Separating promotion from artistry

Adding on to what has already been said about the once humble music video; it seems that such representation in what is inherently a visual society is a somewhat of a gamble for many musicians. The production of formulaic music videos can lead to an often unresponsive audience, and in using the video as a device to set the theme of an album, the strength of an album can ride on the success of a single song.
So how can you produce something complementary to the song yet distinct in its own right? In a reading of the latest video for ‘Dashboard’ by Modest Mouse it would suggest that the song and video, along with the CD insert artwork construct the theme of the album ‘We were dead before the ship even sank’. Yet the appeal of the album rests on the strength of this first song as a representative of a whole, and this is a problem. Fair to say I never judge an album by its first song thought I’m sure many do. Thus avoiding such initial prejudice is ultimately important to the success of an album. This is one of the many reasons that a band will get different directors to direct different music videos off the same album. Effectively it covers all their bases as the next song could appeal to those missed initially.
Surely those who don’t produce music videos end up shooting themselves in the foot. If they can afford to do it then it should be done. The financial importance and imperative associated with the music video is an important element. While it may be derided by some for being the phoney construction of commerciality, its relevance has never been more important.