"Whites Only Party" The Dears

The Dears are finally getting fawned over like they deserve to be. No Cities Left got a little lost in the shadow of a record called Funeral by another Montreal band who's name I forget. But their new album, Gang of Losers, is topping college charts and LastFM lists the world over. They just released this clever little video for the second single, Whites Only Party.

"Whites Only Party" The Dears

"I Wanna Bite Ya" & "Bolton Wanderer" Planningtorock

Two Planningtorock posts in a row. What can I say? The spell is cast. Janine Rostron is a Berlin-based musician/ performance/video artist, with what can safely be describe as a singular vision. Like Bjork (or her hubbie Matthew Barney) her focus is on self-portraiture, twisting her body and voice into bizarre and uncomfortable positions to see where they break. She makes videos for most of her songs, which seem less like promotional tools than missing puzzle pieces. I highly recommend youtubing her when you've got about half an hour to kill. And here are a couple of tracks from her debut LP, Have It All.

"I Wanna Bite Ya" Planningtorock
"Bolton Wanderer" Planningtorock

"Heartbeats (planningtorock remix)" The Knife

The Knife are fascinating. Brother and sister duo from Stockholm, they've built quite a mythology though their reluctance to play live, their firm anti-corporate stance and their masked press photos. None of which would matter if their music wasn't brilliant; sprawling clickety dance beats, thick bass, insidious melodies and those angry/hopeful/scandinavian voices. A lot of people have had a go at this song. You may be familiar with Jose Gonzalez's simonandgarfunkeled cover which is better than warm milk for insomnia. Planningtorock (the new bjork, but british) gets all stringy and spacious on this remix. I'm amazed at how malleable The Knife's vocal melodies are. It seems like you can recast their songs in almost any key and it fits perfectly. Weird.

"Heartbeats (planningtorock remix)" The Knife

Here's a bonus link to a demo version of their latest single...

"Like A Pen (demo version)" The Knife

Justice Minimix

Admittedly, I’m a little bit obsessed with Ed Banger Records out of Paris. Especially Justice. I’ve been playing a lot of them at parties lately. About 15 people go nuts while the rest of the floor dances politely, waiting for me to play another Bloc Party remix. I don’t know about this DJ stuff. Here’s a nice little minimix of Justice material.

Justice Minimix

"Chips Ahoy" The Hold Steady

To celebrate the release of The Hold Steady's new album, Boys & Girls In America, here's the first single, "Chips Ahoy." I haven't heard the whole album yet but if the critics are to be believed, it's better than Dark Side of the Moon, OK Computer and Pet Sounds put together.

"Chips Ahoy" The Hold Steady

Also, I was pleased to find a free download of this instant classic from their last album on their website. Thanks guys.

"Your Little Hoodrat Friend" The Hold Steady