In part one of our twice-weekly collection of song recommendations from our music writers, tracks by 9th Wonder, Ace Frehley, and a mini-essay about filters by Linda Ray.

Curtis McCrary
9th Wonder, "Now I'm Being Cool" Feat. Mela Machinko & Mez

Fucking killer sample of The Sylvers' "Now I Want You." I defy the anti-sampling dipshit strawman I am making up for the purpose of this argument to listen to both and tell me that "Now I'm Being Cool" is not a legitimate creative reinterpretation of the source material, just like all music ever! If you're unfamiliar with 9th, you might want to double-check — his work can be heard on a who's who list of hip-hop and R&B albums (such as The Black Album, Destiny Fulfilled, and Take Care (h/t to Gibson) to name but three). I suppose that would be a what's what list, come to think of it. WHUUUUT WHUUUUT!

Jarret Keene
Frehley's Comet, "Rock Soldiers"

Ex-KISS guitarist Ace Frehley's spoken-sung narrative about his deal with the devil still cracks me up. If Charlie Daniels went heavy metal, the result would be as glorious as "Rock Soldiers."

Linda Ray
Ides of March, "Vehicle" (sort of)

Last week I thought a lot about filters —how much we rely on them, how grateful we are for them even as we take them for granted, with what alacrity we adopt new ones, how little we scrutinize their sources, how much they say about the communities that share each one. I mean the filters we use to organize the dizzying density of info on the internet: Facebook, TW’s The Range, favorite blogs, Rhapsody, etc. They're information filters, but I think of them as information vehicles, too. Even I can be a vehicle with my TW Facebook page Linda Ray and the Sands of Time. "I’m You’re Vehicle Baby" could be my song! Alas that Ides of March chestnut doesn't really fit my fantasy persona. (See also “Baby You Can Drive My Car.” ) I probably need something newer, hipper, better suited to the internet age, I thought, but then I remembered my favorite car: that totally non-PC Thunderbird parked right outside in Bonnie Raitt's version of Robert Palmer's "You're Gonna Get What's Comin'". Alas, at the critical moment, the information highway hit a dead: Bonnie Raitt's version isn't out there. But I did run across two must-see vintage videos of Bonnie Raitt with Aretha Franklin and Taj Majal. You'll find them at Linda Ray and the Sands of Time. Just call me your filter, baby.