This Is Not The Way It’s Going To Be Forever

Mr. Magic “Potential 1980” – This is a selection from the new The Third Unheard: Connecticut Hip Hop 1979-1983 compilation on the Stones Throw label. As the title makes very obvious, the record chronicles the early days of hip hop in the one part of the Tri-State Area which is rarely associated with hip hop culture. The quality of the music on the compilation is generally quite good, but the best thing about the record is the way that it captures the excitement of its moment in time, when the musical center of urban black culture was still in the process of shifting from disco and funk to hip hop.

Of all of the tracks from the collection, Mr. Magic’s “Potential 1980” best illustrates the transitions taking place within the music itself. In the song, the emphasis is still being placed on the performance of the disco band, with the rudimentary rapping functioning more as an additional element rather than the focus of the composition. At this point in the history of hip hop, it is very difficult to imagine a hip hop track in which the rapping is secondary to musicians trading solos during a lengthy jam, but that’s exactly what is going on in this recording. In historical context, it is interesting to hear the music mid-evolution, but it also hints at some formal possibilities for the genre which have mostly been left unexplored. (Click here to buy it from Other Music.)

Tracy and the Plastics “Henrietta” – Though I am sure that something is indeed lost by not having ever experienced Tracy and The Plastics’ performance art, which centers on Wynne Greenwood interacting with her fictional video bandmates as she sings her songs, the music on her records is often good enough to stand on its own without the visual component or the somewhat cringe-inducing art school thesis statement. “Henrietta” is a fine bit of dark electronic pop which reminds me quite a bit of PJ Harvey during her Is This Desire? period. (Click here to buy it from Other Music.)

Also: Catchdubs has an exclusive Hollertronix mash-up of Radiohead’s “Sit Down Stand Up” and Lil Flip’s “Game Over” which you can download directly from this link (for some reason, I can’t direct link to the Catchdubs entry). Most Radiohead mash-ups tend to be pretty weak, but this one works for me. Nice stuff. While you’re at Catchdubs, be sure to grab the MP3 of Ciara’s “Goodies,” which is pretty damn excellent too.

Elsewhere: Scissorkick is another new MP3 blog with a sharp design and an eclectic mix of music, audio, and video content.