'Monsters' music video takes viewers through trippy world of storybook animations

Stepping back from the overproduction and bizarre storylines of many modern music videos, Sarah McLachlan’s “Monsters” (released Feb. 27) delves into the age-old theme of facing one’s demons. Set in an illustrated storybook, the video depicts a young heroine who confronts the monsters under her bed. The manila pages of the backdrop and the jumpy, sketched animation style give the video a vintage feel, reminiscent of the aging picture books from which parents might read to their children.

The heroine finds herself gazing into a trippy alternate universe when she sticks her head under the bed, after spying the glowing eyes of a fearsome monster lurking there. In an “Alice In Wonderland”-esque tumble, she falls headfirst into this new world, following the path of a creepy, smiling star. The visuals that follow are as bizarre as they are endearing. Fighting a monster, dancing with a literal star and watching the vibrant night sky come to life, the heroine accomplishes endeavors both fantastical and terrifying. A particularly striking sequence involves the girl spinning and falling atop a kaleidoscopic background, which soon opens up as a portal into a turbulent ocean. This kind of visually pleasing artistry makes the video more than a mirror of the song; it is a work of art on its own.

That said, the old-timey aesthetic perfectly complements the nostalgia of the lyrics. McLachlan describes childhood monsters, relating them to current “monsters” -- people with malicious intents -- with whom she still deals. She sings, “Three headed monsters they want your money / Wanna be in the picture, be your friend / They fill your pool with alligators / Are they all just jokers or are they cruel?” While the video’s references to bedtime monsters are far from subtle, they stand as an adequate metaphor for real-life monsters.

With psychedelic visuals, the “Monsters” video documents the young heroine’s adventures and creates a poignant narrative. For fans of McLachlan’s music, this new video should serve as a crafty counterpart to her music.