KINKY: Sister Twisted

If you've followed cliptip, you've probably noticed an international slant to the musical tastes herein. A real global music stirfry, not limited to the bastions of the local "Torontopian" scene. So I'm absolutely delighted when acts and music fans from different scenes send me links to their favourite local bands. That said, my musical tastes from Mexico has been limited to such bands of Titan and Plastilina Mosh. Although I was aware of genre busting Moterray based Kinky, I never really got down with their music. Perhaps I just ignored them. Perhaps their marketing did not appeal to my sensibilities. Now on their third full length, Reina, I'm finally down. This is the lead single and video from the album, featuring a retro pop-lockin' cowboy and scuzzy bass funk. Directed by Brian Bothwell Sergio Granados (thanks el diamante!). Watch the music video (qt).

MOLOKO: The Time Is Now

Moloko release "Catalogue" - a well heeled retrospective collection of their various noodle-pop hits. It's fun, wacky, innovative, eccentric and colourful all at the same time. And with their ascension from trip-hopping hooligans to haute fashion platery, the sound and image like-wise evolve. This single was an iconic track for the duo that essential stormed the UK and destroyed the dancefloors the world over with its 99 flavours of house. Dominic Leung directs this clip and sultry Irish lead lass Roisin Murphy flips her wind blown lid. Watch the music video (qt).

THE CONSTANTINES: Working Full-Time

Now that Three Gut Records has folded, I'm impressed to see this sparkly video from the Toronto indie rocksters. Directed by Drew Lightfoot, the video is literally a pile of rocks. Bulldozed rocks, animated rocks playing rock guitars making rock music, all while working full time. It's a modern mash-up of Taking Care of Business vs the Flintstones. Get busy. Watch the music video (qt).

CLIPTIP GUIDE TO THE INTERNETS

Today is the day Gawker Media launched its immense, snarking, traffic-vortex music blog dubbed Idolator. It's glimmering digitally-rendered swarovski crystal logo shine like an internet beacon intent on rendering the music industry into a million little illegally obtained bit-torrented shreds. Pre-emptively, I already feel sorry for Nicole Richie's pending album.

WINTERSLEEP: Sore

The great thing about music festivals is that you get exposed to a bunch of bands you may not have heard of before. Like this one, from Halifax. They're called Wintersleep and have that moody, emotional punch of Hayden and the sweater vests off Weezer's back. Very nice stuff to listen lifted off their debut self-titled LP. The visual effects are by Ghostmilk Studios and it's directed by Sean Wainstiem. Watch the music video.

SHIVAREE: I Close My Eyes

The sultry purr of Ambrosia Parsley lends breathy easiness to this track from their third album, Who's Got Trouble? The video is, admittedly, quite on the super-8 tip, but the single is a warm comfortable, smokey blues number that will keep me warm as the days turn to fall. Directed by Geoffray Barbier. Watch the music video (qt).

SCANNERS: Lowlife

Steve Aoki's Dim Mak label gets the jump of releasing the debut album from London's Scanners. The four piece have perfected the punk pop song with the lead single from the forthcoming Vioence Is Golden long player. It's like Arcade Fire with moody violins and an English lass fronting the band, it's that good. There are two versions of the music video and here is the "official release" one directed by Chiara Ambrosio. The second to follow down the road as I can't keep but love this song. Watch the music video (qt).

JUNIOR SENIOR: Boy Meets Girl

In between jaunts to the cinema, I continue my lobby for the North American release of the second album by Danish dynamic duo of fun, Junior Senior. This brilliant pop number stars the straight / gay combo seeking a heterosexual encounter. It's fun. It's awesome. The video is a graffiti artist's wet dream. There's gang fights! Purple cows! Bitmapped animation! And it's all directed by Stylewar. Who also rock. Just like Junior Senior. Release their second album here already! Importing is too expensive! Please! Fun required! Watch the music video (qt).

CHAD VANGAALEN: Flower Gardens

Have you heard? Everyone's talking about Chad VanGaalen. Essentially a Calgary based basement solo musician, Chad shuffles tracks together like a patchwork quilt assembled from the hundreds of recorded tracks he's made for the past number of years. This is from his second proper album called Skelliconnection. This dude is going to be the huge with the indie kids, and will undoubtled put Calgary on the indie music fertile grounds map. The video is also by... Chad VanGaalen. Watch the music video (qt).

TV ON THE RADIO: Wolf Like Me

It's the first single from the brand new TV on the Radio single, Wolf Like Me. Besides that trendy "wolf" thing going on, the lyrics and video dutifully showcase a b-movie/silent movie werewolf story set in what I only imagine as an hipster Orchards Street underground club. Eighties fashion nods abound as hip kids infecting each other with moon triggered lycanthropy, culminating into a tipping point where all the cooler thans are wearing Hush Puppies and braying at the full moon. Gladwell would be so pleased. Jon Watts directs the piece with enough scratching, ageing film processing to keep the computers rendering all night. It's nice to see TVOTR back, and I can't wait to hear what they also come up with collaborating on the forthcoming Massive Attack LP as well. Watch the music video (qt).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

Gone V-Festing! If you have too, see you on Toronto Island. In rubber boots. Today's highlights: Phoenix, The Hidden Cameras, David Ford, Buck 65, The Dears, Muse, Amon Tobin, Kid Koala, Starsailor, Eagles of Death Metal, Alexisonfire, Gnarls Barkley, The Flaming Lips. Later!

UPDATE #1:

• Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips is mobbed by the media pack. Their live performance featured the spectacle one has come to expect from a live Flaming Lips concert, including crowd surfing in the hamster ball, giant balloons, streamers and a large inflatable green alien flanking stage left and a giant inflatable Santa Claus hugging stage right.

• Sofia Coppola inseminator Thomas Mars and company play a sunny afternoon slot filled with French Phoenix pop. All were enraptured, although Thomas's underpants kept showing. Underpants... from France... oh forget it.

• Joel Gibb and the Hidden Cameras take the main stage for a playschool taunt of old favourites and new stuff. The entire cast of the Cameras has been completely overhauled except for the diminutive Mike e.b. and that Maggie MacDonald who Joel refuses to fire.

• Brazilian Brit Montrealer Amon Tobin smokes some bass bins with his set of thunderous drum and bass chomp samba. A throng of Torontonians emote awkwardly to the skittering afternoon beats.

• In comfortable gym togs, Matt Belamy of Muse howls through a welcome set of tight British rock and roll. While there was consensus on their brilliant stage performance, people universally lamented on the clothes.


UPDATE #2:

• Wolfmother look rather discharged after their opening song. The band's testosterone flared when a some tard threw a mudball at the stage at lead signer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale. After an appropriate reaming, the band's performance picked up.

• The Strokes roared onto stage with dirty New York rawk. Jocks and hipsters alike rejoiced. Much sing-a-long ensued. Even the single "New York City Cops," an album track left off the Canadian release of It This It? was performed.

• Jose Gonzalez stole the show with his quiet storm of intimate folksongs, including a cover to Teardrop from the absent Massive Attack. A perfect respite on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

• The Raconteurs played tight and effortlessly cool. Apparently this gig was just after their New York Fashion Rocks gig for Prada.

• The Mooney Suzuki rocked a dedicated audience while Broken Social Scene took the centre mainstage Across the island.

MASSIVE ATTACK: Special Cases

The Toronto Star [via Chromewaves] reports that Massive Attack has pulled out of their Sunday night slot at the Virgin Music festival due to complications with obtaining US work visas. While it's strange that US visas has deterred them from playing their two shows in Canada (Toronto and Montreal), I suppose the economics of it all had to be the deciding factor. Strange mixed feelings on my end, since I recently saw them play live months ago at Coachella, another great festival in the USA, and they played one hell of a powerful set. So, it would have been amazing to seem them again against the backdrop of the Toronto skyline. Oh shucks. The replacement band? None other than hometowners Broken Social Scene. This video, featuring vocals by Sinead O'Connor, is directed by H5 and outlines a sterile, cold outlook on biotechnology and human reproduction. Or maybe I feel it's cold because it's utterly sexless. Watch the music video (qt).

THE SAM ROBERTS BAND: Bridge To Nowhere

V FESTIVAL TORONTO Tomorrow marks the start of the two day Toronto Island music festival. Tickets are still available, if you're so inclined. Either way, you can enjoy this latest video from Montreal rocker and company, The Sam Roberts Band, who is playing on the Sunday set list. This video is beautifully composed black and white narrative showcasing the countryside in all its serene natural beauty to the monolithic corporate hive of the megatropolis. I've never seen a film that understood commuting so well. Directed by David Pawsey. Watch the music video (qt).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

The big buzz happening in Toronto is the Toronto International Film Festival where we can expect to see enough paparazzi, celebrities, gawkers, media and media moguls to pack an open bar at a Vegas wedding. Did I mention there are also films? Posting will be slightly sparse in the next week as much film, many parties and much drink will be consumed by yours truly. If you're in the city, be sure to check it out. It really is quite a spectacle.

MUSE: Supermassive Black Hole

V FESTIVAL TORONTO The anticipation of this weekends Virgin Music Festival is thick like Toronto smog. Here is one of the latest videos from one of the festival headliners, Muse. Cooing in falsetto, frontman Matt Bellamy trades Muses's signature stadium rock theatrics for something slicker, darker and glam. Who better to direct the video than Floria Sigismondi, who give the clip a, er, well a slick, dark and glam appeal? Watch the music video (qt).

LAMB: B'Line

My friend Steve confessed to me last weekend that Lamb is his favourite band, like ever. I was quite intrigued! If you followed electronic music in the 90's, Lamb was always slightly peripheral of the whole mainstreaming of trip hop type bands like Portishead, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps or Morcheeba. They skittered around mass success, not compromising their menacing lyrics and fractured rhythm programming. Well, the band is on hiatus at the moment, but lead singer Lou Rhodes recently released a solo record of folk tinged eloquence to critical acclaim. That album was nominated for this years Mercury Prize, but subsequently lost out to those other mammals, the Arctic Monkeys. This music video is from the Lamb album Fear of Fours, and this freakshow metamorphosis music video, directed by Hammer & Tongs, plays on the tempo switch up of the music. She seems so sweet and unassuming, then Blammo! - Bobbleheaded insanity. Rather clever, indeed. Watch the music video (qt).

ARCTIC MONKEYS: View From The Afternoon

Who are big winners in Britain's annual Mercury Prize Award? The Arctic Monkeys. That's who. These youngsters from Sheffield became the magnets of the British music press's unbridled cluster... er... grope, heralding them as the the latest and greatest thing since the last bestest band in Britain they were hawking last week, while their popularity erupted like bird flu throughout the interwebs. And now the overhype has been validated by the Mercury Prize. Rejoice! Unless, of course, Mercury is deemed a dwarf planet and the prize itself becomes something of a lesser celestial body. Damn those scientists! The video is directed by W.I.Z. who basically confirms that drumming and crystal meth should never mix. Watch the music video (qt).

BAND OF HORSES: Funeral

I have fond memories of Seattle's Band of Horses from early this summer. My awesome friend Marissa and I drove down from San Francisco to Los Angeles blaring this album along the way. The record's solemn, anthemic melodies will always be associated with creeping foothills and oceans of white, towering wind-powered generators. Here is the first video I was able to find (although there is a new one out their floating around in poor quality flash). The video is directed by Matt Lenski, and dude, it looks like a time-fighter. Watch the music video (qt).

HEAD AUTOMATICA: Lying Through Your Teeth

Huh? This is Head Automatica's new record? Where's Dan The Automator? Isn't he part of this project with lead Head dude/vocalist Daryl Palumbo? I'm so confused. Taken off their second full length called Popaganda, the hip hop meets new wave via punk pop blend seems to have basically left the building along with Dan's production stylings. And while the track has it's popular, more conventional feel, it also seems to have departed a little too far from it's mongrel mix of genres that made it seem fresh, young and new when the first album slinked it's way into the public. Director Jake Davis takes the opportunity to showcase the New York quintet's downtown east village appeal with Darryl's rather bushy five o'clock umbra. Watch the music video (qt).

BASEMENT JAXX: Hush Boy

Today is the release of the brand new Basement Jaxx album Crazy Itch Radio, their fourth album to date. The saturation house typical of any Basement Jaxx record is as expected: in full blaring brassy glory, sounding equal parts Prince, P-Funk, Soul Train, and London Garage House with plenty of sass thrown in. It's upbeat and fun and what you'd expect from the Jaxx which is alright with me and my boogie shoes. The video, directed by Phil Griffin showcases vocalist Vula not only on a rather aweful first date, but also showing an aweful lot of Vula. Got Milk? Sorry, so crude... Watch the music video (UPDATED qt) or music video (qt - stream).

FRANZ FERDINAND: Jeremy Fraser

Another b-side single and video from the Scotts that strut. With a sombre, plodding cadence and saloon style piano, it switches the usually bounding disco inflections for late night, empty pub atmospherics. This Jeremy Fraser chaps seems like one sad sap who's tragic death is recreated by school yard children in masks and drab costumes. This one is directed by Scott Lyon and bears the muted colours, shuffling pace and dreary eyes syncopated with the tempo. Watch the music video (qt).

DINOSAU: Pärris

From the sublime to the silly. Dinosau is a crazy electro pop band from Norway that brings the party and their enthusiasm is hard to resist. Like a candy coated Borg or something. While the three piece is busy recording their first full length album, they've released this hyper-active, sweet-tooth of a video that's more fun than a pair of... well... funbags. Directed by Swedish illustrator, designer, director Andreas Paleologos, this video features the band in a magic volkswagen bug flying about the ether being chased by a trio of sentient blowfish. It's a trip, dude. Watch the music video (qt).

BOB DYLAN: When The Deal Goes Down

Herbert tips me to this amazing new single from the legendary Bob Dylan, a perfect respite for this Labour Day long weekend. There's something instantly classic about this wonderful country blues lullaby, even though it's new work from his recently released Modern Times (his 44th album). Dylan's warm soulful croon, the smoky, intimate ambiance of the studio production, and his inviting, reflective lyrics continue to earn him distinguished critical praises. Combined with the music is a wonderful cinematic music video, a visual postcard from nostalgic times past, expertly crafted by the hand of director Bennett Miller. Perhaps best know for his direction of the recent feature film, Capote, in which Philip Seymor Hoffman won the Best Actor Oscars for his portray of the title character, Miller showcases the elegant beauty of one of Hollywood's most accomplished young actresses, Scarlett Johansson, interspersed with imagery from Dylan's earlier career in the 60's. Watch the music video (qt).

PHOENIX: Consolation Prizes

V FESTIVAL TORONTO Just a few weeks away is the North American debut of rebel billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Music Festival. The event is proudly being hosted on our very own Toronto Island, where thousands of expected attendees will ferry across to the lush outdoor setting facing the Toronto skyline. If you haven't been checking recently, the roster has swelled to ginormous proportions, with recent additions including The Strokes, MSTRKRFT, The Flaming Lips and Amon Tobin, among others. This French band and cliptip pop favourite is also amongst the marquee bands playing the inaugural event. This is the second video from their third long player is directed by Daniel Askill. It's a beautiful stop-motion piece combining performance photography against wonderfully composed landscapes. In other news, the band, also makes a guest appearance in the latest Sofia Coppola feature film, Marie Antoinette. In other other news, Sofia and Phoenix lead singer Thomas Mars are expecting their first child together. Watch the music video (qt).

KELIS: Millionaire

When did this track get a video treatment? This whole not releasing Kelis stuff in North America stuff still baffles me. I mean, yeah, she's a little weird, but weird is totally marketable. Ever heard of Gnarls Barkley? While I'm jamming to the brand new and highly schizophrenic Kelis album (less crazy koo-koo than her earlier stuff, but still popo-loco for the mainstream American market) why not launch this rarely seen nugget into the blogosphere for your enjoyment, commentary and in anticipation of the video for that sexy second Kelis Was Here single, Blindfold me? This track is a duet with Andre 3000 from Outkast with frantic funktified production. Personally, I'm quite impressed that they either a) found underage talent that remarkably looks like Kelis and Andre, or b) were able to create a time machine to regress the singers to a pre-teenage state. Visualized by Director/Time Machine operator Guiseppe Capotondi, whose name is really fun to say. Watch the music video (qt).

ABOUT CLIPTIP

So who the hell is cliptip anyways?

Name: earnest jones (yes, its a pen-name, say no to stalking)

Location: Toronto and Montreal based, but prairie raised. Did time in Edmonton, London, Taipei, Vancouver, San Francisco. Did corporate stays in New York, Boston, Cincinnati, Montreal and all abouts New Jersey. Fell in love with Dublin, Edinburgh, Havana, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Paris and Reykjavik. Barely survived Amsterdam and barely made it out of Hong Kong. Grew up indoctrinated with hatred for Calgary, but I'm hoping that's just a hockey thing.

Favourite Music: Too many to sort out. Check here for what I'm listening to.

Favourite Record Shops: Amoeba (Los Angeles, Berkley or San Francisco), Soundscapes (Toronto), Rasputin (San Francisco, Berkley), Blackbyrd Moozik (Edmonton), Newbury Comics (Boston), Other Music (New York), Zulu (Vancouver)

Favourite Venues (that still exist): Opera House (Toronto), Mercury Lounge (New York), Metropolis (Montreal), Shepherd's Bush Empire (London), Brixton Academy (London), 111 Minna (San Francisco)

Favourite Blogs: Check my blog roll. If I have to focus on a couple, I'd say Chromewaves (who is like an unspoken godfather to me, godbless you Frank!) and Goldenfiddle (because Spencer makes me howl out loud).

Dream Job: Music video director, obvs.

Day the Dream Died: For want of paycheck. But I'm always up to a treatment pitch. Call me!

Breadwinning: Branding / Advertising / Marketing (but woefully not in Music, Entertainment, Gaming or Fashion, at least not yet). I am 100% not affiliated with any Major Label or Media Empire like so many sham bloggers, you know who you are! However, I do accept free stuff, cause blogging don't pay the bills. I, however only heap praise on stuff I like. So if you've got some quality goods that, judging what I tend to write about, suits or expands my tastes, then bring it on. Call me!

The Blogging Impulse: I'm pretty passionate about stuff like music and videos and culture, so if my tiny hands can help the world experience the cool stuff I discover, I'm all for it. The great thing is people all across the world tip me on cool stuff all the time (sorry if I cannot respond to all the emails, but I read them all and thank you so much!) so I get such awesome exposure to really cool emerging stuff which I totally love. You might say it's a community thang. I think also, the fact that I don't make videos as a full time profession even though I would love to make a go at it at least as a part time thing, I totally appreciate those who do. It's really a path where you have almost limitless creativity. Those people deserve exposure and I want to help them get it. Earnestly.

And yes, it was for medical reasons. ;P

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: Believe

When you win Best Video of the year, well, I suppose that lands you a cliptip repost. Yes, dynamic duo and longtime Chemical Brothers collaborators Dom & Nic take home the big prize at the CADS06 - Music Vision Awards awarded this past summer in London. I'm sure my invitation was lost in the post. At least that's what I cry myself to sleep at night hoping. The video also picked up best video in the Electronica genre as well as Best Special Effects. Not too shabby for a video concept of work following you home. Or hallucinogenic acid flashbacks. Sic of one half dozen the other. Congrats (albeit belated) go out to Dom & Nic. Watch the music video (qt).

WOLF PARADE: I'll Believe In Anything

2006 POLARIS PRIZE NOMINEE Remember the days when issues were resolved with pistol duels? When someone offended your honour or your house's honour or looked-at-your-woman-the-wrong-way honour. Bang. Dead. Issue resolved. It was just. Today, we're lucky if we can even get away with a pistol whipping. Well, Montreal love beast Wolf Parade also remember those days. And in partnership with director Matt Moroz (who also directed their multi-headed, lo-budget video debut), they pay tribute to those cracking ole gunfire days of powdered wigs, corsette dresses and when real men wore tights. That's right, I said it. But evidently, sorrow fills this video. The victor bears no satisfaction from these cold blooded yet entirely legal affairs. You can tell this by the bloodless pallor of the richly robed cast, and more tellingly, their unsmiling faces. A beautiful period piece drama impressively laid out for your modern audio contra period visual enjoyment. Just don't tell Sofia. She might pistol whip you. Watch the music video (qt).

PARA ONE: Dudun-Dun

The French are at it again. Sublime throbbing electro shocked house beats, slicker than the average, and destined to keep the dance floors sweating like a wedge of cheese at a retirement party. That is the genius of Para One, the French artist AKA Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, who has already remixed the likes of French national treasures Daft Punk and Berliner impresaria Ellen Allien, produced for le rap band TTC, been remixed by Toronto hipster dancefloor destroyers MSTRKRFT, and makes documentaries. Not too shabby. His debut record is about to be unleashed, fittingly called Epiphany. This video is released as a teaser, directed by Out One & Jean-René Étienne, and features, what starts out as an homage to a Paris Hilton sex tape, but evolves into a bevy of delicious white clad pajama party vixens beating each other senseless with plump feather filled pillows and splashing each other in the face with what I hope is milk. Oh, tres tres sexy. Watch the music video (qt).

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE: Misread

Simon and Garfunkel comparisons aside, the Bergen folk duo of Erlend Oye and Erik Glambek Boe are necessary to every single record collection. Unless, of course, you hate beauty, love and affection. This video may be from their 2004 album, Riot On An Empty Street, but it still rings of classic, timeless songcraft, enduring beyond the fads of the modern pop machinations. The Erlend half of the duo has formed a side band called the Whitest Boy Alive, which I hope to cover here as soon as a video is released. But in the interim, enjoy the summery tones and warm ambience of this Francois Nemeta directed music video. Watch the music video (qt).

BECK: Gameboy Homeboy

Blip. Blip blop. 8-Bit remixed version of Que' Onda Guero that does not appear on the Guerolito remix album, but instead on the Gameboy Variations EP. Now, if you've been checking my audioscrobble-vomit you'll notice a high regard for my love of Beck. His new LP in collaboration with Nigel Godrich is being polished for public release imminently and the blog-o-sphere is all a twitter with fake-ass you-tubery videos that I really dont think Beck had anything to do with. In the words of Gob Bluth, I mean C'mon! The record is called The Information, by the way. Alls I can say is, Beck is one of those rare talents with a bloodline of artistic endeavour, a personal mythology of DIY success and failure, as well as being completely irreverent, innovative and multi-disciplinary approach that modern day solo artists can only dream of, and even fewer can compare. Love her or hate her, Bjork is another I hold in this class. Tricky came close but then fizzled like he was kicked in the nutz. Moby is trying and failing. Madonna, in my opinion at least, is more performer than artist. My clue was her assinine lyrics. But hey, just my 2 cents. This video directed by Wyldfile who are E*Rock and Paper Rad. Someone point me to new Beck music videos please? And as always, cliptip favours quicktime. Watch the music video (qt).

SCISSOR SISTERS: I Don't Feel Like Dancing

It's the poptastic return of the fabulous Scissor Sisters. A feel good single to set the mood for their upcoming sophomore record entitled Ta-Dah, the track agains wears the band's Elton John influences on its gold lame sleeves. Think I'm kidding? The track was not only co-written by Sir Elton but also features his plinkies on the piano. The video is directed by Andy Soup, who has shot two prior Scissor Sister videos, and features the band on a backdrop of psychedelic Hollywood, if not Bollywood, movie scenarios. Watch the music video (qt).

RÖYKSOPP: Eple

This is the first single from the Bergen based duo's debut record Melody A.M. It's so damn good it deserves a cliptip flashback. Spliced from vintage postcards stills, this video tells an imaginative story based on seemlingly randomly pieced together imagery. Norwegian goodness! If only all great singles has such equally amazing videos. Directed by the Thomas Hilland. Watch the music video (qt).