FEATURE:
Reel-to-Real
Rob Leggatt and Leigh Marling: The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2001)
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ONE of my favourite songs ever…
is by the Australian group, The Avalanches. The title single from their 2000 album, Since I Left You, it was released in February 2001. Reaching the top ten in the U.K. I love Since I Left You, as it is a song that mixes samples together. Rather than it being muddled and too busy, the track beautifully incorporates samples and creates this luscious, dreamy song that takes you to the heavens! The main sample is Main Attraction's Everyday (1968). Without too much input from The Avalanches themselves (vocally or any instrumentation), it is them skilfully weaving samples and sounds for a wonderful kaleidoscope. I think that Since I Left You is a song that will never diminish or sound anything other than spellbinding. Its amazing video is one reason why I love the song. Before coming to that, it is worth getting some critical reaction to Since I Left You. In terms of its legacy and reception, there was a lot of love for this wonderful track:
“Since I Left You" received widespread critical acclaim. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine gave the song a positive review, praising it for "allow[ing] the sampled performances to truly glisten." Allmusic's MacKenzie Wilson also spoke favourably of "Since I Left You", remarking that it "leaves listeners spellbound and in a summer dreamscape of lushness and simplicity.” Matt LeMay of Pitchfork Media wrote that the "beauty" of the song "lies in the way that the Avalanches turn obvious sonic mismatches into something all their own". Playlouder named "Since I Left You" the twenty-ninth best single of 2001, calling it "shimmeringly gorgeous" and "much greater than the sum of its parts, and the parts were pretty good to start with." NME and Rockdelux both included the track in their respective year-end best single lists.
Pitchfork Media placed "Since I Left You" at number 40 on their list of the best singles of the 2000s.The song also ranked number 69 on Stylus Magazine's decade-end list, with writer Ally Brown commenting: "A decade in, nothing's come close to matching 'Since I Left You''s distillation of pure joy from a hundred different songs." Q included "Since I Left You" in their lists of the Ultimate Music Collection and the 1,001 Best Songs Ever”.
The video is a hard thing to realise. Such is Since I Left You’s multiple directions and possibilities, there is no definite concept that comes to mind. Directed by Rob Leggatt and Leigh Marling (both are members of the Blue Source video direction team), their concept and execution is beautiful! In my mind, they made a classic music video that stands alongside the very best. With amazing production from group members Robbie Chater and Darren Seltmann, Since I Left You is this dream of a song that directors would love to tackle! Doing the song justice, it is just as well the record label rejected The Avalanches’ concept for the video: set on a cruise liner, it would have synchronised swimmers moving in time to the song. Instead, as Classic Album Sundays wrote, something far more intrigued, original and memorable was created by Leggatt and Marling:
“In the opening scene of the music video for The Avalanches “Since I Left You”, two miners are trapped in an underground abyss, surround by dirt and nothingness until they hear the opening notes of the track. The angelic and harmonious intro inspires them to search for the beat’s origin and break through some wooden planks to find a dance studio, where two dancers are performing an interpretative dance of the song for two judges. To embrace the paradise The Avalanches create with the track, one of miners, Arthur, joins the girls in dance, hilariously enough, and disappears into a mysterious flash as their final statement, never to be seen again”.
Multimodal Me, writing in 2013, breaks down the video and discusses the different shots and scenes. I love how it switches from black-and-white to colour; we see one of the miners as an old man recalling the experience at the end:
“The music video for The Avalanches Since I Left You, released in 2001, reveals the risks and rewards for two miners who fantastically enter a new world. Directed by Rob Leggott and Leigh Marling, this text would be suitable as related material for the movie Billy Elliot in HSC Standard English Module C Elective 2: Into the World.
Remember to discuss a range of different techniques from the music, lyric and film modes of this rich text. Begin your analysis by writing a topic sentence that refers to a key concept, such as transition between worlds, maturity, choice, consequences of change, risks and rewards of entering a new world. Aim to analyse different techniques than those used heavily in the actual film Billy Elliott.
keyhole shot opens or zooms out to reveal an abstract world that we slowly come to identify as a mine
miners are trapped in a black and white world and begin to dig their way out toward the muffled sounds of music
sound effects of a canary singing reinforces the notion of tradition and suggests the conservative nature of working class practices, such as the masculine attitudes of Billy’s father and brother
single guitar plays an upbeat melody that becomes repetitive, with a layering beat and percussion instruments to suggest a more complex situation
the miners break through the barrier between the worlds and enter the colourful world of a dance audition, seen in the slow upward pan of two female dancers who smile and welcome the men
Arthur is prepared to accept the risk of perfecting a new skill – dancing – which is in stark contrast to his occupation as a miner in terms of socially acceptable expectations. This links with the actions that Billy takes in following his passion by stepping outside the traditional masculinity of his small town
IN THIS PHOTO: Director Rob Leggatt
there is a clear contrast between the two audition rooms: Billy’s audition is unwelcoming with serious judges, whilst the music video shows a more inviting atmosphere, including judges with positive emotions who initially give unintentional feedback by smiling and nodding
Arthur’s friend is unable to make the necessary change into this world, and contemplates the consequences of returning to his mining world as shown in the misty split screen of Arthur with a female dancer. Arthur has clearly established a new relationship of support and friendship in this world
slow motion is used when Arthur makes physical contact with the female dancer, and as he flips over. This practiced skill mirrors Billy’s slow motion leap in the closing sequence and demonstrates his successful transition into the world of professional ballet.
Arthur’s anonymous coal mining partner dissolves into the old world, suggesting that he is unable to make the change, perhaps through his lack of ability. We see this in a point of view shot as he stares at his hand begin to flicker into black and white
the closing sequence is an interview, in colour, with the elderly anonymous coal miner who explains that he ‘never saw Arthur again’. Even though he remained in his familiar world, he seems content with his choice as the mise en scene reveals a comfortable lounge room with a caged canary and framed photograph of the two miners as young men”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Director Leigh Marling
Through the course of this series, I am going to take a closer look at some of the best and most innovative videos ever. I will cross genres and time periods, mentioning the director and stating why their video is so special. I think Since I Left You provides a take in the song that nobody else would imagine. It is heart-warming and charming; stunning, emotional and cinematic; lush, cute, eye-opening and endlessly watchable! I keep watching the video, as it gives new angles and joy to a song that is pure ecstasy and wonder. I get new things each time I come back to the video. From the closing scene to the dancing, right through to the way it is edited and shot, it is one of the legendary and all-time best videos. If any filmmakers and artists are reading, a concept like the one for Since I Left You is one that can captivate and stay in the memory! A brilliant concept and a superb match of visual and audio, there are few videos as wonderous and interesting. Credit to Rob Leggatt and Leigh Marling for what they came up with. I am conscious of including videos in this run that were directed by women, as some of the very best have been shot by incredible and talented women. I just had to feature the video for Since I Left You. Not only will this video stun people today: this is a piece of film that will amaze and be picked apart…
FOR the rest of time.