The benefit of releasing a music video is two-fold: an artist receives more exposure for a song via a visual medium (TV, YouTube, Vevo, etc.) and can tell a story with more depth or even a different spin – an approach that has become a bit popular as of late. For example, earlier this year Chris Stapleton’s video for “Fire Away” addressed the subject of suicide by showing the various stages of mental illness through the story between a loving husband and his depressed wife. A few months later, Chris Young’s video for “Sober Saturday Night” took fans on a 180-degree ride as viewers who believed the main character was going through a bad breakup were suddenly stunned to find that he was grieving over his girlfriend who died at the wheel while driving under the influence of alcohol. Following in their footsteps is Josh Abbott Band, whose new video for the heart wrenching song “Amnesia” also has a much deeper plot with an unexpected conclusion.
The basis for the Texas country group’s most recent album Front Row Seat was based on the personal relationship and breakup of lead singer Josh Abbott and his wife; the track “Amnesia” is located third to last on the album in the middle of Act V – aka the last Act of their relationship. Knowing the background and lyrics of the song (If I had amnesia/ I wouldn’t know how much I need ya /And I wouldn’t have to see ya every night /When I turn out the lights and close my eyes), it wasn’t hard to guess that the video would be very emotional, but Abbott throws a devastating twist that no one sees coming during the very last shot.
Much like Stapleton and Young’s videos, “Amnesia” is beautifully produced. The decision to shoot in a cinematic style than for simple television allows the aesthetic of the video to add to the story, such as the overall darkness and somewhat scrambled flashbacks which add to the dreamlike sequence as he thinks of memories that, thanks to a medical procedure (think “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) he will soon never think of again. (Don’t want to ruin the video with too many details – watch below to see for yourself)
Abbott’s lyrics painted a sad enough picture that if he were to have released a video simply portraying that story, that alone would have been a tear-jerker, but the creation of this storyline makes it so emotional that it stays with you afterwards.
Directed by Evan Kaufman (JAB’s “Wasn’t That Drunk” and Chase Rice’s “Whisper” promo), “Amnesia” ranks as one of the best videos of 2016.