"Crush" music video leak

[Courtesy of YouTube user "5an1ty"]
Eeeeee! was my first reaction. And then "A Sunday premiere?!" And then "I'm so nervous ... I don't want this video to besmirch my image of David Archuleta. I could do without watching it, forever." And then I watched it.

Reactions: Hmm. I am pretty well-acquainted with Jive Records' teen pop ways, having been a loyal fan of some of their artists for upwards of ten years and all. I was expecting longing gazes off into the distance, wind machines blowing everyone's hair (but particularly his) to create drama, and some sort of romantic closure at the end of the video (e.g. a kiss, or something akin to that in DArchuleta's world).

Well, my initial reaction was "Wow, what shoddy quality." I have since learned that this is a leaked video, so that may have something to do with it. Aside from the technical flaws (skipping in parts), the editing is pretty choppy and nonsensical. The composition of some of the shots is pretty terrible. The angles at which they placed the camera in relation to David's face in the close-ups are little better. Yes, I would even venture to say that I would have done a better job with whatever budget they had. I think the very first shot of the video may have been the best; the sepia one of him playing at the piano at the end of a dock hovering over some swampland (WTF, right?). Oh, Jive and its necessity to embroil nature into everything it does (see: Backstreet Boys).

Anyway, it's not the worst video on the planet (for that you would have to look up "Heidi Montag"), and probably nowhere near it, but this being David's first chance to make a big impression on people who didn't watch him on American Idol, they kind of blew it. I'm being extra-critical because I really want him to do well, but I don't know how much I would've enjoyed it as a neutral bystander either. Sort of like how I really wanted to like all of Colbie Caillat's music videos because I love her songs, but I find them dull as sawdust and feel no desire to rewatch any of the videos ever again. The song "Crush" has a somewhat dark tone to it, and the whole premise of the video was really chirpy and bright. And sort of reminiscent of "Beautiful Soul" by Jesse McCartney.

And to answer to any qualms any of us may have had about our Fun-Sized David, we needn't have worried. Because NOTHING HAPPENS. And nothing will happen if David continues to gaze longingly (albeit not as much as I'd expected) at his love interest. Phew.

ETA: On second watch, why did the director place him in the direct path of the sun? There's no need for David to perpetuate his squinty nicknames ... he has beautiful eyes, to boot. And what is up with the random blurry close-ups? Are we supposed to be made to feel as if we're watching "MTV Diary" interspersed with "Bug Juice"? These people don't know what they're doing!