PATRICK WOLF: The Libertine

As I watch the video, I ponder the allure of going goth. I can avoid the debilitating effects of sunshine, I can wear clothing that allows me to either be grossly underweight or morbidly obese, I can spook the mainstream with a vampiric demeanor and I can listen to the folktronica of Patrick Wolf. The London violinist seduces with thumping beats, impassioned vocals and one mean set of strings. Watch the video (real).

FUTURESHOCK: Pride's Paranoia

Seething techno? Spoken word monologue? Mix them together and you've got Futureshock's second single from their thundering debut entitled Phantom Theory. The video is directed by the futuristic spider monkeys at Pleix. Watch the video (qt).

SONS AND DAUGHTERS: Taste The Last Girl

Great Scots! Sons and Daughters are at it again with the second single from their first long player entitled, The Repulsion Box. Tricky single as it's somewhat dancy, somewhat country, and somewhat folkie. Watch the video (real).

THE PRODIGY: Smack My Bitch Up

They tried to ban it... but I've found it! The controversial video by British rave act The Prodigy and Swedish director Jonas Akerlund. Uncensored and uncut. Imagine the abuses of a binge night gone wrong - hookers and heroin, strippers and sex scenes, hit and runs, break and enters, public gropings and buckets of vomit - with the surprising twist. Not safe for work. Watch Download the video (qt).

OASIS: Lyla

Oasis make a big, stadium filled comeback and this was the first single from the Don't Believe The Truth album. The song and video reeks of rockstars reclaiming their throne. While Definitely Maybe was one of my favourite cd's way back when, my love affair with Oasis has since wanned. This record has resparked the admiration of those brawling brothers from Manchester. Watch the video (real).

GUSGUS: Call Of The Wild

Ace Icelandic collective Gusgus are expected to launch a new album of left of centre electronica very soon. Having shed many of their original members after their second and last album of label 4AD, thie single is lifted from the Attention album and bears a more techno trance orientation than their earlier dubnotic breakbeats and minimal down tempo electronics. Watch the video (qt).

THE GO! TEAM: Bottle Rocket

Now who can resist this skippy beat? Sample collagists, the Go! Team are finally getting an official North American release, the unfortunate delay a result of a swelling of uncleared samples on their debut, Thunder, Lightning, Strike. Old school street rhymes, courtesy of pocket MC, Ninja. Watch the video (real).

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: Slow Decent Into Alcoholism

Pitchfork gives the third long player, Twin Cinema, from the Vancouver super band a resounding 9.0 score. While I have not found a music video supporting the launch of the new record, I figured I'd post this older video featuring some of my favourite cult heros... FUBAR! Watch the video (qt).

MINT ROYALE: Singing In The Rain

With the vocal hook lifted from the namesake 1952 musical, Mint Royale join the list of recent British electronic acts lifting recognizable riffs for electronic reprocessing. The video is genius- tube station break dancing versus animated crumping rubbish. Oddly, no singing or rain in sight. Watch the video (real).

SOULWAX: E Talking

I have finally found this video, perhaps one of the best of last year from the Belgian band and remixing machine. The video basically highlights the A to Z of clubland drugs from Acid to Barbituates, from Ketamine to LSD, from Rohypnol to whatever pleases your fancy. A highly amusing, educating and entertaining video to complement this terribly underrated track. Don't you know Soulwax? You should. Watch the video [UPDATED qt] or video (win).

THE GO FIND: Over The Edge

For fans of the Postal Service, Styrofoam or Lali Puna come the Go Find. From Antwerp, this one man band mixes sparse electronica with willowy indie boy lyrics. I was fortunate enough to catch him live when opening for a rather small show in Toronto. This video captures the Go Find's joy bringing sailboat, a magical sailboat that turns all it touches into a lush tropical, lo-fi paradise. Watch the video (qt).

TURIN BRAKES: Fishing For A Dream

Throughout the history of folk, there is something definitive about the power of two. From classic Simon and Garfunkel, modern Everything But The Girl, quiet loudness Kings of Convenience, folk seems best served in twos. Leading off from their third collection, Jackinabox, is this track from the two post rave come down strumming Londoners. Watch the video (real).

BLOC PARTY: Little Thoughts

Colourful new video from the London based Bloc. New Music Express calls the single a "'pristine blast of rabble-rousery' marked for Top 20 chart success." Cliptip calls it more goodness. The Silent Alarm Remix album, with reworkings by Ladytron, M83, Death From Above 1979, amongst others, is expected soon. Watch the video (real).

HUSKY RESCUE: City Lights

Mellow drive time video from the Helsinki project lead by Marko Nyberg. With more deliciously delicate Scandanavian blond vocals to relax to, who wouldn't? Annie, get your gun. Watch the video (real).

CIRCLESQUARE: Non-Revival Alarm

Downtempo electronica from the Vancouverite called Circlesquare. On Trevor Jackson's Output imprint, the chilling single features the attacked of the killer ink fog. Be afraid, but not of the music. Watch the video (qt).

FREELAND: Fever

Remix treatment for jazz crooner Sarah Vaughn by UK breakbeat scientist Adam Freeland for the third in the series of Verve Remixed collections. I'm not quite sure how the whole medieval pied piper theme works with the lyrical content of this classic song nor the updated hip hop infused production. Watch the video (qt).

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: Tribulations

Brand spanking new electro synth gem from the New York project headed by the DFA's James Murphy. The video uses interesting techniques of footage and projected footage of Mr. Murphy taversing up and down and all around the neighbourhood. Watch the video (qt).

RADIO 4: State Of Alert

More disco punk from New York. Not much to say here as the popular criticism of Radio 4's third long player is that they are on auto pilot. I do like the band, but I cannot say they have broken new ground with this track. The odd thing is that this record is disco punk, but struggles in appealling to either the disco set or the punk set. Watch the video (real).

THE POSTAL SERVICE: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

The Postal Service website blipped back onto the radar screen recently and, granted it was one of the sleeper hits of god knows how many years ago, I could not resist another "The" posting. Where exactly does one file The Postal Service? Electronica? Alternative? And what exactly is a death cab and why is there one for cutie? I need to get some sleep in the district... Watch the video (qt).

DIPLO: Diplo Rhythm

I don't care if you don't love Diplo. You will. Skippy vocals and street beats keep this block rocker busting. The Philadelphia based Wesley Pentz (aka the diplodocus) is clearly influence on this track by the Baile Funk sound of Brazil. Watch the video (qt).

MASSIVE ATTACK: Butterfly Caught

Moody, moth like and intensely brooding, the Bristol wild bunch numbers one. 3D, AKA Robert Del Naja, pretty much single handedly directs the production of the 100th Window album, seeing Daddy G take a break and Mushroom take off. With the release of the Danny The Dog soundtrack, a piecemeal of soundscapes and soundbites, it's anyone's guess what the forthcoming record will sound like. Directed by one of the new favourite visionaries, Daniel Levi. Watch Download the video (qt).

METRIC: Succexy

With the impending release of Toronto indie pop rock outfit Metric's third long player entitled Live It Out, I'm a bit abuzz. I was fortunatle enough to witness Emily and co. debut new material at a recent Toronto Island show. Here's an older one that the band did not play at that gig. Very lo-fi video, indeed. Watch the video (qt).

THE STROKES: Reptilia

Although there will doubtlessly more videos posted here with bands beginning with "The", so concludes the cliptip "Festival of The", at least for the time being. Wrapping the festival is the band that really repopulated the consciousness with the hipness of being a "The" band. Lead by trustafarian singer Julian Casablanca, son of modelling don John Casablanca, the New York band brought vintage clothes, the Lower East Side and the dive bar back to life when grunge fizzled and died a terrifyingly overexposed and exploited, Creed fueled death. Watch the video (win).

THE HIVES: Walk Idiot Walk

Perhaps one of the most untraditional of boy bands, Sweden's The Hives are a polished punk rock outfit assembled by producer Randy Firzsimmons. Originating from the industrial town of Fagersta, The Hives employ a strict fashion code and crunching sound that landed them with international acclaim around the world. I even had the chance to down a Tuborg or two with the lads in Reykjavik, Iceland at the Borg hotel. Watch the video (real).

THE VINES: Ride

Aussie punk rockers The Vines continue the tradition as we wind down the "Festival of The". As the early 2000's rolled about, there were three big break out "The" bands from three different locations in the world. The Vines represented a post grunge outlook from Sydney. This track is from thie second album, one I do not physically own due to it's horrible copy protection software. Yet, we can still enjoy this great track and video thanks to the wonders and grand record label misunderstanding of the internet. Watch the video (qt).

THE SHINS: So Says I

It's not the march of the penguins, but the cliptip "Festival of The" soldiers on... The Shins pull of loopy folk indie rock goodness with dignity of genuine waterfowl suffrage. Watch the video (qt).

THE WHITE STRIPES: The Doorbell

Fresh new single from the Detroit blues rock duo. Jack White has a blended appearance of a Charlie Chan meets Willie Wonka circa Johnny Depp. Great track but creepy with the golden ticket chocolate factory kids. Watch the video (qt).

THE CARDIGANS: Live And Learn

More country goodness from the Swedish band know best for their retro kitsch pop confections with sharply worded lyrical subjects. A video montage of their extensive touring schedule supporting the "Long Gone Before Daylight" album. Watch the video (real).

THE FAINT: Agenda Suicide

Electroclash? New wave? No wave? Synth punk? If categorizing the band is daunting, try reasoning that the band is from Omaha. Watch the video (qt).

THE THRILLS: The Irish Keep Gatecrashing

Irish pop rocker sensation, the Thrills are probably best know for playing their first ever London show at the majestic Royal Albert Hall... at the personal invitation of Morrissey. Not too shabby. Clip directed by Jon Watts. The "Festival of The" continues... Watch the video (qt). UPDATED: video (qt).

THE KILLS: The Good Ones

Continuing on cliptip's "Festival of The": The Kills. Slick blusey punk from the London based, Anglo-American union of VV (formerly known as Alison Mosshart) and Hotel (fomerly, Jamie Hince). This track is definitely one of the good ones with its hynotic cycling bassline and VV's sexy snarl. Watch the video (qt).

THE STILLS: Love And Death

In a marathon showcase of bands appropriating the latest in trendy definitive articles, I present to you the first of what I can only pray is a long and entertaining sport. The Stills, that ever so talented, catchy, but at first blush, somewhat non descript Montreal band, kick off the "Festival of The" with a rather bland video of lime coloured walls saved by their knack for guitar licks that stick and the cameo of Metric frontwoman Emily Haines. Watch the video (qt).