Spin Magazine has come out with its picks for the top 20 music videos of 2008. Predictably, Bjork tops the list with Wanderlust. Though I’ve already touched on the topic of Bjork’s “feminist aesthetics” in photography, her videos merit much more thought. Whatever my conclusions, it’s a matter of fact that Wanderlust is a worthy addition to Bjork’s fearless and gaudy body of work–she never fails us.
I attended the wrap-party for Wanderlust last year, and am astounded beyond measure by the final product considering how preposterous the yak costumes looked in person, and the sheer abundance of assholery festering on that Williamsburg rooftop. I must say I have a fond memory of reenacting the brief (and hilarious) intro segment to This American Life’s “Cringe” episode– crab walk and all–before a tense audience of frigid hipsters, unsure of my degree of irony. For the record: zero. As ever.
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December 24, 2008 at 6:42 am
tara
Thanks for your post! I love Björk, and enjoyed reading your other entry on the intersections of art and feminism, and of photography and the female body. I’d love to read anything else you have to say about her.
Björk once said something about pop music that really affected my appreciation of it: “I think people have lost respect for pop music because of how it’s been abused and mistreated. Pop music is supposed to be music of the moment, about what’s going on now and to express what’s in the air at the moment and that means it’s disposable, but not worthless.” (From here: http://www.toazted.nl/interview/476/Bjork.html).
I feel like she has such unique and brilliant ideas about music, about gender and sexuality and feminism (which she talks about here: http://www.thelipster.com/articles/3135799), and I wish more feminists would talk about her!
December 24, 2008 at 8:32 am
jason
I saw that Spin list too…and until then I’d never even seen this video.
Why is it not shown on tv?
Btw, your “the sheer abundance of assholery festering on that Williamsburg rooftop” has got to be one of my top 20 picks for best lines this year.
December 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Pop Feminist
Tara– thanks for that Bjork quote! I’ll have to post it in the blog proper soon!
Jason– I think they don’t show these videos because no one really watches videos anymore in the first place. It would be interesting to theorize why the “music video” has ceased to be lucrative programing for MTV. Maybe I’ll get cracking on that one…