Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Diggin' Gotye (Go-tea-ay)

 
 Hopping on the bandwagon with this one. Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" has me hooked. Not only is the song catchy as hell (seeming to sneak up and then explode across US radio), but its content is also universal. 

De Backer's voice is haunting. Paired with the quick creep of his rhythm I easily slip into memories of tender indignity. I'm lost in the gentle melancholy of old lovers and lost friends. The art comes alive in tandem with the rhythm and with the lyrical content simultaneously. 

As this video evolves De Backer's mouth is a strange lynchpin for me. Its colossal size and toothiness are almost as intriguing as his voice. Paired with his sadly sincere eyes and those little eyebrow gestures, I feel his pain man. He drives it home: we've all been there. 

 The addition of a partner's perspective is also important. It introduces balance to the piece, and reminds me that these things are never as straightforward as they feel. We've accepted one side of the argument, and then must face giving ground to another character. There is no right or wrong, good or evil- just people and situations. I'm glad this song is popular because it's evenhanded and it's fair. This is the first semi-accurate representation of human relationships I've seen in popular media in a while. That, and his mouth is just wonderful.

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