So, just in case you didn’t get enough of trodding around in a park, spending money like it was free, for days straight last weekend, we have the cure for you this weekend: Slow Food Rocks. It’s a bit unfortunate, because with Gnarls Barkley, Ozomatli, Phil Lesh & Friends and a good supporting cast, this is a good lineup. It’s just that whole matter of that other show last weekend – it may have people a bit worn out and festival-weary. (UPDATE – Thanks for the tip from fellow SF music blog Hippies Are Dead: Looks like the Slow Food Rocks folks have discounted tickets by 20 percent. Timing is everything, people.)

Anyway, here’s what else is happening this week. Uncle Corey’s pick: !!! at The Independent. Awesome live band – you’ll dance your ass off. Also, check out our full San Francisco concert schedule.

• 8/26: Ice Cube @ The Fillmore. Ice Cube may be bordering on parody at this stage of his career, but there’s no denying his impact.
• 8/27: James Blunt @ The Fillmore. Wow. Have fun at this one.
• 8/27: !!! @ The Independent. These Brooklyn-based freak funkers (I made that up on my own!) are incredible live. Fun, uninhibited and just awesome. Get really drunk and boogie.
• 8/28: Shearwater w/ Wye Oak, Neal Morgan @ Great American Music Hall
• 8/28 & 29: Lee “Scratch” Perry @ The Independent. I saw him waaaay back and this is one weird dude. He walks back and forth, mumbling and screaming into the mic and … well, it’s pretty awesome.
• 8/30: Slow Food Rocks Festival: Gnarls Barkley, Ozomatli, The New Pornographers and Medeski, Martin & Wood @ Fort Mason. Party like it’s 2006 with Gnarls Barkley! You’ll go crazy! Kidding. Cee-lo is the best, actually and this is a very solid lineup. If you can’t get down to Ozomatli, you’re a fascist.
• 8/31: Slow Food Rocks Festival: Phil Lesh & Friends, G. Love & Special Sauce and John Butler Trio – Fort Mason. Also good stuff.

MP3s:

Here’s the second installment of three for our Outside Lands Festival preview. Today, we bring you songs by all of the artists appearing on Saturday of Outside Lands. You can find yesterday’s installments here: Friday lineup

With our fancy new media player, you can even hit the little play button next to any song and listen to it as a mix even without downloading anything.

Saturday:

See also:

Friday lineup & playlist
Sunday lineup & playlist

I have a good feeling about these picks despite their unlucky number. Who would have thought that Peter, Bjorn and John’s new LP Seaside Rock would be an instrumental? Not I. But then again they’re from Sweden, so I guess that makes it ok.

I was also inspired by today’s David Byrne & Brian Eno release to post “Glass, Concrete and Stone,” the highlight of the In Good Company soundtrack that makes me shutter with fear of corporate America. And yes, I finally gave into all the Okkervil River hype - although I’m not completely sold on the whole album, “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” isn’t all bad. Check it out and judge for yourself.

MP3s:

[This weekly feature is a snapshot of what the Stranger Dance staff can't get out of our collective head each week. On any given week, we might be digging a new local act, an old jazz chestnut, the newest Japanese electro-folk or whatever else we've got on the turntable/iPod that week.]

This week’s picks are heavier on hip-hop and funk than we normally stray (the Panther is the only one close to our indie roots this time around). We’ve got both old school and brand new rap (and a slice of ’90s rap for good measure), deep p-funk … and an acoustic Wilco tune. Enjoy.

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Scooter: Funkadelic - “Super Stupid”

If Clapton is God, Eddie Hazel is the devil — and he tempts me to the dark-side every time I listen to this record. Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain is probably in my Top-10 all-time guitar albums and “Super Stupid” is a perfect example of why.

More soulful than Sabbath and Zeppelin, but every bit as heavy, “Super Stupid” just rips from start to finish. Hazel is the only guitarist who ever came close to Hendrix in terms of imagination, melodic sensibility, and pure mastery of his instrument. Take a listen and see if you agree.

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The Stranger: Eric B. & Rakim - “Paid in Full” [Coldcut's "Seven Minutes of Madness" Remix]

I’ve credited this track to Eric B. & Rakim, but it’s debatable. The British DJ-duo Coldcut took this seminal track from the best-ever MC/DJ duo and made it there own. Think of it as the best of Golden Age hip hop on acid (in the best way possible).

I’m not a big fan of mashups or modern remixes, which typically aim for novelty and end up with a product that is less than the sum of the parts. This is a master class on how to do it right. The remix is nearly twice as long as the original, but never loses focus or breaks from the original spirit.

In the spirit of Double Dee and Steinski, Coldcut breathe new life into Eric B’s already brilliant production work, adding a story line and surreal imagery over one of the most subtly infectious bass lines in hip-hop history.

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Uncle Corey: The Cool Kids - “Oscar the Grouch”

(Bonus: Sir Mix-a-Lot - “Posse on Broadway”)

After spending two weeks in the past, I’ve decided to get with the times and pick a song from, you know, this century.

One of the things I can really appreciate in hip-hop is minimalism, which is weird – minimalist rock generally makes me want to dig my eardrums out with a fork. Yeah, I’ve heard your sweet voice and I’m sure your song writing is brilliant, but could you please stand still while I break this acoustic guitar over you head? Anyway, spare beats and minimal arrangements were part of the appeal of old school rap like Run-DMC and Boogie Down Productions, and I got re-introduced to that sounds by The Neptunes production on Clipse’s “Grindin’ ” – the hardest, most impressive beat they’ve made to date – and got hooked again immediately.

The Cool Kids are the new masters of the spare beat – generally, a bass drum, snare, bell, maybe a hook. Awesome. I chose “Oscar the Grouch” because it’s off of That’s Stupid, their mixtape from earlier this year and it hasn’t been as widely listened to as the songs off of The Bake Sale EP. Also it’s got a pair of samples from Seattle’s own Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Posse on Broadway,” (one by way of the Beastie Boys’ “The New Style”) which is as fine of a song as any to come out of the ’80s. I also included that pre-”Baby Got Back” Mix-a-Lot song, because, well, he was awesome.

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Vague Panther: Jeff Tweedy - “Theologians” [Live]

I posted a Jeff Tweedy rarity in Panther Picks this past week and it just sucked me back into his wonderful acoustic world. In fact, I think I would pay more to see Jeff Tweedy solo then I would to see the whole band. Maybe that’s just crazy…

So, exciting times around these parts. Not only are 5 bajillion cool bands playing at Outside Lands a mere nine days from now, but we’re also breaking out of our little shell and throwing a party to celebrate the release of Cousin Chris‘ debut album Moon Paper. We’re inviting all our readers and fellow bloggers to join us next Thursday, Aug. 21 at House of Shields downtown (New Montgomery b/w Market and Mission) between 6PM and 10PM to celebrate the release of a great album and prime the pump for a great weekend ahead.

For those who don’t know, Chris Schreiber, aka, Cousin Chris, is a local boy who wrote, sang and played every instrument on Moon Paper. Rooted heavily in a blues (but not at all derivative), bathed in slide guitar and accented with his unique voice, Moon Paper carves out an original sound that, while minimalist, is still compelling and – most importantly – interesting. The album was recorded at John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone studios where bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Spoon, Nada Surf and Mike Watt have all recorded. Cousin Chris sat down with me for a chat, which you’ll find – along with a sample of his music – after the jump.

And don’t forget to come out to House of Shields next Thursday and support a local musician (and bloggers!).

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