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(note: I figure I might get cease and desisted while I'm away so I'm putting these on a yousendit just so I don't end up getting sued to pieces while I'm gone. Or wait, no, I found these on yousendit so I decided to link to them. Yeah.)

Anyway, this portion is dedicated to dudes from my teenage years that are still throwing down even after I thought I could right em off.

Chemical Brothers-The Salmon Dance Feat. Fatlip

So I figure you'll either love or hate the first one. I've always had a soft spot for Fatlip after seeing him spill his guts to Spike Jonze on that What's up Fatlip documentary. I recommend seeing it, if only for the no joke tranny recap. But yeah, I mean joke-y songs usually only got like one or two listens in them, but this shit is dope. It's full of bleepy goodness. That bass that kicks in when Sammy mentions Japan? Unnh! But mostly I just want "The Salmon" to catch on in the club. That would be awesome.

Chemical Brothers-The Pills Won't Help you now feat. Midlake

And if that one doesn't prove that these guys are still paying attention, then this should at least let you know that they still know how to make a great song. They get cred points for pulling Midlake, but regardless, this song is wonderful. Plus I assume if you were huge into the Chemical Brothers in 94 then you realize how true this song rings at this point. Fuck knows I do. The new album, We Are The Night, drops July 2nd.

Beastie Boys- The Rat Cage

Beastie Boys- Freaky Hijiki


So this new instrumental Beastie Boys album just kinda crept out of nowhere. I was depressed by how shitty "To the 5 Boroughs" was, considering that I loved every other Beastie Boys album and consider them one of my favorite acts of my teenage years. But dudes are old as hell so I'd really rather not have to watch them pull a muscle while trying to keep things all rambunctious anyway...and I REALLY don't want a whole album full of preachy filtered vocals.

This was the perfect move at this point. Not only that, but it's pretty damn good! It's funky as hell, raw, and its got a bit of their punk influence, as well as a lot of spacey vintage keys. Some backwards retrogear association thing is telling me that it sounds like a mix of the stuff that DC Recordings and Truth and Soul are putting out now. The In Sound from Way Out 2 may be a more logical way of looking at it though.

And because I've got nothing but opinions, I'm gonna claim Ill Communication as my fave. Licence to Ill may have had the biggest cultural impact and Paul's Boutique may be the most critically acclaimed and groundbreaking as far as sampling is concerned, but I'd say that Ill Communication had the best spread of irreverance, musicianship, and thoughtfulness. Plus in 8th grade, I rode around the city cramped in the trunk of an Explorer filled with like 8 high school kids, getting drunk and blasting Sure Shot for like 3 hours straight so done deal.

Oh it looks like the Beasties have a little blog too. Stole these clip from them.



In high school there was this one dude's house that was like the afterschool refugee camp for everybody that was destined to fail. I really wanted those type of guys to like me back then. I remember the grandma of the house was super senile and dudes would get high and start fucking with her mercilessly. One time she ate all the cigarette butts from the ashtray. I wasn't there but I heard everybody just sat around and laughed and encouraged her while she did it. Then she had to get her stomach pumped. You couldn't fuck with Grandma after that because I think it was made very clear that her social security paid the rent. But the dude's sister was like 15 at that point so everybody just ended up fucking with her instead. Get it?!?

Anyway, that place was terrible.



Sesame Street most certainly was not. Way hopeful. This has to be the funkiest a children's show has ever gotten. Goddamn, Stevie. And that one kid on the ledge?!? He's like my idol.