Music Video Archives - Various Small Flames

Praything – Soon Soon

Liam Doyle — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 17:50:42 +0000

Back in 2013, we wrote a short post about a video for ‘Soon Soon’, a single from Praything’s Her Skin Caught The Glow EP (which featured on our Best Free Music of 2012 list). In preparation for new music, Ju Kovacevich has teamed up with Loose Narrative to re-release the single as a way of re-familiarising us with his sound, so we thought we would follow the recycling lead and re-share a modified version of our post.

As beautiful as the song itself, the video for ‘Soon Soon’ is made up of black and white time-lapse photography of clouds and landscapes, capturing the both the epic nature of the track but also its sense of peace and the palpable passing of time. In the unveiling, Kovacevich revealed his inspiration for the song and his reasons for making the video:

“A few weeks ago, the person who inspired “Soon Soon” prematurely passed away. She was a mother and I wrote ‘Her Skin Caught The Glow’ about her daughter. It was difficult to communicate with her in the few times I met her. The right side of her body was paralyzed. Her speech was limited to mostly yes’ and no’s. Yet she was always lively, funny, and sassy. She laughed and gossiped with her daughter. She always complained about the food they served at the nursing home. She loved Virginia Slims and McDonald’s Iced Coffee. Her love for her daughter always showed through in the conversations I had with her.While her speech in dialogue was severely limited, she was able to sing full stanzas of songs from memory. The first time I met her, I was stunned to hear her sing a line or two of a love song she remembered. She lifted up her mobile arm and gracefully gestured toward the sky. Every word was sung beautifully. Every note was perfect.

With “Soon Soon”, I wanted to create a physical world that was timeless and unfamiliar. Slowing down the beautiful time lapses Brian shot made the clouds and light dance playfully. I saw new rhythms appear in the heavens. While not being religious myself, I wanted both the video and record to at least attempt to create a place of spiritual calm.

The video is dedicated to her, and the little time I had the pleasure of spending with her.

May she find calm soon.”

You can visit the Loose Narrative website for further information, including links to Spotify and iTunes.

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Video Premiere: Naomi Pop – Farewell Navigator

Liam Doyle — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 18:13:13 +0000

Back in September we reviewed the self-titled album by Boston indie pop act Naomi Pop, one of many great released by the Slovakian cassette label Z Tapes.

Today we are happy to bring you the music video for the track ‘Farewell Navigator, which we described as “lean and wiry indie pop, a song of changes and goodbyes”. It was probably my favourite track on the record, and just gets better when twinned with the charmingly psychedelic DIY video by Henry Demos/Nice Legs’ (and all round good guy) Mark Lentz. Check it out via the Z Tapes Youtube channel below:

Farewell Navigator is surrounded by other good songs on the band’s self-titled début. If you haven’t already then why not grab Naomi Pop via the Z Tapes Bandcamp page? There are still some tapes left! You’ll get a lovely package in the mail which may even include some delicious Slovakian sweets (which are worth the price tag alone, trust me).

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Liam Betson – Rapture In Heat

Jon Doyle — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 15:40:53 +0000

Last summer we reviewed Liam Betson’s LP The Cover of a Hunter, praising his distinctive songwriting style and delivery:

“His lyrics are often abstract and poetic, but delivered with a satisfying flow that brings to mind the experimental writing of people like William Gaddis or Evan Dara.”

Anyway, Betson has teamed up with James Benson to create a video for the track ‘Rapture’, featuring a weirdly subdued breaking-and-entering scenario where the character (played by Betson) carries out a range of ‘normal’ household activities in what is presumably not his house. The Betson/Benson team works well, with a series of seemingly abstract images (shoe prints in dirt, watching televised hockey in the dark, shoes and clothes on the bathroom floor, application/removal of lipstick etc.) forming a curious, eccentric little narrative that leaves you wondering just what is going on.

Yoy can buy The Cover of the Hunter now from the fine folks over at Double Double Whammy.

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