The first time I listened to David Lynch's recent album "Crazy Clown Time" was this fall at like 3am after having gone out to see M83. Definitely needed to chill out. But instead of chilling out, I hit some kind of meditative state that transported me to a world where my nightmares were like friends from the past coming to visit. I couldn't tell if I was awake, with Lynch's creepily comforting voice ringing in my ears almost with the mesmerizing hum of a mosquito. Let's just say that my mind stopped repeating the yelps in "Midnight City" and went on to ponder every single word Lynch's monotone, computer voice emits in "Strange and Unproductive Thinking". Bring on the nightmares.
But honestly, I'm so pleased that Lynch decided to create a video for the album's namesake track, since this is one of the more off-putting and challenging songs included. He could've easily done "Pinky's Dream", featuring Karen O to reach a wider audience, but Lynch being Lynch he picked the one that is seriously the most haunting and isolating one. You would do this, Lynch. Thank you.
We have 1950s nostalgia mixed with some surrealist mise-en-scene and effects. We've got a topless lady that Fellini would've died to cast, some screaming, head lolling, and fire. This is clearly a Lynchian video. And it's crazy clown time.
If there's a medium that film artists and critics should pay more "serious" attention to, it's the music video. Maybe my mind is just twisted, but can we please forget about MTV and VH1 top video countdowns and get more of this?
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