Best Music Videos of 2007

2007 will be remembered as a year that offered simply way too much good music to keep track of. Alongside the good tunes came some equally brilliant music videos.

This list contains 15 of the best music videos of 2007, and was compiled by me (Melissa Robot) and no one else. Thus, it reflects my own personal favorites from the past year. I have no idea what the co-bloggers picks for favorite music videos of 2007 would be. For all I know they sit around watching videos of Billy Ocean all day. Oh wait, I guess I'm the one that's been watching 'Get Outta My Car' non-stop for two days straight. Anyway... For once I'm going to refrain from my typically epic reviews and allow these videos to speak for themselves. I recommend that you watch all of them.

15.

SHITDISCO - OK
Directed by Price James
SHITDISCO's video for 'OK' features pop-up book puppetry that somehow manages to sync up with the song to near perfection. A cute and innovative concept for a video that completely blew my mind the first ten times I watched it.


14.
To My Boy - Model
Directed by squarelips

'Model' is the first To My Boy video I ever laid eyes on, and it sold me on them completely. The colorful clockwork motif compliments To My Boy flawlessly, right down to Jack and Sam's matching belts. Click here to read my full review of To My Boy's music.

13.
GhostHustler - Parking Lot Nights
Directed by Pete Ohs

Is that a Nintendo Power Glove I spy? Those things seem to be resurfacing everywhere lately. This video clearly exhibits the most practical usage of the classic Nintendo Power Glove. Look out for my absolute favorite punch-to-the-face (occurring immediately after the sub-par breakdancer finishes executing enthusiastic uprocks and coffeegrinders on a Nintendo Power Pad).

12.
Spoon - Don't You Evah
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Keepon developed by Hideki Kozima and programmed by Marek Michalowski

Oh wow do I want one of those little Keepon robot things. It's just so cute. Not to mention that it dances to Spoon's music beautifully. As a dance journalist I must note that the cinematographer has captured little Keepon's quality of movement on film exquisitely.

11.
SoftLightes - Heart Made Of Sound
Directed by Kris Moyes

Kris Moyes has succeeded in keeping the painstaking art of stop motion animation alive and well in the video for 'Heart Made Of Sound'. This super cute video looks like it must have taken eons to make. Kris Moyes also directed the video for the SoftLightes' 'Microwave Song', which can be found here along with more information about SoftLightes.

10.
Dan Deacon - The Crystal Cat
Directed by Jimmy Joe Roche

I would probably include any Dan Deacon video in a top 15 list based solely on that weird little prancing dance he does and the face he makes whilst doing so.

9.
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh

If you knew how much I adore this Hot Chip video you'd probably ask why I've placed it at #9 and not #1. Seeing as the video has only been floating around since December and is for an album that has yet to be released, it will likely be included on next year's list too. Read my full review of 'Ready For The Floor' here.

8.
Architecture in Helsinki - Hold Music
Directed by Kim Gehrig

There is just something pretty wondrous about a bunch of Australian hippie nerds jumping on trampolines in brightly colored ponchos. The editing is stellar as well.

7.
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Directed by Alma Har'el

I'm fairly certain that most people watch this Beirut video and think to themselves 'Whoa, Zach Condon has a mustache and people happen to be dancing and there is a lot of confetti fluttering around and then suddenly he is at the ocean and his mustache has disappeared and he plays his trumpet while standing in the water'. I can't help but take a closer look at JoAnn Jansen's ballet influenced contemporary choreography. It looks very West Side Story-esque to me at times and leaves me wondering if Jerome Robbins might be choreographing Beirut videos were he still alive today.

6.

Van She - Cat and the Eye
Directed by Krozm

I adore Van She and I love love love all of the music videos the guys from Krozm have directed. What I like most about 'Cat and the Eye' other than the bizarre costumes, is mainly the way the camera never stops panning right or left, circling around, or focusing out and back in. The effect is dizzying, and somehow it almost feels as if you're the one moving. Read more about Krozm and Van She here.

5.
Jens Lekman - Sipping On The Sweet Nectar
Directed by Marcus Söderlund

This Jens Lekman song tugs at my heart strings and the video reminds me of when I would find myself in scenic locations having epiphanies about life. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and Jens is flying a plane and singing at the same time. Does life get any better? 'Sipping On The Sweet Nectar' also happens to be the only Jens Lekman song that reminds me slightly of Barry Manilow. I probably shouldn't disclose that, since everyone seems to be disgusted by Barry Manilow.

4.
Omnikrom - Été Hit
Directed by Jérémie Saindon

I'm not sure exactly what it is that makes me love this video to the extent that I do. It could be the catchy as hell song by Montreal's Omnikrom. It could be the spinning neon Rubik's Cube heads. Or it could very possibly be Linso Gabbo's colorful plaid shorts that truly make this video great.

3.

Damn Arms - Homewrecker
Directed by Krozm

Krozm seem to have a penchant for including heads with strange features and inanimate objects as heads in the videos they direct. It never gets old for me, especially in Damn Arms' 'Homewrecker', where various shapes for heads are interchanged and when removed, show nothing to be beneath them.

2.
Bat For Lashes - What's A Girl To Do
Directed by Dougal Wilson
'What's A Girl To Do' might just be the most amazing single take video I have ever seen. It features a beautiful girl riding a bike down a dark forest-y road, accompanied by a gang of hoodie sporting, animal masked beings that appear at every chorus to clap their hands (or paws) and perform choreographed tricks before disappearing once again behind Natasha Khan. Dougal Wilson's creative vision for the 'What's A Girl To Do' video is just absolutely flawless in every possible way.

1.
Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
Directed by The Brothers Chaps

If there is one music video that I will remember 2007 by it will be Of Montreal's 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse'. Upon seeing this video for the first time in early 2007, I thought it was the most random and bizarre video I had seen in a good while. My reaction was a mixture of 'wtf' combined with wonder and awe. Every time I watch it, I sit around and ponder what sort of mind it took to come up with every little last character detail seen in the video. Upon closer inspection (just two days ago) I discovered that the video was directed by The Brothers Chaps. Yup, that would be the guys who have brought Homestar Runner to us for all these years.

My favorite parts of 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse' are 1. The sheet ghost in the audience and 2. When Kevin Barnes sings that he is 'in a crisis' and at that moment he is kneeling inside of some strange red object with a worried expression on his face. Every second of the video happens to be pretty amazing, really.

So there you have it. Those were my personal 15 favorite music videos of 2007. Hopefully 2008 brings us some more visual stunners.

KROZM vs. Van She & Midnight Juggernauts

What do Krozm, Van She and Midnight Juggernauts have in common? For starters, they're all Australian. Secondly, they're all amazing. It may or may not be obvious to you that Van She and Midnight Juggernauts are bands; but who or what exactly is Krozm? Their myspace informs us that Krozm is a collective comprised of five humans (Chris Hill, Ewan Macleod, Lachlan Dickie, Brandon Tay and from time to time, Dan Bronsema) who specialize in video, film, direction, cinematography, animation, design and interpretive dance.

Whether Krozm are kidding about the interpretive dancing or not, I do not know. It seems laughable, but interpretive dance would be almost too appropriate to list, considering that their videos do feature some dazzlingly killer moves and editing.

These lads are based out of Melbourne, Australia and are responsible for directing some of my favorite music videos as of late. Krozm typically make the type of videos that you watch and wonder 'how can someone (or five someones) have the brain to come up with any of this stuff?!' I've come across people that hate any video (or any piece of art, for that matter) if they cannot wrap their brain around the concept of it or figure out where the logic is. If you often find yourself staring at the screen in confusion and anger when shown a moderately abstract video, then sadly you may not like Krozm. However, If you're anything like myself and love seeing things like random deer heads on a human body juxtaposed with interesting editing and camera work, then you just might love the creations of Krozm.

The boys of Krozm have created a visual masterpiece for Van She's new single 'Cat And The Eye'. What I love about this video other than the bizarre costumes, is mainly the way the camera never stops panning right or left, circling around, or focusing out and back in. The effect is dizzying, and somehow it almost feels as if you're the one moving. The song itself is a lot more commercial sounding in comparison to the sparkling 80's reminiscent space pop previously heard from Van She. Still, Van She prove further that they know how to drop an addicting melody. If I heard this song on mainstream radio here in the U.S. it would be a welcomed change to what is typically played. Look forward to a full Van She album being released soon on Modular.

Van She - Cat and the Eye
Uploaded by krozm

Krozm have made a whole slew of videos for Melbourne band Midnight Juggernauts. 2007 saw the release of Midnight Juggernauts' full length debut Dystopia, released on Siberia Records. With a synth-rock sound that draws influence from Daft Punk, ELO, Giorgio Moroder, 70's sci-fi/horror film score music/Goblin; Midnight Juggernauts somehow manage to create a unique sound as mysterious and expansive as outer space itself. My favorite Midnight Juggernauts video may also be one of Krozm's simplest. The key ingredients are fog, lights and mirrors.

Into the Galaxy - Midnight Juggernauts
Uploaded by krozm

Again, the way that the camera pans and appears to dance around the band members is what truly makes this video great. It's incredible that simple things such as lights and mirrors in conjunction with a camera could create something so beautiful and fascinating to watch. What's even more impressive is how perfectly the atmosphere and visual aesthetics of the video match up with the song.

Check out more Midnight Juggernauts videos directed by Krozm here.