Friends Electric - Wall Of Arms

A: Friends Electric
S: Wall Of Arms
C: Wall Of Arms - Single (out 14.06.10)

.. I love those small budget videos of new bands before they make it big - it's always where you see true imagination. It's a shame they lose it somewhere on the way up to success. Same is true for concerts, the smaller the budget the more fun you'll have. Ok that's nothing new I'll just shut up and think of something more interesting to write about tomorrow.

One-Two - Where Is My Head At?

A: One-Two
S: Where Is My Head At?
C: The Story of Bob Star

Great song, great video, great accent. Not so great band name by the way, it's almost impossible to google - which is a thing to remember, if you are planning on naming your own band. If you do, it is probably best if you just ask me: I obviously have the best and broadest taste in music, know what is already there, know what's hot and not, and know what is easy to find. Short: I can teach you, but I have to charge ..

Octoberman - Thirty Reasons

A: Octoberman
S: Thirty Reasons
C: Fortresses

.. here's the thing: I won't do Canadian band Octoberman any justice today. They have Thirty Reasons, Thirty Reasons is a lot - I only have one: it's 7.30am and way to early to blog ..

Ellie Goulding - Guns And Horses

A: Ellie Goulding
S: Guns And Horses
C: Lights

Is it just me or is she wearing the same shirt in every video? Anyway, Ellie got off to a good start before the record company started re-editing all her songs into the blurry electro popish sound her music is now. At least that's the unofficial official story at the moment, which I am willing to believe. There must be a reason why her unreleased version of 'Wish I Stayed' sounds that much better than the album version.

Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire

A: Scissor Sisters
S: Fire With Fire
C: Night Work (Single out 20.06.10 - Album out 28.06.10)

The bad news first: I liked the Sisters a hell of a lot more as the camp kitsch attack they started out to be, a fairytale where the Wizard of Oz was king. The good news: I still like them a hell of a lot.
Conclusion: It's going to be a pop-alicious funk-atastic summer!

The Drums - Forever & Ever Amen

A: The Drums
S: Forever & Ever Amen
C: The Drums (out 07.06.10)

Free Remix To Download

Ha - loving this:
"Jonathan and Jacob met each other at summer camp when they were children. they've been best friends ever since (except for a five year period when they hated each other). They've both had successful musical careers individually, but this is the first time they've sat down and written songs together. "We've always wanted to make music together, but distance and violence has always stopped us."

Lovebugs - The Highest Heights

A: Lovebugs
S: The Highest Heights
C: The Highest Heights

There is only one way to cheer to the kick off of this years Eurovision 2010 - by celebrating the greatest song ever entered in a Eurovision competition. That was last year: Lovebugs presented a song that was so good it was out of any Eurovision stantard, out of all competition. Unfortunately, the performance was not. It was probably one of the worst performances ever. However, Lovebugs remain a talented band - they have come a long way, and they will go even further.

Melissa Auf Der Maur & Karen Elson - Devil's Plaything

A: Melissa Auf Der Maur & Karen Elson
S: Devil's Plaything
C: -

Amazingness captured in exactly 4.17 minutes is Karen and Melissa's cover version of 'Devil's Plaything' originally by Danzig. Sorry it's not released as a song, deal with it!
Karen Elson is Jack White's wife, mother of two, and highly successful model for Chanel and Gaultier - Melissa played base for 'Hole' and 'Smashing Pumpkins' before starting her solo career.

Navel - Somehow

A: Navel
S: Somehow
C: Frozen Souls

Ladies and Gentlemen - it's time to rock out. Swiss Made. Erschwil Made, actually. Even I don't know where that is. But as always, it doesn't matter that much where you're coming from, but where you are going. Or was it the other way round? Maybe the only thing that matters is how you get from where you are coming to where you are going - in Navel's case this would be as the band describes themselves: We rock, we don't roll.

Absofacto - Paper Crane

A: Absofacto
S: Paper Crane
C: Trilobite Trash - EP

Absofacto is Jonathan Visger, a musician from Michigan. He makes music on his own as Absofacto and when he's not he does with his friends in Mason Proper.
If you like the sound check the website on www.absofacto.com - it's all pay as much as you want, quasi like a chinese buffet!

Robert Francis - Nightfall

A: Robert Francis
S: Nightfall
C: Before Nightfall

Robert Francis is a multi-instrumentalist, folk Americana singer-songwriter. His musical performances stem from his "eccentric classical-record-producer and pianist father, a Mexican mother who frequently invited her sisters over to sing Ranchero songs, a Hari Krishna brother, and two older sisters who were in various rock bands that played in clubs all over the city."
.. see, I knew I'd be a singer if I wasn't an only child!

Faithless Feat. Estelle - Why Go?

A: Faithless Feat. Estelle
S: Why Go?
C: Forever Faithless

In order to celebrate the amazing talent that Faithless have been showing for the past decade, I am willing to ignore the fact that their current song is nothing more than alright, and the video, especially the video, total non-sense. But we all might have a bad idea day someday so today I am posting my absolute favourite Faithless song and video of all times.

Fyfe Dangerfield - When You Walk In The Room

A: Fyfe Dangerfield
S: When You Walk In The Room
C: Fly Yellow Moon

.. more sun drenched beats for you today, from a guy who's best known for being the founding member of the avant-garde pop band Guillemots. Being my lazy self this morning I use a quote from a youtube feedback to describe Fyfe: "I think he's one of those singers who tread the fine line between being rubbish and just magically unpolished."

Example - Kickstarts

A: Example
S: Kickstarts
C: Kickstarts - Single (out 21.06.10)

.. if it is that simple to make a funky fresh video and piece of music, I wonder why there is so much bad music around. Really excited about this one, it is my personal pre-summer-when-summer-did-not-look-like-summer-nor-spring-hit! Anyway, tried to google the band, but with a name like 'Example' it is a pretty tough job. So shut up and dance!

Union Of Knives - Evil Has Never

A: Union Of Knives
S: Evil Has Never
C: Violence And Birdsongs

Greatest track by Union Of Knives, with not so great video by who knows who. The original video was blocked for embedding, and not that great after all. Which can't be said about the bands debut album, Violence And Birdsongs. Unfortunately it has been the bands only record so far, which is silly, because they have much more potential than a one hit wonder.

Santigold - L.E.S. Artistes

A: Santigold
S: L.E.S. Artistes
C: Santogold

Santigold, Santogold... I hope she made up her mind by now. There's still Santagold. Can't believe it's already been two years since this came out. Always loved the video, loved the horses, loved the beat. It's about time she released some new stuff, after all, they called her the 'new' M.I.A. - and now that M.I.A. is back, Santugold has to watch her back!

Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers

A: Kylie Minogue
S: All The Lovers
C: Aphrodite (out 25.06.10)

When it comes to pop music as pop music can be, La Minogue is my everything. The princess, the goddess. Apparently with her new album we will see Kylie return to her dancefloor roots - with Stuart Price as Executive Producer and collaborations with amazing songwriters including Calvin Harris, the Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears, Nerina Pallot, NERVO and Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. As William Baker said so nicely: Kylie's 'Lightyears' was the real 'Confession on the Dancefloor', before it happened.

Natalie Merchant - Nursery Rhyme of Innocence and Experience

A: Natalie Merchant
S: If No One Ever Marries Me
C: Leave Your Sleep

Natalie is up there, one of the best voices of the past 30 years. Stunningly unique, and uniquely stunning. Former 10000 Maniacs front singer released her new album last week, turning children rhymes and stories into song. 28 pieces of pure magic. It's for all the kids, and all the grown ups who never fully grow up.

Zoot Woman - Memory

A: Zoot Woman
S: Memory
C: Things Are What They Used To Be

L: Hive Club Zurich, 13. 05. 10

Since I talked about memories yesterday on thi blog I thought it would be a nice to pick that idea up again today. It was more of a coincidence, to be honest. Anyway, Zoot Woman are playing live today and I already have my dancing shoes shiny, of course. What else to say? Stuart Price will always be a genius in his own right - and there is more to come: he co-produced this year's new Kylie and Scissor Sisters albums.

Hans Unstern - Paris

A: Hans Unstern
S: Paris
C: Kratz Dich Raus

.. they told us that the best things in life are free. They don't have to be free, they just have to be simple. Like the video. Like the song. Or maybe they are memories, like the song says, I think. Ah, maybe it's Paris! Although that might be a bit far fetched.

Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses

A: Franz Ferdinand
S: Ulysses
C: Tonight

Tune! Tuuune! Jeees I always forget how totally amazing this song his. I forget about that and the song altogether. Well and then, every now and then like on a day like today, I remember. I even bought the whole Ulysses book when the song came out, all 500 and something pages long. Still haven't read a single one of it, but it looks good, standing on my book shelve.

The Apples In Stereo feat. Elijah Wood - Dance Floor

A: The Apples In Stereo feat. Elijah Wood
S: Dance Floor
C: Travelers In Space and Tin

.. now that's that I call a video. American indie rockers The Apples in stereo get 9 point for the band name, 99 for the album title, and 999 points plus a washing machine for putting Elijah in a music video.

Teenagers In Tokio - Peter Pan

A: Teenagers In Tokio
S: Peter Pan
C: Sacrifice

.. not really from Tokio really. And not really coming to Zurich - although they are touring all Europe to promote their debut album at the moment.

Beyoncé - Why Don't You Love Me

A: Beyoncé
S: Why Don't You Love Me
C: I Am ... Sasha Fierce

.. I just couldn't could not - it's the video! I love anything 50ies or 60ies, really. Makes me quite depressed to life in 2010. Anyway, even I recognize Lady B as an artist in her own right. Vodkatini is definitely the drink to pour, and boy - does she know how to smoke. All hot, all gorgeous!

Nada Surf - Inside of Love

A: Nada Surf
S: Inside of Love
C: Let Go (New Album 'If I Had A Hi-Fi' out now)

Nada Surf. One of those bands you can never quite say what it is about them. But they get you every time! So, they released their new album 'If I Had A Hi-Fi' last week. It's all cover songs, and there didn't seem to be a video for any of it so I figured it was about right to post and celebrate one of their most beautiful songs today. Well, I could have picked any, really.

Hadouken - Mic Check

A: Hadouken
S: Mic Check
C: For The Masses

Reminds me a bit of Scooter, without the trash factor, mixed with a dash of flash dance, with which you can never go wrong. Hadouken is how British new rave from Leeds sounds like - they get one point for the band name which comes from a special move—a throwing fireball attack called "the Hadouken"—in the Street Fighter video game. And one point for the controversy because they have suffered some criticism from journalists about their grime influences who suggested the band display their grime influences in an ironic manner, therefore allegedly making somewhat of a mockery of the genre.

Body Language - Sandwiches

A: Body Language
S: Sandwiches
C: Speaks - EP

Body Language are so fresh of the boat, so far they have only released an EP (stands for extended play - in case any of you were ever wondering, which means it has more songs on it than a simple single). Anyway, I hope they are gonna make it big and good this summer and don't wait too long until they release an album, after all, this is the sound we need for relaxing warm alcoholic nights that should never end ..

Sarah Blasko - Always On This Line

A: Sarah Blasko
S: Always On This Line
C: What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have

I obviously love the album title, the longer the better. What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have is pretty much out of date, Sarah released her new album a month ago, called As Day Follows Night. I suggest you buy the old one, and the new one. Then there is the debut The Overture & The Underscore, buy that too!

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls

A: LCD Soundsystem
S: Drunk Girls
C: This Is Happening (out 14.05.10)

At least the video is fun-ish. I guess you have to see them live, LCD Soundsystem ccan be quite mind-blowing.
Jeees - I don't know what to write after Hymn week: just enjoy the video!

KT Tunstall - Saving My Face

A: KT Tunstall
S: Saving My Face
C: Drastic Fantastic

Hymn No 7 - so I thought to myself it was just about right to finish off Hymn week with at least one female artist. Maybe there would be a better song to pick than 'Saving My Face' - but thanks to Capitol Records, which forbids KT's songs for embedding, I was lucky to find one video fit for posting.
I love the video, I love anything with a guitar in it - which is why I have one tattooed on my arm, which means I love my tattoo. KT loves it to, by the way, as she told me when I interviewed her about two years ago. And she loved the interview, that's just by the way ..

JET - Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

A: JET
S: Are You Gonna Be My Girl?
C: Get Born

Hymn No 6 - I said, Are You Gonna Be My Girl !? Never ever tired of this song. If you could put all the sex in this world into one song, this would be it, I do not think it could get any sexier than that.
It's a bit of a shame really that Jet had such a talented start and kind of only went down from there. But as I always say, it's better to have one really stunning great album than two or three which are just ok.