Montt Mardié | “High School Drama”

“High School Drama” – Montt Mardié

With all that caked-on make-up, the lad here looks uniquely sub-human in this video. Is he real? Is he a robot? And the leading lady’s not so attractive, either, looking incredibly awkward throughout the whole sequence. And since I have your attention, friends, allow me to rant about the use of speaking parts in songs: unless you’re Tom Waits you can’t pull it off, and you’re going to do a good job at making me cringe. The pointless high-school banter in this song is totally cringe-worthy, whether it’s done tongue-in-cheek or not. I’m scared.

However, let’s look past the awkwardness of this video and the spooky spoken word bits and let’s just get down to the dancing and the pure bubble-gum goodness of this song. For that, I’m willing to forgive.

Sweden’s got me again. Guh. I’m so predictable.

Montt Mardié – Official blog | MySpace | Last.fm | eMusic

1990s | “You Made Me Like It”

The feeling of this video is more 1980s — a time when Olympic gymnastics held modern society in its grasp and kept giving it a big noogie. But then again I was a little girl who just wanted to be famous, and being obsessed with Mary Lou Retton was like a rite of passage into the cool group at school. But I digress. This ain’t the 1980s. This is the 1990s — the group, that is.

Hailing from Scotland, these lads have many connections to fellow scenesters Franz Ferdinand and Babyshambles. After pumping out a few minor releases — including the single above, “You Made Me Like It” — they’re out with their first full-length, Cookies. It’s power pop, Brit style. And so are their teeth. The lead’s singer’s set of chompers are way too difficult to avoid, like watching a car accident. Chew on that cookie, my friends.

1990s – Official site | MySpace | Last.fm | Amazon

Similar artists: The White Stripes | The Cribs | Kings of Leon | Babyshambles

Lavender Diamond | “Open Your Heart”

I had a chance to see Lavender Diamond at Vancouver’s Lamplighter earlier this year, and because I assumed the show would be drowning in way too much hippie for my liking, I declined the offer. And it was free. I never pass up a free ticket.

So now I’m whacking myself in my anti-hippie head, because I’ve actually learned to look past Lavender Diamond’s excessive use of exclamation marks and talk about peace, love and blah, blah, blah. I must say that she’s got a refreshing take on life, something of which my embittered soul needs an ample dose. Her music sometimes sounds kitschy, sometimes sounds straight from the heart, but it’s full of a love of life that doesn’t exist in a lot of music out there.

Also when listening to them, I imagine myself walking around in crowds of dancing people, kind of like in this video to “Open Your Heart” …except I wouldn’t look half as graceful on a pair of roller skates.

Stream Lavender Diamond’s Imagine Our Love album here.

Lavender Diamond – Official site | MySpace | Last.fm | Amazon

Similar artists: St. Vincent, Feist, Regina Spektor

The Bicycles | “Paris, Be Mine”

The Bicycles‘ new video for “Paris, Be Mine” is a start-stop romp of childhood memories, simplicity, innocence, and unbridled fun. Here they entertain themselves with a juicy game of musical chairs.

The Bicycles – Official site | MySpace | Last.fm | Zunior

Patrick Wolf | “Magic Position”

“Magic Position” – Patrick Wolf

I’m still in the process of developing a musical relationship with Patrick Wolf. And so far I’m impressed, especially with 2004’s Lycanthropy and this year’s The Magic Position, where this single of the same name is featured.

His gangly, awkward presence clearly reveals his tender age (24 years old), but his songs have a mature, theatrical, and experimental presence that reminds me of fellow Brit Jarvis Cocker. This here single is full of high-contrast happiness and glorious hand claps — a nice bonus to any single and video.

Patrick Wolf – Official site | MySpace | Last.fm | Wikipedia | Amazon

Similar artists: Antony & the Johnsons | Jarvis Cocker | Suede | The Killers

Gui Boratto | “It’s a Beautiful Life”

“Beautiful Life” – Gui Boratto

I’ve had this Gui Boratto single (from Chromophobia) looping on my iPod for the last month or so, but watching this video almost made me lose interest in it completely. The close-ups, smiling faces, extended shots, and melodramatic soft focus all reeked of a Becel margarine commercial or a similar get-fit-and-lead-a-balanced-life PSA. Despite my love for the song I didn’t dare post the visuals for fear it’d do the same for you.

But here it is. I finally managed to get my way through the entire thing to discover how it all comes together in the last 20 seconds, telling somewhat of an endearing tale. For a brief, brief moment, it made me appreciate its understated beauty. Kinda like David Lynch’s The Straight Story, a yawn-tastic film that only stirred me out of my sleep in the last scene. But there you go: I will never sit through the entire movie again just to see the ending. And I still don’t love the video — there’s too little build-up for its punchline — but at least it’s growing on me.

If you don’t have the patience, maybe watch the first minute or so and jump to the last 30 seconds. Or maybe you should just scroll down, read more entries, open up a new tab and do some more web searches while the song plays in the background. Or dang, just stream the mp3. After all, I still think it’s a good song.

Gui Boratto – Official site | MySpace | Last.fm | Wikipedia | Amazon

Similar artists: Orbital, Ricardo Villalobos, Paul Oakenfold

Archers of Loaf | “Harnessed in Slums”

In a back-breaking effort to reorganize my dreadfully disorganized iTunes library, I’ve been reintroduced to the now-disbanded Archers of Loaf. Though I’ve been obsessed with music for quite a while now, I can easily say that “Harnessed in Slums” is THE song that made me realize I could really RAWK if I wanted to… and I most certainly did.

Lead singer Eric Bachmann is now fronting Crooked Fingers, a folk outfit that doesn’t come close to bringing the power that AoL offered in my misguided early ’90s youth. Too bad, since now I’m just a poorly misguided adult.

Thank gad for YouTube.

Archers of Loaf – Wikipedia | MySpace | Last.fm | Amazon

Bill Withers | “Aint No Sunshine”

“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers on the Old Grey Whistle Test, 1972

Now, this is what I call soul. Bill Withers‘ “Ain’t No Sunshine” is one of those pieces that gives me that extra punch in the gut when I’m feeling down. Talk about a dreamy piece that digs down deep and makes me eat my own heart. You got it — I’m a bonafide masochist.

Plus, I really can’t get enough of his lovely ‘fro and orange turtleneck combo. I was seriously born a decade too late.

Bill Withers – Official site | Wikipedia | Last.fm | Amazon

The National | Richards on Richards

I don’t think I have much to say about the National’s recent concert in Vancouver beyond this: _______

That’s right. I’m speechless.