By Request.
Even More Songs You Are About To Love.
*Created June, 2010
(Matty)
Hello Kevin,
I'm ready for another installment of Songs You're About to Love. More importantly, I think the world is ready. (And yes, by "The World" I mean Bob, BenNo and possibly Duck.) I have a fear though of falling into the same trap that causes these mixes to drag on for months. I worry that the biggest glitch in the making of these mixes is our own over thinking each step of the process. So, I give you my solution:
"By Request, Even More Songs You Are About to Love"
You see, it's the same as always except for one wrinkle, we'll be requesting each other's tunes. "How can that be?" you ask. Well just listen and I'll tell you. I need you to arrange a list of your picks -- before we get started you see. (For Christ's sake though, don't tell me the songs.) I will do the same. (Full disclosure: I already have.) And then we will arrange our lists in a fashion that does not betray the actual songs. "How can that be?" you ask, predictably, again. Seriously, listen and I'll tell you.
Prior to the mix-making, we'll send each other our track lists in an agreed upon format. I think something like: (Song Title Initial/Two Word Vibe Synopsis/Run Time). For example, if the first song on my list was Stairway to Heaven I would simply send you this: STH/Epic Guitar/8:02.
Then we'll start the mix, and you can request the first song by picking some track from my randomly arranged list. Then I'll write my little paragraph about why you're about to love it and request its random follow up from your list. And so on and so forth forever and ever amen. That way we get all the fun of the mix without any of the hand wringing. Right? Right.
Let me know your thoughts.
Also, I think this should be a double disc, so come up with a disc's worth of songs.
Bang! 97X, the future of rock and roll.
(Kevin)
A.) Oh Hell Yes.
B.) See A.
Though I am heading to Lancaster this weekend, I will easily be able to hit you back with my next name pick once I get to my computer. I will then start working on my list for the "BR,EMSURA2L" jam. I love this idea. I lurve this idea. Fun, excellent, awesomeness.
Shit. I wish I were home right now so's I could get started.
Shit.
(Matty)
Okay then, so you're in? I think that's what you mean. Why all the subterfuge, brah? Tell me how you feel.
Just kidding. Very excited.
(Kevin)
THIS MIX WILL BE THE TITS.
(Matty)
"By Request, Even More Songs You Are About to Love"
Here’s the misconception about “Songs You’re About To Love”: Songs you’re about to love are not necessarily new songs. They are not, per se, on the cutting edge of things.
Allow me to back up, if you please, in order to clarify my sentiment. A long while ago you, your wife and I were somewhere in the world listening to Crimson and Clover (which as we know has long been one of my very favorite songs). She remarked that she had heard the song many times and thought it unremarkable. She went on to say that listing to it then, with the knowledge that it was one of my favorites forced her ear to hear it differently than before. She listened to it then as though it could be someone's favorite song and heard it differently. Smart lady. Here now was not just another trippy 60s song bleating over the oldies radio waves, this one was of Matty’s favorite songs and therefore it must have levels and nuance and a worthwhile groove. She, of course, was right.
And that’s the beauty of Songs You’re About to Love. It’s a chance to shine a light on songs that might have been overlooked. A chance to say, “Kevin/Matty, these songs are worth your time. They are worth listening to. I like listening to them. Give them a shot and you shall like them too.” And that, let’s face it, is a beautiful thing.
Now this brings me to another point that I’ve been mulling for awhile. I have friends out there-- …we don’t even have to call them friends. Let’s just say that I know people out there that-- …Better than that, there are people out there that seem to think that it is a sin to admit a fondness for any song released more than five minutes ago. These people, strangers really, truly believe that if your song is on the regular radio, or if more than fifteen people come to your show, then you are not hip (nor are you with it). As soon as the general public becomes aware of your existence, you cease to be significant to them.
This, to me, is completely ridiculous. If I had never heard The Beatles before and you came up to me, turned on Help! and said, “This is the most famous band that has ever walked or breathed.” I would still think those songs were fucking great. I wouldn’t care that you knew they were great before I did, or even that the whole world did. But there is this whole world of people out there that think that Release Date has more to do with merit than musicianship.
You know the guy I’m talking about. He’s at a party, sipping something dupey, perched by the DJ and every time a new song comes on he yawns and says, “Is this Vampire Weekend? Uh huh. The new one?” Then he scrunches his face as if to say, I didn’t even buy the new one because now everybody knows them and their new stuff is derivative and watered-down. Dick. You still felt the need to prove to everybody in the room that you knew it was Vampire Weekend. Fuckwit.
There’s a reverse-racism side to this argument as well (this is the one that I’m more often guilty of) and that’s when a song seems iconic based on the merit of other songs. It has a classic rock vibe and classic rock guitar and bitchin’ classic rock vocals and I’m like, “Man I love that song. I love classic rock.” That shit ain’t classic rock. It’s .38 Special. It’s not Clapton, it’s some guy ripping off Clapton (or Hendrix, or Page, or Nate Albert).
Nutshell time: new does not equal good and neither does old. Good is good and that’s all there is to it. I love listening to these songs. Some of them came out five minutes ago, but some of them came out five minutes before I was born. Some of the new ones sound like real throwbacks and some of the oldies were way ahead of their time. Either way, be they nouveau or be they retro, I think you’re about to love them.
Alphabetical Requestables:
AAO -- Cowgirl March/2:35
AINT(iy) – Simple Rollicking/2:33
BTCOL -- Soul Sandwich/2:55
BBB -- Epic Farewell/3:38
C – Driving Pop/3:48
HD -- Smoove Jam/4:07
IALAY -- City Walk/5:01
IHLYW -- Folk Apology/5:05
IWWWA – Muzak Scat/4:25
LLM -- Heart Sleeve/4:05
LIAC – Elevator Funk/3:57
MN – Guitar Hook/3:18
NBAH – Supreme Horns/2:46
NDL – Fingers Wag/3:31
SW – Spacey Synth/3:31
SFA – European Roadhouse/3:22
SG – Top Down/3:44
TYM – Falsetto Chorus/4:32
TIU – Shaft Plea/3:41
TT – Teenage Pyramid/3:33
##DD – Lyrical Marvel/3:54
#### -- For Prince/4:41
(Kevin)
My Own List of Requesticles (Alphabetical)
ATH -- Chugging Clapsingalong/4:51
AN -- Anthemic Screaming/4:12
AA -- Elvish Affirmation/3:24
A -- Introspective Haunter/4:11
BOTK -- Speakwarbling Country/5:04
EFIL -- Classic Britpunk/2:41
FG! -- Folky Storysong/4:06
FP -- Tip-Top Samples + Sick Beat/4:48
K -- Indie Jock Jam/2:46
KMN -- Vocal Butterflies/2:48
L -- Undeniable Air Strumability/4:42
NFY -- Soul Rockin'/3:11
TP -- Feels Dangerous/4:44
S,SG -- Sit, Drink, Cry/4:59
S -- Tambourine (aka: I Prefer The Acoustic Version)/3:49
SB(WV) -- Lo-Fi, Sans-Structure/3:18
TTLY -- The Voice/3:21
TTSAO -- He Croons, He Soars/3:40
UFB -- Roadtrip Driver/4:09
WM -- Emotional Montage/5:18
YP -- Sexy Saxamaphone/4:08
#### -- Feels Like a Sunrise/5:23
(Matty)
I've been driving a lot lately. Maybe not a lot, but I went from never driving to driving every day. Let me tell you something else, I forgot how big a part driving plays in the shaping of my musical tastes. I love cruising, windows open, singing along. I'll doubtlessly be listening to this mix in my Korean driving machine quite a bit once we're through. That said, I see no better place to start than this: Let's start this thing off with the "Roadtrip Driver" from your list, UFB.
We're off. It's very exciting.
(Kevin)
Mack --
Great choice. I listen to this track and I can feel the warm summer breeze blowing through my open windows, the smell of pollen and grass clippings filling my nostrils as houses and fields and fences fly on by. The strumming guitar and plucky piana and shishk-shishk drums all come together in my chest and create this sense of well-being, with nary-a-care and it sits right here in my chest for the song's duration.
It's what I imagine I'd listen to on my way up to Ithaca as a boy, with vague thoughts of life and youth and whathaveyou all flitting in and out of my mind. I'd take a deep, full breath and exhale. I'd smile to myself, because, well -- to put it simply: this feels nice.
This is "Up From Below" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
To keep with the warm, sunny feeling I've got, let's go with SG -- Top Down.
(Matty)
Great song and a good start. As you now know, my neighborhood is rife with summer breezes, grass clippings and pollen smells. I look forward to jamming on that one as I make turns and take note of the sun breaking through the branches.
By request, we'll follow it with something from the back catalog. I'm not sure why this song has become part of my regular playlist lately, but I'm glad that it has. From the start this one promises to cook with gas and then spends the next few minutes fulfilling that promise. Is this song going to win any awards for esoteric composition ? No. Will this song make you feel better if you crank it up and let your hair down a little? Fuck yes. I'm all for musicians attempting to teach and delight, but now and then, I just want to stomp my feet and play air drums. Not sure if these guys played this one for you and Stevie C., but if they did I'm quite sure you and everyone else were whipped into a frenzy (a phenomenon that I can only guess is jacked by a power of ten in cities like Atlanta or Dallas).
This is "Southern Girls" by Cheap Trick.
Let's follow it up with S -- Tambourine.
(Kevin)
I'm trying to force my thinning hair out just a might bit longer so I can qualify for the "letting it down" part. What a great jam. You promised delight, feet stompin' and air drums. You weren't fooling, brother. Man, is there a more under appreciated band than Cheap Trick? They're so much more than that band with the five-necked guitar (although that, too, is quite awesome).
Superb request for the follow-up. It's a tune that by all intents and purposes I should have known long ago, but it wasn't until I was sitting on a couch in a hotel lobby during this amazing weekend that it entered my orbit. And, though I might be partial to the solo jam version performed by he of the chosen people -- Kid Dynamite -- the real deal packs almost as much joy into it (minus our infectious laughter). Because it's "Substitute" by The Who.
Now, if you'd hit me with the IALAY -- City Walk, I'd appreciate it.
(Matty)
So many levels to my delight with this choice. That Kid Dynamite was there singing it on my wedding day in the Hawthorne lobby is only the tip of the iceberg. I can't begin to count the number of times he and I have had this exchange:
SK: I love this band.
MO: Who?
SK: Yeah.
or
MO: Did you hear about band playing the halftime show at the superbowl?
SK: Who?
MO: Yup.
Great pick (by me).
And now to honor your request...
I like your thinking here. We've kicked the door down and gotten a little rowdy, let's settle things down a bit... but let's also refuse to sacrifice our intensity. I've been digging this song since it's release last year. Recently though, I noticed something strange. My appreciation of this song wasn't waning (or even plateauing). Every time I listened, I was finding new things to like and relate to. It's stripped down but not at all simple and I like that. It reminds me of days spent walking in the city in my 20s and getting into my own head.
It's I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers.
I sent it to Diesel and Jess in hopes that it would aid in the mental process of forever forgetting their Astoria landlord. Not sure if it's worked. I'll bet when they play this song live the whole audience holds their breath -- which is kind of dangerous considering that it's five minutes long. Maybe most of their fans are swimmers.
Next song: S, SG -- Sit, Drink, Cry
"Plateauing" has four consecutive vowels in it. Awesome.
(Kevin)
I was listening to The Avett Brothers on my way to work this morning. No lie. It was the older album, though, the one with "The Ballad Of Love And Hate" which you, too, introduced me to. This feels like fate. Which is to say that I absolutely love this song. It almost makes me want to move to Brooklyn. Or, at least, head to it on a Saturday morning to watch a World Cup game.
Your request is one that feels like snow falling softly onto a dark winter ground. It is destined to be listened to in a dark, brisk room, with a cold drink resting in the palm of your hand.* It's quiet and beautiful and I have never, ever gotten tired of listening to it after all these years.
Please enjoy "Sodom, South Georgia" by Iron and Wine.
*Alternate version: substitute dark, cool room for a front porch, complete with rocking chair (or swing), provided that grassy plains spread out before you.
Now I think I'm going to go out on a limb and pick: AINT(iy) – Simple Rollicking. This suspense is killing me.
(Matty)
Whoa. Before I get to your pick: You know how you were listening to The Avett Brothers this morning? Well I was listening to the song you just picked (AINT[iy]) just now. No shit, it was on in the car just now when I pulled in. It came up randomly on this giant mix I made for the car (It Sonata Bad Driving Mix, Volumes 1-14). How's that for connectitude! I said to myself, "You never know, this could be the next pick."
Love the Iron and Wine song. I didn't know that one. I can definitely feel the rocking chair quality to it. I like that it takes its time. I feel like it should play over the scene in the movie where everyone is locked up in the stark cabin, staring at the fire, not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
Your pick assures us that our pensive walk in Brooklyn and quiet sit on a rocker will not drag us down to the darker parts of our mind for long. Nope, prepare to get peppy. This one is pure fun. It makes me want to bop around a little and shake my head like Ringo. Lots of classic pop-rock elements featured here. Fun harmonies. Catchy, oft-repeated chorus. Bouncy guitar. Like I said, it's simple rollicking.
It's All I Need Tonight (Is You) by Gentleman Jesse. I just stumbled upon a pithy NPR review of this song while searching for lyrics, "All I Need Tonight doesn't blow people's minds so much as permanently lodge itself therein." Well said. And I'll take it.
Let's follow it up with ATH -- your Chugging Clapsingalong.
(Kevin)
Kickass. I'm going to be singing this to myself on the yabadabadoo trip home (only seventeen minutes away from this very moment). It's funny you should mention NPR -- I just saw an article today that discussed how they're becoming the new musical tastemakers of our generation. I guess we stand here as living proof.
Tonight! TONIGHT!
As per usual, you've chosen a followup that slides in oh-so-perfectly with the graceful arc of our mix. This band suddenly vaulted itself into my "favorites" category a few moons back (as I'm sure you'll recall). And this track is one that slid under my radar -- until she caught my heart through a live version on their "Kicking Television" album. (It's such a phenomenal version that I considered putting the live track on here -- until I finally admitted to myself that a random live track can all too often stick out like a sore thumb.)
This tune chugs forward like a locomotive, requesting -- nay, demanding -- that you tap your feet and clap your hands along with it. The sound of the lyrics (previously unheard and written by Woodie Guthrie) please me so every time I they get to the chorus. On the whole, it works on oh so many levels -- I often see flashes of moments from my life appearing before my eyes with this as the soundtrack.
Them's got ears, let them hear. Them's got eyes, let them see. Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies.
Take that airline plane. It'll take you home again -- To your home behind the skies.
It's "Airline to Heaven" by Wilco.
Christ, pal, this is fun. What say we go with some Supreme Horns - NBAH?
(Matty)
Wahoo and chuggalug. You know me, I'm always ready for more Wilco. This one is a ton of fun.
Your followup pick is one that I've been grooving to a lot lately. I firmly believe it's a song you're about to love and it came out 9 years before Lou and Judy decided to bring you into this world. Diana Ross and The Supremes had been tearing up the charts for the better part of the decade and acts like this one were coming and going frequently. I stumbled onto this song and was immediately drawn to it. The punctuating horns, the driving vocals, all of it. It's a great one for those times when you want to walk into a dance scene in a fifties grocery store.
It's Nothing But a Heartache by The Flirtations.
Let's follow it up with NFY -- Soul Rockin', I'm prepared to have my soul rocked.
(Kevin)
You weren't joking about those being some supreme horns. The bass line and the low-ass saxomaphone notes are unearthly. I could listen to a song like this all day and all night. Thank you for bringing it into my world. Love isn't a strong enough word.
Your pick fits nicely with this one, though they may be separated by many decades. It's from a raucous indie punk/rock/pop/soul trio from London who (I've been told) give legendary live shows. This track, in particular, seamlessly melds that pop rockin' with some swinging soul. It's infectious and it will assuredly put a sway in your hips.
Plus, they have the benefit of having a fantastic lead singer (Singhai Shoniwa) who isn't a total cracked out terrible tattooed celebutard.
Always remember "Never Forget You" by Noisettes.
I'm dying to know what mysteries are contained within the Teenage Pyramid (TT).
(Matty)
Love it. Listened to it once and then again just now with the headphones. The first try was good but Liz and I were chatting about something and I didn't really do my due diligent listening. This second time through though, man oh man. Sing high indeed. Man, that's a good one. Dang!
You probably already have your next request in your library. It was the first song I put on my list. In the time that I've had this song I've listened to it more than any other ten songs combined. In the past year or so, I've likely listened to it almost every day. Oftentimes, when I first got into it, I would listen to it on a loop. Three times in a row. I'm not sure why. I love that it builds, steadily, throughout its 3.5 minutes. The piano. Then the vocal. Then the backing vocal. Then the tambourine and the other backing vocal. And then the drums. First the just that floor tom and then the whole kit at about the 2 minute mark. Man it builds and builds towards the apex.
Lyrically is where it really gets me, though. I don't think I'm telling tales out of school when I say that you and I both have a soft spot for nostalgia. For me this song is about teenage emotion. About being at a dance or a party and wanting that connection with another person. Then, when it does eventually come, doubting it with your whole being. It's about that point where you are sick of the game and ready to lay it all out there, "I need human heat." I don't care if you don't know my name. I don't care that I don't look like (insert attractive movie star). I don't care that I'm not rich. I care about human heat. And it builds and builds to the point where it's kicking and the twist is when you realize that she's probably feeling the same thing because, well Christ, that's how people feel.
The real capper is the backing vocals in the last little bit. They kill me. I don't even know what they're saying. As far as I can tell it's something like,"Extreme, uh-huh, extra super very." I don't care I love it.
It's The Twist by Frightened Rabbit and I'm a big fan.
After this one, I think we should listen to WM -- Emotional Montage. I'm obviously feeling a little emotional.
(Kevin)
Christ, Matty, I don't know what to say. I have never heard that song before in my life, and though I am thrilled beyond belief that you have given it to me, a small part of me feels sad that I've spent the last two years without knowing that it existed. I've listened to it five times in a row now, and I would not be surprised to find myself purchasing the full album by play number eight.
You're spot on about our nostalgia predilection -- and yet, I would be hard pressed to think of another song that captures the delicate balance of emotions found during those awkward times so... enjoyably. There's no angsty wailing and gnashing of teeth, there's just that simple, beautiful phrase: "I need human heat."
That song felt so special to me that I hesitate to continue. Le sigh.
But, the man requested an Emotional Montage, and I shall provide a fitting song. It possesses all the characteristics of a good montage song -- the pleasant strumming of an acoustic guitar; the earnest voice singing softly (then louder); the lyrics, hinting at some deeper emotion, but vague enough to allow the listener to project. The kicker for me, though, is the chorus.
The chorus in this jam gets me every time.
It builds and reaches this crescendo that rises up through this furious, building guitar strumming -- and releases in a glorious "aaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHH". Once upon a time I think I drunkenly espoused on this sort of phenomenon -- a point in the song where it builds up and feels as if it's pulling up through your chest and all you can do is turn your head to the heavens and let it out. (Like I said, I was drunk.)
That's what the chorus in this one does for me. And I think it would work just fine playing underneath a montage at the end of our show.
"Wise Man" by Liam Finn.
(He's the son of a Man at Work, you know.)
Please hit me with a TYM -- Falsetto Chorus.
(Matty)
You are a wise man to include Wise Man on this mix. It fits nicely here. There's a part of me (the part of me that spent a good bit of his formative years in coffeehouse/one man and a guitar type places) that really connects to one man and a guitar type songs. I like the idea of a dude and a guitar grabbing a room and taking everyone on a journey. That's what this one feels like to me. I'm happy about it.
You've selected a song next that, if I were to have first heard it on a different day or in a different place than I originally did, then I might have dismissed it completely. "It's derivative of Beck being derivative of Elton John." I would have said (and I would have been right). But when I first heard it I wasn't in the mood to be dismissive. I was in the mood to listen to something jangly and fun and roadhouse. Low and behold I found just the thing. Sure, it sounds a little bit like the song playing in that jeep that just pulled up next to you at a red light (you know, the one full of teenage girls driving towards the beach), but I don't care. I like it.
It's Take Your Mama by Scissor Sisters.
After you listen to that, I think it's time for L -- Undeniable Air Strumability. Make it happen.
(Kevin)
There's one thing I've always thought, and it's that you can't go wrong with some 70's Elton John -- whether you are Elton, or whether you're aping his style. I dig it. And, to deny a fun tune like that one is to be the Fuckwit you mentioned in the beginning who scrunches his face at the new Vampire Weekend. Nobody wants to be that guy. Nobody.
Let's talk about your request. This whole song is pushed forward by two things: the rippling drum licks and, more importantly, the strum-strum-strum of the acoustic (and on the chorus, electric) guitars. It's not your father's slutty ol' air guitar playing that I'm talking about -- it's this fantastically pleasing imaginary movement where you beat the shit out of the invisible strings with these intense up-and-down strokes. I can almost see where the wooden body of my guitar has gotten worn over the years from me playing it so forcefully. (If it were real, that is.)
Oh, and then there's this acoustic guitar solo that's the absolute tits, just for good measure.
"Longform" by The Dodos makes me wish I played the guitar, Matty.
My request: LLM -- Heart Sleeve.
(Matty)
Ah, your words remind me of Glen Hansard's well worn ax.
Love this one. I've never heard of The Dodos. I don't think so anyway. This is what happens when you live in Massachusetts. You start to miss out on things. Longform packs a lot into fiveish minutes. I like it, the urgency. Nice pick. Already looking forward to listening to this mix and we're only about a quarter of the way through. Keep it up.
We're following it up with one I've been listening to quite a bit. It too has some serious strumalong tendencies. I enjoy its singalong capabilities too, though I fear if you belted out this chorus on the PATH train some people might think you'd gone 'round the bend. Whatever though, that never seemed to stop anyone else on the PATH train from acting wacky. This one is tight as can be and I love it.
It's Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons.
I'm feeling a little pensive. Let's follow it with A -- Introspective Haunter.
(Kevin)
Christa Maddona, Matthew, we're really cookin' with gas on this one. I've never heard of Mumford & Sons. I shan't be making the same mistake again. That track gives me that feeling where you're running/careening down a hill and you'rejust on the edge of control -- you'll either end up holding on and remain upright until you get to flat land, or you'll lose it and end up tumbling down the rest of it. Fantastic.
This band broke up when we were three years old. I started getting into them a year or so ago. This "type" of music was never really my bag, but when I was listening to a song of theirs randomly, something just clicked. I picked up a retrospective of their work and I was hooked.
This particular track is undoubtedly one of my favorites -- on paper, it's a pretty simple tune: atmospheric notes, thumping toms, occasional chimes. But when you match them with the vocals -- this stark, bass baritone voice -- it becomes something special. Everyone seems to pull their own particular emotions from it, whether it be isolation or longing or something else... but no matter what it is, it seems to touch something very specific inside a lot of people.
It's "Atmosphere" by Joy Division.
(I'd also like to highly recommend Closer, the biopic about Ian Curtis, the singer of this song. Great film, and this track plays over the end credits.)
And since we're talking about atmosphere, let's go with SW – Spacey Synth.
(Matty)
Loverly. I think I've always sort of felt the way you'd described when it comes to Joy Division. You know, "Wow, smart people seem to really like Joy Division. Bright, sharp, well-meaning people... I just can't seem to get next to that kind of music." But the more I think of it, I can't remember ever listening to Joy Division and then thinking that thought. Nope, each time I actually heard them I was more like, "Who is this? Joy Division? Really. Man that's good." This is what just happened to me with Atmosphere. Suh-weet.
You're right, Atmosphere transfers nicely into our next track. I feel like this next one is the song that would play as our smaller, transport spaceship departs from the scary planet blowing up behind us while we quietly depart. I love this song. I love the 70s vibe to the vocals, the 80s vibe to the orchestration and the hipster vibe to the lyric. The lyrics are really special to me. Alone, I think they would be ridiculous and maybe a little stupid, but in the world of this song I think the are both poignant and hilarious. "I feel just like Winona Rider in that movie about vampires. And she couldn't get that accent right and neither could that other guy." By itself, I'm not sure about that line, but when it hits in this song -- brilliant. I also like the Eddie Izzard ending. The sense of, "Wha?"
It's Sigourney Weaver by John Grant.
Let's follow it with FG! -- Folk Storysong.
(Kevin)
Wow, you're totally right about that tune. On it's face, it should be completely ridiculous -- but he commits to it, fully, and that's why it works. (Also, it's a kick-ass song.)
I was hoping you'd pick this one soon. It was a late edition to my list -- and I have been singing it to myself constantly. It grabbed hold of me the first time I heard it thanks to one simple line:
"I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie -- turn the goddamn radio down (thank you)."
It put this huge grin on my face within the first minute. Whether it was due to the lyric itself or the delivery of "goddamn" or the way he throws the "thank you" off as an aside, who knows. Then the story revealed itself to me, and I couldn't help but fall in love with the people and the tale within it.
Bang bang bang!
Now, I want you to turn this on and turn it up. LOUD. Louder than you would normally play it. I want you to sit and listen. And I'll eat my hat if you're not grinning by the end of it, singing "Sha nay na sha nay na na ne na na..."
It's "Frankie's Gun!" by the Felice Brothers.
Let's go to the European Roadhouse, SFA.
(Matty)
Christ, we're onto something here. Now that's a folk story song! I listened loud and was indeed on board for the Sha-nays. I think it really got me though when I got to,"Spit, make a fender shine. Frankie you're a friend of mine. Got me off a bender after long legged Brenda died." I like the throw away thank you too. I think he might actually be absent mindedly thanking the band for that first harmony. Dang that's good.
We follow it up with some Swedes.
Our jogging route around the neighborhood breaks down like this: 1/4 level ground, 1/4 slow decline, 1/4 uphill battle and finally 1/4 level ground. The uphill is a bitch. It's long and steady and hurts. I usually set up my running mix (Jog, Brah) so that I start the incline (predictably) with Eminem's Lose Yourself. It's important to maintain a steady pace here because if you go too quick you can't make it. Eminem takes me up the first part of the hill. I follow him with this one. Sometimes twice in a row. It cooks steadily but not so fast that I get too gassed. I love the barroom feel to this one and I usually get to the point where I'm catching moving cars from behind by the end. Once I hit the level ground again I feel like I'm flying.
My wife used to be annoyed by this song. (More accurately, she was likely annoyed with her husband and the volume at which he would play this song.) But after time, and my persistence, she came around in a big way. Now she genuinely looks forward to the end when he sings,"It was the last time I forgave you!" over and over. In fact, we're now at the point where she jumps the gun and starts yelling that as soon as the first few notes of the tune start through the speakers.
(She just came in from the other room and obliged this email by singing her part as if on cue.)
It's Song for Aberdeen by Mando Diao.
Next, I think we'll go with K -- Indie Jock Jam. Make it happen.
(Kevin)
Look, man, I don't like running. I've tried and tried (a successful two months in the winter was the closest I got and that's only because I wanted to look fit for Hydro), and I like the idea of it in theory, but my body just... rejects it. Then I go and hear a jam like this and I want to pick my feet up and down and run and sing (just like yer wife) "It was the last time I forgave you!" over and over. Wow.
From running, we'll go to the other sports. Long story short, I heard this song for the first time on Sirius XMU before I left for London and I'll be fucking shocked if I don't see it played under a highlight reel of these NBA finals or bone-crushing NFL hits or spectacular MLB defensive plays. Not bad for a noise-pop duo from Brooklyn who released their first full album one month ago.
Prepare for some Phi Slamma Jamma with "Kids" by Sleigh Bells.
Let's keep it on the up and up and give me some Elevator Funk/LIAC.
(Matty)
Dang, that song makes me want to cut together a highlight reel of all my highlights!
I'd read about that Sleigh Bells album but hadn't checked it out yet. Suh-weet. It makes me feel a little bit like I'm losing my mind (more than usual, that is). I feel like it should be playing over Neo kicking ass in the never-made good sequel to The Matrix. Or else, playing as the internal soundtrack to the mindthoughts of our hero toiling away at his dead end job in the moments before he snaps.
From highlight reels we head north for some Canadian indie rock. I like this one, I feel like it's starts in an elevator and then slowly progresses to somewhere special. Somewhere special and Canadian. It's about the cyclical nature of relationships. It's about two people, linked. More than anything though, it's catchy and fun.
It's Love Is a Chain by Jason Collett.
I'm curious about AA and it's Elvish Affirmation. Let's go there next, shall we?
(Kevin)
Is there anything those Canadians can't do well? What a delightful little ditty. A trip through the great white north is the perfect segue (not to be confused with a David Segui -- or, as Dingess would say, a "David SEGUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII") to the brisk, ethereal land this next one comes from.
Elvish Affirmation was actually the first description I came up for any of my songs. It is my firm belief that that this track was made by magical elves who live in fantastical kingdom (called Iceland) and discovered a process that enables them to infuse the sheer joy of life into musical form.
That's this song, in a nutshell. And my belief isn't that far from the truth, actually.
In this case, the magical song and elf are "Animal Arithmetic" and Jónsi.
From elves, I'm dying to know more about #### -- For Prince.
(Matty)
Yowsers. Now that's a Happy Song. This a delightful little section of this mix. We should all pause, once a day, and listen to some elfsongs. I think the world would be a better place. Also, I like the name Jónsi. (Pavarotti is a tenor. Paganini was a composer.)
We needn't tread far from Norway for this next one. I know you know this one because you gave it to me. On the off chance though that you missed this catchy ditty, with it's driving rhythms and infectious harmonies... In case this peppy paean happened to slip through the cracks of your consciousness, I've decided to include it here. Hear. I've been digging it since I got it. It's tons of fun, you should have fun with it too.
It's 1999 by Shout Out Louds. Swedes! This mix has officially gone global!
Next, let's do SB(WV) -- Lo-Fi, Sans Structure
(Kevin)
Cripes, but of course! I forgot how much fun this one was -- I got my hands on a few other albums around this time and, in retrospect, probably didn't dedicate enough time to the Swedes as I should have. That, and I lost my goddamned phone, which is what I listen to music on. Oversight remedied!
To close out the first side of this mixery, you've chosen a track that has no discernable connection to the previous one. And, considering the band, they wouldn't have it any other way. They never cared much for traditional song structures of verse-chorus-verse, AABA or whatever. They're another one of those bands I always felt I should appreciate (yet didn't). I've remedied that situation. They are now fully appreciated.
This particular one makes me feel like I'm back in my '78 Camaro, cruising around with the t-tops off and my blown-out tape deck speakers thumping fuzzily in the back. I sing/scream "Don't goooooooooooooooooooooooo" with all my youthful exuberance and bob my head.
It's the #292nd greatest song of all time, according to Rolling Stone (one notch above "Walk This Way" by Run-D.M.C.).
It's "Summer Babe (Winter Version)" by Pavement.
Let's flip it over and kick it off with some Driving Pop: C.
(Matty)
Brudder, if Part B of this mix can stand up to Part A it will be a frigging miracle. I too have oft wondered how I missed Pavement. Not long ago, I read a great article in GQ by the genius Chuck Klosterman (who should just go by tGCK for time's sake) and it really made me wonder how I'd not paid attention to them. Maybe I'm a moron... I think that's what this mix is teaching me thus far. But hey, that's not such a bad thought when you consider that it's my moronic tendencies that are allowing me to discover all these songs I'm about to love over these few days. In fact, I am feeling truly blissful in my ignorance. Great song.
I couldn't have done better picking a Side One finale than the Pavement song. Great job me. But you, not to be outdone, could not have done better in selecting a kickoff for Side Two. This one bursts through the door like a gunshot. It's a reckoning. It's an announcement. All at once it says, Side Two can hold up its end of the bargain. You just need to stay where you are and listen, Side Two will do the rest. This is where it starts. This is where it's coming from.
And so it begins...
It's Countdown by Jupiter One.
Let's keep it up with FP -- Tip Top Samples + Sick Beat.
(Kevin)
Dag, yo, that's a mighty fine fit for Track 1, Side B. Mighty fine. I got chills when they hit that "And so it begins..." line. For reals.
I don't know if we've ever had a tune like this in our mixes before, but I'm not afraid to offer it up here. Electronic music isn't really our bag -- but, then again, as children of the Beasties (and quality, sample-filled hip-hop) we would be hard pressed to deny this baby. Where do I start? Do I talk about how these masterfully trimmed dialogue samples form a story of cowboys, psychiatrists and a mentally disturbed boy named Dexter from Baltimore? Do I speak of the pitch perfect horn loop matched with a mournful choral wail to form a goddamn groove that without fail makes my head bob -- a beat whose phatness will not be denied? Or do I mention how they make a parrot talk by just scratching a record?
Trick question, I don't mention any of those things. I only tell you:
"YOU'RE A NUT! YOU'RE CRAZY IN THE COCONUT!!!"
Welcome to "Frontier Psychiatrist" by The Avalanches.
Follow it up with Fingers Wag/NDL, won't you?
(Matty)
Aw, trick question! No fair! You were right about the head bobbing though. More than that, I am indeed crazy in the coconut. So there's that. And we did long ago sign up to enter anarchistic states, so maybe this song is just one more step towards our internal excellence. Great song. Tons of fun. That's the kind of song that my wife will initially hate and then slowly start to love over time (which is fitting because I am the type of man that she initially hated and then slowly started to love over time).
Very excited about this next one. I scooped it up a little while back and it's been blowing me away since. This is a new record that is so keenly aware of its roots that it seems to come from another time. There is something very fresh about it though. It's not old or stale, but classic sounding. It's got a sass to it that I really enjoy. I enjoy sass, always have. Can't say enough good things about this... They knock it out of the park.
It's Numbers Don't Lie by The Mynabirds.
(Full disclosure, I've been meaning to buy the whole album, but this is the only one I have so far. The 30 second snippets of the rest of it sound as good at least.)
Next up: TTLY -- The Voice
(Kevin)
Oh you don't have to tell me about your affinity for sass, my friend. As for the song, classic is a fitting description -- I think I'm my enjoyment of it is growing with each successive listen. Sass!
There's not much to say about this next pick (which works wonderfully with the previous one, by the way) aside from the fact that it's the most stunning voice in all of indie rock singing a song from the perspective of a tornado with some metaphorical things going on but seriously if tornadoes had a voice like that I don't think I would be out of line in suggesting that instead of running from them in terror and fear we would turn around and wait for them to come to us with our arms raised silently hoping for their beautiful embrace just wanting to hear the words...
"This Tornado Loves You" by Neko Case.
(I'mma gonna go an ask for the IHLYW/Folk Apology.)
(Matty)
I'm not sure what more I can say about this song. Neko Case brings it and I accept it wholly. I love the idea of loving someone destructively. Love it.
We follow it up with what could be a song song by that same tornado, if only in one of her more pensive moods. You know, the morning after the destruction. After the realization that loving destructively, though loving, may not have been the best course of action. After realizing that the act of loving is sometimes a very selfish endeavor. It begins, "Forgive me lover, for I have sinned. For I have done you wrong. For I have hurt beyond repair and when tears occurred no I didn't care. Forgive me lover, for I have sinned. For I have loved you wrong." It goes on from there. It takes its time and wallows.
It's I Have Loved You Wrong by The Swell Season. Not sure how much of this is autobiography regarding their breakup, but I am sure that the emotion was palpable when they played this one at Radio City. It's easy to get lost in. Hang with it through to the end, it's worth it.
Let's go next to #### -- Feels Like a Sunrise.
(Kevin)
Oooof. Those two kids... they absolutely slay me. I can only imagine how emotional this one must be live -- To hear the repeating "On my mind" section at the end was chilling enough on my computer.
This next one is all about the harmonies. There are a lot of other elements in the song that work great, but they're all complimentary to the vocals. The harmonies shine throughout, like rays of sol peaking above the horizon at the start of a new day and warming everything it touches. Simply, this song feels like a sunrise. I couldn't explain it any other way.
What are you waiting for? Warm up with "2080" by Yeasayer.
I'm torn, but let's go with... IWWWA – Muzak Scat, baby.
(Matty)
Nice. I like how that one sort of sneaks up on you. You know, it kind of tiptoes up behind you. I'm with you on the sunrise call. I'll take you one step further and say that it feels like a desert sunrise. It feels like laying on the hood of your car and watching a desert sunrise.
Next up is one I've been bopping to a lot lately. It's got an infectious groove that starts out somewhere loungey with a hint of mariachi. When the smoking jacket vocal starts it hooks you a little and then when he gets into the "Bup-padap bup bup bup-bup" part, well that's when I really get on board. Not much going on lyrically here, you know except for the Bup padupsand the existential night out. Still though, it gets me.
It's I Wonder Who We Are by The Clientele.
I think next we should go to TTSAO -- He Croons, He Soars. Make it happen.
(Kevin)
That's great -- it's one of those songs that just has an excellent feel to it. I feel like I'm sitting in a smokey hotel bar somewhere, nursing a sore jaw with some Blanton's on the rocks, wondering where it all went wrong. Bup-padup indeed.
This next one is a fitting follow up. I got it from you, actually -- you bestowed this wonderful album upon me a few years ago for my birthday (I think it was a birthday). Irregardless, it's fantastic, and this if one of my favorite tracks from that verysame LP. Like I said in the description, he croons like a mothereffer in this one. Aided by the swelling strings, by the time he gets around to the chorus, you feel like you're flying over the city, untouchable. It's a great feeling. The streets are ours, Matty.
"Tonight The Streets Are Ours" by Richard Richard Hawley.
(Fun fact, I've been envisioning a World Cup montage set to this song for the past week or so.)
Next up, hit me with a Smoove Jam -- in HD.
(Matty)
Nice! I love this one! Story time: We had Katie and my folks over for drinks and cheese last week and it occurred to me that it was the first time ever that I'd had them all over to my place for just a relaxing sit. It then occurred to me that I was able to select the music for said sit down. Now I'm all for the yeedle-deedle music, you know this -- but we weren't at theirhouse, we were at my house. Long story short, I decided that this album was my drug of choice. I love it. So rich. So good. Good times were had by all. Tonight The Streets Are Ours does not disappoint. In fact, maybe we should scrap the rest of this and just close this thing out with more songs from Lady's Bridge.
No Kevin. We can't do that. Requests have been made. So now on to our next one, which BTW, is awesome.
Let's slow this shit down and reflect. Take our shoes off, get soulful. Let's get down to the point where, when all the fight is gone from us, all we have left to do is beg for the love of a good woman. Let's add some sick guitar picking and some bluesy funk horns. Top it all off with a stripped bare vocal and you've got the makings of a haunting soul ballad.
It's Honey Dove by Lee Fields and The Expressions.
Next, YP -- Sexy Saxamaphone. Thanks.
(Kevin)
Sometimes I dream that I could have a strong, emotionally naked R&B voice like that. But I don't. Which makes me appreciate fine soul gems like this one all the more. I particularly love how it starts to pick up the tempo towards the end, giving his pleas that extra bit of oomph.
We're going to keep it down on the chill tip with this one. I dare say it would have worked juuuuuuuuust fine as the soundtrack to your first little soirée the other night. The Wife and I heard it on our radio a year or two ago, during one of our many drives back and forth from your motherland. We, being newly married, got a particular kick out of the line: "The wife and I thank you very much." Then you throw in a little sax, a sultry groove, and you've got yourself a fine tune -- one that can inspire a man to new heights, towards untold possibilities... of throwing a party of his very own.
We had the best time at "Your Party" by Ween.
I must insist on discovering the story behind your TIU, Shaft Plea.
(Matty)
So good. So very good. Ween? Huh.
That one makes me want to purse my lips and nod knowingly, which is telling because in actuality I don't know anything. Sultry groove indeed. A fine addition.
Next up, by request, is Turn It Up by The Bamboos. This song will make you want to turn it up. This song is not called turn it down.
Can't say that I approve of all the lyrics (the Roethlisbergian "You can't look like you do and expect a man not to lose his cool. You can't act like you do and expect a man not to give it to you." stands out as a low point), but the drum fills are sweet, the bass is delicious and the horns jump. You just can't help but turn it up. Besides the lyrics are all in good fun. He sounds like he probably means to imply that you can't act like you do and expect a man not to give it to you: a good time. See it's okay. Turn it up, you know you want to.
Let's go with AN -- Anthemic Screaming/4:12 , screaming is turning it up, no?
(Kevin)
I have indeed turned it up. And I concur on the delicious bass, horns and drum fills -- but you failed to mention the organ, Matthew. You failed to mention the organ. It's sublime. Plus, I feel like I learned something from that track (No means yes/You're asking for it), and I'm all about broadening my street knowledge.
I think this track was the final addition to my list. It bumped some other long-standing ones (that I clearly wasn't as hyped about) off, and it did it with a swift punch to the throat. You know my long-standing dedication to a good anthemic jam, and this one (in my humble opinion) provides it in spades. It rocks along at a good pace (for the record, it's excellent for driving) through the first two verses, but then it kicks it up another level, and he lets loose with the soaring rock and his screamy vocals.
It's another Canadien coming your way.
It's "American Names" by Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains.
We're getting close. Gimme a Guitar Hook, MN.
(Matty)
Driiiiiiiiiiiiving! Wowie, we turned it up! Love it. Me-thinks these guys studied at the U2 institute for drums and bass. Suh-weet. I look forward to driving along side this song. Can't now though, it's too late. Besides, I need to tell you about this other song.
One of my most favoritest of all the films ever (as you know) is the Coen brothers masterpiece, Miller's Crossing. In that film, a mob boss (Giovani Gaspar) is constantly worried about being disrespected. He is known throughout to fly off the handle at the mere possibility that he is being slighted. He calls it being given the high hat. As in, when he gets a smarmy response to a proposal, "That ain't friendly, kid. I make you a nice offer and I get the high hat." Being not in the least bit bright though, he is never completely sure that he is indeed being slighted or if maybe he's just missing the point.
This next one starts with a high-hat. It starts right there with a high hat and then rides that sucker right through. I think this song is a thinly veiled exploration into the idea that men and women are different. Truthfully, I've never really gotten past the high hat and the guitar lick. I don't really care to.
It's Men's Needs By The Cribs.
It seems like EFIL -- Classic Britpunk is the logical next step.
(Kevin)
I totally totally totally dig that one. I got that album from The Wife some time ago, and remember liking it on my initial listen(s), but it, too, fell through the cracks. Good times. I wouldn't mind playing guitar hook. I surmise it would feel very satisfying to play it over and over.
This next one is a song I can play over and over on the guitar (or bass or drums or vocals), since it's a fun little ditty I was able to download in Rock Band. They put this rapid-fire ditty together back in 1978, and it still cooks with gas today. It, like so many songs before it (and after), focuses on falling in love with the wrong person. They treat you like shit, yet the worst thing that could happen, in your eyes, is them leaving. I believe this is one of those situations Dr. Martin Rand considered suicide being a viable option.
He knew what these boys were talking about.
"Ever Fallen In Love" by the Buzzcocks.
(Fun fact: Pete Shelley wrote this one after the band watched "Hello Dolly" on the tee-vee while at a hotel. One of the lines in a scene is "Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have?")
Tick. Tock. AAO. Cowgirl March.
(Matty)
Well, well, well. I love me some Buzzcocks. I think Hello Dolly would be well served replacing one of their more staid tunes with that one. I'm thinking Ribbons Down My Back. I understand the rational behind wanting to get Irene Molloy a solo ballad in the first act, but you cannot tell me that Ever Fallen in Love wouldn't be an upgrade there. As soon as we're done here, I'm writing a letter. Great song.
We're keeping this shit European for now dude. I love this next one with it's trippy round table backing vocals and incomprehensible lyrics. (Don't get me wrong I appreciate that they're singing in English and not German, I just have no idea what their saying. Something about shiny shoes...) This one's got a a fun bass line and those cowboy marchy guitars that I'd hinted to. It comes courtesy of are four lovely ladies from Liechtenstein who, like Boston, Chicago, Asia and Europe didn't have to go far to find their band name.
It's All At Once by Liechtenstein. (I'm not sure if they're from the capital city of Vaduz, but it occurs to me now that Vaduz Deiboldt would be a sweet name for your unborn daughter, "Oh! Here comes Va-dooooz!" Think about it.
We're getting close. Next up, KMN -- Vocal Butterflies.
(Kevin)
Va-doooz sounds suspiciously similar to "Vah-doosh!" our tried and true exclamation from our Mario Kart days. And if you think I'm going to name my daughter after a video game, you'd be correct. (For some weird reason, though, Amy didn't respond positively to my suggestion of "Princess Peach".) That is a sweet little trippy track -- I particularly like the surfy guitar throughout -- but the cover art is what seals it for me. There is absolutely no question that these cats hail from Germany when spot it (and not just because it says Lichtenstein). The cut-and-paste look to it, the black clothes, lips and short black hair... I have no doubt they'd fit right in on Sprockets.
It's becoming a little creepy how well so many of these tunes are fitting together. From wild layered vocals from our German ladies, we go to some beautiful (but definitely different) vocals from a transvestite performance artist who more often than not looks like a Greek Statue of Liberty when he sings in concert. Fun fact: I believe Bobo saw him perform up in Harlem once. Second fun fact: he sang backup on Lou Reed's Animal Serenade tour from a few years ago, and sings a kick-ass version of "Candy Says" on the live disc from that tour. But back to the song: it's beautiful. I love the way the strings and flute and piana loop and flow along with his voice. It feels lighter than air, like a butterfly flitting through the breeze.
"Kiss My Name" by Antony and the Johnsons.
I'd like to order a BTCOL, also known as a Soul Sangwich.
(Matty)
Ah yes, I am familiar with Antony and the Johnsons -- never heard this one though. Beautiful. Lovely. Twirly.
Keeping in line with a number of my other soul revivalist selections (as well as love-is-a-chain themed selections), our next track comes complete with horns, back up singers and a message of lost love. The real highlight for me comes at the 1:45 minute mark with the baritone sax breakdown. It's tight composition and ability to make me dance around a little in my seat are what made it a must have for this list. On top of all that, great frigging band name.
It's Breaking the Chains of Love by Fitz & The Tantrums.
Almost dunzo! Let's go next to BOTK -- Speakwarbling Country.
(Kevin)
Tight, tight, TIGHT! Wow, that is like the perfect little soul package. I'm bobbin' and toe tappin' in my chair as I listen to it. Christ, there's some great soul sprinkled throughout this mix. I consider myself a fortunate man (and a cursed one, for I could never come up with a band name as cool as that one...).
This next track is actually from our boy Haps. He's attempted to broaden our country horizons past his Four Wisemen for a while now, and, though I'm usually inclined to resist his wily charms, this fella slipped through my defenses. Maybe it's because he's not a 65-year old man who's lived a weathered life (he's only 43), or because I can call him "Alt-country" or "Americana" or something else. But maybe it's just that he sings and plays great songs. And all I knows is that in the next highly enjoyable five minutes, he manages to weave together a tale covering "Louie Louie", Marilyn Manson, and Eminem's use of the "Fag" word -- and it all works.
Hail, hail, rock n' roll. It's "The Ballad of the Kingsmen" by Todd Snider.
Fittingly, let's follow this one up with ##DD – Lyrical Marvel.
(Matty)
Hail, hail rock n' roll. Hail, hail Haps and his left turn musical tastes. If only Eazy E were alive to see how far he's come. That red-headed bastard is all the proof I need to know that you don't have to be 65 to have lived a weathered life. This song will help to keep me from going tragically mad. Seriously, I enjoy it. Not kidding. I like all the parts. Music can't hurt anybody. I get it.
Next up is a track that almost fits like a perfect bookend to this mix. I feel that when all is said and done it will be my favorite of all my picks on our mix. My reason for that belief is that in the time since I bought it, I have liked it more and more with every listen (and I liked it pretty damn much when I got it). Musically it's as ambitious as hell. It's got strings andhand claps. More than anything though it's lyrically where it gets me. It's about being in a relationship that is so good to you that it feels like a dream. It's about being in a relationship with a girl who's, "...got gold doorknobs where her eyes used to be..." and feeling like with "...one turn and I learn what it really means to see." Now that's an ambitious lyric. My favorite though comes a bit later: "She's got jumper cable lips. She's got sunset on her breath. I inhale just a little bit now I've got no fear of death." Now that's a love song! Screw you McCartney! You can keep your hand holding, I'm going to go turn my girlfriend's gold doorknob eyeballs! Great song. Epic and lovely.
We're wrapping up right around where we began. It's 40 Day Dream by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros.
TP -- Feels Dangerous. Tell me all about it and then we'll say goodbye.
(Kevin)
Wow. It must say something particularly special about Edward Sharpe and his Magnetic Zeros for both of us to have picked a track of his. And, seriously, what are the chances that not only happening -- but then the fact that I wait until my second-to-last pick to choose yours? Wow. That's almost as freakishly cool as the song itself.
Almost.
I have a huge crush on the pace of this song -- the way it steadily plods forward, unflappable, inevitable (if that makes any sense). It's like the song is this elephant with Mr. Sharpe and his friends riding upon it, clapping their claps, stringing their strings, and singing those incredible lyrics you pointed out so keenly. I love the fact that, as the first song on the album, it announces to the listener: We are here, and this is what you're in store for, friends. Muy Bueno.
My last song is probably the first one I added to my queue for this jam. It's an aging punk's most famous album, and this track -- in my opinion -- is a better song than the title track (Trainspotting be damned). When I hear it, I feel like the skies are about to grow darker -- like shadows immediately start to stretch from the shadows. Even with Mr. David Bowie singing backup on the chorus, the La-la-la's don't bestow happiness upon me, they feel like a bit of an alarm -- letting me know: shit is about to get fucked up. It could be me. It could be someone else.
But I know that if I'm walking and this comes on my headphones, my chest puffs out a little bigger, my lips curl into a bt of a sneer, and I'm subconsciously preparing myself to expect a punch. That's just what happens when you walk the streets with the Iguana.
Let's ride, and ride, and ride. "The Passenger" by Iggy Pop.
There was never any question for me that I'd save this for last. It is, after all, an Epic Farewell (BBB).
(Matty)
I'm not sure that I had a lust for life when The Passenger started but I sure as shit do now. It kind of makes me want to spit. And cuss. Not swear, mind you -- cuss. You should be careful, we travel in the same circles. Someday we could both be walking down perpendicular streets to Bob's birthday or something and just as your sneering mug comes around that corner --WHACK! I've punched you right in the numbers, because I too am listening to The Passenger.
I think we should make a pact right now that if that chain of events ever does play out, there will be no hard feelings. I will just knowingly help you up and brush you off then we will both break into the La-la-la lalalalas! Deal? Deal.
So this thing has come to a close. We started with a tympani roll and ended up here. I'm excited about this mix. It's about three hours of good times. If Gilligan and the Skipper queued our mix up at the start of their three hour tour, right about now would be where the shit hit the fan storm-wise. And you know what? If I were Thurston Howell, or The Professor, or any of 'em -- when that first clap of thunder sounded, I would not have said, "Oh shit, I hope a terrible storm doesn't shipwreck me on an deserted island with these yahoos." I would have said, "Well dang, if this is my time and I'm about to have my ticket punched, well at least I got to hear some great tunes." Then I would make a pass at Ginger.
But all good things must end and this mix is no different. When I saw that our very first song was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros I started rooting for you to pick 40 Day Dream last. I thought it would be a fitting end. Now I see though, that even in your ignorance to what songs you were requesting, you have a sense for these things -- there is no better song to end this mix. This one was destined for the end. Like so many of these songs, it works best loud. It feels epic. There's a weight to it. Perhaps the fact that this song was out there waiting is where that sense of inevitability was coming from.
This mix starts with a timpani roll. It ends with a harp and guy asking, "What's gonna happen to you?"
It's Bye Bye Bye by Plants and Animals. Keep an ear out for the trumpet at the end. Chilling.
CREDIT: I have not been ashamed of my love for the television program Chuck. There have been times when I've mentioned that fact to people and was met with, "Really? Chuck? With the guy?" Yes. With the guy. That's the one and I like it. It's got a lot of similarities to Ed, actually -- so maybe there's some nostalgia involved. Anyway, it's a good program and the music is stupendous. I can't tell you how many times I've been watching that show and been like, "Christ I love that song. I can't believe they used that song!" (Okay I can tell you, it's more than one and less than five.) The music is good and fresh and new. Their theme song is Cake. (The reputable Paste Magazine recently selected Chuck as #2 on its list of ten TV shows with great music.) So (deep breath) long story short: Bye Bye Bye is the first time I ever was sitting and watching Chuck where I actually got up from the couch and went over to my computer to find a song. Just wanted to give due credit to my man Chuck.
(Kevin)
Thank you, Chuck. Thank you.
