by SHANE SINNOTT

Back in October, there was mucho excitement over the announcement of NASA’s debut record, to be released on Feb. 17. The electronic group is a collaboration between DJ Zegon and Squeak E. Clean (the name stands for North America/South America). The main reason for the excitement is that these two apparently know everybody, and were able to put together a crazy list of big-name contributors. As in David Byrne with Chuck D on the same track, or John Frusciante and RZA, Karen O with Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and a bunch more. Tracks started leaking online this week, and are plentiful—either the label doesn’t care or it’s way harder to track Spanish-language blogs. “Strange Enough,” feat. Karen O, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Fatlip, is at tinyurl.com/cjrt67, “Way Down,” feat. RZA, Barbie Hatch and John Frusciante is at tinyurl.com/bdcblx, “Whachadoin?” with Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold and Nick Zinner is at tinyurl.com/cooo5b and “Spacious Thoughts” with Tom Waits and Kool Keith is at tinyurl.com/dkgxor.

As I write this, Alan Cross has just announced the creation of a new music talk show that will be available online. Most people over the age of, say, 22 know Cross from his syndicated radio show The Ongoing History of New Music, on which, each week, his familiar voice would soothingly explain to you how new wave came from Bob Marley, or what have you. Alexisonfire singer George Pettit calls him “The Canadian John Peel.” The new show will be called ExploreMusic With Alan Cross, and let’s hope it’s way, way better than that title. His co-host is Jeff Woods and the idea is a roundtable discussion of music, with rotating panellists. “What we want to do is replicate the kind of conversation that everybody has at least a couple times a week,” says Cross. “Most of the dialogue with critical discussion about music is one-way. You read about it but you never get to rebut…. It comes from Pitchfork Media, Rolling Stone, Spin, Blender, Alternative Press.” Amen to that. The show is online as of this past Tuesday at Aux TV, the online music station, at www.aux.tv.