Let's face it - when it comes to 2nd generation musical artists, the vast majority are not so great. Alex Isley, daughter of music legend Ernie Isley, is a notable exception. She has been around for a few years now, and I am seriously baffled as to why she hasn't made a bigger impact yet. Her first EP, The Love/Art Memoirs was a really nice introduction into her minimalist style of R&B. Alex's latest release, Dreams in Analog is my earworm of the moment. For those of us waiting in vain for that full-length King release, Alex Isley offers…

Year after year we have waited for a new D'Angelo album. And now a glimmer of hope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfTEa0xObSA This ten second clip is giving me Level 42 meets Prince feels, which is a good thing. Hopefully this year will bring new music, but more importantly, let's all hope that the demons have been kept at bay that caused the unfortunate delays in the first place.

http://i42.tinypic.com/zx4d1e.png

The Blue Nile always had some great design work on their records. Glad someone noticed, but SMH at the lack of attribution. They got the text sizing all wrong too. The original has more subtlety and precision that complements the image.

Whitney Houston was my favorite singer when I was a kid. Her voice at its peak was this untouchable, pure thing of beauty. It soared to heights that will probably never be duplicated, and yet as I sit here thinking about her musical contributions one thing stands out to me: her songs weren't really that good. I mean, sure if "How Will I Know" or "So Emotional" pop up when I have my music on shuffle, I won't skip them, and I will most definitely sing along, but in the overall grand scheme of things, Whitney never had great, classic…

Patience. It is an elusive thing to me these days. I mean, who really wants to wait for things? Not in a world where everything is pre-packaged and bit-torrented , right? Well. . . yes and no. Sure, if I have just downed a liter of water after hot yoga, there is no enlightenment to be found in me standing around jittery with my legs crossed while I hold my bladder. However, there are some things, believe it or not, that are worth putting in the extra effort to wait for. Think, for instance, of that hearty stew simmering away…

Love the Trashcan Sinatras – sorry last.fm - “The Trash Can Sinatras.” Like my other fave The Blue Nile, TCS are proud Scots, and it comes out in the music. A bit provincial, lovely, sentimental, and overwhelmingly beautiful, the Trashcan Sinatras have been around since the 90’s but have never really had the success they deserve. Their most well known song is probably still “Obscurity Knocks.” Don’t get me wrong, that is a great song, but they have a bunch of other stuff that is superior in every way. Like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlkQKCAxtYI

And lets…

There was a period in my life when all I listened to was Gangstarr. Morning, Noon and Night - All Day, Everyday. I memorized every rhyme that Mr Keith Elam, AKA GURU spit. Today, 04.20.10, I am devastated that this man's life was cut short by cancer. He was a true innovator. As far as I am concerned, we, and by "we" I mean those who live for true hip hop, WE lost one of the most prolific, underrated geniuses to ever bless a mic. I will remember his work with Premier and solo with his (pre-Solar) Jazzmatazz releases.…

All I remember is being a little kid, eyes glued to Heathcliff and Claire Huxtable dancing on the TV. All was right in the world. It's amazing what a good song can do.

“Private Eyes” by Hall and Oates is one of my favorite songs, mainly because I get to break out my incredible hand-clapping skills whenever it comes on. I won’t mention my creepily intense fantasies involving Oates mustache and massive amounts of Schnapps, let’s just say I really enjoy the video below . . . maybe a little too much.

On a more serious note, I want to say belated RIP to T-Bone Wolk, one of the chief architects of the Hall and Oates sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anLfoy2XsFw

June 25, 2009. I see the report on a link from TMZ that a friend sent me and I don't believe it. Michael Jackson is dead. It has been months, and yet I still have a hard time wrapping my head around that one. Not sure it will ever sink in really. I wasn’t a rabid MJ fan. I mean, I loved his music, but I wasn’t one of these people who wept uncontrollably at the sight of him and stuff like that. What I did do was admire his musical genius, his artistry, his full commitment to entertaining the…