New Discoveries

My Preconceived Notion: VH1 and MTV no longer play videos, and when they do, the videos are excerpts presented in shows such as TRL.

Truth: VH1 and MTV do play some videos in the morning. Now that I don't work, these are the mysteries I solve.

Radio: My Chemical Romance is a so-so emo band with so-so songs.

Videos: "Helena" was a visual feast; if you ever wondered what a dancey goth funeral looks like, your prayers have been answered. "I'm Not OK" is not filled with the most creative concepts, but the movie trailer format and final text prompts were clever. Watching a band perform in the video isn't always fun, but watching My Chemical Romance is.

Other Quick Video Reviews:

Beck, "Girl." Nothing too special, except things in the video keep folding and turning into something else. The effects are cool, but I don't understand its ties with the song, and a special effect like that in itself isn't enough to be a theme.

Coldplay, "Speed of Sound." The backdrop may be pretty psychedelic at a real concert, but these guys need to show more creativity than performing in front of a large video screen for a video. Use some of that money they've got to give us more of a feast.

Jessica Simpson, "These Boots are Made for Walkin'." The threadbare arrangement and thin vocals aren't impressive, but the cowgirl line dance and Jessica's Paris-upping car wash is enough to make this video very, very appropriate.

Foo Fighters, "Best of Me." If they kept the camera on Dave Grohl's mouth making out with the microphone, I would have been happier. Instead, we zoom out, watch the band grudgingly perform. Worst of all, these scenes are intercut with horrible, cliched early 90s grunge-like stock video.