WCBS-FM’s jangly oldies rotation sealed my Byrds fandom at an early age. So maybe I’m biased, but co-founder Roger McGuinn’s Folk Den blog is really something special. McGuinn eschews predictable tour journals and studio diaries here, instead shining a light on some great old folk obscurities of the “Anthology of American Folk Music” variety (titles like “Frozen Logger” and “Old Chisolm Trail” give you an idea). Each post includes an original recording of the song, along with lyrics, guitar/banjo chord progressions (even some old-time scores), and fascinating commentary from someone who clearly lives and breathes the genre.

Sometimes covers outdo the originals. Maybe the bar was set pretty low in this case, but Deer Tick admirably exhumes Del Shannon’s raspy sock-hop treble and reclaims this Sean Kingston atrocity.  [Hat tip - www.everybodytaste.com.]

This confrontational Sleigh Bells track shouldn’t even be listenable but ends up being more than that. It’s catchy in a Len, Steal My Sunshine kind of way, but the massively distorted beats and blackboard-scratch dissonance make even good speakers sound like they’re broken.  And that’s the whole point: this is music to be felt (in your rattling bones) rather than merely heard.

This was a great track to begin with – infectiously dancy neo-High Life from Malawi – but the effects-laden guitars on Javelin’s remix take things to a whole ‘nother level, adding surf rock, reggae and tropicalia to the equation.  Javelin’s own “Vibrationz” – also linked on this Stereogum post – recalls “I Want Candy” (in a good way).

Well, we now know that Big Boi and Gucci Mane do not care to mix business with pleasure.

“I’m on my grind, shortie / don’t block my shine shortie” goes this International Workaholics Anthem, gliding over a slick sample from Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.  Would have made an even better summer tune, but I still listened to it five times in a row yesterday.