There are a lot of videos coming out of Austin these days, so we’ve decided to make life easier for you by compiling some of the most notable into a recurring feature called Out of Focus.
Matthew Squires “Shape of Your Heart”
Quirky Austin fixture Matthew Squires‘ new album Tambaleo finds him exploring new angles of his hyper literate persona, but one of the most appealing is “Shape of Your Heart” for its twist on the true nature awkward shy guy at the center of so much of Squires’ work. Squires and co-director Erik Gatling make that even more apparent in the video for the song, emphasizing Squires’ nervous tics and hiccupy singing style then retreating to the shadows for the reveal that the Squires of “Shape of Your Heart,” isn’t a mere nice guy, he’s the Anti-Christ. Though I wish the video featured more of the moody intensity of classic devil films like Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen, the sharp contrast in colors depending on the “face” Squires is displaying does serve as a nice riff on the day-glo aesthetic of ’60s happening films. And even though it’s not a scary or unsettling work, there’s a chance you won’t view Squires the same way after watching it.
Gloves Intl “We Bump”
There’s no denying the stylistic draw of all things Gloves Intl. More than a minimalist funk band, Gloves is a way of life, projecting an icy cool demeanor no matter how heated the rest of the world gets. The band’s latest single “We Bump” is a study in contrasts, juxtaposing the withdrawn, teasing falsetto of the lead vocal with some gruff demands from the rest of the band to keep your hands tight as the drums go from barely there to jittery and unavoidable. Fashionable production duo Kash Powers turn in a video that is a bit more unified, featuring the band in their natural habitat, picking up friends and fans and throwing some secret shindig for anyone hip enough to get an invite. Breakdancers and champagne flutes and lots of gold are involved.
The Teeta “Sayonara”
The Teeta and his Team Next cohorts have their sights set far beyond success in Austin and you can see that in every release they unveil; they’re a crew that wants to stand out in every possible way. Grind Life Productions’ budget for the video for Teeta’s “Sayonara” was probably pretty low but that doesn’t matter because it’s as much a lifestyle production as a music video, following Teeta along on his daily routine, emphasizing his swagger and keen fashion sense (seriously, the rest of Austin hip hop could learn a thing or two about presentation from Teeta). As Teeta himself puts it in “Sayonara,” “My branding is ill.” Now he just needs a budget to take that brand global.
Nick Hanover got his degree from Disneyland, but he’s the last of the secret agents and he’s your man. Which is to say you can find his particular style of espionage here at Ovrld as well as Loser City, where he mostly writes about comics. You can also flip through his archives at Comics Bulletin, which he is formerly the Co-Managing Editor of, and Spectrum Culture, where he contributed literally hundreds of pieces for a few years. Or if you feel particularly adventurous, you can always witness his odd .gif battles with his friends and enemies on twitter: @Nick_Hanover
