Riptide (Vance Joy) Flashcards
(34 cards)
Who is Vance Joy and what genre of music does he create?
Vance Joy is an Australian singer-songwriter signed to Atlantic Records, a subsidiary of Warner. His music fits into the indie folk-pop genre.
What was Vance Joy’s first single released in the USA and what was its impact?
“Riptide” was his first US single, released after his debut EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing, and became a platinum-selling hit.
Who directed the music video for “Riptide” and how successful was it on YouTube?
The video was directed by Dimitri Basil and Laura Gorun, and it has received nearly 100 million views on YouTube.
What are the possible reasons for the low-budget, unique style of the “Riptide” video?
It could be due to economic constraints as it was an early release, or an artistic choice. Later videos like “Georgia” show higher budgets and more elaborate narratives.
How might budget influence the production and reception of music videos?
Lower budgets may limit production but can encourage creative approaches. Higher budgets often suggest higher production value and may attract mainstream audiences.
How does the “Riptide” music video use media language to create meaning?
It uses intertextuality and montage editing, presenting a variety of contrasting, often disconnected images that invite interpretation.
What is montage editing and how is it used in “Riptide”?
Montage editing involves juxtaposing contrasting shots. In “Riptide”, this is done through hard jump cuts to generate new meaning and visual metaphors.
What is “intellectual montage” and how does it apply to the “Riptide” video?
Intellectual montage, from Eisenstein, refers to generating new ideas through image collisions. In “Riptide”, unrelated shots (e.g., people turning heads followed by a pile of money) encourage audience interpretation.
How do the visuals in “Riptide” relate to the song lyrics?
Many cuts visually represent or metaphorically reflect the lyrics, enhancing lyrical themes through unexpected or symbolic imagery.
Does “Riptide” follow a clear narrative structure?
No, it largely rejects a coherent narrative. While some short narrative segments exist (e.g., a girl disappearing in a graveyard), most of the video lacks clear narrative flow.
What cinematic style does the “Riptide” video reference and how do these influence its meaning?
The video references surrealist and avant-garde cinema, such as the work of Luis Buñuel. The references challenge conventional meaning and invite abstract interpretations.
How does the “Riptide” music video subvert typical music video conventions?
It uses overt, literal visual interpretations of lyrics in a way that feels self-aware or ironic, such as showing a woman scared in a dentist chair for the line “I was scared of dentists and the dark.”
In what way does “Riptide” visually interpret its opening lyrics?
The lyrics “I was scared of dentists and the dark” are matched by images of a frightened woman with dental apparatus and a swinging light in a dark room, explicitly mirroring the lyrics.
How does the “Riptide” video visually resemble a film or film trailer?
The video opens with cinematic-style credits and a title presented in the style of a “billing block” typically found on film posters, suggesting a short film rather than a standard music video.
Which film genres are referenced in the “Riptide” video?
The video references Western, Thriller, and especially Horror genres, using iconography such as characters disappearing in graveyards and being dragged offscreen by unseen forces.
How might these film references affect audience interpretation of the video?
They may give the video a heightened sense of artistic value and ambiguity, inviting viewers to see it as more than a conventional music video.
How does “Riptide” challenge genre conventions of the indie folk music video?
It defies expectations by rejecting clear narrative, avoiding performance footage, and using symbolic rather than emotional or naturalistic imagery.
How does the later Vance Joy video “Georgia” (2015) compare to “Riptide”?
“Georgia” uses more conventional elements like coherent narrative, special effects, and performance, contrasting the unconventional, fragmented style of “Riptide.”
What might be the purpose of challenging conventions in “Riptide”?
To create a sense of intrigue and uniqueness around Vance Joy as an artist, positioning him as creative and distinctive within the indie folk genre.
How can Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory be applied to “Riptide”?
Barthes’ concepts of signifier/signified can be used to analyse visual signs like the pile of dollar bills representing money or envy, revealing multiple layers of meaning (polysemy).
What is an example of Barthes’ idea of myth/naturalisation in the video?
The use of the colour green (in the context of “all my friends are turning green”) draws on cultural association with money and envy, which may now seem natural or “mythical”.
What are two possible readings of the lyric “all my friends are turning green”?
It could suggest they are selling out for money (literal greenbacks) or feeling envious of Vance Joy’s success (green with envy).
How can Steve Neale’s genre theory be applied to “Riptide”?
Neale’s idea that genres involve repetition and differences applies: while indie folk videos often feature lo-fi aesthetics and band performances, “Riptide” offers visual experimentation and symbolic montage.
Is the variation in “Riptide” likely for artistic or commercial reasons?
Possibly both- it may be artistically motivated to appear unique, but also functions to attract attention and market the band as distinctive in the competitive music industry.
