Warning: extreme and extraordinary cartoon violence lies ahead in Al Brown's video for Idles - his latest collaboration with illustrator Russell Taysom and animator Stella Belle Hex. Brown and his colleagues have created a surreal, and very brutal throwback to '90s arcade games, as the video for Never Fight A Man With A Perm portrays lead vocalist Joe Talbot battling against a series of mutated characters, whilst exploring themes of (quite literal) toxic masculinity.The acid-trip visuals slowly decay as the video progresses, creating a kaleidoscope of loud colours and glitchy overlays. Those familiar with Brown’s previous work with Taysom and Hex, on projects such as Deap Vally’s 'Bring it On', will find a lot of parallels in this project. But there’s more than enough originality to elevate this to a higher level.One thing’s for sure, this video grabs your attention with both hands and doesn't loosen its grip until the very end.
robulitski - 29th July 2019