Not all music videos are equal. That is, not every one’s going to provide you with valuable roadside auto assistance, in addition to being pretty hilariously entertaining and showcasing an alluringly melodic tune. The Adventures of The Silver Spaceman, however, provide all of this and more in the video for “Weather King Part II,” off their new EP, Bare Bones Part II: Electric Earth, which came out a couple of Fridays ago. It opens like any old homemade instructional video, the band’s own Zach Ellis in a parking lot, giving all too real step-by-step direction on how to jumpstart your car with a screwdriver (though I might not actually try this at home). Suddenly an apparently homeless man pushing a shopping cart interrupts the tutorial, asking for change and/or bottles. After being brushed off, almost by some weird karma, Ellis is electrocuted, either by the heaven sent lightning and thunder that strike, or by the touch of the car battery, itself. But what ensues is a glimpse of the afterlife’s endless possibilities.
The electricity hits and thunder rolls and an ominously drawn TAOTSS logo appears and suddenly Ellis awakens on a beach somewhere. The song starts. A whimsical surf melody hits, sharply fuzzed guitar soloing over a pleasantly soothing rhythm. The vagrant figure from the parking lot reappears in the ocean, this time as a toga-donning god-like figure. He beckons for Ellis to follow him, but a mysterious, siren-like, lady makes for a difficult decision, counter-offering beach badminton and smooches. Ellis’ lightly effected cooing penetrates the dream-state created by sight and sound. He implores himself, rather fittingly, “now it’s time I dream of something real.” A classic struggle between light vs. dark, good vs. evil follows, the “god-vagrant” looking on in disapproval as the two supposed lovebirds have themselves some, albeit troublesome, fun in the sun. He can’t take it anymore as they’re about to lock lips and the lightning strikes again, delivering Ellis back to the parking lot to discover he’s been revived from his electrocuted state by the human-vagrant from earlier. They go get a beer, and all is right in the world. Take from it what you will, either morally or educationally.
