This summer I have been revisiting Siouxie Sioux A LOT. Far from a new artist, Siouxie exploded onto the scene in the late 70’s and took over! Her interesting, comprehensive and passionate songwriting combined with fantastic personal style and stage presence led to her becoming one of the most iconic singers of the last few decades.

Pictured above with Robert Smith, from The Cure, Siouxie of Siouxie and the Banshees (and later, of The Creatures) translates seamlessly into modern culture.

A million little gothic gals were inspired by Siouxie’s personal style, myself being one of them, when I was in high school. I had her single for “Kiss Them For Me”, with a little-known B-side “Return”, as a second track. I played it until it started skipping. For more popular Siouxie tracks, turn to Twice Upon a Time: The Singles. Fantastic.

Above, with fellow Banshees.

The Creators Project is a new network dedicated to the celebration of creativity and culture across media, and around the world. At a time in the history of the arts where digital technologies have revolutionized distribution, democratized access, and completely re-imagined the scope and scale with which an artist can create a vision and reach an audience, The Creators Project is a completely new kind of arts and culture channel for a completely new kind of world.

The Creators Project has two mandates: on one hand it’s a modern day media channel that we will continually identify and celebrate the work of visionary artists wherever they are. On the other hand it is also a content creation studio, an arts foundation of sorts that will facilitate the production and dissemination of new work with these artists and their collaborators.

There is much hope in Poland that Marina from Marina and the Diamonds is Polish.  Nope.  Marina Diamandis  hails from Wales, the daughter of Welsh and Greek parents. Marina’s sound is an eclectic twist of pop music which is enhanced by her unique singing style. She is faboulous newcomer who’s got unique style.  Her first album The Family Jewels was released in March 2010.

Long-time devotees know that I have always been obsessed with Grace Jones. Her style alone is fantastical and unlike anyone else, and her songs blend monotone intensity, light Carribean feel, disco, New-Wave and elements of punk. Ms. Jones also does a completely different and unrecognizable cover of “La Vie En Rose,” formerly by Edith Piaf. You can view her playing accordion, wildly dancing, playing the drums and all kinds of strange performance art in 1982’s Grace Jones: the One-Man Show. Only available on videotape at my local video store, I sat mesmerized watching her work and play.

A still from "La Vie En Rose"! Enjoy!

While this new Kills album is a great party mix-up, and obviously this duo has been working very hard, at first I was confused by the ‘new sound’. Maybe they’ve progressed, but when I first heard it, I was confused that it was the Kills, as their previous sound was rough, scabrous, hard…and I liked it. I saw them live at Berbati’s Pan in downtown Portland a number of years ago, and it was one of the sexiest shows I have ever seen. Raw and obsessive energy flowed from the singers mouths, singing inches from one another’s faces. Hot.

This is French-born Charlotte Gainsbourg with our own folk wizard, Beck. These two just released and album primarily written and mixed down by Beck, with a lot of collaborative vocal work by Charlotte. It’s wild, some songs sound exactly like Beck, and some I can’t relate to anything. Being a longtime fan of Charlotte’s father, Serge Gainsbourg, I was anxious to hear her…she’s got a soft and velvety voice. I like.

Of course their music has evolved over the years and what started out as Rock‘n‘Roll interpretations of classic Blues tracks has now moved on to Power Pop, reminisent of the Black Lips and Demon Claws – without doubt, the most idyosycratic of Berlin bands, while laden with youth and talent.

Here’s a pic of the awesome, catchy and talented Jenny Wilson…she rocks! With a voice like a cross between Luz Elena Mendoza [of brilliant Portland based band Y La Bamba] and Santogold, her beats and song structures reverberate inside your head and make you wanna move to the rhythm and pay attention to everything she’s doing with her voice, all at the same time.  Her newest album, Hardships, is excellent. Swedish and sultry, easily my new favorite…

Ingrain this image of her into your brain the next time you go shopping for music.

Who wouldn’t love these guys? Look at ‘em? Supremely lovable, very funny and musical, Flight Of The Conchords never fail to make me laugh with their musical storytelling, wit, and deadpan humor. Dreamy! I wish I could hang out with these guys… I really do. The show of the same name stars Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clement, two roommates and friends trying to book gigs with their manager, Murray, and one  obsessive fan Mel. I’m sure you’ve seen them or heard of them, but if not, please do it now!!

I wish I could hang out with these guys... I really do.

One of the best new comers for 2010! BBC have released the “artist to watch” list for next year and of course, this combo from Ireland are part of it.

Young & Fresh, Two Door Cinema Club’s music is influenced by Afro beat, electronica and the best of UK pop.

I think about Foals, I think about Bloc Party, and I think about Pheonix (Philippe Zdar, the sound musician who worked on their last album is on board).

Their video have been produced by the french Bunch Megaforce, the new sensation in video (kind of sons of Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze).