The last couple of months have been pretty good for Phoebe Bridgers. Her latest album, Punisher, dropped back in June and has been lauded by critics and fans. In fact, Variety’s review of the album highlights how it could easily be one of this year’s best musical releases.
In line with the release of her album, Bridgers has also put out a series of music videos of the tracks from Punisher. Her previous releases “Garden Song” and “Kyoto” featured Bridgers’ unique style, as both videos were visually distinct. Bridgers takes simple concepts and makes them aesthetically appealing and interesting, however, she seems to have approached her latest release differently. Her third release, “I Know The End,” while thematically consistent with the rest of Punisher, is quite different from the previous two videos. If you want to know more about it, read on as we take a closer look at Phoebe Bridgers’ “I Know The End” music video!
Aesthetics
Right off the bat, viewers will notice a stark difference between this video and Bridgers’ previous releases. The video for “Garden Song” was a simple production that featured Bridgers in one room with several other characters making brief appearances every now and then. It was pretty much the same for “Kyoto,” as it mostly involved dancing in front of a computer-generated background of Japan whilst in the now-iconic skeleton suit.
On the other hand, the music video for “I Know The End” looks more like your traditional professionally made music video. It was directed by Alissa Torvinen who has also worked with acts such as Foxygen on their music video for “Avalon.” While this may be different from what Bridgers has released so far, an increase in production value in the way of improved cinematography and lighting maximizes the effect that this music video wants to give off. Indeed, the stunning shots of Bridgers running through vast swaths of isolated spaces could not be pulled off if she opted for a DIY approach for this video.
Music
While the visuals of the music video have gone through quite the transformation, the music itself still has an essence of rawness that’s present in the entire album. With Punisher, Bridgers has embraced the lo-fi sound that gives her music loads of character. And this is what makes this album so endearing, as leaning into this lo-fi sound makes her music feel more natural — more personal.
In fact, Bridgers has employed the same strategy for her recent live performances. She’s stripped her sets down to the bare minimum, even opting to use a Suzuki Q Chord for the instrumentals. Bridgers also uses the Blue Snowball iCE microphone with its no-frills and straightforward sound, more commonly used as a mic for vloggers and video game streamers. While it may seem unorthodox, this actually helps the performance even more, as it gives it an air of authenticity. And, authenticity is everything, given the themes of the album as a whole.
Theme
While the previously mentioned elements are great, the video is strongest when looking at it from the perspective of its theme. Like the rest of her album, “I Know The End” explores the themes of loneliness and isolation.
This is seen in the music video with the striking images of empty stadiums, which hit close to home now that the pandemic has closed down such venues for the safety of the general public. Images of Bridgers running through the darkness also channel a sense of unease, anxiety caused by the uncertainty of the future, and the fear of imminent doom.
If you enjoyed this article and want to know more about the process of filmmaking, check out our piece on ‘The Making of Laurel Canyon with Director Alison Ellwood’!
Article specially written for BackstageOL.com By Katherine Keller
