July 22, 2008 – Not exactly a ray of sunshine but armed with quite a vivid -- if somber -- imagination, Spin Buzzcatcher Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson skitters through two tunes -- one about his own death -- at Brooklyn's own Union Pool venue. And though the details of his demise on "Buriedfed" are a touch unsettling, Robinson must love black comedy, for he and his backing band are all smiles throughout. And why shouldn't they be, with critical acclaim and stamps of approval from fellow borough buddies like Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio, in addition to a killer live presence? Watch Robinson and company packed close on a tight stage, as the scarce lighting paired with the grainy black and white footage accentuates the raw, natural quality to the songwriter's craft and voice -- even as he gets a little cheery during the rolling, steady-build of "Woodfriend."Now Hear This: "Buriedfed""Woodfriend"

July 22, 2008 – Check out footage of soulful Welsh sensation and Spin's August cover subject Duffy strutting through two tracks from her buzz-building debut, Rockferry, live at the El Ray Theater in Los Angeles, CA. As evidenced by this set, despite haven broken through by begging for "Mercy," Duffy certainly thrusts forth plenty of '60s soul sass. "I'm not going to bore you with my issues. I've spent £500 a week on counseling," she admits with a smirk. The blonde bombshell continues her introduction by disclosing, "This song is about a guy who told me he loved me, but way too late," before shimmying through a tight rendition of "Delayed Devotion." On the more plaintive and vulnerable "I'm Scared" Duffy emotes, "Dust gathers on my stereo 'cause I can't bear to hear the radio," but luckily, we're the ones doing the listening. Now Hear this: "Delayed Devotion""I'm Scared"

July 21, 2008 – What? When Brazilian nightlife aficionados CSS hit North America with their bratty self-titled debut -- playfully prodding Paris Hilton and copulating to Death from Above -- inhibited Yankees rejoiced inside, but only coyly shuffled their feet. Call that a warm-up. Donkey, out July 22 via Sub Pop, finds the group tighter and more aware, but still eager to bring the beat with less patience for the weak-kneed. On the spunky single "Rat is Dead (Rage)" and demanding groover "Reggae All Night," whirring synths and squirming bass get you all wound up. Who? Cansei de Ser Sexy, better known as CSS, were notorious South American party kids steaming up São Paulo nights before their 2006 eponymous debut turned them into indie sensations as a fresh, slinky breed of electro-rock mavens.

July 18, 2008 – We here at SPIN.com wish we could bring you along to brave the thin air at this weekend's Mile High Music Festival.

July 17, 2008 – The day before British warhorses James re-launch their career with Hey Ma, the group's 11th LP, due Sept. 16 via Decca, they will kick off their first live dates since 2001, beginning in Boston.

July 17, 2008 – Tech fiends and music nerds unite, as the U.K.-based Download 2008 event arrives stateside for the fourth year in a row, boasting the best of the old and new, led by performances from reunited legends like shoegaze trailblazers the Jesus and Mary Chain and dance-punk godfathers Gang of Four. Also along for the ride are inventive newcomers like Cut Copy and the Whigs -- not to mention a gearhead's heaven of gadgets galore. Pairing technological ingenuity with musical innovation (plus $20 tickets!), the concert series launches at San Francisco's Shoreline Amphitheatre Saturday, July 19 with a performance to come the following day in Los Angeles' Gibson Amphitheatre. For the East Coast-inclined, an Aug.

July 17, 2008 – After soldiering around the Northwest's dingiest club corners, indie rockers Blitzen Trapper have finally graduated as they prep the release of their Sub Pop debut, Furr, due September 23. The buzzworthy gang bring their Beck-like blend of acoustic guitar and electronics to the legendary Seattle label after sessions in their own studio, Sally Mack's School of Dance -- housed in an archaic Oregonian telegraph building -- basing Furr around the quirks of an "ancient, warped piano." The group made their name touring with the likes of Fleet Foxes and Two Gallants and through an opening slot for fellow Pacific Northwest veterans Modest Mouse. And should you need something to tide you over until Furr's release, check out this exclusive live performance of "Love You", filmed at the SPIN.com Saloon during this year's South by Southwest festival.

July 15, 2008 – What? When an artist's debut ends up a genre-defining classic, expectations never fade, and though steeped in quality entries like the furious Stillmatic and sleeper hit Street's Disciple, Nas' catalog still craved another manifesto. And 14 years after Illmatic, Queensbridge's finest builds his untitled political tome around a hot-button racial epithet represented only by the first letter on the album's cover -- a poignant lacerated "N" scarred on the rapper's back -- and the record's incendiary rhymes. From the scathing "You Can't Stop Us Now" to the Bill O'Reilly-bashing, guitar driven "Sly Fox," Nas brings it; "No matter what the CD called, I'm unbeatable," he promises. Who?

July 11, 2008 – The fifth annual PDX Pop Now! festival will, per usual, pack Portland's finest into a West Coast weekend with no shortage of tradition, having starred acts like Sleater-Kinney, the Decemberists, and the Shins in the past. This year's all-ages shindig features regional stalwarts and compelling national up-and-comers like Grouper, Nurses, and White Fang, and will be held in the Oregon indie music mecca -- specifically at Rotture -- from July 25-27. While some of the acts have been announced, SPIN.com is proud to unveil the full artillery of participants for the first time (see below). But were that not enough for all ye Oregonian faithful, an exclusive download from the fragile and earthy Horse Feathers, taken from the 2008 PDX Pop Now! compilation, is available here.

July 10, 2008 – "They cannot see me / They are like Stevie," Lil Wayne once boasted. And with the heights our favorite rasping martian and his syrup-fueled spaceship have reached recently, he's absolutely right. Larger than life, but too high to see (in more ways than one), the Young Carter has again peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, four weeks after Tha Carter III debuted to platinum sales in its first week -- a feat no album had accomplished since 50 Cent's The Massacre in 2005. Just in time to celebrate another 156,000 discs moved, the self-proclaimed and increasingly undeniable Best Rapper Alive also popped the cork on plans to launch a line of champagne he's calling Halo.