I know it seems like all I blog about is mix tapes, but if making mix tapes is all I do with free time in "real life," then it's only fitting, right? Right? And, no, it's not sad.
OK ... kind of. But it's not like I haven't contemplated kicking journalism for my "great" return to radio, but then -- oh yeah -- I remember back to my DJ days and how ... *sob* no one ever listened. Like always, it looks like I'm making mix tapes for an audience of one. (Ha!)
Anywho, here's the latest treats to grace my speakers. "Cover art" is from my deck in Fargo, circa 2005.
1. P.O.S. - "Stand Up (Let's Get Murdered)"
In an imaginary clash of the titans between producers the RZA and Ant, this would be the soundtrack. Am excited for the show at Luce Friday night.
2. Lifter Puller - "I Like the Lights"
I was slow to get into early LFTR PLLR, but this one will make a convert out of anybody.
"... And I like 'em pretty bright."
3. Mason Jennings - "Ulysses"
Songs about books? Usually a pass, but Mason pulls it off.
4. Rogue Wave - "Bird on a Wire"
Do yourself a favor next time you're down at the Fetus: Pick up everything by these guys. Their catalog is consistent, through and through -- even their Buddy Holly cover on "Stubbs the Zombie"!
5. Deckard - "What Reason"
This group's highly refined melodies soar -- could easily pass for something on the two "Grosse Pointe Blank" soundtracks.
6. Nada Surf - "Firecracker"
A Middle Eastern-esque intro segues into a wall of sweet-sounding guitars. Brilliant. And yet they remained criminally overlooked until their third proper album.
Where is the shame?
7. Tommy Stinson - "Couldn't Wait"
It's songs like this that help us forget he plays in a band with the world's biggest tool.
Why, Tommy? Didn't your mother warn you about boys like Axl? No good!
8. M.I.A. - "URAQT"
In a strange move, this utterly infectious big beat M.I.A. track wasn't included on her debut album until it was released in America. Usually it's the other way around, like everywhere else in the world getting the good Strokes cover....
9. Sense Field - "Love Song"
A tune for the ladies? I guess that could be said about the next three tracks, but I love them all.
10. Madonna - "Borderline"
I blame this inclusion on my mother and my sister, who were always making me listen to Madonna and Janet Jackson as a youngster. Oh well, best shut up and dance if I know what's good for me.
11. Motion City Soundtrack - "Hold Me Down"
I know it's cool for MPLS people to reject bands like MCS (and the Stereo before them), but I can't get enough of this group. Both times I've seen them (in Seattle and Englewood, Colo.) were excellent, so much fun.
12. Of Montreal - "She's a Rejecter"
This channels Elastica in much the same way Elastica used to channel Wire. It's not plagiarism, it's flattery, and it makes me want to blush for having confused this group for Joan of Arc until ... late 2006. For shame.
13. The Amps - "Tipp City"
The Dandies were right. Everyone wants a girl as cool as Kim Deal.
Who else could pull off a song like this and make it seem ... easy?
14. Pulp - "Mis-Shapes"
I wanted to say these guys were "dastardly," but a quick conversation with Google confirms what I most feared: That makes no sense.
15. Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel - "Further Along"
The best comparison I can come up with for Fermin: She is the American Neko Case. Lovely, innit?
16. Money Mark - "Too Like You"
I love R.E.M.'s "Reveal." To death, actually. (Long story.) Anyway, this is eerily similar, so it should be no surprise that it made the cut.
17. Mollycoddle - "Cosmic Dancer" (T. Rex cover)
It's easy to screw up T. Rex, so bravo, bravo.
18. Pavement - "Billie"
Am I in the wrong, or did latter-day Pavement kick earlier recordings to the curb? I should watch my back, because this revelation is on par with my argument that Guided by Voices' hi-fi recordings are far superior to their lo-fi ones.
Didn't win a lot of friends with that one, either.
19. .38 Special - "Teacher, Teacher"
This was a last-minute inclusion to the mix, but with it this mix became "perfect" (i.e. 79:59, the full capacity of my CD-Rs).
20. The Pixies - "Rock Music"
These guys rock. So hard. Another group (like Of Montreal) that I was told I would like way before I got into them -- I hit the Pixies hard come 12th grade in and around Crosby, Minn.
21. Toadies - "Mexican Hairless"
Funny. Did I ever tell you the one about when I saw the Toadies on their last tour when they stopped at First Avenue? After the band I was lucky enough to meet the band. What do I do? Thank them for playing "Where is My Mind?" Yeah....
In an imaginary clash of the titans between producers the RZA and Ant, this would be the soundtrack. Am excited for the show at Luce Friday night.
2. Lifter Puller - "I Like the Lights"
I was slow to get into early LFTR PLLR, but this one will make a convert out of anybody.
"... And I like 'em pretty bright."
3. Mason Jennings - "Ulysses"
Songs about books? Usually a pass, but Mason pulls it off.
4. Rogue Wave - "Bird on a Wire"
Do yourself a favor next time you're down at the Fetus: Pick up everything by these guys. Their catalog is consistent, through and through -- even their Buddy Holly cover on "Stubbs the Zombie"!
5. Deckard - "What Reason"
This group's highly refined melodies soar -- could easily pass for something on the two "Grosse Pointe Blank" soundtracks.
6. Nada Surf - "Firecracker"
A Middle Eastern-esque intro segues into a wall of sweet-sounding guitars. Brilliant. And yet they remained criminally overlooked until their third proper album.
Where is the shame?
7. Tommy Stinson - "Couldn't Wait"
It's songs like this that help us forget he plays in a band with the world's biggest tool.
Why, Tommy? Didn't your mother warn you about boys like Axl? No good!
8. M.I.A. - "URAQT"
In a strange move, this utterly infectious big beat M.I.A. track wasn't included on her debut album until it was released in America. Usually it's the other way around, like everywhere else in the world getting the good Strokes cover....
9. Sense Field - "Love Song"
A tune for the ladies? I guess that could be said about the next three tracks, but I love them all.
10. Madonna - "Borderline"
I blame this inclusion on my mother and my sister, who were always making me listen to Madonna and Janet Jackson as a youngster. Oh well, best shut up and dance if I know what's good for me.
11. Motion City Soundtrack - "Hold Me Down"
I know it's cool for MPLS people to reject bands like MCS (and the Stereo before them), but I can't get enough of this group. Both times I've seen them (in Seattle and Englewood, Colo.) were excellent, so much fun.
12. Of Montreal - "She's a Rejecter"
This channels Elastica in much the same way Elastica used to channel Wire. It's not plagiarism, it's flattery, and it makes me want to blush for having confused this group for Joan of Arc until ... late 2006. For shame.
13. The Amps - "Tipp City"
The Dandies were right. Everyone wants a girl as cool as Kim Deal.
Who else could pull off a song like this and make it seem ... easy?
14. Pulp - "Mis-Shapes"
I wanted to say these guys were "dastardly," but a quick conversation with Google confirms what I most feared: That makes no sense.
15. Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel - "Further Along"
The best comparison I can come up with for Fermin: She is the American Neko Case. Lovely, innit?
16. Money Mark - "Too Like You"
I love R.E.M.'s "Reveal." To death, actually. (Long story.) Anyway, this is eerily similar, so it should be no surprise that it made the cut.
17. Mollycoddle - "Cosmic Dancer" (T. Rex cover)
It's easy to screw up T. Rex, so bravo, bravo.
18. Pavement - "Billie"
Am I in the wrong, or did latter-day Pavement kick earlier recordings to the curb? I should watch my back, because this revelation is on par with my argument that Guided by Voices' hi-fi recordings are far superior to their lo-fi ones.
Didn't win a lot of friends with that one, either.
19. .38 Special - "Teacher, Teacher"
This was a last-minute inclusion to the mix, but with it this mix became "perfect" (i.e. 79:59, the full capacity of my CD-Rs).
20. The Pixies - "Rock Music"
These guys rock. So hard. Another group (like Of Montreal) that I was told I would like way before I got into them -- I hit the Pixies hard come 12th grade in and around Crosby, Minn.
21. Toadies - "Mexican Hairless"
Funny. Did I ever tell you the one about when I saw the Toadies on their last tour when they stopped at First Avenue? After the band I was lucky enough to meet the band. What do I do? Thank them for playing "Where is My Mind?" Yeah....
To my defense, though, at that moment in time A) it didn't look like the Pixies would ever play together again and B) no one knew it was the Toadies' last tour.
22. The Glands - "Straight Down"
"Me" tested, David Cross approved. (Watch "Let America Laugh.")
23. Dealership - "Endless Affair"
I would feel a whole lot better about the world if I ran into another Dealership fan who didn't hear about them through me.
Am I some fluke?
Please don't answer that.
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