Deconstruction- Breezeblocks—Alt J

The band's debut album An Awesome Wave was released in May 2012 in Europe and September 2012 in the United States, and won the 2012 British Mercury Prize.  Gwil Sainsbury amicably departed the band in early 2014. Their second album, This Is All Yours, was released on 22 September 2014 and went straight to UK number one. As a replacement for Sainsbury, Cameron Knight became a supporting member for alt-J's live shows, playing guitar, bass and sampler.

Breezeblocks

Lyrics

She may contain the urge to run away
But hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks
Citrezene your fever's gripped me again
Never kisses all you ever send are fullstops, la la la la

Do you know where the wilds things go
They go along to take your honey, la la la la
Break down now weep build up breakfast now
Let's eat my love my love love love, la la la la

Muscle to muscle and toe to toe
The fear has gripped me but here I go
My heart sinks as I jump up
Your hand grips hand as my eyes shut
Ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah, ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah

Do you know where the wild things go
They go along to take your honey, la la la la
Break down let's sleep build up breakfast now
Let's eat my love my love love love, la la la la

She bruises coughs she splutters pistol shots
But hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks
She's morphine queen of my vaccine my love my love love love, la la la la

Muscle to muscle and toe to toe
The fear has gripped me but here I go
My heart sinks as I jump up
Your hand grips hand as my eyes shut
And ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah, ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah
Ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah, ahhh ahhh ahhh ah ah

She may contain the urge to runaway
But hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks
Germaline disinfect the scene my love my love love love
But please don't go I love you so my lovely
Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so
Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so
Please break my heart, hey

Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so
Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so
Please break my heart, ah ha

Please don't go, I'll eat you whole
I love you so, I love you, so I love you so
Please don't go I'll eat you whole
I love you so, I love you so, I love you so, I love you so

Synopsis

This narrative/concept music video tells the story of a murder in slow-motion reverse with a twist at the end that can change how the audience views the story.

Timeline

The video begins with a slow shot of a woman submerged in a bath, presumed dead. The location is not yet clear, although we can assume it is in a house or flat. The next shot is a close up shot of a man holding his head in his hands. The slow shots help to accompany the slow song. Then a sudden drum of the music cuts to an extreme close of the man’s hand wearing a wedding ring. The next few shots, such as the tap help to establish that the video is in fact in reverse.  A mid low shot from the doorway shows the man hitting the woman with a breeze block. This shot could suggest that someone is watching from outside. The next medium shot shows the woman running away from the man as he tries to grab her.  A close up shot of the man is shown with an angry facial expression. A close shot of the two characters feet and hands show the struggle to obtain the breezeblock from each other.

Two shots, a medium shot and a close up, show pieces of glass flying in to form a bottle which was thrown by the women towards the man but hit the wall instead. This leaves the audience questioning who is the person in the wrong. A low angle shot is used to show the woman grabbing the man’s feet and trying to grab him backwards. The next shot shots the couple in a physical fight with each other.

 The narrative then changes when a third character is introduced of a close of shot of another woman looking very scared and upset. A close up of a knife is shown which suggest the fight is very dangerous and could also foreshadow the first woman’s death to come. An extreme close up of the third characters hands which look as if they had been tied together.  The complexity of the video helps to know the audience intrigued to know more.

Various different shots show books flying back onto the shelf suggest that the fight is very physical. Then a mid-shot establishes that the third woman is in fact tried in a closet. This supports the idea that someone was watching the fight fro the doorway. A close up shot shows the man face looking worried at the woman I the closet. A medium shot shows the man trying to comfort the woman as she cries.

Then inserts of previous shots of the tap and the man’s wedding ring help the audience to fully understand the narrative of the video.

A low shot of the man’s feet show his walking backwards towards the door, then a mid shit show him grabbing his keys and flicking the light switch off. The song then slows right down as a medium shit shots the silhouette of the man shutting the door.