Gossip is so many things: controversial, powerful, individual. I wouldn’t classify them as retro, though. As a result, the 80’s-themed video for Music For Men‘s second single, “Love Long Distance”, is absolute genius in its old-school, think-outside-the-box execution.
You may know about Beth Ditto’s penchant for vinyl catsuits. As the first drumbeats kick in and the keytar is fired up, it appears she has managed to turn the rest of the band onto the bizarre style. Not so fast, though. This is only the setup. The payoff occurs when the camera pans slowly upwards, revealing giant balloons in place of heads, each with perfectly timed lips, eyes, nose, and hair. Surprisingly, the emotion of the song is carried across by the CGI appendages. Whoever did the green screen work deserves a medal.
The idea is stretched to its limit. Have you ever wanted to see a balloon man on the toilet? Thought not. Even so, it’s a great reminder that a strong creative idea can really carry a video. How could you improve on this idea? By adding roller skates, of course. It accentuates the bobbing of the heads, almost as if they are nodding in time with the music. There is a message, however. Beth eventually flies into the sky only to find her balloon lover with another person. She pops him, and that’s it.
Emotional content aside, this is a truly excellent video that adds a lot to the song. “Love Long Distance” isn’t an obvious single, but combined with the perfect creative idea, it has become a real force to be reckoned with.
“Love Long Distance” is released on September 13th.
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