2008-04-02

You know me better (than I know Roisin Murphy)


Updated re-post:

"You know me better", one of the most impressive songs from Roisin Murphy´s "Overpowered" is now released as the third single.

At first glance, the video doesn´t look like much, but it is actually a stunning and great piece of work. And put in context with the former "Overpowered" and "Let me know", it makes perfect sense.

The whole sleeve and video concept shows Roisin wearing extremely unusual outfits in ordinary situations (the mobile stage outfit, complete with lighting-rigs and curtains should be pret-a-porter).
In the three videos she is always isolated and completely left alone with herself, almost oblivious to her surroundings.
She either walks home alone after her gig and goes to bed in full stage outfit, or she dances for herself in a restaurant which turns into a nightclub, while she is waiting for her lunch (of course none of the guests give a rats ass about all of this).

The amusing and carefree attitude is always overshadowed by a feeling of total isolation and loneliness. But - in true pop-fashion - we never know if she is happy or sad. She could be heartbroken, absentmindedly in love, or she could be totally and utterly mad!

And now, in "You know me better", we see her in multiple roles (or mind-sets) losing her mind in suburbia.
Once again we are led astray by a plethora of strange costumes and wigs. The visual style of her appearance echoes Cindy Sherman, while the setting and direction is a mixture of Douglas Sirk, R.W. Fassbinder, Ingmar Bergmann and a bit of John Waters.
Behind a fractured succession of banal moments we see hints of desperation, compulsive behaviour, loneliness, schizophrenia and paranoia.

In the end one of her incarnations dances alone in her living room. The same dog appears with different "characters" and before the camera retreats like a shameful voyeur, we sense that the meaning of the lyrics could mean something totally different.

For itself "You know me better" is a great but harmless pop-song. But this simple, yet somber video turns it into a sinister dream:

On the other hand...maybe she is only waiting for her hubby to come back home!

UPDATE: Following the tradition of her latest videos, here is a making-of. It shows that a fairly large crew was involved with this, which is rare these days.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

the "mobile stage outfit" must've been those show-offs Victor & Ralf...
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2007RTW/complete/thumb/VIKROLF

StellaVista said...

Thanks for the link, a.j.
Now I see that the high heeled dutch clogs are part of the concept.
I just wonder that the style.com article, and apparantly the reaction of the spectators were so negative. Maybe it hit too close to home?!