A Few Brief Words About Some Recent Hip Hop

1. Black Cocaine The other day I got an email from Havoc, otherwise known as Kejuan Muchita, otherwise known as one half of the legendary hip hop duo Mobb Deep. The email let me know of the release of a new EP called Black Cocaine. This was good news, as I am a fan. Upon my arrival home, I downloaded the EP. Did I listen to a 30 second sample? No. Did I go on Amazon or iTunes and see how many stars people were giving it? No. Did I check out the hip hop bloggerati to see what the pundits were saying? No. Did I engage in a spirited discussion with some fool who thinks Prodigy (Havoc's partner) lost it 10 years ago? No. I simply downloaded it. After all, it's by Mobb Deep and it's called Black Cocaine. There are few guarantees in this life but that's one of them. If it's by Mobb Deep and it's called Black Cocaine, it will be good. And it is good - very, very good. So go buy it. If you must sample a song, watch this gruesome video. You'll wish you had just bought the EP.

2. Pusha T Otherwise known as Terrance Thornton, Pusha is one half of the not quite legendary but still astounding hip hop duo Clipse, known for some of the finest hip hop albums of the new millennium. After recording some staggering verses with Kanye West as part of the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy project, the next logical step for Pusha was a solo album which, in the style of the day, was heralded by a free mix tape over the summer called Fear Of God. Unfortunately, except for the hypnotic Raid, which featured 50 Cent's best work since Blood Money with Mobb Deep, the collection was a stiff. Rote beats, unimaginative hooks, and just a few of Pusha's patented "young black Socrates" zingers. So when RCRD LBL let me know of a new track called Body Work from Fear Of God 2, my hopes were not high. And it turned out to be lame. But somehow in the aftermath of my earlier disappointment, I had missed the September release of a track by him pithily entitled Don't Fuck With Me, which I now discovered. 

Just seeing the title reminded me of the time when a contemporary novelist expressed her frustration with the fact that Anthony Trollope had written a novel called The Way We Live Now - in 1875. "Shouldn't every novel be called that?" she asked. Well, shouldn't (nearly) every rap song be called Don't Fuck With Me? But it took Pusha to do it and it's pure genius. Download it for free from RCRD LBL - and sign up for their excellent emails while you're at it. Sometimes one great song can make up for a lot of duds. 

Time to get cracking on that Best of 11 list...cheers.

Loving The Magpie (or, How To Write Fame)

I just finished Paul Trynka's terrific David Bowie: Starman, which, unless Bowie writes his own book or does something amazing artistically [little did we know!] in the future, will likely prove definitive. One fascinating feature of the well-written book is the insights into Bowie's process of making music. As Trynka outlines, the Dame didn't just change his style at various points in his career, but he changed his whole approach.

A great example of this is the breathless tale of how Fame was constructed. Basically, it was assembled from used parts, with Bowie, along with co-writers Carlos Alomar and John Lennon, operating more like the Bomb Squad than Lennon & McCartney.

Essentially, the way it happened was this: As is well known, Bowie began embracing soul and funk during the 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. As can be heard on David Live, adding the Stax classic Knock On Wood to the set was one manifestation of his new fascination. Another song he included was Foot Stompin' Pt.1, the 1961 dance floor smash by The Flares. His band of R&B virtuosi soon put their own twist on it, with guitarist Carlos Alomar adding a lick from The Jungle Walk, a funky Buzz Feiten workout from the last album by 60's stalwarts, The Rascals. This weird hybrid was even showcased on The Dick Cavett Show in 1974. You can hear an embryo of Fame at a moment when no one - not even Bowie himself -  knew what was to come.


The next building block came from John Lennon, who David had invited to the session to record Bowie's cover of Across The Universe. While it's a bit hard to imagine the ex-Beatle jamming on a version of Shirley & Company's peppy early disco hit, Shame, Shame, Shame, that's exactly what Lennon was doing when Bowie walked by. He thought Lennon was singing "Fame, fame, fame," a subject they had been discussing earlier. Something clicked and he went off by himself, returning 20 minutes later with the lyrics to Fame.

Lennon and Alomar definitely earned their songwriting credits for their crucial contributions but Trynka gives no doubt that the brilliant lyrics are all David's work. And although Trynka doesn't mention it, I would assume the same for song's most devastating coup de grace, the pitch-shifted repetition from falsetto to bass of the word "fame." This was the culmination of a technique from Bowie had employed on his early curio The Laughing Gnome (and later on Scream Like A Baby).

So that's how you make a hit. It's all here in this handy Spotify playlist, including the ultimate compliment, James Brown's Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved), which took "sampling" to a whole other level.

As for the story of how Bowie turned Nile Rogers into a musical Manchurian Candidate, you'll just have to read the book!

Brooklyn Rider's Journey

For their entry in the River To River series, this fantastic string quartet traveled from Vienna to Brazil, and from Kentucky to Japan, ending up among their fellow nomads, the Roma.


Mozart's Quartet No. 8 in F Major opened the show and proved to be music that is of its time in all the right ways. You can instantly hear how engaged the 17 year old Wolfgang was with the people and society around him. Brooklyn Rider's lively playing conjured up scenes of tinkling glassware and witty conversation - a party - in the first movement, moving naturally to the nocturnal Andante - the hushed after-party - and then on to the streaks of sunlight and galloping carriage ride of the final movements. Brilliant.


Phillip Glass's String Quartet No. 2 "Company" followed and, while I have become less convinced by his work over the years, there was certainly nothing unconvincing about the performance.


Much more fascinating was violinist Colin Jacobson's arrangement of Joao Gilberto's Undiu, which began with moody distortions and then got the whole group humming while making wonderful use of guest players Jeff Beeches on bass and Mathias Kunzli on percussion. This debut performance was a joy and the piece should be on their next record.


Colin's own Sheriff's Liede, Sheriff's Freude (a tribute to the long-suffering "sheriff" of the group, violist Nicholas Cords) closed the first half. With its bluegrass interjections it made good use of the virtuoso talent and wit of his fellow players.


Kojiro Umezaki, a master of the shakuhachi, took the stage alone to open the second part of the concert. He explained that his piece, ...as if none of this had ever happened..., was based on a work commemorating the victims of the 1923 earthquake in Tokyo (100,000 people died) and related it to the recent disasters in Japan. The gorgeously anguished breath of the flute competing with (and almost overwhelmed by) the glitchy electronics coming off his iPad made for a haunting meditation. The quartet returned for a beautiful rendition of Lullaby From Itsuki, a traditional Japanese melody that translated perfectly to this most untraditional combination of instruments. Another Umezaki piece, (Cycles) what falls must rise (which appears on Dominant Curve), brought the iPad back into the fold for another glitchy, powerful excursion.


Umezaki, who has worked extensively with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, is a triple threat - a great player, an intriguing and emotional composer and a natural communicator.


The last part of the trip was a suite of music of the Roma, which touched on a variety of aspects of that tradition, from melancholia to gypsy jazz that would have had Stephane Grappelli tapping his feet and itching to join in. 


Each piece was met with louder cheers by the audience, who, whatever their travel plans were walking in, would happily hitch a globe-trotting expedition with Brooklyn Rider any time.

Location:Beekman St,,United States

Best Of 11 (So Far)

This has been such a great year for music so far that if it ended now I would have a perfectly respectable Top Ten list. Since it seems that we who opine about music can no longer wait for the end of the year to make some sort of list, I'll join in with my provisional pronouncement. Don't feel like reading? Check the playlist here.


1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues: An astonishing follow-up from Robin Pecknold and co. Greater sophistication and a new directness in the lyrics make this an undeniable record.


2. The Strokes - Angles: I think time will prove me right that this is their best album so far. Full of precision, vertiginous stops and starts, wit and melody, this is thrilling rock'n'roll. Celebrate your independence from groupthink and give this one a few more chances.


3. Prodigy - Complex Presents The Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson EP: This is turning into a banner year for the man born Albert Johnson. He got out of jail, released his searing (and entertaining) memoir, My Infamous Life (get the audio book - more music!), and eased his way back into the biz with this free mixtape. Sid Roams produced the bulk of the cuts and proves a strong foil for P's syrupy slow intensity. Black Devil is a highlight along with Stronger, featuring a Nina Simone sample that ties nicely back to Prodigy's jazz heritage.


4. Amor de Dias - Street Of The Love Of Days: This was a nice surprise. Alisdair MacLean of The Clientele joins forces with Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas to concoct a lighter than air confection of folk and Bossa Nova inflected tunes, including a remake of Harvest Time that outdoes the original from Bonfires On The Heath. Even with its hints of darkness, this Is the chill out record of the year.


5. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX - We're New Here: Speaking of darkness, this is a nightmare you can dance to. Jamie XX has rescued GSH's last project to create an avant collection of soundscapes with haunted interjections of spoken word and singing. Though I've already pissed one guy off with a five star review on Amazon, I still say it's a work of art.


6. Gavin Friday - Catholic: 16 years I've waited for this and his patented blend of sepulchral/angelic vocals, slinky music and emotional complexity has not dimmed in power.


7. Choir Of St. Mary's Cathedral - Bruckner Motets: It's a common metaphor to say that Anton Bruckner's massive, magnificent symphonies were cathedrals sculpted in sound so I've long been curious about his actual church music. While I can't connect to his extreme religiosity, his passionate engagement is palpable in these wonderfully concise pieces, sung exquisitely by this choir. The instrumental interludes are just as superbly played and make for a well-rounded experience.


8. Bon Iver - Bon Iver: Like Fleet Foxes, this sophomore effort from a member of the class of 2008 was eagerly awaited. By now, everyone knows about Justin Vernon's wild ride from a cabin in Wisconsin to smoking blunts with Rick Ross in Kanye's Hawaiian studio. However, success has not led him to simplify - in fact, the opposite. Bon Iver has more in common with his side projects Volcano Choir and Gayngs than with anything on Hot 97. Oblique lyrics, dense washes of sound and a greater dynamic range make this an album to get lost in.


9. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light: After pursuing outside interests with varying success (Loved most of Rain Machine, cooled quickly on most of Maximum Balloon), the reigning band of Brooklyn brothers returns with sensational sounding, widescreen art pop/funk/rock/etc. Every song brims with humor and intelligence, and on Killer Crane TVOTR demonstrate a new found delicacy that wouldn't sound out of place on a Zombies record.

10. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs: After the direct hit of In Rainbows, this collection of introspective avant-chamber pieces may seem off-putting. But each listen reveals new compositional rigor and melodic inevitability. While it wouldn't be unreasonable for the outside observer to think that Thom Yorke could be at a place of contentment in his life, the emotions conveyed here hint that he's been through some bruising experiences since In Rainbows. Every moment of quiescence feels hard-earned. 


Bubbling Under: While I'm fairly certain that the above will remain in my good graces, their order and inclusion in the final Best Of 11 is subject to change. Here's a few other things I've been enjoying: Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean: Sam Beam writes songs that sound so right and I like the funky touches and edgier lyrics. This may nose its way back on to the Top Ten. Lucinda Williams - Blessed: Based purely on feel, this is my favorite Lucinda record since Car Wheels. Powerful lyrics and Elvis Costello's(!) wrenching guitar leads make for a deeply engrossing collection. Dennis Coffey - Dennis Coffey: The Scorpio man is back with his slashing six string and young guns to spur him on. Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear: Don't be afraid - the grooves are atmospheric and the bass is in your face. Maybe not as strong as Radio Retaliation but it keeps growing on me. Son Lux - We Are Rising: His debut was a favorite back in 2008. This one is a bit more obscure but I need to give it more time. And then there's what will be released in the next six months (Wilco, Breton, Bjork - I'm talking to you), which could throw everything into delightful chaos.

The Best Of The Rest Of Ten

As the year teeters on its fulcrum point, here's some stuff that almost made my Top Ten from last year and that you might have missed. For your listening pleasure, check out the Best Of The Rest Of Ten playlist at www.8tracks.com.

Eleventh
Of all the albums that did not make it on to my Top Ten for 2010, I probably spent the most time with Heligoland by Massive Attack. This was new proof that they are the best at what they do - mean moodscapes you can dance to. And the remixes are nonpareil - shell out for the deluxe version.


Post-Punk is Dead--Long Live Post-Punk

A combined 60 years of blistering history led to Red Barked Tree from  Wire and Killing Joke's  Absolute Dissent. Both are strong enough that I can say "Start Here" if you are new to either band.

Kosmische Dancers
Deutsche Elektronische Musik is a fantastic collection from Soul Jazz of Krautrock that's not Kraftwerk. And it's not all electronic - check out This Morning by Gila for some primo lysergic folk. If you like your motorik beat wedded to hypnotic guitars, look no further than Vol. 2 from Wooden Shjips.

Ancient To The Future

Nas and Damian Marley take the diaspora back to it's roots on Distant Relatives. Get this almost great record to hear Nas tells Damian: "My man'll speak patois/And I can speak rap star" over a mesmerizing Mulatu Astatke groove. Speaking of Mulatu, fresh off their collabo with the man himself, The Heliocentrics have joined forces with Lloyd Miller, to cook up some deep if meandering jams on, yes, Lloyd Miller and The Heliocentrics. For another unusual blend, try Mochilla Presents Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes, which features a 60 piece orchestra playing music of the late, great J Dilla. It's devastating in more ways than one. Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty is filled with witty grooves and salacious verse. It's your party tape in a neat package. Seek out the leaked tracks with Andre 3000 to counteract Jive records jive.

Poptones

Edwyn Collins finally returned from a couple of near death experiences with the energetic and tuneful Losing Sleep, which has a wonderfully tossed off quality that belies how high the stakes were. The Clientele's unexpected Minotaur found them at the top of their form. Jerry, in particular, has an epic construction that could only be the result of Alisdair MacLean's ever-growing mastery of songcraft. Heralded by the arrival of the brilliant I Want The World To Stop (and it's accompanying film), I expected great things from Belle and Sebastian Write About Love. However, there were two or three sub par tracks (Norah Jones? I mean, really) that dragged the album down. The good stuff is still good, however.

Reissue, Repackage

The always fascinating Numero Group outdid themselves with the towering Syl Johnson collection, Complete Mythology. His searing Is It Because I'm Black? album predated What's Going On and other conscious soul records and deserves to be in their company. And there is much more to discover beyond those 10 cuts. The Jimi Hendrix reissue game redeemed itself with West Coast Seattle Boy, a beautifully assembled collection that was filled with startling sounds and hidden gems. Essential. Kill City has always been one of my favorite post-Stooges Iggy Pop efforts and it sounds better than ever now. If you buy only one dub collection from 2010, make it Sound System Scratch, an astonishing compilation of Lee Perry 12" produced for sound system use only. Can't wait to hear The Return Of Sound System Scratch.

Miscellany
Brooklyn Rider, the genre-hopping string quartet, followed up their debut with Dominant Curve featuring a sublime Debussy alongside compositions and arrangements by members of the group. Bryan Ferry's Olympia got a lot of attention. Fortunately, it was damned good. His voice sounds great and the grooves are multilayered (three bass players? Well, OK). Finally, Autechre, one of the most accomplished electronic groups of all time, released Move Of Ten, featuring some of their dirtiest music yet. 

If any of this music seems obscure, you  chance to change that by buying it and trumpeting your pleasure to the world!

Coming soon - VERY soon - The Best of 11 (So Far). Until then...

Best Of Ten

I took it down to the wire, and I'm glad I did. At least one item here came in over the transom less than two weeks before the end of the year. It was such an amazing year for music that keeping this list to 10 items was painful. I will put a Bandaid on that booboo next time with the Best Of The Rest Of Ten. Without further ado, my 10 faves from 2010.

1. The Walkmen - Lisbon One of the astonishing things about this record is that despite all the new elements they added to their sound, it still sounds just like The Walkmen. It is at once their most stripped down album and their most embellished (backing vocals! strings!) without losing sight of the all-important emotional connection that is their hallmark. Sure, they're older and wiser enough to laugh at heartbreak in Woe Is Me, but they're never too far from wonderful desolation. Ain't the first time they've been high on my list and probably ain't the last...

2. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

I admit that I had pretty much counted K. West out but when Lord Lord Lord dropped, I knew something was brewing in Hawaii. And let's face it, the album is a freaking masterpiece - not flawless and certainly the filthiest five star album ever - but great nonetheless. If The College Dropout was his Hunky Dory, featuring an endearingly goofy and down to earth Kanye that we haven't seen since, this is his Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), presenting a dangerously warped persona who sees the world through a shattered mirror. This list of samples demonstrates that a shattered mirror can result in a kaleidoscope of sound. A lot of ink has already been spilled on MBDTF - suffice it to say that it's a defining record of our time and Kanye's best ever.

3. Field Music - Measure
The Brewis Brothers strike again with this overachieving double album. Their smart pop is smarter than ever while rocking harder and getting in touch with their funky side. Zigaboo Modeliste could learn a few tricks from the second line strut of Each Time Is A New Time while Andy Partridge is kicking himself for not coming up with Them That Do Nothing. Deep in side four (speaking in vinyl terms), it gets arty and reflective just as you would hope, mining some of the territory Penguin Cafe Orchestra abandoned to become chilly perfectionists. Each song on this dense, rich collection is like a perfect little machine and smart songwriters around the globe are likely trying to draw schematics of each one as we speak.

4. Gecko Turner - Gone Down South
Gecko's mix of the sounds of Portugal, Brazil, Memphis, Jamaica, Mali and beyond is one of the must purely human sounds being made on the planet today. To live life without his records would be like denying yourself the warmth of the sun. His last two albums (both released in 2006) are landmarks of this millennium and this one is a close cousin. Perhaps it's a little airier and tossed off, but songs like Truly and Cuanta Suerte are like a mainline dose of Vitamin D. Pure joy from start to finish.

5. Sleigh Bells - Treats 
These two Brooklyn hipsters married the (often fairly unlistenable) digital hardcore of Atari Teenage Riot and co. to a pop sensibility to make a sound I never knew I needed. Tell 'Em comes on like a rallying cry, the national anthem of LOUD, while Rill Rill hijacks a Funkadelic sample that leavens the whole album straight to sonic nirvana (pun intended). Play it in your car - watch your rearview mirror vibrate and sing along with your family.

6. Breton - Sharing Notes

Between showing the world how to make a DIY printed circuit board and providing remixes for nearly everyone, this South London collective spawned three EP's this year - this is the second (the first was limited to 20 copies and the third is just out) and its grimy electronica features a punky energy that will jolt your system right where you need it. Further listening reveals the dense, surprisingly masterful production (James Murphy could borrow a few leaves from their book) and the almost anthemic song craft that will put these tracks on high-rotation in your temporal lobe.

7. Mount Kimbie - Crooks And Lovers
I have been mostly bemused by the British electronica scene of the past few years, as Dubstep splintered into seemingly endless sub-genres, each even more narrow minded than their progenitor. This duo definitely draws on some of those sounds but their approach is so radical - and musical - that they rise far above the morass. Shards of melody go by, rhythms get almost funky, human voices drift in and out the mix but their compositional skill makes it all hold together. I can imagine those Bang On A Can guys transcribing this stuff and blowing the roof off of Alice Tully Hall.

8. Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library

I've probably gone on enough about the enthralling qualities of Holly Miranda's voice and songwriting but, trust me, she's got the goods. Dave Sitek's production elaborates on the dreamscapes inherent in her songs but also mutes her power a bit. Check out NYC Taper's recording of a show from the Bowery Ballroom last spring to hear her raw and uncut, including her devastating take on I'd Rather Go Blind. So perhaps she has yet to make her definitive album but this is still a wonderful introduction to a unique and growing talent.

9. Brian Eno (with Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins) - Small Craft On A Milk Sea

Because this is an instrumental album, many have been categorizing it as one of his ambient works. But this series of short, varied pieces has the most in common with his Music For Films albums. As he puts it: "As they stand, they are the mirror-image of silent movies – sound-only movies." In any case, the sheer inventiveness, freedom and mastery displayed here can stop the breath in your throat. And you may have heard: he actually gets abrasive, delivering a bracing echo of Kings Lead Hat on Two Forms Of Anger.

10. Spoon - Transference

Britt Daniel continues his run as one of the best songwriters ever with gems like Written In Reverse, Mystery Zone, Goodnight Laura, and pretty much every song on this terse, witty and heartfelt album. There is a nice rawness (almost abandon) to some of the cuts but the canny production touches that abound serve as reminders that he and his band mates are in full control. If there is anyone still out there bemoaning the death of rock, they just have not been listening to Spoon. 

Next time: Several other delights, including reissues.

We Are The 2 Live Crew: The Year In Live Music

Looking back on my year in live music, I realized that I was accompanied by my daughter, Hannah (11 in January 2010), to all five concerts I managed to get to. She will add her comments to mine.

The Nose - I have been a Shostakovich fanatic for decades so when I heard Valery Gergiev was leading a production of his rare opera (based on the Gogol novel) at the Met, with a production designed by William Kentridge, there was no way I was going to miss it. I took Hannah and one of her best friends and it lived up to every expectation I had - from the staggering stagecraft to Paul Bott's unforgettable lead performance, to the virtuosic orchestra, it was a blast from start to finish. Although Hannah has been to opera performances before, this was her first trip to the Met. Here's what she had to say: "This was a quality performance that had both great music and great humor."

Tanglewood x2 - Although getting to a chamber music concert at 10:00 am on a Sunday might seem painful, it was more than worth it. And the price was right - $11 for me and $0 for Hannah. They don't list the program on the website so we had no idea what we were going to hear. As we waited in our seats for the music to begin, I scanned through the program. I told Hannah she was in for a real treat - two pieces by Takemitsu, which meshed nicely with her interest in Japanese culture. Elliott Carter, Gabrieli, Hindemith and Strauss were also on the varied program. Day Signal opened the program, with the brass lined up on the balcony producing a creamy, otherworldly tone. It was absolutely captivating and the musicians, all students from around the world, were flawless. 


After Gabrieli's clever Canzone for 12 In Double Echo and Takemitsu's Night Signal, it was time for Carter's Tintinnabulation. This is a piece he wrote for untuned percussion - no xylophones sneaking a melody in - and it was deeply involving and theatrical to watch. The engagement with the materials - wood, metal, etc. - of each instrument was brilliant. Imagine our surprise when, during the ovation, the 102 year old Carter himself stood up to soak up the applause. Quite an experience. A few weeks later we went again and the standout was the fascinating Economy Of Wax by Nicholas Vines, which is part of a multi-composer series of works based on the work of Charles Darwin. If you're in the Berkshires on a summer weekend, set your alarm and treat yourself to one of these remarkable concerts. Hannah had this to say: "These concerts have such a variety of pieces and it was a good experience to meet some famous composers."

Burning Spear - It's been a tough year for reggae. With the deaths of both Sugar Minott and Gregory Isaacs, there are few legends out there, and even fewer still performing with the vigor of The Spear. Instead of coming from the hills of Jamaica, he came over the bridge from Queens for this a free concert in the River To River festival in Rockefeller Park. While there was admittedly some shtick to his act, his crack band's dubbed out jamming, his own conga playing and dancing and his still potent voice, conjured a mood of joy and contemplation as the sun set at our backs. I last saw him  about 25 years ago and he's scarcely lost a step. Here's what Hannah thought: "Great, both beautiful music and beautiful sound and the instruments were in good harmony with the vocals."

Waiting For Holly

Holly Miranda - Since the NY Times (!) directed me to her MySpace page, I have been nattering on about Holly Miranda to anyone who will listen and waiting for a chance to see her live. The chance finally came when she played the Prospect Park Bandshell (with Metric) so Hannah I trekked out to the old hood for the show. Although it was only a 45 minute set, she showcased her gorgeous voice, generous spirit (many invited friends joined her on stage) and dream-like song writing. Her band injected an angular energy into her music that countered the introverted sound of her recordings and made for a great live sound. Her cover of I'd Rather Go Blind, featuring a blistering solo by Kaki King, was a raw expression of her talent. Can't wait to see her as a headliner! This was Hannah's first rock concert - here's what she thought: "I love the way there were so many people on stage at once at times, it was great how good even small sounds sounded amazing with everything else."

The only live lowlight was the one show I didn't see - Belle and Sebastian at the Williamsburg Waterfront. Had my ticket for months but the threatening weather discouraged me from going. Having already survived a tornado on the Driscoll Bridge in NJ, I couldn't countenance tempting fate again. My sister and nephew went and said it was fantastic. Oh, well. B&S will remain on the short list of bands I need to see live, along with Radiohead, The Walkmen, TV On The Radio and a few others. 


Looking forward to hearing and seeing what 2011 brings for me and my intrepid concert companion - the 2 Live Crew!