte Orca is out via Domino.
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FUCK YEAH!
Anyone see the Beyoncé influence on this video? ALL THE SINGLE LADIES!
We can only hope they’re single. *le lust*
i kinda expected two doves to start at the end of the video. but wow. fucking awesome
Terrible, terrible song.
Bad teacher? Ah ah ah. Bad principal!
what would super nintendo chalmers think?!
Every time I play this song people complain and ask me to turn it off. Your comeback, “Get new friends.” my response, no really, this song is terrible.
those wolves look like my siberian husky.
I think this video could be the Biggest What the Fuck of 2009. But in a good way, since any conventional attempt at a video for this song would very likely be lame.
Also, great song! Love.
huh?
this is a conventional video.
Um, huh? I guess I define conventional loosely. I meant that it’s unconventional in that you don’t see people dancing on hillsides with llamas in costumes in every music video. But I could be wrong.
Nat Baldwin wins best music video performance for his convincing portrayal of a llama.
respect the llama
Is that the llama from the Wilco cover?
Dude, really? You can’t tell a llama from a camel?
That’s an alpaca.
FUCK I wish I didn’t watch this video. I realized from the first part that the singer has some sort of lisp, and now it’s really hard to listen to this song BECAUSE I CAN HEAR IT EVERYWHERE. FUCK.
That’s like the first time I saw Isaac Brock sing.
She has nice teeth.
If you want, you asshole, since you are so tormented by the singer supposedly having some lisp, I could put you out of your misery for you? How does that sound?
i watch this video and i…jizz in my pants. /lonelyisland
ha really liked that video. I hope no one is pissed becuase they think it was trying to evoke some deep meaning that just turned out to be bullshit. This video was just for the mood and a good reason to get them in strange costumes and dave with a lama all amongst some nice scenery.
Llamas have never been so indie.
This is fucking amazing. End of story.
after all that they’ve been through, I know that Dave and that Llama will make it.
I felt as though the post-Freudian angle that DP is going for with this video is rather bizarre: I mean come on, let’s throw out the whole notion that Hegelian ideas of the dialectic is being evoked when the llama is nuzzled, and what the video basically becomes is some pseudo critique on sexual politics in America, with an emphasis on hipster love-making.
Try harder, DP, please. You’re not fooling anyone.
Anyone who down-voted this doesn’t understand sarcasm.
As much as I love all three of those girls, those pants are not doing them any favors.
Perfectly unique and cool.
How come the wolves don’t attack them, you can tame wolves these days? Some special sort?
They are the special “not wolves” type of wolf.
Aw, I liked that. So cute seeing the girls all choreographed, and this song is a summer jam!
it’s better than that nightmare factory of a grizzly bear video.
higher quality of the video and more at http://stillnessisthemove.com/
:O
You’re a terrible Aaron, change your name! This song is so good, and the video is so pretty!
does anyone know where this was filmed?
It was filmed at Mount Equinox in Vermont.
…visually in my own head it’s some red white and blue animated J5 Coca-Cola commercial or Peter Gabriel swimming with goldfish type thing but that’s just me…
Where was it filmed?
This song was definitely written for the llama.
the hyper-linking in this article is out of fucking control.
video and song are dope.
Church music with the “indie wolves”. God why does every music video have to have some sort of wolf? Or for the picky ones, something that looks like a wolf? (huskies)
I know you’re trying to be sarcastic, but sarcasm only works if it makes sense. How are Hegelian dialectics and llama nuzzling related? Now Delueze, I could understand.
I bet DP are theory heads. I voted up your comment because it made me laugh at the thought.
this video is atrocious. these musicians have no visual sense or judgment whatsoever. it’s embarrassing. it ruins the song completely.
every official music video i have seen by hyped bands this year have been atrocious. what’s up?
NOT ENOUGH ANGEL
The one girl’s near stumble at the end was kinda cute.
The video is embarassing and doesn’t fit the spirit of the song whatsoever.
Cosign has a little piece on Lessner: http://www.cosignresearch.com/?p=751
Thanks for the link!
Oh, indie wolves. Groundbreaking.
I don’t understand the need to put a wolf in every goddamn video lately.
TLC -> DP = Don’t go chasing llamas.
I had the exact same reaction … i was ambivalent about DP … but now I know that chick doesn’t have an unusual voice, she has a disabled voice.
I thought that was albino Jesse Lacey at the beginning until she started singing.
Not to split hairs, but aren’t those Siberian husky dogs? Not wolves?
Also, creepy skin-coloured lips are creepy.
I didn’t know Dirty Projectors had a song on The Emperor’s New Groove soundtrack! (sorry, awful joke.)
This video is VERY Wilson Phillips, and doesn’t fit the song at all. Best of luck in future efforts though!
Those aren’t wolves. They are alaskan malamutes.
what type of video would fit the spirit of this song?…you over critical bastards.
visuals that respect the simultaneous quirkiness and catchinesss of the song without falling into visual cliches of quirkiness and a mocking attitude towards its catchiness.
Was the awkwardness intentional? With the weird dancing and the uncomfortable close ups during the vocal trills? I hope it was. But, for the sake of this song’s video potential, I hope it wasn’t.
Dirty Projectors have been around for years, so why are people just now starting to hate on them?
For the same reason people started hating on Animal Collective, Girl Talk and Vampire Weekend ? overhyped.
see, this is where i have a problem. hating on bands because they are ‘overhyped’ is absolutely fucking childish. the amount of hype a band gets should no part of your decision to like or dislike that band. all hype should be do for you is allow you access to music other people like, and whether or not you enjoy it is up to your goddamn tastes.
fuck i sound like a moron… would people stop saying ‘overhyped’ forever please, it’s just a ridiculous concept and it ruins my motherfucking internet music time.
I love the Dirty Projectors and really do favour Bitte Orca, but oh man.. this video made me so absolutely uncomfortable. Truly. The close-ups, swinging camera shots, (hopefully ironic) syncronized dancing, and all on a mountaintop nonetheless. I dug the llama and the cult vibe was pretty damn sweet, but all else? Epic Fail. Too much money, not enough ideas. Cheers.
I don’t understand the hate. You’ve got a llama, wolves, a mtn, ANGEL!, two other women, ANGEL, a fuckin eagle, bad ass hollowbody 12 string, ANGEL, and other awesome shit.
Best video I’ve seen in a long time.
That’s Amber who’s singing. Angel is the sexy one.
On top of the highest mountain, there is a great loogie.
I am in love with Amber Coffman. Like, head-over-heels in love.
so a bunch of dweebs move to my neighborhood in Brooklyn to be accepted by the people they think are cooler than them, they sample “Big Pimping” by Jay-Z, waste time making some pretentious shit video like this to go along with it, and then they receive comments like “this is fucking amazing”…wow, the world is way more fucked than i thought it was. this song is straight up annoying and so it everything else i’ve heard from dirty projectors (way cool name, btw, dude!)
i’m not hating for the sake of hating…i’m hating because music is my passion in life and i can’t help speaking out against this indie poser sheep phenominon that apparently is still happening. stop moving to brooklyn with your trust fund money and pretending you’re doing something original and/or important. your ruining it.
You’re a cute kid. Go play outside.
ha “Big Pimping”…obviously not true but not too far off
I was alright with you droning on about how your taste in music is superior to everyone else’s, but when you told us what kind of wine you were drinking, I realized that I DO, in fact, know exactly who you are. You’re That Guy.
Gross.
aww, you said ” you’re that guy”…i remember that phrase. you probably also say things like “i can tell you but i’d have to kill you”
i think this group is overrated.
I’ll take a stab in the dark and just say that they’re not professional dancers. They just don’t look comfortable doing that dance. Still love the song though.
This looks like one of the fantasy sequences from The Song Remains the Same.
Adorable. I’m impressed if a bit disconcerted that the sound is so polished and mainstream now. When I first saw them it was all Dave and so jarringly Shudder To Think. Like, in your face male vocal contortionist with angst to spare. I would never have imagined the progression into girls dancing on hilltops with Mariah Carey vocals. But I really do think Its nice having the focus on the women. Wish the other two got some camera time. Angel is a insanely talented musician in her own right. Sort of lame to make her into back up dancer.
when did someone start talkin about wine? dont see that comment…
Death to the dirty projectors!
OBAMA LLAMA!!
whoa: weirdest interpretation of this song and video yet: http://slouchingtowardsbushwick.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/obama-llama-in-stillness-is-the-move/
hi-lite: “The lead singer, Amber Coffman, acknowledges his long-term economic stimulus program, even stating her cooperation: taking whatever job is available for the time being.”
weird.
This is the greatest video ever to involve bright blue parachute pants. Did you know that when Dave stands still he naturally spins in a circle?
oh, and in case you non-artist/musician, super fan bloggie herbs start throwing the word “bitter” around, i’ll add I’m not bitter (i may be a bit drunk on Brunello di Montalcino right now, but I’m not bitter). I do just fine. in fact, most of you probably know who i am but that doesn’t matter…what matters is the music. the music. ok, and the scarves.
check out my new hit on stereogum.com. it’ll change the way you pick out jean shorts.
You are so full of shit and yourself. This band and this video are awesome.