A quick catch up on some notable releases from the past couple weeks. Tomorrow's a holiday so we'll (yeah, still in denial) see you back here on Monday, when we'll (actually with other people) be ranking some Sonic Youth records.

Spoon - "Got Nuffin"
An out-of-nowhere Spoon EP? Yes, please. Little known fact -- the best Spoon record is not one of the band's full lengths, but actually an EP, 1997's "Soft Effects." Well, "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" has a higher VORP, but "Soft Effects" has a better EQA. This new one isn't nearly in the same league as those two. It's a glorified throwaway, but a glorified throwaway from Spoon is still exciting. The title track is the band at its best -- an propulsive rocker that happily chugs along while shards of electric guitar and some plinky keys intermittently get added to the mix. Britt Daniel has a gift for crafting songs that never lose momentum but don't rely on huge flourishes to make their point. The rest of the EP is inessential, but that one song is a nice reminder that nobody does it better.

Spoon - "Got Nuffin"

Wale - "Back the Feature"
Wale. Dude. We love ya. You namedrop Chris Mullin in a song featuring Lady GaGa. Who else can get away with that? That's quite a niche to have carved out before even releasing a proper debut album. And that's the problem. This mixtape is nice. Pretty good. The tracks produced by 9th Wonder especially bring it. But we've got to have the real thing already. You're holding out longer than Elizabeth I. And after "Seinfeld" and "Back to the Future" what's next -- a Stanley Cup themed mixtape? Actually, from the guy who calls himself Wale Ovechkin, don't rule it out. Anyway, this one is worth your time, but first why don't you check out the new one from fellow D.C. rapper XO? His new "Monumental" mixtape is sharper and more focused, although there's a bit of an obsession with haters.

Wale - "Sweatin Out Weaves"

(Dinosaur Jr., Major Lazer and more after the jump.)

So today's Home section is all about summer entertaining. The fine folks at Home asked me to come up with some playlists for a variety of different parties. I'm more likely to camp out for Grizzly Bear tickets than to host a party, but it was a fun task. The different types of gatherings I was tasked with soundtracking: Intimate Dinner for Six, Brunch With Kids and Cocktail Party for 50. My choices are below and after the jump; feel free to add your own suggestions.

Intimate Dinner for Six

"Come Away With Me" - Norah Jones
"My Baby Just Cares For Me" - Nina Simone
"Alison" - Elvis Costello
"Blue in Green" - Miles Davis
"Songbird" - Eva Cassidy
"Ordinary People" - John Legend
"Summer Wind" - Frank Sinatra
"Break Your Promise" - The Delfonics
"Harvest Moon" - Neil Young

(More playlists after the jump.)

Headlines: There will not be a viewing of Michael Jackson's body at Neverland Ranch tomorrow. Instead, it looks like the funeral will be on Tuesday at the Staples Center. And what will be at the Staples Center on Wednesday, you ask? Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey's Circus, of course. Wish I was kidding. If you're still looking for some thoughtful MJ coverage, there are a handful of articles in the Village Voice that should hit the spot. Plus the cover is pretty sweet, in more ways than one.

Score one for Joe the Concertgoer? Eh, not really. "Ticketmaster subsidiary TicketsNow has reached an agreement with the Illinois attorney general to shut down a number of Web sites where brokers sold tickets to popular events at markups." It wasn't that they were scalping tickets; it's that they were being too discreet about it. So now there will likely be some sort of surgeon general's warning equivalent. And marked-up tickets will still be bought and sold. You don't need any ticket for the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Franciso Oct. 2-4. Added to the lineup yesterday: Robyn Hitchcock, Steve Earle, Todd Snider, Amadou & Mariam, Emmylou Harris, Robert Earl Keen and, uh, MC Hammer? If there's an act you like that you've ever described as any variety of "twangy," chances are they'll be in San Francisco that first weekend of October.

The year's most anticipated rap sequel finally has a release date -- Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II" will be in stores on Sept. 8. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who will say an unkind word about the 1995 original. Happy Birthday, Walkman, which just turned 30. What does a 13-year-old think of the Sony classic, compared to an iPod? "It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape." Beyonce and her mom are launching a Sasha Fierce clothing line, just in time for back-to-school shopping. Kevin "The Other One" Jonas is engaged. Late night comedy writers hope their purity ring jokes will still be relevant when they come out of reruns next week.

Alice in Chains will hit the road in support of its first new album in more than a decade, and its first with new vocalist William DuVall. The grunge relics will be at 9:30 club on Sept. 4. Drake surprises nobody by signing with Young Money. I believe that makes him the first Jewish, Canadian, former teen-dramedy-star on the label's roster. And a reminder to keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. Casey Kasem won't be around (on the radio) to tell you anymore after this weekend.

Video of the Day, I: Harlem Shakes - "Strictly Game"

My favorite song from one of my favorite albums of the first half of the year gets turned into a very funny send up of those unofficial montage videos you see all over YouTube. The details are pretty sharp, from the scrolling-text-on-blue at the beginning to the variety of wipes featured throughout. If you're still looking for a good summer album the Shakes' "Technicolor Health" is as good as you'll find.

Video of the Day, II: Rye Rye - "Bang"

M.I.A. protege and Baltimore native serves up a debut single that sounds like, well, M.I.A. by way of Baltimore club. Blaqstarr handled production duties on this one, so that's pretty much exactly what it is. It'll certainly increase your heart rate, in a good way. Rye Rye's only 18, so she has plenty of time to find her own sound.

Video of the Day, III: Drake - "Best I Ever Had"

Dude, it's Jimmy from "Degrassi"!!! I'm still getting over this. It's like a modern-day Brian Austin Green situation, except this time he's actually pretty good. And all of the biggest names in the genre -- Kanye, Weezy, Jay-Z -- are going to guest on his album. And he's really popular. This video debuted just after midnight on Nahright and by 2:15 a.m. it had more then 35,000 views. The video doesn't stray far from his Degrassi past, except with a whole lot more cleavage. (And, considering some of Manny's outfits, that's saying something, am I right?! OK, gonna stop talking about "Degrassi" now.)

Updated 5:54 p.m. with statement on secondary market sales.

This summer's Virgin Mobile FreeFest is making it really hard to be a grumpy, contrarian blogger. By now you know that it's a legitimately free affair -- no hidden costs, no service charges, free parking, all that. Not surprisingly, tickets were gone within three minutes of going on "sale" last Saturday. (There were also a handful of pre-sales that ate up a big chunk of tickets.) It turns out tickets weren't entirely gone. Festival organizers have set aside 3,000 that will be given to people who sign up for -- and complete -- 13 hours of volunteer work. Help the homeless, see the Hold Steady.

VMoFest has always made a point of being socially/environmentally conscious -- at past festivals I actually saw volunteers fishing garbage out of the "wrong" containers to make sure it got into its proper, recycle-friendly receptacle. They're simply taking the good will to a new level this year. To qualify for the tickets, you sign up at FreeFest's Web site and will be directed to some approved homeless youth organizations. There's a wider array of volunteer opportunities for those that live in Howard County (where the concert will take place, at Merriweather Post Pavilion.)

But don't think that you can simply sign up and collect your swag without putting in the effort. The minimum 13 charity hours must be completed before the festival. Once that happens, you'll get a certificate of approval and then you'll be free to sing along to "Buddy Holly." If you had a community service requirement to graduate high school, or to get that public nudity charge expunged from your record, you know the drill.

If you don't get one of the 3,000 remaining tickets, well, there are plenty available on the re-sale market. What, you're surprised that scalpers didn't take this show off because it's free? Craigslist and StubHub are, predictably, flooded with not-at-all-free FreeFest tickets. On StubHub tickets are being hawked for $92 to $695. Craigslist has the usual combination of people desperately looking for tickets, people charging exorbitant prices and the token creep. (That would be the dude who will give his tickets to the woman who sends the best topless picture. My favorite part of that post? "No need to show your face." Wow, what a true gentleman!)

The concert promoters are no fools; they knew this would be a problem. The official word on the secondary market?

"It's unfortunate that people are abusing the spirit of the festival in this manner. We've put pretty extensive controls in place to limit secondary market access (two ticket limit, ticket delivery the week before the show date only). While the morality of the secondary market can be debated ad nauseum, the reality is that it exists and is legal, and our hands are tied. We know there are fans who still want tickets. We hope that they take advantage of our Free.I.P and Summer of Service programs, both leverage a currency stronger than cash: the desire to help those in need."

Scalpers will always find a way to beat the system. Is there any way to fix this?

I have a simple idea, and I'm certainly not the first person to suggest it: All first-day ticket sales are in-person only. Scalpers will surely find a way to get their hands on some, but at least it won't be due to some slick computer program. And it would help bring back one of the great, lost rock-and-roll traditions -- sleeping out for concert tickets. And after 24 hours, everything's up for grab on the Internet. Worth a shot, right?

By Juli Thanki

In 1949, country music legends Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams toured together, bringing honky tonk to the masses. Sixty years later, their kinfolk are stepping up to fill some pretty big cowboy boots.

Shelton Hank Williams III could be his grandfather's doppelganger if it weren't for his ponytail, foul mouth, and tattoos. Williams and The Damn Band played 90 minutes of frenetic country and "hellbilly" music such as "Crazed Country Rebel" and "Pills I Took" before literally letting his hair down, swapping acoustic guitar for electric, and beginning a second lengthy set accompanied by his hardcore metal band, Assjack.

This combination of disparate genres drew a crowd, in Williams' words, composed of "the kids in black, the grandmas, the rednecks, and the bikers;" though a fair percentage of the crowd left after the country set, there was a surprisingly large cowboy hat and Pantera shirt-wearing demographic that appreciated Williams in both his country and metal incarnations.

(Read the rest of the review after the jump.)

Headlines: So did J. Freedom ditch the whole music writing thing at the right time or what? The big news of the day was the abrupt end of Vibe, the hip-hop magazine. While it's hard to call the demise of any dead-tree publication a total shock these days, there simply wasn't much warning that Vibe had printed its last issue. While it may have been fitting for Vibe to go down at the hands of The Source in some sort of old-school feud, it was just the same old reasons every other newspaper or magazine is folding -- reduced circulation and lack of advertising. Meanwhile, there were reportedly layoffs at Spin.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson? Hardly. Unsurprisingly, the death of the King of Pop continues to be the dominant news story, but we're pretty much done recounting the hundred ways in which "Wanna Be Starting Something" was awesome (Kelefa Sanneh dug up No. 101) and how there will never be a global pop music icon like him again. Now we have entered the full-on tabloid zone. It's mostly grim, disturbing and depressing stuff, and you can just watch CNN Headline News or read TMZ.com to keep up to date there. Jackson's funeral is Friday and there will be a viewing of his body at Neverland Ranch. That promises to be a quaint gathering.

A surge in Jackson album sales was no surprise, but Jackson's staggering post-mortem chart dominance is even more sweeping than expected. The top nine spots on next week's Billboard charts are expected to be Jackson titles. "Number Ones," "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" will take the top three spots, all selling just over 100,000 copies each. Jackson titles sold 415,000 this week; that number was 10,000 last week. And as for Jackson's string of comeback concerts that were to take place in London, don't be surprised if it turns into some sort of tribute.

In "forget the failing economy, we've got over-the-top stage shows to present" news, both U2 and Kanye West revealed production schemes for their tours. U2 kicked off its world tour in Barcelona and, according to Rolling Stone, concertgoers can expect "a giant 360 video screen, flowing silk screens and a light show that would make Pink Floyd jealous." The Belfast Telegraph summed up opening night in one word: wow. Click that link for videos from the show and to see just what The Claw is. As for the set list, don't go expecting to hear all of your old favorites. Only eight of the 23 songs are from before the year 2000. On his blog, Kanye West revealed the stage design for his upcoming European tour. If you like gold triangles, you might want to book a flight to Europe.

And Jens Lekman got swine flu! Yikes. But he should be OK. And he'll probably write a lighthearted song or two about the whole ordeal. He's already written one about having part of his finger cut off. His 2007 show at the Black Cat remains one of my favorites of the last few years.

Video of the Day: Jay-Z - "Death of Auto-Tune"

Jay-Z coming out firing against the Auto-Tuning T-Pains of the world ... isn't that sort of like the Red Sox picking a feud with the Nationals? Is it really necessary? We know you're better than that, Hov. But if you feel like letting us know, hey, that's cool. There might be just a bit too much clarinet and in a weird way it reminds me of U2's "Vertigo," which had that ridiculous "uno, dos, tres, catorce" line but the band knew it could get away with it, no problem. This seems like a case of Jay-Z doing something that he can do because he's Jay-Z, and for good measure he's going to get Harvey Keitel in the video and then school LeBron on the basketball court. We never do see Jay-Z's shot fall through the hoop, but LeBron does shake his hand after their game. Ric Bucher has yet to report on the impact this video might have on LeBron signing with Jay-Z's Nets during next year's free agency period.

Headlines: You won't have me to kick around anymore; today is my last day in pop critic's chair at The Post. After four years and three too many Jonas Brothers stories, I'm getting a new gig. After taking paternity leave, I'll be joining a new special-ops enterprise reporting team led by Marc Fisher.

The Post is in the process of hiring my successor in Style; call your bookmaker to place a bet on who will get the gig. But it won't be Chris Cilizza, even though he's called it his "dream job." (Conflating the Fix with the Fixx perhaps?)

Meanwhile, Malitz will be flying solo on the blog, which isn't all that different than the way things have worked here in the past. Expect to read lots and lots about Kurt Vile and Double Dagger.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite links from the past four years. Think of it as my own, personal best-of -- and yeah, one last act of self-indulgence. Hey, it's what we do around here.

Favorite profile subject: Brian Wilson. It wasn't easy to write about the troubled pop genius, but I really enjoyed the challenge.

Not too far behind: Dolly. Who doesn't love Dolly? Even if she wouldn't let me wear her wig.

Best (worst?) correction: "Because of a typographical error, a story on the Virgin Festival in the Aug. 6 Style section referred to Girl Talk's Greg Gillis as a one-trick phony instead of a one-trick pony."

Favorite concert review: Jay-Z at Rams Head Live.

Silliest review of the silliest concert: Pretty Ricky at DAR.

Best concert: Bruce Springsteen at Nissan.

Most memorable concert in a monsoon: Radiohead at Nissan.

Most disappointing concert by a band whose music I actually liked: The National at the 9:30 club.

Most overused writing tic: "For those about to mock, Dewey Cox salutes you." Or, uh: "For those about to jig, [Martin] O'Malley salutes you! Or, um: "For those about to rock, we sweat all over you." And: "For those about to sing, the commander in chief salutes you!" (Hat tip to Chris Richards, who totally called me out on this. Ris, I salute you!)

Favorite Q&A subject: Keef.

Runner-up: Willie.

Most gifted wordsmith who is not particularly generous with words when you actually get to talking: James McMurtry. Truly killer songs, though.

On the other hand: Taylor Swift! (More)

Also kinda awesome, in a weird way: System of a Down's Daron Malakian.

Biggest consumer of haterade in the blogosphere: Vinyl Mine Clip Shack.

Biggest waste of time: The Kevin Federline stakeout.

Second biggest waste of time: Janet Jackson's nothingburger of a press conference.

Most awesome comment ever posted by a story subject: Faux Mick Jagger takes exception to my Fake Fest story.

Top lead: "Don't hate James Blunt because he's beautiful. Hate him because he sounds like his underwear is three sizes too small."

Top kicker (in a review of Willie Nelson's regrettable reggae album): "File under Jamaica mistake."

Worst-aging review I've ever written: The "Juno" soundtrack, with its Jan. 24, 2008, expiration date.

Two local stars I could have talked to until there was no air left in the room: Herb Fame and Tom Paxton.

Most memorable outburst from medium-level dull people, ever:: The Coldplay backlash. (Zzzzzz.)

Most awesome photo with a celeb: Malitz, the missing Jonas Brother.

Best wingnut response to something I wrote: L. Brent Bozell's rant about my small-town country songs story. Because, you know, I clearly have a problem with country music's practioners and followers.

Simply the best: Johnny Cash.

Best collection of reader feedback: From the outraged JoBro fans. Of course.

Thanks for playing. It's been fun. All of it.

Before Jesy Fortino, the Seattle singer-songwriter who goes by Tiny Vipers, even started her set Sunday night at the Red and the Black, people were already sitting on the club's floor. It made sense. Fortino herself performed sitting in a chair and her winding, longform, ethereal acoustic ruminations can make you feel a little weak in the knees.

It's certainly not standing music; it's more laying down music. Laying down in a field. Or on the beach. Or simply being in the middle of nowhere, by yourself. See that picture above? You won't find a more appropriate press photo -- Fortino serves up small songs meant for huge spaces.

(Read the rest of the review after the jump.)

Headlines: So, where to begin? How about with one of the more interesting flashbacks I've seen from the critical class, this one authored by Robert Hilburn, the longtime former Los Angeles Times music scribe. Uncle Bob had plenty of dealings with Jackson over the years, but their final conversation still haunts Hilburn. Worth a read. ... An attorney for Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, says the entertainer had a faint pulse when Murray found him in bed, where he wasn't breathing. The lawyer also denied reports suggesting Murray gave Jackson drugs that contributed to his death, saying that the doctor never prescribed or gave Jackson Demerol or OxyContin. ... Joe Jackson says stress over the comeback concerts probably didn't kill his son. ... But the Jackson family patriarch "has a lot of concerns" regarding his son's death. ... President Obama has sent a condolence letter to Jackson's family. ... Performers have been dedicating shows and songs to Jackson on stages all over the world, with the Queen of Soul even saying an onstage prayer for the King of Pop. Ground zero for the tributes: Last night's BET Awards, where everybody from show openers New Edition and host Jamie Foxx to Beyonce, Ciara, Lebron James and Ne-Yo saluted Jackson. Michael's sister, Janet, also showed up to deliver a speech on behalf of her family. ... Will Janet and the Jackson brothers embark on a tribute tour? ... AEG Live, which was promoting Jackson's concerts in London, "is planning what could be one of the biggest ticket-refund programs in history," per the Wall Street Journal. ... The first high-profile tribute song crash-landed on Friday. Spearheaded by the Game, the track, "Better on the Other side," features the likes of Chris Brown, Diddy, Usher and Boyz II Men. ... Rapper 50 Cent released a couple of Jacko tributes on Friday, as well. Many, many more to come, no doubt. ... Jackson's recordings are blowing up on the charts. In the U.K., his greatest-hits comp, "Number Ones," is, in fact, No. 1, and he has another four albums in the Top 20. ... Nielsen Soundscan hasn't yet announced last week's chart results, but Jackson is poised to make chart history -- again. ... Here's a fascinating nugget from a Reuters report: Amazon.com sold out of Jackson CDs and DVDs "in the first few minutes following reports of Jackson's death. Amazon sold more Jackson merchandise in the past 24 hours than in the prior 11 years, a spokesman said." It's almost like that famous Rolling Stone headline said about Jim Morrison: "He's hot, he's sexy, and he's dead." Like I said: Almost. ... The Wrap reports: "Michael Jackson's last rehearsal at the Staples Center on Wednesday, the eve of his death, was recorded in multi-camera, high-definition video and multi-track audio, and could be released as the performer's last album, according to several people close to the now-defunct concert tour." ... Jackson left behind a mountain of debt, as well as some new songs. ... Might Michael be buried at Neverland Ranch? ... At Glastonbury, where everybody from the Black Eyed Peas and Dizzee Rascal to the Streets and Yeah Yeah Yeahs acknowledged Jackson. Still, the MJ tributes were mixed at the festival. ... Not so at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines, where inmates performed a "Thriller" tribute that had already made them internet sensations. ... L.A. Times media critic Tim Rutten writes about the media's "irrational excess." ... Richard Prince does a roundup of the coverage debate, asking: "How Much is Enough, and Which Michael to Highlight?"

Long before he became a world renowned jazz virtuoso, guitarist Pat Martino was a sideman in small combos that prominently featured the Hammond B-3 organ. He's never lost his affection for that particular group dynamic, nor his quiet flair for moving back and forth between the roles of supporting player and compelling soloist.

Recording a live album at Blues Alley over the weekend with an all-star band, Martino sounded perfectly content enhancing the rhythm section's soulful thrust with fat chords and vibrato-tipped fills, or adding smoothly harmonized lines to the sound of saxophonist Eric Alexander's full-throated tenor.

(Read the rest of the review after the jump.)