'There Will Be Blood' and 'Phantom Thread'. They're not just among icon Daniel Day-Lewis' best work. 'The Master' and 'Inherent Vice'. They aren't just among legend Joaquin Phoenix's. But Hollywood, Cannes winning director Paul Thomas Anderson's too. Like 'Magnolia' and 'Punch Drunk Love'. Or 'Summer Girl' and 'Now I'm In It.' 'Boogie Nights' and Radiohead's 'Anima' on Netflix. 'Hallelujah' and 'The Steps'. See P.T.A. for your P.S.A. isn't just one of the movie industries most iconic directors. But the music ones too when it comes to MTV videos with more hype than hip-hop legend Williams. From saxophone streets strewn with clothes, to stretchers running down the hot 'Los Angeles' pavement to the car wash and theatrical filming techniques in a closed down cinema, to bathroom mirror staying at home reflections written in blood red lipstick and toothpaste spit. The same man who photographed the portrait of Haim's best album and the summertime sadness classic of the year in 'Women In Music Pt. III' helped the three sisters of Haim like a 'Valentine' studio session film the most groundbreaking clips of their generations time. And this family friend partnership like their living room 'Forever' looked like it was made to last like waking up from the hangover of being punch drunk and in love and everything still comes up smelling like magnolia.
But then COVID-19 marched in the third month of the worst year of 2020 and everything locked down like it still should be. From the NBA straight away to movies in cinemas. But now like opening Disney World too early after trying to flatten the curve it looks like everything is going to burst like the Florida Bubble. Even if things like the economy must start up again it can surely wait a few more months? As we romantically drive in to movies (I don't have a license shamefully...can I Larry David, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' drive thru walk?) like it was the 50's and finally realize Twitching isn't as weird as it looks. One of the only thing that has thrived whilst we've (for some part and some of us) stayed safe and stayed home apart from Netflix movies (from Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods' to...erm Will Ferrell's 'Eurovision Song Contest') is music for your Spotify streams. From Lady Gaga's age of 'Chromatica' to Norah Jones picking us up off the floor. Or Childish Gambino's '03.15.20' coming out of nowhere when quarantine hit. Or the double-up 'While You Wait' and 'Worth The Wait' pre and post (even though in all reality we still should be in it) quarantine EP's from R&B footsoldier Tank. From John Legend ('Bigger Love') to Bob Dylan ('Rough and Rowdy Ways'). To one of the biggest selling albums of the year in the 'After Hours' of The Weeknd, the best in the 'Women In Music' WIMPs and the indie one in Phoebe Bridgers' 'Punisher'. Music has held us down whilst we are in lockdown and artists have tried to find new ways to paint pictures for their projects.
Especially the go Haim's staying home but still going hard who Danielle tells us know alone, "like no one else does". "Been a couple of days since I've been out/Calling all my friends but they won't pick up/Found another room in a different place/Sleeping through the day and I dream the same," they sing as nights turn into days that are gone like their debut. And as these Valley Girls stay quarantined in what looks as safe as houses in the Hollywood Hills performing for your NPR Tiny Desk in perfect sync for your iPhone's or Zooming across Instagram to a virtual deli tour like "Now Serving 69", they still find a way to make music videos (this time with Jake Schreier) and invent quarantine cherography like the lessons they offer online for fans. Dancing through head in their hands boredom and treadmill scrolling phones like zombies, before turning up the speedometer in perfect time. All on a backyard Basketball court like 'Don't Save Me' that maintains a six feet social distance like a stepping over Allen Iverson laying out the Lakers Lue. And how about these Los Angeles girls picking up the camera and rolling to the Ingelwood old Forum stomping grounds of the Lakers for a foot race? All stepping for the music video for the harmony of their fifth formidable single 'Don't Wanna' that circles the coliseum like arenas marble pillars like a classic 80's Showtime Forum night that is true Magic. A fast break that leads to pulled hammy's like a ball fake and a classic car finish line pip for your photo. Music videos in quarantine have never been so inventive like Norah Jones' at home piano sessions, or Leon Bridges making video call 'Inside Friends' with John Mayer. This is a time from GQ to Esquire were Hollywood celebrities are filming their own magazine cover shoots (thank goodness for smart phones). And how about Phoebe Bridgers' flying around 'Kyoto', Japan like a Madonna 'Ray Of Light'? Or the alone in 'Tokyo', forthcoming big love album of best Brit Lianne La Havas showing she can fight back after her 'Paper Thin' professional looking home video with a social isolation one that takes on everything from Mike Tyson photoshops (someone call Jamie Foxx, he may have some biopic competition) to flame emoji worthy memes like, "this is fine". It isn't. But at least with all this music we have something to dance to whilst taking to the living room floor and finding life climbing the four walls that feel as safe as the houses we call home like where the beating heart is. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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