THIS WEEK ON OUTQ: FUNK AND SOUL

For those of you who are new to No Expiration, every Wednesday morning at 9 am ET (ish) I am a guest contributor to the SIRIUS XM OutQ channel show The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick.  Every week I discuss music (surprise!) and this week I'll be talking about some new funky and soulful releases.

I have written about Brad before: the band features Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, along with the great singer Shawn Smith. Smith also sings for Satchel (who Stone has produced), and for the electro music project Pigeonhed (the Lo-Fidelity Allstars remix of their song "Battleflag" is probably Smith's biggest "hit"), and has done solo albums too (as well as some other projects). He is one of the best singers you haven't heard. The band's drummer is Regan Hagar (also of Satchel, he used to be in Malfunkshun with the late Andrew Wood, who went on to form Mother Love Bone with Stone). Jeremy Toback used to be the bass player (he's also done some cool solo albums) but now Mike Berg is the bassist (he's also in Satchel). Enough family tree stuff, Brad is a really soulful band. At first they both benefitted and suffered from the Pearl Jam association: they certainly got more press because of Stone, but they sound nothing like Pearl Jam, they have a much more funky and soul music-based sound. Smith is the star of the band. If you can find the first album, 1993's Shame, check it out. But Best Friends?, their forth album which just came out, is very good too, although it did take me a few listens.

Street Sweeper Social Club just put out their second release, The Ghetto Blaster EP. It rocks! It has a bunch of new songs, a remix of "Promenade" from their debut, a new version of Boots Riley's other group, The Coup's "Everythang," and covers of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" and LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out." Plus there's a few new songs. I think Boots is going to do a Coup album next, and I guess Tom Morello will do another Nightwatchman project (and maybe some Rage Against The Machine shows), before the next Street Sweeper full length.

Michael Franti has had such an interesting career. In the late '80s, he was in this angry industrial/hip-hop group The Beatnigs. After that, he had a very Public Enemy influenced hip-hop group called The Disposable Heroes of Hiphopricy (I saw them open for U2 at Shea Stadium, pretty bizarre). In 1994, he started Spearhead, which combined hip-hop with live music, soul, R&B and reggae, and he's been doing it for years without too much commercial success - but the band gets lots of respect in the jam band community. All of the sudden, last year, they had a hit with the very poppy "Say Hey (I Love You)," which is a classic hit single. A wonderful song. Franti's new Spearhead album, The Sound Of Sunshine, comes out September 21, and it sounds like it has a simlilar vibe to "Say Hey."

A couple of other things I'll be bringing: new songs by Cee-Lo Green (his viral hit "F*** You," and another new song "Georgia"), some Robert Randolph & The Family Band (featuring Ben Harper) and a preview of the John Legend/Roots album.

STREET SWEEPER SOCIAL CLUB - HOW IS IT?

The other day, I was working out to the Street Sweeper Social Club album, and realized that I hadn't really written about it much yet. For those who don't know, it is a new band featuring guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) aka The Nightwatchman, and a great MC, Boots Riley of The Coup.

I know that Boots has tweeted that they are not the "new Rage Against The Machine, we're the new Sly & The Family Stone. With a plan." I don't know that they're quite Sly & The Family Stone, but they are more funky than Rage, and a bit more fun. They're just as "politcal," but Rage's Zach de la Rocha just never lightens up, and Boots clearly enjoys the fact that he is a great frontman. He knows you can dance to revolutionary music, and idea that Zach probably isn't super into. I think half the album is great, the other half is good, and I am definitely looking forward to their next album. I don't know if Tom is going to do another Nightwatchman album and if Boots will work with The Coup before doing another Street Sweeper record.

STREET SWEEPER SOCIAL CLUB: THE NEW RAGE?

Someone asked Boots Riley if Street Sweeper Social Club is "the new Rage Against The Machine." Here's what he said, via Twitter: "No-StreetSweeperSocialClub isn't the new RATM.We're the new Sly&TheFamilyStone.With a plan." Let's hope.

STREET SWEEPER SOCIAL CLUB IN CONCERT

For those who don't know, Street Sweeper Social Club is a new band that features Tom Morello, aka The Nightwatchman (member of Rage Against The Machine and formerly of Audioslave) and Boots Riley of hip-hop group The Coup. Their self-titled debut came out today, and I got to go to their record release party at NYC's Grammercy Theater.

It was actually my third time seeing them: I saw them do a brief set at the Road Recovery benefit, and then again with Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails two weeks ago.

It's weird seeing a band before you know their music - and in Tom and Boots' case, there's definitely expectations for this band. Especially for Morello: doing a political band with a MC instead of a singer makes comparisons with Rage irresistible.

SSSC is a lot more loose and more fun than Rage, and Boots Riley has a much better time onstage than RATM's Zach de la Rocha, who never lightens up. I daresay Zach could learn a thing or two from Boots, who has fun with being a frontman. There were a lot of great songs, although I don't know if their debut is a classic. It was a really tight show, I give it a B, I'm definitely going to pick up their album, and I'd definitely be into seeing them again.

STREET SWEEPER HITS JUNE 16

Tom Morello's Street Sweeper with Boots Riley of The Coup will release their self titled debut on June 16. Hear some more of their new songs on their MySpace page.

DOUBLE AWESOME NEWS: TOM MORELLO HAS A NEW GROUP (and they're gonna open for NIN and Jane's)

First off: Tom Morello has a new band, Street Sweeper,
featuring Boots Riley of The Coup. It's more Rage Against The Machine than Nightwatchman. Check them out here.

And secondly, Street Sweeper is making the best tour of the year, Nine Inch Nails with Jane's Addiction, even better. Trent Reznor just tweeted that they are the opening act on the tour. Man, if that show wasn't already mind-blowing.