From YouTube.com user: TMCA

We usually stay away from reviewing music videos because it's traditionally the music which is the main feature and the videos can't usually stand on their own. But the music and accompanying video to "Do You Fear Sleep?" from the album Insomnia from the group 'The Moscow Coup Attempt' grabbed me and mesmerized me through four viewings.

Perhaps it's because I live and work in San Fransisco and I take the same route shown in the sepia-toned video several times a week. Perhaps it's because I'm entranced by the historical images of these people from 100 years ago in this film and the inevitable thoughts of time and mortality it conjures up.

The video is actual film of San Fransisco's Market Street -- the main drag through downtown -- shot from a trolley car in 1906. The images flip back and forth -- showing carefree people on the street scurrying about in their daily business with no thoughts of impending doom.

Then the picture switches to darker skies, slower movement and fewer people moving about on those same streets. You can also clearly see the same buildings in ruins just after the 1906 earthquake and fire.

I love that the camera follows the same route from west to east, towards the Ferry Building in the distance in both scenes. It seems to have the same perspective and speed, as if it's on the same trolley car in both shots, like someone had choreographed and directed the entire scene beforehand.

From a performance standpoint, both the video and the music undeniably stand, with dignity and poise on their own, earthquake images notwithstanding. And isn't that the standard for rank distinction in music or for a music video?

Granted, the video was shot 100 years ago, so the group or producer in charge of the creating the music video had no hand in its actual creation. But isn't vision for partnering images -- new or old -- with music what defines a successful music video and makes it come alive?

Now, if you don't mind, I have to replay this one more time.

Labels: 1906, aitkins, cable car, earthquake, insomnia, Moscow Coup Attempt, San Fransico, trolley