Partly Cloudy, Chance Of Electric Sky

Swine Flu, or rather H1N1 virus, has caused all schools and public buildings in the 5 boros to close, once again.  In fact, we are broadcasting via Atlantis in space.  Here's Tom with the weather -

Thank you, Bill, what a beautiful day today outside in space - spectacular view of Hurricane George over Texas from here!  Let's take a look at what's happening in your neck of the woods, down there on earth.  Well, there's a lot of blue and crazy cotton spirals covering land today.  I'd have to say partly cloudy with a chance of electric sky for all you trapped inside today.  Stay locked in and tuned in to FSB-NYC Channel 9.

Partly Cloudy, Chance Of Electric Sky Track Listing:

    1.    (0:00:40) Medeski, Martin & Woods ANONYMOUS SKULLS - New York City jazz fusion trio.  Formed around 1991, these three have pushed jazz through funk, hip hop, and various unconventional styles and rhythmic sounds.  They've worked with John Scofield, and separately have toured with the jazz greats.  This wicked track is the opener off End of the World Party.
    2.    (0:04:49) Myka 9 feat. Busdriver CHOPPER - Project Blowed, again, comes strong on the 40th year of Myka 9's life.  Freestyle Fellowship/Haiku d'Etat member teams up with the ever-witty jazzy linguistic extraordinaire, Busdriver, to deliver some of the most complex rhythm and rhyme patterns known to the music world.  
    3.    (0:06:51) Amon Tobin HORSEFISH - Ninja Tune field-sample king from the UK (born in Brazil).  He is primarily into the glitch sounds, but his original sounds were based in trip-hop/jungle under his first moniker, Cujo.  He has also produced a soundtrack for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 3 video game.  Mr. Tobin is one of my personal favorites in this genre, often pushing his sound into the darker and more dissonant realms.
    4.    (0:10:03) Breaks Co-Op TOO EASILY - New Zealand band formed in 1997.  This track is off The Sound Inside LP which peaked at #55 in the UK in 2005.  The Sound Inside is difficult to capture in a generic style of music, other than keeping its roots grounded in electronica, because all songs sound different from the next.
    5.    (0:13:50) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss POLLY COME HOME - Grammy Winner for Album of the Year 2008.  Robert Plant traverses genres in this odd-couple's spectacular debut along with the beautiful sounding Alison Krauss.  This song in particular is one of my favorites, because of the extremely slow tempo and moaning of Mr. Plant.  This is an extremely difficult tempo to work with in music, and the two crush it!  
    6.    (0:18:52) Nas SURVIVING THE TIMES - Queens Bridge native giving a narrative of his history in the rap game with this brilliant unreleased record off his Greatest Hits LP.  I remember purchasing Nas' debut, Illmatic, the minute it was dropped in 1994.  It was one of the best records I'd ever heard, and to this day, is obviously one of hip hop's greatest achievements with some of the greatest production known by Large Professor, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and L.E.S.  
    7.    (0:23:21) Fever Ray NOW'S THE ONLY TIME I KNOW - Solo record by Karin Dreijer Andersson of the highly acclaimed Swedish band, The Knife.  In my opinion, this LP is even more enjoyable than the Silent Shout LP by The Knife.  
    8.    (0:27:02) Helios SHOULDER TO HAND - From Keith Kenniff's warm and ethereal sounds off his Caesura LP.  Definitely a record worth listening to during the winter when you're trapped inside and staring out at the snow falling, and the trees' branches give way to the weight of its drift.  
    9.    (0:31:45) cyne AUTOMATON (FOUR TET REMIX) - Cultivating Your New Experience is an underground hip hop group from Florida.  Four Tet, or Kieran Hebden, remixed this amazing track, which describes the life of cellphone abuse and the reanimation of the Self.  
    10.    (0:34:28) Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell INSTRUMENT OF THE TRINITY - The original backing band for the Williamsburg, Brooklyn hasidic reggae act, Matisyahu, collaborates with the great producer Bill Laswell.  The band recently broke up after Jonah David, drums and percussion, refused to tour or record any longer.  Sad, because he's good...
    11.    (0:40:36) Neon Neon feat. Cate Le Bon I LUST YOU - Bizarre duo, hip hop producer Boom Bip and Welsh singer/frontman Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals.  Here, they collaborate with Welsh singer Cate Le Bon, who will later release her debut EP, Edrych Yn Llygaid Ceffyl Benthyg - no, that's not me making up words, now ;)  Neon Neon's debut LP received a nomination for the Mercury Prize 2008.
    12.    (0:43:16) Booka Shade IN WHITE ROOMS - Yet another wicked track by this amazing German duo electronica outfit.  This track is off their great 2006 LP, Movements.
    13.    (0:48:03) Massive Attack UNFINISHED SYMPATHY - Outstanding single off their massively successful Blue Lines LP from 1991.  Shara Nelson is here on lead vocals, which helped push this track to the front lines in the pioneering of the Trip Hop genre.  
    14.    (0:52:55) Pink Floyd THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY - From the overwhelmingly amazing Dark Side of the Moon LP, one of the world's greatest musical achievements.  I believe the woman vocalizing on this beautifully sung track is Claire Torry, who also performed a similar style vocalizing on Culture Club's, The War Song.  Apparently in 2004 she sued Pink Floyd for royalties, since her original studio flat fee was 30GBP for doing the track!
    15.    (0:57:08) Burial U.K. - From English dubstep producer's Untrue album, which received high marks in the UK and was nominated in 2008 for the Mercury Prize.  
    16.    (0:58:39) N.A.S.A. feat. Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold, and Nick Zinner WHACHADOIN? - North America/South America is a creative collaboration of hip hop producers from LA, which pushes the sounds into Brazilian funk and latin styles, here features some of the pop music world's most resilient artists.  Spank Rock is a hip hop group from Philly, who has toured with Hollertronix and M.I.A.  Santi White, or Santogold is songwriter/producer from Philly as well.  M.I.A. doesn't need introducing at this point other than just mentioning how amazing she is :), and Nick Zinner is 1/3 and guitarist of the great Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  

Thank you for watching FSB-NYC Channel 9.  Tune in tomorrow for tips on how to avoid bad lettuce while shopping with your vapor mask on.  Until then, good night.