The Afghan Whigs - Algiers

What this video is

Released February 18, 2014, 'Algiers' marked The Afghan Whigs' first new music since their 1999 breakup — a 15-to-16-year hiatus that made the single a major cultural event for Gen X alt-rock audiences. The video arrives at the height of a broader 90s alternative rock reunion wave, but distinguishes itself by committing fully to a cinematic, non-performance format rooted in American revisionist western mythology.…

Why it matters

A landmark example of the narrative short-film music video format in post-2010 indie rock. 'Algiers' demonstrated that cinematic, story-driven videos remained a viable and critically resonant form beyond the MTV era, achieving wide press coverage as a 'four-minute short film' rather than a…

The director

Philip Harder (born 1965) is an American music video and commercial director represented by Bob Industries, Santa Monica. He operated Harder/Fuller Films from 1985 to 2005 and directed at Quentin Tarantino's A Band Apart Commercials and Music Videos. His…