No Age, "Turned To String"
Long running punk duo No Age fill out their sound by using the occasional sample, which helps keep things a little fresher than the formula might otherwise result in. At this point, six albums in, they're really getting by on the strength of their strongwriting, but that songwriting is keeping up. This is from their 2020 album Goons Be Gone.
The Toasters, "Thrill Me Up"
The Toasters were one of the key bands of the third wave, as they not only got things rolling very early and blazed a trail for other bands in New York City to follow, but they ran the most important label of the third wave, Moon Ska. Early on, the Toasters didn't have as much punk in their sound, as this track from 1988 demonstrates.
Pavement, "Major Leagues"
When Terror Twilight came out, it seemed like a let down to me. Enjoyable, sure, but a big step down from the previous album as well as their Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain salad days. The years have softened my stance on the record, and I find I enjoy it comparatively more. It hasn't changed rankings with any of the other albums (it's only better than Wowee Zowee), but it's a record I do still put on plenty often.
Ice Cube, "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha"
If you didn't know the producer of this song, and was forced to guess just based on your knowledge of early 90s hip hop, you'd probably get it within a couple of guesses. It's indeed DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, using what sounds like a song that was inadvertently left off of Black Sunday. That's not a problem, mind you, it's just entertaining to hear that little guitar wail used again here.
Ice Cube, "Hello"
Hey, that's a first, I think! Anyway, this is the opening track of War and Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc), notable because it reunited Cube with Dr. Dre and MC Ren. Alas, the runion only lasted for this one track, and the rest of the album just kind of sounds tired.