SHE AND HIM: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here

Super hip indie actress and singer Zooey Dechanel form She & Him with super indie hipster artist M. Ward. Fitting that, director Ace Norton wardrobed her in this wedding dress as she is, *newsflash* according to Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and MTV, now engaged to super indie hipster musician Ben Gibbard from super indie hipster music project Death Cab For Cutie. Watch the music video (qt).

GOLDFRAPP: A&E

Goldfrapp glide back into the limelight this February with a new record that side steps the glam-pop chart success of Supernature. Now trumpeting a mellow, folk tinged atmospheric sensibility, Alison and Gregory veer Seventh Tree into pastoral territory somewhat explored with their debut album, but equally pop-ified to Felt Mountain as Supernature was to Black Cherry. The video builds on the Goldfrapp mystique, serene in nature, with shambling mounds of vegetation choreographed in swirling, collapsing oddity. Colonel Blimp's Dougal Wilson helms the lens. Watch the music video (qt).

BEIRUT: Postcards From Italy

Santa Fe native come Brooklynite Zach Condon has an interesting take on indie rock. Inspired by a uncredited photo of what appears to be an Eastern European setting, Beirut take on Balkan-esque instrumentation crafted with warm indie rock cardiganisms. This was one of my favourite records of last year when I have recently uncovered a trove of music videos to post. Directed by Alma Har'el, the sepia tones capture the period piece of faded memories of exotic lands abroad. Watch the music video (qt).

THE HIDDEN CAMERAS: Death Of A Tune

Has you seen Dream Girls yet? It's a rather telling story of music that rose up from a subculture and was subsequently watered down (i.e. sanitised) to ensure mainstream acceptability. This is sort of what I feel about the latest incarnation of the Hidden Cameras. The initial joy has sort of wanned on the Joel Gibb lead Toronto ensemble. The provocative gay sexuality themed odes to uninhibited dancing has been replace with a moderated aim at pop success. Add to that the usual suspects of the troop that loyal followers of the band have been largely replaced (i.e. defected). While the single is still tuneful and the Louis-Philippe Eno directed animated video a twee treat to behold, somehow something has been extracted without something invigorating re-injected. Watch the music video (qt).

ISLANDS: Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby

Montreal old ballers, Islands, piece together a odd folk song of love and oddness. Sure there are occasional curse words interspersed between doot doots, but it's really a happy number with a happy colourful video. Those multicoloured cartoony blobs of animated goodness are courtesy of Ben Jones (of Paperrad / Wyld File notoriety). And yes, J'aime Tambeur, one the original Islands / ex-The Unicorns members has left the band. And the band plays on. Watch the music video (qt).