Welcome to the glorious return of Mashable Music Mondays, which get their resurrection today with a new twist: At the beginning of the week, we will now be exclusively premiering videos and songs, along with artist interviews. This week’s premiere: “The Fear,” by Lovett.
If you’ve never heard of Ben Lovett (no, he’s not the guy from Mumford & Sons), it’s because his first, self-released album, Highway Collection [iTunes link], came out just last month. Still, after a slew of shows during this year’s SXSW, including a parade through Austin’s downtown that ended up on CNN.com, buzz for the 32-year-old composer and producer is certainly growing.
And said buzz is due, in no small part, to a series of music videos that the musician is creating out-of-pocket, with the help of film director friends for each of the album’s nine songs.
The first video, for the brass-i nfused take on the modern pop song, “Heartattack,” has garnered a modest number of YouTube views, but the artist’s second video, “Eye of the Storm,” a lush, animated hero’s tale directed by Christopher Alender, has amassed more than 125,000 views on YouTube since its release. (Which isn’t to say “Heartattack” is a weaker video; It’s actually one of my favorite songs on the album.)
Not bad for a musician who released his album via his own label, Lovers Label. When it comes to not having a record deal, Lovett says: “I know exactly what it is I’m trying to do and what I need to be doing right now just for my own creative satisfaction. For the time being, I haven’t required their services.”
Lovett’s next video — which is already hotly anticipated by his modest Facebook fan base — premieres today on Mashable. It’s a miniature film composed for “Th e Fear,” a moody...
