The all-Idols-all-the-time American Idol off-season continues today with PopEater’s world premiere of Kris Allen’s “Live Like We’re Dying” video, a luxe-looking, moodily lit affair that finds the season 8 champ clad in a physique-appropriate black henley* and stalking his way through an abandoned construction site featuring a giant countdown clock, a dramatic sunrise, and copious amounts of recycled plastic sheeting. (Kris = Good for the environment! As if we didn’t already know.)
Things kick off with Kris driving a white pickup truck (with a watch hanging from the keychain) into what looks like an abandoned quarry. Except it can’t really be abandoned, since it’s lit up with an ominously beautiful cerulean floodlight. And it’s not really a quarry, because instead of stumbling across a cache of stones, Kris comes across a half-finished, steel-framed structure that turns out to be a perfect place for having one’s thick, tousled hair blown around by a wind machine, playing the guitar, and singing an insanely catchy debut single. And after Kris flips a big switch, a massive digital clock appears on the face of the frame and begins a countdown to…global chart domination?…the sunrise?…a new day in which to live life to the fullest? (Note, the first full shot of the clock has it set to 15:38, which could be a winking acknowledgment of folks who like to use a certain Andy Warhol quote to predict Kris’ post-Idol shelf-life.) Whichever interpretation you choose, I like the fact that we get to see Kris playing both guitar and piano during the course of the clip. In fact, that wide shot of him at the keyboards, with the countdown clock casting brilliant yellow light in his direction, is perhaps my fave part of the video. Well, that and the full-torso-boogie that’s paired with “throw it all away” at the 1:19 mark. Okay, okay…I’m watching it too carefully. But since I’ve already boarded the Idol Crazy Train, let me just say that I also like to think that Kris’ stand-and-play moment is an homage to fellow season eighter Matt Giraud’s “Hard to Handle” from last summer’s Idols Live Tour. (#signmattgiraud)
And with that, I turn it over to you. Any important images/themes/deets I’ve managed to miss? And how are you feeling about the “LLWD” clip overall? I’m stoked that the folks at 19 gave Kris the proper budget to kick off his video career — at least we finally know what the company did with the savings gleaned from hiring student filmmakers to helm Blake Lewis and Diana DeGarmo’s tragic first clips –and I can certainly see this one making headway at VH1, at least when the station isn’t playing Rock of Spreading Bed Bugs and Simultaneously Destroying the Sanctity of Love…and Humanity marathons. Who’s with me?
* Prayers really can be answered, people!
FYI: For all my Idol-related updates, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak, and if you love music (and what Idoloonie doesn’t?) then get hip to our Music Mix blog @EWMusicMix!
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