Lickity Slick Vid Clips 2012 (HM): Scott Walker "Epizootics!"

Okay, so it looks like somehow we got stuck with the name "Lickity Slick Vid Clips" instead of "Best music videos of the year." No problems here.

And it looks like an effort was made to note the lack of "go-to" directors and bands that normally tie the loose ends, rounding out our "best videos" special.

We mentioned a list of these go-to's in a previous entry, although we neglected to mention Hammer & Tongs who unfortunately announced their split in 2012.

The freshness of the best 90's and early-2000's video directors doesn't seem as though it's getting supplanted by any young modern filmmakers. For whatever reason, short films and animation shorts are viewed as the preferred launching pads.

Our first Honorable Mention bares resemblance some of the more bizarre or "arty" shorts that might be screened at Sundance, more so than it resembles a music video. Scott Walker sings about someone who's frightened by Hawaiian people while showing slow-motion shots of a creepy-looking Hawaiian girl who possibly has rotting teeth. There's a quick flash of a pig's face. And then later, an uncomfortable shot of a daddy-long-legs chillin' next to someone's navel area. These visuals would be meaningless or even ugly on their own, but instead they depend on the song, providing a vital compelling aura.