YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS

Willie Nelson “On the Road Again”
R.E.M. “Drive”
The Roots “Now or Never”
Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich “Hold Tight”
Jazmine Sullivan “Dream Big”
Jason Castro “Over the Rainbow”
Liz Phair “Waiting for the Bird”

Qatar, Vancouver, Round Rock? Is this the summer'o'leaps of faith, or what?

AL SHIPLEY DOESN'T DESERVE TOUGH BREAKS...

...but he does deserve to write about tough breaks. Shipley's a Baltimore City Paper colleague of mine and a pal - though I haven't met him yet, isn't modern life weird? - who's writing an in-depth book about Baltimore Club Music titled (yup) Tough Breaks. But he needs your assistance to make it happen; go here to get the full scoop. Help the brother out: he's a fantastic writer, good people, and he hooked me up with a review blurb for my first poetry book.