3. Bat For Lashes - Whats a Girl To Do

This intensely original and weird video, directed by Dougal Wilson uses simplicity to create a film both unique and engaging. The camera barely moves in the entire video, and the video is shot to make the audience believe that it was performed in one complete take. The seemingly endless, repetitive song creates a tone of unease which is only strengthened by the sinister and disturbing video. Shot late at night, using the darkness and the road to create the route that the lead singer, Natasha Khan, travels seem endless, mirroring the song This is aided by how she stares constantly at the camera, staring directly at the viewer. The strong lighting clashes against the soft, and weird visuals which could have passed off as a dreamworld. The lighting brings the foreground into sharp focus, and distorts the mood of the video further. The unusual combination of visuals are echoed by the haunting tone to the singer's voice, creating a dreamlike effect, while the main riff has a tone like a fairground ride, which mixes with the powerful, out-of-place drums to create a clashy, unconventional and foreboding tone, which blends perfectly with the mood of the video. Wilson is obviously a pro at managing mood.

The costumed cyclists who emerge almost magically from behind the singer at the chorus are far too out of place and sinister looking to be passed off as children's entertainment. One of these reminds me a lot of Frank the rabbit from the film "Donnie Darko", a film with a similarly creepy tone to the video. This is an opinion confirmed by an interview with the director for a magazine "She had a great brief – she liked ET, especially the bike scene, and Donnie Darko, and 80s looking stuff, and the forest at night." This quote also shows how the artist of the song can have a major input towards a music video, as they know the song best, and therefore the intended themes and ideas behind it, better than anyone else. The never-ending road and costumed characters make the video seem like a nightmare. This is added to with the entry of the two costumed people holding a balloon, which they let fly away; surely a deep, powerful metaphor, but as the video seems to have little or no clear correlation with the lyrics, the intended meaning is near impossible to work out. Another point, where the singer passes a car crash, and yet, as with everything else, she ignores it, and stares straight on at us.