Monday's Dark Blend

Feel Good Inc. [Stanton Warriors Bootleg remix]
Gorillaz
White Label [2005]
[Listen]

Old Nude
Out Hud
Let Us Never Speak of it Again [2005]
[Listen] [Buy it!]

Here's two dark tracks to mix in with that morning coffee.

Most listeners have heard of the Gorillaz, but not everyone knows the Stanton Warriors, a pair of break beat masters with an affinity for creating solid remixes. This bootleg remix from the 'Warriors has not been released through any official channels other than dark alleys and bathroom stalls - and it's sure to spread like wildfire. It's a break beat bundle of joy to help move your ass and shake off those turkey day pounds.

Our second track du jour is from Out Hud, an indie rock foursome with electronic grace. You may have heard their hit single this year entitled 'How Long.' 'Old Nude' is even better in my opinion - it's dreamy and dark at the same time.

Njoi!

Tidbits for Hip Kids

BUSTER RIDES AGAIN
Medeski, Martin and Wood
Tonic [2000]
[Download] [Purchase]

BLOW UP
Chicago Underground Orchestra
Playground [1998]
[Download] [Purchase]

ANOTHER PERFECT DAY
Jazzanova
In Between [2002]
[Download] [Purchase]

BLIND MAN
LA Carnival
Blind Man 12" [2003]
[Download] [Purchase]

SPANISH HARLEM INCIDENT
Chris Whitley
Perfect Day [2000]
[Download] [Purchase]


Thanksgiving break is upon us. Release from work, school, responsibility. Social events are the order of the day. Boxes of wine, baked ziti, turkey, cranberry stuff, relaxation, contentment, family. Pick-up football games, basketball in the frozen back yard. Television, LPs on the record player, conversation. Whiskey, whispers, pumpkin pie.

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Medeski, Martin and Wood: 'nuff said. This has to go down as one of my all-time favourite albums, and having already posted the track "Rise Up" some time ago, I had to revisit and lay down another choice slab of acoustic MMW recorded live @ Tonic, the downtown NYC venue that feels like yr basement. It's a wonderful place, and this is a wonderful recording, rich in sound and demonstrative of their all-world talents on the bass/drums/piano. This version of "Buster rides Again" really breathes well acoustically. Martin's drumming makes my heart beat in time to his hi-hat.

A little o' Robert Mazurek and the Chicago Underground Orchestra is next to the plate. Driven by a sick afro-beat, this quintet gets the blood flowing with an infectious groove that does not relent. Once asked to describe their sound: "an organic mixture of African, Electronic, Coloristic, Jazz influenced life supporting systematic, non-systematic feeling from two humans trying ever to expand outward and inward for the people and ourselves." Download this track to find out more.

Jazzanova is a Berlin collective of programmers and producers who constantly churn out soulful, addictive sounds. "In Between" is a solid album overall, showcasing their nu-jazz side to full effect. This track is up-tempo and rhythm-driven, just the way I like it. Pure, grooving, rocket fuel for the ears.

The Lester Abrams Carnival were one of the many hidden gems within the thriving 70s Midwest funk scene, and Stones Throw (of course, and we salute you) dug them out and polished them back to life. The LA Carnival threw down heavy, heartfelt, addictive sounds that hit you in just about every fiber, every joint in the body, urging and demanding movement and response. The vocal harmonies are smooth, the horns loud and proud, the rhythm section gargantuan, and Lester Abrams' compositions are transcendent.

The last track ends things on a more wistful down note. Chris Whitley, a fantastic and inspiring musician, passed away on November 20, leaving behind a rich and profound legacy on music and life. He worked in all genres with musicians from all walks of life, and this is just a small, miniscule snippet of it all. Coming from his 2000 covers album "Perfect Day" and backed by Chris Wood and Billy Martin of MMW, Whitley turns classic song after classic song on their heads. This cover of Dylan's "Spanish Harlem Incident" seems like the perfect farewell on a bright November day.

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This 5-spot should be enough to make yr journey from here to home, when coupled with yesterday's set. Enjoy, have a top-notch week, wherever yr all going. FMGT will return on Monday, and post notice of the fact: Zappa week, coming soon!

The World Expands like my Chest when I Breathe

WINDOWLICKER
Aphex Twin
Come to Daddy LP [1997]
[Download]

HEART AND SOUL DUB
Jah Division
Dub Will Tear us Apart EP [2004]
[Download]

UNMADE BED
Sonic Youth
Sonic Nurse [2004]
[Download] [Purchase]

7 AVEC 2
Grimace Federation
[Download]
Check them out at www.grimacefederation.com

INVISIBLE SUN
The Police
Ghost in the Machine [1981]
[Download] [Purchase]


It's a shitty day in Brooklyn, so here's a little quintet to keep you indoors. I'm pushed for time, but I have just enough to fill you in real quick.

Of course, we all know that AT song and it's freaky video. Great track. Jah Division is a Brooklyn unit that dubs out Joy Division songs. I wish I knew more, especially where to find them so I can see it with my eyes, but rest assured I'll keep looking. Beautiful, washed-out, sound-drenched music. Sonic Youth, those crusty fucks. One of my all-time favourite bands. Seen them more times than I can possibly recall. Used to drive with my friends around suburban Philadelphia blaring "My Friend Goo" and throwing shit at people before getting drunk in the backseat in the middle of the woods. I posted another track from this Grimace Federation EP a couple of weeks ago, and I still can't stop listening. To close out, some classic Police from a superb album.

Enjoy, keep warm, and I'll have another 25-minute slab of goodness tomorrow to accompany you wherever yr going for Thanksgiving.

Preparation

Here's a statue of a Tengu, the legendary japanese mountain-forest demon. He serves no real purpose here today other than to look freakin sweet!

I'm in Love
Audio Bullys
Generation [2006]
[Listen] [Buy]

Technologic [ALX002 remix]
Daft Punk
[Listen]

Flipshot
DJ Krush
Code 4109 [2000]
[Listen] [Buy]

I've got my first DJ gig tomorrow evening. So, Here's three tracks from my box of tricks.

Enjoy.

Shuck n' Jive with Yer Uncle Clive

WHITE RUSSIAN GALAXY
The Crimea
Tragedy Rocks [2004]
[Download] [Purchase]

WHICH ONE?
Steve Reid Ensemble
Spirit Walk [2005]
[Download] [Purchase]

TWO WORDS
Kanye West, Mos Def & Freeway
Spitkicker Collabos Vol. II [2005]
[Download]

NOUVEAU WESTERN
MC Solaar
Prose Combat [1994]
[Download] [Purchase]


There's not a whole lot going on at FMGT homebase lately, despite prolonged bouts of PS2 (you know I'm playing The Warriors every chance I get) and made-for-TV movies. I have more tests at the end of the week, and I'm keeping busy with work. Hunky dory, no?

This quartet of songs will put some hair on yer chest like there's no tomorrow. Even Ditka knows it. Dig right in.

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The Crimea are another mob of tuneful Limeys, with a sound reminscent a little of the Shins and other power-pop twenty-somethings. They've been around for a while under various names (The Crocketts) and, after floundering and getting dumped from British label V2 back in 2002, they consolidated their musical portfolio and emerged in their current form. Sure to be welcome between any hip youth's ears much as at yer grandmother's tea party, this quirky quintet is where today begins and yesterday ends. This is a catchy, infectious track opening their album "Tragedy Rocks", and believe me, if tragedy does indeed "rock", then consider the Crimea at the front of the queue.

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Next up, some bop-shuffle jazz, courtesy of the Steve Reid Ensemble. The erstwhile drummer, a Bronx-born, Swiss-based, wandering rhythm-maker, has rough-housed and set up shop with the jazz elite over his 40-year career -- Martha and the Vandellas, Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, Miles Davis to name but a few.

His sound fuses the best of his brothers-in-arms, and is something to behold. "Spirit Walk" teams him up with another enviable roster: Russian keyboardist Boris Netsvetaev (chicken-shack B3 grooves and John Medeski imitator), hefty bassist John Edwards (I close my eyes, and I think John Pattitucci's in the room), a boisterous horn section in soprano Chuck Henderson and bass Tony Bevan, and Four Tet's Kieran Hebden anchors the sound with his electronic sensibilities.

The entire album is blast-yer-jaw-off good, and this is just a small taste of a superb release and a great continuation of Steve Reid's phenomenal career.

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Batting clean-up, a little rough-shod hip-hop from the Spitkicker imprint. Known for their compilation/mixtape series "The Next Spit", where MF Doom and Prince Paul have worked their DJ magic, the "Collabos" series could be the next big thing. CDs full of hip-hop wet-dream matchups is the name of the game; here, man-of-the-moment Kanye duels with Mos Def and Freeway over a funky, old-school-sounding beat. Textured with gospel chorus interludes and harmony, it's bound to get a little love from the FMGT crowd.

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Finally, perhaps one of my favourite MCs, the indomitable MC Solaar. Way back in FMGT infancy, I posted a track from this 1994 import "Solaar Power", and it's hard enough to pick the best song. Full of French/Senegalese flair, Solaar's rhymes are fluid, seductive, and float effortlessly over sultry, jazzy samples. "Nouveau Western", the first single from the album, takes a classic Serge Gainsbourg. It's a match made in heaven, and I'm opening the pearly gates.

Perhaps best known for appearances on Guru's Jazzmatazz project, as well as songs on the compilations Tommy Boy's "Planet Rap" and Island's "The Rebirth of Cool", MC Solaar is the perfect footnote to another solid day. Enjoy, back tomorrow.

Just What Dr. Mario Ordered

St. Thomas
Sonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus [1956]
[Listen] [Buy]

Chill
Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka
Dr. Mario / Nintendo Gameboy [1990]
[Listen]

Her Lazer Light Eyes
Nullsleep
[Listen] [Learn More About Nullsleep Here]

When I was young, my father always had some sort of slick jazz playing as the Theme song to whatever he did. I didn't appreciate all of the tunes in the same way that I do now, however it did provide me with a solid foundation of familiarity with a multitude of Jazz greats: Coltrane, Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and more. I didn't know their names at the time, but I knew the tunes.

For a large portion of my youth - well, a large portion of my life in general - I've played a lot of videogames. I like to think of it as a healthy obsession. So, as a kid, my dad played Jazz tunes in the background, I played Gameboy in the foreground. Sometimes I would listen to his music while I played Gameboy, sometimes I would put something else on, or more than often, I would listen to the actual Gameboy tunes. Much can be said about these bleeps and blips. It took a slew of variable Japanese geniuses to pump the beats from that little sound board - but they did, with surprising results. Most Gameboy music programmers were originally classically trained musicians, masters in their crafts with accomplishments already under their belts from a lifetime of walking the path. Masters like Koji Kondo have created masterful works for myriad Nintendo games - because he's that good at it folks. What's so important to remember here is the inherent challenge involved with creating tunes for games - especially in that time period, when technology was limited to just 4 channels for the Gameboy, just because the technology was limited didn't make it any easier - The challenge was that the programmer needed to come up with a 1-minute-long tune that would sound good looped over and over. Of course, if the music programmers are classically trained, then they are going to be familiar with the legends that came before them. Just as Kandinsky came before Mizuguchi, Sonny Rollins came before Hirokazu Tanaka - and sometimes they leave obvious examples and virtual nods in their works to respect those that came before them.

Sonny Rollins was born in Harlem in 1930, his music career began by the time he was about 10 years old, and from the beginning, he knew that he wanted to play the Sax. Sonny is regarded as one of the few tenor sax prodigies. He quickly moved from band member to band leader and even though his work took a turn from avant-garde leader to commercial player - the tunes still retained a level of quality that few are lucky to produce. 'St. Thomas' might be Sonny's most well known track, it's a riff that I had heard in more places that I actually realized. You'll see why...

Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka is a classical composer who also started his training at the beginning of his double digits when he attended Yamaha Music School in Japan. His roots in classical combined with his interest in American Rock steered him towards Jazz. Later, he quit his band when he was hired as a programmer for Nintendo in 1980 as the company was still in it's infancy, as far as gaming was concerned. He was involved in various projects and by 1986, his work set the sound track to nearly a third of Nintendo's games.

One game in particular that he scored in 1990 was Dr. Mario - a puzzle game that followed on the heels of Alexy Pajitnov's ever popular Tetris. Nintendo needed something just as addicting and they sure got it - but if you're going to be playing a game for a long time, you don't want the sound track to get too annoying. Dr. Mario only has two songs: 'Chill' and 'Fever.' Ever since I first played the game in 1990, I knew that there was something familiar about a specific section in 'Chill' - then just last week it hit me, it's a riff ripped straight out of Sonny Rollin's 'St. Thomas!' The chorus section in St. Thomas which is repeated over and over - but can first be heard at just 19 seconds into the song - those 12 notes are it - the recognizable sound of St. Thomas. 'Chill' is a rather Jazzy tune, as far as early Gameboy music goes, and this progression from Rollin's tune appears in Tanaka's 'Chill' at exactly 1:25. It's an undeniable nod from Tanaka to Rollins, but more importantly it shows that those programmers behind the scenes making music for games have a lot more to them then some of you might think.

Even though the Nintendo Gameboy has become an old piece of technology by today's standards, the great songs that were created on it's chip set back in the day have inspired a new generation of composers who use nothing but the Gameboy architecture to create music - this has evolved into an underground art form and genre of music that is gathering fans and composers from the world over. The kids that lay back with their Gameboy ear-buds and listened to the credits theme of Super Mario Land over and over took that a step further and created solid tracks of their own. Artists such as Nullsleep and BitShifter come to mind - but they are only the tip of the iceberg. And with that, today's volume of FeedMeGoodTunes ends with Nullsleep's 'Her Lazer Light Eyes.'

Enjoy.

The Lukewarm Streak Continues

JUNGLE PLUM
Yusef Lateef
The Gentle Giant [1972]
[Download] [Purchase]

MOON GERMS
Billy Cobham
Total Eclipse [1974]
[Download] [Purchase]

CONQUISTADORS
Binary Star
Masters of the Universe [2000]
[Download] [Purchase]

NEXT LEVELS feat. LIL' SCI, ID4 WINDS and STAAHR
King Geedorah
Take Me to Your Leader [2003]
[Download] [Purchase]

SUPREME ATMOSPHERE
Nujabes
Metaphorical Music [2003]
[Download]


Yes, that's right, the literal visuals continue. It's the weekend: time for relaxation, excitement, reflection, expression, refreshment, encouragement. I'm heading to PA for the next couple of days to see some family and friends, and sort of prepare for another heavy set of medical tests next week. These things keep cropping up, and I keep knocking them down. That's life, right? You experience, you move on.

This quintet will be keeping me company on the bus. Enjoy yr weekends, wherever you are, whatever you do, whoever you do it with, and enjoy this 21 minutes of sweet, sweet music. Back on Monday.

What's next?

FIVE TOO MANY
Tortoise
It's All Around You [2004]
[Download] [Purchase]

HOCKEY HAIR
Atmosphere
You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having [2005]
[Download] [Purchase]

THROUGH THESE EYES
Quantic
The 5th Exotic [2001]
[Download] [Purchase]

BRAVE NEW WORLD
Foreign Exchange
Connected [2004]
[Download] [Purchase]

ANYINA BOA
Akwaboa's Guitar Band
1960's Guitar Band Highlife of Ghana: I've Found My Love [1993]
[Download]


Another chunk of tunes from my week of lying down, and another mixed bag indeed. I don't have much time/energy today, so I'll try and keep it short and sweet.

Chicago ambient, Minneapolis heartland hip-hop, UK dreamy electronica, Phonte/Little Brother soul spin-offs, and a Maraschino Cherry in the form of a little Ghana highlife. A sweet quintet for another gorgeous NYC day. Enjoy, more tomorrow.

Reveille, Bitches, Reveille

This post gets the Mel Gibson Seal of Approval


ETE ENDENESH GEDAWO
Muluqen Mellesse
Ethiopiques Vol. I 1998
[Download] [Purchase]

RHINOCEROS IS MY PROFESSION
The Bad Plus
Suspicious Activity? 2005
[Download] [Purchase]

GREEN TEA
John Scofield
A Go Go 1998
[Download] [Purchase]

PARA LENNON E MCCARTNEY
Milton Nascimento
Paixao E Fe 1980
[Download]


Recent events have rendered me unable to post too frequently, and I figure that seeing as though all my friends and family know, why not share the knowledge with those with whom I’m becoming friends on the internet?


I had surgery last Wednesday (the 26th). It was not entirely good, but it was entirely necessary. It was also entirely major, and I did not waste any time in having it done. In short, some time ago I was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and after coming to terms with it, I’m getting on with it. Diagnosis was the first step, heavy-duty invasive surgery was the next, and now the road to recovery looks a whole lot less bumpy. I will not go into further detail about all the ins and outs of the procedure and the protocol, as that’s what the internet is for.

Regardless, I’m a lot better now, and despite all the drama and the painkillers, life is getting back to normal a lot quicker than I imagined. My youth and my stubbornness are helping me bounce back swiftly, and in due course, I expect to receive good pathology reports giving me a clean bill of health later today. Fingers crossed.

So, what has kept me going this entire time? Of course, fucken music! It’s the epicenter of my life, and it’s done the job of nurse, camp counselor, confidante, lover, child, parent, brother, acquaintance and godknowswhatelseholyshitisitimportanttome. Well, let’s just say it’s in the Top 5 but not in the top spot by a long shot. Lying in the same physical space for most of the recovery gives you a lot of time to actively listen to music. You can pick up on the humour behind a particular riff or tease, the aggression or restraint behind the rhythm, the emotion coming through the speakers.

Today brings 4 songs that have been on pretty heavy rotation over the last week. Most of what I'll be posting this week fits into this category, but I'm trying to shuffle it up so each day is more disconnected and random as the last.

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Muluqen Mellesse was a star in the Ethiopian pop heydays of Haile Selasse's reign. The thriving nightlife in Addis Ababa from 1969-1975 spawned an absolute ton of good music -- the blend of Arabic vocal styles and inflections with the influx of 1960s Britpop and Soul made a perfect match, and Mellesse's vocals were some of the best around.

His voice skips and jumps nimbly around the solid, hypnotic groove laid down by the band. Silky trumpet lines fuse with the trance-like, elliptical guitar riff. The drums pound the backbeat, and the whole thing works phenominally well.

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Next, some Minnesota jazz feather-rufflers. I saw the Bad Plus at the Village Vanguard about a month ago, and they were spectacular. Loud, aggressive, powerful -- not perhaps what the VV may have seen a quarter century ago, but their week-long residence at one of New York's oldest jazz venues firmly cemented them in the esteemed company of all that has gone before.

Their approach to jazz is addictive, and their brief (3-album) discography showcases their every skill - playfulness, parody, prowess, and, most importantly, a sense of humor. There's something about watching the three of them pound through song after song of thoughtful, "intelligent" music that is worth witnessing in person.

For anyone not familiar, they're a jazz trio with a rock attitude, a flair for the crescendo, a drummer who's well acquainted with his crash cymbal, a pianist who counterpoints with stunning, fluid lines, and a double-bassist who glues the lot together.

Their new album, Suspicious Activity?, is a great listen from start to finish. It's a little more expansive than previous albums, but this track, to me, is the standout on a album chock-full of highlights.

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And now for something a little more relaxing.

John Scofield's been around for donkey's years. 'Nuff said. Here he collaborates with fellow insane cats Medeski, Martin and Wood, records a sexy disc full of solid tunes, and here's a snippet. Man, this gives me goosebumps.

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Finally, a Brazilian icon. Milton Nascimento is an absolute legend. Google him to learn more. This has always been one of my favourite MN songs, so enjoy. If I could translate the lyrics into English, I would. In the meantime, enjoy a classic track from a classic singer.

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More recovery week tracks tomorrow. Now I'm off to my specialist's for the news. Fingers crossed. Enjoy another sunny Brooklyn day.

Friday is Fresh, and Partially Exclusive?

NINJA 5
Grimace Federation
[Download]
more songs & information available at www.grimacefederation.com

THE HORSE
Sound Directions
The Funky Sound of Life 2005
[Download] [Purchase]

AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN
The Moog Machine
Switched-on Rock 1969
[Download]

TRIAL AND ERROR
Acoustic Ladyland
Last Chance Disco 2005
[Download] [Purchase]

AFTERNOON LOVE-IN
Prefuse 73
Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives 2001
[Download] [Purchase]


I'm back. I have my reasons for being away, and I'll wrap them up in some kind of coherent post on Monday. Rest assured I'm healing, getting better, and hopefully soon it'll all be behind me. Let's keep things upbeat into the weekend and the good weather, and all will be explained soon enough.

On to the tunes -- first off, kudos to Silent K for keeping the homestead humming along with some quality music over the last 10 days or so. I couldn't keep quiet any longer, so here's a pumped-up quintet of fresh fresh piping hot goodness (with one exception, something I posted a long-ass time ago that needs and deserves another go around).

The hot weather has definitely kept the hot jazz/funk front-and-center on the JT MusicStage. Who can say no to that?

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First off, some young whipper-snappers from the Philly region who are so new I almost want to pat myself on the back. But I won't, because these cats deserve it more. A 5-piece ensemble comprised of double-drummer-brothers, whose lines and licks overlap perfectly from what I've heard, a nutty-good guitarist, steamy fretless bass and superb vibraphones/keys (speaking of the v-phones, where are you Monty Stark? Come back to us!), they have a great groove and a great future. There's a touch of some early Charlie Hunter in there (the album "Return of the Candyman" with Pound for Pound), and their whole sound is agreeable, moving and boundary-pushing in the same beat.

Check them out around Philadelphia if you can (I know I'll be at their next NYC show, Dec. 17 @ Pianos), and fingers crossed for wider touring from there. They're still growing, but they remind me of some other top-notch bands like the Slip and Stereolab to name but two. Bravo, Grimace Federation, yr today's number 1 draft pick.

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Everyone knows this song. This song has been flogged about and chopped around that just about any other track out there, but goddamn it, if Madlib wants to have another turn, who can say no? In the producer's chair, Madlib oversees a fine set of session musicians, all of whom have (and still do) enjoy success in some of the finest bands I can think of right now (Breakestra, The Dap Kings, Antibalas, the Keystones), as they flip-tip-top-bat it around for 3 glorious minutes. I remember going to see a Conan O'Brien taping some time ago, and I'll be damned if Max Weinberg and his chamber group didn't kick off the show with this song.

Madlib's crew do it better - the rhythm pounds, and the horns are crisper than my momma's Sunday breakfast bacon. It jives with an edgier sound thanks to Madlib's signature tap-on-the-shoulder. Nothing is wrong with this cut, well, except for the minute of silence at the end. Sorry listeners.

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I've posted and written about this song before, but I love it so. Something about listening to a ton of Galt McDermott lately that brought this song back to the fore. Go here to learn a little more about the outfit and the track itself, hard to find as it is, and let's keep moving along.

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Acoustic Ladyland is another find recently. Touted as the "British Medeski Martin and Wood", a parallel I don't think I'll agree with, these guys have a ballsy, scrappy, aggressive approach to jazz. It's hard, it's stubborn, it's hard not to agree with.

The band hammered through raunchy tenor licks over rumbling drum'n'bass sounds, trancelike dance-floor hooks blurring into free-sax howls, power-chord rock, briefly dreamy episodes for soft horn-playing, jingly keys and Rochford's lazy slow-funk pulse, and a Coltranesque lament. On this evidence Acoustic Ladyland will be one of the big stories of 2005.
The Guardian

I think I'll defer to UK paper the Guardian on that one. That pretty much sums them up for me. Listen, let me know what you think. I'm not sure they'll have the stateside explosion for some time, but their music is worth it nonetheless.

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Finally, a song whose title encapsulates what I want to do with the rest of the day. Who can go wrong with some P73 to round things out as FridaybecomesSaturdaybecomesSunday? Fingers crossed on the love-in.

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ALSO, in other important news. Soon, probably in the next 2 weeks or so, Silent K & I are probably going to slowly comb through the archives and begin deactivating links. It's only fair; now that we have readers and an audience beyond that of immediate friends, it's important not to let all that music sit there for a long, long time, when we're here to merely share the tracks as previews to open eyes and ears to music outside their regular sphere or grasp. It's not fair to the artist, and while we're still figuring out how to go about it (read: we're insanely lazy, myself especially), expect to see some links become inactive over the next month. So, start going back now to find old, hidden gems before they become FMGT-extinct. Post notice of the fact.

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Back on Monday with the scoop on my absence. Enjoy the weekend.

Thirsty Thursday

Image by Futura 2000

Shadows
Wagon Christ
Sorry I Made You Lush [2004]
[Listen] [Buy]

Heil Mickey
Fila Brazillia
Dicks [2004]
[Listen] [Buy]

Here's your daily fix - enjoy.

Piano Grand

Protection
Ben Folds
Speed Graphic [2003]
[Listen to it!] [Buy it if you dig it!]

I am the Black Gold of the Sun
Nuyorican Soul
Nuyorican Soul [1997]
[Feast your ears!] [Open that wallet!]

Today's set of tunes serve as an homage to the Piano - an instrument that doesn't receive the praise that it so rightly deserves. I took piano lessons when I was a youngin' - but I neglected to approach it with a serious attitude. That doesn't negate the fact that I love the sound of the thing - especially when it's accompanied by sweet beats.

Let's just get this out in the open: Ben Folds is a master at his craft. Gone are the days of the trio that everyone thought was a quintet - sadly enough I never had a chance to see them live. Folds continues to spit out jams that I never thought would have been possible with the keys. He's always got a solid drummer behind him, but the percussive quality of his keyboard-smashing are what really sets the pace. His double layered vocal harmonies always pull me in to sing along, and this song in particular makes me flail my arms in the air as I play the air drums.

Our second track of the day is a soulful composition by Nuyorican Soul. Kenny Dope & Little Louie Vega are the core of the project - but this album by nature is a fusion of the core with an array of producers, composers and musicians contributing to an all-star affair. It's got qualities of Acid Jazz and Down Tempo with an undeniable Latin flavor. 'I am the Black Gold of the Sun' is a stellar track featuring a hot piano centerpiece accompanied by a solid set of strings, vocals and a sweeping-looped beat. It's got an almost spiritual quality to it that sets it above most Acid Jazzy compositions.

Enjoy.