Twice over the course of the last week I had the opportunity to witness one of my favorite bands, the National, as they transitioned from small clubs to big stages. The group had the unenviable show-opening, 7pm “crack-of-dawn” slot on the REM tour (Modest Mouse was sandwiched in between). Watching the band handily upscale and [...]

I have not been able to stop playing The Presets latest album Apocalypso since it was released last month. Not since The National’s Boxer has an album received this much of my constant attention. Everything I like about 80’s, Industrial, Synthpop, Dance n whatnot is wrapped up in this tight lil [...]

Earlier this week the musical talents of Agyness Deyn were unleashed upon the world and, outside of the fashion press, no one batted an eyelid. That’s what someone should have told Agyness collaborators the Five O’Clock Heroes: you can bring a model to the recording studio, but you can’t make them listen to her sing.

Eighteen years ago today 2 Live Crew’s album ‘As Nasty As They Want To Be’ was banned in their home state of Florida on grounds of obscenity. Following a ruling from Judge Jose Gonzalez, selling the album, released the previous year, was declared illegal. The ruling was overturned by the United States Court of [...]

In these days of digital downloads and industry turmoil it is so easy to feel disconnected emotionally from the hype and release of any body of recorded music. So imagine my surprise and delight when I was sent into a fanatic FURY upon noticing what had been tagged in two normally unexciting fields of [...]

So, we’re gonna stay cryptic for now, but tomorrow is going to be a big day for all US subscribers. (Sorry non-Americans!) We won’t give away too much, but there is a clue somewhere on the New on eMusic page. Check back tomorrow for the goods!

Sad songs don’t need to be about romantic love. Glasvegas’ ‘Daddy’s Gone’ squeezes the throat, pricks your eyes and gives a small downwards tug to your heart, but it hymns an absent father rather than a lost girlfriend. This single from the Scottish four-piece arrived on eMusic yesterday and, if you can, you should really [...]

It isn’t often a major band and their record company decide not to tell anybody about a forthcoming album until a week before it’s due to be released, so I was surprised to say the least when one of eMusic’s bigger labels informed me that was exactly what they’d done. Have I heard it? No, [...]

I’m a little bit in love with Moshi Moshi right now. They’re having such a good run of singles by emerging artists, someone should send their A&R flowers and chocolates. I’ve already raved about Elle S’Appelle on 17 Dots, but now it’s Lykke Li’s turn.
Lykke is a Swedish artist, somewhat in the vein of Robyn [...]

Tonight at the Cake Shop in NYC’s LES, two bands who I really, really like and two bands who I don’t know but have heard good things about will be playing a show that everyone should come check out. First there’s Day for Night, whose “Badlands” got Pitchforked last week (you can download it gratis [...]

The Adele hype has been brewing since June of last year. The Adele album ‘19’ came out on Monday. Adele is now important because we’ve been told she’s important and yet she’s only just begun. Is she worth all of this attention? And can any brand new artist possibly live up to such grand expectations? [...]

Last week I was blindsided by the kind of vision-shaking migraine that leads only to lying prone on the sofa, and not, as I’d wanted to, going to see Elle S’Appelle and Ipso Facto at the Buffalo Bar in Islington. Londoners Ipso Facto I can see pretty much any time, but I might have to [...]

An early hype FYI: on February 19 there’s this record coming out by a band called Atlas Sound who I had never heard of until today, when Joe, Todd and I took a listen. The first song sounds like Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians and the second song, called “Recent Bedroom,” is total knock-yr-sox-off transfixing [...]

One more online music magazine, but this time its girls only. The Lipster, is written by women, about women and, presumably, for women. It was launched towards the end of last year and so far, I’ve enjoyed reading it. But… (and there’s always a but)

Okay so the new single is their best song so far and the video is WONDERFUL and hopefully we will have it on eMusic soon. I love them so.

There are two robots, made of cardboard, dancing badly, behind the two girls. Despite the fact the girls are singing and bouncing, gripping a guitar, a bass, the robots, the taped-together robots have everyone’s attention. Because whilst the two girls called their band Robots In Disguise, everyone’s wondering if the two robot suits really are [...]

Following up from my dubstep post the other day, eMusic HQ was graced with a promo of the new Burial album today. In a word: gorgeous.

So, yeah, I went to Iceland.

If you’re as confused as I am about the Polaris Prize winner last night, you can also get familiar with Patrick Watson today. (Don’t worry, I’ve never heard of him either. Or is that just me? Don’t answer that.)
From eMusic contributor Paul Moody’s recent review of the album:

Patrick Watson may be a piano man at [...]

Sounding like an unholy union between LCD Soundsystem, Mr. Oizo and Todd Terry, Trickski’s “Move Me” has pretty much ruled my week so far.