In the Mix

The White Stripes, "Icky Thump." Savagely rocked-out first single bodes extremely well for the album of the same name (due June 19), by the duo whose only Philadelphia area appearance is at at Wilmington Grand Opera House on July 27. After getting his piano and tympani jollies on Get Behind Me, Satan, and satisfying a power-pop jones with the disappointing Raconteurs, Jack White unleashes the hammer-of-the-Gods fury on this deliciously malicious track, which also makes wickedly effective use of a prehistoric synthesizer, and screams its piece on immigration issues: "White Americans, what, nothin' better to do?/Why don't you kick yourself out? You're an immigrant, too." Brings the sticky icky icky, and then some. Available on iTunes.

Prince, "A Case Of You." High water mark of A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, the hit and miss encomium out now on Nonesuch that also features Bjork, Caetano Veloso and Sufjan Stevens, who gives "Free Man In Paris," one of his trademark classical chamber pop treatments. Where Mitchell explored her lower register on the original, from the archetypal 1971 singer songwriter LP Blue, the purple one (he's #3 with the impish grin on the bottom right) takes his tender vocal higher, and higher still, on a gossamer piano ballad about a yearning that knows no limit: "I could drink a case of you, and still be on my feet." On iTunes.

1. Lil Mama, "Lip Gloss." Clickety-clacking hand-clapping early contender for single of the summer, from 17 year old Niatia Kirkland. On YouTube, and iTunes.

2. Lifesavas, Gutterfly. Portland, Ore. alt-hip-hop duo of Vursatyl and Jumbo the Garbage Man get trippy on Gutterly, their new CD which utilizes cameos by Vernon Reid and Angelo Moore (of Fishbone). The seriously funky soundtrack to a make-believe blaxploitation film concerning characters named Bumpy Johnson and Sleepy Floyd, who try to keep their wits about them and stay alive in the mythical metropolis Razorblade City. At the Khyber on Thursday.

3. Black Book. Paul Verhoeven’s crackerjack Perils of Pauline pulp fiction set during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands stars the fabulous Carice van Houten as the endlessly resourceful Jewish heroine Rachel Steinn. It’s the best Verhoeven since Starship Troopers, and that’s saying something. I saw it at Ritz 5 last weekend, with about five other people in the audience, so it won’t be there long.

4. Bob Dylan, “Huck’s Tune.” The new Dylan song from the soundtrack of Curtis Hanson’s poker flick Lucky You, where it sits alongside choices cuts from Bruce Springsteen and George Jones, and the regrettable recording debut of Drew Barrymore. “All the merry little elves can go hang themselves/My faith is as cold as can be.” Thanks Bob, we know we can always count on you for a cup of good cheer. On iTunes.

5. Jon Savage, Teenage: The Creation of Youth Culture. More diffuse in its arguments and not as thoroughly excellent as Savage's punk rock history England's Dreaming, Teenage explores the roots of the pop culture explosion of the 1950s through the first half of the 20th Century. The 576 page book is slow going at first, but picks up speed as it moves over the globe and discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald and flapper culture of the 1920s, the L.A. zoot suit riots, and the rise, and resistance to, Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany. ($29.95, Viking Adult).

More fun with dominos and dice:

Fujiya & Miyagi play Johnny Brenda's July 7.

If I had a round trip ticket to Seattle, I'd be spending Memorial Day weekend at the Sasquatch Festival, where the lineup is the tightest, pound for pound, of any of the summer music festivals. That's despite the fact that M.I.A. has cancelled, due to visa problems. Bjork, Spoon, the Beastie Boys, Arcade Fire, Spoon, Neko Case (that's her), Ozomatli, Bad Brains, Electrelane, plus Sarah Silverman hosting. It's pretty choice. Plus, the Gorge, the central Washington amphitheatre near the Columbia River, looks pretty spectacular.

Oh well, there's always next year. It's important to have goals. And there are lots of other enticing lineups coming up around the country. Back in the 90s when Lollapalooza and Lilith Fair were touring entities, the traveling carnivals came to you. Now the concert industry has figured out that it's cheaper to park a festival in one place - like this weekend's Jam on the River - and let the fans foot the travel expenses.

The next big one is Bonnaroo, from June 14-17 in Manchester, Tennessee. There are lots of jam bands I've got no interest in seeing - are you there, Ratdog? - but the upside looks rather amazing. The Police, White Stripes, Ornette Coleman, Dr. Dog, Wilco, Flaming Lips, Lily Allen, the Roots, Mavis Staples, Feist, the Philadelphia Experiment, Gogol Bordello, DJ Shadow, Ralph Stanley, the list goes on. Hmm. Maybe a trip to Tennessee is in order.

Another big kahuna is Live Earth, on July 7 at Giants Stadium. Hopefully, Al Gore won't be singing. The lineup reads like a sharper, brighter take on the Live 8 bill in Philadelphia two years ago: Kelly Clarkson, Kanye West, the Police, Akon, Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keyes, etc. Though the London line-up, looks equally good.

Rock the Bells is far and away the hip hop event of the season, with the reunited Rage Against the Machine, the Wu Tang Clan, the Roots again, Public Enemy, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Mr. Lif, and more. It's July 28 and 29 at Randall's Island in New York City.

Other cool ones: The Montreal Jazz Festival is an excellent excuse to head north. It runs from June 28 to July 7, and this year's expansive definition of jazz includes Bob Dylan, Keith Jarrett, Joshua Redman and Toumani Diabate. The Essence Music Festival comes back to New Orleans for the first time since Katrina hit for three days of R & B and hip hop headliners, with Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, Robin Thicke, Common and Ciara from July 5-7.

And the Pitchfork Festival from July 13-15 in Chicago is an indie hipsters paradise, and it's the only one with Fujiya & Miyagi (see below), De La Soul (see above) and Yoko Ono. Plus, Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation in it's entirety.

Datarock, "New Song." Devo-esque duo from Norway who favor matching red track suits and trade in agitated electro-pop that stops making sense, in a good way. Their debut album, Datarock Datarock, came out in the Land of the Midnight Sun a few year's back, and is finally being released in the U.S. on June 12. They play Johnny Brenda's on June 1.