Album 14

[ZiZi]

This video is an absolute disgrace. And they did it again: first an (ugly! those colors!) lyric video, and an 'official video' two weeks later. Same with international blue.
If there is one rule, it's not to split attention (if you want attention). I.e., the views on Youtube for the lyric video won't transfer to the official one. Why not release the song when the 'official video' is ready. Amateuristic.

[UEF]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

This video is an absolute disgrace. And they did it again: first an (ugly! those colors!) lyric video, and an 'official video' two weeks later. Same with international blue.
If there is one rule, it's not to split attention (if you want attention). I.e., the views on Youtube for the lyric video won't transfer to the official one. Why not release the song when the 'official video' is ready. Amateuristic.

Doing well on YouTube these days is about doing well on consecutive videos - that may be the reason they do two for each song

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

This video is an absolute disgrace. And they did it again: first an (ugly! those colors!) lyric video, and an 'official video' two weeks later. Same with international blue.
If there is one rule, it's not to split attention (if you want attention). I.e., the views on Youtube for the lyric video won't transfer to the official one. Why not release the song when the 'official video' is ready. Amateuristic.

Well said, Tim!

[Porco]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

This video is an absolute disgrace. And they did it again: first an (ugly! those colors!) lyric video, and an 'official video' two weeks later. Same with international blue.
If there is one rule, it's not to split attention (if you want attention). I.e., the views on Youtube for the lyric video won't transfer to the official one. Why not release the song when the 'official video' is ready. Amateuristic.

>14,300 views, >1,000 likes, 11(eleven, total) dislikes so far.

Come on FD, I’m sure you could get that up to at least 20 dislikes before the day is out if you really really try.

(Which is not to invalidate anyone’s opinion, just to say maybe you’re in the minority so perhaps not an absolute disgrace?)

[Routine Builder]

It's not worth the effort leaving a dislike on a video (especially one where the effort given isn't that much to begin with, JUST JOKING!). If we're using YouTube metics, it probably means Together Stronger is the best Manics tune of the last ten years, I'll leave that hill for whoever wants to die on it.

[Son of Stopped]

Originally Posted by Porco

>14,300 views, >1,000 likes, 11(eleven, total) dislikes so far.

Come on FD, I’m sure you could get that up to at least 20 dislikes before the day is out if you really really try.

(Which is not to invalidate anyone’s opinion, just to say maybe you’re in the minority so perhaps not an absolute disgrace?)

Wow, I love those stats!

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

It's not worth the effort leaving a dislike on a video (especially one where the effort given isn't that much to begin with, JUST JOKING!). If we're using YouTube metics, it probably means Together Stronger is the best Manics tune of the last ten years, I'll leave that hill for whoever wants to die on it.

It's their third number one on physical. I remember seeing it but for a few dollars more I bought something else.
Orwellian their fourth number one if physical single?
TUVL gaining interest. Have a happy summer unless emergency follow up news.

[ZiZi]

As much as I adore the band ("This one's for the freaks" is about me;-)), the more I think their commercial branding/promo is below par. For my job I'm working with some grand professional 'brand'-agencies, and this kind of promo-campaign would never ever get a release.

I guess it has to do with budgets. And of course, the number of views on Youtube isn't correlated with quality, but an attractive video or promo-campaign could lead many people to the music. Which isn't the case. We got the same Futurology-kind-of vibe (THB for the 21th century) as teaser, followed by ABBA-music. Come on.
I think Orwellian is one of their best songs, but its strength is really e.g. James' voice on the track. Would be logical you'd see him sing. Combined with intelligent referrals to Orwell (who is very popular these days).
In Europe: not a single mention of the track nor album (except KINK in the Netherlands or some rusty news-sites)

Hey, I might be a little too negative, but I honestly think I could set op a better campaign (putting the band forward as grown up intellectuals; one of the last giants standing; plenty of ideas)

[ZiZi]

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

Well said, Tim!

Thanks, Khiz ;-).
In Belgium we say 'you are harshest on the ones you love the most' (love you most, love you mooost)

[Porco]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

As much as I adore the band ("This one's for the freaks" is about me;-)), the more I think their commercial branding/promo is below par. For my job I'm working with some grand professional 'brand'-agencies, and this kind of promo-campaign would never ever get a release.

I guess it has to do with budgets. And of course, the number of views on Youtube isn't correlated with quality, but an attractive video or promo-campaign could lead many people to the music. Which isn't the case. We got the same Futurology-kind-of vibe (THB for the 21th century) as teaser, followed by ABBA-music. Come on.
I think Orwellian is one of their best songs, but its strength is really e.g. James' voice on the track. Would be logical you'd see him sing. Combined with intelligent referrals to Orwell (who is very popular these days).
In Europe: not a single mention of the track nor album (except KINK in the Netherlands or some rusty news-sites)

Hey, I might be a little too negative, but I honestly think I could set op a better campaign (putting the band forward as grown up intellectuals; one of the last giants standing; plenty of ideas)

This all makes sense in the way you’ve framed it, but it presumes promotion is still one of their top priorities. I’m not sure it is. Obviously it's still a factor, but they’ve said this was intended to be more experimental. They told us PFAYM was the ‘last shot at mass communication’. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It isn’t the 90s anymore and I think the band are accepting that more than some (erstwhile?) fans are. Maybe they didn’t hire a BAFTA-winning film director to just make immediate advertising campaigns, you know?

[ZiZi]

Originally Posted by Porco

This all makes sense in the way you’ve framed it, but it presumes promotion is still one of their top priorities. I’m not sure it is. Obviously it's still a factor, but they’ve said this was intended to be more experimental. They told us PFAYM was the ‘last shot at mass communication’. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It isn’t the 90s anymore and I think the band are accepting that more than some (erstwhile?) fans are. Maybe they didn’t hire a BAFTA-winning film director to just make immediate advertising campaigns, you know?

This might be the case, indeed, promo not being a priority. Orwellian itself isn't experimental though, nor was RIF - so I was presuming they still aim for some kind of modest mass communication ;-)

[Porco]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

This might be the case, indeed, promo not being a priority. Orwellian itself isn't experimental though, nor was RIF - so I was presuming they still aim for some kind of modest mass communication ;-)

Lol @ modest mass communication, I like that.

Sorry, I didn’t mean the music/song, I was referring to this tweet:

““For this album project, Wire and myself decided there should be more experimentation to the visual approach." - Kieran Evans.”

The comments from people saying the last good video was SMTW would seem to indicate some people want more band performing+conventional narrative-type videos. But they’re basically saying that isn’t the aim, I think. Well, and it quite obviously isn’t the result too!

[Routine Builder]

Originally Posted by Porco

The comments from people saying the last good video was SMTW would seem to indicate some people want more band performing+conventional narrative-type videos. But they’re basically saying that isn’t the aim, I think. Well, and it quite obviously isn’t the result too!

In fairness, SMTW is probably an outlier in the Manics music video history as I can't really think of another one with quite a straight forward narrative except maybe It's not war and even that is subtext heavy.

[hummingbird]

Found the cuts with the band a bit jarring for my eyes. Kinda made me dizzy watching it - I guess cos they were moving and eyes focused on them ..then cut to a still. Dunno ...prob just my dodgy eyes

[Porco]

Oh well. I liked it. Sorry for those of you who didn't get anything out of it.

14 dislikes now! Wow.

>1100 likes though.

[Son of Stopped]

It's a grower more than the associated song is. And I was wrong. It's 5... 4...3..2.1.
I love the effect on the pictures. I think the photography is amazing.
And if that's what the rest of the album will look like videowise, ok! But they're going to have to come back to performance videos one day.
Won't be a day goes by where I don't watch this video a few times.
It did grow on me. Huge shock to expectation systems.
We should get another track before the album's release.
You want jinxing? Please, please don't let it's release date delayed. That is my Falling Down no fuck off, that was the one simple thing the system had to get right.
It won't though.
Enjoy weekend