New Politics – Dignity
If content, whether presented as written word, a television episode, fictive or truthful, keeps reminding you of other content as you take it in, then someone in Creative seriously fucked up. Such is the frustrating case with the latest promo from the Danish export rock group, New Politics.
Released late last year, much of the lackluster “Dignity” video depicts the band members jumping around, show off their childish dance moves and finger wavings, as if they’re proud students of Mike D or Mick Jagger. It also features a sketchy ice cream van and a creepy-looking driver, which immediately reminded me of another, classic promo creeper:
Granted, there’s something more sinister about the dispenser here, i.e. his eagerness to see his product induce bouts of violence between indulgers, but the evil ice cream guy trope has been explored at length already (see: this horrible movie, this strangely paranoid youtube). And, of course, the band members manage to resist the sugary temptation because they can see through the masquerade just as well as any of us can see through such a cellophane-thin metaphor for consumerism.
And while this video relies on a linear narrative structure, which is often a plus in this medium, the story never amounts to much: the dealer attempts to poison a group of earnest schoolchildren who literally spit the aggression-charging dessert out and chase the villain off. Precociousness to the rescue, again (see: any number of movies and television shows from the last decade portraying how “from the mouth of babes one hears the truth”). Maybe I’m wylin’ out slightly, but fuck that noise since, last time I checked, kids would eat worms and coins and drink antifreeze if left unattended.
To be honest, the song itself never rises above being a tired experimentation with rap-style lyrical rhythm against abrasive guitarwork that just invites comparison to Limp Bizkit; I guess I just have a soft spot for wailing frankness. But this derivative and on-the-nose video gets no such cushy allowances. We require more than thematic pastiche for entertainment in these parts, bitches.
