Presenting: HIP’s Year In Review for 2009

Samuel Johnson said, “The true art of memory is the art of attention.” In 2009, quite a few moments caught our attention and continue to live on in our memories, such as the loss of 50-year-old “King of Pop” Michael Jackson. Also, Zooey Deschanel from She & Him and Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie — both of whom HIP Video Promo had teamed up with in years prior — officially tied the knot. On television, Breaking Bad hit the airwaves. What’s more, Andy and the HIP team remember working to secure deserved attention on these dozen artists and music videos.

Pearl Jam – “The Fixer” – 3,188,937 views – This visual might be a straightforward live performance, but at the time, having a video at all was a big deal for the fans of Pearl Jam, especially one that flaunts the group’s unparalleled energy in the concert setting. Frontman Eddie Vedder’s expressiveness as a rock singer and frontman is widely acclaimed, and “The Fixer” literally puts his pipes and musicality on center stage. The musicians play with that ’90s grunge/alternative flair that makes it impossible to suppress the urge to move when you hear or, in their case, play it. The audience in attendance completely agrees, too. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, and 2020 marked 30 years of Pearl Jam killing it at live shows like this one on display. This year, they returned to the tour trail for the first time since the pandemic canceled their North American dates, and our excitement is through the roof. 

Watch it HERE!

Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos” – 22,013,366 views – Did someone say indie? Fleet Foxes had that genre covered with the “Mykonos” single from their 2009 EP, Sun Giant. The acoustic color on the track has an easygoingness that allows listeners to sit back and take it in; partnered with the band’s distinct vocal harmonies, the mood and tone were set. It quickly became a favorite for its deviation from basic songwriting structure. The music video is animated with geometric shapes moving around in a stop-motion technique to form the scenes and figures presented to the viewers. HIP’s relationship with the Fleet Foxes continued until the end of 2011 for “The Shrine/An Argument” and “Grown Ocean” singles, but their releases did not stop there. After “Mykonos,” we encourage you to review their other new and old hits. 

Flogging Molly – “Float” – 3,796,741 views – It may be a rarity nowadays, but folk punk was a big deal when it was initially introduced by the Pogues in England. When the Irish-American band Flogging Molly recorded “Float,” they had similar vibes but with an Irish twist; it was even shot in the band’s home country. The instrumental reflects their Celtic influence with its acoustic and string voices, particularly in the break where the fiddle is brought to the fore. The lyrical story is that when things are less than ideal, keep dreaming and do what you can to stay afloat because you grow old before you know it and need to live the best you can. This heavy but universal feeling and advice are conveyed by an elderly stick figure on a lengthy trek to the shore. Collecting little baubles and trinkets along the path, he struggles to take each step and row his boat closer to the waves. When he finally makes it, we never see him again. All we get is his perspective of the crashing ocean over him. Trust us when we say that if you watch and listen to Flogging Molly’s “Float,” you’ll get attached to the little stick figure guy as he travels, and, sadly, you’ll be left with the same uncertainty as everyone else about what became of him. 

The Gaslight Anthem – “Great Expectations” – 3,447,199 views – As the soft static turns up and the light guitar riff commences, one would think this rock single is a bit subdued, but it’s proven to be a trick quickly after. The Gaslight Anthem sets the tempo on fire and blazes through this breakup song’s lyrics. Between the drums making this a total headbanger and the vocals forming this unabating whirlwind of raw emotion, “Great Expectations” will have you up on your feet, out of your seat, and dancing around. The Gaslight Anthem always holds a special place in our hearts at HIP because of our shared roots in the great Garden State. Seeing their international growth to date, we are super proud of how far they have gone and are grateful to have been part of their ascendancy in 2009. 

Metric – “Help I’m Alive” – 439,462 views – Metric is one of those bands that does not need the blog post to give them an introduction. After all, they have quite a portfolio of awards and accomplishments of their own accord. By the time we promoted the “Help I’m Alive” music video in 2009, the song had already been released digitally in 2008 and had shot to the top spot on Canadian charts and the Billboard Heatseekers chart. It was in the indie Top Ten for weeks, and it’s not hard to see, hear, and understand why. The clips were shot during Metric’s 2008 tour; designs with hearts, stars, and other related diagrams are scattered throughout. Frontwoman Emily Haines drew the Metric fan base in with the catchy hook and her unbending power and passion, as she did with many other Metric releases in years preceding and succeeding this project. Summer 2022 brought Formentera, Metric’s eighth studio album and their latest full-length album since 2018, and the group’s signature aptitude for sharing musical art that captivates its audience prevails the same as it did in 2009. 

M83 – “We Own The Sky” – 8,054,959 views – The devotion of the M83 following allowed for a mega showdown in the 2008-2009 “We Own The Sky” music video contest. As a fan and budding video director, how cool it would be to be able to say that you produced a visual for none other than M83! Anthony Gonzalez, lead songwriter and vocalist, judged which original submission would win and be distributed as their official music video. There was such a flood of entries that the deadline for the competition had to be extended to give parties more time to enter their creations and have them deliberated upon. Gonzalez chose the visual directed by Alex Takacs and Joe Nankin of Young Replicant, which rose to the occasion in bringing the Saturday = Fun theme to its fullest potential while embodying the mysterious “We Own The Sky” lyrics. Friends frolic through the meadowlands with kites in hand, enjoying the day together, until white blocks overtaking the sky put that on hold. Two members of the group are catching feelings, and they are the only two brave enough to lead the way in approaching what is floating above. Once they all unite under the shadow, the shapes break apart, and as the others celebrate with excitement, the two lovers share a kiss as the story comes to a close. 

Moby – “Mistake” – 358,427 views – When listening to “Mistake,” anyone can tell that Moby genuinely relates and connects with the song’s story and message, yet it can be interpreted to fit so many scenarios and personal experiences of others. That is part of the beauty in Moby’s music, particularly those songs under Wait For Me. However, unlike the other songs in this collection, “Mistake” is the only one he sang and recorded himself. It also has three videos for the same song, showcasing different storylines it can match. The version HIP advocated for was from Yoann Lemoine, which followed a young photographer trying to make sense of his supernatural surroundings. He had his own DIY tools to get the job done, and we take the adventure with him throughout the “Mistake” video. The animated version of “Mistake” is a tear-jerking cartoon about an animated boy and his dog, and the Katy Baugh production focuses on the life of a lemon. Yes, a lemon. Picking a favorite won’t be easy, but the fact that all three are so well done and independent from each other only proves our previous point about Moby’s transferability. The one consistent thing is his Bowie-resembling vocals, and whether or not he hears it that way, Moby has captured a piece of his idolized essence that he grew up listening to in his own creation. 

Dinosaur Jr. – “Over It” – 358,427 views – In some respects, one could argue that Dinosaur Jr. is an excellent example of how some things simply get better with age. They had a strong start, considering they paved the way for alternative rock. Their music was a seed that eventually grew into a whole movement, but while their music was astonishing, the relationships among the band members were not. Dinosaur Jr. broke up in the late ’90s because of their personal tensions, but in 2005, they put those aside because their sound was just too good to go to waste because of grudges and non-music-related quarrels. “Over It” highlights their ceaselessly triumphant return to them doing what they do best. It was the leading single from their second comeback album, Farm, since Beyond in 2007. It has the thrilling instrumental track and J Mascis’ unrivaled singing and songwriting talents that fans esteem as the trio rides around on their skateboards and BMX bikes in the video. Dinosaur Jr. is still rocking 13 years later, touring until early December 2022. 

Holly Williams – “Three Days In Bed” – 159,046 views – Inspired by the city of love and her French men crushes, Holly Williams wrote the soulful country ballad “Three Days In Bed” to depict the romantic affair that took place within her mind. Her heartfelt performance as she delicately picks and strums her guitar touches the listeners’ hearts between the clips of the couple’s intimate days spent inside. The European landscapes are as beautiful and picturesque as visitors and locals know it to be in the background of certain shots, but the music video mostly keeps the viewer isolated from it all in favor of truly realizing Williams’ song’s story. Her half-brother, father, and grandfather thrived as artists in the music scene as well, so it appears that the gift of music runs in the Williams family blood and through the generations. “Three Days In Bed” went on to be covered by Jennifer Nettles in 2016 and a few other creatives who adored William’s work, yet there is something inimitable about the original and its timeless visual.  

Antony & The Johnsons – “Epilepsy Is Dancing” – 740,170 views – Putting this group and its productions into a genre category seems near impossible due to its steadily avant-garde stylings. With the artistic vision and direction from the Wachowskis, who wrote the screenplay for V for Vendetta, the music video for “Epilepsy Is Dancing” complements Antony & The Johnsons’ audible break from convention. The main character that opens “Epilepsy Is Dancing” collapses to the ground when she begins to have a seizure, and the rest of the video takes place in her hallucinative state filled with mystical creatures and colorful forest scenery. The contemporary/lyrical choreography is entrancing to watch, and Antony emerges in parts of it to sing during the mental episode, dressed in a masquerade-type mask and spilling butterflies from his mouth with his words. Toward the ending, the camera pans between the fictional and reality to give a glimpse into what is actually going on from both perspectives until it’s done and she returns to normal in the alleyway. 

Anti-Flag – “When All The Lights Go Out” – 78,758 views – Fire spreads rapidly and can burn up the majority of everything it reaches. Earlier, we mentioned how The Gaslight Anthem had a subtler start before igniting the single ablaze, but there was absolutely nothing dim about the beginning of Anti-Flag’s “When All The Lights Go Out.” The quartet has a blatantly raging fire within them, with fervent screaming, pounding drums, and high-octane guitar. This punk hit adds fuel to the flames, making them rise higher and higher. The audience listening and watching will see the sparks flying and feel the heat their music and performance emit. Much like the intensity of Anti-Flag, the bonfire in the video never goes out and grows larger as more goes into it. The Anti-Flag inferno of rock and roll is yet to be extinguished in 2022, as their latest projects carry the same red-hotness as they had with “When All The Lights Go Out” in 2009. 

We Were Promised Jetpacks – “Roll Up Your Sleeves” – 411,667 views – Closing out 2009, We Were Promised Jetpacks brought HIP their “Roll Up Your Sleeves” music video. The visual does not make perfect sense when you listen to the song’s lyrics, but that is also the lure of it. The musicians are on irregular cut-outs, surrounded by other random shapes and colors amidst the grain. Adam Thompson sings about rolling up his sleeves, pulling through, and waiting out the winter, or possibly whatever other disturbances or difficulties require him to push through onward and upward. The appeal is in the relatability factor in their indie rock creations and, of course, having an interesting band name to go with it. 

Written by HIP Marketing Coordinator Julia Block.