Grizzly Bear | "Ready, Able": the video

It's no news how I feel about Grizzly Bear - I mean, I have expressed my undying love before.  Veckatimest is still up there and I don't see myself hiding it in the back of my closet any time soon.  I still consider it one of my favorite releases of 2009; plus, I have too much emotional baggage attached to this album.  But, on my behalf, I do consider this mild addiction still meandering in the realm of the healthy.  Anywho... why justify?  This is the land of the free, right?


Last week Grizzly Bear released the music video for "Ready, Able".  Now, the videos for their two previous singles proved GB is constantly pushing their limits.  What can I say?  They're creative entities - slightly twisted, but creative nonetheless.   I love "Two Weeks", adore "While You Wait For the Others", but "Ready, Able"is my ultimate favorite (Just so you get a picture, it is the most played song in my iTunes -- but, seriously).

Like the song, the video opens the door to different interpretations, it is truly the visual equivalent to the aural experience.  On one hand it is mysterious, dark and makes you turn to yourself to do some self-examination.  On the other hand, it is playful, full of colorful details and imaginative.


The band decided to use claymation, stop animation using clay, under the direction of Allison Schulnik.  I particularly liked Schulnik's interpretation once the song hits the bridge, where the track comes to a climax full of organs, strings and chorus.  In turn, the ghosts are isolated in the darkness and spotlighted as they morph from one emotion/character to the other.
(PERSONAL FUN FACT: these forty seconds after the bridge are my favorite part of the song... so, thank you Allison Schulnik for making this moment so worthwhile).
Anywho... enjoy!




NOTE: While we are on the subject of claymation, I feel I should mention two artists that come to mind, just in case you want to pursue this form of art.  

First artist: Jan Svankmajer, a Czech cinematographer considered one of the front runners of stop motion and clay animation.  He is best known for his interpretation of Alice in Wonderland and his surreal short Darkness/Light/Darkness.

Second artist:  Daniel Farah, he is a Mexican artist who has recently emerged from Savannah College of Art and Design.  He is an animation and a motion graphics artist.  His portfolio is quite interesting, full of short-films definitely inspired by surrealism and magic realism.