Stussy produced a three-part documentary about legendary beat junkie, J Dilla. We’ve included Part 3: Donuts, our favorite portion of the documentary below. It features interviews with people close to Dilla as he put together an album that would come to be known as his final goodbye to the world.

Of course, when you listen to Donuts today, you might not realize that most of the samples are from songs with dark undertones and lyrics about mortality, but that’s just the genius that is Dilla. The way he presented even the simplest of edits was always a balancing act of innovation, emotion and surprise.

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Here We Go Magic’s 2009 album was impressive even though it was a lo-fi experimental journey mostly directed by the singular vision of Luke Temple. Now the group is set to release the more “official” Pigeons on June 8th via Secretly Canadian.

Our first listen is a tune called “Collector”. It’s definitely more polished than any of their previous recordings, but clocking in at just over five minutes, it doesn’t lose the atmospheric soundscape vibe that they established with “Tunnel Vision” and “Fangela.”

If you find yourself lamenting the loss of the low-fi phenomena it’s about time you suck it up. That was sooo 2009.

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The catchy theme song for HBO’s new series, How to Make It in America (aka Entourage Part 2), is courtesy of Aloe Blacc. “I Need a Dollar” is the first single on his upcoming release via Stones Throw.

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Ok, we’ll admit it. We’re really, really, really excited for The National to release High Violet on May 11th. You might even say we’re giddy. Why? Well check out their performance of the opening track “Terrible Love” on Jimmy Fallon last night and try to tell us you didn’t miss Matt Berninger’s signature baritone.

If you haven’t already, check out some of the studio footage over yonder.

We posted “Shadow People” a a few weeks ago, but the Dr. Dog tracks keep on coming. “Stranger” was dropped in our inbox yesterday to celebrate the one month countdown to their fourth LP Shame, Shame.

I think I definitely liked “Shadow People” a little better, but “Stranger” is more of a song for those of you who like to play air guitar. Did I mention they hit San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall for two nights in late April? Get on it.

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LCD Soundsystem decided to take their act to the runway at the recent Yves Saint Laurent fashion show in Paris on March 8th. Unfortunately, no official audio exists, but you can hear Murphy and company play a version of Peter Gordon’s experimental track “Beginning of the Heartbreak” in the video below. Sexy.

The much-anticipated, but yet-unnamed, third LP from LCD Soundsystem is due out May 17th.

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Bay Area favorites The Morning Benders drop their sophomore release, Big Echo, today. Judging by the album’s coastal artwork alone, we might assume that the Berkeley-founded and now Brooklyn-dwelling band is sticking to their beach bum ways. But as The Morning Benders have grown, their techniques have matured as well. Big Echo moves away from their sunny California sound with a few creative musical elements that swell into a new style bigger and broader than the band’s twanging debut Talking Through Tin Cans.

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Stranger Dance patron saints Spoon were the musical guests on Letterman last night, supporting their January 2010 release Transference. Britt and company were joined by protégé Stephen Patterson of White Rabbits.

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San Francisco label Secret Seven Records recently released In a Cloud, a compilation of 14 unreleased tracks from some of SF’s best up-and-coming talent. The compilation with mastered by Paul Oldham, brother and occasional bandmate of Will Oldham.

The catch? It’s a limited vinyl release with only 500 copies. But something tells us this thing will make its way into digital format sooner or later. Order it online over yonder.

Track Listing:

1. Sonny & The Sunsets – “Heart Of Sadness”
2. Fresh & Onlys – “You Owe Your Life To The Streets”
3. Donovan Quinn & The 13th Month – “Mysteries”
4. Sandwitches – “Grey Wizard”
5. Thee Oh Sees – “Contraption”
6. Dylan Shearer – “4 In The Morning House”
7. Jacques Butters – “Baby Held”
8. Kelley Stoltz – “Pinecone”
9. Paula Frazer – “What Does It Take”
10. Trainwreck Riders – “World Got Round”
11. Tim Cohen – “I Come Alive”
12. Hannah & Raven [of Grass Widow] – “Beehive”
13. Exray’s – “Everything Goes”
14. Ty Segall – “Hey Big Mouth”

Wish you were in New Zealand for the first gig of Pavement’s 2010 reunion tour? So do we. Thanks to the internets there’s all sorts of video coverage being posted to YouTube.

Check out the their tour schedule on Matador. Although most dates are overseas, there are stops at Coachella, Sasquatch, four days in Central Park and a show at The Greek in Berkeley.

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