VIDEO OF THE WEEK – DANGEROUS HIPPIES

Chosen by DJ Monk

Despite the ongoing lockdown in many parts of the Überverse, we are still receiving a healthy bundle of submissions for our coveted ‘Video Of The Week’ title. Many of them are produced against the background of continuing quarantine conditions in some countries, while others reflect artists being able to return and flex their creative muscles once again.

Our award this week goes to a band whom it could be argued summarize a marriage of styles as well as the old wedding adage about the bride wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed…” although, in this case there is definitely nothing blue (apart from some of the fluorescent lighting used) about the debut single from alt-pop duo Dangerous Hippies.

The name maybe new, but the band’s two members certainly ain’t strangers to the hoary old world of rock ‘n’ roll, as they are Marshal Dutton and Cody Hanson (whom regular ÜR readers might recognize them as the lead singer and drummer respectively of one-time wannabe ÜS alt-rock stadium fillers Hinder). As its title suggests, debut single ‘1982’ sees them turning the clock back to the heady days of ‘Miami Vice’-style pop rock, with the accompanying video very much inspired by retro ‘80s stylings, with a strong focus on neon colours, arcade games and vaporwave aesthetics. With so many artists and directors using the 1980s as a visual template for their videos, the high-production value and cinematic direction of Dangerous Hippies’ video manages to stand out , and if you’re into the recent trend of extravagant “flashback to the ‘80s” movies like ‘Turbo Kid’ and ‘Kung Fury’ you’re going to love this:

Our first two “honorary mentions” are somewhat stylistically linked. The first comes from a band who in the past have accused me of being “prejudiced” against them, just because the first time I saw them live I didn’t enjoy the experience… but, there is no doubt about the following that Swedish gothic circus masters Avatar have deservedly built up over the years, with their sound maturing to match the ambition of their early imagery. New single ‘Colossus’ is the third to be lifted from their forthcoming eighth album, ‘Hunter Gatherer’, and comes complete with a highly impressive video which superbly “mirrors the dystopian reincarnation of the band as it explores humanity’s vicious and complex relationship with technology and control” which its creators sought to deliver:

We maintain the dystopian visual theme with Los Angeles industrial-infused metallers Society 1, the band fronted by the renowned video director Lord Zane, who has worked with nu-metal and gothic rock legends such as Static-X and John 5 but has turned his attention to one of his own songs for the first time. He told us some of the background to the resulting video: “I love sci-fi and always wanted to do some type of futuristic space theme. Luckily when you have your own video company you can do crazy projects like this. The track has some electronic elements, so it seemed like a good fit to finally explore my love of spaceships, holograms and lasers. I know it seems weird, but I just didn’t want to do another video of a band in a warehouse or desert banging their heads.”

A change in pace and tone now, as we travel to snowy northern Finland, where we enjoy some Rat Boogie and meet ‘Wonderboy’, who is the subject of the power trio’s first single, lifted from their forthcoming debut album, ‘Bad Gravity’, which is due for release next month. The band told us that the song is about “encouragement and respect to the unsung heroes who stubbornly keep on playing the bar gigs and arranging jam sessions no matter what, to those self-taught masters who do a good job in keeping spirits high in their local community and providing different perspectives on life through music”. The accompanying video made me smile, as it depicts the three band members rushing to make the shoot, with some nice, subtly funny moments included:

We pop over the border to Sweden for our penultimate offering this week, where we wade into the Black Ink River and revel under the ‘Sulphur Sky’. There’s not really much more we can say about the song, other than it is a very neat slice of stylin’ and profilin’ stoner-infused rock ‘n’f’n’ roll, or the video, apart from press that wee arrow in the middle of the screen and revel in its beautiful parody:

Our final offering – yes, folks, we’re chucking you a Brucie bonus bone this week, is one we simply couldn’t resist… well, it is Alestorm and it is the brilliantly anarchic Captain Pugwash-meets- Spongebob Squarepants video for ‘Shit Boat (No Fans)’, the latest slice of suitably buccaneering mayhem from Cap’n Bowes and his crazy crüe and their new album, ‘Curse Of The Crystal Coconut’:

Well, there you go. That’s your lot for this week. Hope you have enjoyed the new sights and sounds we have brought to you this week. Until next Sunday, keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and #StaySafe…