WEEKLY MOMENT OF ZEN: 2009's NEW JACK REDUX JODECI/R KELLY v. JEREMIH/TREY SONGZ

Of the more telling developments in music in 2009 is easily the return of grittier, urban, non crossover R & B to the national radar. Sure, Ne-Yo kept the fires burning with actual love songs that harkened back to the days of Smokey Robinson, such sweetly sung ditties the likes of which we haven't heard since the 1980s sonically, but with Ne Yos particular voice, delivery and mainstream marketing potency since the days of Motown. But what has Ne-Yo's success allowed? Well, in the search for more love starved crooners, we've had the rediscovery of Trey Songz, whose current single "I Need A Girl," a sanitized ballad reminiscent of Diddy and Mario Winans same track from 2003, and new R & B creator Jeremih, whose "Birthday Sex" may be the surpise urban radio hit of the year. The key difference between Ne-Yo and these two, Ne-Yo talks love, and Songz and Jeremih, well, they talk sex. And if you look even further into the catalogue of Trey Songz, whose mixtape grind is legendary and made him able to be right at the top of the pecking order when it came time for music's response to Ne-Yo's success, well, it's not sex, it's absolutely ear melting tales of ravenous debauchery, as he takes liberty with pretty much every tune on urban radio, the fave being his version of MIA's "Paper Planes," (actually a Mad Decent label favorite) which he turns from a tale of third world yearning into a tale of free sex from a hooker yearning, in what was a top underground R & B track of 2008.

But why the connection to Jodeci and R. Kelly? Well, if it isn't obvious, we're clearly on the cusp, in this athor's eyes, of a New Jack R & R redux. Songz has even gone as far as releasing the track "D.O.K (Death of Kells)," a track using Jay-Z's "D.O.A.," and over those wonderful French horns assaults R. Kelly's age, skill, and advises him that he's done in the singing game. Tempestuous words that certainly Jeremih hasn't come close to touching, so it's not all the young bucks that have gone wild, but it definitely bespeaks a dangerous attitude and a volatile mix of dangerous orgasmic sexuality that is more than present.

I link above to the days of Jodeci and R. Kelly's youth and impact, when the two acts were the hottest in the game. Above are the blueprint which acts like Jeremih and Songz should be absolutely aiming towards. Jodeci's "Come and Talk to Me" is legendary. Combining all the aspects of Sean "Puffy" Combs' skills as a young producer and makeover artist, he took the two pairs of brothers, Jojo and K-Ci Hailey and Mr. Dalvin and DeVante Swing, amd turned them into living and breathing extractions of the hopes and dreams of what every young African-American male wanted to look like in 1993, and in song produced tracks and Jodeci sang verses that createst lustful throngs of female fans that knew what time it was, and definitely wanted the quartet to come and talk to them, but also do a little bit more as well. And R. Kelly's epic 1995 "Down Low" video length movie is the ultimate loverman standard. What gets "Birthday Sex" consistent mainstream airplay is not just that politely autotuned, spanish guitar laden track. It's what the song represents. There's a romance there, something that definitely takes the listener back to the "Down Low" era Kelly, singing an AMAZINGLY seductive slow jam, but in the video portraying the limo driver and caretaker of coldest pimp ever Ron Isley as Mr. Big's girlfriend "Lila Heart" (Garcelle Beauvais in an early debut). Their tempestuous and illicit love affair melts the screen, and after being caught, then both viciously beaten, the scene where Kelly bits a final farewell to Beauvais is the moment that cemented Kelly's loverman legend in hearts and minds forever. While young and rising, neither Trey Songz or Jeremih has even begin to approach this level of craftsmanship, but seem absolutely filled with the drive and determination to do so.

Even more curious about the backgrounds of the new school new jacks is that Jeremih is from Chicago, R. Kelly's beloved hometown, and of course, Songz, well, from Hampton Roads, VA, hometown of Jojo and K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci. The lineages are there, and are rather obviously being followed. It is this author's hope, and sincere belief that mid 90s R & B was a fabulously fun time in urban music that allowed for collaborations and musical explorations that have come to define the urban edge of popular music. Seeing the outlines of this era once again, a wonderful development.

BLISSPOP - DMERIT/BOBBY JAE & KEN LAZEE/WILL EASTMAN/NADASTROM/TITTSWORTH - 9:30 Club - 7/3-4/09

The fact that Washington, DC now boasts a seven day a week underground party scene is fairly amazing, all things considered. For the numerous taunts and teases the city receives, from being a city of transient non neighbors, to that of being so polarized along racial and socio-economic lines that unity of any sort, on much of anything is virtually impossible, DC's ability to persevere, namely in the DIY dance and electronic music community is commendable. Friday's Blisspop Summer Extravaganza event at 9:30 Club wasn't even so much a celebration of the talents of the DJs, so much as it was a notification of acceptance of our city on a national and international landscape. Nadastrom and Tittsworth, the closers, are INTERNATIONAL superstars these days that get namedropped in the same breath as globetrotting party starters du jour like Diplo, Steve Aoki, Rusko and so on, and so forth. It must be noted that in the mind of this author that it seems as though every time Nadastrom or Tittsworth comes back to the DMV after an extended absence, namely at a Blisspop party, the crowds are larger, louder and more knowledgeable of not just the music of the headlines, but of the culture in general, and that's nothing but a positive. Will Eastman, a cultural curator of sorts of the Capital City, does well at these parties to support our "superstars," while at the same time surrounding them with our city's top stalwarts and rising talents as well, which was more than apparent as Dmerit, with their funky French electro, Bobby Jae and Ken Lazee's populist mixing, and Eastman's stellar ear as a selector proving that DC is not just a two horse city.

Miniature water pistols? What's a dance party without a parcel of water pistols?
Photo credit Max "max_imus" Freed (http://www.twitter.com/max_imus)

What's a birthday without a candy filled Little Mermaid pinata to hang from the rafters of the performance venue?
Photo credit Max "max_imus" Freed (http://www.twitter.com/max_imus)

If DC is going to make any waves on the national forefront, it will be due in large part to crafting an identity, or giving the nation a sense of what DC parties are all about. This is where DC's transient and cold nature comes in, as, if you read the Washington City Paper, we abuse lots of drugs and alcohol, which says nothing about really having a good time, unless, well, that's your bag. Blisspop reflected a great DC party angle, that of ribald and outlandish debauchery, as, between Dave Nada and Will Eastman, and a great number of other local DJs, there's a strong indy and punk rock background, which lends itself well to the type of anarchy loosed upon the event.

You had Dave Nada dancing while swaddled in a DC flag while throwing down Nadastrom's Beatport #1 single, the Soul II Soul's "Back to Life" sampling "Pussy." Then, there were all manner of soccer scarves, ketchup, or pickle juice or mayonnaise filled condoms, as well, there were pocket water pistols filled with water, and the coup de grace, in celebration of Dave Nada's birthday, a pinata, filled with candy, that Nada savaged like a madman with a stick, a moment certain to be frozen in this observer's memory for quite some time.

Will Eastman with pickle juice filled condom as Tittsworth murks the DC faithful.
Photo credit Max "max_imus" Freed (http://www.twitter.com/max_imus)

Dave Nada with soccer scarf.
Photo credit Max "max_imus" Freed (http://www.twitter.com/max_imus)

Musically, what can I say. Dmerit, Bobby Jae and Ken Lazee played the role of able openers, a difficult one in the DJ world, as you just can't throw down hard, rattling basslines or 140 BPM manic jams, but you're playing solidly, rubbing the sticks to start the flame, Dmerit really showing tons of promise, Micah Vellian heavily involved as a producer for Will Eastman's debut solo effort and the work of himself and Output Message definitely worth a listen. Bobby Jae and Ken Lazee got busy and even threw in Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" for good measure in one of those congruous incongruity moments that we can thank Girl Talk for. Will Eastman's Ruby Isle "So Damn High" remix is always a winner (director Kylos who provides Blisspop's fetching visual backdrops promises a complete video VERY soon), and he, from a technical standpoint was really on point to be point of being phenomenal on Friday night.

And the closers. I tend to believe that Dave Nada, Matt Nordstrom and Jesse Tittsworth turn in the kind of performances they turned in in DC on a fairly regular basis. That's what makes them who they are in the dance universe. Making the commonplace memorable is the type of thing that a chain restauant strives to do in their credo when they serve you spaghetti and meatballs. The energetic, musical firebrand, crowd murking, wall rattling raucous mania associated with Nadastrom and Tittsworth, when accepted as commonplace, makes memories that if commonplace, you're either living life quite well at the edge of a lighting bolt, or completely nuts. There's a love of music apparent in the productions crafted by both performers. There's a joy of being DJs, of having no real limits, of being able to use wobbling, drunken dubstep basslines that can wake the dead, of sampling just about anything and with some deft turns of talent making it INTENSELY musical, or having at your fingers the world of music, and in Tittsworth's case dropping Drake and Trey Songz's collaboration from Drizzy's So Far Gone mixtape "Successful" as a soulful, melodic and even ponderous dance break in the midst of his three hour piledriving powerslam of music.

At the end of the day, Blisspop didn't reinvent the wheel. Even better, if you're full of hate for the entire hipster, DJ adoring community, it probably didn't rate as important on your radar. But, if you're a lover of music, and a believer in it's power to producer such positive concepts as love, peace, happiness and unity, then this was a celebration of that. We're all broke, we're all struggling, and, let's face it, times just ain't right. Friday night, a slew of uber talented made things a little bit better. And that's wonderful.

Kudos.

TGRI ON BYT AND MORE!!!!

Yes, it's true. As of Wednesday, July 1st, I am now a contributor for DC mega blog Brightest Young Things (www.brightestyoungthings.com), providing comprehensive dance and electronic music coverage for the website. "Humpday Hysteria," hitting the site every Wednesday (and copied here as well,) will not be the deep and thorough musical exposition you find over here, but, a far more mainstreamed take on dance and electronic music, tailored toward the ordinary average partygoer who doesn't usually care about the difference between Rusko and AC Slater, but just wants to have a great time. As well, there will be extensive reviews and interviews of the local party scene (starting with tonight's massive Blisspop), much again, like what can be found here, but just being seen by 65,000 more potential eyes a week. Thanks to everyone for the constant support, as it is duly appreciated and I hope to be able to continue to provide you, the reader, with phenomenal content in the weeks, months and years to come.

Thanks again,
Marcus

BRIGHTEST YOUNG THINGS RE-POST: HUMPDAY HYSTERIA COMPREHENSIVE DANCE MUSIC COVERAGE

Welcome to what will be Humpday Hysteria (we’re getting a late start this week), your comprehensive stop for recollections and tales of electro sex kittens and dynamic disco fiends, as well as all things great, small and fantastic in the dance and electronic music world. I write about pretty much the same thing, give or take a few riotous punk shows, some hipster mayhem here and there, hip hop and current musical events over at my socio-cultural/music experiment True Genius Requires Insanity (tgrionline.com), and for The Couch Sessions (thecouchsessions.com), and am certainly glad to be here. The trend here will be to focus on the phenomenal local DMV scene with a broad smattering of the national and international involved. As well, I’ll tend to link everything thematically from item to item, just because it’s a fun mental device, and also to show just how large the DMV impact is these days in the scene. There’s a ton going on of note, so let’s not dawdle with any more useless text.

It’s July, so it’s summer party season in our local dance music scene. And this year seems bigger and better than ever.

THE BLISSPOP SUMMER BLOWOUT IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE 9:30 CLUB

Maybe one of the top three parties I attended last year was the Blisspop Christmas party, which featured enough mind blowing sonic occurrences to fill one column. After speaking with Will Eastman, I fully expect that memory to be eclipsed on Friday night. The lineup is frankly incredible, and features the local DC DJs with the greatest national impact (Nadastrom and Tittsworth), the forefather of this whole DC movement whose about to blow up big *again* (Will Eastman), and between Dmerit, Bobby Jae and Ken Lazee, you’ll really get to see the depth and scope of the city’s gargantuan talent load. Doors are at 9 PM, $10 TICKETS! And, definitely check BYT next week, for interviews, footage, pictures and a review of the ridiculously good time!

Rye Rye f/ MIA - Bang: THE VIDEO

Histrionic Bmore club rapper, party starter and dance princess Rye Rye finally dropped the video for “Bang,” the Blaqstarr produced instant anthem (that hyperkinetic staccato drum loop is a winner) that is tearing up the clubs worldwide, with even our own local triumvirate of Nouveau Riche DJs, Nacey, Starks and Gavin Holland getting in on the fun with their own remixes. MIA, Miss “Paper Planes,” even gets in on the fun on this one, and the low-fi video, actually shot in Baltimore two months ago at the legendary Paradox, features the freaking, jumping, popping, locking and swaying that Bmore club pulls out of just about anyone exposed to the sound.

MY CREW BE UNRULY

Superpromoter Puja Patel has put together the most incredible lineup of party crushing DJs around for the second “My Crew be Unruly” affair at the aforementioned Paradox on Saturday, July 17th. Baltimore club legend K Swift spun her last set ever prior to her untimely and most unfortunate demise at the mega affair that many dance industry insiders called the best party night in the nation last year. Twenty eight DJs (with more being added almost daily will spin between three rooms, with Bmore legends like Scottie B, Rod Lee, Jonny Blaze and the Dew Doo Kidz, DC’s own Nadastrom, Stereo Faith, the Nouveau Riche guys, Philly powerhouses DJ Sega, DJ Tameil, and the Crossfaded Bacon Crew of Emynd and Bo Bliz, and a cast of heavyweights, it’s going to be likely once again the party by which to judge ALL other parties. 18 and over, BYOB, free beer, hot 4 AM breakfast, $15 special tickets available at http://www.going.com/mcbu. More forthcoming on this party in the next two weeks!

IS DC READY FOR THE HEAT?!?!?!

Stereo Faith is a longtime bastion of DC’s club scene who gets underappreciated by many. Jonny Blaze is a legendary fixture of Bmore club music who has the same problem. Put their enormous talents together? Problem solved. Stereo Faith and Jonny Blaze (creator of the track for the hottest Bmore club dance the Ice Cream,) as dream tag team disc jockey combination “The Heat” are presently on a mini tour of the East coast, playing Brooklyn, Philly, Baltimore and every spot in between, but will come to rest on Saturday July 11th at the Feedback party at DC9, with headliner Dave Nada, two of the most criminally underrated selectors in DC, jacks of all trades Trevor Martin (get his latest Rock’n Bamaz 2….three year old hype girl, what?!?!) and Andrew Jaye, and performers the Hardy Boyz. Speaking of The Heat, expect an interview with the tandem, as well as a few exclusive samples of their technical wizardry to drop here before the end of the month.

CRAZY HOT HUMPDAY DOWNLOADS

In the wake of the demise of 14th Street’s Red Lounge as a popular underground DJ venue, 9:30 Club’s Backbar, replete with amazing soundsystem and alcoholic slushie machine (really, you haven’t lived until you’ve had the coffee slushie) has taken the reigns for the better as being the new burgeoning hot venue, and with hours until 4 AM, is the ultimate rising late night spot in town. The just mentioned Andrew Jaye, a Pittsburgh native who is a part of the 12 Pound Sound monthly (with Spiggums and B. Gully), hosted fellow Steel City natives now based in Philadelphia RCMP (DJs Apt One and Relative Q), who released their eponymous EP two weeks ago. The disco flavored dance floor buster on there, Ibiza, PA (download HERE) is a synth laden uptempo winner with a pulsing breakbeat that recalls tinges of late era Giorgio Moroder. For more info on the duo and their EP, visit http://www.myspace.com/rcmp.

Washington, DC native now living in Baltimore, James Nasty is an old Bmore club soul stuck in brand new times. Nasty stays true to keeping the beats bass heavy, pounding, and based around the “Think” and “Sing Sing” breaks that jam on the one, and with a wicked sense of humor and eye towards populist appeal has started to come into his own. You’d be an absolute fool if you’re throwing any sort of summer rager to not have two ridiculous James Nasty tracks in your collection, namely the absurd, funloving, must be heard to be believed, Jungle Brothers production trending “Put It in Her Pooper,” and the real hetero male, fist pounding, chest thumping, Jock Jam, old school Bmore club fight anthem winner, “Eye of the Club,” which makes Survivor sound like they made a really wussy record for Rocky Balboa, as the “Sing Sing” break, with the angry “WHUT!’s” all over the place take the track into some pretty wild territory. This record may or may not make you want to punch a personal trainer in the face when he postulates about how “partying keeping you from your fitness goals,” not that the author would know ANYTHING at all about those activities.

And in final, Major Lazer. Heard Diplo and Switch stopped through the city a week or so ago, and did a helluva job over at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Do grab the album, and even if it’s not your cup of tea, know that while the surf guitars meet heavy basslines, meets Santigold of “Hold the Line” pull you in, “Pon Di Floor” is the dance floor anthem for the rest of the year, and that “Baby (excellently remixed HERE and turned into a tribal themed breakdown by Arizona based Figure) ,” featuring hilarious Jamaican rapper Prince Zimboo (think Rufus Thomas type comedic timing in a patois tinged flow) is proof that while Jay-Z killed autotune, a sample of an autotuned crying infant, will live forever.

And there, friends, is your weekly dose of Humpday Hysteria.

NEW ARTIST SHOWCASE: THE MIZ METRO INTERVIEW!!!

Missing mid 90s moody female singer songwriter lyricism and want it now with an updated hip hop feel or a very jazzy flavor? Well look no further than Miz Metro, the 22 year old New York native whose debut album, Unlimited drops on July 8th. Metro has six years in the game, and with an incredibly diverse background that includes working with Santigold, time spent as a VJ, party host, blogger and television personality and an upbringing by four parents all in the entertainment business, her debut presents an artist with tremendous poise and a clear vision of her career in the future. Think of the point where Fiona Apple meets Lauryn Hill, with Nellie McKay's adorable flippancy and Lily Allen's pop sensibilities, backed by a seven piece jazz ensemble with poppy R & B motivations, and you have the industry veteran. At only the tender age of 22, Metro is poised to be at the forefront of the new class of do it all chanteuses in the 21st century.

I had the opportunity this week to chat with the terrifically composed and self-assured Miz Metro about her background, the Unlimited album, holding down a 4.0 GPA at SUNY Purchase, meeting Perez Hilton and his love of lead single "Trashion," our shared love of Etta James, hopeful future collaborations, and so much more.

DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW HERE

For a chance to hear the debut album in full, check http://www.imeem.com/mizmetro, and for more info on Miz Metro herself, check http://www.myspace.com/mizmetro!

Enjoy, as it's really an entertaining look into a new artist certain to succeed.

WEEKLY MOMENT OF ZEN: Michael Jackson's "Butterflies."

Michael Jackson is a musical genius. Those words are fact and will never be disputed. And of all the wonders that his genius unleashed upon the universe, none, to this author, may be more beautiful than his last major impactful sonic treatise, "Butterflies," from 2001's Invincible. At the time of Invincible's release, it must be duly noted that Michael Jackson was anything but. For the last eight years, his good name had been besmirched, and the artist went from beloved legend to punchline for jokes by hack comics worldwide. Invincible went to #1 on the Billboard charts in the US as an album in spite of all of this, of course, as Jackson is universally beloved by just as many, or in some cases, the same people that lampoon him, but certainly the album's status was more a tribute to the man instead of any thought by the average music listener that the artist was attempting to further his musical career.

As mentioned, trapped on this album is the songmaster's final cause celebre, "Butterflies." Written by former Floetry member Marsha Ambrosious four years earlier in 1997 as a tale of unrequited teenage infatuation, Michael Jackson wraps a sinuous falsetto around these lyrics in such a way that they don't just tug at heartstrings, they pull them, and loose and open the heart to the message, creating melodies that evoke the passion, yearning and meaning within. Ambrosious, at that time, was easily one of the top five songwriters in ALL of music at that point, Floetry's debut album with "Say Yes" and "Floetic" as two epic cuts of that era, accentuated with strings and sweetening, are just true standouts. But "Butterflies," well, that's just once in a lifetime brilliance.

Jackson takes a song that when recorded by Floetry is simply amazing, but, with his graduated knowledge of vocal inflection and emphasis, creates emotions hard to qualify in recorded sound. At the first chorus, you hear the sound of the very moment as a lovestruck teen when you cross from hoping to like, to hoping to love, to knowing the situation is futile to having a broken heart, but holding on to hope because knowing the other, the unrequited love, is pain too great to want to feel. As anyone who has felt it knows, it's all one feeling, just like that, and Jackson, in "Butterflies," creates that hopeless tumult with note perfect perfection.

It takes the same child that ironically belts out the grown man blues tale "Who's Lovin' You" to do this. It takes the dreamer that sang "Ben" to do this. It takes the same man that argues love with Paul McCartney in "The Girl is Mine" to do this. It takes the man that charms his way through "Lady in My Life" and "You Are Not Alone" to do this. It takes the man that contemplates the ties that bind and assuages the heart that breaks in "She's Out of My Life." It takes the man that sings both "Billie Jean" and "Dirty Diana" to do this. "Butterflies" completes the love saga that Michael Jackson laid out in his magical career. For a man who lived his life in many ways as a tale of unrequited love, as a living definition of hope in the face of heartache and heartbreak, hear "Butterflies," feel "Butterflies," know "Butterflies." Above all his other hits, Michael, to me, is a maestro of love, and this is the master's final and greatest stroke of genius.

In death, find life. Long live the King.

SHIT I'M DIGGING THIS WEEK

See that tiny house on the left? It's great. Trust me.

1. Trevor Martin releases Rock'n Bamaz 2 Mixtape - Local DC area stalwart disc jockey Trevor Martin has released his second "Rock'n Bamaz" mixtape, and to say that it's an underrated banger of a mix would be the understatement of the year. Martin's mixes exist as half twisted mental exploration, half dancefloor filling banger compilation. If you ever wondered what a mix that includes copious amounts of hard edged Brick Bandits style Philly/Bmore club, bizarre mashups and blends (The Smiths and Biggie? Yep, and it works), Muse's "Knights of Cydonia," a house mix of Lonely Island and T Pain's ubiquitous "I'm On a Boat," a good amount of punk rock, and a three year old hype child doing shout outs for good measure, well, this is the mix for you. Too many DJs these days fall prey to popular trends in the face of standing up for their own musical taste, and revelling in and exposing them to the listener in a way that makes them palatable, which is a perpetual staple of what Martin does. Martin has attempting to really expand himself this year, taking on a regular Saturday party (Real Talk) at H St. destination point Sticky Rice, alongside regular monthly $weat$hop at the 9:30 Club Backstage Bar with its amazing soundsystem, intimate space and mind erasing and legendary alcoholic slushies, and with a background that includes the Sneakers in the Club parties with Jerome Baker III and Stereofaith, Martin certainly has the pedigree and skills to be reckoned with as another top notch and conscientious selector in the rapidly rising DMV.

DOWNLOAD HERE

2. Adam Gonzo presents "Black Man in the White House" - Bmore's got a lot of staple DJs. If anything, it's what the city is known for on the national music stage. Creating and carving a niche in the midst of a city with a Murderer's Row of top producers and perpetually selected trackmasters is exactly what Baltimore City Paper's 2008 "Best DJ ina Club" Adam Gonzo has done, as he releases another winning mix on the people, "Black Man in the White House." Gonzo spins the Tensday weekly at the Ottobar with other respected Bmore favorites Emily Rabbit and Hip Hop Dan as well as Friday night monthly Served with Mark Brown (WhamCity) at the Windup Space, which this Friday (July 3rd) features DC favorites the Nouveau Riche DJs (Gavin Holland, Nacey and Steve Starks), which should be the look for the night if you're in the Charm City. Gonzo doesn't re-invent the wheel or foist wobbly basslines on your sensibilities, or melt your face with sonic bombast. No, he's just realy, really, really interested in making you dance, which, if you need a unifier of this very well selected live mix, would be it.

TRACKLISTING
(1) Marvin Gaye- Intro
(2) Marvin Gaye- What's Going On (Soul II Marvin- Back To What's Goin' On Remix)
(3) Shoes- Get Soul Power Right
(4) Ayb M.O.D.- Turn Back the Clock
(5) Marvin Gaye- Sexual Healing (Emynd's Second Line Bounce Remix)
(6) Stevie Wonder- Signed Sealed Delivered (DJ Smash Essential Funk Mix)
(7) Jackson Jones- I Feel Good (Pilooski Edit)
(8) Blondie- Rapture (Gonzo's Galang Blend)
(9) Slick Rick- Mona Lisa
(10) Ol' Dirty Bastard- Cold Blooded
(11) The Virgins- Rich Girls
(12) Rolling Stones - Miss You (Dr. Dre Remix 2002)
(13) Timbaland ft. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake- Give It To Me
(14) Hercules & Love Affair- Athene
(15) Notorious B.I.G.- Nasty Girl (Relly Rell$ 8 Bar Edit)
(16) Kid Sister- Fresh

DOWNLOAD HERE

3. Kansas House - Went to the infamous "Kansas House" last night to see personal favorite Totally Michael. For the uninitiated, the "venue" is literally a dual level run down house at 900 Kansas St in Arlington, VA. In the early and mid 1990s, the space was a vital punk rock underground space, and supported the dreams and development of numerous local acts, but had for many years sat quiet, as the house was sold to new, non music friendly ownership. Sold yet again, the new owners are definitely friendly to the space's history, and it has returned. The living room doubles as performance space, there's no air conditioning, enough space for 50 people to stand comfortably, mattresses that provide soundproofing covering the front windows, a BYOB policy, and, well, an unpretentious crowd that just wants to rock their asses off to great music. Saw Montreal's Swamp Sex Robots there as well, a dance friendly, musical post punk quartet that owes as much of their cache to playing well as to having an ironic and well studied intellect which leads to themed outfits for each performance, with prior shows as well dressed Mexican luchadores (masked wrestlers), to last night's attempt at recreating Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Yes. The lead guitarist dressed as well, clearly the Gorton's Fisherman, but more implicitly, a mariner, the drummer as an albatross, the bassist as the Grim Reaper,and the lead singer as a whale. Really. I can't make any of this up. There's something about a band that would play this type of space, something really wonderful, whimsical, dream filled, and ultimately, organic and musical about it. The DMV is so caught up in the downtown scene these days that just 40 minutes away, something really vital is happening (again), and nobody really seems to know about it. I guess that's actually all well and good, as the inspiration derived from there, if the place became a hopping hotbed would be homogenized and removed. But yeah, for more info on this amazing slice of local awesome, visit http://www.myspace.com/kansashouse

4. Michael Jackson - In death, the man is the top selling musical artist seemingly everywhere. I fervently believe the most telling reason of why MJ is and will always be the "King of Pop" and the most vital musical artist of all time is that in this era of Pitchfork and Discobelle and MTV and terrestrial radio having almost no influence, leading to immediate musical saturation and disposability, Michael Jackson has remained a topic of conversation and a listened to and appreciated artist for almost an entire week. Jay Z can release a video for "D.O.A." that should be required viewing, but nobody has noticed, as we're all listening to the "Off the Wall" album. Major Lazer's "Pon the Floor" can be on the way to being the most important club anthem of the year, but we're definitely feeling "Thriller" a whole lot more. Say what you will about The Beatles and Elvis, but Michael Jackson's appeal is far more universal and fully widespread than both of those acts combined. In the digital era, to literally freeze the universe when it's moving faster than it ever has. That's one of the most amazing achievements ever. Yes, it's posthumous and tragic, but it's an amazing achievement nevertheless.

5. Jay Z - D.O.A. - Really. Watch the video. He doesn't just kill autotune. He kills rap music. A grown father just slapped his disobedient son in the face. It's that fight that fathers and sons have where the father beats the mess out of his growing child. Here's hoping that the "right" kids in the game can come back and gain a measure of respect. It's an absolute necessity.

MICHAEL JACKSON

I've always had the feeling that Michael Jackson had no other option in life but to be Michael Jackson. That's a lot of why he was the best to ever do this. I'd say he was Jackie Wilson meets James Brown and a whole slew of other artists, but that'd be so trite and unfair. Fuck. Michael Jackson is dead. And with that, a part of our collective musical consciousness is a memory. There's a vitality inherent in the presumption of immortality. In death, we lose that, and we find the human. My greatest wish is that in remembering the human, we don't lose the nature of just how amazing the man was. His dream in youth to be the greatest singer and dancer that ever lived, and to positively touch the lives of every single person that ever heard his music, is just like any other child's dream, to be President, or, as our parents all teach us, to dream big, dream impossible, and make those dreams come true. But Mike had these dreams at three and four, and by by five he was already doing it, already attempting to make dreams realities. There's something full of naivete there, something so human there, something so accessible there, something for us ALL to love there as well, and we did.

Michael gave his life to music, and in devoting the entirety of his being to being the ULTIMATE, lies a tragic flaw. We all get a bit older, get a bit slower, get a bit worn, but that was not supposed to be Michael. Michael, through his aspiration, became timeless, became an epic representation of something meant to create emotion: music. Michael Jackson died while once again, at the age of 50, preparing to make time stand still, doing it harder and better than anyone, a 50 show concert tour, which at any age is daunting, but at 50, given his particular expectation, would have been simply incredible. His motivation, be it financial salvation or a youthful pondering of whether he still had "it" be damned, we ALL hoped that these concerts would go off okay. Even if not for the advancement of his greatness, but just to make sure that the best we ever had was still in good health and good spirits after an amazingly tumultuous number of years.

We have never and will never see another Michael Jackson because, when the man is at the height of his ability, and can be produced and recorded by those at the heights of their abilities, the results are timeless. I can list the songs, but I'd miss one and the universe would be angry. I'm sure we've all heard every song Michael ever performed over the last 12 hours. Five number one albums and thirteen number one singles. And the B sides and hidden album cuts we all know and love and hold dear. The man lived a life where he worked with Gamble and Huff, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Teddy Riley. He's sang on stage with Pavarotti and had Jay-Z lay down 16 bars on "You Rock My World." And, amazingly, after discussing ALL of that, I've touched a tenth of his career. In working and learning from and emulating ALL of the greats, Micael Jackson existed as a sheer musical marvel. Michael Jackson is a standard and brand of excellence that in aiming for, artists of the present and future can achieve greatness just in the attempt to mirror him.

Through the music, Michael Jackson made a difference. In his youthful demeanor, and sheer hope upon all hopes in the world, Michael created change. He was a life changer. A WORLD changer. He single handedly changed the face of pop radio and MTV by being black and having widespread appeal and undeniable talent. By merely being better than everyone else, he knocked a hole in the terrifying edifice of racism that so so so many have walked through in so many walks of life. He had the power, through his career to do daily what people hope to do once in a lifetime. He's shaken hands and had conversations with so many people of power, so many people of influence who were likely prouder to meet him than he was to meet them. When your goal is to be the best, you go into life fully expecting this to be the nature of what you do. And he did this all dutifully, as if with each legendary tune, at a certain point, knowing that he was solidifying his ability to literally be a world beater.

And there's his final tragic flaws. Life and love. Michael Jackson lived on the same planet with us, but due to the intense stress of literally being the greatest and most influential man to ever create sound, he mortgaged his life, and mortgaged the ability to learn how to love himself and love others. You can't love yourself when you become the forefront of public opinion at eight years old. Eight! We all know how damaging it is as a child to be told you're ugly and are no good. Now imagine likely hearing this from not your child peers, but from adults! Many humans are cynical, jealous and hateful people. The pain and stigma from that certainly seems tremendous. Now extrapolate that over forty-two years of striving and winning despite that, and as the woes increase, still attempting to just do what you know, and in the process grow, mature, and learn, having never been adequately provided the tools to do. His legendary odd behavior (we all know all the stories and cases, no need to rehash them in this space), well, if not a reaction in attempting to fight his own life and gain the ability to love, to create something "normal," to have an other from his very public, full time persona, well that makes sense. It may sound crazy, but in holding Michael Jackson to the same rules, laws and regulations as say, Marcus Dowling, well, that's just a recipe for danger. Nobody has ever lived this life and existed in this manner before. There are no rules for this. Crazy, but upon further review, true.

Michael Jackson is no longer amongst us in the living. But remember his exalted life. Remember his sheer mastery of music. Remember his hopes and dreams. No matter how you feel, the man had an impact and made an ultimate sacrifice and difference. Long live the King.

NEW ARTIST SHOWCASE: NACEY AND STARKS

Nacey (l.) and Steve Starks. The most potent DC connection since Doug Williams to Ricky Sanders. Photo by Sexy Fitsum/iLLIMETER - http://illimeter.com

What DC as known for awhile now is that Columbia, MD natives and friends since high school Nacey and Steve Starks, two-thirds of the Nouveau Riche triumvirate with Gavin Holland, are two of the most underrated DJs and producers in the country. The reason why the rest of the country didn't know, is, well, Nacey and Steve Starks are also two of the most humble DJs and producers in the country, opting to let their mixing and skill speak louder than their marketing and voice. However, with a less than inspiring Winter Music Confernence spurring on the talented duo to replace thir humility with quiet confidence, Starks and Nacey have rolled out the most consistently solid remixes of the year, Nacey gaining the big prizes from Mad Decent and Discobelle, along with tracks rapped over by former Yo Majesty! rapper Shunda K, and Starks quietly honing his craft, a musical viper waiting for the right time to attack. Amd that right time was this past Tuesday, as the duo released their debut EP, a six song compilation of completely original tracks and reworkings of popular tunes as well, a clear shot to DJs everywhere that the duo are forces to be reckoned with.

Nacey's three songs reflect his diverse interests, with a particular investment n his love of Southern bass and appreciation of an upbringing saturated in Bmore club. The EP kicks off with "Lose Your Love," where Nacey deftly handles one of the most emphatic disco breaks of all time from the extended mix of The Emotions' "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love," where the sisters sing the title as chorus over horn stabs, and with the aid of the break from "Doo Dew Brown," and ambient noise, creates a perfect track that doubles as the perfect breakdown at the height of a Bmore club specific set, or to jazz up any disco mix. It's a hit for sure, and I FULLY expect to see it showing up all over the place this summer. "Money on the Dressa" turns a sample of Bun B's iconic voice from "International Playa's Anthem" into a gangstafied house banger, replete with samples of a shotgun loading and shooting, squealing car tires and violin strings over a futuristic and hollow breakbeat, creating the perfect soundtrack if Major Lazer wasn't a Jamaican freedom fighter but a Dolemite clone. "Work For This" may be the most sonically lush and mentally stimulating of the three tracks he delivers on the EP, taking what sounds like a sexed out Trina sample and creating a classic house jam, lush Arabian horns mixing with jazz horns over a syncopated bassline to create a sexy, sexy, sexy club heater that is certain to get the ladies moving seductively on the dancefloor.

Steve Starks on the other hand is similar, but with his deep house and funk explorations is a different DJ entirely. "So Sexy," his first EP track, plays as an homage to Green Velvet (i.e. Cajmere of "Percolator" fame's later project), all distinct spoken word vocals, deep synthy basslines and tinny hi hats with congo drums, it's a classic deep house track, a retro fit for these most interesting times. "You Don't Want None" follows next, a far more bass heavy and big sounding Bmore club exploration than Nacey's smooth as silk "Lose Your Love," it sounds like a Brick Bandits type club cut, the enormous filling sound mirroring what Philly has done with the early 2000s work of Debonair Samir and others. He closes his section and the EP itself with his most accessible for the current sonic atmosphere track, "Don't Let Me Go" (Dub Mix f/ Manulita) featuring samples of heavy and orgasmic breathing, it's a very dubbed out mix of a classic sexy club jam, and certain to be a necessity in the Serato boxes of any DJ looking to create the perfect mood as nightcapper to a night of playing nerve pounding wobbly basslines.

The EP is clearly aimed at creating noise and being relevantt the current set of producers and DJs presently making noise in the mainstream. At the same time though, neither Nacey nor Steve abandon what stylistically broght them to the forefront, instead weaving it into a set of tracks that are certain to continue the trend of DC infiltrating the club music mainstream.

DOWNLOAD THE EP HERE!

BLACK LIPS/SPANK ROCK feat. NINJASONIK/POPO - SONAR - 6/19/09

Say hello to Mad Decent's newest punk rock signees, Popo.

Continuing in a string of solid lineups at Sonar as of late, last Friday, dirty south garage rockers the Black Lips, perennial hometown favorite Spank Rock, backed by punk hop sensations Ninjasonik, and the giant brothers Malik of Popo, the new punk darlings on the Mad Decent imprint rocked a less than capacity, but full of youthful vigor crowd in the larger main room of the venue.

Popo played first, and the most telling thing about the act to a non-informed observer is that there are three gigantic (they're all well over 6'1"), gangly Middle Eastern brothers from Philly playing loud garage punk with pop melodies. The effect is visually arresting, and clearly part of the allure, as with ironic titles like the downtempo "Feel Good Song of the Year" (arguably their best and most polished song) and "Kill Tonight," you're immediately bobbing your head and thrashing along, reciting choruses word for word as they're ever so slightly witty and absurd, but the craftsmanship apparent in the music not allowing you to toss them aside as a throwaway act. And that's important as well. The attention to craftsmanship is high, as Popo may easily be one of the most well honed and practiced bands on the label, as they take great pride in nailing melodies and in sounding like a band you really want to have every intention to appreciate. Having seen the band three times now live, their improvement is marked, as they are gaining confidence in their live performances, and while still not as cohesive and interactive as they could be, do have a live performance set of music that portents future success. During the set, the drummer announced that the ink has indeed dried on their deal, and that he had "Three thousand dollars, and who wants a drink." World conquering words, indeed! Mad Decent has released a vinyl 7" of the two tracks mentioned in this review presently for sale, and the band, while not on tour, does play regularly, with gigs throughout the Northeast. For more information, visit myspace.com/popobros.

Following Popo's thrashing, Spank Rock and Ninjasonik took to the stage for what was more house party than true live performance. Naeem "Spank Rock" Juwan, Baltimore native and presently residing in Philadelphia, is a charismatic hip hop frontman whose productions, in this reviewer's mind, was at the front end of our present electro rap movement, but hardly gets the full respect he deserves from those who have cloned, aped or outright stolen aspects of his persona. And frankly, it's everywhere. From Common's sudden turn from conscious rapper to couture wearing pussy maven to countless Myspace hipsters inbetween, if it wasn't for the work of Naeem Juwan and his Hollertronix honed act with Devlin, Darko, Amanda Blank and XXXChange, music would certainly be a very different place. On this particular Friday night, Spank played background to giving the stage to Ninjasonik, an act he did as well for the band at December's Baltimore Bass Connection Christmas Party, Juwan complementing the act and creating a perfect storm of sex raps and ribald humor, replete with girls jumping onstage, African drumming (yes, you read right), DJ Teenwolf on the backup, and ridiculous fun had by all. let it be said in this space that whenever Spank Rock or Ninjasonik are in town, get your hands on a ticket. If you miss the late 80s, early 90s party rap vibe of the 2 Live Crew (sans naked women), it still exists, and is just as raw, just as interactive and just as entertaining as ever before.

Atlanta, Georgia's hillbilly soul revue Black Lips have changed. Well, not so much changed as matured. Going into the show expecting the vaguely homoerotic acts that got them kicked out of India, or the public urination, vomiting or disgusting perversity, I, at age 31, was happy to see these four young men signed to Vice Records stay onstage, clothed, focused, and playing a phenomenal set of melodic, throwback Southern garage rock that sounded like what is the soundtrack for a keg party at a University of Mississippi frathouse in 1966 when the race line wasn't crossed and Red Tops and the Hot Nuts were playing. Given that they lived as a band for some time on the Georgia Tech campus, this isn't surprising. Their unique take on music, called "flower punk" by the band, combines syrupy sweet doo wop and girl group elements with powerful, loud guitar licks to create something that inspires really bad dancing by comically arythmic people, meaning that their music is inclusive of people who genuinely want to have a fun time listening to music, and are not concerned about getting sweaty and looking good. Being on a label that is part of a conglomenrate that contains a near comically scatalogical magazine actually aids the band as it allows for the music to be more reflective of sheer ridiculous fun to the more attuned observer, as on a mainstream label their sound would be far more neutered and would sound something far more akin to Chester French than Lynyrd Skynyrd 2.0. The Black Lips have been causing crowds to combust since 2000, and have a new album out on Vice, 200 Million Thousand, and clearly are at the forefront of the garage movement for good reason. More info available at www.black-lips.com