Spring

The entire campus is saturated with the aroma of flowers. I could live like this year-round!

Trucky

Yeah this is the longest break I’ve ever taken from the blog. Sorry ’bout that. Bought a new truck and been busy at work.

I’ve got lots of new music that I’ve been itching to post but I just can’t find the time. I was using most of my free time shopping for used pickup trucks. Yes, I am now the owner of a pickup.

New this year from LA:

Thanksgiving sharing

It’s been FIVE years since I posted the first Thanksgiving travel tracks. Darng.

Besides Coxsonne Dodd, Jackie Mittoo was the keyboardist and the soul behind all of the Studio 1 tracks. Most of his albums are filled with the same riddims with his organ filling in for the vocals. But here’s a rare, non-reggae funk track that really rips.

From his 1969 LP Keep On Dancing:

MP3: Jackie Mittoo- Juice Box

I’m a week late (to the day) to mention the election, but I’m soo thankful to the state of Wisconsin for pulling through and going blue. To show my thanks, I’m sharing Milwaukee’s little known female hip hop artist SigNif, who’s got quite a large and solid chunk of work on her Bandcamp page.

Check her out and download a track or three to show your gratefulness too.

This one is from 2011′s Embracing Rejection. Her new EP is free.

MP3: SigNif- Like My Style

OK so here’s where I get pressed for time so you’re gonna have to buy these last two if you want ‘em.

Here’s a Nashville act, electro pop band Cherub. Wait for the chorus. Trust me:

Hell I’m all over the map here anyway so let’s end it with some afrobeat from Nigeria:

Northern Soul 3

Detroit, 1967:

MP3: Popcorn Orchestra- Going To A Happening

Chicago, 1967. Wow what a drummer:

MP3: The Mighty Marvelows -Talkin’ Bout Ya, Baby

Been digging up some nice forgotten Motown nuggets. The great thing about Motown releases is the sound quality. There are tens of thousands of solid northern soul releases from the 60s, but there are no master recordings from most of them, so we’re stuck with a direct rip from a muffled, scratchy 45. Not so with Motown.

So goddamn who’s been hiding this Isley Brothers track from us for so long? Written by Ivory Joe Hunter & Stevie Wonder, It never appeared on any LP until this century.

MP3: Isley Brothers- My Love Is Your Love (Forever)

And speaking of the Isley Brothers; boy have they had a successful career, flying just under the average listener’s radar.

Fall3

For all you city slickers, this is a STRAW fort. Straw is the spent stalk of wheat, and it is used for animal bedding. Animals do not eat it. Hay is basically alfalfa or clover and weeds. Cattle eat it and it is much too itchy to use for hayrides.

So from now on, it is no longer a “hay” ride, but a STRAW ride.

The Original. The One and Only.

I’m sure all of you Philly beer geeks have already seen this but I still need to share something on the first day of my favorite event of the year, Philly Beer Week.

Since our first one 5 years ago there’s been a number of other cities who’ve copied us. That’s fine. But I used to scoff when I heard people say Philly is “the best beer drinking city in the country”. After seeing these numbers, I now believe it. (via Philly Beer Scene)

Good Friday

Would be nicer if I didn’t have mismatched tires & wheels.

Last weekend in the Lehigh River Gorge

The lilacs are out. Campus is so aromatic right now, like walking into Victoria Secrets.

56th and Spruce Sts.

Installed a new antenna on the cabin. 10 HD channels for free. Not bad for upstate Pennsylvania. Would’ve taken only a few hours but like always, I had a helluva time with the masonry screws.

Cut Your Hair- Utah In Pictures. New LP at the end of April. From Spain:

Next Time

Morton PA train shed
No photoshop tricks; just paint.

This Time

cameraphone

Early

April 16, 2011:

March 28, 2012:

Been biking the same route to work for 12 years and never wore shorts in the morning this early in the year.