Randy Houser, “Anything Goes”

Clearly, it wasn’t enough for Randy Houser to produce one of the year’s finest debut singles; he also had to make one of its finest music videos. Excepting the bikini model who’s supposed to be his ex, most everything about this piece feels completely natural, like it was meticulously structured to complement the progression of the song (what a concept).

It’s the sort of work that makes a strong case for the music video as an art form, rather than a shallow marketing device. There’s something creative afoot at most every turn in this clip: witness the rhythmic montage in the build to the first chorus, or the way Houser fantasizes about singing alone onstage to his girl, as if to acknowledge that his whole world – even down to the songs he sings – is built on co-dependence. Someone clearly sat down and thought about this one, and it shows.

Of course, there’s always a risk of overdoing things when going the dramatic route, and there are indeed some points where Houser and his video succumb to minor histrionics. But on the whole, I haven’t felt so deeply immersed in the emotional groove of a music video in quite some time – and when it comes to this sort of raw passion, you take what you can get.

Directed by Vincenzo Giammanco

Grade: A

Watch: Anything Goes