Warpaint - Elephants

A: Warpaint
S: Elephants
C: Exquisite Corpse - EP

Honest to God, I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to write today. Staying up until 6 in the morning to watch the Oscars live and then head to the office after a minimal two hours of sleep might not be the most productive idea I've ever had. So, since the awards were handed out in a city called LA, I picked a band that is from there too. Meet experimental art rock group Warpaint. They have been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll, by the BBC, of course.

Ghost of Tom Joad - Black Musik

A: Ghost of Tom Joad
S: Black Musik
C: Black Musik (out now)

Nope, it is not a typo. The 'musik' in the track name is spelled with a -k. Ghost of Tom Joad have a bit of a tradition in mixing german word into english titles: 'Is This What You Call A Fronterlebnis?' and 'No Sleep Until Ostkreuz'. Maybe it is because they are a German band from Münster, described on a certain online encyclopedia as a post-punk-band, whatever that means. So anyway, the band got together in 2006 and picked their name after a certain song by Bruce Springsteen.

The Ark - Calleth You, Cometh I

A: The Ark
S: Calleth You, Cometh I
C: In Lust We Trust / Arkeology (out now)

For me, personally, this is the greatest in-love, out-of-love, in-between-love love song, all rolled into one. Originally released in 2002, but since The Ark, the campest pop happening that has ever happened, originating for the campest country there is on the pop map (Sweden, in case there were any doubts - nothing beats Abba), have just released their 'Best Of Arkeology', I figured it was the right time to post this one. Not a big fan of 'Greatest Hits' albums otherwise, yet this one is a must have so off you go, shop!

Junes - Crawling Over Me

A: Junes
S: Crawling Over Me
C: Don't Leave Me in Autumn

Next up is the band that performed as the opening act to the Hurts concerts in Switzerland (hence the timing). Junes are the best Swiss band when it comes to male only duos on the east side of Bern. Mr. Cam-Shy playing the guitar used to be my boss at a certain radio station that shall not be named. He kind of taught me most things I know about music today, which I would never admit, of course, and is still little, which I do admit.

Hurts - Sunday

A: Hurts
S: Sunday
C: Happiness

Yesterdays post was about my favorite track from the latest Kanye West record, today I feature my most preferred track on the all so wonderful Hurts debut album. Just as well they released the video to it yesterday, talk about a coincidence. To sum up the clip in one word is as easy as unnecessary but here we go: So From Russia With Love it Hurts. A bit like Thierry Mugler on an acid James Bond trip, or the other way round. Either way, love it.

Kanye West Feat. Rihanna & Kid Cudi - All Of The Lights

A: Kanye West Feat. Rihanna & Kid Cudi
S: All Of The Lights
C: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Ha, I wonder if they checked by the millimeter when choosing Rihanna's top (if you can call it that, which would be exaggereted) on how much they could actually show without the video being censored. They probably did. Anyway, as I mentioned back in January, intros are the thing to do this year. This one takes about a minute, but it is worth hanging in there because this is my absolute favorite track on the latest West album. I had it on repeat for three weeks, like daily.

James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream

A: James Blake
S: The Wilhelm Scream
C: James Blake

Here's more on James Blake, as in his second single of his debut album. Mister Blake is shaping up to be much what a band called Hurts were last year: The one artist or act that was on all the 'To Watch in 2011' lists that is really and mostly breaking through. Having said that, to me personally, he is one of the artist I love to listen to for one song, and then kind of can't stand another one. But that is just me, and who am I to judge.. exactly.