Portishead is not really dance music by any means but I've been a huge fan of them since my college days and in America today is the official release of the album. So it's finally time to get excited about an album release again. I know it's been  a while. And the album isn't to bad either. It's hard to live up to hype of waiting ten years. Tracks like "Hunter" and "Plastic" are classic atmospheric. brooding Portishead tracks while "Machine Guns" adds some 808 sounding drum rolls to the Portishead palette. Go to their website to get more information at Portishead.co.uk or better yet go visit a record store and pick up a real copy.

Here is a great italo techy cover of MJ's Thriller by the next genre mashing dude, Curtis Vodka. Born Spencer Shroyer there isn't much info on Mr. Vodka yet but his mixes have been circulating the web via Blentwell and the Hype Machine.

Curtis Vodka - Thriller

This Saturday throughout the U,S. of A is officially Record Store Day. The major indie store organizations such as AIMS and CIMS are putting together events in every city including performances by Metallica, the Dresden Dolls, and many others. This is all great and everything but I don't see any of my local favorite stores particapting. I don't know if this is the fault of the organizers or the stores but it just doesn't motivate me to go out. But as Shelby Lynne is quoted on their website, "You can't roll a joint on an IPod."