While OK Go have never been especially notable for the quirky pop-rock music it records, the painstaking amount of care that goes into their music videos is unassailable. Seriously, if Pavement had invested that much thought and energy into anything, Stephen Malkmus would have recorded 35 platinum records and currently be serving his fifth consecutive term as the governor of California right now.

But, yeah, a condensed version of this video ran during the fourth quarter of last night’s great celebration of American media. It’s so awesome as to demand a few proper watches in full, just to take it all in. The video’s YouTube page insists that the Chevy Sonic was outfitted with pneumatic arms; singer Damian Kulash took stunt driving lessons; the band sang in actual time while driving the car; and that the whole thing required four months to properly put together. Sweet lord.

Take note, musicians: If you’re going to shoot a commercial for a car manufacturer, then shoot the best damn commercial you can:



Also, below’s the halftime show for those who either missed it, or just want to watch Madonna indulge her newly reclaimed pop-idol status again.

Highlights: Cee Lo dresses like a monk, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (who flips the bird to the 152 million NBC-viewing folks watching at home) grab their pom-poms for the Material Girl’s new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” and it appears that the Roman Coliseum’s daycare let out early as LMFAO jump in for a dance routine set to the melody from their “Party Rock Anthem” single:

Cults — in case you forgot — were the delightful big-label-masquerading-as-indie-darlings pop surprise of 2011. Regardless of who distributed their excellent debut album, it’s, well, excellent.

This video of guitarist Brian Oblivion taking a massive-scaled circus plunge off a platform and into the heart of cutie-pie singer Madeline Follin matches the tender tone of the ’60s girl-group song, at least until her daddy gets mad and another circus stunt goes wrong.

One of the common complaints I always hear after shows is that it just didn’t seem intimate. Well, sorry dude, maybe you shouldn’t have gone to see, like, Dave Matthews or whatever.

Twenty-something Edmond folk-pop singer Brianna Gaither, on the other hand, is opening her doors to you for a living-room session recording Sunday night, which sounds to me about as intimate as it gets for local music. You might recall her excellent 2011 album, “Love Is Patient,” which I guarantee you she’ll be playing selections from. Don’t miss this!

Buy your tickets at Ticketstorm for $10, or for $15 at the door. If there are any left, that is. More info is at her Facebook page.



 

You’d think playing all the instruments on a single track would be intimidating enough, but former Tulsan Ben Rector took it a couple steps further at Norman’s Blackwatch Studios. Per the video below, Rector commands six different instruments (seven, if you count that man-pretty voice of his!) on a cover of one of a much-beloved late diva’s most-beloved songs. That being my favorite Whitney Houston jam, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Compare the two for yourself. Would love to hear opinions in the comments: