A Review of... Duffy: Rain on your Parade Video.

It's this kind of thing that the word 'cool' was invented for. Frank Sinatra, Tarantino movies and Uber stylish monochrome 60's style music videos.

The video isn't wildly original, it reminds me of two things; Emma Bunton's 'Maybe' video, (amazing video, bad song- which always takes down the cool factor) only Duffy's is moody where Bunton's was stylised. And of cause Bunton's was a homage to the 60s to start with.

Then, weirdly Duffy's own 'Mercy'. I don't know if the record company felt they should keep to a theme for her videos or weather the Mercy vid was so cheep they thought "what the hell, they won't notice if we do it again"? But hay, if it ain't broke! And the simple lighting, sharp dancers and 60's style Duffy defiantly ain't broke.

Tones of kudos to the dancers and choreographers here for such an incredibly slick job. It all fits so perfectly with the music and lyrics as well, not just a load of people dancing around.

Also Duffy looks amazing. I wonder if that's people mean when they say smart casual? As long as you have the jacket who needs anything else?

The tragedy of it is though is that the Mercy Video was re-made for the U.S. as it was too simplistic...What!? Simple = dramatic! It makes me hope Duffy is a one hit wonder over there so this doesn't suffer the same fate. Our weather may suck but at least when we are stuck inside we can watch the unedited versions of mini masterpieces like this! God it feels good to be British... I'm off to drink some tea out of a Bowler hat and salute a picture of the Queen.

A review of......M.I.A.

I know where the root of musical genius comes from. It's not there from birth and you can't teach it, no it comes from brightly coloured leggings. Every artist I have passionately loved over the last few years has proudly sported a pair. Santogold, Love fox from CSS and everybody in the 80's (you can't beat a good bit of 80's fun), hell I bet tights/leggings were everywhere in Mozart's day. Maybe Thom York and Morrisey like to ware them as thermals when the weather get chilly...who knows! It's a good theory and I am sticking by it and the person who best proves it at the moment is the shiny legged M.I.A.
You know how good music must be when one of the first things people are discussing when cumming out of a movie is the soundtrack, especially when that sound track is largely by one artist and extra especially when that movie is multi Oscar/BAFTA award winning in it's own right. There is a lot that is good about Slumdog Millionaire but M.I.A's soundtrack makes those moments great. Her laid back rhythmic beats compliment the movies montage moments perfectly and turns what could have been down beat earnest moments of the film into colourful spirited memories, which is what they were- Slumdog was never supposed to be a feature length Comic Relief video, it is a life story and the sound track adds that life and colour. Imagine the train scene without paper planes- it's a completely different scene.

At the same time it isn't an over the top fun track, it never lightens the mood of the kid's situation to much but you could just as much imagine stoner Americans chilling out to it as friends having fun on a train in India.This is the very reason Pineapple Express also benefited from the brilliance of paper planes, Pineapple Express's trailer was about five times better than the actual movie just because the cool atmosphere magicked up that one track.

Hollywood only just seams to have discovered M.I.A. and she seems to be everywhere at the moment-well good I say! She seems to be concentrating on fashion lines at the moment but I hope Hollywood never gets tired of her music, I know I haven't. Maybe one of the best things to love about MIA is how easily her songs can be mashed with other tracks. I know it's sacrilege- but it's funny sacrilege. If you check out the link to Life the Universe and Anything's youtube account you will find many of them there. My absolute favourite has to be the sublime but ridiculous Jimmymore. You MUST listen now!