I am not a big purveyor of music videos as I am more about the music than the video – if you know what I mean.  But sometimes a video adds even more to a song – I believe this is true for my favourite video from late last year and one from earlier this year.

Last year Damien Jurado’s “Caskets” absolutely blew me away, and still does.  The fact that it is basically a family affair (his brother Drake is the “patient”) simply makes it even better – you couldn’t have picked better individuals to play all characters in this grim slice of 1800’s life.

While Balmorhea’s “Remembrance” comes in with more of a landscape video – which is not unlike their music – the video IS Balmorhea caught as motion instead of audio.  I must say I do still wait for closure in what I think to myself is a story line of some sort of on the range remorse for a tragic event that is unknown.

Both are truly great videos in my opinion and are my selections for best of last year and this year.  There is something similar going on here though…just can’t put my finger on it…could they be different versions of the same thing???  ;-)

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Sooo goood.  Both songs are haunting, gorgeous and just kick ass (in my books).  The videos capture each one – visually stunning and crisp with each creating its narrative powerfully, all along the soundtrack of great individual songs.   Come on, these are soo well done it makes me want to be both a musician and a video type guy (so you see I am very familiar with such things….”video type guy”, frick!).

“What Were The Chances” – Damien Jurado, from 2006’s “Now That I’m In Your Shadow”
*Bonus – “What Were The Chances (live @ Hotel Cafe)”
Pick up an album and find tour dates at Secretly Canadian

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“The Winter” – Balmorhea, from 2008’s “River Arms” (mp3 courtesy of IODA)
*Bonus – “Truth (mixed by Helios)” – Balmorhea, from 2009’s “All is Wild, All is Silent Remixes
Pick up an album and find info at Western Vinyl

~Smansmith

p.s.  If you follow Jurado on Twitter, you will know the new album (with the help of Richard Swift) is basically complete and getting all studio’d up.  This is very good news!