Happy New Year?

Not for Syria. Watch the movie. All of it.

Coexist with British Xx

Once again the Britons tell the world who belongs on the rock throne, with the Xx. This album, coexist, came out 2012 but in my not humble opinion it sounds pretty much like the old stuff. Take note that it did make it to the no 1 on the Swiss album charts, which is never a good sign. The songs sound very similar, but perhaps this is enough for the fan base? Apparently, Jamie Smith and lesbian co-singer Romy Madley Croft are running on momentum alone. Would have liked more change, but there are some unique tracks to devour. Try Try for a while with nice sounds in it. Then, Swept away, got some kick ass drums in it if you get past the intro. None of their original tracks comes close to the Brazilian remixer Edu Imbernon's remake of Crystalised. Then there is also their remix of You Got The Love which brings home the touchdown pretty sweet indeed. Other than that? Let's wait for their next album.

The Viking Raveonettes Observator

Danish noise-rockers The Raveonettes are out with their 2012 album Observator. This has got to be one of the best albums of 2012, especially if you like The Cure. In addition, the members have really cool names like Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo. I mean Foo! I could mention every track on the album, OK? Maybe I will too... Be sure to check out the track Young and Cold, this year's best noise track FoShiZzl3. Then, the Curesque Observations is sure to get you going. Even more Cureish, is She owns the street. Magical. Winter time noise is brought in in Sinking with the Sun. All good stuff, just get the album!

Orwell 1984

If you are interested on how to start your own tyranny, I highly recommend 1984 as your blue-print with all the essentials. Eric Arthur Blair, more commonly known as Georgie-George Orwell, died five years after his Brits won the 2nd World War. Shortly before he died he predicted how the politics of the world would look like in 1984 and even though he was a few decades off, I think we all can agree that he was on the spot. G-man unveils the successful tyrannies of the future, split in the three parts Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia (Newspeak). Each part separated from the other and in constant war in order to keep national moral, stall technological progress and always be wakeful for what is today known as the 'threat'. All rhetoric and no freedom except for the chosen few. Fake leaders and fake enemies of fake states. Georgie himself? He wrote in 1946's Why I Write: "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it." Indeed, this and Animal Farm confirms it. In addition, it's a love story and other saucy stuff.

Road to Serfdom is paved with socialism

All planners and socialists - take a look here! Already in 1944, Friedrich August von Hayek (not related to Selma) had ideas on why central planning by a few albeit intelligent visionaries would still fail, and why these themselves would despite their intelligence are lured to a failing entity. If such a book was read in the manner it was written - composed and humble - then we might actually have a discussion of actual politics some day in the future. And, above all, it might also be productive. Yeah, sound nuts. Friedrich served in the 1st World War and then wanted to avoid being cannon fodder for Austrian-Hungarians on the Italian battlefield. He later studied in London and would during the 2nd World War further develop his liberal ideas, after the Adolf's Austrian Anschluss. In 1974, he shared the Nobel Economics Prize with Swedish socialist Gunnar Myrdal despite being Mr Free Market and Gold-Standard. Drop the remote for a second and take a look into this book and find out what real men read about while you are busy figuring out whether or not to call that girl that you do not remember what looked like who already, by the by, met someone else.