‘Heaven Can Wait’ by Charlotte Gainsbourg
November 20, 2009 // Music Video

Charlotte Gainsbourg’s new album seems to be shaping up nicely, especially now that I’ve heard her new song Heaven Can Wait. Beck, who produced her upcoming album IRM, is also featured on this track and the two of them sound pretty great together. But it’s funny because it’s not only the song, the video is equally creative and amazing.

It was directed by Keith Schofied whom also did the video for BPA’s Toe Jam, where the people make fun shapes out of the censor bars. I’ve watched this video like 10 times now and I”m still catching new things. It’s funny how it seems like such a weird and bizarre version of Los Angeles, but not that far from the truth. How rad is the part where the guy is being chased by the ax?!

Amazing track and an amazing video, definitely one (two?) of the best of the year.

Bobby

  1. Hey, this really is an amazing video and song. I love how the video is just plain crazy, I to love the axe and really like the guy in the bath full of cereal. There’s an interesting discussion going on over on Antville about how much of the images from the video come from images ffffound on the internet. Pretty interesting: http://videos.antville.org/stories/1948117/#comments

    - Philip

    Comment by Fieldwork — November 20, 2009 #

  2. Yeah I noticed that as well. I think what they’re saying is right and that a lot of the imagery was borrowed from WIlliam Hundley: http://www.martinscott-jupp.co.uk/

    I noticed it when I saw the skateboard on hamburgers. I’m still impressed with the video though.

    Comment by Bobby — November 20, 2009 #

  3. Yeah, likewise! I think it might work even stronger with all these ‘borrowed’ images – the whole thing is so wild and surreal and yet there are these little hints and references to things that feel familiar. I think it works really well like that.

    Comment by Fieldwork — November 20, 2009 #

  4. It’s kindof sad to see an attractive French woman amongst what looks to be a bunch of Californians. Go France!

    Comment by Jean-Luis — November 20, 2009 #

  5. @Jean-Luis – It’s also sad to see an arrogant Frenchman write that on the blog of a born and raised Californian. Viva la California!

    Comment by Bobby — November 20, 2009 #

  6. I like the song, and I’m a fan of beck’s music, but the video is lacking. its just another “beck video” where a whole bunch of visually absurd things with no connection to each other happen, with no relation to the song its for.

    Comment by Chris — November 22, 2009 #

  7. Sorry, she’s a big fake. On one hand she is always declaring how terrible and fake the US is, and then she slathers herself with quintessential Americana images. I’m German living in Berlin, I don’t have a particular stance here, I just find it tiresome how she trots out all the young actress clichés. She’s been lucky to find support from talented people like Beck and whoever shot that video for her, but I consider her to be a minor talent.

    But yeah, nice video.

    Comment by Yoram Roth — November 23, 2009 #

  8. I can’t stop watching this video. The randomness of the images combined with the exhaustively beautiful Gainsbourg is all I need.

    Comment by Chris Leeuw — November 24, 2009 #