JET: Bring It On Back

Second single from the Australian band people love to tag with the "derivative" label. Whether derivative or not, does it really matter if it's a memorable rock tune? I guess the debate will be whether this single is memorable, but here at cliptip, this album has been a steady grower. This track in particular seems to be channeling (What's The Story) Morning Glory era Oasis minus the distinct Liam Gallagher sneer. Directed by Jamie Thraves. Podcast the music video (qt).

PONY UP!: The Truth About Cats and Dogs (Is That They Die)

Dim Mak signs Montreal's power popsters Pony Up! to instant indie street cred. Effervescent melodies in the straight talking indie grrrl vocal style, the all female four piece barrel down the streets in this animated video about cats and dogs. Fun and catchy and very pop. Watch the music video (qt).

CONCERT QUOTES: The Decemberists

"I believe in homeopathy, but echinacea is bullshit."
- Colin Meloy, The Decemberists, November 6th, 2006 @ Kool Haus, Toronto

THE DECEMBERISTS: 16 Military Wives

The Decemberists play the Kool Haus in Toronto tonight supporting their latest album The Crane Wife. Although I've not found any podcast quality videos from said album, I was able uncover this delightful one from their second LP, Picaresque. Directed by Aaron Stewart-Ahn, the video is a wonderful showcase of the band, with a nod to Wes Anderson's sense of quirk from his hilarious over/under achieving private school dramedy, Rushmore, and a commentary on the American, wait for it... military-industrial complex. Watch the music video (qt).

TOKYO POLICE CLUB: Nature Of The Experiment

Another buzz band based in the Toronto area (Newmarket). If you like indie rock, you will likely love this band as much as the legions of MySpace astronauts out there who have already discovered them. From their mini album, the four piece has concocted one of the catchiest, lovable indie pop songs since Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. An humble indie video accompanies, freshly wrapped in plastic wrap. Watch the music video (qt).

THE SOFTLIGHTES: Heart Made Of Sound

Plucky So Cal band the Softlightes are the latest to join the bastion of awesomeness at the Modular roster of bands. This is the debut video from the EP of the same name, with a breeziness that begs for barefoot walks through blades of green grass. Director Kris Moyes just get better and better with each subsequent video he shoots. With vibrant colours and everyday materials turned to animated lyrics or fluttering notes, you can't help but get caught in the joyful sense of child-like wonder so brilliantly synchronized through song and image. Watch the music video (qt).

DEICHKIND: Ich Beteuebe Mich

Hamburg's Deichkind is notorious in their native Germany for their quote "insane live shows." This single is titled, translated to English, "I sedate myself" or "I get wasted." And once you listen, I don't think will be able to disagree. When I corresponded with directors AlexandLiane, they had this to say about this astonishingly awesome video: "The featured singer (Sarah Walker) represents a party girl who is only interested in hedonistic pursuits, whilst the band play the role of a "moral mind police" trying to exercise her brain back to sobriety. Actually, we've been wanting to shoot something in this location for a while. It's a strange converted zepplin hangar just outside of Berlin which has been turned into a Tropical Island. We had thrown several different concepts at various bands but we're glad this one worked out because the band were open for being quite bonkers with the idea. We shot it on old beta cams and transferred it to NTSC in the end. Just in case you didn't notice, the bodybuilder is fake...the singer's real body is more on the rotund side. We had fun making it, so glad you like it!" This one you won't want to miss. Watch the music video (qt).

LADY SOVEREIGN: Love Me Or Hate Me

Finally the long player for the biggest midget, grime wonderkind Lady Sovereign is out. While many of her followers would have bought her Vertically Challenged EP, they will be shocked to witness that after all that time, the LP is loaded with many of those very same singles. For those of you who did not by the EP, your sloth is rewarded by the inclusion of those very same single. This video is a riot, bringing some of the funky ass Missy Elliott style self depricating humour to hip hop that all those serious gansta bullshit mofos had bringing you down. Directed by Brian Beletic and that uncredited Russian scientist that invented Tetris, and if you look closely enough a suspiciously product place LG phone... Watch the music video (qt).

MATES OF STATE: Like U Crazy

They's finally worn me down. The San Francisco based duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel have plunked their ways into my heart with this enchanting pop melody and interplanetary blimp tragedy music video. I'm not sure if it's the vestiges of lost Fiery Furnaces, but the single has steadily grown one me. The black and white video with said Hindenburg meets Titanic-like accident is directed by Roboshobo. Watch the music video (qt).

BITTER:SWEET: The Mating Game

Conspiracy theorists rejoice! Lock stock in step with the impending release of the new James Bond action thriller starring the fan favourite premature hate-on for Daniel Craig, come LA's 60's spy anthem inspired Bitter:Sweet. Assembled for the wreckage of LA trip hop scenesters Supreme Beings Of Leisure, Bitter:Sweet concoct a mix of lounge-friendly, martini sipping electronic spy-pop that will have the ladies reaching for their Swarovski encrusted cell phones and the men unbuttoning to expose their mystic tanned pecs. Now that winter is rolling around, how I miss sunny plastic LA. Directed by Jason Cook. Watch the music video (qt).

FATBOY SLIM: Champion Sound

It's a double double: champion and low-fi video. Not bad pattern forming from yesterday's DJ Champion post, heh? This single is the second of two new tracks off the Fatboy Slim greatest hits package. Vocals feature Lateef the Truth Speaker, although the US version also includes vocals by Sharon Woolf. Production-wise, it's Norman Cook's retro big-beat bag of tricks, with a synth riff sound pulled of some old Inner City club anthem from the eighties. It's effective in shoe shuffling, although lacking any real brain stimulation. The video, directed by Nothing To See Here, has everyday objects used as tumbling dominoes. Watch the music video (qt).

CHAMPION: No Heaven

Swamp blues fused with electronic beats? That is the sound of the first video from electronic artist DJ Champion. And while first impressions would suggest he is a British bloke with a pasty complexion, Champion AKA Maxime Morin has been a fixture to the Montreal scene for roughly 10 years. He plays Toronto as part of the CASBY Awards, November 22nd, as well as a solo show at Lee's Palace on November 24th. Watch the music video (qt).

CLIPTIP QUIPS: Showgirls vs. Artfags edition

Short and sweet reviews of records old and new:

Sam's Town by THE KILLERS
the CTQ: Meatloaf's Town [6/10]
music videos

Ta-Dah by SCISSOR SISTERS
the CTQ: Cabaret Populaire [7/10]
music videos

Return To Cookie Mountain by TV ON THE RADIO
the CTQ: Grander than thou [7/10]
music videos

THE RACONTEURS: Broken Boy Soldier

After witnessing the finesse of the Raconteur's live stage show at the Toronto Island Virgin Festival, I was thoroughly impressed. No mere studio project, the quartet play tight, hooky jam sessions that really got the crowd up on it. Director Floria Sigismondi's penchant for antique doll parts, ravens and pale complexions bring the jittery stop image blues of the Detroit supergroup's title album track to life. Watch the music video (qt).

MALAJUBE: Fille à Plumes

Just in time for Halloween, Montreal franco punk pop band spice up some classic black and white horror genre vignettes to accompany this third single of the critically acclaimed and Polaris Prize nominated album, Trompe l'oeil. It's frantic, upbeat, and jangly. Directed by Carnior. Watch the music video (qt).

THE DEARS: Whites Only Party

Montreal downers the Dears have a second release from the not upbeat titled album Gang Of Losers with the single Whites Only Party. It's clearly not a childrens lullaby judging by the title, but for those who love misery this may just be the hit for you. And it is a hit, with a very lovely melody and snappy percussion, albeit touching on some rather strange themes that aren't really fully realized in the body of the song. Sensationalist? The video takes a better stab at more confrontational subjects as directed by Type2Error. 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 version to follow down the road as I can't help but love this song. Watch the music video (qt).

KLAXONS: Magick

Oh boy. Here comes the waves of hype like a freaking tidal wave. The fine London purveyors of New Rave (I know, it just sounds manufactured by overzealous music journalists) are on the precipice of kicking down some hip youth demographic myspacian threshold of critical and more-relevant-than-thou success. And by success, I mean shifting a bunch of CD's via Urban Outfitters and the rest being file shared through MP3 blogs and the like. And while the music is an interesting mash-up of white rock, electro and punk genres, it's ultimate test will be how it fares with that fickle North American audience, which has become so fractured and unrecognizable to mainstream programmers, they tragically default to tried and true (i.e. bankable) pap such as blingy hip-hop R&B, and expired alt-rock regurge from the mid-90's. This literally eye-bleeding video is directed by Saam. Watch the music video (qt).

THE STREETS: Prangin' Out

After my jaunt to East London, it's only fitting I plug some Mike Skinner's The Streets. The sordid tale of debauchery is so common throughout Shoreditch's club happy binge drinking pharmaceutical popping district, it's a good thing I have this track to remind me why to steer clear of Kingsland Road's vomit stained side streets on Sunday mornings. All those paranoid strung out weekenders. Scary. The video is directed by Dawn Shadforth. Watch the music video (qt).

IMOGEN HEAP: Headlock

Imogen Heap, the lovely vocalist and one time Frou Frou member, continues her stake at solo success. Lifted from her second solo outing, this single swirls with her dizzying lyrics and vocals with the dramatics of her electronic pop production. The video is directed by illustrator and video director Simon Henwood, who's portfolio of work continues to impress with its clear composition and off-centre concepts. Imogen Heap's hair, however, continues to perform acrobatics off some fantasy hair-show meets Cirque du Soleil meets Dead Or Alive tribute band freak show. Watch the music video (qt).

K-OS: Electrik Heat

The Toronto based hip-hop roots poet launches his new LP with this lead single thats bringing old school back, and all the b-boys dont know how to act. I am lame. It's a valiant effort this single but aside from some pop locking vibes, I need a memorable hook. K-OS, where is the hook? The video, directed by The Love Movement, is a just like the single, a shiny, hip-hopping Kid 'N Play type trip down highschool oldschool. Aww yeah. Watch the music video (qt).

TEDDYBEARS: Hey Boy

The publicist are in overdrive with Swedish plush mascot headed band Teddybears. I have resisted posting anything, not because of their music. I actually love their brand of weird electro-infused mogrel rock-hip-hop. It's because their video are only available in dodgy, poor quality streams. So through some considerable effort, I've dug up a quicktime podcast-friendly file of one of their older singles. This one's called Hey Boy and it does not appear US debut Soft Machine. So get all over it before the record label gestapo puts an end to it. Directed by members of the Teddybears. Watch the music video (qt).

MOBY: New York, New York

Moby continues to convince the public of his dork factor. This video enlists the vocals of Debbie Harry so by rights it should be pretty cool. But there is such a wide distinguished line between dork and deprecation and I'm afraid poor Richard Melville Hall has tripped over a shoelace and landed face first in the wilds of dorkland. The video is humourous, and that's when you suspend your need for dignity. Maybe I'm just bitter now that I'm back from vacation. From the Best of Moby compilation. Directed by Evan Bernard who provided the mirth in that very cool Soulwax video. Watch the music video (qt).

BECK: Cellphone's Dead

One of the choicest cuts of Beck's brand new long player, the track is produced by Nigel Godrich and forms an interesting blend of quasi folk rock hip hop. The video is a stunner thanks to the unlimited imagineering of director Michel Gondry. Shot in dramatic black and white, the manipulated continuous shot features some eye bender transmorphing action. Not to be missed. It's always a thrill when great music and great video collide in perfect synchronicity. Watch the music video (qt).

ZERO 7: Futures

Wait a minute... Didn't this track already get a post on cliptip? Why, yes. Yes, it did. But this is a different video by director Robert Seidel. In fact, tipsters suggest this was the orignal video, all composed of grocery products mashed up and morphed on what looks like the top of a colour photocopier. The shapes of familiar food stuffs and organic matter mangled and oozing in rhythmic undulations is actually quite mesmerising. Watch the music video (qt).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

Cliptip has been awol in Paris for the past couple of days. I was clearly too lazy to strap the laptop all over the place and as a result your music video fix has been left flaccid and unsatisfied. My humble apologies, but sometimes bloggers need breaks, too. After all this is pretty much a one man show. Or does it need to be? Hmmmmm....

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE: Major Label Debut

When Broken Social Scene tour, they capture it on film. The latest video for their latest single is a composite of happy touring memories collected over the last three years. The entire Broken Social herd is there in awkward fitting thrift store indie reclaimation wear, including the occasional appearance of the woeful trucker hat. Catching single and spirit. Just don't call it Torontopia. Watch the music video (qt).

DJ SHADOW: Enuff

Q-tip guests on the first release from San Francisco beat junkie Josh Davies. His latest effort has garnered mixed reviews, mostly linked to its diverse range and inconsistency. Arguably, this single is not instantly recognizable as DJ Shadow, as it bears slick production and an almost pop melody, and thus losing the brooding vinyl digger themes that marked his early work. The video is directed by Rojo and captures silkscreened and pixelated images in corrugate. Watch the music video (qt).

JAMIE LIDELL: The City

This funk soul brother continues to impress with super charged soul and ace self-produced material. And while Jamie grooves to the city, Cliptip finds himself jetting to the city for a little rest and relaxation. Yes, it's time again for cliptip to zip it over to London again. Postings will be sporatic but dutiful when wi-fi allows. This shaving foam music video is directed by Frederic D. Watch the video (qt).

POP LEVI: Blue Honey

Channeling a combination of glam rock David Bowie, T. Rex, James Bond and Sonny Bono, the artisit know as Pop Levi brings divine psychedelic vibe to this brand new release. Pop Levi, for those is the know, is one third of the Ninjatune band Super Numeri and has played bass with fellow Liverpoolians Ladytron. This video is directed by Christian Swegal and riffs closely to the classic 60's 007 Bond title sequence. Sexy. Watch the music video (qt).

PUZZLEWEASEL: Cvon

If you love IDM, you're gonna love Puzzleweasel. Hopefully. And even if you don't for whatever your reasons, I think you'll get a kick out of this video directed by UFX. The music and imagery is sparse and chittering, yet strangely rhythmic and fixating. Who would have ever thought pasty white male torsos could be so mesmerizing? Unless you're totally into that. Puzzleweasal is essentially a one man band from Denmark. Watch the music video (qt).

WHERE IS CLIPTIP?

Jetting off to Vancouver.... oh so much travel these days. Back soon!