Review of Mix #5 from Rosalind

1. Feelin' Good - Nina Simone This is a great start to the mix - I missed Ms. Simone the first time around when I was getting to know this style of music, and this is the second time she's appeared on a mix. She has a wonderful voice with just the right kind of edge to it. Love this song, too.

2. Say You Don't Mind - Colin Blunstone This one was a nice surprise! I'd never heard of the singer before, although he was the lead singer of The Zombies. This is a lovely, melodic song with an all-string instrumentation, which is interesting and unusual. I really like this one. 3 1/2 decades old, but I wouldn't have known it.

3. For Your Love - The Yardbirds This one is very familiar - nice to hear it again.

4. Walking on Broken Glass - Annie Lennox. I like Annie Lennox a lot - this is nicely representative of her style, or how I think of it. It showcases her massive vocal range, too.

5. Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holliday This is the quintessential Billie Holliday song, a longtime favorite.

6. You Stepped Out of a Dream - Sarah Vaughan I don't think I've ever heard this one before - very pretty love song.

7. Don't Talk to Me About Love - Altered Images I missed it the first time around - this is an 80s dance tune with just that sound reminiscent of high school dances and shoulder pads. Nice, but forgettable.

8. Summer Soft - Stevie Wonder Absolutely gorgeous. Classic Stevie Wonder.

9. The Way You Look Tonight - Peter Skellern I really like this song, and had never heard this singer. It's a full-on show tune version with a big orchestra and chorus, very dramatic. I think I would have liked it better with less drama - the singer's lovely voice and piano would have been enough for me.

10. Cantonese Boy - Japan New Wave dance tune. I'd probably like it more if I were dancing to it. And a little bit drunk.

11. Siyawe - Sweet Soul Sisters This one is a stand-out. Something really different - an a capella song in a language I don't recognize, with thick layers of harmony. It has a somber feeling - it isn't carried away on a hook, but it's easy to listen to. Who are the Sweet Soul Sisters?

12. The Crystal Ship - The Doors. This song has an awesome first line: "Before you slip into unconsciousness, I'd like to have another kiss." I'm not a huge Doors fan, but really, that line makes it worthwhile.

13. Secretly - Skunk Anansie I liked this one a lot more than I expected to, and now I'm revising my opinion of Skunk Anansie altogether. The singer's voice is really expressive, and this song is so intense with hurt and anger, but tamped down and channeled into the melody, rather than let loose screaming over distorted guitars. Nice strings, too.

14. Harmonica Blues - Memphis Slim Yep, classic blues. With a harmica. The song delivers.

15. Snowbound - Donald Fagen Love this one - I'm a huge Steely Dan/Donald Fagen fan, and this is so nicely typical of his style. This is a reminder to buy Kamakiriad.

16. Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Fairport Convention Blah. I just don't care much for this one. Pretty, but not interesting to me. Too sweet, maybe.

17. Life On The Plains - K-passa This one picks up the pace nicely! I can't help singing along with this one in the car. The fiddle in the background adds a lot and makes it more interesting than a simple guitar/bass/drums rock tune.

18. Crawl Back (Under My Stone) - Richard Thompson This one went right by me the first couple of times but on the third repetition it totally grabbed me. Now it's one of my favorite tracks. Reminds me of old Elvis Costello or something, with a reggae beat and clever lyrics. New to me, and definitely someone I want to hear more from.

19. The Sickbed of Cuchulainn - The Pogues Another Guinness over here, please? This is a good drinking song, though probably not one I'll go back to over and over.

20. As The Sun Still Burns Away - Ten Years After This song is built on one, monotonous bass line embellished with distorted guitars and sounds of water and storms. And some words. Very trippy, makes me wonder what it would be like to take LSD. Probably not one I'll be coming back to, but it certainly rounded out a very eclectic mix of music. I found a lot here to enjoy, and several artists that I'll be seeking out more of. Thanks a lot, Rosalind!