Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re checking out something a bit different from my usual fare, as we screen Round 1 of Alien Stage, which to my understanding is a somewhat mixed-media but largely music video-driven narrative project centered around human singers being forced to compete for the entertainment of their alien overlords. These music videos are presumably then framed as stages within this competition, with each apparently offering insight into both its singer and the dystopian world they inhabit.
That all sounds pretty fun to me, and frankly probably something I’d be into myself if I’d grown up with Youtube already in full stride. I am a huge fan of the music video as an art form, enjoyed plenty of anime music videos as a teen, and am in general a sucker for emotional narratives conveyed through song. My list of favorite records leans heavily towards narrative-heavy concept albums – The Meadowlands, Hospice, Offerings, The Sunset Tree, and many more of my favorites are in part beloved because they rise beyond the confines of any given song, lending the emotional weight of a full dramatic arc to their final moments. Alien Stage seems intended to scratch exactly that sort of itch, so let’s see what this first round is all about!