Sage Francis

Four tracks in, we started to worry this indie-hop juggernaut had gone...mainstream on his third album?! A funky intro leads into an old-school joint that's (almost) bombastic enough to get radio play. Then comes "Got Up This Morning," which, with its blues+beats combo, could (almost) be a Bubba Sparxxx track, until Francis sardonically name-checks Ginsberg and Bukowski, and we realize the "vintage" vocals are actually Jolie Holland's. After that, things take a dark, bitter turn back toward the Sage we know and love. Oh and that radio-friendly tune? It's called "Underground for Dummies."