It's nearly December, but lets rewind back to In the City in October, and the band that had literally EVERY bloodsucking member of the music industry salivating, Vampire Weekend. They, along with Florida band the Black Kids, are the bright shining hope of US indie, and aren't really what you might expect as they seem to actually be inspired by the anthemic nature of bands like Arcade Fire. Not that their songs sound like Arcade Fire, but more so that they're open to different arrangements and instruments than the traditional verse/chorus/verse guitar boredom. While this should (in theory) excite me, it doesn't, and I'm not a massive fan of either. I'm sure someone will come along and try to change my mind, but until that happens, here's a couple of tunes.

MP3 Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof

MP3 Black Kids - I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance

OK, I'm not, I know that shit. I'm not even catchy, or memorable. I've got one of those faces that people look at strangely when they meet me, like they already know me, which of course they do, they just forgot. Oh well. Enough wallowing (aside from the Lammo thing, I've had a shitty day), here's some tunes. They've actually gone some way to cheering me up too.

MP3 Chemical Brothers - Battle Scars (Beyond the Wizards Sleeve Re-Animation) / Zshare

MP3 Metro Area - Miura

MP3 Caribou - She's the One (Hot Chip Remix)

PS - The title is in reference to the new Kills tune, which you can cop a load of here. Enjoy.

BBC 6Music is the ONLY good radio station in the UK, which I listen to in the office every day. But like any station, they occasionally change things around, which often means that a DJ that you either love or loathe gets replaced with someone else. This happened recently when Gideon Coe departed from his 10am slot to take one later in the evening. This pissed me off a little, as he was my favourite DJ on the station and moved to a time when I wouldn't be listening, and also because he was replaced with George Lamb.

Not wanting to sound like a miserable grumpy arsehole, but I thought I'd add a bit of BCG wit to his show today. He was rabbiting on about a "beatdown", which would involve him, James Murphy and a few others going to a sweaty basement in London for a scrap. I quickly typed my response, only for him to read it out over the airwaves. Here's what I said:

"I think you’d find James Murphy would whoop your ass – he’s like a black belt kung fu ninja or something."

All is now forgiven. Onward and upward eh?

MP3 Feadz - Go On Beef (Oizo Remix)

MP3 Final Fantasy - This Lamb sells Condos

DJ Blaqstarr has thrown his hat into the ring for single of the year. "Shake it to the Ground" is a grimey ditty out on Mad Decent, and it's backed with remixes from pretty much everyone at the moment. My favourite comes from Drop the Lime, and it turned the dancefloor into a writhing, sweaty mess when I dropped it last night. Yum.

MP3 DJ Blaqstarr - Shake it to the Ground (Drop the Lime Remix)

It's 10 years today since Michael Hutchence was found dangling from the ceiling, in what's been labelled as either a successful suicide attempt or sex game gone wrong. While the rest of the web seems to be focussing on his talents as an artist, it can't be forgotten that his sexual prowess was legendary, and a source of wonder, amazement and downright envy of every red blooded male at time of death. His triumphs include inducting Kylie into the Mile High Club, shagging Helena Christensen (behind Kylie's back), and breaking up Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (RIP). I'm not sure if he was the greatest ever Aussie rock star (my vote goes to Nick Cave), but he his achievements with INXS can't be ignored, and the simple fact that "Suicide Blonde" was written for Kylie makes him a legend in my book.

MP3 INXS - New Sensation

MP3 INXS - Suicide Blonde

MP3 INXS vs Aerosmith - Need you this way

I've fought the urge but can hold back no longer - it's time for me to rave about how ace the new stuff on DFA is. This fanboy obsession of mine has gone on all year, but with some much good stuff coming from the label I can't really help myself. Former Automato members Holy Ghost have a new single out, which I've noticed today is single of the week on US iTunes. It's great, and while I'm loving the more disco led side to DFA nowadays, it's great to hear them issuing y'know, a proper song, with vocals and everything. I've not been this happy since Sound of Silver.

MP3 Holy Ghost! - Hold on (Blackjoy Mazego Groove)

I didn't honestly expect to see a new Raveonettes album this year. In fact, I don't know if I ever expected to see another album by them - I'm not really a fan and hadn't known them to do anything for the last couple of years. Anyway, I've snagged myself a copy of newie "Lust Lust Lust", and it's pretty a darned good reverb soaked affair. New single "Dead Sound" is doing the rounds at the mo and'll give you a fair idea of what to expect, but check this out as well too.

MP3 The Raveonettes - Lust

SWAPPED AT REQUEST OF THE LABEL FOR...

MP3 The Raveonettes - Dead Sound

Yawn. You all liked that Bloc Party/Burial track eh? Here's something else for you all to chew on.

MP3 Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23

In the aftermath of Radionhead's music distribution experiment, and subsequent "defection" to XL for the physical release of "In Rainbows", EMI have been engaged in a bitchy game whereby they keep trying to trump their former charges. Up until now, EMI had possibly been the coolest major label of the year, by actually coming forward and saying "hey guys, DRM is actually unfair on the consumer". Last week, they announced a Radiohead 7 CD boxset due to drop on 3rd December - the exact same day that the discbox of "In Rainbows" is due for release.

According to Pitchfork, EMI had asked Radiohead to relase the physical version of LP7 through them, seeing as both the label and band had been such good mates over the last 15 years or so. The band declined, preferring a deal with XL (who released Thom Yorkes solo effot in 2006). EMI then told them that if they signed with another label, they would release a physical package in competition with In Rainbows on the same day.

It gets funnier. It has been reported today on NME.com that up until last week, if you typed "Radiohead" into Google, the top ranking adword would be a link reading "Radiohead - New Album "In Rainbows" now available as boxset". Those 50 quid lunchtime browsers clicking the ad would not be directed to the In Rainbows boxset - they were actually directed to EMI's own 7 album boxset instead. The ad has since been taken down, with EMI announcing an "investigation" into the offending ad. But as anyone with any kind of Google Adwords experience will tell you, there's no way this is an accident.

Amusing.

MP3 Radiohead - Revolver

In an move guaranteed to spontaneously combust Elbo.ws and send the Hype Machine's servers into meltdown, Dubstep man of the moment, Burial, has remixed hipster indie band of choice Bloc Party as a B-side for their Euro-trance hit, Flux. Not since the Klaxons/Justice match up of a couple of weeks ago have we seen something quite so hip. If you've not heard much of Burial yet, this is a good jump on moment, and will seal whether you rush down to your purveyor of fine black plastic with a handful of notes to buy his album "Untrue" or not.

MP3 Bloc Party - Where is home? (Burial Remix) / Sendspace

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings have turned in one of my albums of the year. "100 Days, 100 nights" is full of Motown and Stax inspired numbers which fans of Mark Ronson should enjoy. Be warned however: While the Dap Kings were used as Amy Winehouse's backing band for selected cuts on "Back to Black" and there's brass on the album, they are not used excessively. So any of you expecting the patented Mark Ronson "the more horns the better" method, then you're in for a disappointment.

MP3 Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - Keep on Looking (Kenny Dope Remix)

Oh yeah, it was my monthly remixes and covers event Shoplifters last night, so yesterday afternoon was spent scouring the web for any remixes that I've missed over the last few weeks. I've been loving the Field this year, though I've been somewhat underwhelmed by his remix work so far. Not any longer. Check this out.

MP3 Marit Bergman - No Party (The Field Remix)

I've not got much to say at the moment, I don't know what's wrong. I want to say something, but I'm just not sure what. Yadda Yadda Yadda. Blah Blah Blah. It all sounds the same. Here's some tunes anyway - hopefully I'll be back later with a witty insight into, well, something.

MP3 The Flamingoes - I only have eyes for you

MP3 Queens of the Stone Age - Make it wit chu

How shit is the new Editors single? File your answer under the category "So shit it couldn't possibly be any worse and sucks so hard it'll never be Grace Jones". Or something like that anyway.

MP3 Grace Jones - Pull up to the Bumper (12" extended Mix)

Tonight! Cagedbaby at the Roadhouse! Email for cheapy nice nice guestlist innit.

MP3 Cagedbaby - Disco Biscuit

It's Friday! Here's a gloriously kooky track from Deerhoof.

MP3 Deerhoof - Matchbook seeks Maniac