The Perfect Reggae Playlist

Here’s the basic formula… heavy on the Rocksteady and SKA with just a touch of Dub and Roots. Throw it on and drain a cold one in the sun.

The Ethiopians – Everything Crash

Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Ah It Mek

Stranger Cole – Banarang

Melodians – Rivers of Babylon

Max Romeo – Wet Dream

Jimmy Cliff – Wonderful World, Beautiful People

Yellowman - Natty Sat Upon the Rock

The Ethiopians – Engine 54

The Skatalites – Simmer Down

The Maytals - 54-46 (That's My Number)

Luna: My Former Favorite Band

Underrated and under-appreciated, Luna were indeed "my favorite" band through the late 90's—from Bewitched to Penthouse to Pup Tent, which most point to as their finest hour. That's with good reason, since those first two are flawless masterpieces in my view.

The rest of the catalog is also astonishingly good, with Romantica being the weakest offering of their seven full-length albums. I'm glad they finished on a high note with Rendezvous before calling it quits a few years ago. I’ve posted eight of my favorites, which was a tricky exercise, because there’s so much good material to choose from.

Tiger Lily

Slide

Ihop

23 Minutes in Brussels

Dear Diary

I Know You Tried

Ride Into The Sun

Still At Home

Wire – Object 47

Always reinventing itself, Wire is truly in it for the art. They’ve proved to be one of the most innovative and influential bands in modern rock. And now that their new full-length, Object 47 (the 47th object in their catalogue) is out, I’m falling in love with the band all over again. Hints of early material abound, but it all sounds remarkably fresh and forward-looking.

One Of Us

Mekon Headman

80’s Hardcore Flashback

Ahhh.. I remember it like it was the day before yesterday... somewhereabouts 1984. Definitely caught wind of the Connecticut hardcore scene even though I grew up across the border in NY State. Cassettes, moshing, and feeling like I was a part of something. Funny that I actually became friends with some of the guys in the CT bands many years later like 76% Uncertain. Here are some of the songs that fueled my youth. Is it weird that I still dig them?

Clitboys – No Such Thing

Vatican Commandos – Do What You Want To

Black Flag – I Love You

76% Uncertain – Coffee Achievers

GBH – Big Women

X – Soul Kitchen

The Vandals – The Legend of Pat Brown

Dead Kennedys – Too Drunk to Fuck

Suicidal Tendencies – I Saw Your Mommy

Anti-Nowhere League – I Hate People

Spiritualized - Songs in A&E

After a bout with double pneumonia, Jason Pierce is back after a five year absence with Songs in A&E...not chords mind you, but a reference to the ER, which is called Accident & Emergency in the UK.

This sobering brush with death seems to have inspired a truly great record that radiates with palpable urgency. Though Pierce's vocals are cracked and weary, Spiritualized hasn't sounded this strong in a decade.


Borrowed Your Gun

Sweet Talk

Obscure 80's Nuggets

I used to DJ for a college radio station through the 80's and 90's, which means there are a lot of cataloged songs from that period that live in deep recesses of my mind. Some have been a bit elusive to find. But with a little tenacity and time, I've managed to unearth many of them over the years. Here are six gems that not only transport you back in time, but still hold up as just good music.

Trio - Broken Hearts for You and Me

Stereo MC's - Bring It On

Medium Medium - Mice Or Monsters

Winter Hours - The Confessional

James - Really Hard

John Moore and the Expressway - Friends

Elvis Costello And The Imposters – Momofuku

It appears Elvis Costello has plenty of bile for the record biz, choosing to release his latest as either a digital download or vinyl. At least he thought better of the idea of not recording at all anymore.

Being a longtime fan, I’ve given the new record a quick listen and quite like what I hear. Nice diversity, drawing on different styles—from vintage angry-young-man-era organ rockers to even a bit of tropicalia.

The Imposters lineup is embellished with some help from Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice. He actually writes an interesting bit about the process of recording the album on Amazon.com

American Gangster Time

Go Away

Good New Stuff

Too little time and too much good music to post, so here are some of the albums that I’ve been obsessing over for the past few weeks. Not exactly a mix, per se, but great tracks all. Enjoy... and leave me a freggin’ comment of thanks.

Man Man - Big Trouble

Clinic – The Witch

The Black Keys – Oceans & Streams

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Cold Son

The Kills – Tape Song

Silver Jews – Candy Jail

Elbow – Grounds For Divorce

Tindersticks – The Hungary Saw

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Well Mr. Cave…I’d say you’ve been on a creative tear in recent times. Between the expansive, pretty-at-times Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus and Grinderman, which was a refreshingly gritty affair—as well as the apparent jump-off point for the new recording with the Bad Seeds.

Now with Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!, Nick Cave keeps proving he’s got something interesting to say into his 50’s (as if we had any doubt). He’s aging and a little pissed off, which suits him perfectly. Although the reality of the situation is that he sounds renewed and Bad Seeds are as tight as ever. The album is simply a great effort.

Moonland

We Call Upon The Author

Silver Jews

After breaking his long-standing moratorium on playing live, I had the pleasure of seeing David Berman and company live in March of 2006 at Webster Hall in NYC (snapped this picture with my cellphone). They most certainly did not disappoint. And being on the receiving end of all that pent-up fan love seemed to have medicinal powers in healing the fragile psyche of Dave.

That tour went well from all accounts, and now there’s a bunch of upcoming European dates that will support the release of the Silver Jew's sixth release called Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea due out from Drag City sometime in late April. No rogue tracks from the record yet, but here’s a listing of the goods to come, and 4 of my favorites from albums past:

TRACK LISTING: Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

01. What is Not But Could Be If

02. Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer

03. Suffering Jukebox

04. My Pillow is the Threshold

05. Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

06. San Francisco B.C.

07. Open Field

08. Party Barge

09. Candy Jail

10. We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing

Starlite Walker - Trains Across the Sea

Bright Flight - Slow Education

American Water - People

Tanglewood Numbers - How Can I Love You (If You Won't Lie Down)