Friday Music

A great mix this week. I’m particularly pleased.

First off — a band out of the UK that combines the shabby exuberance of 80s post-punk with the best excesses of 90s “Cool Brittania” and the current Indie scene. All this, and the band includes a friend’s brother! Keen. The Stabilisers – “Wanna.”

It’s been long enough. The political environment is ripe for it, and so Public Enemy is about to release a new album —How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?— and the first single has come out. This country has needed to hear Chuck D delivering the line: “If ya don’t stand for nuthin’, You’ll fall for anything.” I *love* this. Public Enemy – “Harder Than You Think.”

An absolutely amazing alt-country/rock band who describe their music as “Other.” The song starts faint and distant, like it’s coming from a vintage victrola, before kicking in, and carrying me along with it. Ghost Buffalo – “Hell Here.”

In April of 1968, Stephen Stills recorded some demos at a New York studio. These songs would form the genesis of Crosby Stills and Nash, and now, he’s releasing the original demo tape as a new album, Just Roll Tape. This, the original version of my favorite CSN song, sounds strange with just Stills and an accoustic guitar….lacking the soaring harmonies that I’m used to….but it’s amazing in its intimacy. Stephen Stills – “Suite Judy Blue Eyes.”

A bit of classic UK Jungle, which some of you might recognize from the soundtrack of Sasha Baron Cohen’s Ali G In Da House. Big up to the massive — this should get you moving at your desk….M Beat (feat. General Levy) – “Incredible.”

I was an afficianado of the late-90s/turn-of-the-millennium “neo-soul” movement which mixed R&B, soul, hip-hop and jazz, and this was one of my favorite singles from that period, which I hadn’t heard in a while. Jill Scott – “A Long Walk.”

A great single from the latest album by the electronica group Hybrid, I Choose Noise. They’re joined on this track by Jane’s Addiction and Porno For Pyro’s frontman Perry Farrell. Hybrid (feat. Perry Farrell) – “Dogstar.”

Lastly, another high-energy track. This one always reminds me of my hellish commute during the last days working in the corporate world — the track was getting radio play at the time, and along the path that I travelled every day, there was a billboard advertising the band and the album. Corporate memories and record-industry marketing aside, I loved this song, which remains the only Icelandic rap/rock fusion I’ve ever heard: Quarashi – “Stick ‘Em Up.”

There you go, kids. Enjoy.

A brief reminder — there will be no Friday Music next week, as I will be geeking out with 35,000 of my fellow gamers at GenCon in Indianapolis, Indiana.