Radar State, Radkey, Milkdrop, and more of the best local music videos

The musicianship on display in this month’s Cine Local is matched only by the cinematography with which it’s paired. Hip-hop, indie rock, soul, and garage punk are all represented in this fine collection of videos. We recommend casting these to your big screen for maximum enjoyment.

Khrystal, “Badu” 

“I know you stuck, but the darkness never lasts too long” might be the thematic hook of Khrystal Coppage’s latest, “Badu.” The soulful Kansas City singer is paired with sunny weather and smiling kids in this video, directed by Katheryne Johnson, and while we’re happy that we’re actually getting a fall this year, it has us wishing for one more warm day, if for no other reason than to play this while chilling on a porch somewhere.

Ms. Coppage also dropped “The Truth (Interlude)” earlier this month, so check that video (also directed by Johnson) here. 

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(w)OMEN , “Potion”

The pairing of Billy Smith (Season to Risk, Olympic Size) on guitar and vocals with John Bersuch (Bacon Shoe, Of Tree) results in dreamy soundscapes. This video was shot as the duo performed live at Never Records KC on September 6, as their song, “Potion,” was cut directly to vinyl. Never Records KC was part of Open Spaces, which ran from August 25 through October 28; it was “an art project by New York artist/musician Ted Riederer…exploring the potential of a record store and record label to unite, educate, and uplift a community through recorded sound.” You can find more details here. 

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Payge Turner, “Wyld” ft. The Authors 

Payge Turner might’ve left KC for Seattle at the end of August, but she gave us a pretty great present on her way out of town. WYLD, the live session turned album, is an EP of amazing cuts, including this spare-yet-grooving title cut. The video, from Morgan Jones, sees Turner roaming in the woods, and the way it’s intercut with her in the city nicely highlights the loud-quiet aesthetic in the song itself.

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Milkdrop, “Slow Dance” ft. the StarChild 

Shot in Topeka, the video for Milkdrop’s “Slow Dance” shows off the Leavenworth MC’s laconic flow, counterbalanced by the speedier delivery of the StarChild. It’s a teaser that will whet your appetite for Milkdrop’s Crowded, In A Lonely Room full-length, which was supposed to hit back in September, but isn’t fully up on Bandcamp quite yet. Props to Marty from Ebony Tusks, holding it down with sheer force of presence, not even dropping a single syllable.

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Yes You Are, “Blacklight” 

I woke up with the strangest feeling: like someone, or something, was whispering in my ear. So begins Yes You Are’s latest single, “Blacklight,” which fully embraces the band’s self-described “black pop” sound. It’s like Robyn let Jellybean Benitez produce an album. Pair that with the way the band’s frontwoman, Kianna Alarid, delivers the line It’s your destiny while dancing in a field, and we’re all in on this one.

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Radar State, “Strays” 

The title track from Radar State’s upcoming Wiretap Records full-length sees Matt Pryor taking lead vocals as he tends bar in a club filled with monsters. The band’s Josh Berwanger is a mummy, Adam Phillips is a vampire, and Jim Suptic is a guitar-shredding werewolf in this Patrick Rea-directed frightfest. The song’s catchy as hell, which should come as no surprise to those familiar with the band’s Get Up Kids / Anniversary / Architects pedigree. The album’s out January 11.

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Radkey, “Feed My Brain” 

Radkey’s “Feed My Brain” debuted as a self-released single on the band’s own Little Man Records back in 2014, but it’s remained a staple of Radkey’s live set ever since. The band’s released several new singles this year, including “St. Elwood,” “Basement,” and “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” but this Tod Browning-inspired video makes us love this track all over again. References to the 50-Foot Woman, Freaks, and — dare we say Basket Case? — make this a must-watch.

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Are you a local musician with a new video to share? Email nicholas.spacek@gmail.com