The Cold Cut

Rihanna- Disturbia (Link 2) (Link 3)
Rihanna- Disturbia (Jody Den Broader Remix) (Link 2) (Link 3)
Rihanna- Disturbia (Anthony Lago Vs. Flashlight Creeping Club Remix) (Link 2) (Link 3)

So, Rihanna has really changed. There is obviously much more to this Barbadian teen (apparently not- she's now 20) that we first thought.

'Disturbia' is a departure for Rihanna- it's not as chart-safe as her previous output, and with the exception of 'Umbrella', arguably superior. The video has been long in the making- ever since I heard the opening line 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this?', we've known that something was up.

The video is a weird mix between a 'Blue Orchid' style stop motion with some very strange imagery. From bodypaint to bodybuilders, this video exudes a feeling of unease. This is what pop music videos are meant to be like. Do you love it?

[Buy]

Pharrell, Santogold and Julian Casablancas- My Drive Thru

I'm not in the mood to regurgitate a former post and start ramming 'My Drive Thru' down your throats. It seems to fit into the Marmite mold- you love it or you hate it. I am in the former category, purely because this song is too cool for school. I'm also salivating at the prospect of further Converse collaborations, purportedly from MGMT and Does It Offend You, Yeah?.

The new video for 'My Drive Thru' premiered a few days ago, and it's just as slick as the song itself. First things first, it is entirely original, a luxury in the modern advertising world. I have never seen the cut-out technique used in a music video, and it fits like a glove. All in all, a perfect pitch from Converse.

I doubt you will know So-Me (I didn't), but his work is inescapable. His music videos will probably rank in the 2007's most memorable lists: Justice's D.A.N.C.E, Kanye West's 'The Good Life'. Both great videos, but both toppled from their pedestal by So-Me's latest offering. Returning to Justice, the video for 'DVNO' is simply amazing. So-Me, an animator by nature, has put together something fresh, with graphics illustrating the words of the song and much, much more. Basically, if this doesn't win something, there's no hope for us. Watch it...

Justice- DVNO
Justice- DVNO (Youtube)

It appears I really missed a trick. The video for CRS' 'Us Placers' has been out since late December, but I only stumbled upon it today, out of the blue. The video itself is further proof that CRS aren't going to be 'just another rap group'. The use of a Thom Yorke sample cemented that fact, and the video goes further, simply by not featuring any semi-naked women, sex or alcohol. Instead, Kanye, Lupe & Pharrell are played by three lookalike children, who rap out the song, with the aid of a young Thom Yorke. Its a nice move, and is already superior to most of the rap videos which appear on MTV Base etc. This wont be the last we hear of CRS, trust me.

It appears that Justice have the smarts to match their seemingly endless ability to remix tracks and make them sound much better than the original; their new video for D.A.N.C.E.-their hit single- uses a frustratingly simple idea to great effect. Before I reveal too much, just watch the embedded video below, which features some cool t-shirts which I wish were real!

I was browsing NME.com when I was lucky enough to find a link to the excellent new video by The Strokes for You Only Live Once. Please take my recommendation and follow the link below to watch this great video for a great song. I have loved The Strokes since their genre defining debut, Is This It? , and if you are even slightly interested in popular or indie music you should listen to all 3 of their brilliant albums.

Click here to watch the brand new video for The Strokes- You Only Live Once