Happy 4th of July! A non-trivial percentage of my readership is probably at my house eating BBQ today. If you're not here, next time, plan better! Your holiday playlist.
Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge, "An Unexpected Call (The Set-Up)"
Here's one of the reasons why Ghostface is tops among the Wu MCs - projects like Twelve Reasons to Die, where he collaborated with film composer Adrian Younge on a concept album inspired by a comic book (which was published by the RZA). And the execution of the album carries it all off brilliantly with one of the most cinematic sounding rap albums around. Just a fantastic album.
Zeke, "Tuned Out"
Zeke play music somewhere between aggressive garage rock and hardcore punk, all attitude, yelling, and aggression. And guitar solos. Always fun to listen to this kind of thing. I don't really know much about them, honestly. A song of theirs was linked in a blog a few years back, and I picked up some music. Now it's happened to you, I suppose.
Paris Combo, "Attraction"
Aaaaand, all the way at the absolute other end of music, we've got Paris Combo, returning for another tune of their lounge-y jazz act. Props to the inept clapping from the crowd!
Money Mark, "Dha Teen Ta"
Money Mark played keyboards for the Beastie Boys on Check Your Head and Ill Communication, providing some really important grooves on both of those records. He's put out several albums on his own, mostly instrumental stuff in a soul and jazz vein. This is from Push the Button, a solid record.
Dr. Octagon, "I Got To Tell You"
Dr. Octagon is Dan the Automator on production, DJ Q-Bert on turntables, and of course inner circle member of the Weirdo Hall of Fame Kool Keith on the mic. Keith's rhymes are as free-flowing and bizarre as always, and wind and twist their way through Automator's futuristic funk. This is an amazing album, probably the best work anybody involved has worked on. Too bad we only got an interstitial thing here.