Song of the day: Fonda/"Round and Square"

Fonda are an LA-based pop group who have a few albums available through Rhapsody. A friend turned me on to them a couple of years ago, and while I've got a few of their albums in my collection, they've never set my ears on fire. But last week in Austin, I played the song "Round and Square" at a party and it got my popster blood flowing. It's a nice slice of indiepop that I think you'll enjoy.

Song of the day: Doves/"Cedar Room"

You can file this one under "Better late than never." Yesterday, Doves' first album, Lost Souls, was added to Rhapsody, more than four years after its domestic release and several weeks after their third album (Some Cities) was released.

My first experience with Doves was hearing the song "The Cedar Room" in a dark and smoky post-party environment. The song, which clocks in at just over 7 and a half minutes, stretches out at its own lazy pace, driving, driving, driving to a killer chorus. A must-listen for fans of British guitar rock and shoegaze music. Check it out.

Smashing Pumpkins: an appreciation

Wow. I just realized that the Smashing Pumpkins' back catalog was added to Rhapsody today, including essential early and mid-90s releases like Gish & Siamese Dream and b-side compilation Pisces Iscariot. Click here for a sampler of some of my favorite Pumpkins songs, from when Billy Corgan still advocated lysergic self-medication and before drummer Jimmy Chamberlain got hooked on the horse.

Song of the day: The Sea and Cake/"To the Author (Version 1)"

Chicago band The Sea and Cake are on the short-list of my all-time favorite groups. Over the past 12 years, the band has released a string of excellent, jazzy and endearing records on the Thrill Jockey label (all of which are available in Rhapsody; I'd recommend their first self-titled album as an introduction).

When I was in Austin last weekend, I DJed a party using Rhapsody, and one of the songs I played was the Sea and Cake's "To The Author (Version 1)," off 2003's Glass EP. Just under 2 minutes into the song, the band locks into an amazing groove that's perfect for dancing with strangers in the pre-dawn hours. Enjoy.

Song of the day: Out Hud/"One Life to Leave"

Today was a great day for new music in Rhapsody, with new releases from M.I.A., The Decemberists, and Bloc Party, among others. One of the other fun releases is from discopunk band Out Hud, whose album Let Us Never Speak Of It Again was added today. Check out the song "One Life to Leave" for a danceable taste of the band's sound. And check out the song "Dear Mr. Bush, There Are Over 100 Words For Shit, And Only One For Music, Fuck You, Out Hud" for a taste of their politics. Either way, enjoy the music.

Now in Rhapsody: Bloc Party's Silent Alarm

Bloc Party are one of the more exciting bands to come out of the UK in the past few years, channeling the spirit and manic energy of post-punk bands like Gang of Four with the tunefulness of bands like The Cure.

The hype machine is already in full swing for the band, whose debut album, The Silent Alarm, came out today in the U.S. and is now available in Rhapsody. While I hate as much as anyone having a band shoved down my throat, with simultaneous covers on BLENDER, Rolling Stone, SPIN, etc., in this case I urge you to hate the game, not the player. I had the good fortune to catch Bloc Party twice last week at the South by Southwest music festival, and I have to say that this band's got the goods. They're playing tomorrow night at the 200-capacity SF club, Bottom of the Hill, and I can't wait to see them live again.

Anyway, if you listen to one thing today, this album should be it. I especially like the songs "Like Eating Glass" and "Banquet" (the latter of which has been available for some time on the band's self-titled EP, released in the U.S. last year by Dim Mak Records). Enjoy the music.

Just added to Rhapsody: Digital Underground

Earlier this week, Digital Underground's greatest hits album was added to Rhapsody, filling in (partially) a glaring hole in the service's hip hop selection. Oakland-based Digital Underground were pioneers in the alternative rap genre in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and their single "The Humpty Dance" is one of the genre's most infectious (and ubiquitous) dancefloor hits. Click here to check out The Best of Digital Underground: Playwutchyalike -- I'll bet you enjoy it.

Song of the day: Paco/"Zebra"

Paco is a side-project of NYC dream pop band Ivy, giving singer Dominique Durand and guitarist Andy Chase a chance to strut their stuff while bassist Adam Schleisinger does his bit with his *other* band, Fountains of Wayne.

There are a couple of Paco albums available through Rhapsody, in addition to a bunch of Ivy albums. This song is my current favorite -- listening to Durand coo the chorus in her French accent is one of life's smaller pleasures. Happy Sunday.