This one's for Babs...

Because I'm feeling generous today, and because I feel the need to provide some counteractive positive karma for these fellas, 2 bonus tracks. The first: probably my favorite Dr. Dog jam. And of course, the second: my 2008 song of the year, which would be my favorite, except that it's a cover.

"It's all in how you look at it."

- 'It'

Confronted with times of transition and change, one inevitably engages in all varieties of retrospect: nostalgia, regret, pride, longing, riddance. It's hard to put it all in its proper context. So as I mentally prepare for my imminent departure from DC, I am taking this idea to heart. It's all in how you look at it. Love that.

The song isn't much, musically, so I'm throwing in another one from the new Dr. Dog. These guys catch a surprising amount of flak, in my opinion. Charged with overreliance on 60s influences, I wonder, what's inherently bad about that? If you're gonna draw from anyone - and it's no secret every musician does - why not the Beatles? What matters is that they do it well. The Dog writes excellent songs that feel immediately familiar and are guaranteed to stick in your head. They remind me of the jukebox at the back of my favorite neighborhood dive bar. That's a good thing.

... on NYT website. The quality of the stream is not great, but the quality of the music is.

BTW, always interesting to see new promotional tools - in this case: advance, low quality streaming to build album buzz among New York Times demographic.

Thx to LA for the tip!

"I want you back... back... back... you baaaack
I love it all"

Young group of Silver Lakers with a semi-hyped debut. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but it's slowly growing on me. Listened to this song about 5 times yesterday. There's just something about the energy, the audacious, rangy vocals, and the hard-hitting choruses that are doing it for me right now.

Does anybody in the game have a more chill voice or style than Guru? And that attitude is contagious; I mean, when you listen to Gang Starr, you just wanna lay back in the CUT. Right!?

So much of hip-hop is posturing, and although Guru was as self-aggrandizing as anybody, he was never over-eager to prove himself. All he had to say was, "you know my steez." And you nodded along. He was just a cool cat.

I also think the Jazzmatazz entries were worthy attempts to infuse hip-hop with a variety of musical styles, something the genre could use a little more of. He dropped "Le Bien, Le Mal" with a jazz trumpet and a French MC way back in '93! I didn't discover him until years later, but he still expanded my horizons.

Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal. Another sad loss.

This Saturday is the 3rd annual Record Store Day, a celebration of music and the mom & pops that have helped carry the torch through the years. You don't need me to sermonize about the importance of independent record stores, but I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder to take the opportunity to show a little love.

Not only is it a good cause, but there are tons of great releases out these days. AND you might just catch a special offer, a cookout, or an in-store. Factor in a nice stroll or windows-down drive on a sunny day and a potential Saturday night soundtrack, and really, you're just supporting yourself. Go ahead, you deserve it.

Participating venues here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/Venues

"What’s the going rate on industrial slavery these days?
(Who cares!? It pays!)"

- 'Blackjaw’

I’m a few days late, but I thought of this song when I heard the deeply saddening news about the West Virginia miners and the outrageous, unforgivable, just... infuriating behavior by their employers, the Massey Energy Co.

HWM wrote more than a couple songs about, or invoking, the plight of labor workers and opened my eyes in the process. People, of course, learn in different ways - music has always been a particularly potent medium for me. "And I know because of KRS-ONE..."

Not to jump the gun, but this one's already a contender for album of the year in my book. Nothing revolutionary, but just 10 really great songs by an unassuming band. Hints of all kinds of familiar sounds but completely impressive on its own merits - not just a band piecing together influences but taking them to another level.

Just take my word for it. I've been resorting to seasonal allusions a bit much, but this one's really well timed for the summer. Even the cover, with its inviting watercolor ocean scene, wants you to be out in the sun.

This smooth little number has been ALL up in my dome this week.

"You tell me that nothing matters
You're just f@#%ing scared!

You tell me that i'm better
You just hate yourself!

You tell me that you like her
You just wish you did!

You tell me that i make no difference
Well at least i'm f@#%ing tryinnnnng
What the f@#% have you done!?"

- 'In My Eyes'

I passed Ian MacKaye - lead singer of Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Embrace, & currently The Evens, founder of the legendary Dischord Records, and general punk rock icon / sage - on my way to school yesterday. It's not everyday you share the crosswalk with an idol of your youth. He had a little boy on his shoulders, presumably walking him to school, like a good dad. I would expect nothing less from such a fiercely moral, dedicated man. That guy is truly a role model - always speaking the truth and living up to the principles and expectations he set in his music.

Free download of Twin Sister's debut, Color Your Life, for a limited time. Heard good things about this one.

Courtesy of the allmusic blog.

For some reason, I see a connection between these 2 groups, even though they're 25 years apart and steeped in very different styles. They've both appropriated distinctive musical genres from black cultures (Jamaican ska and Afropop, respectively), which are driven by fast-moving, syncopated beats and share a love for the almighty trumpet. And both of which make me feel like I'm at some kind of concert in the park, sipping coldies with my friends. Perfect for this spicy spring DC afternoon.

For my drive up to Princeton y'day, I burned a bunch of new cds, all of which ended up failing. Good thing I had DB's mix from the Gary party in there too. Bless his soul, the man included not one, but two bangers from the now world-famous Daft Punk set at Coachella 2006 that we had the great fortune of attending. Probably my #1 show, honestly.

The sound quality of the recording is not great, but it doesn't matter. I was immediately transported to that big white tent - thousands of people, friends at my side, dancing, sweating, singing, laughing, fist pumping... getting my mind blown and my bones rattled and being a part of something transcendent. Got-damn it was good!!! I kinda wish I could do it all over again, but if we had expected it, it wouldn't have been the same. It was the definition of right place, right time.

This recording is not from that show, but they put out a live album shortly after that tour, and it's basically the same. Needless to say, I was rocking the truck out! And what's more fun than that??