Woodkid Inspiration

One of my favorite albums of 2013 is Woodkid's The Golden Age. If you haven't had a chance to listen to his music, you need to stop what you're doing (after finishing reading this, of course and give the album a listen from start to finish. I'm a firm believer in listening to albums in their specific album order because I believe in the intent behind the order of the tracks set by the artists. I know, I'm strange.

You'll love The Golden Age if you're a fan of a blend of modern and orchestral instrumentation being used together to produce beautiful, soaring melodies. I have to say that the french horns have some glorious moments on the album.

Woodkid has created incredibly powerful, layered melodies, and has done an equally incredible job of pairing them with stunning visual imagery in their corresponding music videos.

There's something about black and white photography that tells a deeper, more complex story. The details and textures are richer and more alive. There's nothing there to distract you from the story, and the images speak for themselves. Combining these rich visuals with the stories in the music creates a compelling story — one that truly captivates.

Woodkid "Run Boy Run" from WOODKID on Vimeo.

One of the details I most enjoy in Woodkid's videos is the simple connection of imagery from one video to the next. This cohesion is a powerful hook. As one example, the little boy appears in multiple videos, connecting the story lines from video to video, displaying a weaving of plots, a sort of game of connect the dots, that together form a grander tale.

Woodkid "I Love You" from WOODKID on Vimeo.

These videos remind me of The Fall, one of my favorite movies. If you have an hour or two to sit down and immerse yourself in an incredible cinematic experience, get The Fall and watch it. Its soundtrack also happens to include the second movement from Beethoven's 7th Symphony (a particular favorite of mine to play), which makes the film experience that much sweeter. Related note: I miss Pushing Daisies.

Inspiration comes in many forms, and The Golden Age's music and videos inspire me to weave a story that is as compelling as it is beautiful into everything I create.