Local video roundup: Atmosphere, Chelsea Boys, and Radio K’s Starfucker recording

It’s time to lend both ears and eyes to a few new music videos with local connections. All of them popped out of the fertile womb of the Twin Cities this week and, in one way or another, they each highlight much of what makes our scene notable: the Rhymesayers collective continues to sling buzzed about music with the release of Atmosphere’s latest record; a local video troupe continues to push high-quality videos into the world (always without the proper recognition); and national acts pour through town, repped weekly by an esteemed college radio station. Here’s what has been on our radar this week. 

Atmosphere—“She’s Enough”

On Tuesday, Atmosphere dropped its follow-up to 2008’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold—the most successful record ever sold under the Rhymesayers label. The Family Sign, reviewed here by The A.V. Club, depicts Slug as an aging everyman. The video released for “She’s Enough,” set in a grade-school classroom, does everything it can to affirm that notion. Sentimental viewers might be sold on the video’s use of adorable school children, but the real highlight is Brother Ali as a hard-working cafeteria lackey. 

Chelsea Boys—City Of Music

If the crew behind MPLS.TV’s City Of Music videos have become known for anything, it’s their dependability. How many cities have a group of people devoted to creating beautiful, timely videos of their best local music makers? (We seriously want to know.) This week’s submission stars local electro-ironists Chelsea Boys. We find the group deep in the folds of an underwear dance party at the usually plush gay bar Lush. The video is a little awkward to watch sober, but what isn’t? Just take a shot or something.

Starfucker on Radio K

Radio K has become known for its recorded in-studio audio sets, but it’s always fun when the radio station adds a moving picture to the sound. Last week the station released its latest video effort, a recording of Starfucker, the band beleaguered by its naughty nomenclature. Filmed at SXSW by the Radio K crew, the video is the perfect appetizer for the band’s show Thursday at Cause. Why should you watch? Because you can’t hear asymmetrical haircuts, of which there are many beautiful examples of on this reel.