ZERO 7: This Fine Social Scene

V FESTIVAL TORONTO The British downtempo duo bring us a social scene that is not broken but certainly on the verge of madness. Directed by Hanna Elin Ahman, who first got featured here for her video for Midair Condo, the video showcases the lunacy of a monied socialite who throws lavishly catered parties attended by all the voices in her head. Watch the video (qt).

THE HIDDEN CAMERAS: Awoo

V FESTIVAL TORONTO The first single from album #3 by the don't-call-them-gay-church-folk-music-anymore Toronto band. There have been terrifying line-up changes on the Hidden Cameras pirate ship, but the main man Joel Gibb sallies forth. This video visually demonstrates the current undertone in hipster bands nomenclature: your band is not relevant unless there are wolves involved. The Hidden Cameras are one of the many bands lined up to play the first North American edition of the Virgin CEO Richard Branson's V Festival. Of all cities in North America, it lands here first in my backyard called Toronto. Yep, Toronto the bland is now Toronto the cool. Watch the video (qt).

THE DEADLY SNAKES: I Can't Sleep At Night

2006 POLARIS PRIZE NOMINEE: Finally, a bloody good indie rock video I can bust out to. With familiar sites from Toronto featured in the video, I feel a strange semi-lucid Saturday night bender memory faintly coming to mind. Originally started as a one off band, the Toronto six piece have garnered quite a cult following. This track is from their third LP (Ode To Joy) while the Polaris Prize nomination is for album #4 (Porcella). Watch the video(qt).

LADY SOVEREIGN: 9 To 5

Here's a bus bound video from the tiny grime MC who's about to blow up large. It's likely an older track, as it does not appear on her Vertically Challenged EP, but it's a nice polished video despite the song being a little blah. Maybe you're into ska. Her newer stuff is dope. Watch the video (qt).

CLIPTIP GUIDE TO THE INTERNETS

Well, if I wasn't already feeling the heat from iTunes, YouTube, Pitchfork, etc, etc, etc, as more and more websites jump into the unlucrative, labour intensive world of music video blogging, I've just caught wind that the Gawker micropublishing empire is about to roll out a music blog to rule all music blogs. It's really quite motivating, considering all the money thats not being earned that is at stake. Happy Canada Day (July 1) and Fourth of July (USA)!

MUNK: Portofino Mosh

Munk have probably put out one of the most underappreciated records. It crackles with punk, electro, and latin influences that naturally fit with their German homebase in Munich. They've already collaborated with some impressive undercurrent names such as Princess Superstar, Midnight Mike and James Murphy from DFA/LCD Soundsystem. Not only makers of good music, they also run the Gomma record label, spreading the good music. Watch the video (qt).

GRANDADDY: Elevate Myself

The now defunct Grandaddy have gone into the posthumous video release phase, much like Tupac or Notorious B.I.G. Instead of actually appearing in videos, they resort to animation facsimiles. Not to knock animation- If you follow this blog, you'll recognize that cliptip is a HUGE fan of the animated arts. So enjoy. It's a pop gem. Watch the video (qt - stream).

DABRYE: Smoking The Edge

Cliptips French cousin Superette tips us to this graffitilicious video from Dabrye, one of the aliases of Ann Arbor beat maestro Tadd Mullinix. Dabrye's style can be categoried into the glitch-hop genre of hip hop delivery mixed with a steelier, electronic sound. Its lifted off the second first album (thanks Russell) entitled "1/3" (the second album is called "2/3" so any guess for the third?) Visual are courtesy of Beat13, a collective of amazing British graff artists. Watch the video (qt).

FATBOY SLIM: That Old Pair Of Jeans

That Fatboy Slim greatest hits record is out there now. Yeah, it's like got all those awesome songs from the height of the mid-nineties electronica zeitgeist. Remember those? Plus it's got some pretty interested remixes Norman Cook did for some other prominent like-era acts, such as Groove Armada and Cornershop. Hmmm... this video is about juggling. While directed by Jon Watts but I believe it was crafted by by ideas submitted on an online concept. It's low fi, and very do-it-yourself, but remember that Praise You video? Yeah. Me too. Watch the video (qt).

RÖYKSOPP: Beautiful Day Without You

This beautiful single form the Bergen, Norway duo is to be released June 26th, 2006. The video is a beautifully animated clip featuring butterflies, floating jellyfishes, a sewer dwelling octopus, paper cranes and airbourne stingrays. FYI- the word Royksopp is the Norwegian name for a mushroom that emits little cloud of spores, commonly called a "puffball." Watch the video (qt).
RÖYKSOPP

PRIMAL SCREAM: Country Girl

Sony signed Primal Scream have largely abandoned the electro-punk sounds of the Evil Heat and Xtrmntr albums, instead favouring a bluesy rock sound they tried failed miserably in portraying on their Give Out But Don't Give Up LP. Clearly, they haven't given up. The track is a memorable splice, but the video is that drug fueled surrealism signature to Swedish director Jonas Akerlund. Personally, I found his feature length debut, Spun, to be a torturous viewing experience. This video triggers some unhappy flashbacks. Watch the video (qt).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

Yes, more and more travel. Cliptip is in Montreal for the day and will not likely be wired up. Posting to resume when I land safely back in homebase Toronto. Later!

KELIS: Trick Me

Coolfer reports that the new Kelis record, which was scheduled to be released June 13th is bumped to August 22nd. No specifics are given for the push back, but as one of the very few American R&B artists I dig here on cliptip, I offer this video from her 3rd and most successful LP. The ska infused single was produced by Dallas Austin, making it an important international chart success independant from long time collaborators The Neptunes. This video, which apparently was never released in America is directed by Mr. X. Watch the video (qt).

THE STILLS: Destroyer

With the sophomore release of Montreal it band The Stills, the question on everyone's lips was not was the new record good. The statement in declaring one's affinity to the follow up album was "are you a Logic Will Break Your Heart, or a Without Feathers type of person". It's almost like even entertaining the thought that the new record was disappointing was like stabbing a baby. And in saying so, I'm a Logic Will Break Your Heart type of guy. Watch the video (qt - stream).

FUTON: Rich Baby

Cheese or sleaze? Whatever the case, electroclash has crossed the oceans and is festering in the dankest pits of Asia. Futon is the Bangkok based band consisting of Thai, Japanese and British members who all seem to share a common love of glittery trashy eighties opulence. In some respects, Futon frontman Gene Futon is the Thai ex-prostitute equivalent of the Scissor Sisters' Chelsea ex-male-stripper Jake Shears. Yes despite my taughts, they're not some bottom trolling band- the debut is being produced by Tim Simenon of Bomb the Bass and collaborator to Depeche Mode, Bjork and Neneh Cherry fame. The video is directed by Adam Bartley. Watch the video (qt).

NELLY FURTADO: Maneater

June 20th is the release of Nelly Furtado's much anticipated third album. Collaborating with Timbaland and hawking a beefed up hop hop electro pop sound, the record is about to go gangbusters in a big way. With some respectable street cred fused with mainstream appeal, the diminutive Victoria, B.C. native is about the eat up the charts. The video accompanying this romper stomper track is directed by photographer Anthony Mandler. Watch the video (win).

SPANK ROCK: Rick Rubin

The Baltimore MC's blow shit up and make you pop and lock. The track pays homage to the don of hip hop and metal and hip hop metal. Have I ever told you that Spank Rock is the most exciting thing to come out of American rap for about a bazillion years? These guys take it old school with crazy electro funked out beats and whip it up with crunking samples and total foul mouthed lyrics. It's a perfect blend. The video is directed by Jesse Gorham-Engard with some of the most classic Atari effects to be refreshed. Watch the video (qt).

STERIOGRAM: Walkie Talkie Man

It occured to me that the certain groundbreaking videos by Michel Gondry are nowhere to be found on cliptip. So here is one. New Zealanders Steriogram get a wooly treatment - knitting - in another of Michel's playful, surreal clips that beg repeated viewing. Note the blending of knitted characters with real life- if only Mary Poppins were directed by Michel Gondry... Watch the video (qt).

TAPES 'N TAPES: Insistor

Who's being toted as the next Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? Why yes, it is Tapes 'N Tapes indeed. With a recent signing to XL records, the indie rawkers have already ripped across the indie stage circuit and the blog-o-sphere with the fervour of a greasy fat trustfunded firecrotch tirade. Pitchfork gives the Minneapolis band's debut an 8.3 so it would be unsavory to not be enslaved by them. The video is directed by Dan Knight. Watch the music video (UPDATED qt) or music video (real).

HARD-FI: Hard To Beat

Hard-Fi's meteoric rise to the top of the British charts can only be compared to the North American equivalent of the Killers. Both hard working bands with an undeniably infectious pop sound. Both bands originated out of cultural wastelands, Hard-Fi from suburban Staines, while the Killers from soulless tourist trap Las Vegas. And while Hard-Fi was defeated by genderbender Antony and the Johnsons for the coveted Mercury Prize award in 2005, their mainstream appeal kept them in higher chart position. This video was shot at Cheekies nightclub in Staines. Watch the video (qt - stream).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

Cliptip is globetrotting once more, this time to the beautiful Canadian coastal city of Vancouver. Posting to resume once a suitable broadband connection is located and timing permits...

EDITORS: Blood

It's like anatomy class, but with a cool British four piece that play upbeat yet sullen rocksongs. More animated on stage than comparators Interpol, Editors continue to storm the UK and penetrate further into the North American markets. If you caught them at Coachella, you know what I mean. This single is out June 19th. The video is directed by Chris Hopewell and Matt Freeth. Watch the video (real).

VHS OR BETA: You Got Me

All indications suggest that I should really love this track. Meh. VHS Or Beta were heralded as the next coming of Daft Punk. But then they turned from into this artsy synthwave rock outfit and I'm all left with a band identity crisis. And considering I am currently single and recognize the horrible challenges of dating portrayed in this video... ugghhh. Someone concoct me a Weird Science Kelly LeBrock bride. Watch the video (real -stream).

SKYE: What's Wrong With Me?

The former Morcheeba frontwoman has gone solo. This is the first single released in North America, although an prior single was released months ago in the Europe. Skye's familiar silky purr is still intact as is the cool, downtempo atmosphere, with additional splashes of Jamaican sugar. In this video, she plays a android that goes bonkers much like in the cult sci-fi classic, Bladerunner. Watch the video (qt).

GOLDFRAPP: Fly Me Away

Fourth single from the Supernature album. The summery pop single receives an animated treatment from Chris Hopewell, who has also done clips for Scissor Sisters, Radiohead and Franz Ferdinand, among others. In this video, a horse and pigeon ride take a cross-country journey on motorbikes and meet dancing skeletons. Yeah, it's weird. Watch the video (win - stream).

AMY MILLAN: Baby I

It's the battle of east coast vs west coast whiskey soaked indie supergroup songbirds! In one corner, it's Neko Case, considered amongst the sexist crooners of the indie set, part-timing in Vancouver supergroup the New Pornographers. Her credentials include art schooling at the prestidious Emily Carr Institute, six solo records and a distaste for appearing in music videos. Swinging from the east coast is the debut from Amy Millan, part-timing in not one, but two highly acclaimed supergroups: Stars and Broken Social Scene. Her debut album, entitled Honey From the Tombs, is out on buzz label Arts and Crafts. She shines in music videos, including this brand new one from her first single. Watch the video (qt).

PEACHES: Lovertits

While this is an old single, there are two reasons to post this video: Reason #1) Feist, with Gonzales, does a tasteful cover of this electro track on her collection of remixes and b-sides, Open Season. I'm sure I've mentioned this before in this space, but Peaches and Feist use to be room-mates in Toronto. Reason #2) Peaches has a brand to album called Impeach My Bush, on the way in July. Here is the first single Downtown (mp3) (via Loudersoft), better sneak a preview before it gets taken down. The new record was recorded in Los Angeles, instead of her adopted town of Berlin as per her previous two albums. It's slicker with a whole shitload of collaborators including Joan Jett, Josh Homme and Feist. This video, from her first album, is clearly super-8. Watch the video (real - stream).

JOSE GONZALEZ: Stay In The Shade

Swedish folkster Jose Gonzales not only has a brilliant solo record of his own, he is also guesting on the latest Zero 7 album. This illustrative video by Elias Araya is simple and eloquent, pairing minimalistic pen and paper with Jose's rich, warm voice and acoustic guitar. Unencumbered and exceptional music. A special request for Michael K. Watch the video (qt).

JASON COLLETT: I'll Bring The Sun

A bright and poppy single from Torontonian Jason Collett, a video in which he goes totally nutz. It's very Waco/Branch Davidian in theme, but with squirt guns. The track reminds me of sunny days fleeing the city in a beat up car with a bunch of rejoicing friends. Funny how completely different from how one might envision the song. Film school professor grades it "D". From his first solo release on Arts and Crafts. Watch the video (qt).

VAN SHE: Kelly

Okay, Australia is so hott right now. With the Presets, Cutcopy, and Wolfmother making the rounds as the buzz bands of the past couple years, another band from down under in on the way up. And guess what? They are all on the same label! Either awesome bands are falling off the Eucolyptus trees in Australia or that's one fucking brilliant A&R team at Modular Records. Van She are a band from Sydney consisting of four lads with an unabashed love of eighties synthpop as evident in their first video. Caution, watching this video may cause you to make-out. A couple more tracks are on their MySpace site for your listening pleasure give you a sense of their range. Watch the video (qt - download).

DREW DANBURRY: Red Rock Virgin's Encounter With Winter Nights

I've developed somewhat of a non-sexual crush on Drew Danburry. The Utah based indie folk singer describes himself... "i've been playing guitar for like four or five years now which ishow long ive been making music...i play saxophone and flute and piano and a bunch of varied assortments of instruments as well as guitar n'stuff..." Gawsh, you just want to squeeze him! Multi-intrumentalist, soulful singer songwriter reminiscent of early Beck with a little Nick Drake and Badly Drawn Boy, filmmaker, skateboarder, giant (he towers 6' 4"). The video features one of my favourite tracks off his second indie release which you can pick up hear at CDBaby or when he journeys to a town near you. Check him out and develop a crush of your own. Watch the video (qt).