Last night, French alt rock band Phoenix made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and performed their hit song “1901.” I was glad they finally stopped by The Tonight Show to play for Conan and Andy, because lately it seems like they’ve been popping up everywhere else.

Earlier in the summer, the group was seen touting Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix on shows like Late Night with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and even Saturday Night Live.  And just the other day I saw that they’ve been featured in a Cadillac commercial. Have they sold out? Maybe. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that “1901″ is an awesome song. Besides, if Santogold (aka Santigold) can be featured in a crappy light beer commercial and still retain her credibility, then Phoenix has nothing to worry about.

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DOWNLOAD: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix

This week’s Mixtape Mondays installment is a continuation of last week’s. So Far Gone is Drake‘s latest mixtape, and many people agree that it’s his best work so far. Personally, I feel like it’s at least as good as Comeback Season if not better. There’s a whole lot more singing happening on this mixtape than on the previous one. The standout tracks on So Far Gone are “Little Bit (feat. Lykke Li)” and “Best I Ever Had.” The latter has been getting some serious radio play since the album dropped back in mid-February. On Drake’s MySpace, “Best I Ever Had” has over 21 million plays.

Listen to Little Bit (feat. Lykke Li):

Here’s the tracklist:

01 Lust For Life
02 Houstatlantavegas
03 Successful f. Trey Songz & Lil Wayne
04 Lets Call It Off f. Peter Bjorn & John
05 November 18th
06 Ignant Shit f. Lil Wayne
07 A Night Off f. Lloyd
08 Say Whats Real
09 Little Bit f. Lykke Li
10 Best I Ever Had
11 Unstoppable f. Santogold & Lil Wayne
12 Uptown f. Bun B & Lil Wayne
13 Sooner Than Later
14 Bria’s Interlude f. Omarion
15 The Calm
16 Outro
17 Brand New

DOWNLOAD: Drake – So Far Gone

End of the year lists are one thing that I always look forward to seeing each December, during that special period of time between the magic and nostalgia of Christmas and the drunken debauchery of New Year’s Eve. We here at Jetcomx wanted to put together a special list; not just a list of best artists or best songs. We wanted to highlight the best, most interesting, and creative music videos from the year 2008. After intense scrutiny and deliberation, the crew and I have finally thrown together our version of the 10 Best Music Videos of 2008. Enjoy!

10. M83 – “Kim & Jessie”

This playful and somewhat nostalgic music video of “Kim & Jessie,” directed by Eva Husson, reminds us of a happier time when there wasn’t a care in the world. It reminds us of a time when one could just roller skate all day in a ballerina outfit and custom Nike Dunk roller skates. It reminds us of our youth – in a flirtatiously lesbian sort of way.

9. Vampire Weekend – “Oxford Comma”

The boys from Columbia University have come up with a music video featuring rolling farmlands, kids playing cowboys and indians, and white suits. It is interesting to note that filmed this music video in one long shot. This was actually the 17th take that they did.

8. Santogold – “L.E.S. Artistes”

Although no actual blood or gore is shown in this music video of “L.E.S. Artistes,” the violence depicted in it is still somewhat disturbing. Santi White’s emotionless disposition is equally as disheartening. Neither of these things take away from the creativity that is shown in this music video, though. Santi White singing on a stallion, anyone? Green sausages used as entrails? Watermelons being smashed in Gallagher-esque fashion?

7. Weezer – “Pork and Beans”

Released on YouTube back in May, the music video for “Pork and Beans” quickly became one of the site’s most watched music videos. Returning to collect 15 more minutes of fame are many internet celebrities including the Numa Numa guy, Afro Ninja, the “Leave Britney Alone” guy, Tay Zonday, Chris Crocker, Miss Teen South Carolina, and Dramatic Prarie Dog. Pretty awesome, if you ask me.

6. Radiohead – “House of Cards”

This is one of the most unique music videos that we’ve ever seen. The boys of Radiohead decided to create a music video in which no cameras or lights were used. The process that they used is somewhat complex. I’ll let Google explain it:

…two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. In this video, 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced all the exterior scenes.

The outcome sort of looks like what happens when you stick your face into one of those metal pin novelty things from Spencers.

5. Lykke Li – “I’m Good, I’m Gone”

Lykke Li’s music video for “I’m Good, I’m Gone” is pretty straightforward. There is no CGI, there are no green screens, and there is no editing. It’s just a live performance of the song. But this is what makes it a totally kickass music video. That, and the fact that Lykke Li uses a freaking bullhorn.

4. The BPA (ft. David Byrne & Dizzee Rascal) – “Toe Jam”

The music video for “Toe Jam” is so damn off the wall that it’s not even funny. Wood paneling, 70′s shag carpeting, and naked people make up the entirety of this video. Don’t worry though, there is no actual nudity thanks to many strategically placed black bars.

3. MGMT – “Time to Pretend”

After watching MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” music video, all I have to say is that these guys take a ton of acid. This is the weirdest music video on the list, by far. It can’t even be adequately put into words. Just take a look.

2. Kraak n’ Smack – “Squeeze Me”

Who doesn’t love a good flip book? I remember trying to make my own as a kid, but it never turned out well. The guys of Kraak n’ Smack take the flip book concept to a whole new level by making it the focus of a music video. The music video basically follows a day in the life of one guy. This is an example of a simple concept made great by amazing execution.

1. Justice – “Stress”

…And so there was one. It was difficult selecting the number one music video of 2008, but after looking at every other music video, this was the logical choice. The music video for Justice’s “Stress” doesn’t feel like a music video at all. It defintely feels like a scene from say a pre-Slumdog Millionaire Danny Boyle film. The violence and brazenness of the French street gang in this video is truly terrifying. Justice’s music only heightens that feeling. At the end of the video, the gang turns violent on their own cameramen. They also use a molitov cocktail to destroy the sedan that they carjacked.

On this fine mid-September day here in the Mixtape Mondays segment, we present to you the mixtape
known as Top Ranking by Santogold & producer/DJ Diplo. On Top Ranking, we are fortunate enough to hear three new Santogold tracks, as well as fresh, new mixes by Philly’s own DJ Diplo. Also featured on several of the 35 tracks that comprise Top Ranking is XXXchange, Movado, Switch, Kid Cudi, M.I.A., and many others. Check out the full tracklist and download the album below.

01. “Dub Selection Intro”
02. Three 6 Mafia: “Late Night” (Unstoppable Mix)
03. Santogold: “Shuv It” (Disco D Blend) [exclusive]
04. Santogold: “I’m a Lady” (Diplo Mix ft. Amanda Blank) [exclusive]
05. Sir Mix-A-Lot: “Posse on Broadway”
06. Santogold: “Lights Out” (Diplo’s Panda Bear Mix) [exclusive]
07. Aretha Franklin: “Save Me”
08. Devo: “Be Stiff”
09. B-52’s: “Mesopotamia”
10. Gerri and the Holograms: “Gerri and the Holograms”
11. Santogold: “Anne” (Switch Mix) [exclusive]
12. Santogold: “L.E.S. Artistes” (XXXchange Mix ft. Movado)
13. Cutty Ranks: “Dutty Six Pack” [exclusive]
14. Santogold: “Find a Way” (Graeme and Switch Mix ft. Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel [exclusive]
15. Richie Spice x Ratatat: “Marijuana”
16. Desmond Dekker: “007 (Shanty Town)”
17. Santogold: “Guns of Brooklyn” [exclusive]
18. Dixie Cups: “Iko Iko”
19. Tony Matterhorn: “Big Belly Guns” [exclusive]
20. Santogold: “Get It Up” (Radioclit mix ft. MIA & Gorilla Zoe) [exclusive]
21. “Mark Ronson in Studio”
22. Trouble Andrew: “Run – Hide”
23. Sister Nancy: “Pigeon Rock”
24. Nora Dean: “Barbwire”
25. Shinehead: “Know How Fe Chat”
26. The Clash: “Ghetto Defendant”
27. Warrior Queen: “Check It”
28. Santogold x Benga: “Unstoppable / Night Dub” [exclusive]
29. Shawty Lo x Skream: “Dey Know / Stagger”
30. Santogold: “Creator” (Mumdance Mix ft. Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz) [exclusive]
31. Xray: “Turbulence Dubplate” (Starstruck Diplo Mix) [exclusive]
32. Barrington Levy: “Send a Moses”
33. Prince Jazzbo: “Ital Corner”
34. Santogold: “Icarus” [exclusive]
35. Santogold x Diplo: “Right Brigade” (hidden track) [exclusive]

Click here to download Santogold and Diplo’s Mixtape Top Ranking.

Back in June a new hit single was released in which three hot artists converged in part because of the centennial of Converse. Under the Converse adcampaign Three Artists, One Song, Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D. and The Neptunes, Santi White aka Santogold, and The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas came together to create the song My Drive Thru. The track features elements specific to all three of these artists and is one of the best songs so far this summer. It’s even available for free download from Converse’s site.

The video for My Drive Thru has just been released and I just have one word for it – WOW. It features Pharrell, Santogold, and Julian Casablancas reduced to cardboard-like cutouts in black and white. Throughout the entire video, they are “flipped” like you would thumb the pages of a flip-book. And of course, they are all rocking their Chuck Taylors. Happy 100th anniversary Converse.

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