Phèdre

Let's start the month of Loooove off with a kinky dirty video!
Phèdre is a new Canadian band featuring members of Hooded Fang and Doldrums. The lead dude's voice reminds me a bit of Ethan from Baby Dayliner, I love! I actually think this video is quite nasty but love love love the song, so enjoy...whilst bathing your boobies all up in that honey!



Their debut album (self-titled) is released on Feb 14, via Daps Records.

Ojo por diente

My favourite Spanish band of forever is back yet again with their third album "Herreros y fatigas". It comes out next week on Jabalina. Here is the very cute and amusing new video for the first single "Ojo por diente"...enjoy!

Zeigeist - The Cello Versions

This tears me apart for two reasons. First, why have I never seen this?? Second, why oh why did they have to leave me so soon?!
Originally synth-pop masterpieces, these stripped down versions are truly beautiful...





PS. My Pearl Fiction CD is on its way!!!!!!

I Don't Have Facebook

Psychic Stunts, yes. More Swedish pop! This is their brand-new single and video, "I Don't Have Facebook"...a super cute song about the difficulties in finding more about your just-met crush with limited details and without facebook! So true nowadays. "I saw you at Geek Meet"...HA!




And here's my favourite song from their debut album "Panic in Motion" (2009). Much less kitschy than the previous track...Awesome all the same:

Kids

I don't think I post enough about the Swedish pop I love ever so much. This is Kids. Kids are relatively new. They will be releasing their debut self-titled EP next month on the very new Kontroll Recordings label. You can download this EP free (and well in advance of release) by heading on over to the label website. Here is their debut video for the EP's lead-off track, "My Sincerest Apologies"...lovely:

And here is their first song from 2010 that really churned my butter, only to have them disappear...until now!

Laura Peek

Laura Peek has ditched the Winning Hearts (Though I think one of them has aided in her new "solo" release...)! The first song I've included below is my favourite from her debut album "From the Photographs" w/ said band. Seems just last year she released her solo follow-up "Key", which sees her following along in a similar folky-piano-poppy vain. It's quite nice. The new stuff reminds me a bit of Petracovich.

Much love to this video and its excessive use of kitty...




This song is taken from "Key". The video is sorta sad, but there's a kitty and that is happy!

Painted Wolf

Pearl Fiction's debut album "Painted Wolf" is officially released today...in Sweden! Still waiting on word of a CD release, or US digital release!!! But here is the title track and it sounds so much like my Zeigeist (that "Bunny" synth pulse is way too awesome and definitely needed to be repeated!) I need this now!!!

Bienvenue

Class Actress is too cute! I think this new video for "Bienvenue" (taken from my #16 album of 2011 "Rapprocher") is simply adorable! Be sure to catch Class Actress live with me and Rockyboo on Feb 9th at the Echo!

Sally Shapiro - Jackie Jackie

You'd think this post was about Jackie Beat by the title, but it most certainly is not! This video is pretty old, but I hadn't seen it until last month. I love love it! It's a song from the US version (version 2) of Sally Shapiro's most supremely dazzling synthpop/italo disco album "Disco Romance"...

And for good measure, you should listen to Sally's brilliant cover of indie pop super band Nixon's super indie pop song "She Keeps Me Alive":

Sally is definitely due for a new album soon, let's keep our fingers crossed!!

Dream Again

Stephin Merritt's cover of Franz Ferdinand's "Dream Again" is spot on, but the video...oh my dear Ooberus, it's amazingly cute!! This is for my tech-head Rockyboo!!

inDIeVA Alert! - Cloetta Paris

Cloetta Paris is super! Synthpop from Sweden with an Italo Disco bent! What more could one ask for?!? Lingonberry crepes to eat whilst dancing to this pop gem, that's all!! This is their latest single and if this is any indication of what's to come from a follow-up to their AWESOME debut "Secret Eyes", I am oober-excited!!

Fan Death

Quite loving this Fan Death video/song right now! Taken from their lovely first album "Womb of Dreams". (Their new album "Awakenings" is due sometime this month! YAY!)

And if you didn't know, Fan Death is the newest project of Dandilion Wind Opaine, who originally played in the frightening but awesome Dandi Wind! 

Here's an awesome live performance of my favorite Dandi Wind song "Balloon Factory"!

Differnet

Differnet had moved to the back of my musical memory bank until last night when they came up first on my random sleepy-time playlist. Now I find out they are working on a new album with some author dude and recently released a "rarities" compilation called "Memories Are Magnetic: The Lost Tracks 2001–2011"! Exciting! Here's a lovely taste of a lovely band:

Anna Järvinen - FotzePOLITICS

Hopefully the Cocteau Twins don't force the authorities to take down Ooberus Oblivious like they had Anna Järvinen's 2011 album "Anna själv tredje" removed from the shelves, all because they didn't approve of her very sweet cover of Fotzepolitic. Maybe she did a horrible Swedish translation...either way, I understand the same amount of lyrics as the original...NONE! The album and this song are all quite nice Swedish language folky-dreamy-pop.

Run

I am a bit behind on this news, but I am soooo happy that my opening blog of 2012 is to announce the release of Pearl Fiction's debut album, Painted Wolf on January 25th!!! Since Pearl Fiction has already been featured on Ooberus Oblivious twice, you should already know that he is a former member of the now-disbanded and ever amazing Zeigeist.

"Run" is the first single from his album and it has sooooo much 80's love, you have to love it!

Bye-bye 2011

This song is not from this year, but I love it so much and this is one of the most beautiful videos I have ever seen...I just have to share...see you all next year! 

Lambchop - Is a Woman

2011 - Albums of the Year

After a very slow listening year (only 200 releases approx.), I present my 25 favorites...
Congratulations to The Rosebuds who, for the 2nd time, have taken the top spot on my year-end list!

1. The Rosebuds - Loud Planes Fly Low
2. The Sound of Arrows - Voyage
3. Ladytron - Gravity the Seducer
4. Little Majorette - Rifle Heart
5. Craft Spells - Idle Labor

6. Stephin Merritt - Obscurities
7. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
8. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
9. Erasure - Tomorrow's World
10. Blouse - Blouse


11. The Young Professionals - 09:00 to 17:00, 17:00 to Whenever

12. Mirrors - Lights and Offerings

13. The Dears - Degeneration Street

14. Scott Matthew - Gallantry's Favorite Son

15. Elysian Fields - Last Night on Earth

16. Class Actress - Rapprocher

17. Leslie Hall - Destination Friendship

18. Regina - Soita mulle

19. The New Lines - All That We See and Seem

20. Austra - Feel It Break

21. Twin Sister - In Heaven

22. Soft Metals - Soft Metals

23. Washed Out - Within and Without

24. Still Corners - Creatures of an Hour

25. Selebrities - Delusions

Best in Film, 2011

Of the 48 films I've seen this year, these are my favorite:

10. Drive
9. The Devil's Double
8. The Future
7. Immortals
6. Beginners
5. Hugo
4. La piel que habito
3. Shame
2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
1. Melancholia

Best Songs of 2011 - Pt 4

These are my super favorite songs from 2011, which include my Video of the Year Grand Supreme winners (that's right, it's a tie!!!)

 
 
  Video Grand Supreme Winner #1

Video Grand Supreme Winner #2

Video Grand Supreme Winner #3

Best Songs of 2011 - Pt 3

Day 3 of my Best Songs of 2011!! Take 5 more!! Later today I will conclude with my oober-ultimate-favourites!!







One of the best videos this year, but not a Grand Supreme!



Champagne Riot - Alcohol Kisses (demo) by CHAMPAGNE RIOT

Best Songs of 2011 - Pt 2

6 more delightful song gems!!

Best Songs of 2011 - Pt 1

6 of my top 22 songs of 2011!!!











Cicada 'Come Together' by cicadamusic

2011 - The Concerts

While it's hard to put a tag on awesome live music, I shall do so now with my BEST CONCERTS of 2011!!!

10. The Cure - Pantages (Night 3 of Reflections)
9. Charo - Haugh Performing Arts Center
8. CSS (x2!) - Culture Collide Festival
7. Portishead - Shrine Auditorium
6. The Presets - Club NOKIA
5. OMD - Club NOKIA
4. Robyn / Röyksopp - Hollywood Bowl
3. Ladytron - The Wiltern
2. PULP - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
1. Erasure - Palladium

The most amazing live experience I had this year was seeing "Common People" (PULP) live in London. While the setlist left plenty to be desired and the crowd was full of rowdy drunk punks, when "Common People" started everything changed and that entire field was in unison and it was simply amazing. I got chills, I cried a little...I was so incredibly happy in that moment. I will never forget it.

This video doesn't do it justice, but you get the point...

2011 - EPs

These are my favourite EPs of the year! They are lovely!


Computer Magic
"Electronic Fences "
*Synthpop supremacy!!!


Burning Hearts
"Into the Wilderness"
*Scandinavian indie pop magic bliss!


Hi-Fashion
"Sprechen Sie Hi Fashion?"
*Cheesy electro bliss, "I'm Not Madonna" is pure gold!


The New Lines
"Witches' Milk"
*Psych pop bliss (emphasis on the pop)


The Bilinda Butchers
"Regret, Love, Guilt, Dreams"
*Dreamy indiepop bliss!


Champagne Riot
"Moonstruck"
*Grand synthpop glam!


Pandr Eyez
"Eyes on You"
Funky stuff, soulful!


Slottet
"Servants"
*An ode to Postal Service.


Beth Ditto
"Beth Ditto EP"
*Disco Beth, disco!


Calm of Zero
"Acoustic Sessions 1"
*The return of my favorite female vocalist! BLISS!

Theoretical Girl - Enjoy the Silence

Like I said to oober-DM fan Mijo Walter earlier...BEST DM COVER in years!!! Theoretical Girl, I love you!

Theoretical Girl · Enjoy The Silence