developing…
Let’s run through some quick news you can use:
#1 The new Selects albums, from Blackblack and Sprengjuhöllin are spectacular. Really, really great, and I wholeheartedly recommend both. We are, yet again, proud of these albums — as we have been with all of our choices, naturally — and I hope you trust us enough to drop a few downloads on them.
#2 The Selects show! I hope that everyone in the NYC area is going to make it out for the show next week. Just as a reminder, it’s at Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village, and the lineup is High Places, Crystal Stilts, Deastro and Breathe Owl Breathe. It costs a mere $8, and will be a really, really good time. Get your tickets here.
#3 Barsuk! So yeah, a whole bunch more Barsuk arrived today, as promised. You’ll find my friends the Long Winters, Mates of State, John Vanderslice, Rocky Votolato and many more. Obviously a huge new addition to eMusic, and hopefully, over time, the rest of the catalogue will arrive as well.
#4 September is gonna be big for new releases. Coming up this month we have new ones from: Okkervil River, Cold War Kids, High Places, Kimya Dawson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mercury Rev, George Clinton, Parenthetical Girls, the New Year, Dar Williams, Damien Jurado, El Guincho, Brightblack Morning Light and a whole whole whole lot more. (And October is looking equally strong.)
#5 I think a lot of folks might be into this album from a band called the Sea that came in this morning.
#6 Longtime eMusic and Pitchfork contributor (and my college classmate!) Amanda Petrusich has a new book out on American roots music that everyone should pick up (I bought mine last week, but haven’t started reading yet) called It Still Moves. To give you a taste, Amanda did a playlist for the New York Times‘ excellent Paper Cuts book blog, and you should read it here.
#7 Tomorrow is going to be a very, very good day (if you are in the US).
I keep adding to this list, but this collection of DJ Premier beats that arrived today is fantastic. It’s somewhere between Dilla’s Donuts and RZA’s Ghost Dog score. Except, of course, it’s by the greatest hip-hop producer ever. Highly recommended.
And Giant Sand’s new (and very good) disc — Provisions — arrived! (http://www.emusic.com/album/Giant-Sand-Provisions-MP3-Download/11251923.html). A
Also, Tom Carter’s new disc — From The Great American Songbook — arrived. (http://www.emusic.com/album/Giant-Sand-Provisions-MP3-Download/11251923.html). It just received an 8.5 from Pitchfork, and the samples are an intriguing update of American roots standards (somewhere just south of Califone, judging by the samples).
And I’m excited that, as I hoped, the rest of the year is looking very strong for new releases on eMusic.
RE: #7 Aaargh. Yer killin’ me with antici…………………………………………..pation!
Hyperlinks rarely work the way I want them to in these comments. I’ll try again:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Giant-Sand-Provisions-MP3-Download/11251923.html
http://www.emusic.com/album/Tom-Carter-From-the-Great-American-Songbook-MP3-Download/11210098.html
Thanks for the heads up on Barsuk. Now I can complete my Mates of State collection - plus Nada Surf!
Also, any word on photography at the Selects show? I’d really like to try out the external flash on my 40D kit, but I don’t want to have any problems. It’s too much gear to have to stash if they balk.
Thom, I just emailed the venue to ask. Should have an answer today!
A few additional recommendations:
Southside Jonny’s big-band take on Tom Waits tunes (nice choice of lesser-known songs, swinging horns):
http://www.emusic.com/album/Southside-Johnny-with-LaBamba-s-Big-Band-Grapefruit-Moon-The-Songs-of-Tom-Waits-MP3-Download/11268053.html
A nice free comp of The Real Tuesday Weld. I may be very late to the party on this, but I had never listened to RTW before and liked what I heard on the comp (be sure to get “The Ugly and the Beautiful” if nothing else):
http://www.emusic.com/album/eMusic-Compilation-2008-eMusic-Compilation-2008-MP3-Download/11270116.html
Oooh, good day for the US? Finally! I’m getting a little sick of finding things I like that are UK only. And guys, come on TV on the Radio stateside please?
On the Barsuk note I really like the Ra Ra Riot nod and am liking it more daily. Also liking Jim Noir.
Also this was recently recommended to me by a friend from another country and I was very pleased to find it on Emusic. My first thought when he mentioned the band was “I hope that’s on emusic!” You guys rule!
http://www.emusic.com/artist/Asylum-Street-Spankers-MP3-Download/11514370.html
Wow . . . it is a good day for us! A very very good day! Thank’s emusic.
Is that a Wookie in the picture?