Friday Grab-Bag

"F.A.N.S." -- Tech N9ne (Hip-Hop)

I'm keeping with my "new music can be good music" kick I was on for Hip-Hop Thursday, at least for this song. First time I really heard Tech N9ne was at Rock The Bells in 2009, and his fans scared the shit out of me. I mean, the "technicians" as they call themselves, are the most dedicated fanbase I've seen. And they were crazy enough that I didn't exactly enjoy Tech's Set. However, after listening to his music on my own in a quiet environment helped me realize how dope this guy is. Here's his roughly 1-week-old ode to his fan base, a song he's given away for those that pre-ordered his upcoming album, "All 6's and 7's." Needless to say, I'm anxiously awaiting the album's release and the arrival of my pre-order.

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"Angel Dance" -- Robert Plant (Rock)

Robert Plant's reinvention post-Led Zeppelin has been amazing to watch. First was his delving into old-school blues with a couple different groups. Then was his Country-Folk album with Alison Krauss, that caught everybody off-guard with how well the two worked together- creating one of 2007's best albums. And now, he's leading a new group, Band of Joy, sharing the namesake of his very first band, pre-dating his time with Zeppelin. "Angel Dance," is the first track of off the album sharing the group's name. It has a great sound to it-- something of a southern rock-country-blues mix, and its carried by Plant's still golden vocals.

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"25 Minutes To Go" -- Johnny Cash (Country)

I've been a Cash mood all week-- debating if my favorite live album is his At Folsom Prison, or The Allman Brothers' At Filmore East. Though I never came to a conclusion, it did leave me playing Cash over and over again (as I did the same with Fillmore last week), with my favorite tracks changing constantly. By now, "25 Minutes To Go," and "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer" both have over 20 plays on the Pod and more in iTunes. Nothing beats Johnny's bad-ass-ness, especially live in front of a group of criminals enjoying a few hours of freedom.