You be the judge!

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Botanist advanced radically, censor, revision the with
Continental, electrical, in biggie route of spider web
Expenditure, the diagnostic connected, was title role herd
Dichotomy on hickory, tentative prenatal
Scam rhythm magnanimous, human, cohesion lip-synch but
Incisor in to stipulate fun individuality
Election, this petty cash was incentive, fanatic Thursday

Really though, put another album out already Mr. Def Jux!

Please?

By now I'm sure you've heard "Crazy," the first single from 'St. Elsewhere,' the debut release from Gnarls Barkley, the psycho-soul supergroup comprised of vocalist Cee Lo Green and producer DJ Danger Mouse. But if you haven't I'm more than happy to provide you with links to streaming audio of the track which has been burning up the airwaves overseas for months now. If you need some extra incentive to listen, lemme just say that "Crazy" is already shaping up to be one of the best songs of the year from what is sure to be one of the best albums of the year. This is gonna be one of the songs of the summer, so get used to it now.

Gnarls Barkley "Crazy"

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Gnarls Barkley will be making their live debut as part of the Coachella festival in Indio, California on April 30th. They've also got a bunch of live dates in England lined up. After that they'll next be seen stateside at Lollapalooza in Chicago, Illinois on August 5th.

The "Crazy" single hits stores April 10th, followed by the release of the full-length LP 'St. Elsewhere' May 9th, both via the Downtown/Atlantic label.

How often does a female artist come along who writes, arranges, produces, performs, records and releases her own original music all by herself? The answer of course, is not very often at all. Sure, you've got Ani Difranco and a couple other artists from the worlds of folk, indie-pop and punk. But it's a rare occurence. And it's even rarer in the realms of soul and hip-hop.

Recent Stones Throw singee, 22-year-old Georgia Anne Muldrow, is just such a one-woman-show though. Some may recognize her as the voice of recent underground soul hits from the likes of Platinum Pied Pipers and Sa-Ra Creative Partners or her production work on the recent Dwight Trible LP from the Ninja Tune label. But even as she's been making inroads through her callaborations with other artists the underground has been abuzz with talk of her own self-produced, self-recorded and self-released EP 'The Worthnothings.'

That EP caught the attentions of Peanut Butter Wolf, who signed Georgia ( the first, and so far only female vocalist signed to the label ) to a two-album deal on his Stones Throw label. The label is making her previously hard to obtain EP widely available come April 4th. But Georgia is already preparing her debut full-length LP 'Fragments Of An Earth' which should see release later this year. Stones Throw is already offering a preview of the LP by way of a short but sweetly uplifting hip-hop/soul track called "Leroy." Blending raw, hip-hop influenced future-soul ( it's also throwback-soul, so umm, yeah ) production, sweet soul vocals, emotionally affecting conscious songwriting and a little bit of rapping, this is the sort of record we've been hoping Vinia Mojica might release since, well, forever ago. Check it out for yourself.

Georgia Anne Muldrow "Leroy"

This has me pretty excited to hear the whole LP as soon as possible. So let's hope nothing holds up it's release and that it actually drops some time before the year's out. In the meantime, check for the official release of 'The Worthnothings' EP April 4th on the Stones Throw label.

A couple weeks back whoever runs the official MySpace page of the Brooklyn-based folktronica band Grizzly Bear ( whose 'Horn Of Plenty ( The Remixes )' has been a staple of the Urban Alternatives show since late 2005 ) posted a bulletin recommending friends and fans of his band check out another band. Whoever made the post qualified this recommendation by adding that they rarely give bands that happen to befriend them on MySpace any extra credit, and they certainly haven't ever recommended one to their entire buddy list. I felt that such a weighty recommendation deserved my attentions, so I clicked the link to this new band's page, and after listening to the first song on their profile for a few short seconds was immediately glad that I did.

That band, as it turns out, is in fact one man from Manchester, UK, known as Magic Arm and the song I heard was called "Move Out." And no, it's not a cover of the soulful synthpop classic of the same name by Yaz. What it is is a creeping lo-fi electronic dirge with a kitschy drum machine rhythm, weird percussive tic-tocs, eastern flavored melodies from various keyboard and synth-based instruments that would sound at home on any number of Timberland or Neptunes produced "club bangers" and a delightfully downplayed pop vocal. It's quaintly pretty with it's folk leanings and traditional pop sensibilites but oddly badass for it's dark melody and electro vibes. If you like Grizzly Bear or Imageyenation favorites Hot Chip you'll dig this. So dig it!

Magic Arm "Move Out"

For more information, and some other downloadable goodies check out the Magic Arm website ( link above ) or visit his MySpace page which, you will remember, is where this all started.

Maine-born but Oakland-based beatmaker Alias of the Anticon collective and New York-based Rona "Tarsier" Rapadas of indie cinematronic duo Healamonster & Tarsier have teamed up to form Alias & Tarsier.

Together they've recorded ( without ever meeting or even really knowing each other ) a full length album titled 'Brookland/Oaklyn' which the Anticon label plans to release on May 23rd.

But first, Anticon will be putting out the duo's debut single "Dr. C," which drops April 25th.

The song is a glitchy downtempo number with acoustic guitar ( courtesy of Anticon-ian Telephone Jim Jesus ), stuttery electro-infused hip-hop beats, and synths from Alias and a beautifully understated vocal from Tarsier. You can check it out, in MP3 form, at the following link.

Alias & Tarsier "Dr. C"

A titan in the world of late-80s and early-90s conscious hip-hop fell today when Lumumba "Professor X" Carson, the leader of groundbreaking afrocentric hip-hop act X-Clan and founder of the grassroots Blackwatch movement and arts collective passed away due to complications related to meningitis.

The son of radical Black Nationlist and Civil Rights activist Sonny Carson ( whose autobiography 'The Education Of Sonny Carson' was turned into a film during the blaxploitation era ), Lumumba brought afrocentricism, Black Nationalism and community-based activism to the hip-hop generation.

Swathed in afrocentric garb and leather fezzes, adorned with piles of beads, ankhs and peircings, outfitted with their ubiquitous "big black boots," carrying ornate walking sticks, spears and swords and spouting off a mixture of revolutionary politics, Black nationalist rhetoric and esoteric spiritual jargon, Carson's X-Clan, and the Blackwatch Movement which grew up around it, were the poster children for a uniquely modern militiant afrocentricity.

And though he wasn't the "star" rapper, Professor X was undoubtedly at the head of it all, leading the group with vocal ad-libs, poetic speeches and in-your-face catchphrases such as "vaaaainglorious," "the red-the-black-and-the-green," "with a KEY," "meet me at the crossroads" and the highly quotable taunt of "sisssiiiieeeeeee!" Even if Brother J. was the "grand verbalizer" and the lyrical force behind the group, there's no doubt that Professor X was the voice, face and heart of the X-Clan.

If you don't own either of X-Clan's classic LPs, 'To The East, Blackwards' or 'Xodus,' now would be a better time than any to check them out. This is music from a time when hip-hop actually had power to exert a real and profound change on it's listeners for the better. No lie, X-Clan and other groups like them from that time made me thirsty for knowledge and understanding. I read books and studied topics nobody I knew were even aware existed because I wanted to understand everything these guys were saying. And I believe it's made me a better person. Not only that, but I still wear black Timberlands almost every day because of these dudes ( nope, it's not because of the Boot Camp Click ). I'd like to hope that their music still has the power to effect new listeners like that. But even if it doesn't, you can't deny that it's fresh, it's funky, it's in your face, and the production prefigures so much of the cut and paste style of collage-based beatmaking that has become so prevalent over the years.

X-Clan "Fire & Earth ( Video Version )"

For a taste of the flavor check out this MP3 of "Fire & Earth," a track I first heard on a late-night hip-hop radio show way back in 1991 ( I think it was sandwiched between Kid Capri's "The Joke's On You Jack" and K.M.D.'s "Nitty Gritty" remix with Brand Nubian and Busta Rhymes ). After that I ran right out to The Music Center ( R.I.P. ) here in Springfield and copped the 12'' and it became sort of an anthem with me and my friends. The track happens to feature Professor X in a more active role, dropping two memorable verses in addition to his usual ad-libbing and sloganeering. And it's really crazy when you think about how they managed to dis 3rd Bass and KRS-One, talk shit about the framers of the Constitution, mention Jeffrey Dahmer and pack a bunch of venomous ( which is admittedly more venomous in non-edited form, but it's all I got right now ) racial commentary all on one catchy little song.

You might remember how we were wowed last Summer by a song called "Git" by a band named Skeletons & The Girl Faced Boys. You might have heard us play "Git" on the radio any number of times. You might have even taken our advice and downloaded the tune from the Ghostly Intenational website. If you were really adventerous you might have actually gone out and checked for their album, also titled 'Git,' at some point.

If you did any of those things I'm sure you wound up loving the Girl Faced Boys just as much as we did. Which means you're probably gonna be happy to hear that they're back with a brand new song, called "Fit Black Man," from Ghost International's new 2-disc ( or 3xLP ) avant-pop/electronica collection 'Idol Tryouts Two.' The song is a mean slab of 808-fueled electro-funk fury about how appearances can be decieving, even to the people making the appearance.

Skeletons & The Girl Faced Boys "Fit Black Man"

The multi-disc compilation album 'Idol Tryouts Two,' which features tracks by Skeletons & The Girl Faced Boys, Mobius Band, Solvent, Dabrye, Matthew Dear, Lusine and more drops next Tuesday, March 21st on CD and vinyl via the Ghostly International label.

After being held hostage for a week by the Firefox-unfriendly MySpace video service ( I mean, c'mon MySpace, IE-only content is so 1996 ) the new video for The Streets' new single "When You Wasn't Famous" is available in all your favorite streaming formats. You know we love The Streets here at Imageyenation, so there's not a whole lot I need to say about this clip. The song is super-catchy. Mike Skinner is a fuckin' pimp ( just peep his suits yo ). And may I just say, "peep [his] two brimmed hat, call [him] Sherlock Holmes!!!"

The Streets "When You Wasn't Famous ( Dirty )"

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In case you couldn't tell, the song is about Mike's erotic entanglement with a drug addicted pop star and the consequences one must endure for indulging in such debauchery. But just who is Mr. Skinner talking about? I remember tabloid stories about him losing all his dough gambling and other nonsense, but I don't remember hearing about him wooing any starlets or slutty singers. Do you know who he's talking about?

Whenever I see you on MTV / I can't stop my big wide smile / And past the children's appeal / I see the darkness behind / We both know the scratches on my back / Much better than their alludes and lies / I miss the bitchin' and shoutin' / But I'm glad I got out in time

If you have some idea as to who the mystery gal might be all you've got to do is grab a screen-cap from the "When You Wasn't Famous" video ( something from the above mentioned "two brim hat" scene might be nice ), or just go find any old picture of Mike Skinner on the interweb via a simple image search, and work your Photoshop magic on it in an effort to display who you think his illicit liason was with. It can be another celebrity, a cartoon character, a Muppet, a member of the Imageyenation.com staff, some random internet personality, the President, or... pretty much whoever the fuck you want! Then submit your fancy altered photo to us ( at the following address ) for our "When You Wasn't Famous Photoshop Challenge!"

Send submissions to:

keter@imageyenation.com

The freshest entry ( as judged by the Imageyenation posse ) wins a "right fit" The Streets-related prize. We'll take entries right up until the April 24th release date of The Streets' new album.

I figure that since our own Emeyesi ( whose given name also happens to be Mike ) is a Streets groupie of such enormous proportions, and he also happens to be our reigning Photoshopping champ, that this was a perfect match. Hopefully he'll come up with a Photoshop extravaganza on this topic on his own, but lucky for you he can't actually enter the "challenge." So get some entries in!

The Streets' third full-length LP 'The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living' hits stores April 24th on the Vice Recordings label.

Okay, so I've been posting band features left and right recently but I haven't been featuring a whole lot in the way of hip-hop. And that's a trend which really isn't going to change with this post despite the fact that the two artists involved with the project in question are respected hip-hop artists. Ya see, those two artists, former Goodie Mob member Cee Lo Green and noted beatmaker DJ Danger Mouse, as Gnarls Barkley bring their considerable hip-hop-honed talents together to create a pretty unique brand of beat-driven, danceable alternative pop-rock. Sure, there are hard drums, breaks, programming, samples and electronic elements, but the songwriting is pure pop, the heavily emotional subject matter is of a kind that wouldn't feel out of place on any number of emo-alternative records and the vocals are pure melodious singing, not rapping.

Tonally all the tracks I've heard from the group's forthcoming LP 'St. Elsewhere' have been pretty dark, with emotional and psychological issues being the driving force behind most of the songwriting. It's actually sort of disturbing, with repeted allusions to being crazy, lonely, sad and suicidal, with a hopefully metaphorical shout out to necrophilia for good measure. If nothing else the songs are powerful for their subject matter, if not for the strength of Cee Lo's vocals or the raw, head-nod-inducing power of Danger Mouse's beats.

By now I'm sure most of you have heard "Crazy," the album's lead single ( set for release March 21st with "Go Go Gadget Gospel" on the b-side ) which in my estimation is already in the running for a "best song of the year" award and could in fact win Danger Mouse that accolade for the second year in a row. That being the case, I thought I'd give you a taste of "Just A Thought" ( which happens to be my favorite out of the batch of album cuts I've heard... I can't stop singing it to myself ) a joint that delves into the darker side of the single's titular insanity that finds Cee Lo lamenting that he's "tried, everything but suicide" over a rollicking Danger Mouse beat.

Gnarls Barkley "Just A Thought"

The song just may be as hard to shake out of your head as those suicidal thoughts Cee Lo's singing about.

Look for the full-length debut from Gnarls Barkley, entitled 'St. Elsewhere,' to be released May 2nd on Downtown Recordings.

Just came across this cool little graffiti-themed animation meets live action video for Mark Ronson and Alex Greenwald's cover of Radiohead's "Just." Rich kid turned superstar DJ/producer Ronson and Phantom Planet ( best known for "California," the theme song to Fox's 'O.C.' ) singer Greenwald are assisted on the track by the red-hot Daptones horn section ( of Sharon Jones and the Daptones and Daptone records fame ) who add that classic soul touch to the track's rollicking, break-fueled funk groove. The video is really fun, with animated "Radio Heads" leading suddenly "living" graffitti pieces on a sneak attack against the "real world." There's a couple of really beautiful moments ( peep the horn solo ) in the video too. Check it out for yourself ( some users may need to copy and paste the Windows Media links into their media player ).

Mark Ronson feat. Alex Greenwald "Just"

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The track is from the forthcoming Radiohead tribute album 'Exit Music: Songs for Radio Heads' which features contributions from RJD2, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, The Randy Watson Experience ( ?uestlove & James Poyser ), Bilal, Osunlade and Matthew Herbert. The album, and a series of vinyl EPs, should see release via the BBE/Rapster label on April 18th.

Okay, so I'm not wicked jazzed about this new Amel Larrieux track "Weary," the first single from her forthcoming album 'Morning,' her third solo outing since leaving Groove Theory and second released on her own Bliss Life label. So I guess I'm posting the link to this MP3 mostly because I adore Amel, I love her voice, I think she's one of the most beautiful creatures to ever have walked the face of the Earth and I'll use whatever excuse I have to to post a picture of her sexy ass ( which you can see at left ) on this blog.

For real though, depsite my initial apprehensions about the song's production ( there's just something generically neo-soul about that g-funk piano line ) "Weary" has started growing on me after repeated listenings. For one, I can really feel the sentiment she's expressing, which has been the case with alot of her songs over the years, so that's a plus. I mean sure, we're not all weary women ( at least those of us who happen to be men aren't ), but who doesn't want companionship, love and support from another human being? It's universal, and that gives it enough charm to get a pass on the Dr. Dre-lite bass & piano groove and canned scratching. Give the link a click for yourself though and see what you think.

Amel Larrieux "Weary"

It's been a good week for rocking the fuck out. I don't know if it's the fact that it was like 70 degrees the other day and my blood is pumpin' a little after the cold winter. Or if there's actually been a real proliferation in the ammount of upbeat post punk and indie pop songs with a lot of tambourine being released over the last few months. But what I do know is that I have another toe-tapper for you. And yes, it's got tambourine in it bitches!

This one comes from a five-man band from Montreal called The Lovely Feathers who've toured with Broken Social Scene affiliates ( and Urban Alternatives show dandies ) Metric and describe their sound as "blossomy, extractive post-punk-infused eccentric pop." That sounds about right to me. And it should sound right to you once you check out "In The Valley," an uptempo post-punk burner with a rocksteady drum-beat, rubbery bass, chicka-chicka guitar, skittering tambourines, an operatic string arrangement and a catchy little melody line played out on what could be a synthesizer, organ or some as yet unidentified folk instrument. It's pretty quirky, but it's got an air of classy artistry to it and it's funky as hell.

The Lovely Feathers "In The Valley"

Their debut album 'Hind Hind Legs,' which was produced by Jimmy Shaw of the bands Metric and Broken Social Scene, and Drew Malamud, whose engineering credits include Death From Above 1979, the Dears, and Stars, hits stores via the newly formed Equator Records ( home to Unicorns front man Nick Diamonds and drummer J'aime Tambeur's new band Islands ) on May 2nd.

I'm not sure how, where or from whom I heard of the Atlanta-based band Snowden before. I mean, people are constantly telling me about bands or asking me if I've heard of bands. It all becomes a blur after a while. But the name Snowden, for some reason was familiar to me. So, when I got a press release about them singing with Jade Tree records and preparing for the August 22nd release of their debut album with an MP3 link attached I was quick to click it.

Within seconds of clicking the link I found myself furiously nodding my head along to the infectious rhythm of "Anti Anti," the title track from the forthcoming album I mentioned. And had it not been 5 AM I would have surely been stamping my feet and clapping along as well. I'm just too courteous to my neighbors though. Anyway, "Anti Anti" is one of those songs. You know, the kind of rock song that gets you snapping your neck, singing along and wishing you had an egg-shaker, cowbell or tambourine to bang on as you dance around your apartment to it. Then again, maybe that's just me? The only way to find out is to give it a listen yourself.

Snowden "Anti Anti"

Just make sure you go appologize to your neighbors for all the dancing noises and shouts of "whooooooo" that they might hear emanating from your abode during playback.

Okay, so I'm not wicked psyched about NY rockers Jonny Lives' single "Get Steady." It's a pretty middle of the road pop-rock song masquerading as NY hipster rock. It's catchy and everything, but it's just not the kind of thing I usually go crazy about. That said, the accompanying video clip for the song -- which reminds me a whole lot of those old Twisted Sister clips I used to watch on MTV as a kid with it's parent/child interraction theme -- gets the thumbs up. It's sort of sweet and fun, if a little cliche, but it's got a hot chick dancing around in panties getting a two-man bukakke from the kid who stars in the video and the band's lead singer. And that's all I really ask for in a video.

Jonny Lives "Get Steady"

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I'm thinking, if I ever get the chance to globe trek that I'm gonna have to visit Scandinavia and take part in some "Nordic nights." I mean, I like the cold. I'm not averse to blonde chicks. I often watch 'New Scandinavian Cooking' on PBS. I'd love to visit that "frozen bar." And I just love me some Nordic bands. I've actually had a particular affinity for Swedish bands of late ( one look at the amount of times the name Suburban Kids With Biblical Names appears on my Last.fm page should bolster the factuality of this statement ). I don't know if that's because I associate Sweden with pornography ( thanks mostly to a gag perpetrated by rotund comedian John Candy in the '80s chestnut 'Splash' ) and I'm a pervert, or because the bands are just that fucking dope. But part of me is thinking it's just got to be the latter.

The newest non-pornographic Swedish export to catch my ear is multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanangen, a one-man band who records and performs under the moniker Loney, Dear. In the studio he handles everything himself ( and he's apparently quite prolific, producing a couple albums a year ) but during live gigs his solo operation transforms into a 9 member mini-orchestra to duplicate the sonic intricacies of his beautifully multi-layered folk-infused indie-pop compositions. A listen to "The City, The Airport" ( an upliftingly energetic but still anxiously despondent track with an infectious sing-along vocal refrain ) from his most recent DIY release 'Solange' reveals shades of Postal Service, Polyphonic Spree, Of Montreal and even fellow Swedish folk-pop oddities Suburban Kids With Biblical Names in addition to the marked influence of the greatest feel-good pop music of the past. And if you're interested in partaking in just such a listen, today's your lucky day.

Loney, Dear "The City, The Airport"

Various DIY CD releases, including 'Sologne' are available from the Loney, Dear website, or at the band's live gigs. Said gigs usually take place in Sweden and the surrounding environs, but it just so happens that Loney, Dear will be performing live here in the states as part South By South West in Austin Texas on March 16th and 17th and at a standalone gig in New York City on March 18th at the legendary CBGB's. More info on these dates is available at the artist's website.

When the recently transplanted Cereffusion was reviewing the 'Run The Road Volume 2' UK grime compilation a couple weeks back we got to discussing the artists involved and the quality of their contributions to the disc. One of the things we both voiced slight displeasure at was the fact that Lady Sovereign, one of grime's budding superstars who was featured on the first 'Run The Road' comp, wasn't featured this time around. This was especially troublesome for Cereffusion, since the advance of the album which he reviewed actually did feature a Sovereign track ( yet another remix of "A Little Bit Of Shhh!" ) which wound up getting left off the official US pressing. I posited the theory that her contract with Chocolate Industries, who released her 'Vertically Challenged' EP late last year, or ( more likely ) her signing with the Jay-Z helmed Def Jam label probably interfered with her being involved with the compilation here in the states.

Either way, the diminutive S-O-V has been poised to "blow up" for a minute, so it was a bit of a shock not to see her making another grab for the attentions of American listeners before her major label forray begins. Her 'Vertically Challenged' EP has had a moderate buzz since it dropped ( we collectively voted it onto our "best of 2005" list here at Imageyanation, and our own 12XU nominated her "Ch-Ching" for "best record" or something ) but hasn't stormed the music snob consciousness like say The Streets or Dizzee Rascal before her. I can't really say way, other than general anti-hipster backlash against grime as a whole and a switch in hipster allegience from weird foreign rap to shitty American rap, but for me personally it was sort of eclipsed by the release of the incredibly catchy, Basement Jaxx-produced "Hoodie," her ode to hooded Adidas overgarments ( but more on that later ).

Anyway, if you're one of the people who missed hearing Sov on 'RTR2,' one of the others who fronted on 'Vertically Challenged' or you just wanna see what the fuss about this "cheeky white midget" is all about I have a couple treats for you. First up you can check out a track from 'Vertically Challenged,' the more-garage-than-grime and more-clubby-than-anything "Random," which is way more uptempo and far less "crunk" influenced than a lot of the grime shit that's been coming out lately, which I like.

Lady Sovereign "Random"

Then you can peep a grimey-as-fuck remix of that "Adidas" track I mentioned courtesy of Mizz Beats that features Skepta, JME, Ears, Jammer and Baby Blue on guest vocals. This takes the orignal mix and just dirties that shit up with deep bass, ill synths, air-hors, sirens and all kinds of crazy percusssion. This is the raw shit I'm looking for from grime artists right here, and as suprised as I am to be saying it, I think I like this version just as much, if not more than the Basement Jaxx version. Peep it.

Lady Sovereign "Adidas Hoodie ( Mizz Beats Remix feat. Skepta, JME, Ears, Jammer and Baby Blue )"

Lady Sovereign's debut EP 'Vertically Challenged' is in stores now on the Chocolate Industries label. Her major label debut, on the Def Jam label, is coming sometime in near future.

Peep this performance clip from up and coming singer Lance Drummonds. It's a loose recording, but the talent is clear. Look out for his debut record August '06 on Palms Out Sounds, a collaboration with raregroove/soul masters Truth and Soul Records.

Aging (that's not a dis, I have grey hair too) alterna-rockers The Flaming Lips will be dropping 'At War With The Mystics,' the much anticipated follow-up to 2002's monster of a concept album 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots,' on April 4th. Before they do that though industry protocol dictates that they have to release a couple of singles. Their newest single, called "The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)," will be released next Tuesday, March 7th (though I think it's been available on iTunes and other digital download sites for a minute now).

The song is a funky slice of fuzzy, hand-clap infused, '70s throwback rock (with monster breaks to boot). But I don't think I can explain it as well as Lips front-man Wayne Coyne. So scroll down, click one of the streaming audio links to listen and read Mr. Coyne's breakdown of the track in his own words.

I was playing electric guitar, Michael was on fuzzwah bass and Steven was on the drumkit and we stumbled upon this druggy prog-rock riff and stuttery, funky beat. It was like Black Sabbath getting mashed up with Sly and the Family Stone or Stevie Wonder, and it sent us off in a wonderful new direction. The idea of a magic wand and magic powers occurred to me while watching a homeless guy in Oklahoma City. He was, I believe, Vietnamese, and had a cool looking wizardly beard and mustache and he carried a long stick, which he used as a kind of cane-weapon. And one day I saw him fighting an "imagined" enemy and the long stick became (as best I could tell) a kind of magic wand that made his invisible foe retreat. I mean... it seemed to give him a confidence that allowed him to defeat his hallucinations...and at first I thought "how sad...he believes this old stick is saving him"... but the more I thought about it, the more I envied him in a way...for the evil manifestations of his mind he invented a sparkling sorcerer's baton to lead his psychic revolution...yes!!...

And so we delved into a kind of radical protest rock mentality...We sing, "We got the power now, , that's where it belongs", but I believe it's cosmically empowering - not actually empowering. In the song, we rail against the greedy, corrupt evil beings who are in control and trying to enslave us... But our rebellion is simply to fight back - we have no solutions.

The Flaming Lips "The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)"

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And just in case Wayne didn't sell you on the merits of the track, lemme just say, he drops a big fat m-f-bomb on it, and if that ain't fresh I don't know what the fuck is!

Once again, the "The W.A.N.D." single hits stores March 7th, and the 'At War With The Mystics' album does the same April 4th, both on the Warner Brothers label.

I had no idea that one of the great Latin jazz percussionists of our time, Ray Barretto, passed away Friday, February 17th due to complications arising from heart surguery. I didn't see or hear a single news story about it. I didn't see any of the music afficianados and crate-digging motherfuckers who post on various message boards I frequent say anything about it. It was like it never happened. Until Junito Duran, a regular caller to our Dusty Grooves radio show, called in this week and asked if we were gonna play any Ray Barretto, adding that he had passed away. I was taken aback at my own ignorance as to the passing of a musician whose music I not only loved, but have spun and actually sampled on occasion. This post is an effort to rectify that ignorance.

If you don't know, Ray Barretto was one of the giants of salsa and Latin jazz, known for integrating the conga into the jazz mileiu and was widely touted as "the godfather of Latin jazz." But more important, he was a titan of what can be known alternately as Latin soul or Latin funk, a unique brand of dancefloor friendly music that blended traditionally black soul and funk vibes with jazz, salsa and other Latin styles. Though he worked with superstars from the world of jazz and the top of the pops ( Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, the Rolling Stones and Bee Gee's among them ) his most memorable work for me is the searingly funky Latin soul sides of the Fania era. Which is why I went to the crates and pulled out my dusty Fania label 45 of Barretto's "Hard Hands" backed with "Love Beads" and recorded and encoded an MP3 of "Love Beads," one of my favorite Barretto tunes, which I'm sharing with you.

Ray Barretto "Love Beads"

If you're looking to get into some Barretto then 'Hard Hands,' the LP "Love Beads" was taken from ( incidentally, Barretto was also known as "King Of The Hard Hands" ), is a helluva good place to start.