CHVRCHES- The Mother We Share: Music Video Analysis

The music video for 'The Mother We Share' by CHVRCHES uses performance and narrative aspects throughout, both of which help to exhibit certain conventions and characteristics of the Indie Pop/ Synth genre. 

Genre Characteristics:

Many elements of the music video above correspond with the conventions of the Indie Pop/ Synth genre. The usage of slow motion action within the narrative sections of the video is an element I have noticed various similar artists use in their music videos, for example Haim's 'Falling' and also Bastille's 'Things We Lost in the Fire'.  Additionally, there is a huge amount of importance placed on the female vocalist with various close ups and her positioned usually in the central point of the shots- this is a regularly adopted feature within this genre. The inclusion of the narrative alongside the performance is also a common characteristic and although the 'story', so to speak, is quite vague in the video it remains noticeable and effective. Throughout the entirety of the video there is the occasional use of strobe lighting which I wouldn't go as far to say is a 'genre characteristic' but it has however been featured in other similar video's I've watched, such as Haim's 'Don't Save Me'. 

Relationship between lyrics and visuals:

Although the relationship between the lyrics and visuals isn't quite as obvious as the previous video I analysed, there are certainly links between them. The lyrics to the song are relatively hazy meaning that interpretations of the song are subjective. However when reading the lyrics there is an overall impression of some kind of loss/ another moving on. In the songs literal meaning 'the mother we share' would infer that the relationship discussed in the lyrics is that shared between siblings. Alternatively, it could be a romantic relationship and 'the mother we share' could be ' Mother Earth'. This idea of loss links to the visuals as the girl wakes up alone in a double bed, this loneliness is emphasised by the fact that she is framed on the right hand side of the bed in the shot. Her seclusion is also displayed as she is pictured alone throughout the video and appears disconnected from everybody else. Scenes such as those at 1:06 when the camera captures her from behind fencing creates the idea that she is segregated from everyone else. Nearing the end of the video she is seen crying which again reinforces the lyrics emphasis on sadness and solitude- 'I'm in misery', 'I'm the only one here'.

Relationship between music and visuals:

Throughout the video there are connections between the music and visuals, mostly the result of post production effects. The strobe lighting used throughout the video, for example at 0:26- 0:28, has been added to the video to compliment the beat of the song giving it more impact and perhaps making listeners more aware of it. Just before the end of the video the girl in the narrative becomes illuminated by light which then expands across the city, at 2:26 it has been edited to fit the climatic moment of the song- both the visuals and audio become heightened at this point. This relationship between the music and imagery is used throughout from the start to the very end at 3:06, effectively linking the two together.

Are there close ups of the artist and star image motif's?

Within the video there aren't a huge amount of close ups of the lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry, however they do feature occasionally. After the intro to the video, the footage begins with a close up shot of Lauren- proceeding to zoom backwards revealing the other two members of the band: Martin Doherty and Iain Cook. However although the other two members are present in the video they are never the focus of our attention as they remain in the darker areas of the shots throughout. It's also significant that we mostly see them from the side rather than straight on and our vision of them is impaired by strobe lighting or fast paced editing. While their faces are often edited over certain scenes they remain translucent so we struggle to get a clear view of them. This is contrasted with Lauren as she is captured at the forefront of most shots such as at 1:52, being the most prominent in the footage.

Is there reference to the notion of looking?

Viewers are naturally drawn to look at the female vocalist, Lauren, and also the actress in the narrative segments of the video. Lauren dominates most of the shots of the band performing as she is positioned in the center of the shots while the two other male members of the band appear less significant. The use of lighting is also an effective way of manipulating where we look in the video, especially in shots where the lead vocalist is silhouetted, an effect which is 'amplified/ repeated' throughout. In this style of shot, lighting is used to illuminate her from behind creating an heir of importance around her. The actress in the narrative is also captured in the central point of the screen at various points, ensuring our attention remains with her when there are busier surroundings and setting her apart from the extras in the scene. Similarly, to Haim's 'Don't Save Me' music video, the visuals don't aim to sell Lauren's femininity (despite her being an attractive female artist) but instead places emphasis on the music the band have produced and the video the director has created.

Are there any intertextual references?

As the song is about 'somebody leaving' there are obvious references to the feeling of lonesomeness and heartbreak, which are most prominent in the narrative sections of the video. In the beginning of the footage the actress is shown sat on a window ledge in the right hand third of the shot so that we can view the expansive city beside her. This contrast between the densely populated, lively city and her sat alone in an apartment really magnifies her solitude. Within the performance parts of the video, obscure lighting is used to create a lonely silhouette of Lauren. Additionally, the video is also reminiscent of the PS2 game REZ which used wire frame models to create a dance/ house music platform game. While watching the music video it's influence on the visuals is noticeable and it's evident that the the director, Sing J.Lee, was attempting to create imagery with a retro, video game feel.

Rez the PS2 video game:

CHVRCHES music video:

Is the video performance, narrative or concept based? How much of each?

The video is a combination of performance and narrative, each making up about 50% of the footage. Although the narrative isn't as evident as some of the other music videos in this genre- such as MSMR's 'Hurricane'- there is a slight story line accompanying the performance aspect. Unlike MØ'S 'Glass' where the use of the synth isn't shown in the video, CHVRCHES do include it in the footage- however it isn't prominent as we are encouraged to be mainly interested in the female vocalist. Personally, I wouldn't say the video was concept based as I don't think the footage is attempting to communicate a message or idea but rather convey feelings of emptiness and seclusion. 

What has been learnt?

My analysis of CHVRCHES 'The Mother We Share' has made me more aware of certain aspects of music videos. For example, although the video revolves around a band, the lead vocalist remains the centre of attention throughout. This aspect of the video is something which we will attempt to recreate in our own footage as it is important that Alex isn't too dominant in the visuals. In order to emulate this, we can take inspiration from the style of CHVRCHES music video, whereby the male members of the band are mostly viewed from the side and the camera doesn't linger on them for any prolonged period of time. Despite the fact that our video won't feature intertextual references such as those used in this video, it is interesting to see how directors can be inspired by other aspects of media (in this case in the form of a PS2 game).