James Brown, "The Payback"
Sometimes on this blog, I talk about things that are cool. It's hard to put your finger on what cool is. It's the kind of thing that you can't really define, but can only find the outlines of by looking at examples. Look at enough cool things, and you will finally get a sense of what's cool. It also helps to have something to center things, a north star of cool to find your bearings.
Ladies and gentlemen, "The Payback".
Squarepusher, "Circular Flexing"
Squarepusher transitioned from the frantic drum 'n' bass of his previous albums into the jazzy part of his career with Music Is Rotted One Note. Far more of a fusion record than anything else, this is the album that proved that Squarepusher could make great music, regardless of the genre he tackled.
Murs, "Okey Dog"
We had Slick Rick yesterday, and Murs is a great example of someone who really followed in his footsteps. Murs writes stories in the same way that Slick Rick did, complete with the same types of street characters. This song is a good example of the style.
Ugly Casanova, "Hotcha Girls"
Ugly Casanova is a side project of Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), which you probably figured out just by listening to it. The single album by the band was inspired by the journal of a fan who broke into the back stage during a Modest Mouse show. It was made during the Moon and Antarctica phase of the band's career, and it shows in the style of the album, although it's clearly not as good.
Hepcat, "The Secret"
From Out of Nowhere, another strong Hepcat album, one where they're showing off their traditional ska chops.