One of the weirdest music videos I have seen this year has to be Lillian Todd Jones', Butter Soul. In its defence, the song itself is a good one that progresses particularly well ... but the way they entice you at the beginning is freakishly sadistic and scares you into watching more and more.
Beginning on a devilishly moody guitar and low-toned vocal, this fantastic and, eventually, glorious track has atmosphere in abundance from the off-go. This Lana Del Rey, come Annie Lennox, come Daughter, come gothic teenager mix, doesn't change a whole lot throughout and just as you expect a happier note to follow and break-through this bleakly catchy track ... it doesn't, it just twists to an even harsher and more upsetting one, but don't think that this makes it a bad song ... Alas, it's quite the opposite, just not under conventional circumstances.
A little further in, the acoustic guitar turns into an equally, or even more, moody piano and allows the progression which this track eventually flourishes to, to begin.
Even further in and you notice the perfectly timed drumbeat that just lifts it that little bit higher until hell all breaks loose at around 2:45, where violins, drums, guitars and pianos seem to all be in use to make this utterly brilliant track have its massive ending ... at which, the video comes to its climax too.
The video, as suggested, is a mad one. It opens on Lillian, on the floor, with soaking wet hair as though someone has just attempted to drown her. The next shot shows her tied to a chair with a similarly manic expression on her face.
As time goes on, nothing in the mad house seems to phase her, but to us, it is all creepy and worrying, like the man behind her with those odd goggles on at 00:53. But, towards the end, when the song flourishes into an almighty burst of colour, we see a new expression on Lillian's face - happiness. But whether or not it is to do with the fact that her mind is now gone from the world, or because she was tricking us all along with those beautiful and innocent eyes ... is a bit of a mystery.
Paul.
Entertainment Magazine
