The Rentals Are ‘Waiting’ For The Band To Arrive
Truth be told, I’ve seen the video for ‘Waiting’ by The Rentals in my regular rotation since originally viewing it as a middle schooler in the 90s and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a deceptive bit of fun. A video that, at first glance, slots right in with similar videos of the time.
But upon rewatching it this time, it hit me that there’s quite a bit going on here. Don’t let the cheerful Moog synths and crisp Pop sensibilities completely distract from the fact that there’s both a car crash and a helicopter escape going down here.
I can’t imagine the budget for ‘Waiting’ was anything crazy. But credit to director Roman Coppola for being very economical & strategic with spacing out his big moments.
The bulk of ‘Waiting’ takes place on a bright soundstage, with half of the band ready to perform. As the song begins, more members arrive just in time to hit their cues.
Vocalist & bassist Matt Sharp crashes through the ceiling right on schedule to begin singing, backup vocalist & keyboardist Rachel Haden speeds in driving a car, violinist Petra Haden crashes in on a bike etc.
For its three and a half minute runtime, ‘Waiting’ breezes by. The combination of having such a great synth infused Power Pop gem mixed with the brisk pacing of each new setpiece entrance is a delight.
That car scene, especially, is really well executed; with Rachel Haden racing to the soundstage, crashing into a detour sign, and busting through a barricade while flying off a ramp. All the while, the camera is covering the big leap from multiple angles as if it were an episode of The Mod Squad.
Not wanting to be left out of the fun, the ending of the video sees a helicopter lowering a rope down into the soundstage and Matt Sharp grabbing on for dear life and being flown above the California skyline.
Hell, in hindsight, the video even has its own Easter egg of sorts with Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Life fame on synth, as she was a member of their touring band at the time.
Again, it’s not that ‘Waiting’ is any type of stunt showcase. It’s clearly not aiming to be. But it is a video that has a keen eye for pacing, with every beat perfectly spaced out. Especially at a time in the mid 90s when so many videos were hitting the throttle and trying to fit everything in at a million miles an hour, it’s refreshing to see a video that maintains a high pace, but also doesn’t feel the need to be excessive.
The Rentals occupied a very specific section of the 90s Alt Rock scene. One that embraced the influence of 70s & 80s Power Pop and were the counter to the gloom and cynicism of Grunge. ‘Waiting’ reflects that with style and pomp to spare. It hits the perfect balance of substance and spectacle in how low key it is for the type of stunts it packs in. If a car crashing through the air can be considered low key.
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