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Music

Desert Drives, Grim Reaper Rides: Watch Metronomy's Deadpan Video for "Night Owl"

Beware the slimy brain slithering on the hot, hot highway.

It's a fact that Metronomy a.k.a. Joseph Mount, aligns himself with consistently excellent video directors, Michel Gondry or otherwise. Whether working high budget gloss a la the Guy Bourdin homage "The Bay," or doing it budget with face paint as in "Radio Ladio," or ending up in their own karaoke video in a countryside chateau in "A Thing for Me," Metronomy's visuals err on the side of deliciously deadpan with a step into the surreal. (Let's not forget the hairless cat on Mars for "I'm Aquarius.")

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"Night Owl"—directed by Quentin Dupieux—is no different. Set in the California desert it involves a Rolls Royce road trip, a loitering grim reaper (who rides a BMX when he's on RR cruising), and a slimy brain that slithers slowly on toasty asphalt. Destination? Who knows. Meanwhile, it turns out our mop-haired hero Mr. Mount is rather tough to kill.

This tune is unequivocally the best song off his lately released fifth record Summer 08: the interlocking bouncing bass line and the Blur-like guitars combined with Mount's melancholy topline offers a classic Metronomy combo. Pop that doesn't bash you over the head with obvious ploys, but instead sidles up and seduces.

Read our profile with Metronomy here and watch "Night Owl" below.