Popscreen: Motion City Soundtrack

Motion City Soundtrack

“Hold Me Down”

Dir. Alan Smithee



Most videos in rotation on MTV are either promoting something else or desperately crying for attention. “Hold Me Down” manages to be neither—just a beautiful song with a beautiful video to match.

Straying from your typical emo-pop-punk clip—which normally features a young TV starlet in an interweaving love story with the band’s homely frontman—the video is simply a well-filmed performance. Set in a vast open park with snow-capped mountains as a background, the group bundles up and play their hearts out to match the emotions of the song. In its simplicity, the viewer can concentrate on the heartbreaking lyrics and the overall feel of the song. After all, isn’t that what emo music videos are supposed to do?

Brilliant cinematography and quick editing trump plot and substance showcasing the band doing what they do best while still capturing their personality. Throughout the video, there are shots of couples embracing lovingly while the band members remain alone, capturing the cold, wintry feel of the song. At the clip’s climax, a bunch of toddlers run around the performers and have a snowball fight. It’s irrelevant, but enjoyable nonetheless.

And so, until summer comes and with it arrive a plethora of videos featuring Jessica Simpson and Beyonce’s cross-promotions, “Hold Me Down” should be a nice respite from your usual MTV.

—Christopher C. Baker