videoTom Jones 'Talking Reality Television Blues' by BWTVTom Jones takes a deep dive into the history of television, with a riveting promo directed by BWTV. Talking Reality Television Blues is Jones' first release in five years, and instead of the customary soulful pop banger, this one is a spoken word piece, backed by a blues-rock track, which explores one of our greatest inventions - and its extraordinary influence upon all our lives. “I was there when TV started - didn’t know I'd become a part of it," says Sir Tom. "But it could be that its power is to remind us how wonderful, crazy and inventive we are, but also how scary the reality it reflects can be."Liam Achaibou and Ryan Vernava - aka BWTV - have taken up the huge challenge of visualizing the scope and message of the song and done an awe-inspiring job. Using a tried-and-tested technique, they encapsulate decades of TV history into a meaningful package that never loses its momentum, or relevance. It's a terrific achievement. Utilizing a mass of stock footage, they revisit the abundance of shows that have graced our screens over the decades. It's all there: game shows, dramas, news, and commercials through the decades sit side-by-side, examined under an analytical lens, and serves to both entertain and ask existential questions about our relationship with TV - and how our lives have changed since its introduction all those years ago.The result being, of course, that a reality TV show star ended up in The White House. So it's appropriate that it's featured here on the day he leaves it.
Rob Ulitski - 20th Jan 2021