Sure, I’ve featured a picture of the Love Language above since it was the only show I went to this month.  But the enduring image of July 2010 will undoubtedly be this picture of world-class asshole Nigel de Jong planting his cleat into Xabi Alonso’s chest. Props to Spain for denying a victory to the most loathesome, dirty and unlikeable national soccer team not named Mexico or Italy.

Also, props to these artists for putting out incredible albums this month:

• Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot…The Son of Chico Dusty: Normally, when an album is continually pushed back by the label, it’s a sign that the album is going to suck.  I’m now having to rethink that assumption (see also: OB4CL2).  Because this right here might just be my favorite album of the year.
• Wavves – King of the Beach: Another contender for my favorite album of the year.  Incredibly surprising since I hated their first album.  But it’s amazing what happens when you turn down the fuzz and alow people to actually listen to your music.  And adding Jay Reatard’s old backing band apparently helps, too.  All respect to the departed Mr. Reatard, but apparently his ex-bandmates are more than “boring rich kids who can’t play for ahit.”
• The Love Language – Libraries: These guys are kings of the Triangle music scene right now.  Cover of the Indy.  Incredible, sold-out album release show at Cat’s Cradle.  All deserved.
• Ty Segall – Melted: Winner of the award for Creepiest Album Cover of the Year.

On to this month’s mix.  As always, let me know if there’s something you think I missed.

1) The Thermals – I Don’t Believe You
New Thermals! I love these dudes (and dudette), even if this song doesn’t sound too different from anything on their last two albums (save for not being about theocracies or death). Hell, if it ain’t broke…

2) Ty Segall – Girlfriend
Luckily the songs aren’t as creepy as the album cover. Exuberent garage rock songs about your girlfriend are the anti-creepy.

3) Wavves – Post Acid
Exuberent garage rock songs about depression are also awesome, apparently. Also, pretty much impossible not to pump your fist or air-drum when they do that thing on the chorus (see the 0:34 mark). Well done, rhythm section.

4) Beta Hector (ft. Dionne Charles) – Payback
I wasn’t a fan of funk-revivalists Baby Charles, but this offshoot project has a much creepier, experimental vibe that I enjoy quite a bit! Props to Steady Bloggin.

5) Cee Lo Green – I Like It
Musical Prozac. Cee Lo over a reworking of Prince Paul’s “More Than You Know” beat is guaranteed smiles. Cee Lo’s Stray Bullets mixtape is well worth checking out if you’re a Cee Lo/Gnarls Barkley fan.

6) Recess (ft. Donwill) – Dance Pants
Another incredibly fun song. Coincidentally, I could see Cee Lo going nuts over this beat. Idea for Stray Bullets II?

7) Big Boi (ft. Sleepy Brown & Andre 3000) – Lookin’ 4 Ya
Should have been on the album. As a wise man once said, “I’m sorry to the fans but them crackers won’t play em fair Jive.” Seriously, those guys are some grade-A assholes.

8) Gucci Mane – Makin’ Love to the Money
“I’m talkin’ Kim K…I’m talkin’ RAY J!” – your earworm of the month!

9) Rick Ross (ft. Kanye West) – Live Fast, Die Young
Proof that Rawse is absolutely not the answer to this question.

10) Chuck Carbo & the Soul Finders – Can I Be Your Main Squeeze?
Can you name the previous monthly mix song that sampled this song?

11) The Budos Band – Unbroken, Unshaven
These guys never disappoint. Budos Band III can’t get here soon enough.

12) ST 2 Lettaz – Heart N Soul
One half of G-Side asks that you “pass the L’s in a circle like the symbol on your Lexuses.”

13) KD – Summa
From Huntsville to Birmingham.

14) Big Boi (ft. Yelawolf) – You Ain’t No DJ
Man, I probably could have just thrown a dart and picked any song off this album that I hadn’t posted before. But this song just stood out a little bit more for me. Yeah, there’s a Yelawolf appearance, and I’m obviously a big fan. But I also love how quickly the taunt of “your DJ ain’t no DJ” seems to have entered the hip-hop vernacular.

15) Killer Mike – Big Body Hijack
Killer Mike goes in on one of this year’s biggest beats, Lloyd Banks’ “Beamer Benz or Bentley.” That’s enough to sell me on it. Add on the “call the amber lamps” line, and you’ve got one of my favorite songs of the month.

16) Gyptian – Hold Yuh (Major Lazer Remix)
Cheesy as hell, but I still like it.

17) Chromeo – Don’t Turn the Lights On
Business Casual coming September 14th.

18) Jamie Lidell – I Wanna Be Your Telephone
Reminds me of a 2010 version of Laid Back’s “White Horse” — one of the best songs of the 80s.

19) The Love Language – Heart to Tell
Hey, 0:33 to 0:39 section of this song…that was fun!

20) The Roots (ft. John Legend) – Doin’ It Again
It’s been getting good reviews, but I find the latest Roots album a little boring. Seems like with Game Theory, Rising Down, and now How I Got Over, that they’ve settled into the same sort of formula. At this point, I’d rather listen to the Money Making Jam Boys rap about how good they are at rapping (they’re quite good), instead of listening to Black Thought and friends rapping about how fucked up the world is and how we’ll eventually overcome, etc etc. All that said, this little bit of inspirational rap admittedly gives me goose bumps.

21) Jamie Lidell – Completely Exposed
Some white dude from Englad just made the best R&B song of the year…at least until Bilal’s new album drops on 9/14 (same date as new Chromeo, btw).

22) The Love Language – This Blood Is Our Own
Does Stuart McLamb enter the conversation of “best voices in indie rock”? Definitely one of several goosebump moments from their show was the performance of this song.

23) Wavves – Green Eyes
Let’s end it with my July 2010 theme music.

Phoenix

Good riddance to June 2010.  It’s never good when my busiest month work-wise coincides with Raleigh’s hottest ever June.  How did I survive?  Staying inside and watching 5,040-plus minutes of soccer, of course!  It was delightful!  Oh, I also had boatloads of good music to help keep me sane:

• Sleigh Bells – Treats: I liked my description of their song “Tell ‘Em” where I described it as “getting punched in the face while someone else tickles your balls.”  Pretty much goes for the entire album.  Can’t wait to check them out on Tuesday at Cat’s Cradle.
• The Black Keys – Brothers: There’s something almost too slick with the Black Keys’ post-working-with-Danger-Mouse sound.  Of course, there was something getting almost too boring with their pre-working-with-Danger-Mouse sound.
• Male Bonding – Nothing Hurts: Nothing at all too slick about these guys.  Pitchfork describes them as “fast, noisy, and full of hooks.”  Yes, yes and yes.
• PRGz – Hood Headlinaz Vol. 2/Rocket Fuel EP: Dawgy Baggz, Mata, Jhi-Ali and Gunt have done it again.  Good driving around music.
• Oddisee – Odd Spring EP: Another free EP of incredible music from hip-hop’s most underrated producer.
• Tame Impala – Innerspeaker: The pleasant surprise of the month.  Who knew I’d love an album from a bunch of Australian hippies?
• Wolf Parade – Expo 86: When I don’t like Wolf Parade, it’s because there are cheesy 80′s synths and/or Spencer Krug is trying to cram in way too many words where they don’t belong…neither of which take place on this album, thankfully.
• Roc Marciano – Marcberg: I was hesitant at first, because kids on okayplayer were sweating the hell out of this album.  But Marcberg is officially the Operation Doomsday of NY street rap.

With all those good albums, picking the best 80-minutes worth was no easy feat.  I hope you didn’t come here for soul music, because you aren’t getting any this month.  But you are going to get a mini dance party.

1) Oddissee (ft. Kingpin Slim) – Anticipation
Man, I could give a shit about Steven Strasburg…Oddisee and Kingpin Slim are the best thing to happen to DC this year.

2) Big K.R.I.T. – Country Shit
Big K.R.I.T. just made the best UGK song since “International Players Anthem.” Dude has potential.

3) Blackowned C-Bone – (ft. Big Boi) – Tell C-Bone
The type of song with poor rapping but a killer beat that makes me seriously consider investing in real speakers for my Civic.

4) Mumdance – Kerplunk! Pt. 1
What do you even call this music? Whatever it is, I want more of it.

5) Angélique Kidjo – Move On Up (Radioclit Vocal Remix)
At this point in the mix, your shirt is off, and there might be glow sticks involved. Sorry.

6) A-Trak (ft. Roscoe Dash & Soulja Boy) – Trizzy Turnt Up
Earworm of the month. I guarantee you’ll find yourself sining “aaaaaaall the waaaaaay turrrrnt up” in your head for days to come. Also, if 25-year old me knew that 32-year old me would like a song from some jackass named Soulja Boy…

7) Birdman – Money to Blow (ft. Drake & Lil’ Wayne) (U-Tern Style Class Flair Blend)
Props to DJ Emynd who had the great idea of matching up Birdman’s “Money to Blow” with U-Tern’s “Style Class Flair” — a song that just missed out on making the May mix.

8) Sleigh Bells – Riot Rhythm
This is the type of shit Rick Rubin would be churning out if he weren’t walking around shoeless concentrating on cultivating his beard farm. I love those chopped up vocals that come in at the 0:48 mark.

9) PRGz – Anutha Night
Ladies and gentlemen, I present your summer 2010 hip-hop anthem.

10) Male Bonding – All Things This Way
Remember when they thought the year 2000 would bring us delicious meals in pill form? Well, never happened in food, but Male Bonding have made it happen in music. Somehow they cram a full song’s worth of goodness into just 1:30.

11) Wolf Parade – In the Direction of the Moon
On the other hand, sometimes it’s nice to let a song stretch out a bit. Build up the tension. Then triumph.

12) Tame Impala – Solitude is Bliss
I love the chorus of “you will never come close to how I feeeeeel.” That chorus was ringing in my head after this happened.

13) The Dove Shack – Summertime in the LBC
I’ve vowed to do this song in holler form at the 43rd Annual Hollerin’ Contest next year.

14) Major Lazer & La Roux – Colourless Artibella
Icy synth-pop plus roots reggae. Only a dude like Diplo could pull that off.

15) Jigsy King – Keep the Vibes Pumpin’
Keeping up with the trend of me enjoying dancehall songs that are several years old. Hey, it’s new to me!

16) Oddissee – The Riches Instrumental
Dear rappers: If Just Blaze isn’t returning your calls anymore since he’s too busy working on Jay Electronica’s album that will never come out (Saigon, pt.2?), you might consider giving Mr. Oddissee a call.

17) Raekwon – Shake
This song is one Ghostface verse away from being classic.

18) Young Jeezy (ft. the Clipse) – I’LL’IN
You think Jeezy listened to Soundboming II back in the day? Clearly the highlight of Trap or Die 2.

19) Jay West – Summer Nights
Can someone name me that sample? I’m nearly positive it’s a Curtis Mayfield song, but I’m too lazy to try and figure it out for myself right now.

20) The Black Keys – Ten Cent Pistol
Just realized that — despite my talk about the Black Keys’ new sound — I picked out the one song that (other than for a subtle organ) could have easily fit on any of their fist three albums.

21) Roc Marciano – Hide My Tears
Shit.  Alchemist already flipped this sample. Oh well, I’m putting this one on the mix anyways [update: in an interview over at Unkut, Roc explains, "It’s crazy, we both rocked the same sample for our albums too – the ‘Hide My Tears’ shit. Al my dude and shit, but I put it out first though – y’all can go look and document it! I leaked mine out first! [laughs]“].

The Love Language

Jay-Z – “Dear Summer“

The Dap Kings

Sorry I’m a few days late with this.  May and June are crazy months for me on the actual job front.  Shit gets hectic and stressful, but here’s the new stuff that kept me sane amidst the madness:

• Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record: Did I mention that BSS will be playing the Hopscotch Festival the weekend of September 12th?  Because they are, and it will be great.
• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – I Learned the Hard Way: C’mon, you knew this would be nails.  Also, I feel sorry for your life if you missed her show at Cat’s Cradle.
• Starlito – Renaissance Gangster: Internet hype for Starlito has been on a low boil the past 6 months or so.  I downloaded a few tracks and was not impressed.  Then, I heard him over some DJ Burn One beats.  Burn One’s slow funk is the perfect backdrop to Starlito’s stoned-as-shit flow.  It works.
• Andre Cymone – Livin’ in the New Wave:  I know the Okayplaer message boards have a reputation for attracting a particularly annoying strand of music nerd.  But sometimes a dude like SpitWizard will put you on to some old Rick James/Prince sounding stuff from a mostly forgotten early-80s artist.  Then it’s all worth it.

Honorable mention goes to:

• Disappears – Lux and Sonny and the Sunsets – Tomorrow is Alright.  I liked both of these albums fairly well, I just don’t see myself returning to them very often.  But if you like the Ponys, you’ll like Disappears.  And if you like Girls, then you’ll probably like Sonny and the Sunsets.

All righty then.  Let’s get to the mix:

1) Andre Cymone – Livin’ in the New Wave
If I told you that Prince’s original bassist released a solo album in 1982, this is pretty much what you’d expect it to sound like.

2) Ethel Beatty – I Know You Care (U-Tern Edit)
Everything U-Tern touches is pure disco gold.

3) Cousin Fik – Don’t Talk About Me
The best track of Fik’s fun, but uneven (but free!) No Gravity album.

4) Big Boi – Shutterbug
Sadly, not about these guys:

5) Broken Social Scene – Forced to Love
A nice song, even if the title is a little rape-y.

6) Thee Oh Sees – I Was Denied
More fun garage rock from the ridiculously prolific SF group.

7) Disappears – Pearly Gates
Thank you to Local 506 for giving me free tickets to the Disappears show on 6/15!

8) Guilty Simpson – Coroner’s Music
I’m virulently anti-skit, so I wasn’t big on OJ Simpson. But Madlib still laced him with some ridiculousness, proving here that Guilty sounds dope over haunted house theme music.

9) Big Twinz (ft. Sean Price) – That’s What We Want
I love Big Twinz’ voice. Dude makes Nine sound like the lead singer for Fine Young Cannibals.

10) H.A.M. – So Packed
Your theme music for the next time you’re in Houston getting high and driving around in your ‘Lac. (courtesy of BLVD ST)

11) Starlito – Alright
Speaking of getting high, Starlito couldn’t sound much more baked here and this beat couldn’t be any more laid back. But hey, not every rap song has to be a banger.

12) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – She Ain’t a Child No More
Thankfully, not a song about getting your period.

13) The Week Sisters – What Will It Be Like
A friend of mine once asked: if you could only listen to country music or gospel music for the rest of your life, which would you choose? (courtesy of Soul Sides)

14) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – Mama Don’t Like My Man
As tight as the Dap Kings are, my personal highlight was when Sharon and her backup singers sang this one with minimal accompaniment.

15) Panacea (ft. Green) – Revolution World Crazy
Sadly, not a song about the soccer team in Foxboro. (courtesy of Okayplayer)

16) A Tribe Called Quest (ft. Jay Dee) – That Shit
One of the all-time great unrleased(?) ATCQ tracks. I had a shitty radio rip that didn’t include Phife’s verse. Ecstatic to have the whole thing in CDQ!

17) Mos Def – History Town
Off of Max Tannone’s remix/mash-up album, Mos Dub. Doesn’t always work, but I like how he chopped up Desmond Dekker’s classic “Shanty Town,” a song I first heard as the sample source for Special Ed’s “I’m the Magnificent”

18) Mr. Vegas – Must Come a Road
This one might be 2 years old, but it’s an early contender for my summer jam.

19) Cecile – Hot Like We (South Rakkas Crew Remix)
Everyone who loved Major Lazer needs to embrace South Rakkas.  This is evidently 2 years old, too.  Not sure why or how I downloaded so much 2008 dancehall this month.

20) Sleigh Bells – Tell ‘Em
Holy shit. This sounds like getting punched in the face while someone else tickles your balls.  Have yet to listen to the album…but from what I’ve read, there will likely be some more Sleigh Bells next month.

21) Broken Social Scene – Ungrateful Little Father
[Butthead]Huh huh, swearing is cool[/Butthead]

SJDK

]]> http://hydrantsippin.com/2010/06/04/may-2010-mix/feed/ 2 nordy IMG_0706 IMG_0710 http://hydrantsippin.com/2010/06/02/hold-yer-horses/ http://hydrantsippin.com/2010/06/02/hold-yer-horses/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:51:28 +0000 nordy http://hydrantsippin.com/?p=231 ]]> Instead of blogging and listening to music on my computer, I decided to spend Memorial Day Weekend relaxing at a lake house. Boat rides > blogging.

While you’re waiting for me to post up the May 2010 Mix, you need to go ahead and get tickets to the Hopscotch Music Festival. Broken Social Scene (the top of my list for bands I love but have never seen live), Public Enemy (trust, they still bring it live), Harlem, No Age, Atlas Sound, NOMO (incredible!), Raekwon, The Golden Boys, Spider Bags, The Love Language, The War on Drugs, Whatever Brains, and pretty much every other band from the Triangle who’s worth a damn (we’ve got a bunch).

So get on it!

Thanks,
Nordy

I never thought it would happen to me, but I guess everyone gets there sometime.  At some point, we eventually just stop liking new music and only want to listen to old stuff.  At the age of 32 years and 22 days, yours truly evidently lost the ability to enjoy new music.  Either that, or there just wasn’t any good new music that came out last month.

What does it all mean?

It means I should just change my blog name to The Soul Sides Re-Post Blog.  Because for April 2010, basically the only stuff I liked came from Oliver Wang’s incredibly awesome blog.  6 of the songs in this month’s mix are songs I got from his blog.  And, while I didn’t get the two Erykah Badu joints from his blog, they happened to be the two Erykah Badu songs he posted earlier this month.  It all makes me feel like a bit of a fraud and a chump.  Hopefully O-Dub doesn’t mind my re-posts…it’s all out of love.

Anyways, I didn’t hate everything new I heard this month.  There was one new album I enjoyed:

• Titus Andronicus – The Monitor: The punk version of Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.  Incredibly ambitious and emotional.  An album I enjoy, but something I need to be in the right mood to listen to.  Of course, when you are in the mood, it’s quite the ride.
• [one month later edit] Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two: OK, this one took a bit of time to grow on me.  It obviously didn’t immediately grab me like Part 1, but is still an excellent album. [/one month later edit]

Some other notable releases didn’t make the cut.  Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah Part Two and the new Gorillaz album is are both too uneven.  Broken Bells makes for some nice, pleasant background music, but little on the album stands out to me.

Of course, I still love myself some live music. I caught White Rabbits (pictured above), the Thermals, Monotonix, the Love Language, Harlem, Whatever Brains, and Clipse. Sheeeeeeiiiiiittttt.

All that said, here are the tracks that stood out this month.

1) Titus Andronicus – A More Perfect Union
Patrick Stickles is about 35 years away from riding around on a bus with a fanny pack and a t-shirt that says “I Am a Motherfucker.” Dude’s beard is already epic.

2) Ancient Crux – Wing Walker
As much as I loved seeing a band like White Rabbits who can actually sing and play their instruments well (my favorite show of the year so far), there’s something about the energy of a good garage rock band that pulls me in again and again.

3) The Strange Boys – Between Us
For better or for worse, Austin garage rockers the Strange Boys slowed it down for Be Brave. It works here though.

4) ? & the Mysterians – 96 Tears
Heard this one playing before King Kahn took the stage. Downloaded when I got home (after googling for a while because I couldn’t think of the name of the song for the life of me).

5) Carrie Cleveland – Make Love to Me
And so begins the Soul Sides love-fest. I’ve been going through all my music to figure out the perfect first dance song. “Make Love to Me” however might be a little bit too direct though!

6) The Semi Colon – Nekwaha Semi Colon
Been a while since we’ve had some good West African funk on here.

7) Carlton & The Shoes – Love Me Forever
Another of the Soul Sides sure shots. How much weed do you have to smoke before thinking calling your band “the Shoes” is a good idea? I mean, it is a good idea, but still…

8) Bitty McLean – Tell Me (Remix)
My reggae knowledge doesn’t run that deep. Are there any other current reggae artists making that classic reggae like Bitty? Nice little dub remix courtesy of O-Dub.

9) Gorillaz – To Binge
The low points on the new Gorillaz (that ridiculously bad De La song about cereal) are really fucking low. But the high points are pretty sublime.

10) Erykah Badu - Fall in Love (Your Funeral)
The Coolest Human Alive [(c) Nordy, 2010] flips the same Eddie Kendricks sample used on Common Sense’s “A Penny for My Thoughts” and incorporates some Biggie lyrics. So maybe my extreme love of this song is somewhat driven by nostalgia, but that doesn’t make my love of this song any less real.

11) Mayer Hawthorne – Thin Moon
You know it was a thin month when I feature a cover version of a song that was on the January 2010 Mix. Normally, I like to give you guys some new stuff, but Mayer is just that dude.

12) The Dramatics – Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
Of course, this pimp shit comes from Mr. Wang. Am I the only one who gets hyped just hearing that “brrrrr chuh chuh”? Shit makes me want to jump up and tell Elvis that he was straight up racist, simple and plain.

13) Consequence – Sounds G.O.O.D. 2 Me
“I feel like Peyton when he’s rootin’ for Eli / I’m hopin’ Little Brother get back in the meantime.”

14) Paul Kelly – Only Your Love
It’s the love-song remix to “A Change is Gonna Come.” Soul Sides dug it up.

15) Lee Williams and the Cymbals – I Love You More
The final song of the “let’s re-post everything from Soul Sides” session.

16) Erykah Badu – Turn Me Away (Get Munny)
Another Badu song that delightfully exploits my nostalgia for mid-90s hip-hop.

17) Broken Bells – The Ghost Inside
While I found the Broken Bells album to be pleasantly enjoyable, I had a difficult time picking a song for the April Mix. Many of the songs sound a bit too same-y. A falsetto was enough to set this song apart.

18) Gorillaz – Broken
If you’ve got a broken gorilla, you need this.

19) New Edition – Once in a Lifetime Groove
A classic 80′s jam, courtesy of none other than U-Tern.  Sadly, it’s not a Talking Heads cover.

20) Redman – Mind on My Money
Redman’s Twitter is worth following just to catch his spasms of all-caps enthusiasm for life. It’s even more worth it when you learn he drops gems like this from time to time.

21) Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon – Gunshowers
Rae. How do you follow up OBFCLII with this Wu-Massacre abortion? It’s like the Wu-Tang version of that god-awful Re-Up Gang album. Of course, even with minimal effort, these three can occasionally fart out a decent song.

Another March.  Another year older.  Another late season flame-out for my Deacs.  North Carolina weather alternating daily from terrible to sublime.  Here’s what I was listening to:

• Pimp C - Live From the Harris County Jail: I’m ashamed.  How did I go so long without knowing that this mixtape existed?  The rare mixtape with zero weak tracks.
• The Morning Benders – Big Echo:  A big step forward from their “nice little indie-pop album” debut.  Big Echo is your new soundtrack to those evenings on the porch, drinking wine and smoking a bowl.
• The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack: These guys hit me in my sweet spot.  Straight-ahead rock rock.  Good energy, fun to sing along to.  Your new soundtrack to driving around on spring days with all your windows down.
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks:  Nothing new here, but a much more focused effort than 2007′s Living With the Living.
• Various Artists – Nordy’s February 2010 Mix:  Has been a near-permanent resident of my car’s CD player.  My monthly mixes are incredible!

Let me know if I missed anything:

1) Busy Signal – Da Style Deh
Too many dancehall songs jock the latest trends in American R&B. I don’t want synths and auto-tune. That’s why Busy Signal’s stripped-down approach stands out and works so well.

2) Maja7th (ft. Freddie Gibbs & Mikkey Halsted) – On My Own
Midwest gangsta music is now > west coast gangsta music.

3) Yelawolf (ft. Prynce Cy-Hi & Pill) – I Wish Remix
Yelawolf is now 3-for-3 in appearing on Monthly Mixes in 2010. What can I do though when he keeps pumping out quality shit like this. “Bitch you ain’t hip-hop!”

4) Oh No – Flight
Oh No chops up LA Carnival’s “Flyin’“. A nice reminder that Would Like to Pose a Question was a nice little album.

5) Byron Lee and the Dragonaires – Get Out My Life, Woman
I continue to be a sucker for reggae cover songs. This one, courtesy of Soul Sides.

6) The Golden Boys – Older Than You
Austin band (who will be playing at Raleigh’s Hopscotch Festival in September) with a song that sounds like something from Reigning Sound’s Love & Curses. I definitely mean that as a compliment.

7) Schooner – Feel Better
Schooner continues to pump out blissfully laid-back country-tinged indy-rock tunes. And Reid Johnson continues to have one of the best voices around.

8) The Morning Benders – Pleasure Sighs
I kept debating whether to put “Pleasure Sighs” or “Mason Jar” on this month’s mix. Both do this great thing where they build up to incredible payoffs around the 3-minute mark.

9) Freeway & Jake One (ft. Raekwon) – One Thing
The Stimulus Package should have been much better than it was. Unfortunately, not all of Jake One’s beats were up to the quality shown here.

10) Thee Tom Hardy (ft. Murs) – I’m the Ooh Child
Thee Tom Hardy just eclipsed Joe Scudda to take the title of best white rapper from Durham. #jumpingalowbar

11) Fat Joe (ft. Young Jeezy) – Slow Down
Fat Joe just smacked me upside the head with my new motherfucking jam! FAT JOE!!!?!?? Wonders never cease. Scoop DeVille is the man responsible for the beat…remember the name.

12) Japandroids – Art Czars
Sad I missed their show in Charlotte, but glad to be getting some new music from these guys.

13) The Soft Pack – Pull Out
An anthem for California secession…not an anthem for high-risk birth control.

14) Follow That Bird – The Ghosts That Wake You
Austin’s answer to Raleigh’s Dirty Little Heaters.

15) Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Woke Up Near Chelsea
The “we are booooorrrn” line from this song always makes me think of this song. God bless Chevy Chase.

16) The Morning Benders – All Day Daylight
When you can’t think of anything to say about a song, post a picture:

17) Miike Snow – Animal (Mark Ronson Remix)
Dubby goodness from the good dudes at Mixtape Riot. I don’t know the original, but this definitely works for me.

18) Pimp C – So Excited
My efforts to make this my first dance song for my wedding were shot down in about 0.02 seconds.

19) Killa Kyleon (ft. Z-Ro) – Swang Real Wide
A new Houston classic. This shit (and Houston hip-hop in general) sounds so great once the weather starts to get nice. (courtesy of MAYNHOLUP! at Cocaine Blunts).

20) C-Nitty (ft. Devin the Dude) – Benefit Plan
They aren’t talking 401k’s. Have they made CHOPS an honorary citizen of Houston yet? (courtesy of Steady Bloggin’).

21) Pimp C – Hustler
Possibly the greatest Pimp C track of all time. That Isaac Hayes sample is the perfect backdrop for Pimp C’s gems. Dude will forever be missed.

(Spider Bags, picture courtesy of Mann's World)

February saw the Super Bowl, Gil Scott-Heron, Spider Bags (above), two failed attempts to get my ass off the couch to check out Whatever Brains, lots of cold weather, and too much Winter Olympics.  It was also the month of some decent-but-not-great albums (Surfer Blood, Harlem, Demon’s Claws, Past Lives, the Mantles).

Albums I enjoyed (enough to recommend) this month:

• Spoon – Transference: Much more tense and unnerving than their past efforts. But they were due for a bit of a weird departure since they were in danger of having all their albums sound kind of same-ish.
• Strong Arm Steady – In Search of Stoney Jackson: Arguably the single most consistent collection of Madlib beats ever collected on one album. Sometimes Madlib is hit-or-miss, but here he’s nearly flawless front to back.

On to March.

1) Strong Arm Steady (ft. Mitchy Slick) – Two Pistols
Dedicated to my gangsters who do more than stand around an drink beer

2) Dice Raw – Lemonade
Dice Raw kills the Gucci Mane beat with his stutter flow.

3) Medina Green (ft. Mos Def) – Fa La Lashe
Classic Rawkus, courtesy of Noz. “If you ain’t got you better get”

4) Strong Arm Steady (ft. Roscoe & Guilty Simpson) – Needle in the Haystack
Guilty Simpson is a menacing beast: “Try to act, I swing the bat, Joe Clark a dude.”

5) Oddisee – Khartoum
Oddisee deserves a medal for unearthing this baseline.

6) Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band – Woman Pin Down
This month’s winner for best band name.

7) Surfer Blood – Take It Easy
I don’t know about Best New Music, but these dudes have promise.

8) Vampire Weekend – Cousins
I really don’t know about Best New Music for Contra, but this song is pretty undeniable.

9) Spoon – Written in Reverse
Even when he sounds like he’s losing it, Britt Daniel sounds about 30 times cooler than anyone you know.

10) Whatever Brains – Summer Jammin’
This song begs to be sung along to, swinging a beer in the air.

11) Harlem – Friendly Ghost

12) Demon’s Claws – Put On My Sunday Dress
“I smell like bourbon oozing from skin”…”when I go home I want to eat like a living dead” — pretty much sums up my Sunday.

13) Vivian Girls – I Have No Fun
For some reason, I believe her. She sounds miserable.

14) Whatever Brains – Mt. Whatever
Quickly becoming my favorite local band.

15) Curren$y – Scared of Monstas
Curren$y doesn’t do much for me, but this beat knocks.

16) South Rakkas Crew (ft. Capleton) – Bun Up 3000
Would love to hear this song played here
.
17) Sugar Tongue Slim – Love Lockdown
The highlight of the Roots show in December was undoubtedly when they brought out some unknown rapper named Sugar Tongue Slim who immediately won over the crowd with this song right here.

18) Saukrates – Wednesday
Hard to believe it’s been 11 years since Saukrates dropped the Underground Tapes. I’m glad he was able to take some time out of his schedule as Nelly Furtado’s backup singer to give us some new music.

19) Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime (ft. M.E.D. & Big Pooh) – Endure
Who knew that GAM had that G Funk in her?

20) Nipsey Hu$$le – Hussle in the House
Sure, the beat is pretty much biting the gimmick used on Snoop’s “I Wanna Rock”, but I’m not mad.

21) Yelawolf – Deer Mama
Making a song about your f*cked up moms is probably not the best way for a white rapper to avoid Eminem comparisons.

22) SwagZilla & Stackamil – Wut2dayiz?
Block Beataz came with some smooth pimp shit on this one. Would have made a great summer song.

23) Gucci Mane – Dangers Not a Stranger (Diplo Remix)
Remember last month when I complained about “progressive” remixes of Southern rap? Case in point, the largely disappointing and unnecessary Diplo Presents: Free Gucci (Best of The Cold War Mixtapes).

24) Donnie and Joe Emerson – Baby
Can you believe that a song this great appeared an an album with a cover that’s this bad?

Sounds like it could be a lost Jim James demo (courtesy of Soul Sides).

25) Past Lives – Hex Takes Hold
Looking forward to catching these guys open for the Thermals in April.

J Dilla – Trucks