Basically, the reason this video is in competition? Is because it contains the hugest instant jump in guitar-tone quality I’ve ever heard (0:12)! Seriously, that’s a pretty dramatic upgrade, right? I’m having a hard time thinking of a record with a guitar that graduates so quickly from pre-K to PhD like that. I guess that’s the miracle of effects pedals …

But still, no, this is better than just stomping on the average effects pedal. Because that initial guitar tone? Is really bad. Maybe he has a special pedal that makes things sound super-duper crappy, in order to make the leap to “rockin’ my balls off” more dramatic. Which is probably why you get that classic hair-flip eye contact move as soon as the tone kicks in, where he’s like, “Yeah you like that don’t you. Get ready to get this shit extremely stuck on replay.”

Also you gotta love whatever Cththtuluhu-type demon he summons at around (1:35.) Goddamn I love scary sounds like that.

Another interesting thing about this video is, it really helps me appreciate that the melody for “Replay” is not especially sophisticated, and when Iyaz brags “Oh girl, I could write you a symphony,” I’m starting to think that maybe that’s not technically true.

But maybe … it is?

FRIDAY FACE-OFFS! Putting Gustav Mahler on heavy notice since 2008!!!!!!!!!

Replay-play-ay-ay