POPSCREEN: Hoobastank

I’ve been playing a lot of “Rock Band” lately, and without a doubt, the dumbest part of that video game is the character customization, which allows me to buy new accessories and haircuts for my onscreen persona and completely change its appearance. But the last thing I care about when I’m slack-jawed and repetitively strumming my fake plastic guitar is the outfit my stupid pixellated avatar is wearing while spasmodically strumming his fake virtual guitar. I also care very little about aptly named Hoobastank; no surprise, then, that in the video for their new single “My Turn,” the band members seize upon a video game motif to play dress-up to no end.

The video has Hoobastank and their gear sitting atop what appears to be a giant spinning hockey puck, because, with the current state of the NHL, pucks gotta take work where they can get it. Meanwhile, blindingly painful imagery—probably lifted from the iTunes visualizer—provides a psychedelic backdrop. Band members teleport in and out, occasionally popping back into view wearing superhero outfits and other goofy costumes. Silly hats abound (sombreros!). Sometimes band members’ instruments and places are usurped by football players, or hot chicks (strippers!), or uniformed police officers. This never results in any drop-off in musical quality.

Hoobastank have copped in interviews to their middle-of-the-road reputation, and this song’s largely more (MoR) of the same. Lead singer Doug Robb—or is it Robb Doug?—keeps asking “When’s it gonna be my turn?” like he’s trying to get in on his own game of “Rock Band.” He’d probably find it more involving, as Hoobastank’s paint-by-number pop-rock suggests a level of musical sophistication that could easily be attained playing several hours of video games. But when the video ends and the screen flashes, “It’s your turn,” I’m more than willing to pass. Game over, man. Game over.

—Jake G. Cohen