Single Selection: Adam Tyler - Friction (with video!)

What a day it has been. I've been on a train most of the day travelling to 'that London' for work and the like... It has possibly been hotter than hell, and sometime you could physically see the cartoon smell wiggles eminating from people's arm pits. Yack. Then I tried to help some woman who fell rushing to catch the tube - I grabbed her hand to help her up, only the door shut leaving her on the platform shaking her fist and me in the train holding her shopping back! I was mortified. The whole carriage was looking at me like I was some sort of common criminal!! It was all made better though by All The Lovers coming on at exactly the same time a loved up boy-boy couple started canoodling. It was rude to watch, but it was like my own little serendipitous moment. Delightful. Anyway, you didn't come here to read about any of that, you came here for a full breakdown of the new Adam Tyler video...

ADAM TYLER - FRICTION

The song ~ let's face it. Friction is actually a properly good, catchy, entertaining pop song. It's got a wonderfully catchy chorus, it's a little bit aggressive which gives it an edge that saves it from sacharrine, it has a brilliantly broken down middle 8 that is both seductive and a little bit scary, and it sounds very modern indeed while still feeling totally comfortable and recognisable. It nicely balances elements of pop, synth, electro and danceability in a forward thinking way that places it at a high level within the current future boy-pop star competition (see below). It's well deserving of its 3 weeks atop the fizzypop charts - mainly because it's pop juxtaposed with a downright dirty electro edge that kept me humming along for weeks. And now, there is a video! Let's investigate that...

The video ~ Adam has actually raised the bar (as I noted above) in the current boy-pop market. He's done wonders to produce a quality video that merges a number of scenes, scenarios and dance routines successfully. Here are some of the highlights...

• As the video begins, there is a dictionary definition of what friction means. So not only is the video fun, it's instantly educational as well. Teachers could quite rightly show it in English class and not feel like they are just passing time til break like Mrs Krabappel...
• Then there are some nice shots of Adam posing - sometimes with his pecs out and sometimes with paint on his face (in a deep way, I assume to represent the tension and war like attributes of the friction in his relationship?!) There is quite a creepy shot at around 16 seconds, which looks static but then his eyes move. Well I was scared...
• From around 25s most notably Adam is sitting in half a disco ball. This is because he loves pop. And because the light looks quite nice shining off it. He is also on a balcony in quite an expensive looking apartment. He is enjoying a nice glass of red wine (or fruit juice if he is under 21) with his lady friend...
• But oh no! At 42s, he has obviously done something to her drink (told her it was a $10 bottle when really it was $5 from walmart?) and she rather rudely spits it all over him. Still, good for him to know at this stage that she is actually a spitter and not a swallower :P
• At 45 seconds, if it isn't enough that she has spaffed her juice all over him, she throws the wine all over him. Kudos (not on the wine throwing, waste of damn good wine - that $5 stuff is highly underrated) - it looks quite good splashing off his face! Well shot cameraman, well shot...
• Then they are having a bit of a friendly, then less friendly tussle inside the apartment. Again, this is to show the friction between them, but really I suspect it's the Santa Ana winds driving them crazy :)
• Adam remains a complete gentleman and doesn't respond to Lady Friend's aggressive pushing. Not even when she slaps him at the one minute mark. Which looked quite real. I bet the poor lamb had finger marks on his face. I'd take her to Judge Judy :)
• At about 1m to 1m15s, Adam is standing static in the kitchen looking well pissed off while Lady Friend continues to rant. I have used this tactic myself - just don't respond to the hystrionics. It gets them even more riled while you remain aloof. Well done Adam. Round one to you.
• Ooo then it all changes. Adam is in the desert. And he has forgotten half his clothes. Now this part is to symbolise the animalistic nature of the arguing that then leads to the passion. So the video is still very educational as it will teach kids symbolism and they will be able to read Wuthering Heights and know that the wildness of the moors reflect the wildness of Heathcliffe's temperament! Amazes.
• As the lyrics talk about a little break in the dance, Adam and Lady Friend actually dance. It is vaguely reminiscent of the Buffy musical episode when people were forced to dance. Luckily, there are much better dance routines to come. Phew :P
• The second chorus continues the friction as the relationship dance theme, interspersed with some nice shots of Adam looking all angsty and passionate about the situation. Though I don't recommend lying on the railway tracks as he does at 1m54s. This is not to be tried at home kids :)
• GOOD LORD! It's sexy Adam in the middle 8 (2m15s on). He's all panther like, wound tightly and ready to erupt. There is also some close crotches proximity going on. And! Adam goes a bit saucy/kinky as he chains his Lady Friend up and takes her for a walk! It's all a bit True Blood naughty and I like it!
• BUT THEN! Amazingness happens! A full on bonkersosity dance routine kicks in at 2m36 with arms everywhere and a dance troupe. It's possibly the best full on dance routine since Same Difference's excellent We R One (or their new one actually for Shine On Forever). Dance routines are sorely lacking in pop at the moment. Hurrah to Adam for returning them to magnificence!
• There's quite a romantic but chaste little smooch at the end, and then a nice 'aw, we made up' hug. Though Adam has a naughty glint in his eye so I suspect part of him, as the song says, was addicted to the friction and quite liked it all actually. The saucy devil.

So there you have it. A thoroughly entertaining video, with good popstar hair, nice use of finger paints and a full on dance routine. With added naughtiness! Amazeballs. Now go and bloody buy it on iTunes per favor. I thank you!

See also:

• Kyle Brylin ~ also currently vying for boy pop amazingness. His Discrepency EP is all sorts of addictive, he seems quite the charmer and has some nice new pics with brillo pop star hair as above demonstrates. As Poster Girl will testify, this is very important in the world of boy-pop...
• Simon Curtis ~ how could I bypass an opportunity to remind people about Simon?! His album 8 Bit Heart has been incredibly well received, he's getting more interest by the day and developing his live show. Personally I'd whack Alter Boy online for $10 a pop to raise some cash, but for now let's relook at one of the prettiest most addictive ballads of the year, the achingly gorgeous title track to his album :)