J-town

Another week has passed and it is now time for yet another blog post. This time I'll be going over the bands featured on the J playlist. The J's were over two times as long as the I's, where as the I's featured only eleven artists, the J's featured twenty eight artists. The playlist was also eleven hours longer than the I's. Coming off of such a short playlist made the J's seem like they took a really long time to get through. In truth they didn't take much longer than any playlist to get through. The J's were full of Hip Hop, soul and funk, and that made the playlist very enjoyable. Forty eight percent of the playlist was occupied by Hip Hop, Soul/Funk/R&B, which is also very different from the I's which featured none of these genres. That being said let us get this post started.

First up is a three song demo from a band that used to play here in Louisville, KY. Jack's Lament, formerly Exeventu, was a hardcore/metal/progressive rock band fronted by a close friend of mine. The band plays a mix of styles, with each musician bringing in a range of styles to the mix. Lead singer Andrew Williams, vocals and rhythm guitar, came from Punk Rock roots. Williams began his musical career playing with the Southern Indiana Punk Rock Band Yelling At The Sun. Michael Ping, lead guitar/backing vocals, came from more of a metal background. Joseph Yabo, drums, idolized complicated and intricate drumming from drummers like Virgil Donati and music from bands like Blink 182. Ryan Holman, bass, had more of a Nu Metal background, enjoying bands like Sevendust. The band prided itself on its intricate, complicated songs, songs would occasionally switch time signatures in the middle of the song. The songs tend to be a little too intricate for their own good. They wanted to show their talent, but tried to do so a little too much. Less intricate arrangements would have made the sound better. I enjoyed seeing them live when I went to support them, and have since become friends with the other members of the band. They were all good musicians, the songwriting needed work. The band disbanded back in 2007.

Next up are the last two tracks off of the Get Him To The Greek Soundtrack mentioned in the I's. These two songs are by Jackie Q, a Katie Perry like pop star featured in the movie. Jackie Q was based around pop star Katy Perry, and was Aldous Snow's ex-wife just like Katy Perry is Russell Brand's wife. Her songs were sugary pop songs with a raunchy side. They were meant to parody Perry's songs which are innocent enough for radio play but have deep sexual undercurrents (see "Peacock"). The songs here do a similar thing, with Jackie Q referring to her genitals as a Stradivarius Violin in "Supertight." In "Ring Round" she sings about her "dirty poesy." There are music videos for both of these songs, taken from the movie, and they're both very funny. I enjoy the parody, the songs are fun to listen to.

Jackie Q "Ring Round"


After Jackie Q we have a one and done artist in The Jags. The Jags were a British rock/ power pop band from Great Britain. The song featured here is "Back Of My Hand," a catchy pop song. The song features a catchy chorus and light and pleasant strums of the guitar. The song is very much in the style of power pop that became popular in the 80's, upbeat music with catchy lyrics. I first heard this song from my older brother when he put it on my computer as part of the mix of music to be played at the party celebrating his wedding. I liked the song then, it's a fun song, but I forgot about it after the party. I've listened to is here and there over the years, even occasionally playing it on my radio show, but not with any consistency. I will probably continue with this pattern in the future, it's a single song that's easy to skip over but a pleasant listen when it comes up in shuffle. Fans of Brit Pop and Power Pop should like this song.

Following The Jags we have the first artist to contribute a full length album to the play list. Jah Roots were a Reggae band based out of Springfield, Missouri until they broke up in 2009. Jah Roots plays reggae in the style most American's are accustom to, the popular style out of Jamaica. Jah Roots' songs are about subjects such as love, smoking weed, Zion, and police hating on Rastafarians. I came across Jah Roots when I was attending the Cincinnati Punk Festival to see The Frankl Project. I liked what I heard live, and they were selling their CD for cheap so I purchased it. Upon listening to the entire album I wasn't as impressed, it got really old after just a few songs. I occasionally used the title track "Crucial" on my radio show when I was looking for something to go along with a section of 3rd Wave Ska. The band musically is good, and achieved some success even playing with Damien Marley. The only problem is I just can't get into them. I'll stick with Bob Marley for my Reggae fix.

Jah Roots "Crucial"


The Jam, an English Punk/Mod band contributes three songs to this playlist, all three are from the two compilation box sets previously mentioned in this blog. The band played fast and angry like punk but didn't dress like their contemporaries, preferring nice suits to ripped clothes. The trio gained great success in their five years together, and still hold the spot of having two of the top selling imports in Britain. The songs are fast paced rockers very reminiscent of their punk contemporaries, but also incorporating the styles of popular rock. I first heard of the Jam from my older brother who was a fan, but I didn't actually listen to them until I started looking into Punk back in 2004. I respect their impact on punk and future artists, but I haven't really explored beyond these songs. With so much music out right now that I enjoy I just don't have the time to delve deeper into their catalogue. I enjoy the songs, but not enough to really pursue their discography.

Next up we have the largest individual contribution to the J's with The Godfather of Soul James Brown. James Brown was a Soul/ R&B artist who gained popularity in the 1960's and became the most popular soul singer in the world over the next four decades of his career. Later in his life he became more known for his arrests and bad behavior. Before that though, he was called "the hardest working man in show business." He was known for his feverish dancing and soulful vocals. His backing band was always top notch, his rhythm section was legendary. Just being part of his band gained Funk artist Bootsy Collins his fame. Brown provided the groundwork for funk bands like Parliament Funkadelic and their peers. His music was so widely loved that even as his career declined with the rise of Hip Hop, he was kept in the public eye through sampling. James Brown is now the most sampled artist of all time. His grooves make perfect beats for hip hop songs. I grew up listening to James Brown, so I am very familiar with his music. I knew his most famous songs the best, but I knew some of the less popular ones as well. I contribute listening to James Brown at an early age for my enjoyment of classic soul singers. I will continue to enjoy James Brown for some time to come, and I will continue to respect his influence on music.

James Brown "Get Up Offa That Thing"


A one and done artist follows James Brown to separate to two soul artists on this playlist. Jane's Addiction is an Alternative Rock band based out of Los Angles, California. The band gained popularity at the very end of the eighties and the beginning of the nineties. Jane's Addiction were one of the first bands of the 90's alternative style to gain wide popularity. The song featured here is probably one of their most well known, "Jane Says." The song is pretty simple, featuring guitarist Dave Navarro just strumming a few chords over and over again. There is an interesting hint of Steel Drums in the background of the song. This song is pretty simple, and not particularly remarkable, the thing that makes it better is Perry Farrell's vocals. He has an interesting voice that compliments the music well. I have been aware of this song for a long time now, it was played constantly on "Alternative" rock radio as I was growing up, and is still played on "Alternative" rock radio occasionally. It's an alright song, but one I'm tired of.

After Jane's Addiction comes Janelle Monae. Janelle Monae is a R&B/Soul artist who is currently based out of Atlanta, GA. Monae mixes classical strings, jazz, and hip hop with soulful R&B. She is known as much for her voice as she is for her style. Monae always wears a tuxedo, preferring people to focus on her music instead of her looks, she likes the classy look and the simple black and white colors. Her signature hair style features her long hair brought up and puffed on the top of her head in what some call a bouffant. She was discovered by Big Boi of the rap duo Outkast, who gave her a role in Idlewild, and then recommended her to Sean "Diddy" Combs. She was then signed to Bad Boy Records, and her career was launched. Bad Boy Records released her first EP Metropolis: The Chase Suite in 2008, it didn't receive much public attention despite the song "Many Moons" being nominated for a Grammy. In 2010 she released her first full length album The ArchAndroid to critical acclaim, and yet another Grammy Nomination for the song "Tightrope." The album also gained a much larger popular following, vaulting her career and getting her a performing spot on The Grammys and The BET Awards in 2010. Both albums are concept albums influenced by Monae's love of science fiction. The albums are based around an android named Cindy Mayweather and the city of Metropolis. In the first album Mayweather falls in love with a human which means she's promptly scheduled for disassembly by the human powers that be. In The ArchAndroid she becomes a Messianic figure trying to lead the Androids, who are second class citizens, to equality. The albums are loosely based around Fritz Lang's famous 1927 silent film Metropolis. The underlying themes are the same, social inequality, prejudice, and social class. I first heard about Janelle Monae while reading an article on Artists to Watch in Spin Magazine last year, and then I heard "Tightrope" and I was hooked. Monae's music and image was a breath of fresh air in an overdone and oversexed R&B genre. Her voice is powerful for such a small women, and full of such emotion and soul that you can't help but love it. Her energy is amazing and infectious. I saw her live at a theater with the crowd sitting down, the crowd was on their feet and at the stage within the first 60 seconds of her performance. She is a wonderful dancer on top of being a great musician, and any fans of classic soul and James Brown should check out Janelle Monae.

Janelle Monae "Many Moons"


We have one of two one and done artists, who come before our next significant contribution, next. Japan was a New Wave rock band from Great Britain who gained some popularity in the late 70's and early 80's. The song featured here is "Ghosts," and is fittingly eerie sounding. The electronics help contribute to this feeling, there is a really cool almost plucking sound of strings. It's a very atmospheric song, and that is what makes it interesting. I wasn't familiar with this song before I heard it when listening through the compilation box set Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. It was one of the tracks that stood out though. I really liked the haunting melody, and it is what made it stand out for me. I haven't come back to it much since then, but only because I usually like to listen to whole albums and not individual songs. I recommend this to New Wave fans who haven't heard this song.

The next one and done artist on the J playlist is Jason Gleason (formerly of Further Seems Forever). This is another song off of the compilation A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas. The song entitled "Sleigh Bells and Wine," is a slow song in a Lounge Music style. The song is just a simple arrangement of a piano and xylophone with some pretty guitar work thrown in the middle for good measure. It's a song about loneliness at Christmas time, with Gleason singing "the loneliest Christmas, is one without you." It's a nice little song, but not great.

Our next artist is Jawbreaker who, besides sharing their name with a candy, contribute the next full length album to the playlist. Jawbreaker was an influential punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996. The band is credited as having had a large influence on the "emo" movement of the 90's. The music itself has rich flavors of punk rock, with similar driving rhythms and a similar guitar sound. The band's vocals on its first albums were usually raspy, but on the album featured on this playlist has much crisper vocals. The album featured here is Dear You and was the bands Major Label debut, so it is more polished then their previous albums. The thing that separates this band from their punk peers is more complicated song structures throughout. The lyrics usually touch on subject such as depression, "I Love You So Much It's Killing Both Of Us," and disillusion "Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault." Some songs deal with social issues and ambition, but more seem to focus on the depression of growing up and out growing what you used to love. I was introduced to Jawbreaker by my older brother who gave me the song "Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault" on mix CD. I liked the song and had heard rave reviews from punk fans, they recommended Dear You as Jawbreaker's best album. I really like this album, it's just a very well produced album with lots of great songs. I've listened to this album several times in the years since I purchased it. I will continue to, Jawbreaker is probably one of my favorite punk bands.

Jawbreaker "Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault"


We have another one and done artist up next with Jeff Buckley. Jeff Buckley was a singer/ guitar player who gained notoriety for his cover versions of famous songs at Manhattan venues. He started his career as a guitar for hire in Los Angles before gaining his notoriety. He signed a major label contract with Columbia records and found some musicians and put out his first and only full length album. Buckley tragically drowned in 1997. Several songs he had recorded were released posthumously, and posthumously he has gained even more fame for his songs like the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."The cover featured here is the aforementioned cover of "Hallelujah." It is a beautiful cover that gives the original a run for its money. Buckley has a beautiful voice, and the sparse nature of the cover being just vocals and guitar makes it even more beautiful. I like this cover a lot, I like Cohen's version better, but this is really good.

Next up we have Jefferson Airplane as another one and done artist. Jefferson Airplane were a psychedelic rock band out of San Francisco in the 60's. The band's lyrics included many drug references and was more mellow sounding then some of their contemporaries. Songs like "Need Somebody To Love" feature lyrics referencing Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland. Lyrics reference a white rabbit and a queen. White Rabbit has in the past been used as a reference to heroin. Anybody who has ever listened to a Classic Rock radio station should know this song. I've heard this song countless times over the years, and I like it. It's a great example of 60's psychedelic rock.

Jesus and Mary Chain are the band following Jefferson Airplane on the J's. Jesus and Mary Chain were a Scottish Alternative Rock band which gained popularity in the 80's. The band was fronted by a pair of brothers who handled the songwriting duties. The band's music tends to have a simple but driving drum beat with guitars interwoven with each other. The songs are very catchy, especially songs like "Head On" which is one of the two songs featured here. I really like the way the guitars weave in and out of the song and on top of each other. I wasn't familiar with Jesus and Mary Chain before I got these songs, I had heard the name but not the music. I am more familiar with "Head On" and have used it on my radio show before. I had hardly listened to the other track, "Just Like Honey," featured here. I will probably come back to "Head On" from time to time, it's a good/catchy rock song.

Following Jesus and Mary Chain is an album by my Uncle Jim Parker. The album entitled Close To Home is a CD full of songs written and played by my Uncle on his acoustic guitar. The songs are all very intimate, sparse arrangements featuring only my Uncle and his acoustic guitar. The songs focus on themes from his life, the challenges that he and his wife have faced and his family growing up. The songs are all very beautiful, and very emotional. All of these songs feel very personal for me, all of them have to do with people that I love very much. The song "Smile On The Inside" is a tender ballad to my Aunt who was diagnosed with Cancer several years ago, it's an anthem about keeping a positive attitude that things will get better. It's a very pretty song, and my Uncle's voice is instantly recognizable to me because his singing voice sounds quite a bit like his speaking voice. I really enjoyed this entire album, it made me feel close to my family.

Jim Parker "Smile On The Inside"


Following my Uncle Jim is another Jim, Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy Buffett is the King of Chill, singing songs about escaping to a beach and having a good time. His backing band is the Coral Reefer Band, and he has built up a dedicated following of fans who travel large distances to see his shows called Parrot Heads. He plays a his version of country music which has been called Gulf and Western. The songs are fun songs that are perfect for a warm summer day on or off the beach. I grew up listening to Jimmy Buffett, usually in the form of The Danny Morgan band. My Dad is part of The Danny Morgan Band and they're based out of Florida and play a lot of Jimmy Buffet and similarly themed songs. I enjoy Jimmy Buffet and his style of chill country party music.

Jimmy Eat World is the next band to give a significant contribution to this playlist with two albums. The band was one of the forerunners of the modern "emo" movement, which like the band mixes pop punk with indie rock. The music is usually more melodic with more heartfelt and emotional lyrics than its punk rock roots. The songs feature lyrics about falling in love, "A Praise Chorus," or positive encouragement in songs like "The Middle." The song is basically one big pep talk, urging her to be herself no matter what others think. Singing "it just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride. Everything will be just fine, everything will be alright." Emo originally evolved from hardcore, with emo meaning Emotional Hardcore, it shifted at the end of the nineties to the melodic indie rock of bands like Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional. The label was then applied derivatively to popular bands who were disliked by the traditional rock listener. I first heard Jimmy Eat World through their album Bleed American which was released in 2001, and was reissued as a self titled album after September 11th. I really enjoyed their melodic rock, and I also enjoyed it when they went slightly heavier for the follow up album Futures which featured the single "Pain." I still enjoy these songs, they're well written songs with some catchy melodies and lyrics. They're not something I listen to a lot, but I do want to continue to listen to them.

Jimmy Eat World "The Middle"


Following Jimmy Eat World is "The Queen of Rock and Roll" Joan Jett. Joan Jett is best known for her work with her band The Blackhearts. She plays a hard, fast paced brand of rock and roll that is considered by a lot of punk rock fans to be part of the punk genre. Her songs are driven by hard, drum driven songs like her punk contemporaries, but they tend to have more of a melodic touch to them. They are written in such a way to appeal to more people than your average punk band. Songs like "I Love Rock & Roll" and "Cherry Bomb" feature very repetitive choruses that are easy to sing along with. I first heard Joan Jett years ago, I heard "I Love Rock and Roll" and liked it quite a bit, and still do to this day. When I started getting into punk rock I got further into her music and enjoyed it quite a bit. I have a lot of respect for Joan Jett, paving the way for future female punk rockers and still touring constantly at 60+ years old. Fans of Riot Grrrl bands who haven't explored its roots should check out Joan Jett.

Joan Jett & Blackhearts "I Love Rock and Roll"


Another one and done artist comes up next, this time it is Joe Jackson. Jackson is an English pop/rock musician who helped bring New Wave to The United States. His most well known song, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" is featured on this playlist. As the title implies it is a song about seeing a past love stepping out with someone new and realizing you still have feelings for them. It's a fun pop rock so that has been played extensively on the rock radio of the 70's and 80's and now on Classic Rock stations. The song has the same classic pop rock feel to it that some of Elvis Costello's work has. I've heard this song numerous times over the years, and did and still do enjoy it.

After Joe Jackson comes "The Man In Black" himself, Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash is a classic and hugely influential artist who's musical career spanned and influenced several genres. He known mostly for his country and western songs that influenced styles like Rockabilly. He gained notoriety over his career for being an "outlaw." A lot of this came from attitude and his drug use. He famously showed an indifference towards the Government when they blamed and sued him for causing a forest fire. Cash was also well known for his multiple marriages, which was still very scandalous during the 50's and 60's. Some of his most famous songs are "Ring of Fire" and "Folsom Prison Blues." His most famous performance was when he performed a free concert for the inmates of Folsom Prison. As he grew older his career began to decline, but in the late 90's and at the end of his life in 2003 he regained his popularity with several CD's of covers of popular rock songs. The one that garnered him the most attention was his 2002 cover of Nine Inch Nails' Industrial Rock classic "Hurt." The video coupled with his earth weary baritone just dripped emotion and sorrow. The cover was so good that Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor admitted that it was "his song now." I grew up listening to Johnny Cash, I remember listening to a vinyl recording of "Ring Of Fire" on my turntable. Johnny Cash was an amazing artist who left a large presence on the music world.

Johnny Cash "Hurt"


Next up is Johnny Halladay. Johnny Halladay, often called the French Elvis, is the most popular French artist in modern history. Halladay has sold over 100 million albums in his 50 year career. He plays a style of music not too far from Elvis, but he used more keyboards than Elvis. The song featured here "Joue Pas Le Rock and Roll" features what sounds almost like an early synthesizer, the keyboard sound is less piano and more electronic. It's a fun song that's pretty catchy even if you don't understand French. I wasn't familiar with this song or Halladay before listening to this song for the blog. It was put on my computer for my brother's wedding party, but I don't remember ever hearing it. I like it, but I probably won't be coming back to it anytime soon.

Johnny Thunders has already been featured in this blog once for being in the band The Heartbreakers, this time it is for a solo song. As mentioned in the H blog, Johnny Thunders was a member of The New York Dolls before leaving and forming The Heartbreakers. He released some solo work as well, and this is one of those songs. The song featured here is "You Can't Put Your Arm Around A Memory." The song is more melodic than his punk rock roots, and is more of a song of loss. As the title implies Thunders is missing someone and trying to just remember them isn't enough for him. I like the song, but I wasn't familiar with it before this blog and the compilation box set No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion. It's a fun song, but not one I'll be coming back to anytime soon.

After Johnny Thunders we have Journey. Journey are staples of the Arena Rock sound, the soaring anthems that made bands like them famous. Their music has sold over 80 million copies worldwide, they even have a certified Diamond record in their discography. The band's song "Don't Stop Believing" is the number one selling song of all time on iTunes. Their songs "Don't Stop Believing" and "Anyway You Want It" have become classic rock radio staples, and also staples for drunk karaoke singers. I don't recall the first time I heard Journey, but I've heard the two previously mentioned songs a lot over the years. I've heard them often enough to know most of the words despite never owning a Journey album or actually following Journey. They're a great example of 70's and 80's arena rock.

Coming after Journey is Joy Division. Joy Division were an English rock band often credited as being one of the creators of the Post-Punk movement in music. The band members, led by Ian Curtis, were inspired by the punk rock movement of the early and mid 70's. The band was initially called Warsaw, was initially more punk rock oriented. Then the band began to slow their songs down. When they began to slow their songs down they started to garner more attention, and changed their name to Joy Division. The music at times had a sparse quality to it, but had a sonically filling quality to it. Their songs were usually driven by the bass lines of Peter Hook, over circling drum beats. Despite their name, Joy Division's lyrics were anything but joyous. Curtis suffered from crippling depression, he had a troubled marriage and was diagnosed with epilepsy. His lyrics often dealt with sorrowful themes and loss of control, which was most likely influenced by his epilepsy diagnosis. The sorrowful lyrics and the dark sound of the music inspired the Goth movement that would follow several years later. His epilepsy made performing difficult, and Curtis would often have seizures in the middle of a show and they band would have to stop. Eventually Curtis' problems became too much for him, and he tragically hung himself at the age of 24. The rest of the band went on to form New Order and achieve great commercial success. I first started getting into Joy Division back in 2007 after seeing the Ian Curtis biopic Control. I had heard of the band before, and I think I had heard maybe one or two song but not until seeing the movie did I decide to really check them out. I purchased the album Substance back in 2007 and I have been enjoying it ever since. Joy Division were an amazing band, and it's sad that we'll never get to hear more than the two LP's the band put out. I really enjoy the sparse sound, and the way the band's music resonates sonically. They're songs are sad and lonely, but really good. Curtis was a great singer, and his death was tragic. Fans of The Cure, Interpol, or The Editors should check out Joy Division if you haven't already.

Joy Division "She's Lost Control"


Following Joy Division we have British New Wave rocker Julian Cope. Cope gained popularity in the mid 1980's with the song "World Shut Your Mouth," the song featured here. The song comes to this playlist via the compilation box set Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. "World Shut Your Mouth," is a fun little pop rock song. For a song telling people to Shut Up it is really up beat and full of fun. Usually these songs are angry yells at people who have criticized the band, this song is the opposite of that trend. It's very much in the style of 80's pop rock, with the soaring sonic sound and upbeat pace. I wasn't familiar with this song before the compilation box set, and hadn't listened to it again in the time between purchasing the box set and listening to it for this blog. It's an enjoyable song, it's something I wouldn't mind hearing occasionally but not consistently.

The final artist to contribute a full album to the playlist is Jurassic 5. Jurassic 5 were an Alternative Hip Hop group out of Los Angeles, CA. The band featured four MC's and two DJ's, and they produced a brand of Hip Hop that was meant to be an answer to current hip hop trends which had began to lean towards Gangster Rap. The MC's would trade off, dipping in and out to rap a verse here and there. Usually on the chorus all four MC's would go together. The group also featured legitimate DJ's who actually were given their own tracks on a couple albums to showcase their skills. The band often touched upon themes dealing with their life in Los Angles and also speaking on what they thought was wrong with the current state of hip hop. The band's line up was something almost unheard of in the modern world of Hip Hop. Not since the 1980's had there been a popular rap group. Rap had shifted more towards the solo artist, and away from the multiple MC lineup popular in the 80's. The multiple MC style had been made popular by groups like Run DMC, N.W.A. and Public Enemy. I first heard Jurassic 5 back in 2001 when the song "Great Expectations" was featured on the video game Matt Hoffman's Pro BMX.I really liked that song, my older brother then burned me their EP and their 1999 Major Label Debut Quality Control. I really liked that album, I hadn't liked a lot of hip hop before that but this album changed that. I then went out and purchased their next album Power In Numbers in 2003. The album featured the single "What's Golden." I really liked the way the MC's played off each other and switched it back and forth. My favorite of the group was Chali 2na, his deep bass baritone was so interesting. His voice is probably one of my favorites in hip hop. I was sad when they broke up in 2007 after releasing their fourth album Feedback. I will continue to enjoy Jurassic 5 for a long time, they're one of my favorite hip hop artists solo or otherwise.

Jurassic 5 "Quality Control"


The second to last artist on this playlist is credited as Justice vs. Simian, but this is not entirely accurate. The song featured here is "Never Be Alone," and it is actually a remix of a song by the band Simian. Simian were an electronic rock band from Great Britain, their song "We Are Your Friends" was remixed by the French Electronic Music duo Justice. The song was submitted to a remix competition by Justice, and credited as Justice vs. Simian. The song is a cool electronic song, it's up beat electronic rock with even more electronics put overtop. The song is sped up quite a bit from the original version, making it more of a dance song. I got this song from my older brother in a mix CD that he gave me, I liked it and still do. It's a fun fast paced electro dance song.

Rounding out the J's we have Justin Timberlake's song "My Love" remixed by DFA. The original version was a slower ballad that featured electronic programming overtop a pulsing beat. The remix speed up the tempo, and adds some strings to the background and a driving bass line. Justin Timberlake's singing is kept intact. It's an interesting mix that comes from the aforementioned mix CD from my older brother. I like the remix a lot more than the original, but I'm still not too fond of Justin Timberlake's style of music.

That's the end of the J's. The J's felt like they took longer, but they had some amazing artists in there. There were one or two I regretted, but I was still a fan of most of what was in my library for J. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, and I'll do my best to have the K's up soon. I'm already almost finished listening to the K's so I should have a new post up within the week. Stay tuned and be sure to "Like" this blog's Facebook Page.