Tesse and Matt Maule serve up the most powerful music video you’ll see this year.

An opening scene in prison, a robbery gone wrong, a lead who strays into the world of crime – it sounds like we’re talking about a big-budget feature film, not a Sydney artist’s music video, right? The clip for ‘Better Than I’ll Be’ by indie-folkster Tom Stephens AKA Tesse is a noirish cinematic escape that’s as enthralling as the track is compelling.

Written and co-directed with Matt Maule, the video sways between our protagonist’s (Stephens) release from prison and flashbacks showing how he wound up there. Having done a considerable amount of work on his rig whilst in the slammer, he’s on a quest for revenge that sees him take to small-town Australia, captured masterfully by Matt Maule and the team.

The tune is a real earworm too, with Stephens showcasing an ability to not only write a hook but also hit those melancholic notes that offer depth and keep us coming back for more and more. Don’t just take our word for it though, check out the video below along with some BTS from the shoot as captured by Liam French and Dylan Silcock, and you can catch Tesse live April 3rd at Vic on the Park in Marrickville and at a free entry live show in Melbourne on April 1st at Small Time, Brunswick (more info here):