Andrew Goodwin's theoryRat Race by Enter Shikari

By Toby Trew

Visuals and lyrics

• The visuals and the lyrics go hand and hand in this music video because the song is all about escaping from the control of the people in authority and how they want us to be and what the want us to do.

• With lyrics like “Gotta go and get a job and work 'til I'm deadThey know what's best for us” this matches the visuals because throughout the video the members of the band are trying to break out of there rooms which symbolises there trying to escape from the authorities control. (right)

• (left)

Genre characteristics

• Enter Shikari are a post hardcore band so the use more then just generic rock instruments they also use a synthesizer in there songs. In the video for rat race we don’t see any instruments being used this is because the they wanted to have a more heavy influence on the lyrics of the song so the performance parts of the song are mainly the two singers singing because the lyrics have more of an impact then the rest of the song. They do although have a lot of movement from the band when the yare cutting from shot to shot which matches the quick pace nature of the band and the song.

Looking and voyeurisms

• The video is mainly made up of shots of the band looking around to find a way out and find a way to escape from there boxes which is used to show them trying to escape the rat race. This adds emphasis to what the lyrics are trying to tell the viewer

• There is also a shot of the singer looking up to the sky to signify the hardship of trying to escape from the rat race.

Demands on the record label

• Recently enter Shikari have broken away from there former record label hopeless records and have formed there own titled ambush reality. This could havre links with the song showing that they have broken free from a label which can control them and are now independent and are able to do as they please.

Performance, narrative and concept

• In the rat race video it is mainly narrative with the performance integrated into the narrative. This is also because of the main focus being on the lyrics this is because the concept of the song and the video isn't just for entertainment but to convey the bands views and to make the viewer think about what the song is about.