R&B pop videos, you know the ones; clubs, cars, girls, waxed bodies, oiled up pecs and… erm, cans of Carlsberg and chippies? Anyone who hasn’t had their head buried firmly in the sand will know that one of the world’s top international acts has been over this side of the pond in recent weeks, flaunting her bits to an uptight farmer whilst making her new video. What you probably weren’t expecting – much like us – was that the end product wouldn’t look out of place on Shane Meadows’ portfolio. We’re really at a bit of a loss as to where this has come from; a quick glance at director Melina Matsoukas’ filmography offers up typical fare for the likes of Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and of course Rihanna… there’s certainly no suggestion that she’s been digesting Ken Loach’s back catalogue. There’s pills, thrills and – quite literally – bellyaches in place of the usual dance moves and half-hearted cameos, and quite possibly the only appearance a ‘talking bass’ will ever get in an American music video. In short; it’s really quite brilliant and all the more for how fabulously unexpected it all is. Perhaps the US syndication of Shameless has started a trend…