stress.music.video.by.justice.is.lame.
Dear Xavier,
I'm sure you've neglected to notice that it has been a long time since I've publicly fawned over you. One could say that you and Justice were my summer romance of 2007, lingering long into the autumn months but eventually falling flat as winter came and went. I might as well admit that the raining sweat of scenesters and raver kids from your MySpace concert more or less washed any remaining sentiments of affection.
Nevertheless, I felt the need to write this note to you since recently you've been acting up the part of the obnoxious ex-boyfriend, what with your irrational and non-explanatory motions of whoring yourself out while trying to maintain that cool, composed, aura of a skinny jeaned deity. This is heavily pronounced by your newly released music video for the track Stress, which has caused much astir within the French community (as revealed to me by one hungry frenchman) and Justice fans alike. For context, I've provided the video below:
To start, I'll plain admit that Stress is my least favorite track on †, but I still have a lot of questions. How do you feel after watching that video, Xavier? Do you feel dignified that your video encapsulates a set of Justice flavored miscreants that truly define the 'edgier', converse-wearing, side of electronica? I'm sure their acts of chaotic, nonsensical chic-violence will truly define the real fans from the lesser strata of MySpace buffoons in a heart beat, while simultaneously convincing the confused parties to go ahead and purchase the conveniently 'Now for Sale!' Justice leather jacket with matching jeans.
All a matter of opinion, of course, but here are two tips that I think you should focus on:
1. Stop making shitty music videos for the sake of hype. (Your last two were fantastic, so find another way to express yourself cathartically)
2. Start making music. (Touring is no excuse. You need a new album. Pronto.)
I was going to include a third tip that involved you halting your habits of making out with cute french hipster ladies instead of me, but I've grown beyond such lofty dreams. I'll give you some points for clever employment of your group's name to the extent that you have crowds of fans chanting 'Justice! Justice!' during your concert, but if modern calls for 'Justice' elicit rather blazé acts of unmotivated violence, please count me out. For the sake of comparison, see Nima Nourizadeh's video for Jamie T.'s song Salvador Version 2(go here and click on the thumbnail under Music Videos with the skull-faced children in front of the fire) So, until that next album...
Bon voyage!
<3 .tiff
Comments
First guy- Hey guys, have you heard this song we're supposed to be working on?
Second guy- I'm listening to it right now, at least I think I am. My iPod might be busted because it's been playing the intro for five minutes.
Third guy- No, that is the song.
Second guy- Oh. OH. Oh no.
First guy- Don't panic. We just need a really interesting video to make up for it. So let's start brainstorming!
Seven hours later
First guy- I HATE MY JOB! I HATE LIFE! Hell with it, just film a bunch of guys beating the S*** out of people!
D.A.N.C.E. was such a cool video, too. How the hell did they think this was a good idea?
Way to miss the point guys...
In addition to film references, the "Stress" video captures some of the sentiments among French immigrant youth during the 2005 riots. Police clashed with youths and over 8000 cars were set on fire during the riots, which lasted well over a week.
I think the jackets were simply used as a device to tie the gang together with the track. The jackets are not an indication that Justice actually approves of the actions enacted by those kids.
The video also falls in line with Director Romain-Gavras's previous works which look into the environment and people of certain subcultures. However, the "Stress" video isn't as humourous.
Although it may be discomforting for some of you to watch, the video goes well with the track. Both are quite raw.
I thought it was awesome.
If the point was to make a reference to the incidents of 2005 through startling imagery and violence, the video did a fantastic job. The jarring acts of the adolescents tromping through the city causing chaos effect the viewer with levels of visual brutality that rarely if ever surface to the mainstream media.
But where does that leave the viewer by the end of the video? No moral is learned, no message is communicated other than a hyper-violent re-enactments of the riots. Given the historical context these scenes are no metaphor. These boys are not our heroes, yet the glorification of their acts followed by the camera seem to elicit a sort of 'badass' glamor to their violence.
This is particularly capitalized upon by their matching converse sneakers and their fashion saavy Justice jackets. The Justice jackets are the only point of departure from the apparently accurate historical reference to the riots. What does Justice and their club-happy electronica success have anything to do with this? What virtue does Justice achieve by stamping their symbol on the backs of these rioters? The most consistent imagery we have is the view of the † symbol on the gang's jackets.
Of course I don't think Justice is supporting this violence. What does seem evident, to me however, is an attempt to re-brand the current fun time fame they've received from the masses for the tracks D.A.N.C.E. and DVNO, back to a gritty elite hipster-cred that they're readily starting to lose.
In other words the video, for me, would have been very different if the acts if violence didn't have the Justice symbol plastered all over their every move.
i think it's a cop out to say "oh, the point is to get people talking; and bring these events to light". while i think there's validity in that, it's just to easy to leave it at that as a main answer/reaction, and im glad no one did.
although i see why you wouldn't want violence to be branded with a "†"; visually it brings unity to the piece and has you understand who is who and gives you a certain expectation, which adds to the tension of the video for an aptly titled "stress", even though the song came first. i think the interplay between music and visuals plays well, if not a little long... i don't think it's completely a glorification thing, though i could see how we could be conditioned to think that given media criticism of many facets of entertainment these days; if you think of the alternatives, i think the branding with the "†" was the best option. if they leave them as random people dressed different from one another, it lacks cohesion; if they make up a fake gang, it's less believable; and if they dressed in just black with no "†", then there's less emphasis/focal points, especially in a video with such low color saturation. so in short, i think the Justice †s were more for visuals than straight marketing, even though it could work for that, too... if it makes you want them more, seeing them worn by such people while committing these acts... or if you just support Justice and their gall to make a video like this, given the success from the kinds of videos they've been making up to this point.
the video adds diversity to their burgeoning catalog of videos; instead of just adding on to their graphic designer exercises that aren't exactly challenging any sort of social issues.
that said, i like the video and don't have too many issues with it; i do think, though, that it sort of has exposed us to the fact that the things we watch on tv, e.g. the news, has softened us up, especially in the US, and maybe that's why this video is getting some of the reactions from people that it has gotten; though i do not find those reactions particularly invalid, in and of themselves.
good video. good responses. i enjoyed it.