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Music (For Robots) alumnae Digitata had a good debut record. It wasn't earth-shattering, it wasn't trailblazing, and it wasn't perfect - instead, it was a solid start that hinted of better things to come. I am pleased to say that the better things have arrived.

Digitata - You Best Believe Me.

The Minneapolis-based Digitata consists of three people - vocalist/keyboardist Maggie Morrison, drummer Drew Christopherson, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Olson - and they each bring a unique ingredient to their new album, II Daggers. Their label, Totally Gross National Product, is also home to the better-known Mel Gibson And The Pants, but I'll take Digitata over the Pants anyday. This is pop music with beats, the kind the Postal Service taught us all to take in stride a few years ago, but more joyous.

You can order II Daggers from the band's MySpace page.

I’m coming up to Portland, as in Oregon, not Travis’ territory in Maine. Come dance and have a few drinks, the party is free!

I’ll be partying with my good friends Joee Irwin and the beautiful Andie. Joee will be starting a new night in Portland on Thursdays, so hit him up for gigs!!!

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Used to be the only things that bound together Amy Winehouse and Arctic Monkeys was excrement (the Monkeys had a potty pilfered while Amy had her mug emblazoned another) -- but now we've got this track to put that toilet humor behind us. Here the Arctic lads attempt to take on Amy's soul-siren song, which seems like an unnecessary endeavor 'til Turner gets to the "troubo-ole" part, where he makes it fit. Actually, still pretty unnecessary, but a fun listen.

Arctic Monkeys - "You Know I'm No Good" (MP3)

RELATED: No matter how shitty you think she is, Amy's cover of the Zutons' "Valerie" is irresistible (still streaming at Ronson's MySpace).

Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw's first official release came with 2003's Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, though that wasn't their first full-length studio effort. As a two-piece in '99, before adding their taut live rhythm section, Metric had an even slinkier, electro vibe, recordeding their true debut Grow Up And Blow Away for Restless Records. Before it saw the shops, though, Restless was acquired by Rykodisc, and in a common label-merger casualty, Metric's record was shelved. A few years on, Metric morphed into a quartet and figured Old World better reflected the band's vibe.

We love happy endings of all sorts, and this story comes to one this June, when Last Gang Records (who acquired the rights to Grow Up...) releases Metric's first studio effort with all the requisite pomp and circumstance. And that includes this taste from the record; no, "Hardwire" won't be new for hardcore Metric lovers, but for those that know the band as merely a Broken Social Scene tributary, it's quite choice.

Grow Up And Blow Away is out on 6/12 on iTunes and 6/28 in the physical realm, via Last Gang Records. Photoshop out Feist's face and add Jimmy Shaw, and you have Metric circa '99. Or, ya know, don't.

Those hip, new-wave-covering Parisians, Nouvelle Vague are coming back to NYC to play, and are doing "First Fridays" at the Guggenheim, on June 1st.

The band's producer and DJ Marc Collin will spin tunes while people stroll thru the museum's galleries, then the band will perform the new wave and post punk classics from their albums Nouvelle Vague and Bande A Part. Kick ass. The event is sponsored by the French liqueur St. Germain, so expect to be tipsy whilst walking around the spiral. The event is free for museum-members or $25 at the door for the general public, BUT, if you want to go, I have a pair of tickets to give away, courtesy of the band's US label, Luaka Bop.

Email me - blair AT music.for-robots.com - and tell me why you want to go. I'll pick a winner at random... all entries must get to me by Friday, because we'll be putting the tickets in the mail to you, and you need them to get in the doors next Friday!

PS: I've got a set of both Nouvelle Vague albums for the runner up!

Between blog posts of his TMI-prose, Joseph Arthur writes music. A lot of it, actually; he's got two records out this year, the first of which (Let's Just Be) dropped last month. Also during his poetic downtime, Joseph enjoys bumming Newports, ascribing colors to magazines (e.g. Paste is beige), and wearing oversized aviators, cool scarves, and "God Is Awesome" tees. This band rocks.

Should you need MP3...

Joseph Arther & The Lonely Astronauts - "Diamond Ring" (MP3)

So that whole "My final concert will be this November" thing was a hoax, or maybe just a young man coming to terms with the endless scrutiny of slow-building stardom. Anyway, Wolf saved saved this glitchy, theatrical gem from the Magic Position sessions for a B-side treat, making a nice reconciliatory treat for fans and skeptics alike. We're glad you reconsidered, Patrick. Just keep your stands to yourself. (via P4K)

Unless you were born with one of those silver spoons, you likely work a day job, sneaking time for your own business when not taking care of someone else's. You're not alone. Every week, Brandon Stosuy finds out how our favorite indie artists make ends meet...

Deerhunter's been buzzing loudly since the release of their sophomore album Cryptograms earlier this year. The Fluorescent Grey EP helped maintain the chatter some, but it's the Atlanta quintet's live presence -- dresses, blood, and blowjobs, but also old-fashioned chops, volume, energy, and charisma -- that's solidified/ultimately justified the next-big-thing status. The rise to NY Times exegesis and Karen O love might seem quick, but it's been a pretty long trip: Deerhunter started in 2001, co-founded by vocalist Bradford Cox, and this week's worker bee, drummer/keyboardist Moses Archuleta.

Amid the hype, Archuleta maintains his day job, though he's basically the last member of the band to punch the clock. A tipster alerted me to Archuleta's 9 to 5 gig at American Apparel in Atlanta, so I caught up with him earlier this week to discuss gardening, light-bulb replacement, clothes folding, leg warmers, Current 93, and "The Most Unwanted Song."

After our conversation, you'll find "Axis I (F. Grey)," a track from the Atlas Sound/Mexcellent split 12" out on Hoss Records. Atlas Sound is Bradford Cox’s solo project; the song's a one-man glistening nighttime thump-in-the-echo-chamber demo/prototype for Deerhunter's "Fluorescent Grey." Go through it once, then listen to the two songs in tandem -- it's a quick lesson in how the group opens up and expands a headspace.

Last we checked in with Howlin' Pelle, he detailed the Swedes' escape from their garages in April, stopping into the studio with the Raconteurs and doing some guest belting on a track for Timbaland. Here's what Howlin' Pelle blogged about filming the Timbo video:

Shot video for the Timbaland song we are guesting on. It was an unbelievably LA experience. We basically ate catering, stood in front of a green screen, hung out with friendly female wrestling stars who showed us a few moves and managed to keep it Hives through the day. All of this at Universal studios.

The clip takes the Hives and Timbaland for a trip through Sin City, and as promised, the friendly female wrestlers ply on the moves. Clever Pelle doesn't actually climb in the ring with the femmes, but we're sure he took a tutorial at the wrap party.

Though Nina was open to shaking things up for her forthcoming, fifth full-length, some things you don't mess with -- like enlisting Steve Albini on recording duties. But instead of taking a solo billing this time, the NYC singer-songwriter brings along drummer Jim White (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Beth Orton, Smog, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey) for an aesthetic shift. The results of the collab are gorgeous, and there's no need for bass when Steve's mixing the kit. This one's our fave, with Jim and Nina's fingerpicking-and-fills interplay keeping the elegy rolling with a slow-cooking simmer.

Nina Nastasia & Jim White - "The Day I Would Bury You" (MP3)

You Follow Me is out 8/14 on FatCat.