In case you didn't know, "Don't Tell a Soul" is my ongoing, semi-regular awesome -- and I can't stress that final point enough -- mix tape series.And this, right here, is the latest installment.
As always, to encourage the consumption of music that does not (under most circumstances) suck, I have provided -- wherever available -- links to free, artist-sanctioned MP3s of the songs.
Cheerio!
Matt
(Questions or comments? E-mail mperrine [at] duluthbudgeteer [dot] com.)
1. The Afghan Whigs - "Lost in the Supermarket" (Clash cover)
After some soul-searching,* I have come to the conclusion that this is a really, really ridiculous concept for a song -- and, yet, somehow it works. (All too beautifully, I might add.)
2. Atmosphere - "You Make Me Wanna"
Slug and Ant are unstoppable.
3. Cheap Trick - "Special One"
If you'd be so kind, please check out what I, at considerable lengths, wrote about this track here. Heartbreaking, innit?
4. Simple Kid - "Self-Help Book"
Again, I'd be stepping on my own toes if I didn't direct you somewhere else to read my thoughts on this one.
5. Kenna - "Freetime"
Although Chad Hugo traditionally takes a back seat to his ubiquitous Neptunes partner in crime, he shines on here as co-producer -- and, if I'm not mistaken, co-songwriter. As for Kenna himself, impressive stuff here ... must look into his album, "New Sacred Cow."
6. Shellac - "Canaveral"
"Stick his c*** in my wife"?! This isn't for the faint of hearing, that's for sure. (This really shouldn't be a surprise, though, seeing that frontman Steve Albini -- yes, that Steve Albini -- used to be in a group called Rapeman and all.)
(Free download of "Watch Song" available here.)
7. Carbon Carousel - "always better sorry."
Like Slug and Ant, Micheal Larsen (aka Eyedea) really makes me proud to be from Minnesoter.
8. Brother Brick - "Color Me Impressed" (Replacements cover)
A while back (1999, it turns out), a bunch of Australian bands (23, in fact) got together for "I'm in Love ... With That Song," a "tribute to the genius of the Replacements." And you know what? For the most part, it really works out.
It's amazing to think that a little band from Minneapolis could make such big waves halfway across the world.
Aw-shucks aside, here's what Brother Brick's Stewart Cunningham wrote for the liner notes: "The first time I ever met a girl at a gig in Sydney and went home with her was because I was wearing a Replacements shirt. It was at s's at the Petersham Inn and I was about 19, we were watching the band and she was standing in front of me and she just turned around and started passionately/drunkenly kissing me. When I asked her why she did this out of the blue, she later told me it was cos I was wearing (a) Replacements shirt and she was a huge fan of theirs. Believe it or not???"
Funny stuff! (p.s. A few Brother Brick tracks are available here for free.)
9. The New Pornographers - "Silent Systems"
I used this line last time around, but here goes nothin' (hold onto your butts...): The fine folks at Matador Records are brilliant: Buy "Challengers" early, get all sorts of free (goodies) now -- like this glorious B-side.
As a huge 'Mac fan, I especially love what lead Pornographer A.C. Newman had to say about this wonderful track: "This one was troubling me as a demo but then we decided that we should give it a Fleetwood Mac 'Second Hand News' feel, and it fell together nicely."
Indeed.
10. Bjork - "Isobel"
And now, for a little detour into the jungle before ...
11. The Velvet Underground feat. Nico - "Sunday Morning"
the prettiest song of all time (?) juxtaposed against ...
12. Blind Melon - "Skinned" (live)
a kazoo-laden song about "a serial killer who used to build furniture out of people's bones" (Shannon Hoon's words).
So happy, yet so disturbing. (Sadly, the same thing can be said about the album this was taken from, "Live at the Palace," which was recorded 10 days before the singer's untimely Oct. 21, 1995 death.)
13. Black Labels - "Sex Train" (live at Beaner's, Duluth, Minn.)
Alas, a little number to lift your spirits.
14. Kinski - "Punching Goodbye Out Front"
Speaking of Blind Melon, here's a track recommended for fans of those guys -- as well as of Black Sabbath, Fu Manchu and the entire "Dazed and Confused" soundtrack.
15. Fair-Weather Friend - "Dividends"
Taking off from there, Fair-Weather Friend would go well alongside Kinski labelmates Oxford Collapse (and/or Hopkins' unmatched Plastic Constellations).
16. Los Campesinos! - "Please Don't Tell Me to Do the Math(s)"
This is utterly original. And all over the place. And irresistible.
Buy product. Buy product. Salute your shorts.
17. The Revelers - "Detroit Bridge (Summertime)"
Some bloke over at Big Takeover said it best: "The Revelers give Supergrass competition as heirs to the Who's legacy."
And there's no better testament to those words than this "raucous '90s fusion of R&B and Mod-era rock" <- also lifted from the sticker on the front cover....
18. Oxford Collapse - "The Money You Have is Maybe Too Little"
Oh, hey, I've talked these guys up before!
19. Mouth - "Pure"
Don't let the fact that you'll most likely find this release in a bargain bin throw you ... this is post-punk angst at its most melodic and infectious. Recommended (highly) for fans of Metal Molly and the Pixies.
20. Black Lab - "Time Ago"
If you like Live's "Throwing Copper" -- like a lot (it's OK to admit it, I do too) -- here's a moody summer anthem for your next road-trip mix tape. (Also for fans of the Standard.)
(p.s. Some Black Lab goodies available here.)
21. Polar Goldie Cats - "Maoist"
It's funny to me that this used to be my study music at UMD, for now it sounds like it came straight out of an opium den....
22. Grayskul - "Dope" (edit)
There's always a lot going on in each and every Grayskul hip-hop face-melter, and "Dope," the Rhymesayers-by-way-of-Seattle group's latest, is certainly no exception.
23. They Might Be Giants - "My Other Phone is a Boom Car"
Twenty-eight (point nine) seconds of silliness before ...
24. Flick - "How's Your Sister?"
A line at least a few of my friends probably wish I would stop asking.** (HA HA HA)
25. Modest Mouse - "Steam Engenius"
driveuptheshore.
*No offense to anyone that does any sort of "real" soul-searching....
**And my wife, for that matter.
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