Every now and then, we see a music video that is as inventive, artful and as engaging as the music. Rather than being just an add-on or an after-thought, some videos are great pieces of work in their own right and remain in the memory afterwards. ‘Mama’, the latest single from Portland-based singer-songwriter Jared McCloud, is one such video. When a new cinema opened up in town, they decided to make the bar look like the one in iconic film ‘The Shining’. McCloud decided it would be a perfect location for a music video and the idea grew from there. Directed by Eli Gardiner, the resulting visual has superb production values and – with some humour – pays tribute to a fabulous movie. As an added bonus, McCloud’s actual mother, wife and twin daughters appear in the video. One of the highlights is seeing McCloud screaming through the broken door towards the end, a scene that will be familiar to all film-fans. One of my main cinematic memories remains watching ‘The Shining’ alone in a darkened room in the middle of the night – an unforgettable movie experience – so I appreciate attention to detail and the nostalgia driving the video for ‘Mama’.
Musically, the song showcases, once again, McCloud’s raw and gritty voice, used effectively to belt out a memorable melody. ‘Mama’ is a well-crafted song that rises to a satisfying finale, with bursts of energetic electric guitar along the way. McCloud’s previous experience in hard rock and metal bands gives him, as a solo artist, an edge to his songwriting, vocals and guitar work that is distinctive and engaging.
After his previous record, ‘To Live and Die in Your Arms’, reached #46 in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart, McCloud took a break from recording to spend time with his family. During that hiatus, he still toured sporadically and even set up a successful festival, ‘Three Sheeats to the Wind’. However, he has now returned with a brand new album. ‘Mama’ is one of the key tracks from ‘Vacancy’, which is out now. Do check out the album but relive ‘The Shining’ with this excellent video first. Enjoy.
