The Mid-week Music Video Mini-Reviews Youtube Round-Up – 12/5/13

Greetings. It’s the middle of the week so you know what that means here in a-Tunes land… our weekly music video reviews round-up! This one is a relatively thicker pack of videos, with a number of artists debuting their work during and shortly after the holiday weekend. But that just means more for you to enjoy this first week in December!

Marie Digby – “Home (Ireland)”

Marie has had many opportunities to explore her Japanese heritage, but it wasn’t until more recently when she had the chance to experience her Irish background. This tune takes Digby in a more sleepy, peaceful direction that helps convey a genuine sense of awe. The breathe taking shots of the country certainly made the video a great watch.

Rocky Sandoval – “Heart Slows Down”

We finally have a video for this 2012 single. The good news is that the joint is off his newly announced debut album, Throwback. I always thought this was one of his more polished tunes and something that has the potentially to chart fairly well on top 40 radio. Or maybe I just think we could all use a little bit more R&B in our lives.

Dawen – “美麗 (Beautiful)”

Dawen takes things in a completely different direction from his last single, “Hello“, and instead chooses a more melodramatic route for this ballad. The move makes sense, as it caters to a style and aesthetic that Asian Pop has mastered over the years.

Jason Chen – “Best Friend” (Acoustic)

I know I can come off as a very lukewarm supporter of Jason Chen – but when he has the right material, it’s hard to hate on the guy. His acoustic rendition of “Best Friend” is yet another strong showing from Mr. Chen, with the right balance of sentimentality and catchy pop sensibility. Well done.

Jason Chen – “Thank You” (Acoustic)

This isn’t quite as strong as the tune above, but it’s simple and pleasant enough on it’s own. It’s got that nostalgic, campfire type of appeal to it. This acoustic style really suits him.

Notorious MSG – “Double Happy Christmas”

You never really know what to expect from Notorious MSG, but if someone told you they were working on a Christmas themed song… this is somehow exactly what you would imagine it to be. It didn’t have me rolling on the floor, but I definitely chuckled a little bit. “Dimsum Girl” is still my all time fav of their’s though.

Clara C – “Rye”

Clara teams up with her husband for this video to her new spunky acoustic pop single. The projector over the singer motif has been done plenty of times before, but it’s her infectious charm that helps keep things enjoyable and fresh. This just may be the best original song from Clara that I’ve heard in a while.

D-Pryde – “Iced Coffee Freestyle”

Seemingly taking a page out of Kendrick Lamar’s playbook, Prizzy goes on the offensive and get’s a little aggressive with his flows. Goes to show, the kid still hasn’t lost that hunger. The video takes things in a satirical direction but I think it’s a little hit or miss – the track is pretty solid though.

Mike-Dash-E x IamSu x Jay Ant – “Holla at the Kid”

Dash stays faithful to that Bay area sound, with the help of a couple guest features. The song took a listens to grow on me and as a whole, it ain’t half bad. The video is a bit derivative though I wouldn’t consider it detrimental to the overall presentation. And for what it’s worth, I thought MDE had the strongest verse.

Awkwafina – “Queef”

Awkwa has a new project in the works called Yellow Ranger, and this is the lead single from the album. I still can’t say I’m a big fan of her humor, but I gotta commend her on the beat selection. If you love her past work, you’ll likely dig this joint too… especially if your life has been lacking in the male twerking category.

Big Will – “Hello Kitty”

Big Dub is promoting the latest single off Cry Now Laugh Later. The visuals start off extremely formulaic but some nice scenery helps break up the expected monotony – saved by that California coastline. The tune is radio friendly, though it fails to make a big impression either way.

Michelle Martinez features for Ride Side Out – “Clouds”

This song would have fit in perfectly for the radio had it come out in 1997. Being 2013, it’s more of an indulgent throwback but I don’t mind considering how I loved the days of La Bouche, Real McCoy, and Haddaway. The video in undeniably low budget though, and the production values leave a bit to be desired.

Blush x Russell Curry – “Doing It Better”

If you ask me, this is a much stronger single than their last outing. Blush has proven to make strong dance club friendly songs in the past, and this fits the bill – not including Russell’s near cringe-worthy rap. The video on the other hand, is a bit corny though it enforces a notable cause – AIDS awareness and prevention in Singapore. Don’t know if it was necessary to make it rain condoms though…