New Springtime Soul

With temperatures consistently in the 60s, spring finally appears to be here for good in the nation's capital.  To take incredible artistic license with Tennyson's work, if I may, it's a time when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of baseball and John Dalys.  Since having your windows open at night and having a drink or two on the porch will undoubtedly have you feeling good, you might as well have some feel-good jams to add to your soundtrack for weekends to come.

1) "Representing Memphis" by Booker T. Jones (feat. Sharon Jones and Matt Berninger)

Organist Booker T. Jones, best known for his 60s hit instrumental "Green Onions," has had a renaissance lately.  His 2009 album, Potato Hole, had the Drive-By Truckers and Neil Young serving as his backing band and featured a decent cover of Outkast's "Hey Ya."  The Road from Memphis comes out in May and is produced by ?uestlove of the Roots, whom he recently played with on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  "Representing Memphis" is the first single from the album, which features a duet from an unlikely duo.  Matt Berninger of the National has a great voice and gets an A for effort, but the star of the show is clearly Sharon Jones.  Somehow, it works.  By my estimation, it ranks up there with "Easy Lover" as one of the great unlikely black-white duets of all time.



2) "100 Yard Dash" by Raphael Saadiq

While we're on the topic of second acts, Raphael Saadiq has had one of his own.  In his early 20s he was the front man of of the reasonably successful late 80s-early 90s R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, but has successfully reinvented himself in recent years to great acclaim as a soul throwback.  On 2008's The Way I See It, he shows that he's got the look and the sound down pat.  See for yourself.



3) "Another Day" by Jamie Lidell

It's no great secret that blue-eyed soul is greatly appreciated at the Virginia Gentleman's Club.  Jim is proudly carrying the torch for the genre over in England.  Although he has a number of mega jams, this the one that's most likely to put the seasonal spring in your step.



If you've liked what you've heard, I highly recommend looking into any of the artists mentioned in a great New York Times Magazine article from last year, which asks the eternal question -- "Can a Nerd Have Soul?"

With my first final two weeks from today, I will no longer be able to pull a Greg Jennings for the blog.  With the possible exception of something I have in mind for Easter Sunday, that's all for me for the semester.  Until mid-May, you take care.

--J.J. Gittes

The Virginia Gentlemen Endorse: Turquoise Jeep Records

Parody has a rich tradition when it comes to popular music.  In this modern age, there is a group that has harnessed the power of the Internet to make their sweet beats, dance moves, and ground-breaking videos an intergalactic phenomenon--The Turqoise Jeep Records family.

Turquoise Jeep Records, much like the 2011 Phillies rotation, features four all-star talents and another guy who is objectively talented and a necessary member of the team, but not as talented as his teammates.  The Kyle Kendrick is Turquoise Jeep's Joe Blanton is Slick Mahony, who provides the closest thing the group has to blue-eyed soul.  Turquoise Jeep's Four Horsemen are: Flynt Flossy, the group's top dancer and rapper; Pretty Raheem, the big-boned crooner; Yung Humma, the driving force behind "Smang" (which will be dicussed below); and the reclusive Tummi Scratch, the beat-maker and producer.

The men that keep the jeep ridin'.

However, my clever metaphors will only go so far in convincing you about the majesty of Turquoise Jeep.  Without further ado, here are their greatest hits of their short but brilliant career:

1) "Wifey Boo" by Pretty Raheem

Pretty Raheem shows us that he's more than just a pretty face, he's a hell of a dancer (especially for a man of his build).  Also of note, Flynt Flossy's declaration that he's going to heat that ass up like a beef and rice Lean Cusine.



2) "Cavities" by Flynt Flossy, Pretty Raheem, and Whatchyamacallit

This is notable for the rare appearance by Whatchyamacallit, Turquoise Jeep's equivalent of Kyle Kendrick, the spot starter who does a serviceable job when needed, but doesn't have the talent to stick around the big leagues for long.



3) "Lemme Smang It" by Yung Humma and Flynt Flossy

This is the smash (and bang) hit.  "Lemme smang it, girl" has easily replaced "What's your screen name?" or "Did you happen to catch the Reading Phillies / Erie Seawolves score?" as the Gentleman's pickup line of choice.  Peep this and you'll see why.



4) "Go Grab My Belt" by Slick Mahony

A Slick Mahony video is like a start by the fifth starter--it's not a great Turquoise Jeep jam, but it's still a Turquoise Jeep jam, and that's better than a lot of other things.



5) "Did I Mention I Like to Dance?" by Flynt Flossy

This is the most recent Turqoise Jeep release, which is essentially three minutes of Flynt Flossy going nuts while wearing a fantastic windsuit.  Prepare to be amazed.



Flynt Flossy's moves are both awe-inspiring yet depressing, as one cannot help but to think that mere mortals cannot reach such heights.  Fear not, as F.Floss is a humanitarian as well and wishes for us to achieve a mere fraction of his greatness.  Behold, a snippet of "Flow with the Floss."



--J.J. Gittes

Dad Rock Hall of Fame: Hall & Oates

Although the inductees of the Dad Rock Hall of Fame to date have been rock bands (with the rock trending on the softer side, as Dad Rock tends to do), it's time to acknowledge an R&B band that was inoffensive enough for dads, yet awesome.  A band that featured two caucasian Philadelphians with a penchant for resplendent mustaches and smooth grooves.  A band that carried the torch for blue-eyed soul during the 1980s and may or may not have played a role in your conception.  That band is none other than Hall & Oates.

John Oates: My brother in mustache

1) "She's Gone" from Abandoned Luncheonette (1974)

"She's Gone" is Hall & Oates's first single, which only reached #70 when it was first released in 1974.  After the success of "Sara Smile" in 1976, the "She's Gone" was re-released and was a top 10 hit.  Thank God the masses came to their senses the second time around, as it's a total jam.



2) "Sara Smile" from Darryl Hall & John Oates (1976)

This was Hall & Oates's first top five single.  I maintain that it's their best song.  Fairly sparse in the lyrics department, but what's there is awfully heartfelt.  I would imagine this was the 1976 middle school dance equivalent of  "All My Life," but way better.



3) "Rich Girl" from Bigger Than The Both of Us (1976)

"Rich Girl," Hall & Oates's first #1 single, tends to affect people emotionally.  For most people, it elicits a smile or a tap of the toes.  For David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam, it allegedly inspired him to go on a killing spree in the late 1970s.  Universal appeal, indeed.



4) "Kiss On My List" from Voices (1980)

This song makes the list for a variety of reasons, foremost among them being that it serves as the soundtrack to every sporting event Kiss Cam ever.  Also a #1 hit.



5) "You Make My Dreams" from Voices (1980)

One of the top feel good jams, as evidenced by its multiple placements in film.  It was a top five song for a reason.



6) "Private Eyes" from Private Eyes (1981)

This was Hall & Oates's third of six #1 songs (the other three being "I Can't Go For That," "Maneater," and "Out of Touch").  Although I think this might be their Jump the Shark moment, it's a guilty pleasure with a great sing-along chorus.



--J.J. Gittes

Dad Rock Hall of Fame: Phil Collins/Genesis

As it's been three weeks since the last induction into the Dad Rock Hall of Fame, I have decided to atone by giving you a two-fer mega-post.

With the recent and saddening news that Phil Collins is retiring from music, it is altogether fitting and proper to take this time to recognize his accomplishments -- not only those of his solo career, but also his success as a member of Genesis, where his tenure overlapped with that of the great Peter Gabriel for five years.  How successful was Phil Collins, you might ask?  Well, over the course of his career he sold more than 100 million albums, which puts him in the elite company of Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney as artists whose collected output as a solo artist solo and band member has sold that well.

A man so wealthy that he doesn't care what you think about his work on the Tarzan soundtrack.

What makes the Phil Collins story so interesting is that he wasn't the lead singer of Genesis when he joined -- he was just the drummer.  Once Gabriel left Genesis to pursue his immensely successful solo career, Collins went on double duty and was awesome at both.  Although Genesis was a great band before Phil began to sing, their greatest success came with him at the helm.  It's no wonder that analysis of his work and the Gabriel to Collins transition has been included in major American cinema.

Without further ado, here's (what I think is) the best of Phil Collins's illustrious career in no particular order

1) "Follow You Follow Me" from Genesis's ...And Then There Were Three... (1978)

This was Genesis's first big hit, and there's a reason why it's still played on classic rock radio.  This song, both simple and honest/vulnerable, has stood the test of time.



2) "Misunderstanding" from Genesis's Duke (1980)

I didn't think about this until I read the Wikipedia entry, but the bass line in the chorus is really similar to that of Sly and the Family Stone's mega-jam "Hot Fun in the Summertime."  Perhaps that's why this is such a great song.



3) "That's All" from Genesis's Genesis (1983)

This was Genesis's first top ten hit in America.  It was also serviceably covered  by Keane, a band that had a great debut album in 2004 but hasn't done much since.



4) "Against All Odds" from the Against All Odds soundtrack (1984)

This may be the peak of Phil Collins's life.  Not only did "Against All Odds," a song Collins wrote about his wife leaving him, top the charts at #1, it was also the subject of an excellent (and really funny) segment on This American Life.  Perhaps even more impressive than the song's success is the marvelous lettuce Phil was sporting at the time.  The most bizarre thing about this song?  Montell Jordan of "This Is How We Do It" fame covered it in what is perhaps the least hood move of all time.  How one man can make a song so funky and one so anti-funky is beyond me.



5) "Easy Lover" with Phillip Bailey (1988)

This song is so awesome for so many reasons.  It's the best black guy-white guy duet since McCartney and Wonder's "Ebony and Ivory." It features Phillip Bailey, who sang lead on some of Earth, Wind & Fire's great tunes but also unfortunately has opted to keep this horrendous haircut.  And perhaps most importantly, the video features the dynamic duo chillin' in a helicopter.  What more could you want?



Before we close up shop, I'd like to address why I didn't include "In The Air Tonight."  I think most people know the song and/or the bizarre Cadbury commercial with the gorilla drumming along.  More importantly, once I found out that the story was not what I thought it was about (the story about him calling out the guy who the song was about was an urban legend), I could never listen to it in the same way again.

There you have it.  Sorry about the delay, I'll try to post at a more regular clip in the future, although with finals a month away, I can't make any guarantees.

-- J.J. Gittes

You Can Dance

Who said music videos were dead?  Ladies and gentlemen, the feel-good jam and video combination of the year.  It's nothing short of a triumph of the human spirit.



I'm headed back to Pennsylvania for a few days, so you can expect more posts in the coming days.  I've heard from sources close to the situation that the executive committee of the Dad Rock Hall of Fame has been summoned for an emergency session.  I can only wonder what will come of this.

Until then, you can dance.

--J.J. Gittes

Dad Rock Hall of Fame: Steely Dan

Much like Fleetood Mac, Steely Dan is a no-brainer first ballot Dad Rock Hall of Famer.  Steely Dan was basically two guys, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, and a bunch of rotating studio musicians.  This is worth mentioning because one of those studio musicians was Michael McDonald, not to be confused with the guy from MadTV, who later went on to become totally awesome in the Doobie Brothers and a solo career and then totally insufferable as the old guy who wouldn't stop singing Motown songs.

Steely Dan was also noteworthy because it was unabashedly music by bright people for bright people.  The lyrics are very smart and their music tended to incorporate a lot of different genres: jazz, R&B/soul, and rock, to name a few. In addition to being very witty, their songs often had great narratives, which sets their stuff apart in a big way--they didn't write a lot of typical "love songs." Although they never had a #1 hit, they had a ton of jams, including, but not limited to, the following: 

1) "Do It Again" from Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)
This was Steely Dan's first big single and a great example of their diverse influences, as this basically sounds like a Santana song--the beat, the guitar sound, the guitar solo, etc.

2) "Reelin' In the Years" from Can't Buy a Thrill
I would imagine this is probably their most popular song, and with good reason.  A sing-song chorus, multiple guitar solos and a driving beat, especially as the song progresses, are why you still hear this song on classic rock stations.


3) "My Old School" from Countdown to Ecstacy (1973)
This is probably one of my favorite songs.  For whatever reason I just feel good when I hear it, although on the merits, it's a total jam--the horns sections and the break-downs, especially at the end, are just too great.


4) "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" from Pretzel Logic (1974)
I was going to choose the title track from Pretzel Logic, but I couldn't find a suitable version on YouTube.  Instead, "Rikki" serves as a suitable substitute.


5) "Peg" from Aja (1977)
Probably the most Doobie Brothers-sounding Steely Dan song, as McDonald is on the track.

Additionally, I've got an extra soft spot in my heart for "Peg," as De La Soul sampled it for "Eye Know" off the classic 3 Feet High and Rising album.


So here's to you, Steely Dan.  Your nerd-cool musical stylings have held the test of time, and for that, you are to be congratulated.

--J.J. Gittes

Gentlemanly Advice

"My momma told me, 'Boy, always call a spade a spade.  Be like Chuck D, never be like Flava Flav.'"

-- Curren$y's "The Day" from Pilot Talk (2010)

From Left: Terminator X, Messers Flav and D.

Now go and do likewise.

-- J.J. Gittes

Dad Rock Hall of Fame: Fleetwood Mac

After reading the list on McSweeney's yesterday about what your tastes in classic rock say about you (which I highly recommend), I felt compelled to act on a blog idea that I had been letting marinate for a bit -- a series of posts in defense of "Dad Rock."  Although I can't give you solid parameters of the genre outside of "music (probably soft rock) that your dad likes," it's like what Potter Stewart said about obscenity: you know it when you see it.

I had been thinking a lot about Fleetwood Mac lately after waking up to "Hold Me" on the clock radio last weekend and realizing that I had largely forgotten about them.  Not listening to the radio in the car and a never getting around to completely replenishing my hard drive after it died played a large part in this, but I maintain that the band is great and deserving of recognition as the inaugural inductee into the Dad Rock Hall of Fame.

Although even the band's most ardent supporters would not classify their work as high art, Fleetwood Mac got a lot of things right.  They captured the West Coast sound in ways that so many others have tried to emulate and sold tens of millions of records.  A big key to this success (and a vastly underrated hallmark of so many great bands) was having multiple lead singers -- the three-headed monster of Lindsay Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie -- each of which had their own distinct style.  Not only did they make some big time jams, they pretty much all had coke problems and slept with one another, which was the emotional catalyst of their biggest album, Rumours (although I think their self-titled album, the first with Buckingham and Nicks, was their best).  It's like if Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice were one of the greatest American (yes, they were British/American but their success came after the Americans joined) rock bands.

Young Stevie Nicks -- a total babe and proof that you can only get two out of three.

With that said, here's some of my favorite Fleetwood Mac jams:

1) Christine McVie's "Say You Love Me" from Fleetwood Mac (1975)

2) Stevie Nicks's "Dreams" from Rumours (1977)





3) Lindsey Buckingham's "Go Your Own Way" from Rumours

4) Stevie Nicks's "Rhiannon" from Fleetwood Mac






5) Lindsey Buckingham's "The Chain" from Rumours



Other jams worth looking up include, but are not limited to: "Tusk," "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," "You Make Loving Fun," "Gold Dust Woman," "Gypsy," and "Everywhere."

--J.J. Gittes

The Arcade Who?

With Arcade Fire taking home Album of the Year at the Grammys last night, I've received e-mails and texts from a number of friends who a) knew that I liked them, b) had no idea who they were, and c) wanted to know more.

So I'll start by saying this: yes, they're an "indie" band in that you won't hear them on the radio (NPR-type stations excluded), but they're about as popular and mainstream as indie bands get.  They've been immensely successful over their relatively short career -- always a critical darling, but increasingly commercially successful, too.  They've sold out Madison Square Garden (full-length concert video here).  They've been on SNL multiple times.  They've opened for U2 and played with Bowie and The Boss.  The Suburbs debuted at number one on the Billboard charts this past summer.  These are all characteristics of a band that would lead you to believe had Album of the Year type stuff.  It's not like they're playing in an alley near some abandoned warehouse -- they make big songs that sound great in big venues, and there will always be a place in rock and roll for those types of bands (see: early U2 and Springsteen).

With that said, the following videos are meant to serve as an Arcade Fire primer of sorts for those who have asked me to for some sort of recommendation (but are all certainly worthy of everyone's time):

"Wake Up" from Funeral (2004)
Stop me if you've heard this one before:


"Rebellion (Lies)" from Funeral


"Keep the Car Running" from Neon Bible (2007)


"Intervention" from Neon Bible


"Ready to Start" from The Suburbs (2010)

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Arcade Fire - Ready to Start
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"City With No Children" from The Suburbs



"We Used to Wait" from The Suburbs
Check out The Wilderness Downtown for an interactive music video that I thought was one of the coolest things I saw last year, especially if your childhood homestead has been graced by Google Maps.

So there you have it: the world's biggest rock band of the moment.  Hope you enjoyed it, and even if you didn't, say your piece in the comments section.

--J.J. Gittes

Valentine's Weekend Jams: A Special Gittes/Dreamboat Collaboration

If there's one thing folks know about the Dreamboat and me, it's that we're gentlemen of refinement and distinction, not unlike the Old Spice guy, and music enthusiasts.  With Valentine's Day nearly upon us, we thought we'd help those lovebirds out there with some choice musical selections to serve as the soundtrack for your weekend festivities.

Minnie Riperton “Inside My Love”


Leon Haywood “I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You”


Tyrone Davis “In the Mood”


Teddy Pendergrass “Love TKO”


Isley Brothers “Between the Sheets”


--J.J. Gittes and the Dreamboat

Is that a microphone in your pocket?

Arms length reach while rocking back and forth, voice cracking, acne, and maybe even your first kiss. If there was ever a school sponsored event that forced you into that brick wall known as puberty more than any other, it was the jr. high dance.  My dad used to call them "The Hormone Pit" and that's probably the greatest description ever.  To bring back some of those great mental images some of us may have buried into the back of our memory banks, never wanting to think about every again, here are the top 11 slow songs of the late 1990's (because I couldn't pick only 10!) to take us back. With video evidence of course.

Edwin McCain - I'll be

Another artist I couldn't tell you the first thing about but click the link and the memories of metal in your mouth and Old Navy performance fleece will hit you like yuppies converging on a new Apple product.

Spice Girls - 2 Become 1
Who could argue with a girl band that wore giant platform heel boots and inspired legions of cross dressers:

Backstreet Boys - I'll Never Break Your Heart
Just watch the music video, it screams jr. high...and America.  Look at those sweaters!

K-Ci and JoJo - All My Life
Good luck watching this video without remembering that cutie who sat behind you in Social Studies and wore a tube top to the Spring Fling dance.

Enrique Iglesias - Hero
A man that snags a girl like this must have made a hit 7th grade make out song.  He sure did.

S Club 7 - Never Had a Dream Come True

My personal favorite and from a band from over the pond that features a few babes and even a dude who kinda looks like a babe.  I always sought out that true special lady to share a dance when I heard the d.j. drop this jam.

All 4 One - I Swear
A band that I couldn't tell you a single thing about.  Though I do know enough words to this song that I could karaoke well enough to not get booed off stage, which for me is terribly difficult.

Tony Braxton - Unbreak My Heart
The video has some major eye candy for the guys and the ladies, take a look and try to tell me you don't agree.  Just try!

Aerosmith - I Don't Want to Miss a Thing 

Who can deny the power of these puckers!

Brian McKnight - Back at One
This one hits me right where it counts...the heart.

N*SYNC - (God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You

With a title that long, you know the song will go on forever and give you an extra minute or two to muster up that courage to plant one on that lucky partner of yours.  Though it's a little strange making out to a song that was supposedly inspired by Justin, Joey, Lance, JC, and Chris's moms.

Disagree with me? Have a song that I forgot? Hit me up in the comments section below and maybe I'll show you some love back.

~ Percy T