Best “Acoustic” Video of 2009 – Vincent Moon and Hometapes
Vincent Moon, (real name Mathieu Saura) independent film maker from Paris (Take Away Shows from La Blogotheque, Various artists videos including Bon Iver, Yeasayer,R.E.M., Arcade Fire, Sigur Rós, The National, The Shins, Andrew Bird, Okkervil River, and Beirut has created what we feel here at YATM is the best “acoustic video” and by far the most creative and captivating series of songs on any music video we have seen this year and perhaps ever. This film was the product of various bands who gathered at the SXSW 2009 Festival to perform independently for the label Hometapes; Portland Oregon. The bands and songs are listed below.
We discovered this video upon reading Sara Padgett, of Hometapes, blog and her “best” of list of 2009. In this posting she has listed and shared with us her Favorite Moment of 2009 and Favorite Show of 2009:
SARA: There have been a lot of special moments this year. Geez, almost one every day. But – there’s one the comes to mind, one that kept appearing like a photograph, as I sent this same question out to all the bands involved in the Eight Days of Hometapes project. It was Sunday March 22 in Austin. We’d just finished the marathon of shows and our best-ever Friend Island party. We were all staying in a house together – Megafaun, Slaraffenland, Stars Like Fleas, a slew of friends, etc. – and we’d coordinated the day before to have our friend Mathieu, a.k.a. Vincent Moon, to come shoot a film using the house as its location and creative centerpiece. In one take, Mathieu captured a continuous shot – and a continuous song, really – featuring Megafaun, Balmorhea, Murder, Stars Like Fleas, The Physics of Meaning, and Slaraffenland. The rest of us were on the porch, sitting still, hearing the music echoing from the rooms, from the bushes, from the stairways. The music grew louder and Slaraffenland led everyone out into the front yard with their voices and instruments. The sun was shining through the trees. The wind was blowing and causing leaves, like helicopter blades, to spin down onto all of us like a glowing Texas snowstorm. Then the music ended, and I felt myself breathe out, a long deliberate exhale —- for that day, that week, and for all the years leading up to that moment. That’s the day 2009 really began, the day Hometapes took on an evolved shape and cracked another code in our journey — one that, just this year, took me on the road with our bands (including Megafaun for an amazing six weeks) and gave us the strength to release the best records we’ve ever ever heard by our best friends.
And then we went to Lockhart and ate BBQ and crushed ice sodas. 
From start to finish this is the most captivating and creative video:
Set and band list in order of appearance:
Megafaun, “Worried Mind”
Balmorhea, “Coahuila”
Murder, “Help The Dead”
Stars Like Fleas, “Untitled”
The Physics of Meaning, “Black Liquorice” (our favorite*)
Slaraffenland, “Meet and Greet”
The instruments employed are all acoustic and sound effect driven including, Beer Cans, Soda Bottles, Doors, Bamboo, Rocks and Leaves, Megaphone, Basketball, BBQ, as well as varied string instruments, horns and flutes, marimbas, drums, hand claps, all combined with the beautiful vocals of the various bands. Its a good 25 plus minutes but it may seem like seconds once you get hooked on Vincent’s film making brilliance. The transistions he utilized between songs and the ending scene, like Sara said, is just magical! Enjoy, Merry Christmas from Hometapes and Portland Oregon here!
best viewed in FULLSCREEN MODE
