TWO HUNDRED FORTY-THREE.

So. Alejandro. It premiered today. I feel like this should be the extent of what to say. Watch it, decide what you want to think - love it, hate it, you'd rather dance to it than watch the video. And let's be honest, say what you will about Gaga, but while MTV continues to murder the music video, this girl's bringing the music video back and making it something else to talk about. For sure.

The video is directed by famed photographer Steven Klein, who's done some incredible work within the fashion world and known for his collaborative work with Madonna. Like Telephone, the video is presented as a mini-epic of the sorts, running over eight minutes long and drawing on both religious and political themes. There are Madonna references, of course. We can analyze and overanalyze Lady Gaga, of course, pinpointing different tributes and style choices. We can simply say it's a great song. But the thing to do right now, just right now, is to watch it.

TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX.

Things that make me universally happy? New Arcade Fire. Things that make me universally happy in the kind of way that chocolate does. The new Arcade Fire album being released on my birthday, August 3. There's a list of maybe five bands that sends me into some kind of joyous, musical coma, and Arcade Fire is without a doubt one of them. You can listen to their new singles, the Suburbs and Months of May here. And pre-order the album on the site as well.

TWO HUNDRED TWO.

Somehow, you never know what to expect when rocker kids and in this case, rocker wives come out with their own albums. I suppose that's the nature of the beast and expected skepticism is expected skepticism when you're married to the likes of Jack White. But Elson's album, produced by her husband, comes out the twenty-fifth and from what I've heard so far, it's not something to be passed over completely. The album title The Ghost Who Walks, and the subsequent first video single, also directed by white, is seemingly appropriate. There's something uniquely haunting about Elson's voice and in a really strange, almost romantic and the video is an apt example of her talent. You can check out the video here (yes, I'm just as surprised as you are to find that MTV still knows what videos are) and look out for her album in the coming weeks.

TWO HUNDRED ONE.

Thursday nights, I've decided, should be a night that I don't watch the weatherman explain to me what kind of weather we're having. Because LIES. Regardless, happy Friday PHI readers! Hopefully, you have something wonderful planned or are simply ready to enjoy the weekend. And as always, this week's favorite things:

SOMETHING NEW. What you need to know about Seven Ply is that they make going green look incredibly cool. They take recycled old, broken, beat-up skate decks and turn it into a great piece of jewelry. Visit their etsy shop.

A ROOM OF YOUR OWN. What I find really interesting about designers is how their work, or rather, their personal taste translates into their own spaces. Norwegian interior magazine Nytt Room examines up and coming designers and their own spaces; it features a look inside designer Julia Edin’s apartment, a cozy peek into a very cool space.

LAMACEK. The Lamacek lounger is one of my favorite pieces from the company. The cushion is made using felt that is made of recycled plastic bottled and backed with a magnetic sheet that provides adhesion to the metal base. It’s also removable from the cushion for dry cleaning purposes. The best part? The lounger not only rocks, but it bounces.

BACKYARD WIND. With the weather slowly approaching something of the warmer variety, we're sure that many of you are trying to utilize any sort of outdoor space that you have. Sometimes it's not just about the plants, the floors, the odd bar, and those chairs that you hate in the beginning, but then love later. Check out the Wind Collection by Jordi Vilardell for Vibia, which features light and airy shades with colors that compliment any sort of outdoor space that you'd like to make yours.

NINA & LOLA. Of course, there’s a circus of boutique blogs. This is the internet, right? And you can absolutely go from one store to another, comparing prices and pieces. So what makes Nina & Lola different? There’s nothing like a stylishly clean blog with simple navigation – you can search by designer, vintage, and other categories as well as pick your currency, which is probably a main compliant I have with other sites. But there’s something really great about a site that understands its audience, who’s reading and where they’re coming from. Check it out.

SAY CHEESE. Let’s be real here. Who doesn’t love looking at gorgeous photos? The added bonus here, in addition to the gorgeous photos, is a really great commentary on photography and graphics, ultimately the perfect example of the way photo blogging should be.

THE VENDING SPREE. We may be a little bit in love here with this about description, “I am going to consume and review every item in my office vending machine and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” This is exactly why the internet is as awesome as it is.

BEEHOUSE LAMP. This is a pretty cool concept. Taking the idea of a beehive, the bee's natural inclination for building, and crystal technology, the designer incorporates all of this into creating the fixture. It's definitely one of those things that we'd love to see lit.

THE DEAD WEATHER. To be clear, there’s not a Jack White side project that I haven’t liked, there’s not a song Allison Mosshart sings that I don’t love, and of course, I’m going to by the new album, which came out on Tuesday. There’s nothing not to love about their sound – a little blues, a little old school rock … seriously, nothing that I don’t love at all. So pick up Sea of Cowards, pick a quiet couple of hours, and listen to the entire album. Some favorites? Blue Blood Blues, Old Mary, Die by the Drop, Gasoline.

KAREN WALKER. There's been a real love for anything vintage as of late - not that it ever went away. But you're beginning to see great pieces and accessories like these Karen Walker glasses, brown and gold detail, cool lines, and great for a really nice day at the beach. They're super fabulous.

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ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR.

I like to think of Andy Rooney as that crazy, cranky relative that from time to time thinks he's relevant or in touch with something relevant, but not. He's the guy that might sit in the corner of the diner and just scowl at you for blinking the wrong way. But within that ranting and raving about getting old and not knowing who Lady Gaga is, he makes an interesting point about music today. How does one stay relevant?

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE.

I know, I know. Another one? I mean, this is the Internet. It gives one too many changes to fans to really show some sort of crazy, fanatical love to their favorite band, singer, and ... Britney Spears. BUT that being said, without indulging in a little overkill, I think this one of the cool tributes to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. A workshop performance by the members of the Royal New Zealand Ballet has become another viral sensation these last two weeks. Check it out!

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR.

A nice moment during the dust cloud from Bear In Heaven on Vimeo.

Bear In Heaven's video for Dust Cloud. Like many people stranded in Europe because of the volcano whose name that nobody can say, the band was force to deal with their immense boredom somehow. Check out the video. We love it.

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE.

The stars must be aligning or something BECAUSE BECAUSE Interpol has just dropped new music. I mean, I'm giddy. Go to their site and you'll be able to download Lights which your truly will be listening to for the rest of the week, on repeat, and then over again. Do it.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN.

Happy Friday everyone! And happy birthday William Shakespeare. If only the sun decided to stay outside, the weather would be weekend ready. But until then, please enjoy some of our favorite things this week. And I'll try not to include something about hills and music. Can't promise anything.

ANTHROPOLOGIE. It's virtually impossible to walk into this store and not walk out with something, be it the legions and legions of gorgeous pieces (dresses for me, thank you very much, and the odd cardigan, of course) or their home accessories. It's not just the big things either; the little odds and ends, the coffee table books and the notebooks, the stationary and a knob that you never intended to get, walking inside, but do anyway. There's something so charming about the store, at any location, that you can't help but fall in love with everything. It's like my sister said today, "imagine if this were your closet - " and I do, I promise you, I do, I do, I do.

THE NATIONAL - HIGH VIOLET. I promised myself that I was going to go and try to hold out onto talking about this until its release - and I will, rest assured. But today, right after you read the rest of the favorites, you better march over to the NYTimes so that you can stream the National's new album. 1) You will not be disappointed. 2) You will not not be disappointed. 3) You will not be disappointed.

CYNTHIA VINCENT FOR TARGET. The best part about the warmer weather, or the sunny days, are the impossibly cute shoes that seem to come out just at the peak of the change. Personally, I'm not a wedge person. But the gladiator wedge sandals? So adorable, and while the Target I went to, who shall remain nameless, didn't have my size, they looked ridiculously comfortable.

MOBSTR. British graffiti artist mobstr recently had a pretty funny exchange with the Newcastle City Council, who painted over his stenciled statements directed at them. Check them out, they're fantastic.

LOUBOUTIN. THAT'S RIGHT. Commissions from photographer Khuong Nguyen are used in the new F/W Louboutin collection. Not only is her work gorgeous, but there's something really charming about it. A favorite? The Alice in Wonderland inspired piece.

WANTS AND NEEDS. Artist Erin Hanson organizes her needs and wants in a series of really fun illustrated posters.

BLIK. Blik has just announced its new partnership with 2x4, Inc, an award-winning design firm, on a design collaborative for some really great wall prints. Explore the site too, when you get a chance; there are some really great products.

FOR YOU, A WEAVE. From Dutch Design Week, designer Christian Kocx presented a series of non-woven chairs, lamps, and bowls, all unwanted bits of plastic from an injection moulding machine.

KATHARINE HARVEY. Toronto artist Katharine Harvey does some incredible work with recycled plastics, creating large scale installations that will absolutely blow your mind. Take a minute to go through her site. Harvey takes her inspiration from water and its obvious moment; it's really fascinating to see.

THE GREATEST PARTY ON EARTH. Remember guys tomorrow is the Greatest Party on Earth! PHI is super excited for the event. Tickets are still on sale for the event and we hope that we get to see you there.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR.

While I continue to remain insanely jealous of anyone who got a chance to go to Coachella, I did manage to make myself crazy with some of the cool photos that surfaced. (We'll talk music another time, promise.) But there's this, this massive crane installation by Crimson Collective, an LA-based group of artists, architects, and designers. The photographs are pretty incredible.

ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR.

And you thought it was going to be animal planet this week. I didn't forget to post about the National and their upcoming EP, set to be released on May 3rd of this year. There's nothing you couldn't say about the National; to put simply, fold and catalogue all your experiences, past and present, whether it be about love or change, idealism or loneliness, and it's like the unintentional soundtrack to your life. Take a listen.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE.

So I've been putting this one off. When you think Peter Gabriel, you don't think cover album. And when you think cover album, you worry about breaking into hives - because let's be honest, there are some pretty terrible cover albums.

I think one of the reasons why I've been putting Scratch My Back off - and really putting it off -is because I'm not really sure what to do with it. Peter Gabriel is a tremendous force, there's no doubt about it, and I suppose, if anything, you have to give the guy credit for covering some of the big names of these last couple years like Arcade Fire, Radiohead (which, wow, still very, very unsure of what to do with the cover of Street Spirit ...), and Bon Iver. Of course, there's your Neil Young track and your Lou Reed track.

It's just that I don't know what to do. It's an album that, however much it'll grow on me or on the off chance that I may be walking in the city with my iPod on shuffle, I'm not particularly attached to. There might be a rainy day. There might be a cranky day. He's good, don't get me wrong. The album though falls short however with songs not really finding their own weight, being either flat or too melodramatic. I do keep wandering back to his cover of Arcade Fire's My Body is a Cage and am remind of Johnny Cash and his cover of NIN's Hurt; the difference between the two cover songs is simple: Johnny Cash's song is Johnny Cash's song. Peter's? Well, it's just a cover. And that's how you know a good cover song.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT.

Mark your calendar. Buy a calendar. On May 4th, after five long years, there's going to be new Broken Social Scene. You know, there's been solo efforts from nearly every member since then and they've been great - but this is going to be a new album and I can't even begin to express how excited I am for it. This is the best part of the changing seasons, without a doubt, when new music, the right kind of new music, is gearing up to come out. So keep an eye out for Forgiveness Rock Record.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE.

Ellie Goulding is an incredible singer-songwriter and guitarist from across the pond and has just released the video for Guns And Horses, off her album that just came out in March. The album is a definite must have full of lush sounds and just this inexplicable feel of being breathless. Tracks to listen to? Salt Skin and The Writer are instant favorites, to name a few. But check out the video above. It's quite the fairy tale and definitely captures the feel of her album.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN.

Confession time. I'm not one of those people that buys an album for one song. It's the sort of thing that makes me feel like I'm cheating because the telling sign of a good album is an album that you listen to from start to finish and that's exactly what baby darling doll face honey is. Band of Skulls is British import with a great blues/alternative rock flavor - hard guitars, sexy lyrics, and just all around, impossibly cool. This album debuted back in March of 2009, but continues to remain a building favorite. Some tracks to check out? "I Know What I Am", "Honest", and "Death by Diamonds and Pearls".

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE.

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Somehow a rainy day is equated with turning one's life into several scenes from a romantic comedy ... you know, the part where the girl stumbles into a puddle and subsequently gets hit with a tidal wave of water because a utilities truck decides that he's not going to be conscious of pedestrians and go through puddles. Which is why this awesome site is perfect. Stereomood allows its user to create a playlist based on your mood (or mood swings) of the day. So if you want to be totally justified in listening to that famous Gun N Roses ballad, this is the place for you.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN.

So here's the deal. The song is brilliant. There's nothing that I don't like about Lady Gaga and what she does. And do I like the Tarantino-esque/Kill Bill homage? (Although Gaga ... Maluca did the can curlers first.) Yes. The Kill Bill films are some of my favorites - and I've always liked the pseudo-story that she likes to create in her videos. It's a full adventure with Gaga, that's for sure. And those cigarette sunglasses? Very cool. I think the sandwiches are throwing me in the making me hungry sense.

Regardless. Check it out.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR.

Alison Mosshart, Wild Beasts and Animal Collective have all urged the BBC not to close down 6 Music.The digital radio station has been outlined for closure, along with Asian Network, in an effort to cut costs. The artists, who are all attached to independent record label Domino, argue that 6 Music is crucial for the future of new music. (Read more.)

ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-ONE.

It took a lot of willpower to not get incredibly festive with a Valentine's Day-themed Friday favorites. Treating yourself to chocolate is a much better plan. This week's ten favorite things have a little bit of everything for you to enjoy - check them out!

SLASH. Running until April 4th, Slash is the third installment of NYC's Museum of Art and Design (MAD)'s Materials and Process series. As the cheif curator, David Revere McFadden explains, “Slash showcases artists whose works surprise for their complexity and content, and not just for their technical virtuosity." It's a complete and daring visual experience. Visit the museum site for more information.

THE SLIDING APARTMENT. Think your living space is small? Architect Gary Chang has lived in the same 32 sq meter apartment since he was fourteen. He has since then renovated the space four times and has transformed into into what he calls his "domestic transformer" - the apartment can be easily changed through the use of sliding wall units that fold away furniture and, and it boasts over 20 different configurations.

THE VENTRICLE VASE. I didn't say I wouldn't anything Heart Day related in our Top Ten - the Ventricle Vase for those of you who are fans of all things literal. The glass heart is created by Eva Milinkovic of Tsunami Glassworks. It's a gorgeous piece, inspired by emotions and their many colors, all shaped in a heart. It's available in three sizes for all sorts of grand gestures.

HOTEL CINEMATHEQUE. Design Hotels has joined forces with The Auteurs and has created this very cool marriage of cinema and luxury. And let's be honest, there's nothing like having the right kind of film for a late movie night in your hotel.

THE GAGA DOLLAR. Unless you've been living under a really heavy rock or have super powers that allow you to filter our news of your choosing, you know that Lady Gaga has been everywhere - and everywhere is no longer big enough for her too. But artist Craig Gleason has now made into the dollar bill portrait (or has unleashed the federal government's inner fan) - either way it's kind of ingenious and a charming laugh, and for purchase.

MY HOUSE NIGHTCLUB BY DODD MITCHELL DESIGN. This LA club reinterprets the classic house party by feeling and functioning like you've entered someone's private home. Says designer Dodd Mitchell, "I have always enjoyed the comfort of a house party that just doesn’t exist in your typical nightclub, so with My House I set out to create an environment I would personally relish, and bring that vision to the nightlife space."

IHEARTMYART. A tumblr blog that features a variety of pieces, showcasing an incredible array of talent and names. This is a great place to take the time and sit down for a few minutes. Check out Fiona Shaw's installation work - a favorite? Definitely her My Discomfort Is Evident But I Am Unsure Of The Cause (Prelude To An Unfinished Narrative), 2010.

PET PEEVE TAGS. These are an absolute favorite. Brittany Harriman has developed a series of "Pet Peeve Tags" that address issues such as slow walking, back washing (gross!), and the ever-presistant failure of washing one's hands. They are hand printed and in such a way that the offender can understand and perhaps even appreciate.

LAURA MARLING, I SPEAK BECAUSE I CAN. In 2008, Laura Marling made her mark with her debut. Her soulful voice and her incredible lyrics lend themselves to some of the the most incredible songs (do, do, do give My Manic & I a listen) - and in March, she'll be releasing her new album I Speak Because I Can. In anticipation for that release, a video for the album single Devil's Spoke is now available.

A PLACE IN THE SUN. For those of us who are sick of the cold and the endless amounts of snow, snow, snow, the ELLE March 2010 editorial is stunningly perfect. There are gorgeous beaches and backdrops and lots of colors, warm and vibrant (the red dress is an absolute favorite). Do check it out.

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ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR.

Today marks the release of the new Massive Attack album, Heligoland. Check out a video clip from their new single Splitting the Atom, just proof that the band continues to remain brilliantly innovative.