Hydrant Sippin'

November 2008 Mix

2008-12-03T08:04:00.002-05:00

You won't find it here. You will find it here: http://hydrantsippin.com/.

Update your bookmarks and RSS feeds accordingly.

September 08 Mix

2008-10-13T20:08:00.001-04:00

Note to all artists and labels: if you want me to remove any songs, please let me know!

Let's hope Blogger doesn't delete this one on me, like they did the August 08 Mix.

DOWNLOAD THE SEPTEMBER 08 MIX HERE

A ton of good stuff this month. Let's get right to it:

Demon's Claws - Satan's Little Pet Pig: This one actually came out in 07, but it's new to me. I think I read about these guys in a King Khan interview somewhere. They sound like a Texas version of the Black Lips...that happens to be from Montreal.
Spiritualized - Songs in A&E: This album is kind of like the opposite of the one above. Lush, orchestral, beautiful. This was the one band at Pitchfork Music Festival that I hadn't heard before, but really struck me as great.
The Walkmen - You & Me: Another album that's prettier than most of the stuff I normally listen to. If you liked the White Rabbits stuff I posted in July, you'll love this album. Coincidentally, both opened for Spoon back in April before I'd heard of either of them. I'd love to see that show again now that I'm familiar.
Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol. 5: Dil Cosby Suite: Madlib's instrumental tribute to J Dilla. This is how you do a beat tape, kids. Keep the beats short and sweet. Keep it moving, and sprinkle in some random interludes between the songs to keep things interesting.
V/A - Nigeria Disco Funk Special: Sound of the Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979: One where the title tells it all. How could an album with that title not be completely f*ck*ng awesome?
Ced Hughes - What Up Tho?!: The latest mixtape from the pride of Currituck County. You might remember Ced from the January 08 Mix. I don't even know if I want him to release a real album as long as he keeps pumping out mixtapes that are this great.
The Mighty Hannibal - Hannibalism!: Another one I checked out on the advice of King Khan. Check out King Khan hanging out with Mighty Hannibal here.

As always, let me know if there's something you think I missed:

1) Demon's Claws - Wrong Side of Town
Here's where Demon's Claws really sound like the Black Lips. But better.

2) Spiritualized - You Lie You Cheat
Sounds like some classic mid-90's alternative British band that I missed out on because I only listened to Tribe Called Quest back then. Is this what bands like Pulp and Blur sound like?

3) That Ghost - I Crossed Out the Options
Sounds like the Strokes, if the Strokes were still interesting. The first 16 seconds, where the drums sound like you've got your record player at the wrong speed, are pretty awesome. Not bad for an 18-year old kid.

4) The Walkmen - Postcards from Tiny Islands
As much as I like that fun, sloppy, garage rock sh*t, sometimes it's nice to listen to a band that can write songs, play instruments, and that's fronted by a singer who can actually sing.

5) Demon's Claws - Hunting on the 49
Here's where Demon's Claws really sounds like a Texas version of the Black Lips. But maybe it's really about Idaho?

6) Madlib - Sacrifice (Beat-A-Holic Thoughts)
Hopefully some MCs will start rapping over these beats, just like they did with Dilla's Donuts.

7) ??? - Breakthrough
A cover of the rock song "Breakthrough" by Atomic Rooster off of DJ O-Dub's Deep Covers 2: Mas Profundo. According to the liner notes, his is by some unnamed Nigerian band. Perhaps I'll be able to ask O-Dub who the band is when he DJ's my wedding (fingers crossed that this actually happens).

8) Dr. Adolf Ahanotu - Ijere
If John McCain gets his health care plan passed, Dr. Adolf Ahanotu might be the only doctor I'll be able to afford to go see. In all seriousness, what kind of asshole proposes a plan that will, based on conservative estimates, cause 20 million people to lose their health insurance?

9) Bongos Ikwue & The Groovies - You've Got To Help Yourself
A song title that describes McCain's health care plan! Sometimes the jokes write themselves...
By the way, the horns on this one kill. That echo effect makes the horn section sound awesome! Props to whoever produced this one.

10) Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
If Animal Collective didn't make inaccessible, pretentious b*llsh*t, this is what they'd sound like.

11) Ced Hughes - W.O.W. Shampoo
Not sure what the song title means. Whip'em Out Wednesday? Whatever. Ced rips it over Oh No's "Exp Out the Ox."

12) 8thw1 (ft. Che Grand & Von Pea) - Flawed
8thw1 sounds a bit too much like Eminem to me, but the beat is sick, and Che and Von Pea kill it, per usual.

13) Busta Rhymes - Stay Packing Them Things
I guess I'm a sucker for beats with organs. Particularly ones that sound like "the organs from Fat Albert." This is the Busta I know and love. Sounds like it could be a lost track off of The Coming.

14) The Beatards - Big Bad Beat
If the Beastie Boys were any good any more, they'd be making songs that sound like this. Yo, Captain, is that a slide whistle?

15) Jay-Z - Jockin' Jay-Z
How is the guy who made this beat also responsible for one of the worst songs I've ever heard?

16) John Brown - Sarah Palin (I Wanna Lay Pipe)
Best song of the month. I've had the chorus to this one in my head for weeks. Who ever would have thought that the idiot who spent his time on The White Rapper Show walking around aimlessly and occasionally saying "hallelujah holla back." And while most of the song is joking around, he comes with some heat on the last verse: "you think you part of God's plan? tell them kids in the coff-ans."

17) Madlib - Anthenagin' (?)
To those who don't think hip-hop can be beautiful.

18) The Mighty Hannibal - The Truth Shall Make You Free
I send this one out to all the Hydrant Sippin readers out there chasing the dragon.

19) Ruby Johnson - I'll Run Your Hurt Away
Written by Isaac Hayes (RIP). Thanks to O-Dub for continuing to school the masses.

20) Cool Calm Pete - Gitty Up Baby!
Dopest Asian American rapper alive. What up, Rick!

21) The Mighty Hannibal - We're Gonna Make It
Potential first dance material? Probably a bit mellodramatic, but if you're getting married (*cough* D-Watt, *cough cough*), you've gotta put this one on your short list.

22) The Walkmen - In the New Year
I will be pressing play on this song at 12:01 am, January 1, 2009. Then I will make out.

23) Spiritualized - Sweet Talk
Imagine sitting in a park under a shady tree towards the end of a beautiful summer day. Can you imagine a better soundtrack to the setting sun than this song? So yeah, that's how I came to love me some Spiritualized.

24) Oxford Collapse - Bikini As Hole
One thing I hate about buying stuff off iTunes: no liner notes. Is it me, or does that sound like a John Darnielle guest spot around the 3:00 mark?

25) Demon's Claws - Cecile Lemay
Who stole Cecile Lemay's head?

August 2008 Mix (third try...WTF!)

2008-09-22T17:02:00.005-04:00

OK, for some reason, Blogger hates my August 2008 mix. Twice I've put up my post, and twice, Blogger has deleted all traces of my post. This is the third attempt.

DOWNLOAD THE AUGUST 2008 MIX HERE

Not a great month for albums, but I think we've still got a pretty good little mix this month. I apologize for the week-long delay, but it was tough to get internet access in any of the national parks, and when I was in Vegas I was having too much fun doing Vegas things to sit on my computer for several hours. Hopefully you'll find it was worth the wait.

Albums I liked this month:

Oxford Collapse - Bits: Bits is a little more subtle than their last album, Remember the Night Parties, but still quite enjoyable. It's an album that grows on you with repeated listens, and makes for good road trip music, which is nice since Arizona takes forever to drive across.
Vordal Mega - Megagraphitti: More than any other rapper I can think of, Vordul makes blues music. It's just modern, urban blues music that chronicles the decay and despair of the ghetto rather than songs about some old shit that went down in some backwoods Mississippi town. Incidentally, Megagraphitti makes for terrible road trip music, but it's still an excellent album.

As always, let me know if there's something you think I missed this month.

1) Menahan Street Band - Home Again!

After two weeks vacation, it's not so bad to be home again. Although I don't know if I'd add the exclamation point

2) Eddie Holman - Four Walls

Seems perverse to put a breakup song on my mix the same month I got engaged, but this old tune gives Lee Fields' "Could Have Been" (off last month's mix) a run for its money.

3) Madvillain - Runnin Around With Another

I'm not sure why Madlib decided to remix a classic album. Particularly one that's been remixed before. But I can't complain about more Madlib beats like this one.

4) Lessondary All-Stars - Lessondary Nose

N.E.R.D.'s "Everybody Nose" is pretty damn annoying (which, come to think of it, is par for the course for almost all N.E.R.D. songs). But every cloud has a silver lining, and hearing Von Pea, Elucid, Che Grand and Spec Boogie do their thing makes up for (yet another) musical abortion from Pharrell and Chad.

5) Notorious B.I.G. - Machine Gun Funk (Original DJ Premier Version)

Ready to Die would have been better if they could have gotten this version on it. Either way, I'm just glad that Biggie gave us the line "Alls I want is bitches, big bootie bitches!" Makes me laugh every time.

6) Rhymefest - Real N***a Quotes

From an old Primo beat, to a new one. It had been a while since a Primo beat really got me amped, but this is nice. "That's why I say f*ck them all / Hillary, Jesse Jack, even Barack is involved / when police beatin' our ass none of y'all do a damn thang / but you can raise a hundred million for a campaign?"

7) Vordul Mega (ft. Vast Aire) - AK-47

Now is the time where I make my monthly plea for a new Cannibal Ox album.

8) Re-Up Gang - Been Through So Much

I can't even tell you what a disappointment the Re-Up Gang album is. I never would have expected these guys to mail it in so blatantly. But this song is still pretty nice. Interesting that they repeated one of the verses from We Got It For Cheap Vol. 3 where Malice goes after Skateboard P.

9) Vordul Mega (ft. Billy Wood) - Opium Scripts

Seriously, get me another f*cking Can Ox album before Vordul commits suicide.

10) Santogold - Guns of Brooklyn

Nice little dubbed-out take on "Guns of Brixton".

11) Xray - Turbulence Dubplate (Starstruck Diplo Mix)

Yes, you've heard this beat on a previous monthly mix, but it's just too nice to not put it up again.

12) MF Doom - Sniper Elite

The first time I heard Donuts, I thought, "this is dope, but I could never imagine anyone actually rhyming over any of these beats." Fast forward a year and a half, and nearly every one of these beats has been rhymed over...and nearly every one is dope.

13) Murs - Murs Inatra

The third installment of Murs and 9th Wonder collaborations is probably my least favorite, but it's got some moments of magic.

14) Rich Boy - Haters Wish

My southwest roadtrip was spent in a minivan. Haters wished they could...

15) Opio (ft. Del & Guilty Simpson) - Superfly (Remix)

Just take a look at that lineup of MCs. Was there any chance of this song not making my mix?

16) Ghostface Killah - Daytona 500 (Panza Zandahz My Iron Lung Remix)

I know. Mashups went out of style about 7 years ago. And this one is at least a couple of years old. But sometimes they just work, dammit.

17) Oxford Collapse - The Birthday Wars

This song makes me want to do a keg stand. Coincidentally, football started this weekend (go Panthers!). Toss this on at your next tailgate.

18) Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Woodfriend

Currently on tour with TV on the Radio. Sadly, they aren't hitting NC.

19) The War on Drugs - Taking the Farm

I've yet to understand the lyrics to a War on Drugs song. "I'm taking the farm out from under your knees"? But something about the chugging beat and the slightly country-fied guitars make it sound like you're looking out the window of a train somewhere west of the Mississippi.

20) Oxford Collapse - B-Roll

Awww...they sound like they're growing up.

21) Plants & Animals - Feedback in the Field

Currently on tour with fellow Canadians, Born Ruffians. Luckily, they are hitting NC.

22) Beck - Walls

I'd of rather heard Cee-Lo over this Danger Mouse beat, but I'd pretty much rather hear Cee-Lo over anybody's beats.

23) Dam-Funk - Galactic Fun

Stones Throw released two new Dam-Funk electro bangers last month on the Burgandy City 12". This one is the winner. I eagerly await a full album.

24) Lil' Wayne - Robo Tussin (A Millie Flying Lotus Remix)

I love when a remix completely reinvents the original, but still sounds awesome. It's rare, but when it hits, it hits.

Sippin' in the Southwest

2008-09-02T21:52:00.003-04:00

I'm on vacation. I'm too busy looking at things like this:

and this:

and this:

Your August 2008 Mix should be here in about a week or so.

July 2008 Mix

2008-07-31T17:49:00.004-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE JULY 2008 MIX HERE

With no Euro 2008 and fewer late nights at work, I had plenty of time to listen to all the fantastic music that's out there this month. Obviously, I enjoyed Pitchfork. I've also enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing 4th of July up at a lake in New Jersey, a weekend camping in the mountains, and I'm heading out tomorrow for the beach. Life is good...as were these albums:

White Rabbits - Fort Nightly: Man, if I new these guys were this good, I would have shown up on time to see them open for Spoon. My loss. The first six or so songs on this album are as good as anything I've heard this year.
White Denim - Workout Holiday: Most of these songs were on the 11 Songs (Exposion) CD I picked up back in April. But consider this a reminder if you haven't bothered to check these guys out yet.
V/A - Daptone 7 Inch Singles Collection Vol. 2: Daptone drops a ton of vinyl. Thankfully, they eventually release it digitally for us computer nerds.
Jay Reatard - Singles 06-07: Speaking of dropping a bunch of quality vinyl.
Nomo - Ghost Rock: Now that I've accepted Nomo's departure from traditional afrobeat, I've come to appreciate the new ground they're treading. Throw this one on at your next cookout.
V/A - African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo 70s: Sometimes, the title really does say it all.
Crystal Antlers - EP: Debut EP from a new band that sounds destined for greatness. They're already a good way there with a percussionist named Sexual Chocolate.
King Khan & the Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan & the Shrines: The newest Vice Records signing gets the best-of treatment. Good for me, as I didn't realize how much stuff they had released pre-What Is?!.
Killer Mike - I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II: Best hip-hop album of the year? Might be.
Donwill & suhBURB - Suburban Sprawl: Best free hip-hop album of the year? Might be...go download that shit.

As always, let me know if there was something good that I missed.

1) White Rabbits - Navy Wives
This is a debut album? Incredible. They sound like they've been around for decades.

2) Bon Iver - For Emma
Remember when I was clowning eMusic's Pitchfork Music Festival sampler? While I didn't agree with all their choices, they nailed this one.

3) King Khan & the Shrines - Shivers Down My Spine
The clear highlight of Pitchfork was the Jay Reatard and King Khan afterparty on Saturday night. One of the highlights of that performance was this song.

4) Lee Fields - Could Have Been
One of the all-time great songs about heartbreak. Don't be surprised if it gets a little dusty and your allergies kick up while listening.

5) Milton Wright - Get No Loving Tonight
The background music sounds like pimp shit, but the lyrics are completely un-pimp. It's like an enigma wrapped in an onion. Props to Captain's Crate for this one.

6) What Laura Says - July 23
This is some pretty, late night summer music. Throw this one on while drinking some wine on your front porch. I have no idea where I came across this one, but I'm happy I did.

7) White Rabbits - The Plot
I think the first verse is told from the perspective of my dog: "He gets up late / He gets upset /And I watch the whole thing happen from the foot of the bed / Well, I could stay in bed all day / Is that such an awful thing for me to say?"

8) White Denim - Let's Talk About It
Ever wanted to see a mortician bring his Hearse to the car wash (and possibly find love in the parking lot)?

9) Crystal Antlers - A Thousand Eyes
Loud, epic and awesome.

10) Jay Reatard - Hammer, I Miss You
Hammer, I miss you. Seriously, where did you go?

11) King Khan & the Shrines - Take a Trip
Another highlight from the live show. His intro call-and-response part goes on for quite some time, and retells some truly disgusting stuff that happened when he went to see his baby last night.

12) Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou - Gbeti Madjro
This song puts the "scream" in African Scream Contest. I wonder if James Brown even knew how far his influence traveled.

13) Esau Mwamwaya- Kamphopo
Now if there's one song on this mix that screams summer, it's this one. I guess it's a reinterpretation of Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart It Races" if that means anything to you (it didn't to me). Props to Mad Decent.

14) Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Man, they were funkin' it up in India back in the day. This song makes me want to watch an Indian midget get his groove on (I know but some things never get old). Thanks to Soul Sides.

15) Action 13 - More Bread to the People
Elect Obama and get more bread to the people. Another sure shot courtesy of the good Captain.

16) Wale - Cause I'm African
From one of Nigeria's best psych-funk band to their best exported rapper.

17) Mickey Factz (ft. Fresh Daily) - Keep Moving
Mickey might be somewhat overrated (if internet hype means anything), but almost anyone would sound good rhyming over Mr. Scruff's "Get a Move On." I probably hadn't heard that song for 8 years until Mr. Factz reminded me of it's awesomeness.

18) Donwill & suhBERB (ft. Von Pea) - Fly Me
I can't believe they just gave this away for free (have I mentioned that you should download this album)! Someone deserves to get paid off this.

19) Vast Aire (ft. Vordul Mega) - Mecca and the Ox
Pete Rock did his best El-P impression on this, serving as a sad reminder that it's been over 7 years since The Cold Vein dropped. I know it's tough to follow-up a classic, but damn guys, get your shit together.

20) Killer Mike - Grandma's House
The Tony Robbins of rap. If you don't feel like going to work in the morning, pop this one on and get motivated.

21) Killer Mike - Can You Hear Me
This song walks the fine line between cheesy and awesome. And Killer also throws some shots at Nancy Reagan, which is always fun: "How could you ask us to say no to that / knowin' we po', knowin' we black / knowin' your husband was sponsorin' that / Now Iran-Contra's huntin' you back."

Mandatory Pitchfork Recap in Haiku

2008-07-21T21:07:00.005-04:00

FRIDAY

Public Enemy
Flav is late(?) gets booed.
Chuck fakes he's not embarassed.
S-1's step! Slowly.

SATURDAY

Jay Reatard
It's raining a bit.
Reatard plays fast while King Khan
jokes on side of stage.

Fleet Foxes
This is real pretty,
but it's putting me to sleep.
Let's get the beers in.

Fuck Buttons
This shit sounds awful
How did they get good reviews?
Unlistenable.

Dizzee Rascal
Yeah, it's sunny out!
Uh-oh, Dizzee's shirt is off.
Has he been juicing?

Vampire Weekend
These kids look so young,
but they sound incredible -
great summer music.

The Hold Steady
Beer and pulled pork. Pulled
pork and beer. Beer and pulled pork.
Wow, I'm fucking drunk!

King Khan (at Bottom Lounge)
King Khan is my new
God. My friend loses hipster
glasses. Ironic.

SUNDAY

High Places
Wicked hangover.
Find spot in shade for nap. High
Places sooth my pain.

HEALTH
Holly shit that's loud,
and not good at all. Way to
ruin my nap. Dicks.

Les Savy Fav
Tim dances with girl
right next to me, gets muddy,
surfs in garbage can.

Ghostface Killah & Raekwon
Upset of the day:
J-Love drops zero n-bombs.
No "Apollo Kids" :-(

Spoon
Spoon sound great with horns,
but my feet are killing me.
Hey, it's Bradford Cox.

Pitchfork Music Festival Mix

2008-07-13T20:01:00.008-04:00

DOWNLOAD NORDY'S 2008 PITCHFORK MIX HERE

The 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival is less than a week away. Fantastic music in a fantastic city. And it's ridiculously cheap. You can't ask for much more than that.

But there is more than that! Pitchfork and eMusic have teamed up again this year to give away free music: 25 free songs from bands appearing at this year's festival. Unfortunately, the tracklist is lacking, in my opinion. So allow me to present my own (much better) Pitchfork 2008 Mix:

1) Public Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads
"Here it is, bam! And you say goddamn..." Friday night kicks off with PE performing It Takes a Nation of Millions... in its entirety. So we start with a great song...which has an even greater video.

2) Public Enemy - Rebel Without a Pause
I'd have preferred Fear of a Black Planet since I think the production on that album has held up better, but somewhere in the deepest recesses of my brain are all the lyrics to It Takes a Nation of Millions that I learned when I was 11 years old.

3) Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
These guys can get a little too Conner Oberst-overly-wordy-and-dramatic for me at times, but they're pretty good in small doses. Unlike Mr. Bright Eyes, these guys at least rock out like they have man-parts.

4) Jay Reatard - My Family
I'll probably miss Titus Andronicus, since I'll definitely want to catch Mr. Reatard do his thing. Most of his stuff doesn't sound this Devo-ish, but I dig this song a lot.

5) Jay Reatard - In the Dark
This sounds more like the amped-up Jay Reatard that I have (very recently) come to enjoy quite a bit.

6) Caribou - Melody Day
Some nice, pretty summer day shit that I will probably half-catch as I sit down and enjoy some Goose Island Summertime.

7) Dizzee Rascal - Pussyole (Oldskool)
How many self-described liberal, not-at-all-misogynistic kids will be chanting "pussyole" at the top of their lungs on Saturday?

8) Dizzee Rascal - Da Feelin'
Hopefully he'll play this dope little summer jam, too.

9) Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
I don't like their preppy Martha's Vineyard d-bag image, but dammit if they don't make some nice little summertime grilling music. Vampire Weekend will likely be enjoyed while munching on some of Wishbone's delicious hoppin' john.

10) No Age - Neck Escaper
My knowledge of No Age begins and ends with this song. I might check these guys out and become a fan.

11) Animal Collective - Did You See the Words
Despite the massive critical acclaim these guys receive, I've never been able to get into them...save for this song. They're just too a-rhythmical for me. I'll probably break out early for the Jay Reatard and King Khan after party at Bottom Lounge.

12) The Dirty Projectors - F*cked For Life
Sunday kicks off with another band that I know basically nothing about, but will probably check out.

13) King Khan & the Shrines - (How Can I Keep You) Outta Harms Way
Sunday offers my only real dilemma of the weekend: King Khan or Les Savy Fav.

14) King Khan & the Shrines - No Regrets
I saw King Khan a couple of weeks ago, and it was the best show I've seen since last July's Oxford Collapse/Professor Murder show.

15) Les Savy Fav - Patty Lee
And I just saw Les Savy Fav on Saturday, but it was kind of a weird venue where it was tough to see what was going on (despite Tim Harrington's jerry-rigged head-cam).

16) Les Savy Fav - What Would Wolves Do?
This video is fantastic.

17) M. Ward - Chinese Translation
This is some nice singer-songwriter stuff...as far as singer-songwriter stuff goes. But sorry, M., I'll be busy getting a good spot for Rae and Ghost.

18) Raekwon (ft. Ghostface Killah) - Criminology
"I told you a long time ago NOT to f*ck with me!" They need to do a Don't Look Back concert for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

19) Ghostface Killah (ft. Raekwon) - Apollo Kids
This show will likely be just like ziti.

20) Cut Copy - Future (Chromeo Remix)
I don't know about these guys, but if they're down with Chromeo, I might have to check them out for a second.

21) Spoon - My Mathematical Mind
Their show earlier this spring at Carolina Theatre didn't get me all that excited, but I think their sound will translate better to the outdoor festival setting.

22) Spoon - The Underdog
Here's to hoping they bust out a horn section for the show.

June 2008 Mix

2008-07-04T01:50:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE JUNE 2008 MIX HERE

I'll admit it. I mailed it in this month. Between work and watching every game of Euro 2008, there was little time left for music in June. I promise you, July's mix will be fantastic. Plus, there will be a little bonus mix showing up in the next week or so.

That said, there were still a number of good albums in June:

Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III: He's the best, maine. He deeeeed it. Weezy finally puts together an official album that matches the potential he's shown on his mixtapes. I still can't get over the fact that such a weird little guy is such a major pop star, but I'm not complaining.
The Plastic Constellations - We Appreciate You: Don't you hate it when you newly discover a band you like, only to find out that this is their last album (see also, The Narrator)?
The M's - Real Close Ones: These guys are criminally underrated. This one lacks some of the raucousness of Future Women, but is still a great soundtrack for late summer nights drinking on your porch.
S.L. Jones - C.O.L.O.R.S.: Surprisingly solid debut from Killer Mike's laid back weed carrier.
The Selmanaires - The Air Salesman: For such a horrible city, Atlanta's got some decent bands.
Spec Boogie - Dollar Sign Language: Latest mixtape from the Loosie representative. He's not a mind-blowing MC, but he's solid and has an impeccable ear for beats. If he could just get some from Erykah Badu, he'd be getting Jay Electronica-type hype.

As always, let me know if there was something good that I missed.

1) Wu-Tang Clan - Watch Your Mouth
When there's an album coming out that I know I'll want to hear, I try to hold off from listening to the early leaked tracks. Sometimes, it means I miss a gem when the early single doesn't end up making the album. This shit is classic Wu, even if De La used the beat before RZA.

2) Lil' Wayne - A Milli
Song of the summer. Although this fan video dominates the official video.

3) S.L. Jones - American Gangster
It's a shame there are too many anonymous weed carriers on this. The beat is pretty insane...much more adventurous than anything you'd expect to hear on the typical Southern rap album. I'd of much rather heard Killer Mike on this rather than the pretty atrocious "Super Head."

4) Lil' Wayne (ft. Fabolus & Juelz Santana) - Nothin' On Me
Fabo for the win. "I pop up like Xzibit, but given I'm at your crib it's / not to put no fucking fish tanks up in your Civic /f*ck gettin' your ride pimped, you'll get hog-tied, whipped / have you curled up in the trunk like fried shrimp."

5) Jhi Ali - So Blowed
The young Alabama native made a pretty good summer song here, rapping about getting bombed over some breezy acoustic guitar. Sounds like being 17.

6) Lil' Wayne - Let the Beat Build
If I can ever be bothered to re-sequence Tha Carter III on my iPod, this one will definitely be the closer. This is Wayne's much-deserved, triumphant victory lap.

7) Atmosphere - Not Another Day
Slug's emo-raps get tiresome over a whole album, but can sound great for a song or two.

8) Spec Boogie - New York I Love You
I like how Spec Boogie's confident enough to be an accent to the track, rather than trying to dominate it. And the way his intensity builds up to the end is pretty awesome.

9) The Plastic Constellations - So Many Friends
Like Tapes 'N Tapes, these guys hail from Minnesota. Like Tapes 'N Tapes, they aren't afraid to use horns to good effect. Like Tapes 'N Tapes, they can make some anthemic shout-a-long's. Like Tapes 'N Tapes, this is rock music that's right in my wheelhouse.

10) Brendan Canning - Churches Under the Stairs
The second record in the "Broken Social Scene Presents" series. This one fails to match Kevin Drew's Spirit If from last year. It starts out easily on par, but seems to peter out over the second half, unfortunately.

11) The M's - Pigs Fly
I feel like this is the type of pretty song that My Morning Jacket should be making, rather than the turd sandwich that is Evil Urges. If you've got a singer with a good voice, let him sing, dammit.

12) The Selmanaires - New Plan
Speaking of MMJ, this one kind of reminds me of "Cobra" but with David Byrne replacing Jim James on vocals.

13) Brendan Canning - Love Is New
If I were still single, this would definitely go on my "ohmygodIgotagirltocomebacktomyplace" playlist.

14) The Plastic Constellations - Floated Down and Flew Around
I hate when this song comes on during my walk to work in the morning. It's pretty much impossible not to sing along to those "whoo's" in the last minute, which kind of makes me look like a maniac as I'm walking down a quiet street in a suit and tie.

15) Wolf Parade - Fine Young Cannibals
I was disappointed in the At Mount Zoomer. In a lot of the songs, Spencer Krug's retro 80's synths are way too prominent and the guitars seem lost in the mix. But this song here shares a lot of the funky sultriness of the aforementioned "Love Is New" which is a winning look.

16) The M's - How Could You
This song sounds like last call at a fantastically awesome and shitty bar.

17) James Pants - We're Through
I don't know how much I actually like this bit of retro electro weirdness, but dammit if it wasn't stuck in my head most of June.

18) Bonde Das Gulosas - Tira O Seu Da Reta
Since this is in Portuguese, I've got no idea what they're saying. But I like to think of it as a tribute to Marcos Senna. Congrats.

PSA: Rec Specs

2008-07-01T19:32:00.002-04:00

Hydrant Sippin' would like to offer a public service announcement to all hipsters planning to enter the mosh pit at a the next King Kahn & the Shrines show, or the next Black Lips show*: buy some fucking rec specs! If you don't wear rec specs, your dumb hipster glasses are probably going to be knocked off your dumb hipster head. You'll feel like an asshole if King Kahn, for example, has to kill the momentum of a fucking amazing show, just so the crowd can search the ground for your now-crumpled eyewear. Word to Kurt Rambis.

The June 2008 Mix is going to be a couple of days late. I've been at work. All month. Seriously. Hopefully, they'll let me out soon.

* Are there any other bands' shows that feature hipsters moshing? I think those two bands pretty much cover it.

May 2008 Mix

2008-06-01T19:44:00.002-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE MAY 2008 MIX HERE

Holy Christ. I started Hydrant Sippin' exactly for months like May. I was overwhelmed with good stuff this month. To make matters worse, my laptop finally kicked the bucket. But hopefully I did a decent job of picking the best of the bunch from this month. Oh yeah, hope you like the hip-hop.

Here's my take on good albums:

Tanya Morgan - The Bridge EP: This will hold me over quite nicely until Donwil drops Suburban Sprawl in a couple of days.
Al Green - Lay It Down: ?uestlove and James Poyser bring the Reverend back to that classic sound that made him famous.
Elzhi - Euro Pass: The master of patterns drops a tour-only release.
Guilty Simpson - Ode to the Ghetto: Guilty doesn't cover any new topics on his debut release. He simply sounds like a badass over some weird beats from Madlib, Oh No and Black Milk, among others. Works for me.
J Dilla - Pay Jay: Dilla's unreleased MCA album finally leaks. Hopefully it will soon see an official release so Jay (well, his mom at least) can get paid.
J-Live - Then What Happened: I had given up on J-Live after he started trying to do his own beats. On Then What Happened, he thankfully went back to having real producers do his beats...I couldn't be happier.
Plantlife - Time Traveller: Not quite as good as The Return of Jack Splash, but I'm still pretty excited to finally (after 4 years) hear something new from him.
South Rakkas Crew - Mix Up: These guys (along with 77 Klash) are making me pay attention to dancehall....something I haven't done since Super Cat dropped "Ghetto Red Hot."
The Roots - Rising Down: I don't think it lived up to Game Theory, but it's still pretty good.
Panther - 14kt. God: A slightly less polished, but more interesting MGMT
White Denim - 11 Songs (Exposion): Geno Petralli's son chose rock over baseball. We're all better off for that. I picked this up when they opened for Tapes 'N Tapes. Supposedly this tour-only CD will actually be the same as their upcoming debut.
Santogold - Santogold: A poppier version of M.I.A. that doesn't quite live up to the hype, but is still a fun album.
Clinic - Do It!: Imagine a weirder, darker, and more interesting (Howl-era) B.R.M.C., possibly being sung by a guy with his jaw wired shut?

As always, let me know if there was something good that I missed.

1) Lee Fields & The Expressions - My World
Sharon Jones is to Daptone as Lee Fields is to Truth & Soul. Discuss.

2) Soul Messengers - Savior In the East
These guys' story is well worth reading.

3) Al Green - What More Do You Want From Me?
RZA circa 94 or so would have wet himself over the first couple of bars to this song.

4) Plantlife - Your Love
Jack Splash has done production for Alicia Keys and Raheem DeVaughn, and he's got one of the best falsettos this side of Curtis Mayfield.

5) Santogold - Starstruck
I'm a sucker for fuzzed-out keyboards like this here (see also "Get Busy" below). Consider it Santi's answer to "$20."

6) South Rakkas Crew (ft. Sandy Smith & Professor Murder) - Hot Patty
Any Professor Murder song makes it onto my mixes almost by definition. Glad to see P. Murder and South Rakkas Crew hook up officially after P. Murder unofficially made SRC's Chinkuzi Riddim all their own.

7) 410 Pharoahs - Fresh
My song of the month. Labtekwon and DJ Booman hook up to bring that B'more style to the floor. Check the video.

8) J Dilla - Trucks
This song is silly as hell, but dammit if it doesn't put a smile on my face every time I hear it. Makes me want to trade in my Civic for an Escalade.

9) Rick Ross (ft. Lil' Wayne, Red Cafe & Fabolus) - The Boss Remix
Normally I can do without these "all-star" remixes, but this weird, eerie take on the "Paul Revere" break works like none other. Good enough that I'll gladly sit through verses by Red Cafe, Fabo...and Rick Ross, for that matter.

10) Killer Mike (ft. Shawty Lo) - 2 Sides
Back to someone who can actually rap...probably my favorite right now. What side of Atlanta is T.I. from again? Pledge Allegiance II dropping in July.

11) Bun B (ft. Lil' Wayne) - Damn I'm Cold
Weezy's free-association weird-out's go nicely with Bun B's grounded, technical flow. With Pimp gone, Bun B needs someone with an out-sized character to bounce off of.

12) Che Grand - Crash
Von Pea on the beat. Che Grand on his airtight.

13) Pharoahe Monch - Broken Heart
Does this new track mean we won't have to wait 8 years between albums like last time? My fingers are crossed.

14) J-Live (ft. Posdnous & Oddisee) - The Upgrade
OK, this might actually have been my song of the month. "Fresh" might put a hop in my step and a smile on my face, but this one puts goosebumps on my arms. Oddisee on the beat (who impressed me when he opened for Tanya Morgan in April...and that was before I knew he could make beats like this). Toss the perennially underrated Plug Wondah Why on the top, and you've got a classic.

15) Elzhi (ft. Royce da 5' 9") - Motown 25
Detroit's Dr. Dre provides the perfect canvas for two of Motown's finest to show what lyricism is all about.

16) J Dilla - No One Knows
On one hand, hearing Dilla sounding all triumphant and inspirational makes me sad that such a spirit is no longer with us. On the other hand, he left an amazing legacy that will no disease could ever kill.

17) Guilty Simpson - The American Dream
Madlib laced Guilty with some weird beats for his debut.

18) The Roots (ft. Dice Raw & Peedi Peedi) - Get Busy
Black Thought: "My squad half Mandrill, half Mandela / My band about 70 strong just like Fela"
Dice Raw: "I'm kinda like W.E.B. DuBois meets Heavy D and the Boyz"

19) Tobacco (ft. Aesop Rock) - Dirt
You might know Tobacco from his group Black Moth Super Rainbow. You might know Aesop Rock from his dropping my favorite hip-hop album from last year.

20) White Denim - Paint Silver Gold
First time I heard this song, I loved it, but I also thought there was a 90% chance it would end up in a commercial for Nissan Xteras, or something. I was close.

21) Clinic - The Witch
Why did these guys have to play Chapel Hill on a Monday? I'm getting too old to start my work week on zero sleep. But, based on this video, I'd of loved to have seen their show.

22) White Denim - Heart From All Around Us
Just to show that not all of their songs sound like Nissan Xtera commercials. Go see them if they come through your town.

April 2008 Mix

2008-04-30T10:54:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE APRIL 2008 MIX HERE

Great month for live shows (Oddisee, Tanya Morgan, The Walkmen, Spoon, Iron & Wine, White Denim, Tapes 'n Tapes, and The Roots), but not a fantastic month for albums. Here's what I liked this month:

Tapes 'n Tapes - Walk it Off: Kind of tough to follow-up on The Loon, one of my favorite rock albums. They did a pretty good job though, and their live show is still a lot of fun.
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings and All: I'm almost ready to declare that Thao > Cat Power > Feist.
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid: I'm still trying to decide if I actually like this album, or if I'm just intrigued by their weird chanting lyrics about numerology and Elvis.
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple: These guys keep making great music. Danger Mouse's beats either compliment, or bring out, the dark weirdness of Cee-Lo Goodie. Either way, I hope they keep doing it.

As always, let me know if there was something good that I missed.

1) Les Mogul - Sunset In Golden Horn
Zone out to this. I don't know where I got it from and know nothing about the artist, but some of you might recognize that Dilla sample around the 3:35 mark. As the late great said, "ya'll ready for some live sh*t?"

2) Queen Eve & the Kings - All Hail the Queen
Two minutes, ten seconds of some furious funk. Sure, there's a nice, nimble bass-line, some funky organ, the well-timed horn-stab...but nobody's touching those drums.

3) Pamoja - Ooh Baby
Not a ton of soul hit my iPod in April, but this song (courtesy of O-W at soul-sides) hits my sweet spot of breezy smoothness that seems perfect for lounging with your girl on a warm spring day.

4) Juan Bautista - Estoy Aqui Pero No Soy Yo
Word to Nelson de la Rosa. Wikipedia tells me that bachata is "a form of music and dance that originated in the countryside and the rural neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. Its subjects are often romantic; especially prevalent are tales of heartbreak and sadness." I hope this is playing when the groupies come back to Big Papi's crib.

5) Thao - Bag of Hammers
A bit cheesy, but when they hit the transition at the 56 second mark, I start skipping down the street like Brian Posehn listening to the Spin Doctors.

6) Tapes 'n Tapes - George Michael
I guess those opening guitars sound a little like "Faith"? Or is this song about rubbing one out in a public restroom? Actually, I think it's a tribute to the host of the Sports Machine.

7) The Dirtbombs - It's No Fun Until They See You Cry
Pitchfork describes this album as a Detroit garage rock band doing "a concept album about creeping future dystopia." The album opens promisingly with this track, but unfortunately soon peters out. But great opener.

8) These New Puritans - Elvis
I'd describe These New Puritans as a paranoid Bloc Party with balls. Instead of singing about lost boyfriends, they're rocking out ominously about the meaning of numbers and living in a surveillance state.

9) Jay Reatard - My Shadow
Can't wait to see him at the Pitchfork Music Festival this July. And I'll make sure to avoid rushing the stage, like this dumb Canadian kid.

10) Tapes 'n Tapes - Demon Apple
This was definitely my favorite of the new songs from their show at 506. Josh Grier is sounding a little worked up...I like it.

11) Gnarls Barkley - Charity Case
This song, more than any other, is representative of the general tone of The Odd Couple. So if you like this, go out and pick that sh*t up!

12) Big Boi (feat. Raekwon & Andre 3000) - Royal Flush
Uh oh. If this song is any indication, the upcoming Sir Lucious Leftfoot album could be a monster. A much appreciated return to the Organized Noize days of Southernplayalisticadillacmusik. This is what Cool Breeze was thinking of when he coined the term "dirty South."

13) The Beatnuts - Ya Don't Stop
I've slept on the Beatnuts for far too long. They were Slum Village before Slum Village was Slum Village. Just a couple of dudes having fun rapping over ridiculous beats.

14) Fat Ray & Black Milk - Flawless
Speaking of SV, sometime SV producer Black Milk dropped an album with Detroit MC Fat Ray. It's aight. Reminds me a lot of last year's Phat Kat album. Just dirty, grimy Detroit hip-hop. Fat Ray's verse here is nice: "High Times n***a, keep the dro growin' / Inspector Gadget gun go-goin'"

15) Tanya Morgan - Waiting For You
Go download that Tanya Morgan Is A Rap Group. It's free. It definitely would have been on my "good albums" list, but much of the material was older stuff that I already had.

16) Wale - Good Girls
He's getting enough hype these days that people are learning not to call him "whale."

17) 77 Klash - Code For the Streets
Dancehall normally isn't my thing, but this beat is fierce.

18) X Plastaz - Msimu Kwa Msimu
My girlfriend was kind enough to bring me some hip-hop back from her trip to Africa. Lots of it isn't that great because the guys seem like they're trying too hard to sound like American rappers. The songs I like the best are those that sound the least like American hip-hop. Tanzania's X Plastaz do it here, rapping over some Baltimore club music drums and a sitar (?) loop.

19) Set the Tone - Dance Sucker (Francois Kevorkian Mix)
Thanks to the good Captain for posting up this electro-funk gem. If U-Tern hasn't heard this yet, he needs to.

20) Gwen Guthrie - Peanut Butter (U-Tern Remix)
Speaking of U-Tern, I love his remixes. Upon first listen, I always find myself saying, "I don't know...this is kind of fruity." By second listen, I'm bopping my head and there's a little skip in my step. By third listen, my shirt's off (gross) and I start grinding up on the first guy with a mustache I can find.

21) Gnarls Barkley - Who's Gonna Save My Soul
I need some soul savin' after what I just did to that guy with the mustache. Peep the video.

22) Thao - Geography
I couldn't leave you on that downer. Something about this song feels vaguely inspiring to me, which seems like a good way to leave you until May.

Top 5 Things to Yell at an Iron & Wine Concert

2008-04-21T17:54:00.002-04:00

Top 5 things to yell at an Iron & Wine concert:

How long have you been in the Witness Protection Program?
Is it true the government provides generous subsidies to beard farmers?
Play some ZZ Top!
How many squirrels live in that thing?
Eat a dick, you bearded freak!

Best of the American Gangster Remixes

2008-04-04T11:26:00.003-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE JAY-Z REMIX MIX HERE

As with the Black Album, an untold number of beatmakers decided to have a go at remixing Jay-Z's American Gangster. I ended up downloading seven of the damn things:

Nigerian Gangster (Mike Love's remixes built entirely off of Fela Kuti samples. If you download any of them, this one's the best)
American Angster (Von Pea's remixes)
Brooklyn Soul (Mick Boogie & Shuko remixes built entirely off of Marvin Gaye samples)
Beirut Gangster (Beirut's remixes)
Philadelphia Gangster (Hezekiah's remixes)
Billboard Gangsters (Cookin Soul's remixes built entirely off Elvis Presely samples)
American G-Funk (Benzi & the Knocks remixes)

Below, are the best of the bunch. Enjoy.

1) Pray (Beirut Remix)

2) American Dreamin' (Von Pea Remix)

3) Hello Brooklyn 2.0 (Mick Boogie Remix)

4) No Hook (Von Pea Remix)

5) Rock Boyz (Mike Love Remix)

6) Sweet (Mike Love Remix)

7) I Know (Mike Love Remix)

8) Party Life (Von Pea Remix)

9) Ignorant Sh*t (Mick Boogie Remix)

10) Say Hello (Hezekiah Remix)

11) Success (Mike Love Remix)

12) Fallin' (Mick Boogie Remix)

13) Blue Magic (Beirut Remix)

14) American Gangster (Hezekiah Remix)

March 2008 Mix

2008-03-30T09:52:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD THE MARCH 2008 MIX HERE

I'm not feeling terribly motivated today, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet.

Good albums this month:

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Pt. 1: Glad to have her back after such a long layoff.
Roddy Rod - Blunt Park Sessions: Reminiscent of Madvillain or Uncut Raw's First Toke
Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue: Like Vampire Weekend without the baggage
Ilwil - Tanya Morgan Presents Beat Thieves 2: Quality mixtape from Cincinnati's finest. Check em out on tour (Chapel Hill on 4/12). Download here.
Jamie Lidell - Jim: A worthy follow-up to his fantastic 2005 debut, Multiply...not better, but worthy
Del the Funkyhomosapien - The 11th Hour: It's actually pretty mediocre, but I'm a Del dickrider

As always, let me know if there was something good that I missed.

1) Erykah Badu - Soldier
Rest in peace to the 4,000 we've lost in a stupid war. This song's not about that, but March was about that.

2) Billy Paul - Let the Dollar Circulate
Word to Ben Bernanke.

3) Jamie Lidell - Hurricane
There's never been a hurricane named Jim.

4) Quintron & Miss Pussycat - Jamskate
Saw Quintron open for the Black Lips, and he blew me away. Best live show I've seen in a while, although I could have done without the puppet show. Anyways, thought this song appropriate since March marked the first time I've ever been to a roller derby.

5) Quintron & Miss Pussycat - Wild West (Bank)
A good song, but you definitely need to catch them live to get a real feel for the Quintron experience.

6) Jamie Lidell - Figure it Out (LA Garage Remix)
Another artist whose live show is much different from his recorded work.

7) Erykah Badu - Honey
I still can't believe this is a 9th Wonder production. Good work, Mr. Douthit.

8) Kidz in the Hall - Dreamin' (Baby I'm the Sh*t)
The Kidz keep making appearances on my monthly mixes, even though I'd never call them one of my fave's. But I'm starting to anticipate their new one The In Crowd due out in May.

9) Spec Boogie - Bed Stuy
One of the Lessondary's finest. Von Pea on the beat. These two should do an album together.

10) Shawty Lo (ft. Ludacris, 4-Ize, Young Jeezy & Plies) - They Know (Dey Know) Remix
Nice to hear Luda slaughter a bunch of other jokers on an all-star remix. "6 David Beckham's or a trunk full of kickers!" Appropriate, given that March marks the opening of MLS season 13.

11) Roddy Rod (feta. Y.U.) - Actions Show
Not to be confused with Rod Roddy.

12) The Cool Kids - Action Figures
Good to hear Young Anakin rapping about something besides his clothes or his bike.

13) Ilyas - Fire & Brimstone
One third of Tanya Morgan gets all emo on your ass.

14) Amp Live (ft. Del the Funkyhomosapien) - Video Tapez
Zion I producer Amp Live decided to remix In Rainbows and get a bunch of his rapper friends to rhyme over them. Del should consider letting Amp do all his beats on his next album since this is probably better than anything on 11th Hour.

15) Roddy Rod (ft. Kaimbar) - Whip
Cool song...cool video.

16) Nubian Crackers (ft. Artifacts) - Do You Wanna Hear It?
Rough rugged and raw. Mid 90s were such a great era for hip-hop that I totally forgot about this gem.

17) Amp Live (ft. Too $hort & MC Zumbi) - Nudez
Maybe Too $hort should get Amp Live to do all his beats, too. Or maybe he should collab with Thom Yorke. I'm sure it would be a dream come true for Thom.

18) Born Ruffians - Barnacle Goose
Saw these guys in March. Enjoyed it quite a bit.

19) Nick Lowe - 36 Inches High
An oldie but a goodie.

20) The Black Keys - So He Won't Break
The new one from the Black Keys is OK. Despite working with Danger Mouse, they were able to hold on to their blues-y sound. But DM gives it a smoother shine, while also making it sound a little darker in that way that he does.

21) Born Ruffians - Kurt Vonnegut
I'm a sucker for songs that lend themselves to drunken sing-alongs.

Top 6 MCs?

2008-03-15T19:16:00.004-04:00

This is kind of embarassing, since I'm not in middle school. But a couple of my friends decided to pick our top 6 rappers, make a mix tape, and send it to the other guys. We actually made the selections in draft format (hey, work can be boring...sue me). Here's who I ended up with:

Ghostface Killah
Lupe Fiasco
Black Thought
Sean Price
Killer Mike
Pusha T

Are these the 6 greatest rappers in the world? I don't know...they were just the first 6 I chose. Not a lot of thought went into it. But I figured if I went through the trouble of making a mix, I might as well post it up here on the blog.

Download the Top 6 Mix Vol 1 here

1) Clipse - Keys Open Doors
I probably picked this more for that beat than I did for Pusha T's lyrics. Whatever. He still comes with it: "Open the Frigidadre 25 to life in here / So much white you might think your Holy Christ is near / throw on your Louis V Millionaires to kill the glare / ice trays, nada, all you see is pigeons paired."

2) Sean Price - Call the Ambulance
This pretty much sums up Sean P right here: "N*ggas tryin' to free Mumia / I'm unravellin' roach clips tryin' to free this reefer / got a Boot Camp hat on, Wu-Wear shirt / Funkmaster Flex Lugz lookin' like a f*ck*n jerk / no money, clothes bummy, nose runny / been Metrocard, 44 blow dummies."

3) The Roots - Web
This one's all about breath control. No punch-ins here. " You see the squad come in the place, they all freeze / Ice cold, with his mellow cool breeze / MCs, never showed loyalty yet / Kool Herc ain't never get a royalty check"

4) Lupe Fiasco - Switch
Not the first song where the rapper switches up his flow/style every couple of bars, but Lupe might execute it better than anyone else.

5) Re-Up Gang - Dey Know Yayo
"You're middle-mannin', I'm touchin' the hands of the growers / from Texas, to Tijuana muthaf*ckas know us / drier sheets line the trunks to disguise the odor / your price is low, but I bet my number Shawty Lo-er"

6) Killer Mike - The Next Bitch
Just about every a-hole out there has a song comparing hip-hop to a woman. Killer Mike takes it up a level, penning a break-up song as he leaves his real girlfriend for the crack game, who he leaves for the rap game, who he leaves for the corporate game. The quotable lines ("f*ckin' with this rap b*tch help me get my bread up / girl I live good, girl I live plush / and I'll I do is tell a bunch of lames 'bout us") are nearly as good as the between-verse ad-libs ("I don't wanna get the worms, b*tch").

7) Ghostface Killah - Shakey Dog
Nobody tells stories with greater, more vivid details than GFK. "Straight ahead is the doorway, see that lady that lady with the shopping cart / She keep a shottie cocked in the hallway / Damn she look pretty old Ghost, she work for Kevin, she 'bout seventy seven / She paid her dues when she smoked his brother in law at his bosses' wedding"

8) Lupe Fiasco - Make Sure
Lupe can rap his ass off. But sometimes his ambitious song concepts don't quite hold together (see pretty much every song off The Cool). This one barely works (comparing the US to a pimp, and Iraq to a hooker, I think?), an opinion that I probably hold partly because I love that Marvin Gaye sample the beat is based off of.

9) Sean Price - Black History
This song is one big quotable, start to finish: "Jimi Hendrix OD'd off drugs / David Ruffin got hi sh*t roughed up by some straight-up thugs / Pac & Biggie, Freaky Tah / brought my son to Pun tape the next week, he died / Eazy-E, Donny Hathaway, we smell death / it's hard listenin' to BLS / Ol' Dirty got shot in the piece / Eddie Murphy played his-self he let Ru Paul hop in his V / Richard Pryor on fire, he got jokes / Red Foxx hot but he died broke (damn)"

10) Re-Up Gang - Hate It Or Love It
One of the rare cases of Pusha reminiscing without expressing regret "I was coppin from E and them / he was coppin from K and them / K died, Pooh came home, he started placin' them / Pooh died, and I can't tell you who is replacin' him / cause he's still livin, and I ain't tryin to catch no case with him"

11) The Roots - Don't See Us (DJW Remix)
One of my all-time favorite Black Thought verses: "OK Computer / Radiohead's knock to the future / shock like Curtis, at your service / none other than / the fifth government playin the cut again / y'all clueless to what the f*ck us up again / yo, hard times and sufferin / what, my peoples in the crevices strugglin / 'Nuff of them are toy soldier thespian / but I'm from the next e-on / supreme being that's unseen for MC'n"

12) Lupe Fiasco - Get Down
He makes it sound too easy "I was nuts with the cane, Planters Planters / adjust my frames, tamper, tamper / I'm real...as Seinfeld / they ain't talkin' bout nothin', George Costanza"

13) Ghostface Killah - Beat the Clock
Nobody sounds cooler when spitting complete nonsense "People be talkin', I feed dolphins / My defense'll fly the coop off your mean office / My skills is a fortune, robbin' leech out a suite auction" Um, sure thing, dude.

14) Sean Price - 60 Bar Dash
So ignorant, but so clever: "Evel Knievel hot wheels jumping like Duke boys (yeeeehaaah!) / Posdnous, Mase and Trugoy (what?) / Plug one in your neck and plug two in your chest / Turn around and plug three in your rest"

15) Killer Mike - 112 Freestyle
Nothing beats a good story "this n*gga bust out the bathroom, gun in hand / he was yellin', screamin' shootin' and missin' / it was like that first scene in the movie Pulp Fiction / before I could duck, Big Z gat was spittin' / left that boy laid out, holy as a Christian / them white girls spazzin' out, cryin' flippin"

16) Clipse - Ride Around Shining
The hook is one of the all time great hooks. But if you don't focus on the verses, you'll miss stuff like "Pusha push John P Keys, with these sounds of crack-ness / the black Martha Stuart, let me show you how to do it / break down pies to pieces, make cocaine quiches / money piles high as my nieces"

17) Killer Mike - That's Life
Best...adlibs...ever ("I can't rap about doin' crime, but if I actually do crime and do time, I can come out and have an TV show with an all white audience? If I rob shareholders of millions? But if I rap about getting some money on the block, it's a problem? Are you f*cking retarded? I'm not even gonna tell you how stupid you are right now, cause you should already know"). And maybe the best song ever ("George Bush don't like blacks, no sh*t Sherlock / and his daddy CIA and flooded the hood with rock"). The most amazing part? According to this (amazing) interview, "I didn't write it; it's a freestyle. I don't do the whole 'I don't write, I just go in and freestyle' thing. Sometimes what's in me is just so at-that-moment, I go in, do it, come out the booth, rewrite it, refine it, and go back in and redo it. With "That's Life," I fired in all directions because as a young American it comes at you from all directions."

18) Ghostface Killah - The Forest
Somebody does lots of drugs and watches lots of cartoons. And we're all better off for it: "Pippy Long Stockin' had it poppin' / her and Barney had an army out in pink house, the sh*t was rockin' / guess who got rich and bounced? / Scrooge McDuck, he had an ounce / ain't no money out in CandyLand, we out..."

19) Killer Mike - The Whole World vs. Stevie
Killer Mike shows you how to flow. His cadence on this verse makes drums unnecessary.

20) The Roots - Quicksand Millenium
Black Thought doesn't exactly get political, but he can paint a picture of a failing society like few others. The style he kicks on this one was really a preview of what we ended up getting from him on Game Theory: "South Philly turnin into Kuwait, what's going on / welcome into the quicksand millennium"

21) Sean Price - I Love You (Bitch)
I don't recommend dedicating this to your girl next Valentine's Day "stretch marks, titties lookin like prunes / f*ck you with the lights off from behind in the room / my sister told me leave your ass alone, but f*ck it, I love you"

22) The Roots - Live at New Year's at Jay Dee's
No one rocks a live show like Black Thought. When he's in front of the crowd freestylin' he can have fun and act a fool. Here's a little glimpse behind the curtain of his rap-machine facade. Being a great rapper isn't just about being a great lyricist.

23) Ghostface Killah - Whip You With a Strap
Nobody does poignant songs about childhood like Ghost. "despite the alcohol, I had a great ole mamma / she famous for her slaps and to this day she's honored"

February 2008 Mix

2008-03-01T17:15:00.002-05:00

DOWNLOAD THE FEBRUARY 08 MIX HERE

When it rains, it pours. Last month, I complained that I struggled to put together a good mix. This month, I could have easily put together two volumes. I think that extra day made all the difference.

Good albums this month:

Turf Talk – West Coast Vaccine (The Cure): Remember a couple of years ago when hyphy was cool? I never got into it, so I didn’t pay attention when Turf Talk dropped his album last year. But it kept ending up on some best-of lists from people whose opinion I respect, so I decided to give it a listen.
Re-Up Gang – We Got It For Cheap Vol. 3: A buddy of mine recently asked me if there’s ever been a rapper as captivating as Jay-Z. Here are four of them.
Bilal – Love For Sale: An unreleased album from the only good male R&B singer still doing it (a title he’ll continue to hold until D’Angelo comes out of retirement).
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend: Not as good as the hype, but nowhere near deserving of the backlash.
Various Artists – Giles Peterson Digs America Vol. 2: The London DJ compiles some rare gems of American music.

I’m still waiting to hear some good rock music this year. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know in comments.

1) Turf Talk – Bring the Base Back
This song begs to be cranked. Turf sounds like he’s having fun getting to rap over something so bombastic.

2) Kidz in the Hall – Low End Theory
Fun with analogies: “Low End Theory” is to cars as “Black Mags” is to BMX bikes. More fun with analogies: Gary Busey is to Nick Nolte as Tim Floyd is to John Edwards.

3) Lil’ Wayne – Brand New
“You know I’m a boss, chillin’, relaxin’ / probably in my office, doin’ my taxes.” Just picture Weezy sitting behind a desk, furiously pecking away on a calculator, all while rolling on E.

4) Turf Talk – I’m Ghetto
If you couldn’t tell from these first four songs, I’m a sucker for retro beats with lots of low-end. “Rick Rock, make the beat knock.”

5) Suburb – Something a Little Twisted
Props to Sweeny at Classic Drug References for posting about this dude. Definitely a producer to check for.

6) Gil Scott-Heron – The Klan
Easily my favorite song of the month. My resolution for March is to listen to more Gil Scott-Heron. So hopefully you like this sh*t, too.

7) Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band – The World (Is Going Up In Flames)
From the same musical geniuses who brought you “Make the Road by Walking” (as featured on the November 07 Mix).

8) Soul Children – Move Over
Does that piano sound familiar?

9) Willie Hutch – Brothers Gonna Work It Out
This song’s been sampled several times, but it will always remind me of Project Pat’s “What Money Do.”

10) The Diddys (feat. Paige Douglas) – Intergalactic Love Song
What a delightfully weird little tune. Those space-age keyboards kill me, especially around the 53 second mark when the vocals drop out, and you’ve got dueling space-keyboards noodling around in each of your ears. This is what the year 2000 was supposed to sound like.

11) Jay Electronica – Departure / Are You Watching Closely?
Jay’s been getting plenty of hype, with people like Badu and Just Blaze showing him love. I don’t quite see it. But this song (songs?) is pretty incredible, and serves as a good intro to a guy who’ll definitely be making moves this year.

12) Re-Up Gang – Cry Now
Malice sounds particularly heated on this one: “We the R-E-U-P Gang that’s us, brah / Yes, I said gang, all else is faux pas.” To be honest, I was more caught off guard by hearing Mal use the word “brah” than “gang.”

13) Re-Up Gang – Show You How to Hustle
Don’t let those sick organs distract you from the lyrics. Ab-Liva: “Katrina with the coke, I flood the city like New Orleans, I’m too heavy so the levies break.” Sandman: “They wanna put me in a Porsche, little-ass box / f*ck you n*gga I’m as large as an ox!” That’s the great thing about Re-Up Gang is that I’ll be listening to this album a year from now, and still picking up on lyrics that amuse or amaze.

14) Oh No (ft. Roc C) – Riding High
Yeah, we’ve all heard that Faze-O loop before, but that sh*t never gets old for me. It’s a song that makes you feel about 80% cooler than you actually are.

15) Bilal – Get Out of My Hair
Or as Quasimoto would say, “don’t go away mad girl, just go away.”

16) RAMP – The Old One, Two
Another weird one from the crates of Giles Peterson.

17) Ofege – Burning Jungle
You’ve heard Ofege before on my mixes. This is from their 1978 album How Do You Feel? You can definitely hear the disco influences, but it still works.

18) Tim Maia – Imunizacao Racional
Supposedly this dude is like the James Brown of Brazil.

19) Ofo the Black Company – Let’s Go Where the Action Is
I know this is a pretty trite observation, but the rhythms used in African music put a pep in my step. The drums in the chorus seem to hit with a timing that you don’t hear in most honkey music.

20) Professor Murder – Civilization Three
Speaking of bands with rhythm. One day, these guys are going to release a full album and conquer the world.

21) Vampire Weekend – A-Punk
This album really should have come out during the summer. Sounds like the soundtrack to grilling and playing wiffle ball.

22) Vampire Weekend – Boston
No song about Boston is complete without a reference to scorpion bowls. Maybe next time.

January 2008 Mix

2008-02-04T12:22:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE JAN 08 MIX HERE

I picked a heck of a month to start a music blog. Not many albums caught my attention this month, but hopefully you’ll enjoy the little collection of songs I put together below. It was the month of free music, as my favorite albums were all available for free download (on purpose, even!). The debut mixtape from North Carolina’s Ced Hughes, Ced and the Technicolor Soundwave, was hands-down my favorite release of the month (word to Currituck County). Killa Cam’s Public Enemy #1 mixtape turned out to be a good listen once pared down to one disc’s worth of music, rather than the original two. And LA rapper Blu continues his hot streak with his hopefully-to-be-released Powders & Oils album with partner Mainframe (under the Johnson & Jonson moniker).

No new non-hip-hop albums really caught my ear outside of going back and acquiring Les Savy Fav’s 2001 album Go Forth.

As always, feel free to hit up comments if there are any recent releases you think I’ve missed out on.

1) Les Savy Fav – Adopduction
Far more rock songs should try to tell a coherent story. Especially when that story involves being kidnapped by a “guy with a mustache, and a chick with an eyepatch.”

2) Ced Hughes – Greetings From the Firing Squad (Interpol Mix)
Lot’s of rappers have recently tried to rap over “indie” rock songs, to often mixed results (see: Elucid, Wale, Mickey Factz, etc.). Hell, even Kanye West tried to get into the act, kicking some shitty verse over “Young Folks.” None have done it better than Ced Hughes. On this song, check how he works the original Interpol lyrics into his own verses. Dude’s a talent to keep an eye on.

3) Rob Sonic – Brand New Vandals
Some typically good Def Jux shit: dark, rock-influenced, and featuring an MC spitting fiercely and mostly incoherently. For some reason, it always works for me.

4) Re-Up Gang – 20k Money Making Brothers on the Corner
The debut single from We Got It For Cheap Vol. 3. Some day, I’m going to grow tired of hearing Pusha T, Malice, Sandman, and Ab-Liva talk about selling drugs…but that day isn’t coming up any time soon. Especially when they continue to do it over epic beats like this Dame Grease banger. Malice: “Fathered so many styles, I’m hading out cigars.”

5) Cam’ron (ft. Hell Rell & 40Cal) – Swagga Talk
Dipset’s finest (and two b-teamers) update “Ebonics” to hip us lames to the latest Harlem slang. RIP Big L.

6) Johnson & Jonson – Half a Knot
If Nas were 21, from LA, and had a good ear for beats, his name would be Blu. Weirdly, lot’s of the songs from this album play fine in iTunes, but skip ahead on my iPod. Not sure how that happens, but I’m not too worried…I’ll definitely be buying this one once it gets it’s proper release (hopefully soon!).

7) Saigon – Saigon Meets Just Blaze
I don’t quite get see what Saigon brings to the table. But as long as he keeps getting beats like this from Justin Smith, I’ll keep listening.

8) Atmosphere – Get It To Get Her
Here are the Cliff’s Notes: if you want to bag a decent broad, get your shit together. Of course, it sounds a lot better when Slug says it over some funky (Lyn Collins?) sample. Off of the free-to-download Strictly Leakage mixtape.

9) Johnson & Jonson – The Only Way
I guess I’m a sucker for songs that work sampled vocals into the rapper’s lyrics (see also, track 2 above). I guess I’m also a sucker for songs that sample some classic female funk (damn, that voice sounds familiar…can anyone help me put a name to it?) (see also, track 8 above).

10) The ARE (ft. Kay & Donwill) – Keep Trying
Houston producer decided to make an entire album built off Jackson 5 samples, then put it on the intertubes for free. The result, Dem Dumb Jacksons, is well worth the download.
DivShare File - 10 The ARE - Keep Trying.m4a

11) Usha Uthup – Chhupke Kaun Aya
The good Captain (of Captain’s Crate fame) has a seemingly endless supply of odd goodies in his crates. This one here is the oddest and the goodie-est: a Hindi version of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough."

12) MGMT – Electric Feel
Oracular Spectacular is a pretty good (see also, "Time to Pretend" from the December 07 Mix), but definitely not great album.
DivShare File - 12 MGMT - Electric Feel.m4a

13) Ghostland Observatory – Sad Sad City
If you turned up the bpm’s from the previous song and sprinkled a little bit of cheese on top, you’d pretty much have this song.
DivShare File - 13 Ghostland Observatory - Sad Sad City.m4a

14) Yeasayer – Final Path
My November 07 mix featured two Yeasayer songs, and I’ve been digging their album All Hour Cymbals since then. So much so that I decided to download some live versions of their songs from their Daytrotter sessions. Although I guess I didn’t quite like their music enough to catch their show at Local 506 a couple of weeks ago.

15) Aktion – Masquerade
You might remember Nigerian funksters Aktion from the June 07 mix. Their sound is perfectly funky and fuzzy in a way that I think would be tough to re-produce with modern equipment. Enterprising producers need to sample their stuff, asap. Courtesy of With Comb & Razor.

16) Phirpo Y Sus Caribes – Comencemos
This song is a perfect blend of afro-Latin-funk that I only thought the Budos Band could do.

17) Ced Hughes – On My Lean Casually
I just wanted to show that Ced still sounds great over more traditional hip-hop beats. His appeal ain’t just a function of the “rapping over rock songs” gimmick. This beat sounds like something the Clipse would have murdered.

18) Rich Boy – Get to Poppin’
Rich Boy’s album is actually decent. There’s a little more there than just “Throw Some D’s” and “Boy Looka Here.”

19) Killer Mike (ft. Ice Cube) – Bad Day/Worst Day (Remix)
In 2005, Columbia Records was supposed to drop Killer Mike’s sophomore album, Ghetto Extraordinary. Instead, it got shelved. While most of the songs ended up showing up on his The Killer mixtape, or the I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind “street album” (don’t call it a mixtape!), a few of the songs remained unheard (at least by me). Luckily, Ghetto Extraordinary got leaked this past month so I could hear the "Bad Day/Worst Day Remix."

20) Bishop Lamont – Music Shit
The latest Dr. Dre protégé has some promise. He's equal parts gangster and backpacker, and the type of guy not afraid to reminisce on the days when "'Ice Ice Baby' through the speakers was thumpin' / N****s dis it now but back then it was bumpin."

21) Cam’ron – Just Us
Killa Cam over Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” is a pretty unstoppable combo. As Tom Briehan explains:

He's got a beautifully assured way of slipping back and forth between totally genuine and specific talk about an unexpected personal connection ("Sound horrific, ain't a doctor, but your son, I wish him well") and disgusting sex-talk punchlines ("Gave her a sanchez / Yes, a dirty one").

22) Rihanna – Umbrella (S.A.S.A.C. Remix)
This remix gives a completely different feel to one of the biggest hits of ’07. I don’t know who S.A.S.A.C. is, but (s)he turns it into a super-mellow slow burning electro-jam. Laid back.
DivShare File - 22 Rihanna - Umbrella _s_a_s_a_c_ remix_.m4a

23) Aaron Neville – She Took You For a Ride
I didn’t really listen to much soul this month, but really enjoyed this one, thanks to O-Dub at soul sides.

24) Gorillaz – Don’t Get Lost in Heaven (Original Demo)
This song’s not all that special. But it’s pretty catchy, and I had just enough space to fit it in to this month’s mix.

December 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:05:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE DECEMBER 07 MIX HERE

1) Cyril Neville – Tell Me What's On Your Mind
Some classic N.O. funk. Members of the Meters with one of the Neville Brothers.

2) The Rollers – Knocking on the Wrong Door
I'm still waiting to hear the rest of the latest Eccentric Soul compilation, The Outskirts of Deep City, but this one here is a pretty good start.

3) The Clefs of Calvary – You Don't Know What I've Been Through
The Clefs think the Lord is the only one who knows what they've been through. Evidently they don't buy into this whole Santa thing.

4) Millie Jackson – I Cry
Oh No sampled this on his fantastic debut album The Disrupt, and DJ Noodles (who?) chopped it up for Freeway's not-so-originally-titled "I Cry."

5) Freeway (ft. Marsha Ambrosius) – This Can't Be Real
If you haven't heard the Gil Scott Heron original, go find it…now. It'll bring tears to your eyes quicker than that Millie Jackson song.

6) Ghostface Killah (ft. Method Man & Raekwon) – Yolanda's House
Ghostface has something like 5 story-telling songs on The Big Doe Rehab, and they're all nails. This one particularly so with the fantastic assists from a rejuvenated Method Man (peep 8 Diagrams…he's back on his game) and the always solid Raekwon.

7) Young Buck (ft. the Outlawz) – Ridin' Down the Freeway
This one should have come out during the summer. It's tough to be drivin' down the freeway "diamond in the back with the sunroof open" in December. Hi-Tek on the beat.

8) Wu-Tang Clan (ft. George Clinton) – Wolves
The new Wu album is pretty awesome (no matter what Rae and Ghost keep saying in interviews). This head-nodder was pretty much picked at random...I could have selected any number of songs. But I like the way U-God opens this one.

9) 9^th Wonder (ft. Big Dho & Sean Price) – Shots
Little Brother's (former?) manager Big Dho hops on the mic without embarrassing himself! Pretty impressive considering he's next to one of the best in the game in Sean Price.

10) Busta Rhymes (ft. Rah Digga) – Not Right Now
Busta annoys me now that he's gone from cartoon character to hardcore dope slinger. But this J Dilla beat is reason enough to put up with him for 3 minutes. And the hook makes me laugh.

11) Wu-Tang Clan – Rushing Elephants
RZA's shout-out to Holger amuses me: "strangle cold bottles of Beck's, like a vexed German."

12) The Money Making Jam Boys (ft. Peedi Crakk) – I Don't Know What Else to Say
Black Thought's weed carriers (Dice Raw & Truck North) put out a mixtape rapping over some 80's beats, and it's actually really good. You might remember one of the tracks ("Maniacs") from the January Mix. Anyone know the song sampled here?

13) Percee P – The Man to Praise
"If you ladies were unable to follow my brain-melting lyrics, don't worry, I've got some dumbed-down songs for the ya'll on my album." – Percee P, offending everyone with two X chromosomes at the Slick Rick show last week. So, he's kind of a douche, but at least he got Madlib to lace him with some beats like this one.

14) Freeway – When They Remember
You gotta love Freeway. Every time he grabs the mic, whatever he's saying is the most urgent shit, like, ever.

15) DJ Drama (ft. Pharrell & the Clipse) – Cheers
It's a celebration, bitches! The best song off the surprisingly good DJ Drama album.

16) Kidz in the Hall – Hush
I never thought I'd see the day when a couple of Ivy Leaguers signed to Duck Down. Of course, I also never thought I'd see the day when anyone would think it a good idea to call their group Kidz in the Hall.

17) Riskay – Smell Yo Dick
When you want to know if your man is cheating or not, just ask to smell his dick! Genius! Saw this one in a David Cross interview, where he named it his favorite song of the year. It's pretty damn good.

18) DJ Mehdi – Lucky Boy
He's like the French version of the Avalanches.

19) Professor Murder – Flex-it Formula
The most fun band doing it today (my favorite show of the year). Can't wait for the upcoming full-length.

20) MGMT – Time to Pretend
#94 on Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2007. As they describe it, "MGMT shamelessly indulge in one simplistic, escapist hook for four guilt-free minutes." This is the only song of theirs that I've heard, but it works for me.

21) Radiohead – Bangers & Mash
From the In Rainbows bonus disc (the one you had to pay $80 for…I wouldn't bother). This is the only one that really rocks.

22) Band of Horses – Detlef Schrempf
I was underwhelmed with Cease to Begin, but Ben Bridwell's voice is still pretty undeniable. He's the poor man's Jim James.

November 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:04:00.000-05:00

1) Menahan Street Band - Make The Road By Walking
New group featuring members of the Dap-Kings, the Budos Band and El Michels Affair. Full-length coming early 2008.

2) Jay-Z - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is..)
Does that horn line sound familiar?

3) Kanye West - A Million And One Questions
I liked American Gangster pretty good, but Jay needs to get back with producers like Primo.

4) David Banner - Us and the Gunz
Fun fact of the day: Mr. Banner was president of the Student Government Association while at Southern University. Student government kids at Wake Forest were complete douchebags, for what it's worth.

5) The Shape Of Broad Minds - Changes
Philly producer Jneiro Jarel is a weirdo. His stuff doesn't always hit on Craft of the Lost Art, but it's always pretty interesting.

6) The Budos Band (ft. Wale) - Chicago Falcon (The Washington Sq. Lads & Mark Ronson Remix)
Scion makes some ugly cars, but their marketing budget is great for hip-hop. Not only did I get to see Ghostface Killah for free this month (GFK quote: "when we do that song in cities like Utah, n****s don't know the words like you guys."), but they also put out a mixtape of remixes from Daptone Records artists (Budos Band, Sharon Jones, Daktaris, etc.). Download all 9 songs here .

7) Mr. Vegas - Heads High
A dancehall classic that I just never had on my iPod before.

8) Johnny Osbourne (ft. Bunny Brown) - Love Makes the World Go Around
Dub meets doo-wop.

9) Amy Winehouse - Cupid
This is actually an old Sam Cooke song even though Winehouse makes it sound like a Specials song.

10) Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have To Wait For You (Ticklah Remix)
Antibalas keyboard player Ticklah gives Sharon Jones the dub treatment.

11) Ticklah (ft. Mayra Vega) - Si Hecho Palante
You've hopefully heard Mayra Vega before on Antibalas' incredible cover of "Che Che Cole". If you haven't heard it, you can get it here. More dub goodness from Ticklah.

12) Verkys et l'orchestre Veve - Lina Omasana Boye Pt.2
The Captain (of Captain's Crate fame) has been crate digging in Africa the past few months. His work is our reward.

13) Oh No - Exp Out the Ox
Oh No > Madlib?

14) Yeasayer - Sunrise
Pitchfork describes Yeasayer as "one of the better bands to put a new spin on (David Byrne's) polyrhythmic convulsing." I would describe them as, "indie music with lots of drums." That's why they get paid to write about music.

15) Tulsa - Breath Thin
They're kind of like a melancholy My Morning Jacket. The best band from Boston since Street Credit (what up, Vep)?

16) Iron & Wine - White Tooth Man
I normally don't get down with pretty singer-songwriter sh*t, so I wasn't expecting much from Iron & Wine's latest. His old stuff was mostly bare-bones acoustic. With this latest one though, he's stepped up his game, including a full band, and placing a bigger emphasis on percussion (have I mentioned before that I really like drums?).

17) Yeasayer - Wintertime
This creepy singalong would sound perfectly in place on Liars' latest album. Or some classic Black Sabbath.

18) Iron & Wine - Carousel
This should soothe you back out after that last Yeasayer song. Sounds like a guy with a beard singing underwater.

19) Lee Moses - California Dreaming
I love myself some cover songs. And while few songs have been covered as often as this one , few have been so soulful.

20) Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr - You Can't Blame Me
Life's been good for the group's tenor, Mike Tatum. Tatum now lives in Cincinnati, where he's retired, and spends most of his days watching his wife wash his car in her Daisy Dukes (sorry, inside joke).

21) Larry Ellis & Black Hammer - Funky Thing (Pt. 1)
Who do you think pulled more ass: Larry Ellis, or Black Hammer?

22) Jay-Z (ft. Nas) - Success
I feel like I've heard that organ wail somewhere before. For the record "Success" > "Black Republicans."

DOWNLOAD HERE

October 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

1) Bobby Byrd - I'm Not to Blame
I didn't listen to much old soul music this month, but this song can't be denied. Those horns are epic. Unless you've heard this song before, "U Don't Know." RIP Bobby.

2) Bilal - MILF
Until D'Angelo puts his crack pipe down and gets his fat ass of his couch, Bilal's the king of this R&B sh**. This is from producer 88 Keys' upcoming debut (Feb 08). It's a rough mix, but that hasn't stopped me from keeping it on repeat.

3) Esau Mwamwaya - Tengazako (Flyin' Planes Remix)
Yeah, he's singing over the beat from one of M.I.A.'s songs on last month's mix. But first, that beat is incredible and won't get old for me anytime soon (thanks, Diplo). And second, he's the best Malawian singer I've heard this month.

4) Rastiero - Que Delicia
OK, after this song, we'll return to our regularly scheduled English-language programming.

5) Dude 'N Nem - Watch My Feet
Welcome back to songs in English. Just to ease the transition, we're going to keep the lyrics about as simple as possible. Can anyone who listens to "urban radio" tell me if this song's a hit or not? It should be. Yeah, it's silly, but it's pretty tough to listen and not be automatically put in a good mood. YA DIIIIIIIG?

6) Pete Rock (ft. Jim Jones & Max B) - We Roll
Pete's back. I wasn't really checking for him lately, but with his work on Talib Kweli's album, and now this beat, I'm a believer again. Such an amazing beat, you almost don't notice what a horrible rapper Max B is.

7) Oh No - Action (Rap Version)
At what point do we start referring to Madlib as Oh No's older brother?

8) The Beatnuts - Let Off A Couple
For some reason, I never really got into the Beatnuts back when I was a kid. I should of. I guess they just got lost in the flood of classic hip-hop releases from 1994.

9) Piakhan - Gangsta
Remember that guy with the guest verse on Reflection Eternal's "Touch You"? The dude with one of the sickest flows in hip-hop? Well, 7 years later, he finally has an album. It's pretty good.

10) Gemini (ft. Lupe Fiasco) - We On
October was the month where Lupe effed up the lyrics to "Electric Relaxation" during the VH-1 Hip Hip Honors tribute to A Tribe Called Quest. Sadly, that moment overshadowed that Lupe is one half of an incredible new song with his boy Gemini. Man, more rap groups need to rock the "tag team" style instead of just lazily trading verses. Word to Run DMC.

11) Supreme Team (Madlib & Karriem Riggins) - See
If it's half as good as Madlib's past collabo albums (Jaylib & Madvillain) then the Supreme Team album will be a must-own. "You gotta cop that."

12) J Dilla (ft. MF Doom & Guilty Simpson) - Mash's Revenge
I'm still mad at MF Doom for sending lip-syncing impostors in his place to perform at shows . But I can never be mad about any song with Guilty Simpson over a J Dilla beat.

13) Bart Simpson - Do the Bartman (So Krispy Remix)
From Guilty to Bart (not related).

14) Quasimoto - Hydrant Game (Jaylib Remix)
One of my favorite Jay Dee beats of all time. "Don't go away mad girl, just go away."

15) Talib Kweli - Kweli Says Go
A mixtape track over yet another Dilla donut.

16) Kanye West (ft. Mos Def & Al Be) - Goodbye
Graduation bonus track. Blows away the actual album track with Mos Def ("Drunk & Hot Girls" is the one track I skip on an otherwise fantastic album).

17) Aesop Rock (ft. John Darnielle) - Coffee
This song's my October theme song. The video screams October as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1-nVUedOYM . The strongest track off an amazing album. The John Darnielle guest vocals are pretty nice (having guest vocals from Durham residents is always a good look). Would I like the Mountain Goats? I'm officially intrigued.

18) Les Savy Fav - Brace Yourself
I guess these RISD grads have been around forever, but Let's Stay Friends is the first of their albums I've listened to. This song doesn't quite rock as hard as the rest of the album.

19) Angels of Light - Black River Song
I don't know anything about this band, nor do I know where I got this song.

20) Liars - Plaster Casts of Everything
Wow. I couldn't get into Drum's Not Dead at all. But this self-titled album rocks out with it's cock out.

21) Radiohead - Bodysnatchers
Um, did you hear that Radiohead released a new album. It's quite good, and you should all have it by now. Since the other "rock" songs on this mix truly ROCK, I had to include the mostrockingest song from In Rainbows.

22) Liars - Clear Island
Sounds like something you'd hear at the monthly meeting of People Against Goodness And Normalcy (P.A.G.A.N.).

23) Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian
This song rocks a bit harder than the rest of their album.

24) Liars - Cycle Time
This song was built for Ozzy. I guess Angus Andrew's Ozzy impression will have to do. Works for me. I think if your name is Angus, you're allowed to do Ozzy impressions.

25) Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place
In Rainbows has grown on me quite a bit. Hopefully this mix will do the same. Either way, both are free, so who cares.

DOWNLOAD HERE

September 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:02:00.000-05:00

1) Menomena – The Pelican (Live on Daytrotter)
A live version of a track from what might be the album of the year (Friend and Foe). They opened with this song both times I've seen them, so I thought it might make sense to make it a mixtape opener as well.

2) The Narrator – Son Of The Son Of The Kiss Of Death
Saw these guys in Chicago, and was duly impressed. Turns out, they've got an album out, and it's quite good. They're kind of like a more serious Oxford Collapse.

3) The Narrator – SurfJew
Unfortunately, I missed them when they came to Chapel Hill. Because if I went to see them, I could have asked them what the hell this song is supposed to be about.

4) War on Drugs – Arms Like Boulders
I don't know where I found this one. But they're from Philly, and this song, at least, is quite good.

5) Schooner – Pray For You To Die
This song was the highlight of the show they played for their CD release at Cat's Cradle. It was stuck in my head for days afterwards. It's at once catchy, pretty, and quite dark. If scientists ever figure out how to reanimate the corpse of Johnny Cash, they should get him to do a cover of this song.

6) Super Furry Animals – Carbon Dating
Here's another pretty, throwback-sounding song, this time courtesy of long-time Welsh psych rockers, SFA. I'm not a big fan of the album...a bit too tongue-in-cheek (actual song title: "Baby Ate My Eightball"). But they're pretty good when playing it straight, like they do here.

7) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights
If you like Amy Winehouse, you need some Sharon Jones in your life. Respect the originators (of the entirely derivative genre of retro-soul).

8) Soul Generation – Super Fine
OK, now we're really getting back to the originators. This is some baby-making music at its finest.

9) Mitch Mitchell & Gene King – Never Walk Out On You
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you can't go wrong with a Numero Group release. This is the first of three songs on this month's mix from Numero Group's Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label. Bonus points for a guy being named Mitch Mitchell.

10) East of Underground – I Love You For All Seasons
I'm a big critic of the military. But I'd like them more if they still turned out musicians like East of Underground. These guys won a 1971 talent contest for servicemen in Germany, with the winning prize being the opportunity to record an album. I still hate war, but I'm a sucker for a good falsetto.

11) Eddie Ray – You Are Mine
This sounds like a demo version, with the singer accompanied only by a guitar and some bongos. But the bare bones approach really lets Eddie's voice take center stage, and you can really hear his sense of longing.

12) Marion Black – Come On And Gettit
I haven't featured nearly enough straight-up dirty funk numbers on these monthly mixes. When I've been listening to old stuff, I've been more attracted to old soul and African pop music lately. But this is some prime, dirty, deep funk.

13) Galactic (ft. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux) – Second and Dryades
Galactic's newest album has the New Orleans jam/funk band playing back-up to a whole host of really good (mostly underground) rappers. Unfortunately, it mostly comes up flat. Not bad, not good...mostly boring. The lone exception is this weird number featuring Monk Boudreaux, which I don't find boring at all.

14) M.I.A. – $20
This is hands-down my favorite new song of the moment. That beat is insane, and begs to be absolutely blasted. It captures the craziness of a world where, on the streets of Africa, you can cop an AK-47 for just $20. "$20 ain't sh*t to you, but that's how much they are, so they're going to use the sh*t just to get by."

15) M.I.A. (feat. Bun B & Rich Boy) – Paper Planes (Remix)
Ahh, this sounds much lighter and nicer. But don't get lost in that breezy beat, or you'll miss the best pro-robbery anthem you'll hear this year (ever?). Bun B hops up on the remix to prove why he's one of the best to ever do it "being poor is a disease, gotta hustle up a cure." Meanwhile, Rich Boy really really loves his gun...maybe even more than he loves his D's.

16) UGK – Swishas and Dosha
The opening track to UGK's fantastic double-album Underground Kingz. It hits you in the face from the outset, letting you know that Pimp C and Bun B haven't gone anywhere, and haven't lost a step. Reminds me a lot of Aquemini opener "Return of the G."

17) Kanye West – I Wonder
Graduation is full of excellent songs, but I think this one best encapsulates the feeling of the album. Big synths and Kanye trying to deal with being uber-famous. It's not the easiest stuff to relate to, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting than stuff being put out by dudes like Fiddy, and it sounds freakin' great.

18) Amp G – Looking Good
Not sure if I can relate to a song about looking good, either. "Damn I'm lookin' good, my feet lookin' good, my whip game good, I feel like I should." My whip game is pretty much stuck at "Civic Hybrid," but my feet will start looking good as soon as I get my new Le Coq Sportif's in the mail. Maybe there's hope for me after all. Anyways, Amp G is from Alabama, which I only mention so that I can link to the video about Alabama's famous leprechaun ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrpSTcjUaks).

19) UGK – Like That
Not necessarily the best song on Underground Kingz, but certainly the one that will get stuck in your head the longest. I hope this one becomes an anthem at "adult ballets" across the country.

20) Kanye West (ft. T-Pain) – Good Life
You can't be mad at Tallahassee Pain!

21) Ooh Ee – Party Party
I wish I knew how to breakdance.

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August 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:01:00.000-05:00

1) Madlib - Freeze
I had a little free space, so I decided to toss on this weird little Madlib instrumental. It kind of works as an intro to the next song.

2) M.I.A. - Big Branch
I like the nursery-rhyme rapping over big drums. Of course few nursery rhymes include lines like "I sh*t on the ho" and "hit her with the muthaf***ing branch!" This is a bonus track from the Japanese release...I'll probably have some album tracks on next month's mix. It's gotten good reviews, but I haven't listened to it yet.

3) Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
These guys have been getting a ton of internet hype, and I'm normally skeptical of hyped up electronic groups...especially French ones. But it's tough to listen to this song without being immediately put in a good mood.

4) Ben Westbeech - Get Silly
I kept going back and forth on this one. Do I really like this song? If so, do I really want to admit to liking this song? In the end though, this song was just too damn catchy and I think there are probably a few of us (myself certainly included) who can relate to the lyrics.

5) M.I.A. - Boyz (The Twelves Remix)
Keepin' the party rockin'. I don't know who the Twelves are, and I have no clue what M.I.A. is saying, but I like this.

6) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Down Boy
From the Is Is EP. Karen O scares me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSpDVcVKsXE

7) King Khan & the Shrines - I Wanna Be a Girl
I send this one out to Raul. Nobody else can explain how awesome girls are better than Raul, Miami's number 1 male lesbian. Anyways, this song sounds like it was written by Raul.

8) The Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
Sloppy, fun "garage" rock (for lack of a better term) has been my sh*t the past couple months (see also: Oxford Collapse, Narrator, King Khan). Nobody does it quite as sloppy as the Black Lips. Bonus points for the Magic City shout out in the middle of a chorus that begs to be sung along to.

9) Shapes 'N Sizes - Head Movin'
Their album is a mess (not in a good way), but this song is quite good.

10) The Black Lips - Lock And Key
The best song off a very good album. The NY Times did a cool video feature on the Black Lips' visit to SXSW earlier this year: http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=2f2aaf87dff4ef1400e5ed5b4c06f55be51520b9

11) Kevin Drew - TBTF
I call BS. Nobody is TBTF! But this song is still PDG.

12) King Khan & the Shrines - Welfare Bread
If I had to pick one song for my favorite of the month, this would easily be it. "Welfare Bread" will always = August 2007 for me.

13) Joe Bataan - Under the Street Lamp
Bonus points if any of you can name the hip-hop song (featured on a previous monthly mix) that samples this song. Joe Bataan is probably the most famous Filipino singer I know (barely edging out Julius Ulunday and his Halloween '04 performance of "She Bangs" at Moose Head). Another fun-fact (courtesy of Wikipedia): Bataan's daughter won the the Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll.

14) The Manhattans - Follow Your Heart
Here's another sweet soul song that's been sampled (this time by RJD2). I also think El Michels Affair stole that tuba line for their song "Too Late to Turn Back" (see March 07). I guess I'm not the only guy who really likes this song!

15) The Majestic Arrows - The Magic of Your Love
Another gem from Numero Group's Eccentric Soul series. If this one hasn't been sampled by anyone yet, it should be. Those opening strings sound so majestic, and then there's that little keyboard tinkling underneath that sounds kind of small and humble...it sounds great together. It sounds like something that Kanye could do something really good with.

16) The Budos Band - Mas O Menos
I still haven't heard all the songs from their new one, but every song I've heard has been absolute nails. Maybe I should actually buy the CD.

17) Los Van Van - Y No Le Conviene
From the highly recommended Si, Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba, Vol. 1. I don't know why, but I feel like we'll be hearing this song on a commercial sometime in the near future (anyone else notice how many good songs are being used in commercials lately?).

18) Sean Price - Jamaican
While Durham's own Khrysis quite nicely flips Sister Nancy's classic "Bam Bam" for the beat, Sean P pulls off an ironic cover of BDP's "Stop the Violence" for the hook. Of course, P's version is all ignorance, threats, and gratuitous violence...but that's why I love him! This comes from Sean P's Master P mixtape, the early leader for best album cover of the year.

19) Tanya Morgan (ft. Che Grand) - And You Say
Here's another great summer jam courtesy of Von Pea, Donwill, Ilyas, and Che Grand that flips another classic beat, this one a remake of LL's "Jingling Baby" (oh how I long for the days when LL actually made good songs!).

20) Median - Personified (Remix)
Undoubtedly, Median is Wilmington NC's best rapper. Dude is clever (see: this song) and makes all of his verses sound completely effortless (see: every one of his songs). If he just got better at writing hooks...

21) Common - The People
One of my favorite rappers of all time laid an egg with Finding Forever, but this song is pretty good, despite the line "while white people focus on dogs and yoga." WTF? Don't make me post links to your Gap ad, or your ridiculously overpriced and ugly hats, Common!

22) Lil' Wayne - Feel Like Dying
Meanwhile, Weezy F. is absolutely on top of his game. "I am sitting on the clouds, I've got smoke coming from my seat / I can play basketball with the moon, I've got the whole world at my feet." That sounds more like something that you'd expect from a rapper like Edan, rather than one of the biggest pop stars alive. If you would have told me three years ago that I'd be more excited about Lil' Wayne than Common, I would have been shocked. Will rap's Jim Morrison make it past age 27? Judging by this song, I'm leaning towards "no".

23) Kevin Drew - Bodhi Sappy Weekend
This is the prefect album-closer.

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July 07 Mix

2008-01-17T16:00:00.000-05:00

1) Ultimate Force - I'm Not Playin'
Did you know that Diamond D was in a group before he dropped Stunts, Blunts and Hip-Hop in '92? Me neither. Too bad that he and MC Master Rob couldn't stick together and churn out more classics like "I'm Not Playin.'"

2) Blu & Exile - My World Is...
The Dells' "I Can Sing a Rainbow" has been flipped countless times (see Ghostface "Shakey Dog" off Fishscale ), but maybe none quite as well as Exile does here. And Blu is very nice on the mic.

3) Talib Kweli - Holy Moly
I like how this one builds up. You think Kweli is just talking, then all of a sudden the song has begun. Pete Rock on the beat. "My rhymes turn a new page like Mark Foley."

4) Pharoahe Monch - Welcome to the Terrordome
The hip-hop cover song is a tricky beast that few have pulled off successfully. Clearly, I think P. Monch pulls it off. The beat's different enough, but still fits with the feel of the original. He gives us a new second verse of his own. And we're living in a time that's screaming for some more Public Enemy in our lives.

5) Kashmere Stage Band - Super Strut Pt. 1 (Kenny Dope Remix)
This is the first song that's leaked off of Stones Throw's Now-Again Re:Sounds, Vol. 1, and I can't wait to hear the rest. Kashmere Stage Band was actually an offshoot of a high school marching band out of Houston. Kenny Dope is an offshoot of his momma, but also is known for his work with Little Louie Vega as the production duo Masters At Work.

6) Kamala Walker and the Soul Tribe - Street Talkin'
Fun fact: Kamala Walker and Otis Jackson, Jr. have never been seen in the same room together.

7) U-Tern - Give It Up
U-Tern is to disco what Curtis Vodka is to B'more club music. I also like that he understands that having your own blog >>> Myspace. Check it out: http://onedaylater.blogspot.com/

8) Kid Sister - Control
You know I'm going to like any song that encourages women to "touch them toes...twerk, roll, stop, control."

9) Dizzee Rascal - Where's Da G's (feat. UGK)
UGK have been on a roll in 07, and their album hasn't even dropped yet. Whoever did the beat for this one did the perfect job of making it sound like grime and Southern all at once...no small feat.

10) Kinfolk Kia Shine - Respect My Fresh
Not many dudes can pull off 4 minutes of rapping about their clothes and make it sound good. I'm sure his album will be terrible, but I'm loving this song.

11) Jim Jones - Looking at the Game (feat. Stack Bundles & Lil' Wayne)
Hard to get mad at the Capo, some dead dude, and The Greatest Rapper Alive kicking it over those PSK drums (Coops, didn't you meet Schooly D a couple of years ago in Philly?).

12) The Chemical Brothers - The Salmon Dance (feat. Fatlip)
This song wasn't originally going to make the mix, but it's been growing on me like crazy. I especially love the parts between verses, where Fatlip (yes, the crackhead who used to be in Tha Pharcyde) learns interesting salmon facts from Sammie the Salmon. "The moon?? Fish pay attention to the moon!!??! WOW!!!"

13) The Budos Band - Scorpion
I've heard about 5 songs now from their upcoming Budos Band II, and all of them are terrific. If Hollywood ever makes a spy movie set in Africa, this better be on the soundtrack.

14) The New P*rn*graphers - Myriad Harbour
In this excellent interview here ( http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/44247-pitchfork-music-festival-2007-sunday/page_5), frontman Carl Newman talks about living in NYC. I don't know why anybody sane would ever move to NYC (from Vancouver, no less!), but I think that's what this song is about.

15) Johnny and the Moon - Green Rocky Road
This comes from one of the many Wolf Parade side-project bands. This one is fronted by guitarist Dante DeCaro. Wolf Parade are coming to the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday, 8/22. Tickets are still available, and I've got a place you can crash at. They're very good.

16) The New P*rn*graphers - Failsafe
A wise woman (OK, it was my girlfriend) once said, "I like the New P*rn*graphers, but sometimes when they let the women sing, it sounds too much like the f***ing Lilith Fair." I think they avoid that trap, here. Also, they sounded great at the Pitchfork Festival, for what it's worth.

17) The White Stripes - I'm Slowly Turning Into You
Hopefully you've all heard this album by now. It's worth the $15...or it's at least worth 10 seconds of Googling.

18) Inell Young - What Do You See in Her?
Another treat from soul-sides.com. The back-story to this song is pretty crazy. Young and her best friend were discovered by producer Eddie Bo out of high school in New Orleans. Evidently, Young developed a heavy heroin habit, so Eddie Bo stopped working with Young. But Bo continued to work with Young's h.s. friend. This song is Young's response. She died of an overdose not long after recording this song.

19) Junior Byles - Fever
I love me some cover songs...especially reggae cover songs. This one comes courtesy of the compilation Jonny Greenwood Is The Controller. Yes, that Jonny Greenwood.

20) Eddie Holman - This Can't Be True
Another beautiful soul masterpiece courtesy of soul-sides.com .

21) Talib Kweli - In the Mood
Kanye West keeps the soulful mood going on this beat, with an assist from jazz legend Roy Ayers on vibes. Definitely my favorite track on Ear Drum.

22) Blu & Exile - No Greater Love
The same feeling when you first heard 'Time's Up'
The same feeling when I first heard Com bust
I used to lover H.E.R. but I but I found other kinds of
So I left her like I really really tried, but I can't cause...

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June 07 Mix

2008-01-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

01) J-Dawg - Ride On 4s (ft. Slim Thug)
OK, I'm cheating here. This song actually hit my iPod in February...but I've been listening to it more than any other song this month. As it's become my official summer 07 anthem, I'm putting it on the mix, dammit.

02) Masta Ace - The I.N.C. Ride
Talk about another summer classic! I have no idea how I went so long without putting this on my iPod.

03) GLC - I Ain't Even On Yet
Off of Kanye's You Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape. This sounds like some more riding around music. If Kanye produces the majority of GLC's album, he could blow up.

04) Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing Remix (ft. Young Jeezy)
I've been avoiding listening to the handful of tracks that have leaked from Graduation...waiting to hear the album in its entirety. Is this getting radio play?

05) Lupe Fiasco - US Placers (ft. Kanye West & Pharrell)
Three guys rapping over a Thom Yorke song is something that sounds awful on paper...luckily it works fairly well in real life.

06 Uncut Raw - Baby
Quality cut off a quality album. They kind of remind me of a poor man's Madvillain....dirty, dusty and raw.

07 J-Live - Dolla Circulate
One of my favorite MCs rapping over a beat from my deceased man-crush (J. Dilla).

08 Uncut Raw - Crazy
Another one from First Toke. No Gnarls Barkley involved.

09 Fabolous - Brooklyn (Feat. Jay-Z & Uncle Murda)
I generally can't stand Fabolous's non-spelling ass, but the beat on this one is pretty unstoppable.

10 Kid Sister - Pro Nails (ft. Kanye West)
Another one off of Kanye's You Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape. It's only a matter of time til we get a Kanye / Curtis Vodka collab.

11 DJ Benzi - Gettin It (ft. Cool Kids & Lil' Wayne)
Benzi's got the internet goin' nuts with this one.

12 Uncut Raw - Lastone
A nice little interlude...

13 The Capprells - Walk on By
From Oliver Wang's secret vaults...a bonus for those who pre-ordered his Soul Sides Volume Two CD. It's a cool take on the song penned by Burt Bacharach and made famous by Isaac Hayes.

14 Esther Phillips - Home Is Where The Hatred Is
Here's another cover. For those who haven't heard it, the Gil-Scott Heron original version is well worth tracking down.

15 Los Mozambiques - Viva Tirado
Here's another one from Soul Sides Volume Two. Much like the how the Young Black Teenagers were neither young, nor black, Los Mozambiques son de Panama.

16 Sweet Breeze - Chasing After Rainbows
Gotta love that breakdown on the chorus. This comes off Naija Record's Flashback II compilation, courtesy of http://combandrazor.blogspot.com/

17 BLO - Do It, You'll Like It
Another choice cut courtesy of With Comb & Razor...the blog that's been flooding me with unstoppable Nigerian music the past two months.

18 Aktion - Sugar Daddy
I'm loving the sound of this band...especially those fuzzed-out keys (guitars?). They had two songs on Flashback II, and it was tough choosing between the two.

19 Wings Original - Ballad of a Late Hero
RIP Spud Nathan

20 Donovan Carless - Be Thankful For What You Got
Whoa...this dude lives in Raleigh ( http://www.donovancarless.com/)! I need to go shake his hand for this sublime cover of the William DeVaughan classic. The original is one of my all-time favorite songs, so I was this reggae cover had to really be top notch to make me happy...and it is.

21 Spoon - Don't You Evah
If you liked Gimme Fiction, you'll almost definitely like their new one, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. A lot of Spoon stuff sounds very similar. But I still like it all.

22 The National - Mistaken For Strangers
A lot of the National's songs sound very similar as well...but I really can't get into their stuff (despite the "Best New Music" honors from Pitchfork). This song's pretty good though (their drummer decided to show up for this one)...I just can't stand an entire album of slow, morose songs that sound the same.

23 Spoon - Don't Make Me A Target
Probably the stand-out song of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.

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May 07 Mix

2008-01-17T15:58:00.001-05:00

1) Sweet Charles - Soul Man
Cover songs are sweet. Discovering songs that have been sampled by Pete Rock and Brand Nubian is sweet . The Captain's Crate is sweet. Playing bass for James Brown is sweet. Charles is Sweet.

2) The Budos Band - Chicago Falcon
Somewhere in between the El Michels Affair and Antibalas lies the Budos Band. Their 2005 self-titled debut is a favorite of mine...good to hear some new stuff.

3) Ofege - Nobody Fails
Psychadelic afro-funk. The blog With Comb & Razor has been killing it since Afkap decided to start blogging about African music. So much good stuff.

4) Founder 15 - Be My Own
Like the song above, this is off the comp Flashback: A Decade of Hits 1970-1980...a sweet little African soul ditty.

5) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - I'm Not Gonna Cry
Amy Winehouse has blown the eff up this year (see: covers of Rolling Stone & Spin). I'd like to think it's partly because of her inclusion on my January and April mixes. However a more likely reason is because she's been touring the country with the support of a kick-ass backing band: the Dap Kings. Well, it's time for the Dap Kings original leading lady, Sharon Jones, to get some shine. Oh wait, I forgot about the rule that 50-year-old black ladies aren't allowed to be pop stars. VH-1's loss.

6) Sheila Jack - I've Got to Have You
Off of Eccentric Soul: Mike Lenaburg.

7) Mystiques - Put Out the Fire
Off of Eccentric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation. For some reason, I picture this song being played in the club where Ron Burgandy did his flute solo.

8) The Dynamic Tints - Package of Love Pt. 1
I'll take "Dirty Song Titles" for $1000, Alex.

9) Wilco - You Are My Face
While I thought Sky Blue Sky was pretty boring, I really like this song. But I think I speak for all of us when I say: Get back on the drugs, Tweedy! (While I'm at it...you, too, Drozd!).

10) The Sea & Cake - Up on Crutches
If Wilco isn't satisfying your desire for laid-back rock music, may I suggest you try the Sea & Cake? A good one for sitting outside and enjoying a cocktail on a warm early-summer night.

11) Feist - Past in Present
Most of her album sounds like something that should be sold at a Starbucks or something ( oh wait). But I like the handful of more up-beat songs, especially this one.

12) Schooner - Trains and Parades
Chapel Hill bands are pretty good.

13) Arctic Monkeys - Do Me a Favour
I like these guys even though they're borderline frat-tastic. They aren't doing anything groundbreaking...just making good, fun rock n roll. This song is a bit atypically subdued, which helped it stand out from the more uptempo stuff on their album.

14) Of Montreal - Du Og Meg
From the EP Icons, Abstract Thee. Most of the EP - just like the album Hissing Fauna - deals with his divorce from his wife. This one, however, is about how they met, and contrasts (in a refreshing way) with the depressing lyrics of the rest of their recent stuff.

15) The Rapture - Crimson Red
The good people at Adult Swim have given away lots of good free music recently. However, most of Warm & Scratchy was disappointing to me. It sounded like bands were just tossing Adult Swim their throwaway tracks. But this Rapture song is as good anything on Pieces of the People We Love.

16) Baron Zen - Burn Rubber (Dam Funk Remix)
Have you ever wanted theme music to come on whenever you walk into a room? I would be ten times cooler if this was my song (and yes, I realize that infinity coolness times ten is still infinity coolness).

17) Chromeo - My Girl is Calling Me (A Liar)
Chromeo make some sweet early 80's electro-funk. Like if Zapp & Roger had babies with Hall & Oates. Yeah, it's a bit tongue-in-cheek...especially this song. But you gotta love the ending phone conversation between Dave-1 and Pee Thug. The whole album is pretty nails.

18) Bonde Do Role - Solta O Frango
Release the chickens! I don't know what these crazy Brazilians are singing about, but I like it.

19) Bonde Do Role - Gasolina
Here, I know what they're talking about. Gasoline. And beating you like a gorilla. And Afrika Bamabaataa. And Paraguay. And other stuff that sounds cool. Damn, I wish I was Brazilian.

20) UGK (feat. T.I.) - Hit the Block
If you told me nine years ago that I'd one day grow to enjoy the work of Swizz Beats, I'd of thought you were crazy. But his beats are sick these days. The UGK album could be a monster (see also "Players Anthem" from February).

21) Lil' Wayne - Swizzy (Remix)
As good as Swizz Beats is behind the boards, he's awful on the mic. Thank God Weezy F. decided to show us how it's done over the "It's Me B**ches" beat ("I'm dirty, I get my Bill Laimbeer on"). This comes from Weezy's Da Drought 3 mixtape, which is highly recommended. But if anyone can find a copy where the volume isn't so low, please hook me up!

22) Phat Kat - Nasty Ain't It?
You knew Dilla had to make an appearance somewhere on here. Phat Kat's got a couple of Dilla beats on his very solid album, including this one. He mostly keeps it to braggadocio, but he's got some punchlines, and an ear for choosing quality beats.

23) Brother Ali - Pedigree
Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth is definitely the best album by an albino this year. I wanted to put one of his songs on this thing...I think this is the best one, but all of the songs are at least pretty good.

24) Outkast - B.O.B. (Stimulated Remix)
Found this one on the Okayplayer message boards. Wow. You might want to put this one on repeat.

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April 07 Mix

2008-01-17T15:57:00.000-05:00

1. Sarah Silverman - Everybody Sings
Typically offensive, yet hilarious.
2. Sweat Heart - Fingerbangin'
I think the less said about this song, the better. Good luck getting it out of your head.
3. Pase Rock (feat. Amanda Blank) - Sexy MF (DJ Eli Remix)
A song equally as raunchy as the Sweat Heart track, courtesy of Cinci's own Pase Rock (of Five Deez). Amanda Blank steals the show though...her rapping has come a million miles from her earlier stuff with Spank Rock (no relation to Pase).
4. Kid Sister - Ying Yang (Curtis Vodka Ga Ga Remix)
Yeah, white girl rappers are taking over in April 07. I just can't deny anything with Curtis Vodka on the boards. She should have Mr. Vodka do all her beats (see also: Feb 07 mix).
5. J.R. Writer - Get 'Em (Dev79 Street Bass Refix)
Dev79 gives Harlem's Writer of Writers the Philly treatment. I'm loving this remix...I'll definitely be checking for Dev79 of the strength of this one.
6. Feist - Sea Lion (Chromeo Remix)
I've got the new Feist album downloaded, but haven't listened to it yet. I'm guessing there's nothing on there as great as this re-work from fellow Canadians Pee Thug and Dave 1.
7. Justin Timberlake - Our Love (XXXCHANGE REMIX)
Kind of a tough one to remix since the original was pretty nails. But I think Spank Rock's DJ XXXChange does his thing with this one. I especially like the sly insertion of Britney's "Slave" in there.
8. Timbaland (feat. Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z) - Laff At 'Em
This song could have helped out Timbo's train-wreck of an album, but supposedly Jay-Z was late getting his verse in, and it never made the album. Jigga sounds rejuvenated after the lackluster Kingdom Come album.
9. Jay Dee - The $ (Madlib Remix)
Jaylib partner Madlib funkafies Dilla's "The $" from the Ruff Draft EP (same ridiculous album that had "Wild" from last month's mix).
10. Jay Dee - Diamonds
This is from Jay Dee's unreleased album that he recorded for MCA back in 03. The good people at Stones Throw are working on securing the rights so that they can release it...hopefully this year. The unreleased album supposedly has Dilla rapping over other producers' beats (Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Kanye, Dave West, etc.). "Diamonds" has Dilla ripping a smooth Nottz beat to shreds. Dude was way underrated on the mic.
11. Lil' Wayne - Dope Man (Ghislain Poirier Remix)
Look for some tracks from Weezy F's "The Drought 3" mixtape to show up on the May 07 mix. He's on top of his game.
12. Ghostface Killah - Mighty Healthy (nobody remix)
Nobody unleashes his inner GZA on this creepy remix of the Ghostface classic. "You goddam right I f*** fans!"
13. El-P - No Kings
The whole album is pretty strong, and one of the few hip-hop ALBUMS (vs. a slapped-together collection of singles).
14. DJ Jazzy Jeff (feat Peedi Crack) - Brand New Funk 2K7
Nostalgia alert! I need to go dust off the original...anyone got a cassette player?
15. Beanie Sigel (feat. Jay-Z) - Glock Nines (Ratatat Remix)
Keeping the Philly theme alive, B. Sigel gets the remix treatment from Skidmore's own Ratatat. Coops, do you know these guys (" Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, met as Skidmore College students")?
16. Polyrhythm Addicts (feat. Pharoahe Monch) - Reachin'
Hold on to your backpacks. DJ Spinna is pretty underrated on the beats. And I can never have enough P. Monch. I can't wait til his album "Desire" drops in June.
17. Amy Winehouse (feat. Pharoahe Monch) - Rehab Remix
Monch KILLS this remix!! "Try to take my black a** to rehab, I won't go go go!"
18. Superlatives - I Don't Know How
I've spoken highly of the Soul Sides blog before. This song and the next two came from one mighty April 16 post. If I made beats, I'd definitely be sampling the drums on this one...
19. The Intruders - Together
...and I'd grab that horn intro off this one.
20. The Impressions - We're A Winner
I've said it before, I'll say it again: you can't have too much Curtis Mayfield in your life.
21. A Certain Ratio - Shack Up
I don't know anything about A Certain Ratio. But despite being from 1980, this song could have come from any number of contemporary bands currently biting this style.
22. Tulsa - Crocodile Teeth
These guys stopped off in Chapel Hill in March, on their way back from SXSW, to open for local band Schooner (see Jan 07 mix). I dug them a lot, so I bought (yes, bought!) their EP. Despite their name, they're from Boston. They're worth checking out if they're in your town.
23. Peter Bjorn And John - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
I'm sure you've all heard "Young Folks" by now, so I decided to give you a different song off their Interface appearance. Almost as catchy as "Fingerbangin'"

DOWNLOAD HERE

March 07 Mix

2008-01-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

1) Tammi Terrell - Baby Don't You Worry
A nice little Motown soul ditty. Some feel-good music to play on a Sunday morning when you're sitting around the house, reading the paper, drinking coffee and trying to overcome your hangover. Courtesy of the great http://soul-sides.com/.
2) El Michels Affair - Too Late to Turn Back
El Michels Affair are a cool little instrumental funk band. Last year, they made a name for themselves backing the Wu-Tang Clan at some shows. A few of their Wu instrumentals were released as singles last year, but it wasn't until this month that I found out that they released a full album in 2005. It's really really good stuff.
3) El Michels Affair - Detroit Twice
Many of their songs have a vaguely familiar feeling. I'm not sure how many are covers versus originals.
4) Assagai - Cocoa
The Captain's Crate (http://bywayof.net/captains_crate.html) is the go-to spot for cool music from around the world.
5) Antibalas - Hilo
See what I mean. This one's a pretty low simmer...very laid back and cool. But an amazing song, none the less.
6) King Sporty - A Year Full of Sundays
Who wouldn't want a year full of Sundays (as long as it's football season, anyways)? Also, who wouldn't want to be called "King Sporty"? Supposedly, this guy penned Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldier." Another one from the Captain's Crate.
7) Matumbi - Law of the Land
A pretty weird reggae song. The horns and strings sound like something straight out of an Isaac Hayes or Curtis Mayfield song. If you're a real geek, you'll recognize this song from Soul Supreme's remix of Nas's "Ether". But you'd really be a geek if you pointed that out, so you should probably just keep that to yourself.
8) Jay Dee - Nothing Like This
Go watch the video now! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ncSt5xC8Uk). Incredible.
9) Jay Dee - Wild
This was one of the previously unreleased "Ruff Draft" tracks that showed up on the re-issue. The track is indeed wild, with some drums that sound like somebody shuffling along, then tripping on the pavement. Oh yeah, the hook's got some little British kid singing AC/DC's "Come on Feel the Noise." Bizarre, but awesome.
10) Black Milk (ft. Slum Village) - Action
Black Milk is an up-and-coming Detroit MC and producer. Some go so far as to say he's filling the void left by Jay Dee, but that's hyperbole. His album "Popular Demand" has it's moments, but is a bit uneven. One of the best moments is this song here with Dilla's old group Slum Village.
11) Black Milk - So Gone
This song is also quite nice
12) Consequence (ft. Kanye West) - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Q-Tip's cousin / Kanye's weed-carrier finally drops his debut album, a full 11 years after making his debut on Tribe's "Beats Rhymes & Life." Here, his weed owner drops by to help out the album's best song.
13) Ghostface Killah - In the Parks
Lyrical darts over the classic "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" break.
14) Ghostface Killah - No No No
Tony Starks kills it over Dawn Penn's reggae standard "No No No," but couldn't he at least come up with a more original name for his version?
15) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - The Unwanted Things
Despite having an out in the open man-crush on Ted Leo (word to Wakefield, RI), I was underwhelmed by "Living With the Living" on first listen. Part of the reason, is that Ted tries to change the pace and tries some new things with some of the songs. This one is certainly a change-up from his traditional style, but I think it works really well.
16) The Ponys - Double Vision
Sad I missed their 3/22 show at the Cat's Cradle. But grilling out and watching basketball won the day.
17) Modest Mouse - Steam Engenius
Something about the guitars in the non-chorus part of this song remind me of that Pink Floyd video where that Native American dude jumps off a cliff and turns into an eagle.
18) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - The Sons of Cain
This is that classic Ted Leo sound that I love. I expected more of the album to sound like this. But the other songs are growing on me.
19) The Ponys - Everyday Weapon
I'm running out of things to say. This song is pretty kick-ass.
20) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Rappaport's Testament: I Never Gave Up
People who pre-ordered "Living With the Living" got a bonus EP called "Mo Living." People who are cheap downloaded both of them. People who are cheap were also surprised to learn that this is a cover of a Chumbawumba song!
21) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Timorous Me
On AOL's the Interface, Ted played this solo version of the classic "Tyranny of Distance" track.
22) Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Brass in Pocket
Ted also stopped by a fund raiser for New Jersey radio station WFMU, where he played this cover version of The Pretenders classic.
23) Modest Mouse - March Into the Sea
Isaac Brock at his wild-yelping best.

DOWNLOAD HERE

February 07 Mix

2008-01-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

1) Frank Cardona y sus Alegres Tejanos - Funky Nassau
I thought Nassau was just conch fritters, and white people getting their hair braided. Apparently, it's incredibly funky, too. This one came via Soul Sides ( http://soul-sides.com/)...easily my favorite music blog.
2) Ellen McIlwaine - Toe Hold
Ellen is apparently a slide guitar legend. But here, it's that funky drumming that I really like. This one comes from another incredible blog, the Captain's Crate ( http://bywayof.net/captains_crate.html).
3) Curtis Mayfield - Now You're Gone
You can never have too much Curtis in your life.
4) Jay Dee - 5/8
February marks the one year anniversary of the passing of hip-hop producer Jay Dee (aka Dilla). RIP.
5) Little Brother (ft. O-Dash) - One Eleven
Durham, NC's own Little Brother released a free mixtape, And Justus For All. Take a look, and you can download the whole thing yourself: ( http://www.google.com/search?q=little+brother+and+justus+for+all&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a).
6) Jay-Z - Song Cry (Dilla Remix)
Some guy named DJ Soul is putting together an "Assorted Donuts" mixtape, blending vocals from other rappers over Jay Dee beats. This one couldn't work much better...I'm definitely interested to hear how the rest of the project works.
7) Nas (ft. Nas f/MC Shan, Raheem, Doctor Ice, Kangol, Kool Moe Dee, Sha Rock, Tito, Grandmaster Caz, Lique, Dana Dane, Pebblee Poo & Just Ice) - Where Are They Now? (80s Remix)
February is Black History Month, after all. If you do some searching, you'll also be able to find a 90s Remix, and a West Coast Remix. Both are worth checking out.
8) Smif-N-Wessun - Wreckonize Remix
Speaking of "where are they now?", whatever happened to Smif-N-Wessun? These guys were the Clipse before the Clipse were the Clipse. This is an old remix from the mid 90s.
9) Sean Price (ft. Steele from Smif-N-Wessun) - Oops Upside Your Head
I joked to my girlfriend that February 07 would consist only of Sean Price and Arcade Fire songs. Sean Price dropped "Jesus Price Superstar" this month, and it only further cements that Sean P is the most underrated rapper in the game. This dude should be huge.
10) Sean Price - Stop
I had to include two of his tracks since this was the one new album that I listened to the most in February. Use your head for more than a hat rack.
11) UGK (ft. Three Six Mafia) - Player's Anthem
Hard lyrics over smooth, soul samples is a formula that almost always works for me. I think 07 will see the Houston step back on the scene. UGK's album Underground Kingz
12) Slim Thug (ft. C. Ward & PJ Sir Daily) - Recognize a Playa
Another reason Houston is about to be back on top is Slim Thug. February saw the release of his weed carrier showcase album Boss Hogg Outlawz - "Serve & Collect". It's surprisingly good. Thugger is dropping a solo album this fall.
13) Lil' Wayne - Got a Temper (Remix)
In honor of the Police reunion.
14) Kid Sister - Damn Girl (Curtis Vodka Remix)
You might remember Curtis Vodka from his cover of "Thriller" in last month's installment. Something about his production just does it for me. If he rocked your party, it would indeed be a sweaty mess.
15) Curtis Vodka - Mary Jane
Not bad for some kid in a trailer park in Anchorage, Alaska.
16) Black Lips - Everybody's Doing It
I imagine a Black Lips party would be a sweaty mess, too. I guess that's why they thought it would be appropriate to release a live album from a show in Tijuana. Sloppy but fun.
17) Annuals - Ease My Mind
Raleigh's own Annuals are a band getting a lot of hype. This is from their UK-only EP "Big Zeus".
18) Arcade Fire - Intervention
I actually need to give "Neon Bible" some more listens. I think it needs to grow on me some...but this song is pretty nails.
19) TV on the Radio - Young Liars (Live)
AOL apparently has this thing called The Interface ( http://spinner.aol.com/artists/the-interface/archive), where they invite bands on to give an acoustic (or at least stripped down) performance, followed by an interview. You can download each show as one big MP3. I downloaded an MP3 splitter to get the TVOTR show into nice separate tracks.
20) TV on the Radio - Province (Live)
Another one from their Interface session. Given how dense their songs normally are, it's cool to hear these stripped-down versions.
21) Jay Dee - This is Dilla's World
JD + JB

DOWNLOAD LINK COMING SOON

January 2007 Mix

2008-01-17T15:47:00.000-05:00

1) James Brown - I Got Money
2) The Pets - I Say Yeah!
3) Amy Winehouse - Me & Mr. Jones
4) John Legend - Heaven Only Knows (Remix ft. Pusha T)
5) Masta Killa - Pass the Bone (Remix)
6) Hell Razah - Project Jazz (ft. Talib Kweli & MF Doom)
7) Talib Kweli - Funny Money (prod. Madlib)
8) Common - Play Your Cards Right (ft. Bilal)
9) Pharaohe Monch - Pain
10) Snoop Dogg - Think About It
11) Elvis Presley - Crying in the Chapel (ft. the Wailers)
12) Stephen Marley - Traffic Jam (ft. Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley)
13) Nas - Still Dreaming (ft. Kanye West & Chrisette Michele)
14) Kanye West - Throw Some D's (Remix)
15) Dice Raw - Maniacs (ft. P.O.R.N. & Truck North)
16) Curtis Vodka - Thriller
17) DJ Mehdi - I Am Somebody (Montreal Version ft. Chromeo)
18) Menomena - Muscle & Flo
19) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Yankee Go Home
20) Schooner - Nothing's Changed
21) Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks

Link coming soon

Welcome to Hydrant Sippin'

2008-01-17T14:49:00.000-05:00

Are you overwhelmed with the massive volume of new music that you're exposed to? Are you constantly forgetting about quality songs because you're too busy listening to some new group that got a 6.0 rating on Pitchfork and a mention on Brooklyn Vegan? Do you ever feel like being a music consumer these days is like drinking out of a fire hose?

One night in February 07, I was bored, so I decided to put together a mix of the best songs that reached my iPod in the month of January 07. I had found that I was putting a ton of new music on my iPod each month, and some quality songs were ~~getting lost in the shuffle (ha!)~~ not getting the shine they deserved. I went ahead and did this every month going forward, sending an email out to my friends each time the new monthly "mix" had been completed (and by "mix" I mean a random collection of songs...I'm no DJ). At least a couple of my friends told me they really liked it and that I should start a blog.

So here we are.

Going forward, I'll be posting a new "mix" each month, just trying to pick out the best 80 minutes of music hitting my iPod that month. Hopefully you'll find something you like.

Of course, if there's something you want to let me know about, hit up the comments, or shoot me an email.

How to Download Music from Hydrant Sippin'

2007-03-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

At Hydrant Sippin' you have the option of downloading the entire 80-minute monthly mix, or download individual tracks:

If you want to download the entire mix, the link is at the top of the post where it says "DOWNLOAD THE [WHATEVER MONTH] MIX HERE" in bright red.

If you want to download individual tracks, you need to click on the DivShare logo for the song you're listening to. That should then bring you to a DivShare page for that song. On the right hand side of the page, there's a thing that says "download original." Click it, and you should be good. Note that sometimes (for whatever reason) you have to click the "download original" thing twice.