I Want My Music Television vol. V

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.



No One - Alicia Keys


Alicia Keys has put out two good albums and after a four year hiatus she is finally back with what hopefully will be her first truly great album. After hearing the first two songs from the album it may just be. The first single No One is a song that could be a hit at any point in time had it been released by a Motown act in the 60's, Pointer Sisters in the 80's or Babyface in the 90’s. And I wonder if the over the shoulder sweatshirt is a nod that the song could have been a hit in the 80's.


So Small - Carnival Ride

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From the sound of her first single, we shouldn’t expect too much change on the second album from Carnival Ride, Carnival Ride. Here we have basically Jesus Take the Wheel part two complete with a car themed video. I’m guessing they are holding the Before He Cheats retread for the second single. The special effects in the video would have been cool if we haven’t see them before in a couple other videos and thanks to Hiro on Heroes. And is that the dude from Angel driving one of the cars?

Hot In Herre - Jenny Owen Youngs

There is no better way to make an absolutely horrible song better than to turn it into a folk song (see Mandy Moore's version of Umbrella). That is just the case with Jenny Owen Youngs version of the, um, "classic" Nelly song Hot in Herre. Plus the accompanying video is just hilarious. Seriously, how can you not be down with dancing polar bears? Rock Star - R. Kelly, Ludacris and Kid Rock   

With the boring Same Girl video that tried to capitalize of Trapped in the Closet absurdity, followed but the latest installments of the Closet anthology which was a complete let down I thought R. Kelly’s well had gone dry. Then came this video for Rock Star and the beginning was so inane I may think Kells may be back to his fine form. My favorite part is that he had to clarify that it was written by R. Kelly. Seriously, what was there to write? Love it. I starting to get excited for Trapped in the Closet 23 now.