Tinnarose’s single “Aesthetic Anarchy” has a title that wouldn’t be out of place in the ouevre of Douglas Sirk, falling somewhere between perhaps All That Heaven Allows and Imitation of Life, so who else to direct its video accompaniment than Austin’s resident melodramatic auteur John Valley?
Valley’s clip for the band showcases the choreography and haunting beauty of Hailley Lauren, a perfect match for the song’s evocative melody and sparse yet heartwrenching instrumentation. Lauren’s tragic protagonist is full of passion and grace but also an apparent self-destructive streak, and though she is eager to share that passion and grace with the equally beautiful Corey Bowling, Austin Penta’s story does not end happily, particularly once the couple become more domestic and Lauren is more eager to break free. You can pick up on elements of classic works like The Dollhouse and The Awakening in Lauren’s expressive arc but Valley shoots the video in a far less stuffy style than Hollywood typically brings to that kind of material, giving it the intellectual heft of a Noah Baumbach work or one of Michael Haneke’s urban thrillers. But you don’t need a film studies background or an appreciation for dusty melodramas to recognize the beauty and sorrow of “Aesthetic Anarchy.” So take a moment to enjoy it, then be sure to catch Tinnarose Sunday, February 12th at Kebabalicious before they head out on tour on the 14th.