Track of the Week: Jordan Fields & Roy Davis Jr. present The Session (DJ Freestyle's Move Ya Body Remix)
It's actually about the use of this track, not just how sweet it is - Mark Farina drops it as the third piece into a live set he recorded for Om last year, and what I especially love is the long, delighted whistle someone lets out about three bars after the beat kicks back in. It's the sound of someone whose groove just got locked in, and who's not going anywhere for the next ninety minutes.

There's nothing wrong with the first two tracks, mind you, but their vibe is a little jittery compared to the awesomely smooth alertness of this one. A lot of guys want to snag your full attention the moment they start their set; Farina acknowledges that sometimes you've got to give people a few minutes to figure out what's what and where their legs are at before you drop the building on them. Heh - and then drop the building on them.

Book of the Week: The Mortdecai Trilogy, by Kyril Bonfiglioli.
Originally published in the 1970s, I recently came across this courtesy the lovely and talented S. Picture Bertie Wooster meets Austin Powers, and you're half-way there; the capers are for the most part hilarious, although the author occasionally seems to set a dozen things juggling - chainsaws and silk scarves and live roosters - then end the novel by just walking away, leaving the mess behind.

Having met Jock, however, I do now want a thug of my very own.

Track of the Week: Silicone Soul, Inferno.
This one reminds me so powerfully of Solid Space Business-era Attaboy that I lunged for the liner notes to see if Si Brad has a production credit. There's a sense of purpose in the early part of the track that has no time for messing around, and the bassline has a polished heft, like ball bearings. Later on, it opens up into something more light-hearted that's like a reward for a job well done, but that - intent never leaves. Righteous.

I'm sorry to not have caught up with these guys until now, because the rest of the album is tons of fun, with everything from disco-heavy barnstormers to moody noir house to a closing track that sounds like something Trent Reznor would have produced if he had a serious mirrorball fetish.