because you say so.

1. "Angel" by Massive Attack (Mezzanine)
I can still remember being young and first hearing this album, starting out with this low rumbling and clear kick beat. Then reggae legend Horace Andy's smooth voice slowly coming in and building in intensity with the ever increasing urgency of the music. The sense of mingled excitement and apprehension rising to unbearable level, then finally exploding with a release of the tension. Who knew Massive Attack could rock so hard? With all the trip-hop imitators that sprung up in the meantime since their last album, Massive Attack seemed to be saying that they were going to show'em how it was really done. With this song you knew Mezzanine was going to take you to new places.

2. "Teen Age Riot" by Sonic Youth (Daydream Nation)
Starting this album off is a pleasant enough little melody with Kim Gordon's soft vocals. Enough so that it almost immediatley lulls you into a comfortable, safe rhythm, but Sonic Youth have something else in mind. Suddenly the track opens up with a hook that forces itself in and won't let go. This is the song that rings in the post-punk era and bridges pop song sensibility with art rock energy. It's catchy, but it won't quite let you get in too far without deconstructing itself before the album hits you over the head with follow-up "Silver Rocket." Talk about a long and crazy journey. This album doesn't let you rest for a moment without jumping in a new direction. Sonic Youth starts this album out with a riot and I do feel beat up by the end of this album, I'm out of breath. But in a good way.

3. "It's Good To Be Here" by Digable Planets (Reachin' (A new refutation of time and space))
Now for something that came out the same hear as Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, but completely different. From some possible manipulation of my brother to buy this album on cassette, most likely so he could hear it, I picked it up not knowing much at all about the Digable Planets. I'm still not sure what a refutation is? (I think they made it up) Anyway, upon my first listen to this album I quickly realized I was way over my head into something beyond any spectrum of coolness that I could ever aspire to. That first song took me on a micro journey of it's own as the Digable Planets made their smooth declaration as an edition to the fairly new realm of hip-hop. But this was not quite like the hip-hop this Iowa white boy had known. I could dig it's jazzy, free-flowing, smooth-rhyming, beatnik qualities, but I couldn't quite figure out how it seemed to so effortlessly come together. The songs opens the album in a bubbling and swirling of noises that twists into a mellow, horn laced beat. Then in the chorus that cross-fading horn hook sucks you in. Where did this male/female interplay come from and what was with these insect idioms? Then the track flows into a smoky club introduction that doesn't take itself too seriously. It only got better from there and I knew they were cool like dat!