I Have a Radio (David Lynch, 2011, USA)

I Have a Radio is a music video David Lynch created for a track from his album Crazy Clown Time. The video opens with two figures swaying back and forth. One of the figures is darker, while one of the figures is lighter. The camera shakes, while black dots float around an ink-blotted screen. The figures momentarily pause while the lyrics of the song are read - "I have a radio". Japanese subtitles appear on the screen when this is read. The line is repeated over and over again over a hypnotic beat. The dancing of the figures continues throughout, with them pausing periodically.

The music is very Lynchian, with twangy guitars echoing over a pulsating beat. Its reverb sound would not be out of place on an episode of Twin Peaks. About halfway through the song, a pig begins squealing loudly over the soundtrack. This disturbing aspect continues throughout the rest of the video as the beat of the music gets progressively louder. The hypnotic dancing continues, not varying throughout. The black dots also continue to dance. On the left figure, you can almost make out what looks to be facial features. The right figure's face, however, is obscured.

The original album this song appeared on was released in 2011 and was a collaboration between Dean Hurley and Lynch. Hurley, a longtime collaborator with Lynch who has become his go-to musician for creating soundscapes, composed the music, while Lynch wrote all of the lyrics. The songwriting process emerged out of jam sessions between the two performers, and it is easy to see "I Have a Radio" beginning as a jam and then evolving into a song. I Have a Radio is worth a watch for fans of Lynch's music, and other Lynch completists, but it is not particularly interesting.

5/10