Music video analysis- VARIOUS CRUELTIES- Chemicals

Firstly I am going to analyse the music video for a song named 'Chemicals' by one of my favourite bands Various Cruelties.





These are the lyrics to the song:


The song was written by the lead singer, Liam O’Donnel.The song is very upbeat with simple lyrics, which are very catchy and aren't very emotive.There is no clear narrative to the song but the continuous reference to chemicals such as ‘the chemicals’ and ‘It’s rushing through my blood just like an energy’ suggests that the song may be about illegal drug use. Another thing that supports this, is the continuous use of flashing lights and bright colours which give a drug looking effect.The structure of the song is the general verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus.



“If it’s meant to be,
The universe is gonna throw it back to me
It’s just how I feel,
So tonight,
We’ll spin around the planets
Like a satellite.

Mercury,
It’s rushing through my blood,
Just like an energy,
It’s just how I feel,
If it’s meant to be,
The universe is gonna throw it back to me.

Oohhh to get it back all we need is to let it go.
Oohhh put your faith, put your trust in the chemicals.

Take a fear,
Release it watch it burn up in the atmosphere,
Just give up the ghost,
And let it be,
You know it doesn’t have to be a mystery.

Oohhh to get it back all we need is to let it go,
Oohhh put your faith, put your trust in the chemicals.

If it’s meant to be,
The universe is gonna throw it back to me,
If it’s meant to be,
The universe is gonna throw it back to me,
It’s gonna throw it back to me,

Oohhh to get it back all we need is to let it go,
Oohhh put your faith put your trust in the chemicals,
Oohhh to get it back all we need is to let it go,
Oohhh put your faith put your trust in the chemicals,
Put your faith, put your trust in the chemicals,
Put your faith, put your trust in the chemicals.”



Editing -
The transitions used used the most in the video are cuts. During the bridge, after the second chorus, a wipe is used in the shape of a circle to move from individual shots of each member of the band. This allows the audience to see each member of the band as they play the music and for all of them to to receive some focus rather than it just be mainly on the lead singer, creating a spotlight effect.The main words in the lyrics are shown in the video through the use of typography (which i find really effective) as they are sang which gives a contrast with the band shots and adds a diofferenmt edge to the video. They are shown on a plain background throughout the majority of the song but in the final chorus they are shown against images of the band performing which helps to tie the two images together.



Camera Work –
The majority of the angles in the video are at eye-level, meaning that the camera – and therefore the audience – is looking directly at the band performing.
The camera moves around with the band so there is occasionally some high and low angles which are mainly during the chorus of the song. All horizontal angles are used including frontal, three-quarter front, profile, three-quarter rear and rear as the camera tends to pan around the band whilst they perform during the chorus and at the end of the song, giving the impression that the band is spinning. The largerst shot size used is the medium wide shot and the closest is the extreme close up which is used on the singer’s face. These different shots are used to show the band performing and their instruments indicating their position in the band. At the end of the video, it goes completely out of focus which helps to signify that the video has ended.