3 Strikes Turns 2 Edition

1. Penitentiary- Citizen Cope

• "Well I'm waiting on the day, when the people walk free to see, when the penitentiary is on fire." Clarence Greenwood (aka Citizen Cope) is an alternative singer songwriter with a hip hop sensibility."Penitentiary" comes from the 2004 album "The Clarence Greenwood Recordings". It's not one of my favorite songs from the album, but "The Clarence Greenwood Recordings" is pretty solid throughout. I'm not sure if "Penitentiary" is meant to be a political statement, but why not take an opportunity to hijack this music blog with political commentary. The American privatized for-profit prison industry is the best example of modern slavery in the US. Conviction rates and sentence lengths go up (even as crime goes down) to fuel the supply of free labor that makes products for everyday people like you and me. This is big business. I feel better now so let's get back to the music. My favorite Citizen Cope moment is his reggae cover of Radiohead's "Karma Police" with the Easy Star All Stars. Speaking of Citizen Cope and reggae; the Wailers (as in Bob Marley & The Wailers) will be at the World Cafe in Wilmington this Wednesday night and Citizen Cope will make an appearance next month. If you're from the area and haven't been to the World Cafe at the Queen theatre in Wilmington you should check it out- you just might see me there.

2. Breathe And Stop- Q-Tip

• "Breathe and stop, for real and give it what you got, and just uhh, breathe and stop, for real and give it what you got." On his 1999 solo debut "Amplified", ex- A Tribe Called Quest emcee Q-Tip scored a pair of hits with "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe And Stop". It's good stuff but wouldn't it sound even better if Q-Tip was trading versus with Phife Dawg on these tracks? Looking back at the "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe And Stop" videos I'm reminded just how hot the girls are in them, but also how the objectification of these hip hop video girls is so un-tribe like. A Tribe Called Quest epitomized the afro-centric/conscious/positive vibe synonymous with the Native Tongues collective. These could be P-Diddy or Jay-Z videos. In any event the songs are tight. Given the success of "Amplified" I'm surprised that Q-Tip has only released two other major label albums. I'm also not sure why A Tribe Called Quest fell apart but I should have my answers soon. A documentary on the legendary group called "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest" will hit the theatres on July 8th. Q-Tip has already distanced himself from the film but I'm anxious to check it out.

3. Tomorrow- Ryan Adams

• "Pulled into the station, and they're playing Waylon Jennings, when you're driving through so late at night, you'll see the lights are blinding." Ryan Adams released "Demolition" in 2002 as a follow up to his 2001 ode to classic rock "Gold". "Demolition" collects songs recorded for a handful of unreleased albums- "The Suicide Handbook Sessions", "48 Hours" and "The Pinkheart Sessions". "Demolition" was critically reviewed as a mixed bag, and while that may be fair, there are a number of great songs in the collection. "Tomorrow" is an acoustic duet with Gillian Welch that couldn't be much slower or more gorgeous. The song was co-written by Adam's girlfriend Carrie Hamilton (daughter of Carol Burnett) who died of cancer in 2002. If you love a heartfelt folk/country duet in the tradition of Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris or what The Civil Wars are doing these days then "Tomorrow" is for you. It's a shame that so much of the source material that "Demolition" draws from remains unreleased. "The Suicide Handbook Sessions" in particular is as good (if not better) than anything Adams has released.

1. The Grand Finale- The D.O.C.

• "(Ice Cube) Picture a n*gga that's raw, amplify his ass and what you see is what's on, motherf*ckers I slaughter, blow em out the water. (The D.O.C.) The D.O. to the C knowing the formula, it's rough, I mean it's funky enough. I got raw when I came to Cali, now I'm with N.W.A on the motherf*cking grand finale." With N.W.A. in tow, The D.O.C. ends his masterful 1989 solo debut album "No One Can Do It Better" with "The Grand Finale". The posse cut features verses from Ice Cube, MC Ren, Eazy-E, The D.O.C. and vocals from Dr. Dre, who produced the album. The D.O.C. helped bring lyricism to the West Coast. While he was very much a part of the N.W.A. crew he never relied on profanity in his vocals. The D.O.C. had a very promising career that was tragically cut short-after "No One Can Do It Better" was released, The D.O.C. was in a car accident that crushed his larynx (vocal chords). His voice was permanently altered into a gravely monotone. Though featured on Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" and used as a song writer for Dre and Snoop his solo career was effectively over after the car crash. "The Grand Finale" serves as a "lost" N.W.A. song, as good as anything they ever recorded. Hearing Dr. Dre giving a shout out to "the super-dope manager" Jerry Heller is particularly hilarious as he became a central figure in the demise of N.W.A.

2. The Seeker (live)- Pete Townshend

• "I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked The Beatles, I asked Timothy Leary, but he didn't help me either, they call me the seeker, I've been searching low and high, I won't get to get what I'm after, till the day I die." Recorded as a single (post "Tommy" and pre "Who's Next") "The Seeker" wound up on the 1971 compilation "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy". It was included in the 1994 four disc "Maximum R&B" box set but doesn't appear on any current single-disc The Who greatest hits collections, making it a bit of a "lost gem". The height of the song's exposure (aside from it's brief time on the charts in 1970) was it's inclusion in the 1999 film "American Beauty". "The Seeker" is The Who at their best and the song's title alone embodies so much of what Townshend wrote about for years- the quest for things like identity and spiritual salvation. Of course this is the same guy that wrote "Long Live Rock", but who doesn't love mindless rock from time to time? This particular version of "The Seeker" is from "The Oceanic Concerts" album featuring Pete Townshend and harpist Raphael Rudd. Here we find Townshend alone on acoustic guitar and the results are outstanding. If the Timothy Leary reference is lost on you, I'd recommend that you tune in, turn on, and drop out.

3. You & Me- Dave Matthews Band

• "...and then when we get to the ocean, we gonna take a boat to the end of the world, all the way to the end of the world, oh and when the kids are old enough, we're gonna teach them to fly." Soooo good. In the Dave Matthews catalogue, I'd put "You & Me" alongside "Crash Into Me" in the "this song just gave me goosebumps" category. Who knew that taking a boat to the end of the world could sound so romantic? In reality the journey would be anything but a picnic and I doubt there's much in the way of amenities when you get there. Jokes aside, "You & Me" is gorgeous and does a great job of closing out the "Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King" album. I tried to learn how to play this song- I found the guitar part fairly simple and singing the lyrics while playing it fairly impossible. I guess that's why I have a day job. The Dave Matthews Band announced that they would take a break from touring in 2011 only to later announce a series of 3 day "Caravan" shows this summer. I'll be in Atlantic City this June for what should be 3 amazing days of music. This will take my modest DMB show count from 8 to 11. I guess I'm a fan.

1. Friends- Whodini

• "Friends...how many of us have them, friends...ones we can depend on, friends...how many of us have them, friends...before we go any further, let's be friends." There is no mistaking Whodini's "Friends" as mid 80's hip hop. The production dates it fairly instantly- the simple beat and the synth bass are telling you the year is 1984. If that doesn't do the trick the lyrical flow will cement the fact. All that being said there is a keyboard part so good that sounds like it could have come out of Wu Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M". It has been sampled in a number of hip hop songs including the 1996 NaS hit "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)". Whodini was on top of their game in 1984 with the release of "Escape"- the album that gave us "Friends", "Big Mouth" and "The Freaks Come Out At Night". I can remember being on the playground in elementary school and hearing someone rap all the words to "Big Mouth". I'm not sure I ever heard the song on the radio and I didn't have the tape, yet I knew the song. This past weekend I was acting as a tour guide in Philadelphia for an out-of-town friend . Upon passing the Gallery Mall I asked my friend is she remembered the song "Parent's Just Don't Understand". Not only did she remember it, but she broke out an entire verse on demand. Kinda makes you nostalgic for the old school lyrical era of hip hop.

2. On and On- Girl Talk

• "(Notorious B.I.G.) Uhh, I go on and on and then take her to the crib and let your bone in, easy, call em on the phone and, platinum Chanel cologne and, I stay dressed to impress, spark these b*tches interest." Have you ever wondered what it would sound like to have Eric Clapton/Cream collaborate with Biggie Smalls? Well, Gregg Gillis (the DJ known as Girl Talk) must have and I'm glad he did. The results are quite good. The Girl Talk formula is to mash up songs from a wide range of disparate genres into something surprisingly cohesive. In 2008's "Feed The Animals" the samples were coming fast and furious from all directions. In his latest work, 2010's "All Day" (where "On and On" is found) things are less dense and the samples are allowed a bit more time to stretch out and breathe. There are a number of brilliant moments on "All Day"- Ludacris paired with Black Sabbath, Joe Jackson teamed with Lil Wayne (the Joe Jackson "Steppin' Out" sample is so good it manages to make Lil Wayne sound good) and the aforementioned combination of Cream and B.I.G , but on the whole I don't think "All Day" matches "Feed The Animals".

3. Black Country Woman- Led Zeppelin

• "You didn't have to make me a total disgrace, you didn't have to leave me with that beer in my face, hey hey mama, what's the matter here, that's alright, it's awful dog-gone clear." If Led Zeppelin only played amped up blues rock I may be inclined to agree with Homer Simpson's assessment that Jimmy Page is "the greatest thief of American black music who ever walked the Earth." A number of early Zeppelin tunes "borrowed" from blues without any citation. However, it turns out that Page and company also explored English folk music and it was the fusing of these two dominant influences that made their music original and interesting. "Black Country Woman" is a great example of this duality...it's acoustic and folky but with a blues sensibility. It comes courtesy of the band's 1975 double album "Physical Graffiti". The album is best known for the song "Kashmir". I don't recommend sleep deprivation or casual drug use but if you're into that sort of thing "Kashmir" is a good companion song to help you lose track of the space/time continuum. This past weekend I found myself in my car listening to the radio (I only do this on short drives) and both 93.3 WMMR and 94.1 WYSP were playing "Kashmir" at the same time. Thank you Philadelphia rock radio for running this band into the ground.

1. Bargain (live)- The Who

• "I'd gladly lose me to find you, I'd gladly give up all I had, to find you I'd suffer anything and be glad. But like, one and one don't make two, one and one make one." This song is either about a willingness to sacrifice/suffer anything for spiritual salvation or a notice to get on down to your local Nissan dealer to find great sales on the latest Xterra. Perhaps it's about both at the same time. As a music fan I'm supposed to be bothered when artists "sell out" and license their music for commercials and TV shows, but I could care less. "Bargain" is brilliant and the song's meaning doesn't change no matter how it is re-purposed. If you need a reminder we are talking about a band who embraced commercialism to the point that their third album was filled with advertisements and titled "The Who Sell Out". A framed original vinyl copy of "The Who Sell Out" is a recent addition my music collection. This particular live version of "Bargain" comes from the Deluxe Edition of "Who's Next". It's good, but my favorite version of the song is a live Pete Townsehnd solo acoustic performance from "The Oceanic Concerts" album featuring Townshend and harpist Raphael Rudd. The "Oceanic" version of "Bargain" lacks the familiar synthesizer part and The Who's thundering heard rhythm section of Moon and Entwistle but in turn we get the purest presentation of song possible.

2. Misery- Brendan Benson

• "When every time I open my mouth, another page of the book torn out, put me out of my misery, 'cause I can't help myself anymore, I've become my own worst enemy (put me out of my misery)." When I tell folks I like Brendan Benson the most common reply is "who?", followed by "you must be a Jack White fan". Brendan does partner with former White Stripes front man Jack White in the Raconteurs but it has nothing to do with my love for Brendan....plus I'm yet to understand the hype around Jack White. "Misery" comes from Benson's 4th full length studio album "My Old, Familiar Friend" (2009). If you grew up on The Cars and enjoy Electric Light Orchestra you can't go wrong with this record. Power pop is alive and well if you want it to be. The last time I saw Brendan Benson he was playing a show at the Trocadero theatre in Philadelphia with The Posies. It turned out to be Brendan's birthday that night and his tour mates surprised him on stage with a number of birthday cakes which were passed through the crowd. Initially unable to find anything to cut the cakes, someone on stage asked if anyone in the crowd had a knife. It struck me as a funny question since anytime I'm out in Philly I assume I'm the only one not carrying a knife.

3. Bigger Than My Body (live)- John Mayer

• "Maybe I'll tangle in the power lines, and it might be over in a second's time, but I'd gladly go down in a flame, if a flame's what it takes to remember my name, to remember my name." "Bigger Than My Body" was the lead single from John Mayer's sophomore album "Heavier Things". I won't say this is a paint by numbers song but it fits the mold of "we need an up tempo pop/rock single to launch this album" so well...like it was born to play that part. "Bigger Than My Body" with it's electric guitars did represent a bit of a new sound for Mayer who's previous album "Room For Squares" was almost exclusively an acoustic affair. "Heavier Things" turned the acoustic/electric ratio upside down. While dominated by electric songs it is best remembered for the acoustic hit "Daughters". I first heard "Daughters" live at the intimate Knitting Factory in NYC in 2003 prior to the release of "Heavier Things" and like probably everyone else in the room realized I was listening to a hit song. Looking back, the song on "Heavier Things" that best predicted the sound to come for Mayer is "Wheel". If you placed "Wheel" on Mayer's next release "Continuum" it would be right at home. In that regard I suppose it's fitting that "Wheel" closes "Heavier Things".

Back Up In Your A** With The Resurrection Edition

1. Too Late for Goodbyes- Julian Lennon

• "Ever since you've been leaving me, I've been wanting to cry, now I know how it feels for you, I've been wanting to die, but it's much too late for goodbyes." This is the song you hear at the Wawa and think to yourself, the 80's weren't that bad. If you don't find yourself at a Wawa from time to time you are missing out. "Too Late for Goodbyes" comes from Julian's 1984 debut album "Valotte". In the parlance of 1984 I'd say this song is doubleplusgood. The production is text book mid 80's but "Too Late for Goodbyes" is good/catchy enough that the dated production can't stop my enjoyment. I'm not sure what's creepier- Julian Lennon's vocal resemblance to his father John or Dhani Harrison's visual resemblance to his father George. I'm a pretty good judge on being creepy but I'd say it's too close to call. Julian wasn't able to sustain a career in music but I can't imagine the life of Beatle spawn being too rough. As a footnote, when Julian's parent's divorced Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" to comfort him (Paul felt it would be easier to sing Jude than Jules). It turns out the movement we need is on Julian Lennon's shoulders.

2. Shut Em Down- Public Enemy

• "I like Nike but wait a minute, the neighborhood supports so put some money in it, corporations owe, they gotta give up the dough, to my town or else we gotta shut em down." "Apocalypse 91- The Enemy Strikes Black" represents the last album from Public Enemy's golden age. Arguably the most important group to come out of the 1980's, P.E. would lose steam after "Apocalypse 91" until they found their footing again with 1998's "He Got Game". Chuck D put corporate America on notice with "Shut Em Down". Why should the "hood" support Nike when the corporation doesn't invest in the community? Ice Cube hit the same note in 1991 with his song "The Wrong N**** to F*** With" when he spoke out against buying Raiders gear-"stop giving juice to the Raiders, cause Al Davis never paid us." Since 91 there are countless examples of clothing/apparel companies that have watched profits soar from hip hop community support without giving back to the inner city. If you dig "Shut Em Down" be sure to check out the Pete Rock remix version available on "Def Jam recordings Greatest Hits". Bonus footnote: the Public Enemy logo- a silhouetted b-boy in cross hairs was designed from a sketch of Cut Creator, LL Cool J's original DJ.

3. Kicking Television (studio version)- Wilco

• "I'm serious, you'll see, I'm working on my abs, I'm working on me, oh I'm kicking, yeah I'm calm, oh I'm kicking, television, television." In 2005 Wilco released the "A Ghost Is Born Tour EP" to compliment the release of 2004's "A Ghost Is Born" album. The EP features a few live songs and two studio recordings not found on "A Ghost Is Born"- "Panthers" and "Kicking Television". The later finds the band in punk/garage rock mode, a departure of sorts from their typical sound. "Kicking Television" would go on to become the name of Wilco's 2005 live double album. Last year the band released "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" on vinyl (with bonus tracks) for the first time in conjunction with National Record Store Day. I ordered it online and haven't taken it out of the box, preserving it's mint condition status. This past weekend I celebrated National Record Store Day 2011 by picking up Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (fantastic) and Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" (insane) on vinyl. Perhaps caught up in the celebration I opened both albums. I may live to regret that but my turntable seems pretty happy about all the attention it's getting.

Lost In My Mind Edition

1. Second Last- Lucky Day

• "So I'm gonna spend the cash I've got, so I can be a cosmonaut, save you a seat in my earthling spot, I wish you could go with me, and show you what you never see." It seems like just yesterday that I was at the New York City CD release show for Lucky Day's sophomore release "Rise & Fall". Arelene's Grocery was the backdrop for a great evening of music. If you've seen the film "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" then you've seen a glimpse of Arlene's Grocery. The film also takes you into Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady studios. Visiting Electric Lady has become a growing obsession for me but that's a story for another time. After Lucky Day's CD release show my friends and I somehow wound up next door at the Golden Slipper, a house of burlesque where our MC for the evening was a tall gay gentleman dressed in a tight shinny bunny costume. That's definitely a story for another time. "Second Last" is trademark Lucky Day with tight pop melodies, a hook that brings you back, and vocals that are silky smooth. Washington DC-area Lucky Day is in a bit of a hiatus at the moment but there are rumors that the lead singer has another project in the works- Lionel Jones. Details are scare but Lionel Jones will purportedly seek to revolutionize everything we know about music. If you have a red, green, and black liberation jump suit it may be time to dust it off.

2. Remix For P Is Free- Boogie Down Productions

• "I said to myself this tape sound funky, riding past the 116th street junkie. Because the girlies is free, 'cause the crack costs money, oh yeah, I said the girlies is free, 'cause the crack cost money, oh yeah!" I'm not sure where I was when I first heard "Criminal Minded" (1987) the game changing debut from Boogie Down Productions but if I had to guess it was sometime in 1990. I found the then essentially out of print album on cassette at the Granite Run mall. Score. Without being graphic, "Remix For P Is Free" tells the story of a Strawberry or two. What is a "Strawberry" you ask? N.W.A. provided the most succinct definition in the song "Dopeman"- "Strawberry is a girl selling p#ssy for crack to the dopeman." If you want a fascinating account of the crack-cocaine explosion of the 1980's with a heavy dose of government conspiracy theory, "Dark Alliance" by Gary Webb is a must read. The main focus of the book is the alleged direct CIA involvement in the spread of the drug. Even if the conspiracy theory stuff doesn't float your boat you'll get amazing insight into the story of Freeway Ricky Ross (the real Rick Ross). Freeway Ricky built an unparalleled crack-cocaine empire that at it's zenith in the 1980s brought him millions a week. Millions a week is a lot of rocks. Fans of newer hip-hop should recognize the beat for "Remix For P Is Free" as it serves as the musical basis for the phenomenal song "Definition" (2002) by Black Star- the duo of Mos Def & Talib Kweli.

3. Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's- Wesley Willis

• "McDonalds will make you fat, they serve Big Macs, they serve quarter pounders, they will put pounds on you, rock and roll McDonalds! rock and roll McDonalds! Rock over London, rock on Chicago, Wheaties- breakfast of champions." Where do I being with this musical masterpiece? The first time I heard this (in the early 2000's) on the radio I pretty much lost my mind. When I saw the film "Supersize Me" in the theatre and "Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's" came on I was unbelievably amused. The only musical moment that surpassed this in the film was the use of Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman" with the direct implication that Ronald McDonald is the fast food equivalent of a crack dealer who preys on children. "Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's" is brilliant on so many levels. Lyrically it's on par with anything folks like Dylan and Lennon/McCartney ever conjured up. The music is outstanding as well. If the music is not a pre-recorded Casio keyboard backing track, I don't know what is. My favorite thing about "Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's" musically by far is the breakdown. Who doesn't love a good breakdown? Where would hip-hop be if not for the breakdown? (the answer is nowhere). We get a 50 second breakdown (in a song that clocks in at 2:25) where nothing happens....other than the glorious Casio backing track doing it's thing. Genius.

100th Post Edition

1. Who Needs Shelter- Jason Mraz

• "Good day sunlight, I'd like to say how truly bright you are, you don't know me, but I know you see you're my favorite star, fa-la-la-ollow you I will so let's get moving." With a trip to San Diego coming up it's pretty fitting that I get a Mraz song to talk about. "Who Needs Shelter" is a slow mellow acoustic number from Jason's major label debut "Waiting For My Rocket To Come". I especially dig the syncopated interplay between the acoustic guitar and mandolin featured in the intro and found throughout the song. Perhaps inspired by the torrential rains that preceded and threatened to cancel his last concert in Philadelphia (an outdoor show at Penn's Landing in the summer of 2009) "Who Needs Shelter" was a late addition to the shows set list. Hearing this older gem that night was only eclipsed by the "Curbside Prophet"/"Gypsy MC" mash up that featured verses from G. Love and K'nnan. Speaking of Philadelphia native G.Love, he'll be at the House of Blues in San Diego this Friday night. Maybe I'll need to drop by. If you check out "Who Needs Shelter", dig it as much as I do and want to play it on guitar, be sure to use drop D tuning and capo your 2nd fret...otherwise you'll just make a fool of yourself.

2. Let's Not Get Carried Away- Wilco

• "I got a million things that I'd rather do, than to play rock 'n' roll for you, oh honey if I blow your fuse, can I please be excused?" With a trip to Chicago coming up it's pretty fitting that I get a Wilco song to talk about. If you pick up Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky" album on iTunes you'll get "Let's Not Get Carried Away" as a bonus track. If not you'll want to track down a copy of the "Sky Blue Sky" Bonus EP (where you'll find this song and other goodies as well). If you've done all that and you still don't have enough of 2007 era "Sky Blue Sky" sessions material then you should hunt down a copy of the "Unlikely Japan" single; an early demo version of "Impossible Germany". If that won't quench your thirst I'm not sure what else to prescribe. "Let's Not Get Carried Away" has a lot to like- Jeff Tweedy's rock 'n' roll scream, Nels Cline's ridiculous guitar runs and drummer Glen Kotche even morphs into John Bonham ala "Moby Dick" if only for a brief stretch. Of course as a Who fan I like drum solos to end with an exploding drum kit but we can't always get everything we want. "Sky Blue Sky" is Wilco's sixth studio album and it's as exciting and vibrant as anything they've recorded. Most bands have long since run out of big ideas and sounds by their sixth record, if they even make it that far.

3. Loving Wings- Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

• "You lightly lifted me away, out of a darkness cold and gray, and I work beneath the midday sun, my cool blue water you have come." Maybe I'm supposed to plan a trip to Charlottesville sometime soon. I really don't see myself there until the fall of 2012 when the Nittany Lions visit the University of Virginia "Wahoos" for a football contest. I do love the pageantry of intercollegiate athletics. More immediately I plan to catch up with Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds this summer in Atlantic City NJ for the Dave Matthews Band "Caravan" three day mega concert. "Loving Wings" has been released on half a dozen live albums. Yours truly only has it in my collection thanks to it's inclusion on the Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds "Live in Las Vegas" album. Apparently there is no studio version of the song to date. "Loving Wings' is sad and sweet and is lyrically built around the idea of redemptive love. "Angels have all gathered 'round, to hear me sing my love out loud." As I've stated before Dave is a very spiritual dude despite claims to the contrary.