Hearing “What You Won’t Do For Love” on the overhead speakers in the deli across the street today absolutely made my morning. Then finding out that we have a significant chunk, if not all, of Bobby Caldwell’s entire discography made my week. And THEN finding these youtube clips pretty much made my whole [...]

So happy St Patrick’s Day to all of our Irish users. My American colleagues have chosen their favourite Irish music, which you can cast your eyes on here. For myself, I’ll be celebrating with The Undertones and fervently hoping St Patrick himself will come back down to Earth and continue his good work by getting [...]

“I’m going to do a cover,” says Billy Bragg highlighted by a row of amber spotlights. “So do you want one by Glen Campbell or one by The Buzzcocks? And I won’t be doing ‘Wichita Lineman’ because the chords are too hard.”
The Buzzcocks won, of course. It’s hard to imagine a typical Billy Bragg crowd [...]

I first attended the Plug Independent Music Awards in 2005, shortly after I had moved to New York and joined the ranks at eMusic. I couldn’t think of a better event to mark the beginning of my employment at a company that is so focused on the passionate spirit of music.

Rick Froberg formed Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes and, as a result, is the kinda dude who can stand in the middle of a crazily packed basement filled with drunks, ne’er-do-wells and rock fans and command complete silence. As Froberg and his three cohorts began tuning up before the first-ever show of [...]

“Guys are such creeps/ They’ll even do it with sheep,” “Guys don’t care/ They’ll stick it anywhere,” “Guys are disgusting/ They’re always lusting” = three of the best lines from “Guys Are Not Proud,” the first single from a 1980 post-punk band from Anchorage, Alaska, called the Anemic Boyfriends. The lyrics are delivered with a [...]

So much to talk about. Let’s do this:

(Not a picture of them but it showed up on Flickr when I searched for them and somehow it just felt right.)
The legend of D.C. punk rock music generally dies around 1990 or so. Fugazi had climaxed the whole decade-long scene with Repeater, and what followed were simply insignificant aftershocks of tiny bands making tiny [...]

Well folks, shortly I’m taking off on vacation through Labor Day, and so Joe and Todd will be holding down the fort here. But before I leave, I want to drop a few special treats for everyone: four songs written and performed by my 16-year-old brother’s band, Tazer.

Last night, Sonic Youth played their landmark 1988 Daydream Nation double album at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, and the Williamsburg crowd reacted as if this were an evening at the symphony. Daydream Nation actually is the classical music of the indie nation – cerebral, canonical and hailing from a very distant, very different era. [...]

Hit the Porter Wagoner/Grinderman/White Stripes show at Madison Square Garden last night. During Grinderman’s set the following occurred:
Nick Cave: This song is called “No Pussy Blues.”
Heckler: “Well, you’re UGLY — what ELSE would it be called?”
A little later, I turned around to check out the heckler, who was sitting right behind me. He was [...]

A quick-hit look at today’s new arrivals, which includes material from Palomar and Ladytron.

One stone-cold instant classic (to these ears) from Apparat, and a few others that we’re happy to rep.

“Hey There Delilah” is never going to sound as great as it did the first time I heard it, hollered passionately and meaningfully by several thousand teenagers at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

01 I generally view the Pickin’ On series as the music industry at its worst: piggybacking with kitschy covers meant to dupe unsuspecting folks into downloading something they don’t really want. I resent the whole concept, and always have. Well, today I eat a slight bit of crow as — surprise of all surprises — [...]

Today is National the National Day, and we couldn’t be prouder to host it. It’s an essential for the indie rock set. But there’s lots more to recommend today, including a great compilation of New Zealand rock, Tim Armstrong, Parts & Labor, Wheat and the Gourds discography.

A relatively light Tuesday, but still six notables worth checking out.

Today’s ridiculous new arrivals include a whopping 28 recommended titles, including new ones from the Clientele, Elliott Smith, Electrelane, Arcade Fire, Sea and Cake and a shockingly great country cover of “I Wanna Be Adored.” Come for the news cycle, stay for the music.

What I’m clamoring for: Bjork, Scratch Acid and weird Brazilian country-western.

Wednesday night, I was honored to be invited to the NYC screening of the film Kurt Cobain: About a Son (also, a link to its myspace page). I’ve been a big Nirvana fan for, jeez, 15-16 years now, but it is only now that I can say I have an understanding of Cobain as a [...]