I’ve been hearing from the buzz out there in the ether that Slime and Reason, the new Roots Manuva album, is good. I figured everyone was grading on a curve because, really, what has Manuva done aside a few okay singles? Turns out I’m the idiot in this case — as it often is — because the album, available now in Europe here, and out in the US on Sept. 30 (and yes we will have it) is extremely — and even though I’m still finishing my first listen, I mean that — good. It balances serious and playful, art and pop. The production is very progressive, very of the moment, some tracks sounding like they could appear on an M.I.A. record, others Kanye, still more Dizzee or Burial or whatever the latest intersection is between dubstep, grime and the newest invention of East London. Bottomline: it is very, very good, so keep that bug in your ear until the 30th if you’re American, and if you’re European, grab it now here.

I don’t dare try to fill the (dancin’) shoes of the legendary-’round-these-parts Todd L. Burns, but I will try from time to time to share some electronic music I find of interest. This week has actually been incredibly fruitful for electronic music, not least in part because of the (US) arrival of Domino Records. First, and perhaps most excitingly, though, is Hans-Peter Lindstrøm’s new epic three song LP.

Continue reading ‘na, electronic: lindstrom and more’

On Saturday night I brought a few trusting friends out to see Selector Dub Narcotic, DJ Ian Svenonius and DJ Jonathan Toubin lay down a very serious dance party at Glasslands in Brooklyn. On Monday night, Alex attended the Santos Party House version.

Continue reading ‘twin nights out: a collabo post’

Yesterday we promised that today would be a very good day for eMusic folks, and here’s the reason: Domino Recording Co. Home to the Arctic Monkeys, Clinic, Notwist, the Kills and so so so many more, this is a massive addition to the eMusic library, an eclectic catalogue perfect for the indie rock folks, sure, but also electronic fans, post-punk heads and avant-gardeners.

We put together a guide to what we think is essential from Domino. You can read that here. But we’re certain that we missed a few, and we all have our personal favorites, so share yours with the rest of the class below!

So a whole bunch of Barsuk titles dropped today, but I fear that lost amongst the John Vanderslice and Mates of State will go one of my all-time favorite Barsuk releases, Aveo’s Battery. I’m probably going to work up a proper review of this sometime soon, but I strongly encourage you to check this album out. It was released four years ago and sank without a sound, which was a crime. It’s got Britpop tendencies to be sure — you can hear bits of the Smiths and the Housemartins and maybe even James — but it’s also got that American indie rock ache — I can see fans of the National and Shearwater and My Teenage Stride being into this. So since downloads are at a premium, some suggested tracks: “Newton and Galileo,” “Haley,” “Desert and the Great Divorce,” (which I’m pretty sure cops the guitar line from the Cure’s “Lovesong”) and “Dust that Dreams of Brooms.”

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).

Today, we’re thrilled to bring you two brand new eMusic Selects artists: from Iceland, marauding pop group Sprengjuhöllin and L.A.’s ramshackle, endearing, mysterious Blackblack.

Continue reading ‘emusic selects: Sprengjuhöllin, Blackblack’

Something funny’s happened to “Teenage Kicks” in the last few years. The Undertones’ first single has always been a strange beast, combining punk’s jittering attack with pop’s shiny-shiny – after all “Teenage Kicks” crystallised the weird adolescent state where even boredom feels anticipatory, but it was also the one punk song your mum liked. But over the last four years the 1978 single has developed even more of a dual nature. Continue reading ‘NA Europe: Teenage Kicks’

We would like to make sure 17 Dots is in with a good chance of winning Best Music Blog for BT’s Digital Music Awards 2008. It is a People’s Choice Award so ask your friends and anyone who knows 17 Dots to vote for us.

VOTE HERE.

You can also join our Vote 17 Dots Facebook group here.

Hey, you’re reading this, so you must love us. Make the right choice! Vote 17 Dots!

There have been a few of you who’ve said you’d like to come out tonight, so here are all the details.

When: TONIGHT. From 6.00pm.

Where: The Northumberland Arms, on the south west corner of Goodge Street and Charlotte Street, London, W1T. It isn’t a very big pub, so we should be easy to find once inside.

Who: Me, you.

What: I think we’ve established this is a ‘meet up and have some drinks’ thing.

Why: It should be fun. It will be good to get a look at you. I’m running out of pictures of James May and Oz Clarke.

As always email the 17 Dots address (find it on this page) for more information/ better directions/ any other problems. See you later.

For those of you out there who are anticon, hip-hop or electronic fans, the album that the Alias/Why? track Well Water Black is on (I mentioned it in this post) came in today. I haven’t been anticipating an album like this in quite a while. I was considering buying the limited edition physical version if we didn’t get it in but I believe this is the digital release date so there ya go. So far it is really, really good. At least grab Well Water Black, that song is essential and I can’t get enough of it.

Also of note for electronic fans is a new Bomb the Bass single So Special. Yesterday I also saw a single off the new Faint album.

For fans of darker electronic music, a shout out to my friends in The Panic Lift whose album dropped today. I’m not really into that type of music anymore, but those of you who into EBM will probably enjoy it. A colleague also recommended the other Hive records release today by genCab as a glitchier dark act with clean vocals, which I checked out for a minute and it sounded decent.

New today on eMusic: Kompakt! Along with some swinging ’60s Spanish pop on Tam-Tam.

Continue reading ‘na: kompakt and more’

Not all of the best bands tour or even put out records. Some of them don’t even exist. As it’s Friday, take some time out from reality and have a look at a selection of fiction’s finest musicians.

The Good
Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem - The Muppet Show

The best-non human rock band in the world – the only difficulty is picking your favourite member – the gold-canined Doctor or slinky flower child Janis?

Continue reading ‘our fictional finest’

I’ve reached the age where my friends are starting to have babies. After feeling slightly freaked out at first, I’m now pretty keen on spending time with my friends’ sprogs – after all they’re basically a smaller, version 2.0 of someone I already like and I get to do all the fun, rolling on the carpet bits and then hand them back.

There are hipster parents like my friend A who is feeding her tiny boy an aural diet of Los Campesinos! and M.I.A (his name is Jimmy.) But most complain about the lack of children’s music that parents can also enjoy. This weekend I’ll be spending some time with a very small person and his mum, C, has requested some songs. Here’s what I’m burning for her. Continue reading ‘Good music, small people’

It is our tremendous pleasure to announce that on Thursday, September 11, in NYC, we will present the first-ever showcase of eMusic Selects artists at Le Poisson Rouge, a beautiful new venue in Greenwich Village.

The lineup for the show is:

High Places
Crystal Stilts
Deastro
Breathe Owl Breathe

This is the culmination of the first six months of Selects, and features four amazing bands. This will be Deastro’s first show in NYC — we are extremely excited for it! — and Breathe Owl Breathe are flying in from Michigan explicitly for this performance. The Crystal Stilts are just coming off a tour with the Vivian Girls, and High Places are about to embark on a massive tour in support of their amazing upcoming album on Thrill Jockey. All of us are already brimming with pride, and we can’t wait for it.

And a word on the venue: Le Poisson Rouge officially opens on September 2, and is a gorgeous space that boasts a very impressive lineup of performers, including John Zorn, Steve Reich, Lou Reed, Nico Muhly and many others. It is very much a musician’s venue, and we think this will let the talents of these four artists really shine. (You can see pictures of the venue here.)

Tickets are $8 in advance, and $10 at the door, and are on sale here. We encourage and implore everyone who can make it to come out and support these awesome artists. Thanks in advance!

Last night, a group of us from eMusic headed over to the Damrosch Park Bandshell at Lincoln Center for a show that I hardly believed possible: Extra Golden, Alemayehu Eshete and Mahomoud Ahmed with the Either/Orchestra and saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya backed by The Ex. If someone asked me to design my fantasy bill, it would look a lot like this. Except that maybe Kate Bush and the GZA would be on it somewhere, too.

Continue reading ‘ethiopiques, live in nyc’

Tuesday came with a torrent of notable new records; it was all I could do to come up for air after listening to it all. That said, I thought I’d sprinkle on an (extremely random) group of recent arrivals that may otherwise slip through the cracks.

Continue reading ‘na: alex’s leftovers edition’

Today’s theme is volume volume volume. Let’s kick things off with two surprises, Uglysuit and the Gaslight Anthem. Continue reading ‘na: walkmen, gaslight anthem’

Quite a few terrific new releases today (after a long dry spell), but there’s one in particular that I wanted to point out — the fantastic debut full-length from New Yorkers Ra Ra Riot.

I’ve already gushed about this record in my review, so I don’t want to overdo it. If there’s anything further I want to communicate, it’s that this record is possessed by an incredible spirit of joy. For a band that’s suffered so much over the course of the last few years, they’ve come out the other side still breathless and bursting with optimism. I’d highly recommend the record — I’ve listened to it almost every day since I first got it.

I got to talk to Ra Ra cellist Alexandra Lawn last week while she was doing some grocery shopping in downtown New York — you can learn a bit more about the band by reading some excerpts from that conversation here.

Before you start: apologies to all readers in the US and Canada. It looks like this album will be for users of eMusic Europe only.

Last night I was granted a sneak preview of the new TV on the Radio album Dear Science. It’s always so difficult to judge an album with only one listen, but Dear Science has definite promise.

They’ve retained their Outkast-and-Jake-Shears-do-Prince-covers vocal vibes and Dave Sitek’s production is as intricate as ever, but Dear Science feels more polished, more shiny than Return To Cookie Mountain did. TOTR are clearly aiming for a grand sound here, and most of the time they pull it off, but on occasion there’s almost too much going on and the overall effect is muddied (I’m looking at you track nine.)

The highlight for me was the sixth track “Family Tree” which, with its wide, epic sadness, definitely has its roots in Arthur Russell. They repeatedly conjure up “the shadow of the gallows of your family tree,” and wrap it up with layers of synths and strings. It’s a tune that could break your heart.

Throughout there are some heavy nods to glam rock and Bowie in particular, but they’re blended nicely into a very TV whole. I have a strong feeling it will be a great album for repeat listening and a great album for headphones.

It’s due on eMusic on September 22 - in Europe at any rate.