Conor Oberst released a music video for his song, “Zigzagging Toward The Light” and I think it’s wonderful. He’s living in a post-apocalyptic world, and there is so much packed into it. It begins and there’s a voice wishing him happy birthday, and it’s going to interview him. It sounds robotic, and reminds me very much of “Synecdoche, New York”, how Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character has a voice following him around the end. I think it’s a nod to it, which is pretty cool because that means Oberst is a fan of the film.
It’s shot entirely in black and white, and feels very minimalistic and honest. It fits the song really well, and the way that Conor is singing into a voice recorder. He’s showing us what’s “inside his head”, which has images of destruction and a particularly bleak feel, which is odd considering he’s in an exciting city.
Also, he looks wonderful. He’s healthy and clean, a grown man. It’s nice to see him tidied up and mature. It’s by far his best look, which is appropriate because it’s the best music video he’s ever released.
Something a viewer may not catch is the fact that anyone’s face but Conor’s is blurred out. It’s probably a reference to how the digital age blurs us from one another, a dystopian hint at what’s to come. We’ll probably be given more of what’s happening, because the end of the video has “TO BE CONTINUED…” meaning it’ll more than likely have a more expansive story. He’s never done anything like this before, and it makes me really really excited.
Oberst has zigzagged his way into a lot of people’s hearts with this video; I can’t wait to see more.
