Mar 21, 2008
Although my ears usually split their time 50/50 between extremely awesome chamber pop and equally terrible deep progressive Balearic house, I do occasionally like to explore the (for me) uncharted territories of “everything else.” Fortunately I have as my guide two music snobs, each in his own right an embarrassingly knowledgeable Virgil in the Hell of the recording industry.
Although Julian Himes always makes for a good source on the Next Big Thing, Buzzy Cohen has the edge when it comes to choice cuts from the past. Suggestions from the former have been available online at the Amie Street blog for some time, but now the latter is taking his show on the road at East Village Radio. I don’t know whether it’s going to be a regular show yet, but the tracklist and link for the inaugural broadcast with co-DJ Jarrett Mason is up here.
Mostly drawing from the catalog and recent acquisitions of EMI Music Publishing, the show covers a pretty wide variety of genres, but sticks close to soul and Motown. Three tracks to keep an eye on:
- Inez Fox - Hurt By Love
- Sam Sparro - Black & Gold
- Eggstone - Marabous
There’s also a direct link to the streaming audio here.
Jan 31, 2008
City Bakery is pretty well known for its hot chocolate all year round, but during February, in the coldest part of winter, they take their recipe beyond good and into the sublime. Depending on the day you might find your drink (a term I use loosely in deference to its sludge-like and irresistible thickness) will come enhanced with malt, rum, cayenne pepper, or some other in a myriad selection of unusual but well-suited additions.
My personal favorite way to enjoy this involves going on the coldest Saturday or Sunday morning you can bear. Get a small cup (don’t even try for the large) and walk home to your apartment. Having only finished half of the cup in the course of your walk, place the remaining in your refrigerator and wait. (A window sill should do just as well.) After a decent interval, pull the cup out and enjoy the best chocolate pudding you’ve ever had.
Between the hot chocolate on a cold walk and the cold chocolate in a warm apartment, there’s no better way to spend a weekend morning. The schedule, when it is released, can be found here.
Photo by *Reesie
