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(Credit: Andy Sheppard/Redferns)

Oasis, Franz Ferdinand, The Klaxons and now The Vaccines; pretty much every year the British music press produces a deafening din, working themselves into a frenzy over whatever they've anointed The Next Big Thing.

Well, call Brit laptop-soul singer James Blake the Next Quiet Thing. Over the course of 2010, Blake subtly romanced listeners with a series of mysterious EPs like CMYK and Klavierwerke. These records combined the intimate heartbreak of Bon Iver, the R&B leanings of Hot Chip and the glitchy beats of dubstep titans like Burial (who you should certainly look up if you haven't listened yet).

James Blake's self-titled debut lbum takes things in absolutely gorgeous directions. While songs remain hushed and stitched together, the 22-year-old singer accentuates his melodies and pop chops. Nowhere is this more evident than on the gorgeous ballad "Limit To Your Love."

"Limit To Your Love" finds James Blake stepping out from behind the protection of his laptop and all of its tricks and treatments (not that those tricks aren't engaging as all get out), performing a tender torch song, unadorned with any effects. The effect of which is pretty stunning.

Check out James Blake's wonderful video for "Limit To Your Love," below. CMYK and Klavierwerke are both out now, and James Blake is due out next month.

James Blake - Limit To Your Love from James Blake on Vimeo.

Tags Bon Iver, Burial, Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip, James Blake, Oasis, The Klaxons, The Vaccines, video

So many awesome bands, so little time.

No need to feel totally humiliated because you don't know the difference between The Big Pink and "The Color Purple." If you happen to find yourself at a loss for a knowing retort when your friends start name-dropping bands you've never heard of, DO NOT PANIC. Instead, close your eyes, take a breath and feel free to spitball any of the following insider tidbits on the following "it" bands that give you instant cred. You're so very welcome.

1.) The National: Over the past 10 years, The National has won over hipsters with its Americana-inspired indie-rock and good Samaritans with its pension for political action and philanthropy. Your key talking point: "I was into 'Cherry Tree' way before 'High Violet.' " Watch the video for "Apartment Story" below.

2.) Broken Bells: This supergroup features James Mercer (from The Shins) and Danger Mouse (from Gnarls Barkley). Somewhere, Cee-Lo is pouting in a corner, wearing a dashiki, because he's not in on this innovative indie-pop. Your key talking point: "If 'Garden State' was made today, the song 'The High Road' would totally be on the soundtrack." Watch the video for "The Ghost Inside" below.

3.) Crystal Castles: Not only does singer Alice Glass have the fiercest bowl cut we've seen this side of Joey Lawrence (circa "Gimme A Break!"), but the rest of the band is pretty bitchin', too. These quirky Canadians have successfully created a whole new genre: zombie electro-pop. One listen to "Crimewave" and you'll hear what we mean. Your key talking point: "I have to admit. I was pretty impressed when Toshiba used 'Air War' in that commercial." Watch the video for "Crimewave" below.

+ More videos after the jump.
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Tags Broken Bells, Cee Lo, Coachella, Crystal Castles, Danger Mouse, Four Tet, Gnarls Barkley, Hot Chip, James Mercer, Jay-Z, justin bieber, Karen O, Liars, MGMT, The Big Pink, The National, The Shins, The XX, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer

+ Justin Bieber has recently opened up about his experience at the White House when he performed at the annual Easter Egg Roll. Seems the first daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, are big fans, and that led to a meeting with the president in the Oval Office. (MTV News)

+ In case you were wondering, "Gossip Girl"'s Leighton Meester and "Twilight"'s Robert Pattinson are not dating. (Just Jared)

+ Brody Jenner and Avril Lavigne are dating. We know this because Lavigne drunkenly professed her love for "The Hills" star during a rowdy karaoke session. (I'm Not Obsessed)

+ Whitney Houston's comeback seems to be running out of air. The singer ran out of breath while performing "I Will Always Love You," prompting boos from a Brit audience. (PopEater)

+ Awesome Brit electro-pop outfit Hot Chip has tried its hand at a cover of Shakira's "She Wolf." (Idolator)

Tags Avril Lavigne, Barack Obama, Brody Jenner, Gossip Girl, Hot Chip, justin bieber, Leighton Meester, Robert Pattinson, Shakira, The Hills, Twilight, Whitney Houston

Word around the campfire is that Rihanna's ready to make the follow-up to Good Girl Gone Bad, an album whose various incarnations has spawned more hits than a mafia war.

According to MTV News,  Rihanna's gonna enter the studio with some familiar faces -- "Umbrella" writer/producer Tricky Stewart, Justin Timberlake -- and some new ones as well, like The All-American Rejects' Tyson Ritter. With those past and future Rihanna collabos in mind, I started daydreaming about who else could make this good girl even better. (And whether or not she'll wear a see-through dress to the studio.)

1. Hot Chip
While it may often be broken, Rihanna has a New Wave heart. You can heart it in her Soft-Cell-sampling early hit, "S.O.S." or in the bum-bum-be-dum's of "Disturbia." She's ready for some synths, electro leanings, and all the attendant eyeliner and Flock Of Seagulls hair that goes with it. (Wait! Rihanna HAS Flock of Seagulls hair!) So why not work with some of the finest purveyors of neo-New-Wave? Hot Chip could expertly combine R&B, dance and pop for Rihanna.

2. Katy Perry
Katy Perry and Rihanna are basically already besties, so why not get in the studio together. If Rihanna lacks anything (and she doesn't lack much) it's a defined personality. Her whole thing is the blank stare, the elusive, untouchable girl. Maybe Katy could giver her something there. Like a sense of humor, or a more human, normal vibe. Not that there ain't a lot to love in Rihanna's current robot-diva-from-the-future thing. Or maybe they could both cake dive together.

3. Ryan Tedder
The OneRepublic singer/songwriter might be accused of ripping himself off (Beyonce's "Halo" begats Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone"), but it's a heck of a blueprint to work from. This seems like a no-brainer, right? I can already hear Rihanna singing "Apologize" in my head. Her airy, pleading voice would work great with his melodies.

Tags All-American-Rejects, Beyonce, Hot Chip, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, OneRepublic, Rihanna, Ryan Tedder, video

Sexy ginger-headed scenester Lissy Trullie's been making the downtown rounds in NYC for ages now. If one of those underground aristocrat clubs turns you away at the door for being too "normal," you can go ahead and assume that she's inside spinning other people's records under bangs and a bowler hat. On her own records, Lissy lays a crackling Strokes-y deadpan over delirious dance-rock, casual as a 4:00 breakfast. She runs with The Virgins, dresses like a motorcycle schoolboy and carries it all off with the gritty, effortless grace of an Andy Warhol movie. Anybody else smell star power?

Today Lissy Trullie (prounced 'Truly') and her band announce the February 17 release of their charmingly droll debut, Self-Taught Learner. Lissy's been out with The Virgins promoting the six-track EP, which includes a Hot Chip cover, on a tour that appropriately culminates at the opening of a San Francisco Andy Warhol exhibit. Well played, Lissy. Truly.

+ Get half the EP, all of those tour dates and an extensive collection of photographs here!

* Thanks for the photo, MySpace!

Tags Hot Chip, Lissy Trullie, The Buzz On, The Strokes, The Virgins