Back In Black (And White)

From the hippie nostalgia of Neil Young to the sophisticated heartache of Madonna, here's this month's roundup of videos.

''Peace & Love'' Neil Young

Dated images and tortoise-paced editing may reflect Young's pre-video sensibility. Or maybe it's an attempt at nostalgia. Either way, it doesn't work. ''Peace'' cuts between static close-ups of Young on guitar and a slo-mo pastiche of tired, black-and-white '60s film clips (the Manson girls, be-ins). Most exploitative, the clip's only moving moments: two shots of a Christ-like John Lennon. C+

''Go Walking Down There'' Chris Isaak

Chris' innate coolness and humor are sacrificed to the dreaded ''big idea.'' It's (almost) funny to watch Isaak sing to his dead girlfriend. And it's (fairly) cool to see a re-creation of the sets and dancing from Shindig/Hullabaloo. But why these two concepts are in the same video is anybody's guess. The song deserves a better showcase. B

''I Want You'' Madonna with Massive Attack

Madonna takes center stage with a quiet power not seen since ''Live to Tell.'' She rules the claustrophobic space of a bedroom — and the equally confining cinematography — with tiny, powerful gestures. Not much happens, but she communicates strong emotion with a shrug of her shoulders and toss of her hair. B+

''Enough'' Dance Hall Crashers

Perkiness unchained: cute girls and boys, ska beats, and primary colors everywhere. This has all of punk pop's cliches. There's old movie footage, the band at a phony concert, overexposure of facial close-ups, and, in place of a visual style, editing to emphasize the band's clothing and attitude. Still, the funniest and hookiest example of its kind. A-

''Friends of P.'' The Rentals

The band — Weezer's rhythm section and Petra Haden of L.A.'s that dog. — understands MTV's visual language well enough. Shooting in black and white, codirector- Weezer bassist Matt Sharp employs off-kilter close-ups, holds his edits an extra beat, and tosses in Russian subtitles (huh?). Sharp isn't as funny as he thinks he is, but his Devo-esque wit is endearing nonetheless. B+