The Flaming Lips, "Powerless"
Zoiks. This new video the Flaming Lips' "Powerless," a great, druggy freak-out from last year's highly acclaimed Embryonic album, is very disturbing. Apparently, the monkey from Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey" has turned the tides on its human torturers-he seems to enjoy watching a bound and blindfolded woman writhe in agony. She goes into horrible stutter-shot convulsions and he just sits there laughing, the sick fuck. Then she escapes-I hope before she got a sunburn-but, oddly, neglects to remove her blindfold. Then she dances through the field and it seems like she and the monkey are friends. Stockholm syndrome or something? I don't know. (The part of the woman in the video was originally to be played by Awl contributor Ken Wheaton.)
…I think she was merely trying to unclasp her Playtex Bra.
So what you're telling me is that my parents lied when they told me that everyone celebrated their sweet sixteen this way?
The Awl is teaching me quite a bit about Oklahoma City today.
LIKE up until the dancing. I mean, really? Let's stick to reality here, shall we?
I don't think I've ever seen a music video take so long to not get where it was going.
I'd hit it.
THE MONKEY, I mean, I would hit the monkey. Still don't care for the Flaming Lips.