The History Of A People Is Found In Its Songs

As promised, I'm back on track with the remainder of your musical crack...

Hopefully by now, you've come across O-Dub's guest post at Moistworks. If not, be sure not to sleep on his post. Oliver shares a few tracks that were cut from his recent Soul Sides compilation, and explains why these songs were thrown out of the mix. Download "Date With the Rain" (Eddie Kendricks), "Foolish Fool" (Dee Dee Warwick), and "Strong As Death (Sweet As Love)" (Al Green):
http://www.moistworks.com/2006/05/strong-as-death-sweet-as-love-al-green.html.

Also at Moistworks, you can currently get your download on with tracks such as "Love Me Or Leave Me" (Nina Simone), "Black Minute Waltz" (James Booker), "Prelude in C-Sharp Minor" (The Nat King Cole Trio), and more:
http://www.moistworks.com/2006/05/black-minute-waltz-james-booker-junco.html.

Nialler 9 recently posted a fairly substantive selection of mp3s. Cop joints by Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, This Kid Named Miles, DJ Krush, and Cut Chemist:
http://www.nialler9.com/blog/?p=55.

Speaking of Cut Chemist, I have come across an infinite number of posts/articles about him recently, mainly due to the buzz over his upcoming LP, The Audience's Listening. I had a wide variety of sources to choose from, but Mental Combat is offering the most extensive selection of his tracks that I've come across so far. Besides material from the new album, you can also download some of his other mixes, and link to his official website:
http://mentalcombat.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-cut-chemist-is-coming.html.

Musically, Ursula Rucker has flirted with a number of different styles and artists. One thing that tends to remain consistent, however, is the unique quality of her lyrical poetics (for lack of a better term). The good people at Dilated Choonz are currently offering her track "What???". Download/preview it here: http://dilate.choonz.com/index.php?id=319.

Independent/underground hip-hop fans may want to check out those two "classic" Mr. Complex joints over at The Sole Life---"I'm Rhymin'" and "Why Don't 'Cha?": http://solelife.blogspot.com/2006/05/i-dont-understand-its-too-complex.html.

Random thought interlude---I've always given unquestionable props to MF Doom's "Benzoin Gum", but the video seriously gives me the creeps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bslY-AVO5ww&search=mf%20doom. More metal-faced madness in just a second...

It's Gil Scott-Heron week over at Breath of Life. Download "Pieces of a Man", "Give Her A Call", and "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" (as covered by Esther Phillips: http://www.kalamu.com/bol/.

When peoples started chatting/posting about the recent Visioneers project, I couldn't seem to get quite as excited as everyone else. Take that to mean that I'm not just jumping on the bandwagon when I say that the song "55 Dollars" is worth a whole hell of a lot more than I originally would have thought. Cop the mp3 at Scenestars:
http://scenestars.net/2006/05/visioneers-55-dollars.php.

Soul and gospel fans are likely to be somewhat familiar with the name Vanessa Bell Armstrong, as she sort of did the whole Al Green thing with her musical career. I was going to explain that analogy further, but if you don't know what I mean by that, you either: a) suck, or b) don't give a shit about Al Green. Either way, what's the point? Raise your hands if you love Jesus, and then put at least one of them down so you can download "What Shall I Render?" at Words and Music: http://soundsandtexts.blogspot.com/2006/05/rama-lama-ding-dong-penguins-orioles.html.
Read Armstrong's bio here:http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Vanessa%20Bell%20Armstrong.html.

Analog Giant just posted some more songs featuring members of the Wu. Cop "Been Through" (M1 ft. Ghostface Killah) and the Edgecrusher remix of "Advanced Pawns" (GZA/DJ Muggs). You can also download other dope stuff from the same post, including the MF Doom/Four Tet remix of Madvillain's "Rhinestone Cowboy" :
http://analoggiant.blogspot.com/2006/05/cold-coffee-and-dig.html.

Before we're through talking about the Wu (in this completely one-sided conversation), I wanted to make sure that I sent you over to MOKB to download Method Man's "Yah' Mean" (w/ Fat Joe and Styles P):
http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2006/05/kids-love-covers-rap-music.html.

At callme MICKEY, you can download what alleges to be the last track that Proof recorded before his untimely death. Other songs are also included in the post, such as A-Trak's reggae remix of "Fireman" (Lil' Wayne), and Chief Xcel's Budoo mix of "Rhythm Sticks" (Blackalicious): http://callmemickey.blogspot.com/2006/05/sunday-selections-proof-two-gallants.html#comments.

Temperatures continue to rise throughout the nation, and Music Is Art has done a themed post about "sunshine songs". Several tracks are available, most notably "Sun Is Shining" (Bob Marley) and "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers):
http://musicisart.blogspot.com/2006/05/songs-with-sun.html.

Miblog Weighs A Ton pays further tribute to the group Pleasure by posting two more of their songs, as well as a couple of hip-hop joints that were inspired by them. Witness how "Bouncy Lady" and "Joyous" laid the foundation for tracks by Jeru the Damaja and LL Cool J:
http://miblogweighsaton.blogspot.com/2006/05/more-pleasure.html

I can never pass up an opportunity to mention The Meters. Thankfully for my obsession, When Apes Rule The Earth recently posted "Rigor Mortis" and "Funky Miracle": http://randomapes.blogspot.com/2006/05/meters-look-ka-py-py.html.
Before I go, I'm going to make one last attempt to ensure that my readers leave feeling satisfied and happy. If all else has failed, download:
"Happiness" by The Lifesavas at Music For Robots:
http://music.for-robots.com/archives/001458.html...
and/or "Love and Happiness" by the aforementioned Al Green at To Die By Your Side: http://todiebyyourside.blogspot.com/2006/05/im-looking-for-home-for-my.html.

Apologies to any of my readers who may be bored with two days of nothing but music links. However, as the title of today's post implies, music is history. Whenever I feel like justifying myself for going on a musical rampage, I can always fall back on the notion that music encompasses everything else this site promises to be about---politics, art, and life.

Some of you are thinking that shit's lame, and I don't really blame you. No fear,though--- be back soon with a post that's at least as mixed up as Tom Cruise's current thought processes.

Peace, fam...