Japayork - Teenagers

A: Japayork
S: Teenagers
C: Teenagers - EP

Perfect, perfect song choice, I think. Today of all days, filled with much too many expectations, resolutions and revelations. Don't be disappointed if your life is still the same tomorrow morning, but make sure you do wake up with a hangover. In the meantime, sing along, it goes something like this: Tonight, let's forget all our problems... tonight, let's dance 'till sunday morning.
Wishing you all a smashing, bashing and trashing Happy New Year. Cheers, I drink to that!

Cake - Sick Of You

A: Cake
S: Sick Of You
C: Showroom Of Compassion (out 11.01.11)

I can have my Cake and post it. This is most probably going to be one of those songs that hardly anybody is will like because it is not Cake's ultimately best song of all times, I do admit. Let me just point out that Cake is a band you can't grasp by one song only, which is why I am totally pro sharing 'Sick Of You' with you anyway, hoping you get a drift of it and end up buying all their old albums, and the new one 'Showroom Of Compassion' which is out mid January.

Cocoon - Oh My God

A: Cocoon
S: Oh My God
C: Where The Oceans End

I hope everybody realized that there is no '10 best of whatever' review of 2010 on this little blog of mine. Everybody else does that which I find super boring - the fact that they do it, and the songs, albums and bands they pick. Plus I have never and would never post the same song twice. Having a look back on the past year is basically just a lame excuse not to do any proper work between Christmas and New Year, really.

Lissie - Everywhere I Go

A: Lissie
S: Everywhere I Go
C: Catching A Tiger

Here is me, sitting, thinking and contemplating if I should get a dog next year or not, when clearly the thing to do is dash all thoughts on pets and simply wonder around with an elephant. Put some safari in your life, if you know what I mean. Maybe I should just get a tiger or lion, then I still get away with it being a cat that kind of outgrew my original planned dimensions. Love the song, by the way.

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

A: Adele
S: Rolling In The Deep
C: 21 (out 21.01.11)

.. can you spell gorgeous? Try it. G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S. Good. She's back. A body to match her voice, or the other way round, Adele is every bit the woman you need. And there is that magnificent head of hair to die for, Women these days should make an effort again to step out in style, I think. Men too, by the way. Where did all things wardrobe go wrong? Anyway, I love the beating glasses in the video!

Rihanna Feat. Drake - What's My Name?

A: Rihanna Feat. Drake
S: What's My Name?
C: Loud

Right. I'm so not hot for Lady-anna, but I do admit she did dominate the music business this year - and I like this song enough to stay politically correct and put the artistic importance over my personal judgement of images. Whooo, how very exemplary of me. One might think I'm swiss! Anyway, where was I? Yes, I love the scene when the milk splashes around, ha. The dirty tease. Oh na na na na.

Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

A: Frank Sinatra
S: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
C: Christmas with Jazz Legends Vol. 1 & 2

To me, it doesn't get any classier than Frank. Ok maybe Judy Garland but those videos were all blocked for embedding. Anyway - Merry Freeking Christmas Everybody.

Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now

A: Duran Duran
S: All You Need Is Now
C: All You Need Is Now

I thought Double Duran were on their final farewell tour. Or they have been, or they will be. To be completely honest, I don't really care. Stay, go, leave, come back - what's the whole fuss about. Anyway, I have never been proper fan, but Mister Ronson raved about 'All You Need Is Now' on his blog, and Mister Bränd told me over lunch today that this is the hot shizzle to dizzle, so here we go.

The Last Shadow Puppets - Standing Next to Me

A: The Last Shadow Puppets
S: Standing Next to Me
C: The Age Of The Understatement

Even if they look totally Beatley in this music vid. I love and loved The Last Shadow Puppets' album in 2008. According to their record label Domino Records (best label in the world, by a mile, by the way), 'Standing Next to Me' is injecting a sense of flair and drama into a 2 minute 18 second pop gem. It's probably the violins fault. I mean I have never heard a violin that wasn't dramatic.

Mark Ronson Feat. Boy George & Andrew Wyatt - Somebody To Love Me

A: Mark Ronson Feat. Boy George & Andrew Wyatt
S: Somebody To Love Me
C: Record Collection

Since I featured about every single song on Mark's latest record, might as well post this one. 'Somebody To Love Me' was co-written by Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears and Cathy Dennis, featuring vocals by Boy George and Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt. The video depicts a young George circa June 1982 (during the Culture Club years), looking his glammed-out best! In short: It's as camp as Christmas.

The National - Anyone's Ghost

A: The National
S: Anyone's Ghost
C: High Violet

As I have mentioned before, on several occasions, on all sorts of posts and basically all year long - The National's High Violet is my most utterly favorite album this year. This is, easy as candy, due to the most obvious reason: Singer Matt Berninger has that kind of voice I would want to take a bath in if it was possible: naked as a clementine, catching a deep breath, closing the eyes, and just sink in...

Joan As Police Woman - The Magic

A: Joan As Police Woman
S: The Magic
C: The Deep Field (out 24.01.11)

I love her stage name and I love her as a person. Yesterday when I was young, I interviewed Joan before a gig. She was eating some raw broccoli, telling me how healthy it was - I couldn't get my MiniDisc to work/record. She then went on about how she could never get her MiniDiscs to work, and asked me, five minutes later on, MiniDisc still not working; is this what is happening to you, too? Ehrm. Yes. It did work, in the end.

Vampire Weekend - Holiday

A: Vampire Weekend
S: Holiday
C: Contra

One week to go until Christmas, the Holiday of all Holidays, i guess and figure and think the song and video matches the season quite nicely. Vampire Weekend didn't exactly go for a Santa Claus-y dress up, but December is mostly OTT (as in: over the top) anyway, so the Marie Antoinette-y mood still counts. I love the luscious way they apply their lip care stick liberally, the moist the better.

The Suzan - Home

A: The Suzan
S: Home
C: Home - EP

Wicked, I was just thinking to myself yesterday that it was about the the kaleidoscope had a comeback. Here we go! The Suzan are a boundlessly energetic all-girl band from Japan, and director Pomp&Clout perfectly captures their colorful, kinectic approach to music - says vimeo. Check the all free, interactive iPhone / iPad app version of the video - says me.

The Twilight Sad - The Wrong Car

A: The Twilight Sad
S: The Wrong Car
C: The Wrong Car - EP

I can never get enough of that thick scottish accent, which is only one reason why I like The Twilight Sad (funny how the expression 'I like' sounds so different now, in these days of facebook-mania. I like that too, by the way). Anyway, back to the band, they describe their sound as "folk with layers of noise" while citing Phil Spector, Arab Strap, Aereogramme, and Leonard Cohen as influences. I like, as well.

Martha Wainwright - You Cheated Me

A: Martha Wainwright
S: You Cheated Me
C: I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

Nothing new today, I know, sorry - but I love love love La Wainwright. On top of that, I think this alum has the most fantastic title of all times. How much better than 'I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too' can things get!? Exactly. Plus I think the video is super duper gorgeous too. Shame about the sofa, really. And the cartoon bits are a bit naff but who cares about such details in the presence of greatness...

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Garden

A: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
S: Garden
C: Teed - EP

Goes without saying, I totally and enormously love the band's name. They could have made the title of the song twice as long as the name for all my liking, but hey ho here we go. Anyway, I found this one by accident when urgently searching a song to post while watching the final season of Nip/Tuck. Brilliant choice of songs on that show by the way, it's worth sitting through all the drama.

Kings Of Leon - Pyro

A: Kings Of Leon
S: Pyro
C: Come Around Sundown

Take it this is an obvious choice, Come Around Sundown was one of the most hyped records this year. To be honest, I think it wasn't really as 'back to where KOL came from' and 'this is like the original stuff' - but not as dull as the Kings could have gone after their genitals were burning on their last album. Nevertheless, Caleb Followill has one of the most amazingly raw voices around, so I am all for it anyways.

Dels Feat. Ghostpoet - Trumpalump

A: Dels Feat. Ghostpoet
S: Trumpalump
C: Trumpalump - EP

Turn your volume up and put this shizzle on a wide wide screen. I definitely love oh love the styling on here, plus the British itch galore accent in a rap song gets me every time. Perfectly chosen and mixed in together with the singing of Joe Goddard who most of you will know as member of the giantastic Hot Chip. Right, one thing left to say: Dels stands for Kieren Dickins, you do the maths how the name came together...

Tom Waits - Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)

A: Tom Waits
S: Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)
C: The Asylum Years

Oh my, so beautiful I wanna die. Well, cry.Obviously Tom Waits is up there with the greatest, most talented artists who have ever set foot on this planet called earth, a pure genius where any words uttered to describe him or his talent become irrelevant in themselves. So, I'm not really gonna comment on Mr. W. On the song, however, I will: The title is Australian slang for travelling by foot with one's goods in a "Matilda" (bag) slung over one's back.

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

A: Passion Pit
S: Sleepyhead
C: Manners

Funny to know: Passion Pit, as in the band's name, refers to drive-in theatres, because of their privacy and romantic allure for teenagers to make out, according to a Hollywood-insider publication which helps not-so-savvy readers decipher its content. The band also shares their name with a pornographic film made in the 80's, although they say they were unaware of its existence. I say: whatever.

Apollo Run - Stars

A: Apollo Run
S: Stars
C: Here Be Dragons, Vol. 1

I love stop motion clips. I know exactly how they work, I made them myself, call me boring and outdated, and I still can't get enough of them. It's like eating chocolate. Or like watching another season of 24 - they are all the same, but thrill me non the less. By the way, there are extended episodes on the last season of 24. Wonder how that works in a real time concept. By the way, Apollo Run are Brooklyn based.

Hurts - All I Want For Christmas is New Year's Day

A: Hurts
S: All I Want For Christmas is New Year's Day
C: All I Want For Christmas is New Year's Day - Single

Moving on with this year's Christmas collection to have, to do, and to sing along to, is Hurts. The two lads from up the North in Greatest Britain were the band nobody could ignore in 2010. Admittedly, they got a bit irritating in the end. As in PS: don't perform on TV shows if you complain about them afterwards, and don't diss other acts when you didn't win an award - even if it is Justin Biber (ok I might reconsider this one ..).

Keren Ann - My Name Is Trouble

A: Keren Ann
S: My Name Is Trouble
C: 101 (out 28.02.11)

Keren Ann is huge, actually she is massive, and French. Meaning, if you didn't know her before, that might be why. Anyway, the lyrics in this song are brilliant, it is all very geekish and freakish. Loving somebody is not only a feeling, but an ability, which you can learn, or unlearn. Karen says it perfectly: and if you let me love you I will love you to death... and if you let me love you I will let you down.

Hooverphonic - The Night Before

A: Hooverphonic
S: The Night Before
C: The Night Before

Hooverphonic's latest video looks a bit like Kylie's 'On A Night Like This' - if you ask me, which you probably don't, but I bring it up anyway. You know, some glam pussy de luxe girl walking around with a couple of old guys playing poker. You can never really go wrong with poker in a music video, it automatically adds a shot of sexy to the whole scene. All I can just about play is black jack, not exactly a turn on. I know.

Polarkreis 18 - Unendliche Sinfonie

A: Polarkreis 18
S: Unendliche Sinfonie
C: Frei

I am pretty sure if you look up 'guilty pleasure' in Wikipedia they will define it by Polarkreis 18 (no they don't - I just checked). Still, they are everything a band needs to be for qualifying as such. Hoewever, their german-english mix is quite clever, at least nobody else is doing it at the moment, and the video is great stuff to watch too. Adds a touch of russian class to it, doesn't it?

Nina Kinert - Combat Lover

A: Nina Kinert
S: Combat Lover
C: Pets & Friends

Swedish songwriter Nina was totally not on my radar until some random youtube surfing and searching last week. You know, when you click from one song to the next one, that the tube comes up with itself (clever thing, isn't it?), on the right hand side bar - it's what I do all day long most days. Ok, maybe all days. So anyway, here we go with Nina, who has her fifth album out now, although this song is from an older one.

Coldplay - Christmas Lights

A: Coldplay
S: Christmas Lights
C: Christmas Lights - Single

Surprise. I've decided against a full-on, up in your face and below the tubby tummy Christmas week. Instead, I will drop a jolly good carol every now and then, like on a day like today. For me, being from the continent, Christmas is always a tad more bright, shiny and sweet over there, in the Greatest of Britain. And Coldplay do a pretty good job capturing this most festive of all feelings.

Amy Winehouse Feat. Quincy Jones - It's My Party

A: Amy Winehouse Feat. Quincy Jones
S: It's My Party

Ding dong the witch is dead - and this bitch is back. Needless to say it is a brilliant choice of song for Ms. Wino to release after all the tantrums and tiaras she put herself and all of us through, you know - tabloid-wise. If anybody is an expert on how to party (or on how not to, depending on your point of view on illegal substance use and abuse), it is this lady. So, uhrm - raise your glasses, it's friday anyway.

Ellie Goulding - Your Song

A: Ellie Goulding
S: Your Song
C: Your Song - Single

Considering the fact that her debut album rather flopped than topped the charts, I would normally think that Miss Goulding's heading right for a sell out, covering my most beloved Elton John song for a department store christmas advert (John Lewis' that is). HOWEVER, I adore this version. Ok, the cats might be pushing it a bit far, but then again it is December and even my grumpy self is in for a bit of sweetness.

Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars

A: Sleigh Bells
S: Infinity Guitars
C: Treats

Sweet cookie, what do they eat for breakfast? Can't be anything like my daily bowl of Kellog's Fruit Loops. Taking a guess it would be two slices of deep fried attitude and a glass of gasoline, to wash the whole thing down. I do like the video a tash more than the song, but will set this tune as the new wake up alarm beep on my mobile device called iPhone. By the way, it's world aids day today.