As much as people are hailing Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s new single "Radio Nowhere" as "a return to form," (which I see as code for "not super-political," but whatever) did the song’s video have to be a return to the ‘80s as well?
The clip for "Radio Nowhere" combines performance footage with what looks like stock footage of people on the streets of New York – a window washer, people walking, taxi cabs. They shouldn’t have bothered with that stuff, especially when it doesn’t add anything to the theme of the song.
Fans want to see Springsteen & The E Street Band – an extraordinarily compelling band to watch – performing together again. Why cut away from Springsteen and Little Steven singing harmonies together to show people walking? And why on earth can’t we see the end of Clarence Clemons’ sax solo (arguably, the emotional climax of the song)?
What makes it even more maddening is that the performance footage is shot well, in moody lighting, but with enough movement and cuts to match the energy of the song. Maybe a new "director’s cut" version is in order?
The video premieres on Amazon.com today before wide release tomorrow. [Click on pic to watch]
Comments (2)
the great bruuuuce post accousitc
I agree that the video should have just been the band performing (and shot so that you could see them more) and skip the street scenes.