Modest Mouse: "The Whale Song" (dir. Nando Costa/Bent Image Lab)

A lovely new video for Modest Mouse, by Bent Image Lab's Nando Costa. The video incorporates stop motion, visual effects, and motion graphics techniques, and tells the tale of an artist who enters his personal sanctuary and is "presented with a hand-crafted drawing tool that assists him in materializing his mental impressions."

Through drawing circular patterns, the machine discharges an endless web of yarn that guides him through his visual representations of his memories. The story progresses to reveal that he is divided between two worlds, one of dull reality and the second of warped memories. In the process of finding a way out of his consciousness, he is trapped between the two competing spaces, which eventually inflict lethal damage, acting as metaphors to self-destruction.

Super neat. More about the making of the video here. Stills from production here and here. "The Whale Song" appears on Modest Mouse's new EP No One's First, And You're Next." (Amazon)

[Viktor October 16, 2009 7:34 PM]

That's a fantastic video for a surreal song, thank you!

[lilbacon3 October 17, 2009 10:23 AM]

The creator of this video watched too many of those claymation ads for MTV in the 80s and 90s.

[spaceling October 17, 2009 5:19 PM]

I believe that there is a strong Remedios Varo influence here. see for example http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7T5qhW2h2F4/SeOnNxS4frI/AAAAAAAABTU/SALzkP_4P6A/s1600-h/4DPict.jpg

[Anonymous October 18, 2009 8:34 AM]

Love the drawing machine! Who made it?

[Anonymous October 18, 2009 10:00 AM]

First Modest Mouse record not completely unlistenable because of distortion/loudness-war!?
Great video btw.

[Xenu October 18, 2009 12:42 PM]

Video: beyond awesome
Music: pretty damn good
Vocals: ruins the entire thing

The guy from Modest Mouse needs to STFU and stop ruining their music!

[coaxial replied to comment from Xenu October 18, 2009 1:24 PM]

Those were my thoughts exactly.

[Itsumishi replied to comment from Xenu October 18, 2009 9:06 PM]

I'd have to disagree with you on that one. Isaac's voice (and lyrics, and guitar playing) are one of the things I like most about Modest Mouse.

I really do love Modest Mouse though, I thoroughly enjoy every album they've released (in Australia, I haven't tracked down 'This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About' or 'The Lonesome Crowded West' yet).

[Anonymous October 18, 2009 10:11 PM]

You really should track those albums down, Itsumishi. The Lonesome Crowded West is one of their best.

[Itsumishi October 19, 2009 3:31 AM]

Yeah I think I will download them right now.

I've bought everything I've come across in Aus (and bought The Lonesome Crowded West whilst holidaying in NYC but somehow lost the cd before I got a chance to listen to it!!)

[mork the delayer October 19, 2009 10:35 AM]

includes jowlin'