While we await the 20 track debut album (yep, that’s right, 20) from Clarence Clarity, we’ll be listening to his playlist on repeat.
Music journalists are notorious for making comparisons and infamous for making lazy ones. I’m struggling to make one at all between Clarence Clarity and well, anyone. If you’ve got any suggestions, send them to Wonderland HQ on the back of a postcard. In the meantime, listen to his latest track, the satisfyingly onomatopoeically named ‘Meadow Hopping, Traffic Stopping, Death Splash’ and gaze at the headache inducing wordart on his website. Although the beginning sounds a little like an air-raid siren, you’ll get into, promise.
We’ve got an exclusive playlist from the elusive artist to keep us occupied until his debut album ‘No Now’ drops on 2nd March. His persona and visuals have grabbed him nearly as much attention as his musical talent so here we have, in Mr. Clarity’s own words, ‘Ten Music Videos, That Spring to Mind, that I Like, and Possible Reasons Why’, not the catchiest of titles, but enigmatic as ever, the reasons are only possible. Settle yourself in for a music video marathon.
Rihanna – ‘Pour It Up’
Diving straight in at the deep end… This kinda got tarred with the same overly-sexualised-prostituted-female-objectification-brush as ‘Anaconda’ and that embarrassing J-Lo booty thing, but this is intense – those colours, the textures, the water, the money – I think its known as ‘art’. One of my favourite Mike Will beats also… Mucky.
Ariel Pink – ‘Are You Going To Look After My Boys?’
I just really like this song. How the elements of the production are such a brilliant mess that it becomes its own unique extraterrestrial sound. I suppose the video reflects this quite nicely.
Slipknot – ‘Left Behind’
Extreme pop is probably my favourite thing in music, and this nails it, hard. I couldn’t believe just how hooky ‘heavy’ could be when this came out. And I think this was the first video off ‘Iowa’, right? New masks unveiled etc – these were exciting times for a boy.
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – ‘No More Workhorse Blues’
So I was always a bit on the fence with B’P’B until I realised Harmony Korine did a video for him ages ago – suddenly with this new visual context it all made sense, and I’ve been been a casual fan ever since.
Dead Prez – ‘Hell Yeah’
Here’s a useful instructional video for how to live your life. Thank me later.
Orbital – ‘The Box’
This might just be my favourite music video ever. Maybe because I’m relating to the alien outsider existence portrayed here by Tilda Swinton, or something. It was her in We Need To Talk About Kevin right? I can’t quite remember what happened in that film, but I remember it being good. My official review right there (you can add that to Metacritic).
R. Kelly – ‘Trapped In The Closet Chapter 1’
I’ve put this in the list to hopefully fuck up any chance of productivity you had for the rest of your day. Go on, click it.
Sepultura – ‘Roots Bloody Roots’
I dunno, because it’s funny.
The Pharcyde – ‘Drop’
Spike Jonze’s video genius… Dilla beat… The Pharcyde… Beastie Boys hook… Sometimes the stars align. This backwards video still confuses me despite the fact the technique is pretty obvious. I think simple ideas breeding great complexity will alway fascinate me.
Aerosmith – ‘Crazy’
I’ll leave you with this. These were simpler times, when casting your daughter as a pole-dancing naughty school girl was totally not weird. You’ve been a great audience, have a safe drive home, I’ll see you next time. Clarence Clarity loves you.
Clarence Clarity – ‘Meadow Hopping, Traffic Stopping, Death Splash’
https://soundcloud.com/clarence-clarity/meadow-hopping-traffic-stopping-death-splash
‘No Now’, the debut album from Clarence Clarity is due for release 2nd March on Bella Union.