Moments of Bliss...Then Hours Of Deep Regret

Today's title speaks volumes about my experience exploring the internets for quality links lately. I spent a good deal of time this past week checking out the content of several new blogs and websites. I came across a few lucky charms, but the rest didn't strike me as worth mentioning. I know that there are plenty of up-and-coming bloggers out there who are servin' up some music and/or knowledge that we would all greatly appreciate. Because there is life beyond blogging, I can only devote so much time to discovering fresh resources. If any of you have a site you'd like to pimp, recognize, or suggest, please feel free to drop a comment or an e-mail. I'm definitely open to your suggestions, as long as they aren't dumb ;)

Meanwhile, here's what's good right now:

Chasing Red recently posted a number of notable mp3s by artists such as Sun Ra, The Pharcyde, The Ebony Rhythm Band, Max Roach, and more.

Two tracks by Nicolay are available by way of Berkeley Place ("Give Her Everything" and "The End Is Near").

At My Old Kentucky Blog, you can download several renditions of "Dark End of the Street". Some of the artists featured include Aretha Franklin, James Carr, Dorothy Moore, and Percy Sledge.

From "The Daily Show"---Bill Clinton vs. FOX News.

Not many people may know Mati Klarwein by name, but a lot of us have his works of art in our homes without even realizing it. Klarwein has done the cover art on a number of classic albums by artists such as Miles Davis, Santana, Reuben Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Last Poets, Buddy Miles, The Chambers Brothers, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
View his website here, and an online gallery of his work can been seen here.

The Punk Guy's musical taste is more diverse than you might think. He's currently featuring some of his favorite hip-hop joints, which include tracks by Murs, NWA, Lootpack, and Mos Def. This will be hip-hop 101 for most of the real heads out there, but Punk Guy appears to have decent taste nonetheless.

I'm a little late on this, but get it while you still can, soul fanatics---"Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)" by Bettye Swann at Tuwa's Shanty.

Speaking of "Get It While You Can", Moistworks recently posted quite a few vintage soul tracks that were covered by Janis Joplin.

People in the house who love hip-hop, if you don't already know about Wake Your Daughter Up, consider this an awakening.

"Cicero Park" by British soulsters Hot Chocolate is available for download at The Number One Songs In Heaven. For lack of a better word, a lot of their stuff is a little too "disco" for me, but this track is truly exceptional.

A couple of Lupe Fiasco joints are up at 1-800-Sassbucket.com. Cop "Tilted" and "What It Do".

Reminisce on some songs by Billie Holiday, Gladys, Knight & The Pips, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Aretha Franklin, and more, courtesy of The Smudge of Ashen Fluff.

I don't know what it is with me and vehicles lately, but I find these somewhat amusing.

Cop a couple of joints by Count Bass D via Download.com---"Internationally Known" and "Junkies".

Download Nina Simone's version of "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" at music is art. This is one of the first songs I ever heard by Nina, and it will always be a favorite.

The Broke BBoys recently posted a few joints from Oh No's Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms, as well as the "T. Biggums" video.

I've said it before---I'm not a huge Diddy fan. That said, I couldn't resist listening to "Everything I Love", because it features Cee-Lo and Nas. I'm still undecided about the track, but check it out for yourself by way of Nah Right.

So Much Silence is featuring two versions of the De La Soul classic "Millie Pulled A Pistol on Santa"---download the original and the full mix.

Cop another track by DJ Hi-Tek ("Music For Your Life" w/ Nas and Marsha) at Sumish.com.

Many thanks to Beats and Rants for offering some kind words about Souled On.

Could it be? The Low End Theory is back in the building?

Finally, guess it's farewell to one of my favorite blogs---Soul On Ice. Best of luck in all that you do, Obi. You will be missed...