Jason Toney

Party @ Home: Premier Funk

Machine Gun Funk (DJ Premier RMX)

The Notorious B.I.G.

Home on a Saturday night doing chores, catching up on the online world which includes getting all my music blog downloads. Spine Magazine dropped several Biggie rarities on the anniversary of his death and it included this gem (ignore the annoying radio dj call-outs) that I'd never heard before. Set your grill right and nod your head to this.

Bonus: or, if you like, check out this much blogged cover of "Take On Me" by Little Brother's and Foreign Exchange's very own Phonte

Take On Me (f_ Carlitta Durand)

Phonte

VOTD: Hi

Psapp — Hi

Apparently, it's a "Grey's Anatomy Band" kind of week. Although, I probably should note that I think their song selections this season have been more intrusive and less natural than in previous seasons. While, like Bill Clinton, it is my favorite show currently airing, I get the feeling that everyone involved in the series has a bit of a "Hey, Look at Me" vibe going on this year.

Don't get caught up in the hype. Just do good TV.

And, please, somebody, anybody, I'm begging you: give Izzie Stephens the verbal smackdown she deserves.

Seriously.

New Music: Kate Havnevik

Unlike Me

Kate Havnevik

Kate Havnevik performed at The Hotel Cafe tonight but I'm far too congested to be out amongst the LA music snobberati. The Hotel Cafe is where you go when Nic Harcourt of KCRW likes you and Havnevik totally fits that mold. This track was a KCRW "Today's Tune" earlier this month and everytime  it plays, I mistake her voice, momentarily, for Imogen Heap's.

On this track, "Unlike Me," she tries to out-Frou Frou the lead Frau. It is reminiscent of "Hide & Seek" in tempo and haunting rhythm but it is lighter. It has some of the whimsy of some of the more popular tracks off of Frou Frou's details.

This is not a bad thing. I might have to pick up the full length Melankton. It'll hold me over until Bjork's new record comes out later this year.

QotD: My Dream Room

In your ultimate dream house, what does your favorite room look like?

Heh. Something I can answer from my laptop (I don't have sharing set up on the Mini or else I'd be uploading music from the comfort of the couch as well...I should do that).

I don't have grand visions of an ultimate dream house. I've never had. I have fleeting moments, like wanting the movie room in Rob Zombie's house from an episode of MTV's Cribs, or being in someone's home and thinking something is cool but I rarely dream like that. I don't have a dream car, an ideal room, etc. Hell, I spend almost all my waking moments in front of a computer screen and I don't even have a perfect rig planned out. I like fine things but I also adapt really well. I've lived in motel rooms, I've been, for all intents and purposes, homeless and slept where I could and I've never felt too out of sorts or uncomfortable.

I've also become much more minimalist as I've gotten older. I don't need a lot of space or a lot of things. I like gadgets but most of the expensive equipment I roll with doesn't require a lot of space. I spend my money on experiences much more than I do on stuff. I don't even buy new clothes or shoes very often. I do buy lots of drinks and nice meals and music and tickets.

All of this is a long winded  pre-amble to the answer to the question: the most important room in any place I live is the kitchen. The place I eventually purchase should have a kitchen large enough for people to congregate. At parties, I always end up in the kitchen much like all the most interesting party guests. The drinks are usually there. The treats are usually there. The secrets are usually there. The only way I would be anywhere else in a party is if there's a dance floor.

Cuz if you don't want me to spill all your secrets, there better be room for me to get down.

Song for Sunday: So Far

So Far

Miguel Migs

My birthday present from Melissa was an Amoeba run. We made a commitment in January (actually I think it started when I was on holiday vacation between Christmas and New Year's) to do an Amoeba run once a month. It's a return to the record store after I'd spent much of the last two years buying almost all my music via iTunes or Amazon.com. So, the fair lady bought me the following: Writer's Block by Peter Bjorn and John, The Beautiful Mix Tape 2: The Struggle Continues by Talib Kweli, Voices and Choices by Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, Introducing...Joss Stone by Joss Stone, Play With the Changes by 4Hero, and Those Things by Miguel Migs.

Dave Hoffman at Popmatters argues that it is the first great electronica release of 2007. I'm on board with that sentiment.

Vox Hunt: TV on DVD

Video: Show us a TV series you own or watched on DVD.

Homicide Life on the Street - Complete Series Megaset (35pc)

From the negro please archives:

I miss McNulty, Bubbs, Stringer, Greggs and the rest of the fine folks of the fictional Baltimore that exists in the minds of Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana, and David Simon. Thankfully, Homicide: Life On The Street is on DVD.

I didn't get to spend time in this Baltimore the first time around. I was in high school or college or something and spent my friday nights out cavorting rather than watching quality television. Probably the best network television I've seen.

The cast and guest stars reads like a roster of contemporary television's best dramatic actors: Edie Falco, Lee Tergeson, N'Bushe Wright (beautiful and powerful, as always, in her one-shot), Yaphet Kotto, Richard Belzer, etc. etc.

And leading the pack, Andre Braugher. Braugher's Frank Pembleton is probably still the strongest character on tv to ever feature a black face. Full bodied, three-dimensional, dark as night, dressed sharply, smart as a whip, chip on his shoulder like you wouldn't believe, Detective Pembleton is a capital B capital M Black Man.

Why Levinson, Fontana and Simon are able to create such compelling characters in a brown town like Baltimore being aware of the racial makeup, aware of the social problems and curiosities, and not sugar coating any of it when so few others, black, white, or otherwise, aren't able to do so is a mystery to me.

I just know I'm riveted by the conversations on their shows and by the Baltimore they create.

Homicide is a welcome alternative while I wait for another season with the Barksdales and The Greeks and 'McNuttie.'

Highly recommended.

QotD: My SSB

What is, or used to be, your SSB (secret single behavior)?
Submitted by Dee.

When I'm in a relationship, I'm terribly neat and happily do chores around the place. When I'm single, I'm a slob. I can live in filth but, my beloved? Dust and grime should never even think about being in her presence.

I have problems.

A Week of Great Service

Just want to give a little public thanks to:

Our Waiter at Arnie Morton's on Monday - It was our first time there and he treated us well. He cracked jokes, asked if we smoked out before arriving, was convinced he'd seen us before (which, you know, is possible. We are internet famous), brought us complimentary asparagus and molten lava chocolate cake and regaled us with tales of his long time experience as a waiter there. The steep bill was well worth it for my birthday dinner. Kudos.

Curtis - Curtis has been my bartender of choice for at least 2 years. It began the night of the LAist one year birthday party and has continued ever since. This week, with a packed bar at The Vermont, he bought Felicia and I our first round and then gave us a 5 minute classic Dave Chappelle routine. The whole experience of the Vermont is about us getting great service. From our favorite valet, who can see us coming from a mile away to Alex, the 2nd bartender, to the bar backs, the good twin and bad twin, Kevin, and even you, Smarmy Waiter, y'all make The Vermont always feel like home. Huzzah!

Dj O-Dub -- Mayne, you were in mad service to my feets last night. I did the slide, the twist, the wop, the boogaloo, the happy feet, the running man, the robot, the jerk, the swim, the shimmy shake, the rhumba, the salsa, a little west coast swing, the glide, the mashed potato, and my best James Brown and Billy Preston impersonations to your Soul Sides set at Funky Sole. We walked in to Mr. Wang dropping some of my Soul Sides faves - Those Dells and Dionne Warwick joints - before he just tore the roof off the sucker. It was hot and sweaty in the Star Shoes back room and it was perfect. O-Dub let my soul glow. Egon and Miles weren't bad either.

Joey - We see you, Joey, our Fred 62 waiter being sweet on us at 2 in the morning. Yes, you're right, we are internet famous. Now, go get us some mac daddy and cheese balls, damnit.

I appreciate y'all. I really do. Now, if only someone would come be in service of this damn sick I'm encumbered with today.

VOTD: Every Little Step

Bobby Brown - Every Little Step

I'm just going to point out that after spending hours dissecting this video with Reggie and Oen in 9th grade nearly 20 years ago, I still know every single step and can do the entire routine (almost, that feet together push back and shift during the 2nd chorus is the hardest move to accomplish in the entire thing) and have probably done several of them sometime in the last month.

There's been an awful lot of dancing going on.

As a kid, from about 1982 to 1992, I'd guess that I danced nearly every day. I loved school dances. I pop-locked with friends in the driveway. I think the first time I got kissed by a girl was at age 8 or 9 after teaching her how to moonwalk.

I still dance by myself at home...but not often enough.

I need to get back to that. And, by the way, screw "My Prerogative" and  "Don't Be Cruel." This and the Tender Roni remix are the best songs off of this album, by far.

"No matter what your friends try to tell ya, we were made to fall in love."

Don't tell nobody but I'm adding that back in to my playa playlist.

VOTD: SWV

SWV- Weak (Down Mix/Radio Edit)

Somebody's mentioning of SWV a couple months ago (was it Mel? Anna? Jen?) got me to buy the Best of album and Coko, Taj, and Lelee have been creeping into my shuffle ever sense.

This video is so early nineties. It looks like it was ripped right out of New Jack City or an episode of New York Undercover. The song itself is brilliant. It doesn't really get going until the third verse almost 3 minutes in but, at that point, it's too much. When they harmonize, "Something 'bout the way you do the things you do ooh ooh ooh it...knocks me right off of my feet," I'm just done.

I want to be rockin' jean jackets and cross color jeans and pristine caps with flat rims and possibly a metal X on the front that's hiding my flat-top fade.

"Can't explain why your lovin' makes me weak..."

Damn.