Digipaks - Arctic Monkeys

Although I did not study any of Arctic Monkeys music videos I am looking at their Digipaks and they use them a lot, for to of their albums, singles and an EP. 


I have decided to analyse the 2006 single 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' and the 2009 album 'Humbug'.


'Leave Before The Lights Come On' is a very basic cover (almost as basic as Suck It and See). It looks as though it is made out of recycled card and has a roughness to it, all that is on the front is their then logo, and on the back is a barcode, tracklist and Publishers. When it is opened up is another tracklist and a more detailed account of the songs, produced by, published by, record company on the left hand side, on the right is the slot where the CD is and also a quote 'And they were left with their good friend Speculation. It was felt to be the best way. It was hard to be sure but was certainly suspected there were many unanswered questions, perhaps more amongst some than others. "We'll meet again, on a more weathered landscape" was thought never really said. 
With cries of "the boy's none soft!" they will part, not a moment too soon.' 


The CD itself is also blank, apart from a few words saying 'With cries of "the boy's none soft!" they will part, not a moment too soon.'  (The same that were in the quote.)

The Digipak could be left so plain so people will only care about the music on it and not the materialistic packaging. 

'Humbug' has a totally different approach, it was made 3 years later and is a full album, the front cover features a picture of the band but the same image layered over and moved around, slightly mirrored. Alex Turner the lead man is sitting at the front of the picture. They have donned a new logo for their name on this album. The back is quite plain with another logo - a different one again, and the track list with some Domino Records writing on it and their logo. The colouring of it continues the theme from the front. 


When you open it up there is a full spread of a picture of two people (perhaps band members, though it is hard to tell) climbing up golden sand dune against a blue sky, the image has been edited a lot and the contrast has been changed to a very high level. There a a lot of shadows which adds mystery. The left has side has a booklet inside of it with pictures of the bands and lyrics, where the right hand side has the CD itself in it in another sleeve covered in the logo of Domino records.
The CD itself has an image printed onto it with the initials AM. To me, the image looks like a pie with pastry letters on top of it which are a little bit burnt, but interpretation is open. 

Digipaks

Digipaks are another version of a CD case, but instead of being made from plastic are made from card in a booklet kind of style, the disc tray is still made out of plastic so the CD can be held in it. The front and sometimes the back cover have a booklet inside of them, or sometimes the CDs are held in them.
They are often used for singles or special releases and are cheaper than jewel cases in some instances.

Digipaks are a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd, an Atlas holdings company.

Textual Analysis of Music Videos - Laura Marling

Laura Marlings latest song 'Sophia' was released onto YouTube on August 8th 2011. It was directed by Fred&Nick who have also directed a Mumford and Sons video in 2009 - Marling and Mumford are of a similar genre (indie, folk, acoustic) and there is a similarity in the way they have been shot. As well as 'Sophia' Fred&Nick are also directing a short film to go with Marlings new album 'A Creature I Don't Know'.


The video was shot in a Cathedral in  Buenos Aires while she was on a tour out there. As the video is shot in a Cathedral and there are some religious meanings in the song you can relate the two together, such as 'on your knees to pray', 'coming on judgement day' which are the main stand-out lyrics. 
Laura Marling has been preforming music for several years now and has three solo albums behind her, but only recently has she broken into the spotlight and like a majority of new artists videos they feature mainly themselves so the audience can see what they are like. 

I find that in this video Laura looks quite vulnerable at the start, but as the song progresses she becomes more confident and bolder - like the song. In the beginning she is sitting on a chair playing acoustic guitar, and singing by herself, then as the song starts to develop you see other musicians in the background, Laura stands up and joins them where the song gets into full swing. 





When they're playing, to me, it feels very personal and more like a family than a band. They are all in a circle and facing inwards, usually all the band are facing the front and the lead singer gets all the attention, whereas this feels like a real group affair. However the drummer is right in the centre of the group.
Genre and sex has a real effect on music videos, such as a female pop star would be singing (well, autotuned) and dancing, the star of the video. While Laura Marling, a folk singer is playing an instrument and singing from her heart, and while she is still a solo artist she gets the rest of her band involved in the video.

There are no motifs or logos in the video, and it has no references to anything else. I think the music video is beautifully shot and I like how it enhances the musical skills Marling has, and then how it changes into a higher pace. This is a very neutral video and I think can be aimed at all ages and genders, though I don't think younger children would like it very much. 

Laura Marling - Sophia

Oh I have been wondering where I have been pondering
Where I've been lately is no concern of yours
Who's been touching my skin
Who have I been letting
Shy and tired I ?

I'm wounded by dust
All I have been wondering where I have been pondering
Where I've been lately is no concern of yours
Who's been touching my skin
Who have I been letting
Shy and tired I ?

Sometimes I sit, sometimes I stare
Sometimes they look and I don't care
Rarely I weep, sometimes I must
I'm wounded by dust


When the bell toll, when the bell gon' chime
You better call for your woman up high
And when the bell tolls for your last day,
You'll be getting down on your knees to pray
I'm a good woman and I never did say whatever it was that you did that day
I'm not a woman that ? but you said that it was coming on judgement day

Now Sophia
I'm wounded by dust

When the bell toll, when the bell gon' chime
You better call for your woman up high
And when the bell tolls for your last day,
You'll be getting down on your knees to pray
I'm a good woman and I never did say whatever it was that you did that day
I'm not a woman that ? but you said that it was coming on judgement day

Now Sophia
I'm wounded by dust
Now Sophia