Mix Club

Prog Rock Arrives

2009-01-07T14:17:00.002Z

My CD from Rosalind arrived yesterday. Haven't had a moment to listen to it yet, but will do so and review soon.

Unsettled Weather

2009-01-06T14:43:00.002Z

Here's a weather-themed mix from Ann. Not delayed in the Christmas post - it's me that's delayed. A curious mixture of thing I knew, things I didn't know, things I thought I knew but didn't, things I thought I didn't know but did, things I thought were one thing that turned out to be something else,

Forever Autumn - from Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds
A spoken intro, straight out of a 1950s scifi film (which I suppose it is really, give or take a couple of decades), and then something that surprised me with its familiarity. The familiarity of something not heard for a very long time but familiar all the same. But this is the Moody Blues, surely? At least, it's the chap who sang with the Moody Blues? I'm sure that's who I remembered it as being anyway. Smoky, dreamy and nostalgic.

The Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks
That's Brooks, not Crooks, I guess. The thunder really does roll, which is a bit twee. Years ago when I used to spend time in upstate New York pootling along a stretch of US 20, I hatched a scheme to drive the full length of that road from Massachusetts to Oregon. I never did carry it out - I guess it's not too late - but this is the kind of music that I imagine playing on the stereo as I pass through the plains of South Dakota. Brooks has that Country Twang, as irritating to my ear as the nasal whine of the hardcore Englsih folkie, but I've been trying hard of late to come to terms with contemporary Country and while I wouldn't go outr of my way to listen to this, it's perfectly agreeable when it comes up.

November Rain - Guns 'n Roses
Is this really Guns 'n Roses? I don't really know what Guns 'n Roses are supposed to sound like because I've tended to avoid them on the basis that they would be loud, discordant and in your face. Which isn't a very sensible approach to music at all. As if proof were needed, I like this a lot. It feels a lot more like late-60s West Coast rock than 80s heavy metal and it packs in a surprising amount of subtlety. At nearly nine minutes it's hardly an exquisite little pearl though!

Ride Like the Wind - Scorpions
Isn't this the German outfit whose rather tasteless album sleeve caused some controversy recently after being pulled from Wikipedia by the moral police? Anyway, this sounds as though they're trying to be Guns 'n Roses and not quite getting there. Nothing to object to but it hasn't grabbed me yet.

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall - Roxy Music
Bob Dylan's genius was writing songs that could be bent and manipulated in all sorts of ways and still survive to sound great. Bryan Ferry's was to bend and manipulate just about any song to make it sound fresh and original. Put the two together and you've got real class, which this undoubtedly is.

Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics
What can I say? Love it to bits, as I love just about everything Annie Lennox does.

Water on Glass - Kim Wilde
Typically slick and bouncy eighties fare. The opening suggested something more exciting to come, but what arrives is pleasant without grabbing me.

Southern Freeze - Freeze
I thought I didn't know this one but I did. A disco track with a lovely warm soulful voice over a humdrum synthetic ground.

It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
Something very familiar - the sound of countless office discos and the odd provincial gay club I've ventured into. Great fun, but should ideally be listened to in a slightly drunk crowd.

Traffic and Weather - Fountains of Wayne
I though it sounded like a great title for a song about crawling home down a snarled-up Western Avenue on a wet Friday night (I've done that a few times). In the end I wasn't sure if it was meant to be taken seriously. "We belong together like traffic and weather." Hmmm. Not my kind of thing I'm afraid.

Lightning - REO Speedwagon
More 1980s theatrical rock. It's a very American genre, this; I can't imagine a British band doing this kind of thing successfully. It would fit in well with that coast-to-coast drive and I imagine this helping me get through the industrial wastelands of northern Ohio and Indiana.

Ravel in the Rain - Black
This is something new to me, but I'd very much like to know more. Dark, dreamy and velvety with some quite delightfully lyrical flights on guitar and sax.

Rainy Days and Mondays - The Carpenters
It's cheesy, of course, but there's cheese and cheese, and Karen Carpenter's distinctive variety was always more than a lump of plastic-wrapped cheddar. Nothing too subtle, and not especially pungent either. I wouldn't seek this out but I wouldn't be dismayed if it came up in the mix.

Tender Falls the Rain - Randy Crawford
It's difficult to have too much Randy Crawford. Not one of her monuments, perhaps, but very welcome.

I Won't Let the Sun Go Down On Me - Nik Kershaw
A familiar slice of 80s synthpop. Nice; nothing special for me.

Windy Town - Chris Rea
Chris Rea always sounds to me like Leonard Cohen fronting Dire Straits. There's not much of the profound poetry of the former, nor the lyrical guitar of the latter, but the effect is always agreeable.

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues and Kirsty McColl
A real (Christmas) cracker to finish with. So familiar it doesn't need a comment from me, save to say that the juxtaposition of the rough-and-ready voice of Shane Macgowan with the trained voice of Kirsty McColl was an act of genius. The band are fabulous as ever and this is my favourite of all the ubiquitous Christmas songs.

An interesting and on the whole very enjoyable mix. Thank you Ann!

Nichole's Christmas Mix

2009-01-04T18:19:00.001Z

Well, there has been an embarrassment of riches here, with two cds from Nichole, each containing over twenty tracks. I have to confess that I have only been listening to the Christmas mix so far, and enjoying it hugely. So, here's my review ...

Deck the stills - Barenaked Ladies

A charming little opener, that reminded me of a round on 'I'm sorry I haven't a Clue' with the challenge being to sing the song 'Deck the Halls' using only the words Crosby, Stills and Nash. It made me smile.

There's no place like home for the holidays - Leon Redbone

A lovely sonorous little tune, in the western tradition - I could imagine Bob Wills singing this one. I love this man's voice, and definitely want to hear more of his work.

I'll be home for Christmas - Matchbook Romance

A complete change of tack, with an imposing intro of majestic guitars, bass and drums leading into a rather twee song that's at complete odds with the music behind it. An oddity, but quite fun as a Christmas tune.

Please come home for Christmas - Willie Nelson

Back to the country vibe with an old favourite now, singing a maudlin song about somebody wishing their wife would come home for Christmas (or if not Christmas, then by New Year's Night). Delightful, in that so-miserable-it's-cheerful C&W way.

Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne - Jimi Hendrix

This was a set that I hadn't heard before, and I'm mightily impressed. Hendrix truly was a genius with the electric guitar, producing sounds and emotions that were uniquely his own. I love the way he manages to bend notes and add vibrato to them without losing the sustain. The only thing that would make this better would be to lose the rather superfluous and unnecessary drum beat behind the guitar.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! - Dean Martin

A smooth classic, with not much to say about it really, other than to wonder just who would eat popcorn at Christmas, exactly?

Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald

Another classic, but a version that was new to me. Very much appreciated.

Even Santa Gets the Blues - Marty Stuart

Another genre to add to the mix, with some very laid back blues and some virtuoso guitar work. Another artist to add to the list for further investigation.

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

A classic live performance from the King on the 1968 NBC TV special, that reminds us exactly how much we lost when Elvis died.

I want to spend Christmas with Elvis - Debbie Dabney

The perfect companion to the previous track!

Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt & Henri Rene

Another loss to the world of music, Eartha Kitt really did have an amazing voice with an effortless delivery that sounds like melted chocolate. Delicious.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan

A bouncy, upbeat version of this carol, that turns into an extended medley, but this didn't really grab me as much as I thought it might.

Christmas in Prison - John Prine

A rather charming little ditty about spending the festive season behind bars.

O Holy Night - Wynonna Judd

This seemed a touch over-produced to me. I think that I would prefer to hear Wynonna Judd singing a cappella rather than with the rather twinkly and sugary musical accompaniment here.

Peace - Norah Jones

Ah, a simpler arrangement - just a piano and Norah Jones singing. Lovely.

Christmas Time is Here - Diana Krall

Continuing the mood, this is a surprisingly mellow, if not downbeat rendition.

White Christmas - Otis Redding

Otis has a mighty fine voice, but an annoying habit, I say, an annoying habit, I'll tell you one mo' time, an annoying habit of repeating, repeating certain bits of the lyrics.

Frosty the Snowman - Jackson 5

Ah, another wonderful classic from the days when Michael Jackson didn't actually look as white as Frosty himself.

Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

I was expecting a bit more classical guitar on this track, rather than the smooth, lounge jazz that it turned out to be. Good all the same, and it has sort of grown on me.

Zat You Santa Claus? - Louis Armstrong

A lovely opening, with whistling, icy wind and sleigh bells before old Satchmo's gravelly voice asks the question in the title. A great bit of jazz.

Love for Christmas - Felix Gross

This sounds like an oldy, and it's another bit of jazz although of the more restrained variety than the preceding track. Great stuff, particularly the smoky sax solo.

Trim Your Tree - Jimmy Butler

More jazz, and Jimmy Butler manages to make his offer to 'trim your tree' sound utterly filthy, promising to bring along his 'hatchet and beautiful Christmas balls' and will sprinkle his 'snow' with abandon. Ban this sick filth now! ;-)

Santa's Secret - Johnny Guarnieri & Slam Stewart

I laughed out loud at the revelation of Santa's secret being his reefer habit. A wonderful gem of a song and utterly unexpected.

I have a Little Dreidel - Barenaked Ladies

Ah, this is much better than the previous medley, although it does sound a bit rude ...

The Christmas Song - Joe Williams

A lovely, laid back version of a classic. I particularly liked the haunting sax playing way back in the background somewhere.

Auld Lang Syne - Lou Rawls

A perfect end to the disc, with a stunning a cappella rendition of the song.

All in all, an excellent Christmas compilation with the vast majority of the songs being new to me and all enjoyable. Thanks, and this is one disc that will certainly be getting hauled out on an annual basis.

Now for the second disc ...

A Very Special Christmas from Neil - Review

2008-12-30T02:30:00.002Z

Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade

Great start to the mix! I don't think this song has gotten much airplay here, but it sounds like an instant classic. Very catchy and very rock and roll, and the scream "It's Chriiiiistmas!" towards the end is excellent.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Roy Wood

Another 70s era song, but with a more 60s feel. Upbeat and fun, the saxophone line really moves it along, like three girl backup dancers. I'd never heard this one before either, and it's a fun one.

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues and Kirsty Macoll

This one I have heard quite a few times before, as a friend of mine is a big Pogues fan. It's a sad story - bringing "maggot" and "faggot" together in rhyme as they were always meant to be - but uplifting in the end. It's a nice change of pace from the standard holiday tune and a good addition to the mix. And I really like Kirsty MacColl's voice.

Santa's Laughter - The Attery Squash

"Santa's laughter mocks the poor, you've known it all along" - a jolly and cynical little tune. Not a bad one, nor is the sentiment out of place, but it's a fairly forgettable song.

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

The Waitresses! Quintessential early eighties sound - somehow I missed or forgot about this Christmas story-song. I really like their sound - a favorite!

Donde Esta Santa Claus - Augie Rios

This one is so bad it's good - like Cheesy Poofs, for instance. It's sung by child in a Spanish accent - the many many many whys of this song are probably not worth pondering - and I think he even sings "I know that I should be the sleeping" even though the googled lyrics show no unnecessary "the"s. Anyway, huge hit for me - thanks for including it.

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Mel and Kim

Cutest version of this song I've ever heard. I also enjoyed the youtube clip, with more comedy.

Hazy Shade of Winter - Bangles

The Bangles did a nice job with this classic. I think they brightened up the original with all their energy. Not one of my favorite songs, but I did enjoy hearing this version.

Girl In a Time Machine - The Fast Ood Rockers

I didn't care for this one the first time I heard it, but it really grew on me with a few repetitions. I found a youtube video that clarified the Christmas connection - there seems to be a big story behind the song. Unfortunately, I've never seen a Dr. Who episode - maybe if I had, I would like it even more!

Christmas - The Who

This one just doesn't sound like a holiday song to me, despite all the repetitions of the word Christmas. The lyrics are interesting and seem to question the Christian salvation dogma, so that's cool. But unfortunately I've never had more than fairly lukewarm enthusiasm for The Who.

Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea

I got to know Chris Rea on a previous Mix Club CD, from Alan, and it's nice to hear him again. This is a sweet song I can imagine getting lots and lots of radio play around the holidays.

Gaudete - Steeleye Span

This is gorgeous! I'd never heard it before, nor much of Steeleye Span. I'm very fond of acapella singing and multi-voiced harmonies. Definitely one of my favorites, and I'm sure I'd like more of their music, especially if they do more of this sort of thing.

In Dulci Jubilo - Mike Oldfield

This one got off to a nice start, a simple instrumental arrangement of the Christmas carol, but by the time the electric guitar came in, I felt like I'd heard enough of that melody.

Ring Out, Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull

One for the pagans! This one definitely lifts the spirits, or reminds me to lift a glass of spirits, something like that.

Snowflakes - Pizzicato 5

I'm not sure if Pizzicato 5 is ironic or post-ironic, but I love them. This song is two brief minutes of fey charm.

Child of Snow (Poppoya) - Miu Sakamoto

I really like this one - the singer has an absolutely lovely voice. Very clean sound.

Finlandia (Op. 26) - John Sibelius

It goes like this: You're walking in a blizzard in the mountains in some very cold northern place - say, Finland - and you're all alone except for maybe an elf and/or dwarf companion, but definitely no wizard who could throw a fire ball and warm things up for you. And it's so f*ing cold and the wind is blowing so hard that you can only take a single step, and then you have to stop and store up energy for the next step. And that's how you go through the beginning of the music, one slow step at a time in this hostile, frozen world. And then after awhile the wind and snow start to let up. You're still going slow and you still have icicles in your nose and eyelashes, but it's getting a bit easier and you start to consider the possibility of survival. A bird flies overhead - life! Then down below you, you see the distant valley with smoke rising from chimneys, and now you have something to live for, because where there's smoke there is probably a cup of hot chocolate or maybe tea, somewhere. You make your way down into the valley, quickening your pace as the sun emerges from behind gray clouds. As you approach the town, you hear music, happy music, coming from the town square. You keep walking until you get there, and what you find is a party - a big party with dancing around a giant bonfire, and big mugs of warm, spiked cider. You dance with a stranger, and suddenly all the strangers want to dance with you. You're light on your feet despite your fatigue, and lighter still when they lift you onto their shoulders and bear you to the stage where the band is playing. On the stage is a throne, and the people are crowning you king! Because you are the most awesome person they've ever seen! And now you're king of the whole town! Wow, that kind of sobers you up for a minute, so you take some time to contemplate the long journey you've made and where it's landed you. You remember the cold for a little while, but soon the coronation music recalls you to the present where you are king, you are awesome, and you are warm.

Middle of Winter - John Otway

I think this is my favorite of the mix - definitely the one that stays in my head the most and that I keep coming back to. He seems to have the perfect voice for the endearing and pathetic character of the song who stands freezing outside his ex-girlfriend's house. I could definitely listen to more of Mr. Otway.

Overall, an A+ mix that cheered my holiday, with several new favorites - especially Gaudete and the last. Thanks!

Mix Club 8

2008-12-21T17:50:00.002Z

Hooray,
got my cd this week and it is great. Thank you Nancy I am enjoying it very much. It's a nice mix of duets,both older and modern, and, being a "trekkie", I was very impressed with the William Shatner track. This is what I hoped for when I joined mix club some tracks I did n't know but with a similar age and taste to my own. Once again, very pleased. Thank You Very Much.
Ann.

Just Arrived

2008-12-20T17:09:00.002Z

A holiday mix from Neil (a John Otway track is as good as a signature.) Thanks - can't wait to listen, maybe with a cup of mulled wine.

CD on it's way

2008-12-14T20:42:00.002Z

Rosalind - CD is in the post, should be there soon, Christmas post permitting

Disc On It's Way

2008-12-14T13:37:00.001Z

Or at least it will be tomorrow, when I've been to the Post Office!

Ann, it's in the mail.

2008-12-12T02:17:00.001Z

So, five to ten business days from yesterday, you should be receiving a small package.

Let's get this party started

2008-12-07T13:22:00.002Z

Firstly, let me apologise for being so slack in getting this under way. Thanks to Nancy for giving me a prod and reminding me that I hadn't sorted anything out. I'm going to be sending out the emails a bit later on today, in what will be a compact and bijou Christmassy (or not as the case may be) round.

Time for another round?

2008-10-31T14:33:00.001Z

It's about time we had another round, don't you think? Who wants to play?

Halloween Mix

2008-10-31T14:32:00.003Z

Some music, appropriate for the season - enjoy! Click here for track details, or just use the widget above to play the mix.

"Reverse Review" for Rosalind

2008-10-12T15:25:00.002Z

Profuse apologies to Nancy for the delay in posting this review.

No big - life gets in the way sometimes, I know.

3rd of July - The Jody Grind
Lovely, mellow song with a slight Latin tang. Doesn't send shivers up my spine exactly but I'd enjoy chilling out with this in the background.

I never noticed anything Latin in this song. Hmm. It's the first song I ever learned to play on the bass, and one of my favorites of their brief collection.

¿Donde Estabas Tu? - Omara Portuondo
This is the full-throated, hip-grinding slinky, Latin Real Thing. This one makes me want to grab somebody sexy and drag them onto a dance floor for some serious intertwining of limbs.

I don't know if you know Spanish, but the whole song is an angry lament to the missing guy, who is most likely off with some other woman. The singer was profiled in Buena Vista Social Club, my favorite music movie of all time, and this is from a solo album she released after the soundtrack. If you like this, I recommend the album for more of the same vibe.

Gold Mine - Take 6
More mellow chill-out music. Starts out sounding like an orchestra tuning up, and segues into something between Manhattan Transfer and the Swingle Singers complete with cool piano-bar finger-clickin'. Nowt wrong with that, but it's music for drifting off to.

This is actually a gospel song by a gospel group, though their style of music is clearly jazz. We have very different reactions to this one, because it makes me want to move. Something about it is exhilarating to me, although the feeling isn't coming from religious sentiment.

Falling For A Funny One - Eye to Eye
Still smooth and slinky. This time with a dollop of something close to soft seventies soul. I like this one. It's got a nice beat to it and I can imagine running along Walney beach with this in my earphones, gliding along to the rhythm.

This song is exactly what the eighties sounded like to me. The singer is Deborah Berg. I wonder what's become of her and her beautiful voice. I also like the words to this. It reminds me why I married my husband. :-)

Gone Daddy Gone - Gnarls Barkley
And now a complete change of time and tempo. There's something of the 60s West Coast counterculture about it, except that it's been sanded down and given a coat of varnish. Plummy arrangement with all rough edges rubbed off, and a growly voice devoid of menace. I can't help feeling it should be more thrilling than it is.

This is one of my new favorite groups. I never heard them until Mark (spouse) played it in the car on vacation this summer, even though they'd won an emmy a couple years ago. The two members are Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green, both from this area. Danger Mouse actually lived and worked in Athens, GA for a long time. Cee-Lo is a rapper from Atlanta.

Stella - Ida Maria
This one I do like. I've never heard of Ida Maria before but I'd like to hear more. Sexy little lesbian love call.

She's a Norwegian singer, also a recent discovery to me. There are several really memorable tunes from this album.

New Experience - Michelle Malone
And here's more 60s stuff given a 21st-century twist, in this case a song incorporating an original twist on John Phillips's San Francisco. Nice voice.

I always thought so, too. She's from Atlanta, was popular in the early nineties.

Since I Met You Baby - BB King and Katie Webster
Absolute classic 1950s gospel blues. This is real spine-tingling, toe-curling stuff and they don't make 'em like this any more. So what if the production sounds its age?

This is from a CD of BB King duets. I heard Katie Webster for the first time in 1989 on a blues program when I was living in Eugene, Oregon. This one song of hers, "My Sexy Red Negligee" got a good bit of airplay, and I tracked down an album of hers after that. Unfortunately, I don't know how to convert vinyl to digital. Anyway, I'm glad you liked this one.

Eight Ball - The Jody Grind
Somebody likes The Jody Grind a lot around here - I'm building up a fine collection now. Ah yes, they take their name from a classic Horace Silver jazz tack from the 60s, and that figures. Here they are again, and this time they're doing something like vintage Jefferson Airplane which I like.

This was from their first album, which was much less polished than their second (and last).

Jimmy Olsen's Blues - Spin Doctors
At first I thought I was going to really like this, judging by the opening. Afterwards it turns into a routine piece of guitar rock which does little for me. I must be getting old!

I'm not a particular fan of mainstream guitar rock either, but this, for me, is a fine specimen of its type. I always want to get up and dance around the room to this one. Early nineties again.

Micky's Monkey - Mother's Finest
This is also guitar rock but there's something in the play of the voices that sounds a little more dangerous and therefore more satisfying.

I love this group and debated many times which track to include. Mother's Finest was an Atlanta band in the seventies. They were still popular when I was in high school (early eighties) and it was cool to wear their tour t-shirts, embossed with the big letters "MF."

Sunday Morning - K-OS
Nice solid beat to this one. The vocals sound deceptive, as if this is one that is going to grow on me. The arrangement is clever and demands to be listened to. I can imagine this one going out running with me.

This song is totally off my beaten path, and I love it. They're a Canadian group - Canadians are always surprising me.

Rose Garden - Southern Culture On The Skids
Country standard with a memorable tune, performed here with great gusto. Maybe it's being taken a tad too fast, as if they are rushing through it without stopping to savour the venom that runs through the song.

This is a southern rock group that parodies southern rock. I loved their version of this old song with the rock and roll guitar. I saw them play one time at a local club - lots of fun!

Honeysuckle Rose - Holly Cole
Lovely rendering of the Fats Waller classic. Whimsical, theatrical, camp as hell and with a glorious fiddle accompaniment.

Another Canadian, and yes, camp is the word! Great voice, though, huh?

David - Nellie McKay
I had the singer's Ding Dong on a previous Mix Club sample and I came to love that. This is another in the same mould of original and disturbingly chirpy psychosis. Nellie McKay is a real discovery for me and I will be hunting her music down.

"disturbingly chirpy psychosis" - great description!

Mary Ann - Steve Miller
I like this. Smooth, cool, jazzy and infectious. I'm a sucker for this kind of louche, piano-bar stuff, don't you know?

Me, too. The album is Born 2 Blue - you would probably like the whole thing.

Ruby - Walter Hyatt
Hmm. Here's more of the piano-bar stuff. Somebody is getting to know my susceptibilities too much. There's a real old-school Tin Pan Alley feel to this, even though it can't be. Waiter, another martini if you don't mind. Straight-up, rocks on the side, and an extra olive please.

Walter Hyatt is one of my favorite musicians of all time. He was a protegee of Lyle Lovett, and died much too early - age 45, 1996 - in an airplane crash.

The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In Her Kiss) - The Nylons
Gorgeous doo-wop twist on the great Betty Everett song. Betty's is the best version (step aside, Cher) but this one has an infections campness about it.

The Nylons are lots of fun. I got to hear them live one time - very impressive show.

Lounge Axe - The Jody Grind
Hello, here's the Jody Grind again. I have a feeling that seeing these guys live is quite an event. I can't easily get over to Atlanta but maybe they'll play Forum 28 one day. And I is Annie Lennox!

As you might have guessed by now, they never will. Their lead singer, Kelly Hogan, is still performing solo and with other musicians in the alt country genre. She's based in Chicago now, so doesn't get back to Atlanta much. The guitar player, Bill Taft, is still playing in Atlanta, in a band called Hubcap City. Bass player Robert Hayes and drummer Walter Brewer died in a car accident after the release of their second CD. I heard them play many times in Athens and Atlanta, and it was always a great experience!

Poupée de cir poupée de son - France Gall
Blimey, this takes me back! Not that I'm familiar with the particular song, but certainly of the form - the peculiarly French kind of 60s pop music associated with Johnny Halliday and Françoise Hardy that bravely tried to hold the line against les Anglo-Saxons. Pleasant, and unmemorable but for hinted-at memories of warm baguettes and artichauds au vinaigrette!

I heard this one time, and it was like one of those drug-resistant bacteria - I have never really gotten it out of my head since. For all its cuteness, the song is laden with an irony that makes it more interesting than it might be. Written by Serge Gainsbourg and sung by teenager France Gall, it won the Eurovision prize in 1965.

So, a lovely, mellow compilation. Not everything grabbed me in a what-have-I-been-missing way (as happened with my last mix from Nancy), but there's nothing here I wouldn't enjoy hearing again, and one or two that are a delight. Others will, I'm sure, grow on me.

Glad you liked it. I was aiming for a more upbeat mix for you, but it didn't seem to work out that way in the end!

Nancy's Mix

2008-10-11T22:15:00.000Z

Profuse apologies to Nancy for the delay in posting this review. The world seems to have gone mad in the last few weeks, and this was an ill-starred mix. Thanks to Nancy for sending a replacement disc when the original didn't materialise (although it did arrive some time after the replacement.) She also sent an extra disc on that occasion, and I will review that shortly.

3rd of July - The Jody Grind
Lovely, mellow song with a slight Latin tang. Doesn't send shivers up my spine exactly but I'd enjoy chilling out with this in the background.

¿Donde Estabas Tu? - Omara Portuondo
This is the full-throated, hip-grinding slinky, Latin Real Thing. This one makes me want to grab somebody sexy and drag them onto a dance floor for some serious intertwining of limbs.

Gold Mine - Take 6
More mellow chill-out music. Starts out sounding like an orchestra tuning up, and segues into something between Manhattan Transfer and the Swingle Singers complete with cool piano-bar finger-clickin'. Nowt wrong with that, but it's music for drifting off to.

Falling For A Funny One - Eye to Eye
Still smooth and slinky. This time with a dollop of something close to soft seventies soul. I like this one. It's got a nice beat to it and I can imagine running along Walney beach with this in my earphones, gliding along to the rhythm.

Gone Daddy Gone - Gnarls Barkley
And now a complete change of time and tempo. There's something of the 60s West Coast counterculture about it, except that it's been sanded down and given a coat of varnish. Plummy arrangement with all rough edges rubbed off, and a growly voice devoid of menace. I can't help feeling it should be more thrilling than it is.

Stella - Ida Maria
This one I do like. I've never heard of Ida Maria before but I'd like to hear more. Sexy little lesbian love call.

New Experience - Michelle Malone
And here's more 60s stuff given a 21st-century twist, in this case a song incorporating an original twist on John Phillips's San Francisco. Nice voice.

Since I Met You Baby - BB King and Katie Webster
Absolute classic 1950s gospel blues. This is real spine-tingling, toe-curling stuff and they don't make 'em like this any more. So what if the production sounds its age?

Eight Ball - The Jody Grind
Somebody likes The Jody Grind a lot around here - I'm building up a fine collection now. Ah yes, they take their name from a classic Horace Silver jazz tack from the 60s, and that figures. Here they are again, and this time they're doing something like vintage Jefferson Airplane which I like.

Jimmy Olsen's Blues - Spin Doctors
At first I thought I was going to really like this, judging by the opening. Afterwards it turns into a routine piece of guitar rock which does little for me. I must be getting old!

Micky's Monkey - Mother's Finest
This is also guitar rock but there's something in the play of the voices that sounds a little more dangerous and therefore more satisfying.

Sunday Morning - K-OS
Nice solid beat to this one. The vocals sound deceptive, as if this is one that is going to grow on me. The arrangement is clever and demands to be listened to. I can imagine this one going out running with me.

Rose Garden - Southern Culture On The Skids
Country standard with a memorable tune, performed here with great gusto. Maybe it's being taken a tad too fast, as if they are rushing through it without stopping to savour the venom that runs through the song.

Honeysuckle Rose - Holly Cole
Lovely rendering of the Fats Waller classic. Whimsical, theatrical, camp as hell and with a glorious fiddle accompaniment.

David - Nellie McKay
I had the singer's Ding Dong on a previous Mix Club sample and I came to love that. This is another in the same mould of original and disturbingly chirpy psychosis. Nellie McKay is a real discovery for me and I will be hunting her music down.

Mary Ann - Steve Miller
I like this. Smooth, cool, jazzy and infectious. I'm a sucker for this kind of louche, piano-bar stuff, don't you know?

Ruby - Walter Hyatt
Hmm. Here's more of the piano-bar stuff. Somebody is getting to know my susceptibilities too much. There's a real old-school Tin Pan Alley feel to this, even though it can't be. Waiter, another martini if you don't mind. Straight-up, rocks on the side, and an extra olive please.

The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In Her Kiss) - The Nylons
Gorgeous doo-wop twist on the great Betty Everett song. Betty's is the best version (step aside, Cher) but this one has an infections campness about it.

Lounge Axe - The Jody Grind
Hello, here's the Jody Grind again. I have a feeling that seeing these guys live is quite an event. I can't easily get over to Atlanta but maybe they'll play Forum 28 one day. And I is Annie Lennox!

Poupée de cir poupée de son - France Gall
Blimey, this takes me back! Not that I'm familiar with the particular song, but certainly of the form - the peculiarly French kind of 60s pop music associated with Johnny Halliday and Françoise Hardy that bravely tried to hold the line against les Anglo-Saxons. Pleasant, and unmemorable but for hinted-at memories of warm baguettes and artichauds au vinaigrette!

So, a lovely, mellow compilation. Not everything grabbed me in a what-have-I-been-missing way (as happened with my last mix from Nancy), but there's nothing here I wouldn't enjoy hearing again, and one or two that are a delight. Others will, I'm sure, grow on me.

play it loud - a reply

2008-10-07T23:49:00.003Z

Play It Loud-a-mix

It took a while to travel a long way, I’d had a preview of the content, but no details. So when the CD marked “Play It Loud” arrived I was already tense with anticipation. Tension increased when I looked at the track listing. There’s at least one old favourite, but the rest were either artists I’d heard of but never really listened to or artists who were completely new to me.

Hello There – Cheap Trick

“Are You Ready to Rock”, “Are You Ready or Not”? This is a great start, perfect choice for a CD labelled “Play It Loud”. Definitely got me in the mood, although I can’t help thinking now, after several plays, of an aged rocker who’s voice has been strained by too much hard living! Anyway first up a hit, good start.

Oddly enough, there are two wizened-old-rockers in Cheap Trick and neither of them are singing! It is one of the pretty-boys.

Diamonds and Guns – Transplants

Didn’t like this at first, but it’s grown slowly on me.

Which sums up The Transplants brilliantly - they grow on you, like a fungus or athlete's foot. On first hearing their songs are awful, really awful, not helped by the fact that Tim Armstrong can't sing. However, by the fourth or fifth listening, you're hooked. Unfortunately for Tim, who is a living leg-end in the nu-punx world (I kid you not), I find his songs bubble-gum-pop (or pap), and tend to laugh all the way through them. This is helped by the fact that I permenantly mis-hear lyrics. And face it, what better slogan could you shout than: Be IKEA! Which turns out to really be: Be keyed-up! Me, I'd rather "Be IKEA!"

This is How You Remind Me – Nickleback

This reminds me of many miles run on a treadmill in the gym. Mainly because this is where I remember hearing this most, with it being a regular track played on the gyms music channel. It’s not a favourite of mine, but it is good to run to! Has a good beat to keep pace to, without ending in heart attack! A hit.

Are you having fun yet?

Beat It – Fall Out Boy Ft. John Mayer

Jacko eat your heart out, this a way better cover than your original. Much more up tempo. Great for driving to, although you have to watch your speed there. Another hit.

See if you can get a copy of Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal. I know that there is a lot to dislike about Mr. Jackson but, his music, isn't half bad (you know it) when it's played another way.

Such Great Heights – Postal Service

“I have to speculate that god himself did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces formed from clay.”

I love this song. Have I told you that? Well I love this song. It is by far and a way, my favourite on the whole CD. Every time I listen I hear something new. A new lyric, a tune, rift, whatever. It reminds me of several other tracks that I would probably list in my “all time favourite top how-ever-many we are listing this week” list. Not because it sounds the same, has similar lyrics, just because it makes it into that all time list. I’m going see if I can track down the rest of the album. Hit, hit, hit.

The lead singer of Postal Service is Ben Gibbard. He is also the lead singer for Death Cab For Cutie. If I get round to it - and you know how good I am at getting round to stuff - I'll send you some more Postal Srvice and some Death Cab. I'm nice that way!

Ava Adore – Smashing Pumkins

I had heard of the Smashing Pumkins before but never really listened to any of their music. This however is one of those tracks that you overhear on a hot summer, when you’re queued at traffic lights and it’s playing on someone else’s car stereo, and then have to try and track down (only ‘coz I’d be too embarrassed to lean out of the car window, and ask the person in the car where the music is playing as to what the track is)! Fortunately Will was kind enough to provide this information on the track listing! Another hit!

Glad you liked it. I'm late to the Smashing Pumpkins party, late in the way that I'd heard none of their stuff until I arrived here. I have since been educated and am in love with the band.

Breakerfall – Pearl Jam

I’m sorry this is the first miss. Pearl Jam? Nah I can take ‘em or leave ‘em. It just doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid. Hit skip and move on.

Pearl Jam was also a group that I hadn't really heard much of, living in England. It was always (or seemed to me) a choice between Nirvana or Pearl Jam, and I took the Nivarna road. However, that was then, this is now. Now I'm a Pearl Jam man. Sorry you didn't like it but...

No One Knows – Queens of the Stone Age

Not heard of these guys (or girls, they sound like guys though) before. It has one of those beats that are catchy and soon has you throwing yourself about the room. This point is one that is a little difficult to achieve if you are driving in the car however! A hit.

They are guys and (bonus geek info) Dave Grohl is the drummer on this track. Dave Grohl you ask? Ex-Nivana drummer, present lead of the Foo Fighters. And I love the Foos! So, this was my attempt to sneak two Dave Grohl tracks on to one CD - and it worked. Yeah me. If you liked this, try the whole album: Songs For The Deaf.

El Matador – Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

I have no idea what the lyrics are to this because they’re all in Spanish (I think), but it has a great tune.

This is just sheer brilliance. I love this song. Neil h. might well notice that it was on the compilation I sent to him too. I've no idea what the lyrics mean either (Maria has just translated them and sent them to you) and, to be honest, I don't care. I play this loud, really loud, and then watch my latin-american wife demonstrate what hips are - you know, those things that this white-middle-class-anglo doesn't have.

Paper Planes – M.I.A.

I never want to meet these ladies. They’re scary and have guns; but they do have a rather catchy tune! Whilst the lyrics really irritated me for what they stood for, I have to say they “pack and deliver like UPS trucks”. Hit.

A song that I wanted to hate the minute I heard it - and failed miserably to do so. It's a grower. The biggest downfall is that I wanted no-one else to find it. I wanted it to be just mine. Problem is, it is a great track, good enough to be all over the radio at the moment - which worried me that you'd have heard it before and would be bored with it.

The Kill – 30 Seconds From Mars

A slight change of pace just over midway through the disc, great ‘coz I need a breather. A bit reminiscent of Nickleback though, and the feeling that I am back on that damn treadmill. An OK track but not one that stands out to me, although I did like the lyrics.

Jared Leto's band. You don't know Jared Leto? You mean you never watched "My So Called Life"? Bet your gf did :^)

Song 2 – Blur

I never liked Blur (or Oasis for that matter). This however is one of their songs that has that catchy woohoo, but I can’t bring myself to break my deep-seated dislike for them. A miss I am afraid.

Eh? You don't like Blur? You don't like Oasis? But, but, but if anything, this song is the least Blur-ry song they did and, and, and...ok, I'll take the miss.

Oxford Comma – Vampire Weekend

Never heard of them before. Not a hit or a miss, but I find it difficult to write much about it though. Some nice lyrics and good backing track, but I can’t see that I’ll be following up with anymore of their songs.

I've never heard of them before either. It was a track that came out of nowhere. Not sure if I like the rest of the album, I need to sit and listen to it a bit more, but this track stuck out, and I thought, why not. I tried, you tried, no-one died in the process. Let's move on.

Bleed American – Jimmy Eat World

A live track this one, but I am sorry it was just noise to me. Hit skip again.

Damn! This is one of my all-time-top-300-tracks (or something like that). I wasn't sure about the live version but I was going for "energy". In retrospect, the studio version is great as well...but not for you? Fair enough. It's good to talk.

The Chronicles of Life and Death – Good Charlotte
Heard of, but never really listened to before. I like the lyrics, and it fits well with the music. I also sense that there are better tracks than this one to find, so I will be following up on this.

I'm always a bit disappointed with Good Charlotte. I really, really like a couple of their tracks and then discover that the rest of the album is a bit meh! Oops, this isn't the idea of Mixclub is it? Will I get kicked out the club? Here I am, just sending tracks, I'm supposed to be encouraging you to listen to the whole album. Follow it up!!!

Paradise City - Guns n’ Roses

An old favourite of mine, and no CD requiring extreme volume would be complete without some Guns n’ Roses. A definite no-brainer of a hit.

I cheated here. I knew there would be some stuff you hadn't heard of/didn't like. I just went for the brownie points. You've mentioned before, on here, that you like G'n'R, so I went for the no-brainer. Did you spot it? Oh!

King of the Kerb – Echobelly

Hit again. Another group that I’ve heard of but never listened to, and on the strength of this track will be following up for more.

When the whole "Brit-pop" thing happened, many bands appeared and disappeared under the weight of Blur/Oasis/Pulp. In some cases, this was good news. In the case of Echobelly, it was bad news. Great music and a brilliant vocalist. Me, I like Echobelly.

Everybody Get Dangerous – Wheezer

Never heard of Wheezer, but think I have heard the track before (possibly on a film score). Reminds me a bit of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, who I like, so I’ll be following up here too. Another hit. Everybody get dangerous!

Hahahahahahahahaha! That'll learn me! This is the most un-Weezer-ish track ever. The plan was to make you think it was a mistake in the track listing. You are supposed to have known Weezer and thought I'd made this up. But, it is Weezer. It is from their newest album, which includes "Pork and Beans" - a much more Weezer-ish track - , but also has some tracks on it that just had me thinking: Wahay! This is awesome! Follow it up - but go for the newest album, cunningly entitled: Weezer

The Rat – The Walkmen

Hey Walkmen on my Walkman, how cool is that (sorry couldn’t resist). Again never heard of them, just struck me that the lyrics were a deep and over my head or maybe I was reading too much into them.

And that is where we differ. I don't really listen to lyrics - I just like the sound! I'd never heard of them either (have we been here before) but, in my desperate attempt to be "hip-to-be-un-square", I occasionally come across tracks from new bands that make me go "Yay". (Actually, I normally come home and Maria blasts something out saying: You'll like this. And she's right.) It was loud, it was room-filling, it fulfilled the requirements of the CD's title. I burnt it and you heard it. It didn't work but, hopefully, no-one died in the process.

All My Life – Foo Fighters

Heard of, never listened to before, but had heard great things of. Enjoyed this track, not the best on the album, but enough to follow up and see if I like more of their stuff. A hit.

Confession time. This was the track playing on my MP3 player as I walked (ran) down the steps towards Maria at the airport. I had just left England, never to return. Now, listen to the first four lines again:

All my life I've been searching for somethin
Somethin never comes, never leads to nuthin
Nothin satisfies, but I'm gettin close
Closer to the prize at the end of the rope

Yep, I'm the bloke that doesn't listen to lyrics! However, The Foos are just the bestest. Please track them down. Oh, hang on, I promised you some Postal Service and some Death Cab....maybe I should stick some Foos on there as well!

So overall a most excellent ratio of hits to misses. This CD lives in my car at the moment, just so I can play it often, and loud! It has introduced some new music to me and I will be following up on quite a few tracks over the coming months. Thanks Will.

Pleasure. And it was. I enjoy doing this. After I'd been such a bad Mix-Club-ee, I had toyed with missing out the next round. But, honestly, I enjoy this too much. I'm glad you enjoyed the CD, hoping that the next recipient enjoys the next CD. And will try to be a bit more punctual next time!

Play It Loud-a-mix

2008-10-07T13:41:00.001Z

It took a while to travel a long way, I’d had a preview of the content, but no details. So when the CD marked “Play It Loud” arrived I was already tense with anticipation. Tension increased when I looked at the track listing. There’s at least one old favourite, but the rest were either artists I’d heard of but never really listened to or artists who were completely new to me.

Hello There – Cheap Trick

“Are You Ready to Rock”, “Are You Ready or Not”? This is a great start, perfect choice for a CD labelled “Play It Loud”. Definitely got me in the mood, although I can’t help thinking now, after several plays, of an aged rocker who’s voice has been strained by too much hard living! Anyway first up a hit, good start.

Diamonds and Guns – Transplants

Didn’t like this at first, but it’s grown slowly on me.

This is How You Remind Me – Nickleback

This reminds me of many miles run on a treadmill in the gym. Mainly because this is where I remember hearing this most, with it being a regular track played on the gyms music channel. It’s not a favourite of mine, but it is good to run to! Has a good beat to keep pace to, without ending in heart attack! A hit.

Beat It – Fall Out Boy Ft. John Mayer

Jacko eat your heart out, this a way better cover than your original. Much more up tempo. Great for driving to, although you have to watch your speed there. Another hit.

Such Great Heights – Postal Service

“I have to speculate that god himself did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces formed from clay.”

I love this song. Have I told you that? Well I love this song. It is by far and a way, my favourite on the whole CD. Every time I listen I hear something new. A new lyric, a tune, rift, whatever. It reminds me of several other tracks that I would probably list in my “all time favourite top how-ever-many we are listing this week” list. Not because it sounds the same, has similar lyrics, just because it makes it into that all time list. I’m going see if I can track down the rest of the album. Hit, hit, hit.

Ava Adore – Smashing Pumkins

I had heard of the Smashing Pumkins before but never really listened to any of their music. This however is one of those tracks that you overhear on a hot summer, when you’re queued at traffic lights and it’s playing on someone else’s car stereo, and then have to try and track down (only ‘coz I’d be too embarrassed to lean out of the car window, and ask the person in the car where the music is playing as to what the track is)! Fortunately Will was kind enough to provide this information on the track listing! Another hit!

Breakerfall – Pearl Jam

I’m sorry this is the first miss. Pearl Jam? Nah I can take ‘em or leave ‘em. It just doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid. Hit skip and move on.

No One Knows – Queens of the Stone Age

Not heard of these guys (or girls, they sound like guys though) before. It has one of those beats that are catchy and soon has you throwing yourself about the room. This point is one that is a little difficult to achieve if you are driving in the car however! A hit.

El Matador – Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

I have no idea what the lyrics are to this because they’re all in Spanish (I think), but it has a great tune.

Paper Planes – M.I.A.

I never want to meet these ladies. They’re scary and have guns; but they do have a rather catchy tune! Whilst the lyrics really irritated me for what they stood for, I have to say they “pack and deliver like UPS trucks”. Hit.

The Kill – 30 Seconds From Mars

A slight change of pace just over midway through the disc, great ‘coz I need a breather. A bit reminiscent of Nickleback though, and the feeling that I am back on that damn treadmill. An OK track but not one that stands out to me, although I did like the lyrics.

Song 2 – Blur

I never liked Blur (or Oasis for that matter). This however is one of their songs that has that catchy woohoo, but I can’t bring myself to break my deep-seated dislike for them. A miss I am afraid.

Oxford Comma – Vampire Weekend

Never heard of them before. Not a hit or a miss, but I find it difficult to write much about it though. Some nice lyrics and good backing track, but I can’t see that I’ll be following up with anymore of their songs.

Bleed American – Jimmy Eat World

A live track this one, but I am sorry it was just noise to me. Hit skip again.

The Chronicles of Life and Death – Good Charlotte
Heard of, but never really listened to before. I like the lyrics, and it fits well with the music. I also sense that there are better tracks than this one to find, so I will be following up on this.

Paradise City - Guns n’ Roses

An old favourite of mine, and no CD requiring extreme volume would be complete without some Guns n’ Roses. A definite no-brainer of a hit.

King of the Kerb – Echobelly

Hit again. Another group that I’ve heard of but never listened to, and on the strength of this track will be following up for more.

Everybody Get Dangerous – Wheezer

Never heard of Wheezer, but think I have heard the track before (possibly on a film score). Reminds me a bit of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, who I like, so I’ll be following up here too. Another hit. Everybody get dangerous!

The Rat – The Walkmen

Hey Walkmen on my Walkman, how cool is that (sorry couldn’t resist). Again never heard of them, just struck me that the lyrics were a deep and over my head or maybe I was reading too much into them.

All My Life – Foo Fighters

Heard of, never listened to before, but had heard great things of. Enjoyed this track, not the best on the album, but enough to follow up and see if I like more of their stuff. A hit.

So overall a most excellent ratio of hits to misses. This CD lives in my car at the moment, just so I can play it often, and loud! It has introduced some new music to me and I will be following up on quite a few tracks over the coming months. Thanks Will.

Soundtracks - the reply ...

2008-09-26T19:01:00.001Z

Alan here stepping into tontosgirl's shoes (man my feet are swollen), with a review of the soundtracks CD that Neil sent.

Yay! Thanks for taking on the typing duties, Alan!

Now right up front I need to be honest. When tontosgirl opened her envelope and out came this CD her face fell a little. It's a CD of soundtracks. She doesn't do soundtracks. I on the other hand love soundtracks, soundtracks make movies. Anyway with a little encouragement from me, she slipped the CD into the drive on the PC and ripped the tracks, I was hopping around the room in anticipation. "Go on put it on shuffle-play," I said. "You might find something you like afterall. Look there's a Tom Petty track, and some Vangelis."

I will admit that this is one of my more unusual mixes, and I nearly scrapped it but then thought 'what the heck' and sent it anyway.

Click shuffle play, and the first thing the PC selected was Cluckin' Bell from the GTA soundtrack. A HIT! Both for me (obviously, I've been playing GTA IV since it was released), and tontosgirl.

1. Interstate '76 Theme. / 2. Never Get Outta The Car
Here's why mixclub is such a great idea. Not only does the CD you get sometimes inspire you to listen to a new artist, in this case it can do so much more. A CD of movie and game soundtracks can send you looking for a new movie to watch or a new game to play. Both tracks come from the game Interstate '76 which I have never played, but probably would enjoy. A hit for me, but sadly a miss for tontosgirl

Interstate 76 is one of my favourite games of all time, and a forerunner to GTA et al. As you can probably guess it was set in an alternate 1976, and it featured a superb soundtrack of original funk complete with all of the fuzzy guitars and wah wah peddles that you could wish for. It's also one of the only games ever produced to feature a key to press to get a poem read out over the cb radio in your car.

3. A Lawless Town, Christopher Lennertz
Another hit for me, I'm not sure where this comes from, and I couldn't find it from a quick google. It does have a very cowboy feel to it though. So I wouldn't be surprised if it were from a western movie or a game where men with guns take on overwhelming odds!

This is from 'Gun' which is a sort of Grand Theft Horse-o featuring a variety of western cliches in a free roaming environment. Excellent fun, particularly the bits where you are just riding around rounding up cattle on the plains.

4. Honeybee Kingdom, Mario Yokota. 5. Buggie Running Beeps, Kenichi Sugiy...
No didn't like either of these and neither did tontosgirl. From SuperMario or something similar I suspect, but in all honesty don't know. Too repetitive for me I'm afraid.

Honeybee Kingdom is from a very odd level in Super Mario Galaxy where Mario dresses up as a bee and flies around. Just an all round cheerful little number, I think. Buggie Running Beeps is from the first level of Rez, which was a Dreamcast game originally and is now available on Xbox 360. It doesn't work half so well without the high def visuals which are perfectly synchronised with the music and the rhythm of the attacks.

6. Truth and Reconciliation Suite
I think this is from the game Halo, but I could be wrong (I'm a Playstation man, not an Xbox). It's good though, really takes you through the track and keeps building all the time. A Hit for me, but not tontosgirl.

Yep, this is from Halo, and it's a good example of the sort of music from the game as a whole. I love the way it moves from ethereal choirs, to stirring orchestral music and then all out rock guitars. It's available on PC now, if you play games on PC.

7. Cluckin' Bell & 9. Weasel News.
Both hits with both of us, see my comments at the start of the review for more.

8.Green Onions, Booker T & The MG's
This was a reversal of opinions. Tontosgirl loved it, as an old familiar favourite. I didn't. It just plods on to me.

I think it's the repetitive keyboard line and drums, layered with the guitars that really appeals to me - perfect for those Northern Soul nights.

10. Zombie, Fela Kuti
A double miss for this one, neither of us liked this one.

I find this one utterly infectious, real get up and dance sort of music.

11. Get Innocuous! LCD Soundsystem
Pretty sure this is another take from GTA IV, I'm sure I recognise it from cruising the streets of Liberty City. Great track for just chilling, but the voice-over from the "DJ" did get a bit annoying at times. Another hit for me, a miss for tontosgirl.

This is the track that was used in the TV ads for GTA IV, where the drum break was synchronised with an on screen bit of gun play.

12. Running Down a Dream, Tom Petty.
Guaranteed instant hit for me, love Tom Petty. Tontosgirl also taken with this one, so scores twice! Not sure where it's from in soundtrack fame though?

Ah, this is one from the GTA:San Andreas soundtrack, and was the backdrop to one of my gaming highlights. I'd parachuted from the roof of a casino after pulling off a heist, landed in a car park and jacked a car and then drove like a lunatic down the freeway persued by half of the Las Venturas PD heading for my safe house on the desert air strip. This was playing on the stereo as I drove off the edge of a cliff and landed safely on the run way.

13. Crossroads, Cream.
Another double hit. The track speaks for itself really as a classic guitar anthem.

This one's from Guitar Hero, and one of the trickier tracks to play as well. Very satisfying to pull off though.

14. Cohens Masterpiece, Bioshock.
Another one I would miss from being a playstation gamer, as this is another Xbox track (I think). Out of context though it could be mistaken for some classical piano, quite easily. Not a hit for either of us though, but no strong aversion to it either. Just didn't like it.

Bioshock is coming out for PS3 soon, I think, and it's well worth buying. It's probably one of the most atmospheric games I have ever played and the 1950s influenced soundtrack plays a big part of that.

15. Struggle for Pleasure, Wim Mertens
I'm guessing from the cover art to the CD that this comes from the film "The Belly Of An Architect", and continues the piano theme from the previous track. This time however you had us both hooked. A double hit, and I think I'll be tracking down the rest of this soundtrack to add it to my collection, based on this one track.

This is from the soundtrack to the Peter Greenaway film 'The Belly of an Architect', and is probably his most accessible film. Well worth trying, even if you don't usually like his films. I heard this piece on a trailer for the film which inspired me to get the soundtrack album on import vinyl from Holland for rather a lot of money at the time in 1990. You can get it on iTunes for £7.99 now ... :-)

16. Powaqqatsi, Philip Glass.
From the movie of the same name, I'm guessing, and other soundtrack with a classical bent. A hit with me, I want to hear more, and probably watch the movie too now. Less so with tontosgirl, but I suspect she'll sit through the dvd with me, and who knows it might grow on her!

The whole trilogy is worth watching as a sequence. Stunning visuals of landscapes and cities filmed over many years, synchronised with a hypnotic Phillip Glass soundtrack.

17. Tears In Rain, 18. Blade Runner (End Titles), Vangelis
I only needed to know there was a Vangelis track on here to know that I was going to like most of the album. An inspired choice though. I wouldn't have thought of either of these as Vangelis soundtracks to put on here. I would of been thinking of other better known ones - Chariots of Fire, Antarctica to name two. Both of these are hits for me though, and tontosgirl, but they had to grow on her a bit.

This is another one where I hunted for the soundtrack for a long time. The end titles weren't on the original release, so I recorded the output from my VHS copy to a cassette. The recent three cd definitive soundtrack release is superb.

19. Still Alive, Portal.
I loved this one from the start, but tontosgirl described it as horrid, and it made her feel ill! Guess I will have to listen to it via headphones from now on then! I loved the whole electronic voice, and the words and music gelled wonderfully together. I'm guessing this is from the Xbox game? If there is more of the same I'd be interested to hear it.

Go and buy the Half Life : Orange Box for PS3 and then play 'Portal'. It will probably take you a couple of hours to puzzle your way through, but it's a superbly balanced and enjoyable game, finishing with this song on the end credits. It never fails to make me smile.

So that's it. Overall I rated this mix far higher than tontosgirl, she really did appreciate that Neil went to all the trouble of pulling it together and sending it though, and is sorry that she's not well enough to sit down and type the review herself. For me this was an inspired mix. I really liked the whole idea of a mix of movie and game soundtracks. Excellent idea, and it's left me wanting not only to find the rest of some of the soundtracks, but also watch some movies too. I'd even go so far as to say buy some Xbox games, but I think I might get shot if I do! I'll just have to hope that the platform wars mean that one day games for one platform will eventually be available on another i.e. PS3.

My apologies to tontosgirl - probably not the best cd to send somebody for their first mix! I am glad you got something out of it though, and some of the games on PS3 are worth looking out for, particularly Portal.

Funk and Ska - Response to Will

2008-09-26T13:05:00.003Z

Hi, my name is Will, and if you are unfortunate to get pulled out of neil h.'s lucky sock, and have to send me a CD, then realise that I'm bad - and not in a Michael Jackson type way. I'm bad in the way that I don't get round to reviewing your CD for ages...so, here goes.
Hi Will, my names Alan, and I am your temporary respondent. Tontosgirl sends her apologies, and hopes you will forgive her lack of a response.

How to diss the new girl: Get her to join Mixclub, let her spend hours selecting tracks, get her to send her bf to the post box with strict instructions to make sure that her "labour of love" gets to Mexico, tell her that the CD has arrived, slam it into the player, dance around all night, and then ignore your duty! Forget to say thank you, forget to write a review. So, Ann, are you annoyed yet?

1. Stiltskin - Inside
I'd never heard of Inside and here they are doing a song called Stiltskin! Weird? I'd heard of Stiltskin. I loved this track. An "operatic" opening that started to freak me out and then straight into clashing guitars. This is what I wanted! Yes! Quick leap onto the t'internet, I must find out more about Inside. Except, the track listing was the wrong way round :^) It was Stiltskin doing a song called Inside. Brilliant! This is why I like Mixclub. I'd forgotten all about Stiltskin and so spent several happy hours going through youtube and their catalogue.

What do you mean you've never heard of inside? This is mixclub isn't it? Does that not apply to the track listings too? Hands-up this is my fault. I was typing it at the time, and not tontosgirl. Ann's glad that this reminded you of a forgotten band though, that was the idea of this mix. So good news that the first track, even if the listings were reversed, was a hit.

2. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
Still jumping arond the flat! Enjoying myself! Singing the wrong lyrics: "bicycle will go my way"! Actually I should hate this track. I can look cool, pretending to drum in mid-air, but there is no way on earth that I look cool playing air-guitar, and Mr. Kravitz tends to demand air-guitar! Great song, scores high on the "luvvin-it" scale, low score on the "impress-girlfriend" scale.

Steady Will, you're gonna give yourself a hernia if you keep that up! You did read the disclaimer didn't you? No responsibility will be accepted, yadda, yadda, blah, blah.

3. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
In 1997 I spent three hours searching through charity shops. That night I appeared at "the disco" dressed in *HUGE* flares, a shirt with a collar that could be classified as a WMD, a tank top, and eight inch platform shoes. Four hours later (and several beers worse for wear) I was dancing, in the middle of the floor to "Play That Funky Music". Eleven years later I demonstrated "ma moves". This is an awful song but it is fun, fun, fun! Thank you.

Your welcome, but please keep your moves to yourself!

4. The Rain - Oran Juice Jones
Unfortunately I have no knowledge of this song, and therefore have no good memories to fall back on. My gf informs me that her mum liked it, which means that it is irredeamable. Sorry but I hit fast-forward and haven't returned to it since.

Shame that you didn't like this one. I am reliably informed by the CD compiler that this was one of the first mixes to include talking over the background song. A bit like early rap music.

5. Do Ya Wanna Funk - Sylvester
Great start, I thought for a second it was going to be Donna Summer...but it wasn't. And so I'm stuck in a song that isn't as good as I thought it would be. Which is a problem. I really, really want to love this CD and when I saw the title "Funk 'n' Ska", I think I only saw the word "Ska". Am starting to worry that I don't really like "funk". I really don't want to funk with Sylvester. I reach out and hit fast forward again.

Would you have wanted to funk with Donna Summer then? This track was one that Ann spent a subsequent ten days in hospital to, after falling off her rollerskates and cracking her head open. Ann adds if you really like Donna Summer she can send you a whole CD box set, because she has loads of her stuff.

6. My Perogative - Bobby Brown
Hang on - I know this. Please don't tell my indie friends but I quite like Ms. Spears. This is a more "funky" version. Ms. Spears' version was a little harder, acerbic, a bit more f*ck you? It's a good song, but I prefer her version. This is a song that says "this is MY perogative" but Mr. Brown's version sounds a little too inclusive. However, it's Friday night, maybe I should be a little more open.

A case of the cover version being better than the original or a case of you always prefer the version you hear first? Apparently you will have to agree to differ on this one.

7. Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh yes! This is brilliant! It is impossible to listen to this (play it loud) and not feel cool! You can strut around the flat, you can wander out onto the balcony, you can shout the lyrics across Tijuana - bring it on. Suddenly I feel a desire to play Fun Lovin' Criminals. Damn! Mayhap I was wrong. Maybe I do like funk.

So you got some satisfaction (to paraphrase Mick Jagger) from this one? Cool bananas. Get down and slide to the groove!

8. Can You Feel The Force - The Real Thing
You know that disco I went to? The one I mentioned in my review of track three? Can you guess who was the highlighted band that night? No? It was The Real Thing! Yep, it was one of those daft moments when a group turns up (three guys and a tape machine) and bangs through their greatest hits. And I was there, boogie-on-down-ing to The Real Thing. And here I am, boogie-on-down-ing in my flat, yet again. Great song - just not too sure that my gf will ever take me out...or talk to me!

Well hopefully this track won't ruin relationships, but it's good to hear that it brings back memories, you closet funkster you ;)

9. Shout To The Top - The Style Council
Paul Weller is a god! Having (musically) grown up with The Jam, and aged with them,(I really enjoyed Setting Sons), I loved the direction they moved in. I followed Paul Weller in the way that I didn't follow Sting! This is wonderful and I can dance to this, doing my indie dance.

Ann loves this for the **** the world attitude that this and other tracks by them have. Glad you are akin on this one then.

10. Mony Mony - Billy Idol
Billy Idol is a caricature. But he's a fun caricature. Go back and watch The Wedding Singer, the man's a genius. Where Sid Vicious got it wrong is that, although he was cuddly (according to John Lydon - which is why he named him Sid Vicious), he never appeared that way. Billy Idol wants to be vicious and fails miserably - a bit like Captain Sensible. Last Christmas we came across a CD with him in a cardigan, slippers, smoking a pipe - why didn't we buy it???? Anyhoo, yep, love this. As great as "White Wedding" was, as brilliant as "King Rocker" was, Billy should just stick to doing covers. Doing covers and practicing his curled lip.

Another hit, great. Ann is checking to see if she has his pipe and slippers album. If she does, she'll send you a copy!

11. Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat
I love The Beat. Seriously, love The Beat. I am the sad guy who still goes around singing "Stand down Margaret" and, every time I go to the bathroom, sings "Mirror in the Bathroom". This song is pure genius. I am now two-tone-ing around the flat. I love The Beat. Ooops, just hit rewind (for the fourth time) - might never get to the next track :^)

Glad that this one is another hit.

12. I Am The Beat - Look
Tee hee. Lovin' this. I remember it - or, at least, I think I do. I seem to know the words. This must be one of those songs that everyone knows by osmosis. I have a big grin on my face. Could it be because "I'm in demand"? If I am, it is because "I am the beat!!!"

I think you're right. I swore blind that I'd never heard of it before, until I heard it played. It's one of those tracks that sticks in the back of your mind, and you forget until the next time that it's played and then you no all the words off by heart (even the Alvin and The Chipmunks solo in the middle)!

13. Tomorrow's Just Another Day - Madness
The problem with Madness is that they had the wrong following. "Baggy Trousers" meant that too many school kids thought they were talking to them. But, in reality, Madness were talking to a much older generation. Yes, they were/are fun, fun, fun but listen to the lyrics. This is music for a working generation - tomorrow's just another day. Any CD with Madness on it is a great CD.

If this had been my compilation I might have picked another Madness track, but Ann wanted this one because it was less well none, and you've picked up exactly the reason why. Her alternatives were Michael Caine or House of Fun (but people missed the message in these).

14. No More Heroes - The Stranglers
Again, another group that were a lot "deeper" than people gave them credit for. Seriously - how many punk bands wrote songs about Sweden - let me tell you about Sweden, only country where the clouds are interesting. The fact that they were all over the age of "hope I die before I get old" might have something to do with it. Plus the fact the keyboard player wanted to be in "Yes!" But, a lot of my "political awareness" was because of this song. Yes, I was dull enough to research all the name-checks in this song - and that was before the birth of the t'internet!

Ann likes the dark humour in the lyrics of this one, but again one with deeper meanings, exactly why it was chosen? Leon Trotsky's ears are burning!

15. Brilliant Mind - Furniture
And this is new. Obviously not new, but new to me. It sounds like something I should have been listening to. Yep, I like this. Like it in the way that if I was sat at a party, and this was on in the background, I'd stop and listen.

Quite political this one, and about not being a sheep, baa!

16. Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra
Nope. Sorry. Not your fault. I have my foibles. I have the things I dislike. I have music that immediately makes me want to tear my ears off my head. ELO may your back catalogue rot in a place that I never, ever have to hear anything you have ever done! Nothing personal but my lawyer will be in contact with you because you made me listen to this! All of this. Including the fake ending - which filled me with so much hope...and then it came back again. My lawyer will explain!

Now are we going to fall out? You don't like Phil Collins, and you don't like ELO! Oh well everyone has personal taste I suppose. Shame as ELO mix opera, orchestral and pop very well (with deep meanings).

17. The One I Love - David Gray
Do you know me? Seriously, do you know me?? Because, if you did, there is no way on this planet that you would even toy with the idea of putting a David Grey track on a CD you were sending to me...except, promise you won't tell anyone, I like David Grey. Every molecule in my soul, every part of my being, everything that I ever am, should say that David Grey should die. Except, bless his cotton socks, I like him. I like this. I don't know why. I can't explain why. But I like this. So, thank you. Just know, I'll deny it in court :^)

Did you not know that David Gray and Phil Collins are clones? Got ya!

18. Black and Gold - Sam Sparro
I have never been officially diagnosed with ADHD - probably because I don't have it. But when it comes to music, a song has to grab me or forget it. I'm four minutes into this song and, to tell the truth, I've been out, smoked a cigarette, come back, and I'm still waiting for it to start. Oh, hang on, it's finished.

Ann says this is a bonus track of modern funk (or cyber funk or something? You've completely lost me).

19. Kyrie - Mr. Mister
Ok, I am biased, opinionated, probably (a lot) obnoxious. But I'm not sure that I ever want to listen to a song by a person called Mr. Mister. Worse (oh, so much worse), my beautiful, wonderful, multi-lingual gf has just informed me that "Kyrie" in Greek means "Mister" - how much worse can this get??!!?? However, I'll give it a go. Hang on - I seem to be back in the 80s. Is this a track from one of those films that defined "Generation X"? I can already feel everyone around me reaching for their cigarette lighters. Nope, I'm sorry, I have a sudden urge to find someone with a mullet haircut and punch them in the face.

Now Will. I hope we are going to remain friends, but Ann has told me to tell you that all '80's albums ended with a cheesy heart-felt track. It was the same as going to the disco. They always ended the same way too, a meaningful, heartwrenching track that you could clutch and fondle to!

Brilliant - 13 and a half tracks are a plus. I wish/hope that the CDs I send score as highly. Of course, as is the way of the world, the 5 and a half tracks that didn't quite work will be your favourites. If I have hurt or offended in anyway, I apologise. Thanks for the CD, I really did enjoy it. As neil h. says, music should invoke some sort of feeling, and if it is good - great! And if it is bad - even better!! At least you are making a point. I've downloaded the CD and ripped the tracks I loved into my phone. They will be on suffle play! Whoot! Thank you again. And I'm sorry it has taken so long to review - my bad.

Glad to know that you liked it overall. A follow up of Phil Collins and Sam Sparro b-sides is on it's way. Sorry it has taken so long to sit down and write the reverse review, and that I have had to use my audio typist to get my review published. Given that my birthday gadget means that I can burn all my old vinyl albums to mp3, so you should get something really interesting next time we are mixclub partners.

Review of Soundtracks From Neil H

2008-09-26T09:29:00.006Z

Alan here stepping into tontosgirl's shoes (man my feet are swollen), with a review of the soundtracks CD that Neil sent.

Now right up front I need to be honest. When tontosgirl opened her envelope and out came this CD her face fell a little. It's a CD of soundtracks. She doesn't do soundtracks. I on the other hand love soundtracks, soundtracks make movies. Anyway with a little encouragement from me, she slipped the CD into the drive on the PC and ripped the tracks, I was hopping around the room in anticipation. "Go on put it on shuffle-play," I said. "You might find something you like afterall. Look there's a Tom Petty track, and some Vangelis."

Click shuffle play, and the first thing the PC selected was Cluckin' Bell from the GTA soundtrack. A HIT! Both for me (obviously, I've been playing GTA IV since it was released), and tontosgirl.

1. Interstate '76 Theme. / 2. Never Get Outta The Car
Here's why mixclub is such a great idea. Not only does the CD you get sometimes inspire you to listen to a new artist, in this case it can do so much more. A CD of movie and game soundtracks can send you looking for a new movie to watch or a new game to play. Both tracks come from the game Interstate '76 which I have never played, but probably would enjoy. A hit for me, but sadly a miss for tontosgirl

3. A Lawless Town, Christopher Lennertz
Another hit for me, I'm not sure where this comes from, and I couldn't find it from a quick google. It does have a very cowboy feel to it though. So I wouldn't be surprised if it were from a western movie or a game where men with guns take on overwhelming odds!

4. Honeybee Kingdom, Mario Yokota. 5. Buggie Running Beeps, Kenichi Sugiy...
No didn't like either of these and neither did tontosgirl. From SuperMario or something similar I suspect, but in all honesty don't know. Too repetitive for me I'm afraid.

6. Truth and Reconciliation Suite
I think this is from the game Halo, but I could be wrong (I'm a Playstation man, not an Xbox). It's good though, really takes you through the track and keeps building all the time. A Hit for me, but not tontosgirl.

7. Cluckin' Bell & 9. Weasel News.
Both hits with both of us, see my comments at the start of the review for more.

8.Green Onions, Booker T & The MG's
This was a reversal of opinions. Tontosgirl loved it, as an old familiar favourite. I didn't. It just plods on to me.

10. Zombie, Fela Kuti
A double miss for this one, neither of us liked this one.

11. Get Innocuous! LCD Soundsystem
Pretty sure this is another take from GTA IV, I'm sure I recognise it from cruising the streets of Liberty City. Great track for just chilling, but the voice-over from the "DJ" did get a bit annoying at times. Another hit for me, a miss for tontosgirl.

12. Running Down a Dream, Tom Petty.
Guaranteed instant hit for me, love Tom Petty. Tontosgirl also taken with this one, so scores twice! Not sure where it's from in soundtrack fame though?

13. Crossroads, Cream.
Another double hit. The track speaks for itself really as a classic guitar anthem.

14. Cohens Masterpiece, Bioshock.
Another one I would miss from being a playstation gamer, as this is another Xbox track (I think). Out of context though it could be mistaken for some classical piano, quite easily. Not a hit for either of us though, but no strong aversion to it either. Just didn't like it.

15. Struggle for Pleasure, Wim Mertens
I'm guessing from the cover art to the CD that this comes from the film "The Belly Of An Architect", and continues the piano theme from the previous track. This time however you had us both hooked. A double hit, and I think I'll be tracking down the rest of this soundtrack to add it to my collection, based on this one track.

16. Powaqqatsi, Philip Glass.
From the movie of the same name, I'm guessing, and other soundtrack with a classical bent. A hit with me, I want to hear more, and probably watch the movie too now. Less so with tontosgirl, but I suspect she'll sit through the dvd with me, and who knows it might grow on her!

17. Tears In Rain, 18. Blade Runner (End Titles), Vangelis
I only needed to know there was a Vangelis track on here to know that I was going to like most of the album. An inspired choice though. I wouldn't have thought of either of these as Vangelis soundtracks to put on here. I would of been thinking of other better known ones - Chariots of Fire, Antarctica to name two. Both of these are hits for me though, and tontosgirl, but they had to grow on her a bit.

19. Still Alive, Portal.
I loved this one from the start, but tontosgirl described it as horrid, and it made her feel ill! Guess I will have to listen to it via headphones from now on then! I loved the whole electronic voice, and the words and music gelled wonderfully together. I'm guessing this is from the Xbox game? If there is more of the same I'd be interested to hear it.

So that's it. Overall I rated this mix far higher than tontosgirl, she really did appreciate that Neil went to all the trouble of pulling it together and sending it though, and is sorry that she's not well enough to sit down and type the review herself. For me this was an inspired mix. I really liked the whole idea of a mix of movie and game soundtracks. Excellent idea, and it's left me wanting not only to find the rest of some of the soundtracks, but also watch some movies too. I'd even go so far as to say buy some Xbox games, but I think I might get shot if I do! I'll just have to hope that the platform wars mean that one day games for one platform will eventually be available on another i.e. PS3.

My Disc From Will Has Arrived

2008-09-26T09:06:00.004Z

It's here, from across the Atlantic, a disc labelled "Play It Loud", and a set of instructions to wait until I have a long journey that coincides with one of the last days of summer, or a Friday night after a hard week's work, before I play it.

Well know, it's autumn now so I guess I'd have to wait a long time before following playing instruction one. It is however Friday, and I have had the busiest week for a long time, possibly because I have had to take a personal day today, and so my week has been four days but with about six days worth of work! Anyway I shall be following instruction two shortly, and try and get back with a review so that Neil can kick off Round 8. (I'm in by the way, if you're looking for names and numbers Neil).

On another note my GF a.k.a the recipient of Neil's disc of soundtracks and sender of Will's Funk and Ska, is not well. Some of you will know that this has been going on for a long time, and that sitting in front of the computer to type up a review is something she had hoped to be able to manage, but it just hasn't happened. She has asked me to step into her shoes (damn their tight, might end up with blisters), and do her typing for her. Unfortunately we can't do the brain swap thing, so the review might have some tonto influence when it's written, but I have interviewed her, so I at least have a general picture of what she thought and what her comments are. Hope that's OK with you?

Funk 'n' Ska

2008-09-16T20:40:00.003Z

How to diss the new girl: Get her to join Mixclub, let her spend hours selecting tracks, get her to send her bf to the post box with strict instructions to make sure that her "labour of love" gets to Mexico, tell her that the CD has arrived, slam it into the player, dance around all night, and then ignore your duty! Forget to say thank you, forget to write a review. So, Ann, are you annoyed yet?

1. Stiltskin - Inside

I'd never heard of Inside and here they are doing a song called Stiltskin! Weird? I'd heard of Stiltskin. I loved this track. An "operatic" opening that started to freak me out and then straight into clashing guitars. This is what I wanted! Yes! Quick leap onto the t'internet, I must find out more about Inside. Except, the track listing was the wrong way round :^) It was Stiltskin doing a song called Inside. Brilliant! This is why I like Mixclub. I'd forgotten all about Stiltskin and so spent several happy hours going through youtube and their catalogue.

2. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz

Still jumping arond the flat! Enjoying myself! Singing the wrong lyrics: "bicycle will go my way"! Actually I should hate this track. I can look cool, pretending to drum in mid-air, but there is no way on earth that I look cool playing air-guitar, and Mr. Kravitz tends to demand air-guitar! Great song, scores high on the "luvvin-it" scale, low score on the "impress-girlfriend" scale.

3. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry

In 1997 I spent three hours searching through charity shops. That night I appeared at "the disco" dressed in *HUGE* flares, a shirt with a collar that could be classified as a WMD, a tank top, and eight inch platform shoes. Four hours later (and several beers worse for wear) I was dancing, in the middle of the floor to "Play That Funky Music". Eleven years later I demonstrated "ma moves". This is an awful song but it is fun, fun, fun! Thank you.

4. The Rain - Oran Juice Jones

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of this song, and therefore have no good memories to fall back on. My gf informs me that her mum liked it, which means that it is irredeamable. Sorry but I hit fast-forward and haven't returned to it since.

5. Do Ya Wanna Funk - Sylvester

Great start, I thought for a second it was going to be Donna Summer...but it wasn't. And so I'm stuck in a song that isn't as good as I thought it would be. Which is a problem. I really, really want to love this CD and when I saw the title "Funk 'n' Ska", I think I only saw the word "Ska". Am starting to worry that I don't really like "funk". I really don't want to funk with Sylvester. I reach out and hit fast forward again.

6. My Perogative - Bobby Brown

Hang on - I know this. Please don't tell my indie friends but I quite like Ms. Spears. This is a more "funky" version. Ms. Spears' version was a little harder, acerbic, a bit more f*ck you? It's a good song, but I prefer her version. This is a song that says "this is MY perogative" but Mr. Brown's version sounds a little too inclusive. However, it's Friday night, maybe I should be a little more open.

7. Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh yes! This is brilliant! It is impossible to listen to this (play it loud) and not feel cool! You can strut around the flat, you can wander out onto the balcony, you can shout the lyrics across Tijuana - bring it on. Suddenly I feel a desire to play Fun Lovin' Criminals. Damn! Mayhap I was wrong. Maybe I do like funk.

8. Can You Feel The Force - The Real Thing

You know that disco I went to? The one I mentioned in my review of track three? Can you guess who was the highlighted band that night? No? It was The Real Thing! Yep, it was one of those daft moments when a group turns up (three guys and a tape machine) and bangs through their greatest hits. And I was there, boogie-on-down-ing to The Real Thing. And here I am, boogie-on-down-ing in my flat, yet again. Great song - just not too sure that my gf will ever take me out...or talk to me!

9. Shout To The Top - The Style Council

Paul Weller is a god! Having (musically) grown up with The Jam, and aged with them,(I really enjoyed Setting Sons), I loved the direction they moved in. I followed Paul Weller in the way that I didn't follow Sting! This is wonderful and I can dance to this, doing my indie dance.

10. Mony Mony - Billy Idol

Billy Idol is a caricature. But he's a fun caricature. Go back and watch The Wedding Singer, the man's a genius. Where Sid Vicious got it wrong is that, although he was cuddly (according to John Lydon - which is why he named him Sid Vicious), he never appeared that way. Billy Idol wants to be vicious and fails miserably - a bit like Captain Sensible. Last Christmas we came across a CD with him in a cardigan, slippers, smoking a pipe - why didn't we buy it???? Anyhoo, yep, love this. As great as "White Wedding" was, as brilliant as "King Rocker" was, Billy should just stick to doing covers. Doing covers and practicing his curled lip.

11. Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat

I love The Beat. Seriously, love The Beat. I am the sad guy who still goes around singing "Stand down Margaret" and, every time I go to the bathroom, sings "Mirror in the Bathroom". This song is pure genius. I am now two-tone-ing around the flat. I love The Beat. Ooops, just hit rewind (for the fourth time) - might never get to the next track :^)

12. I Am The Beat - Look

Tee hee. Lovin' this. I remember it - or, at least, I think I do. I seem to know the words. This must be one of those songs that everyone knows by osmosis. I have a big grin on my face. Could it be because "I'm in demand"? If I am, it is because "I am the beat!!!"

13. Tomorrow's Just Another Day - Madness

The problem with Madness is that they had the wrong following. "Baggy Trousers" meant that too many school kids thought they were talking to them. But, in reality, Madness were talking to a much older generation. Yes, they were/are fun, fun, fun but listen to the lyrics. This is music for a working generation - tomorrow's just another day. Any CD with Madness on it is a great CD.

14. No More Heroes - The Stranglers

Again, another group that were a lot "deeper" than people gave them credit for. Seriously - how many punk bands wrote songs about Sweden - let me tell you about Sweden, only country where the clouds are interesting. The fact that they were all over the age of "hope I die before I get old" might have something to do with it. Plus the fact the keyboard player wanted to be in "Yes!" But, a lot of my "political awareness" was because of this song. Yes, I was dull enough to research all the name-checks in this song - and that was before the birth of the t'internet!

15. Brilliant Mind - Furniture

And this is new. Obviously not new, but new to me. It sounds like something I should have been listening to. Yep, I like this. Like it in the way that if I was sat at a party, and this was on in the background, I'd stop and listen.

16. Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Nope. Sorry. Not your fault. I have my foibles. I have the things I dislike. I have music that immediately makes me want to tear my ears off my head. ELO may your back catalogue rot in a place that I never, ever have to hear anything you have ever done! Nothing personal but my lawyer will be in contact with you because you made me listen to this! All of this. Including the fake ending - which filled me with so much hope...and then it came back again. My lawyer will explain!

17. The One I Love - David Gray

Do you know me? Seriously, do you know me?? Because, if you did, there is no way on this planet that you would even toy with the idea of putting a David Grey track on a CD you were sending to me...except, promise you won't tell anyone, I like David Grey. Every molecule in my soul, every part of my being, everything that I ever am, should say that David Grey should die. Except, bless his cotton socks, I like him. I like this. I don't know why. I can't explain why. But I like this. So, thank you. Just know, I'll deny it in court :^)

18. Black and Gold - Sam Sparro

I have never been officially diagnosed with ADHD - probably because I don't have it. But when it comes to music, a song has to grab me or forget it. I'm four minutes into this song and, to tell the truth, I've been out, smoked a cigarette, come back, and I'm still waiting for it to start. Oh, hang on, it's finished.

19. Kyrie - Mr. Mister

Ok, I am biased, opinionated, probably (a lot) obnoxious. But I'm not sure that I ever want to listen to a song by a person called Mr. Mister. Worse (oh, so much worse), my beautiful, wonderful, multi-lingual gf has just informed me that "Kyrie" in Greek means "Mister" - how much worse can this get??!!?? However, I'll give it a go. Hang on - I seem to be back in the 80s. Is this a track from one of those films that defined "Generation X"? I can already feel everyone around me reaching for their cigarette lighters. Nope, I'm sorry, I have a sudden urge to find someone with a mullet haircut and punch them in the face.

Brilliant - 13 and a half tracks are a plus. I wish/hope that the CDs I send score as highly. Of course, as is the way of the world, the 5 and a half tracks that didn't quite work will be your favourites. If I have hurt or offended in anyway, I apologise. Thanks for the CD, I really did enjoy it. As neil h. says, music should invoke some sort of feeling, and if it is good - great! And if it is bad - even better!! At least you are making a point. I've downloaded the CD and ripped the tracks I loved into my phone. They will be on suffle play! Whoot! Thank you again. And I'm sorry it has taken so long to review - my bad.

Wrapping up the round

2008-09-14T11:58:00.002Z

It seems like everybody has got their cds for this round - please let me know if you are still waiting and I'll sort out a replacement. If you haven't already done so, don't forget to post a review of some sort even if only to pick out the tracks that have particularly inspired you to go out and buy more music. Of course, if you hated the whole cd and are now using it as a drinks coaster then please feel free to post that too, and elaborate if you can. Music that provokes a strong reaction, even a negative one, is always better than something that just washes over you.

It would be good if we could wrap this round up by this time next week, so that we can start a new round as we have a couple of newbies waiting in the wings!

Reply to Nancy

2008-09-11T08:42:00.002Z

I've been listening to this CD repeatedly for over a week now, and I've really enjoyed it! Some of the songs that weren't instant hits have had a chance to grow on me. Much of it was new to me, so that was great! And I loved the geographic theme. The sounds of Lancashire are very different from those of Athens.

All my Mix Club offerings so far have been random selections of things I like, however quirky or uncool they may seem to others. This time I wanted to do a theme, and as Nancy lives in a place of pilgrimage for music fans, I thought I'd fly the red rose flag for Lancashire. This would be traditional Lancashire, which always included two places of pilgrimage and also included my home town of Barrow, to which I have returned. I did struggle to find a representative of Barrow but... Well, we shall see!

1. I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles

Great opener! This is one of my top two or three favorite Beatles songs. I had it on a mixed tape I used to listen constantly my junior year in college. Good memories. This song still rocks.

Any Lancashire mix has to include the Beatles and where better to start than the first track on the first album, when they were still raw rock 'n' rollers but bending the rules even then.

2. All Woman - Lisa Stansfield

Ooooh, sultry. I like this woman's voice, and this classic-sounding piece of r&b.

Who said Brits can't do soul?

3. Enola Gay - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Quintessential 80s pop, with the synthesizer - you can actually hear the shoulder pads. More good memories from college days came along with this one. Actually I never knew the name of this song was "Enola Gay" or that it was about the plane that dropped the bomb. A much more serious theme than the music suggests.

Stretching a point here - OMD were from the Wirral, in Cheshire (but an appendage of Liverpool all the same)

4. Starry Eyed - Michael Holliday

This one was a nice surprise. A catchy little tune with cute backing vocals. The singer's voice is in the style of the crooners of the fifties, Bing Crosby et al., very pleasant.

Michael Holliday has fascinated me for a long time, to the point that once I attempted to write a radio play about him. He was a Liverpool schoolteacher in the 1950s, in the days when we had to have Brit versions of all things American. He was discovered for his lovely velvety voice and pitched as the British Bing Crosby. He couldn't hack it, poor chap, and killed himself. This song was a number one in 1960.

5. Every Day Hurts - Sad Cafe

This is one of my top two favorites of this mix. It begins with long, melodic lines, telling a story, but then the chorus just takes off, irresistably catchy. This is also from 1980, but it doesn't feel dated to me at all. I really love it, and will definitely look for more from this group.

Always a much better band than they were given credit for, I think. One of the best things about the 1980s. Also, for the alert, a connection to Georgia!

6. Daydream Believer - The Monkees

The Monkees was in reruns in the fifth grade and I would watch it every day when I came home from school. I had a huge crush on Davy Jones, and there is no obsession like the obsession of a ten-year-old girl for her first celebrity crush. This is a sweet, upbeat song with good harmonies. It wasn't my favorite Monkees song, but it's nice to hear it again.

Pretty damned close to my favourite Monkees song. Singer Davy Jones was of course from Lancashire. He's an American citizen these days, and Mickey Dolenz is the honorary Brit!

7. The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen

I used to hear people complain about our college radio station: "All they ever play is Echo and the Bunnymen." Anyway, they seemed to typify college radio in those days. The lyrics are a bit mysterious and haunting, definitely the darkest song in the mix. And I like that you can hear the singer's accent when he sings. Thumbs up!

I very much like this kind of dark and haunting song. I did see Echo and the Bunnymen at WOMAD a few years ago and they were disappointing. Past their sell-by date, perhaps? Or just competing in awesome comapny.

8. Can You Feel The Force - The Real Thing

This is a fun disco tune - simple and monotonous, but it's got a great beat.

I, um, thought they were American for years! Great for dancing to and probably driving to.

9. You're A Lady - Peter Skellern.

He appeared on a previous mix, and I think he's grown on me since then. Generally, I don't like big productions of things, anything, and this song has a full orchestra and what sounds like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing backup. But it moves me.

I have a big thing about Peter Skellern, as you know. Apart from being the campest show on earth, he's deliciously uncool and milks his Lancashireness for all it's worth. And a good brass band is always welcome (even if this one is from enemy territory). This is one of his own songs.

10. Teach Your Children Well - Crosby Stills Nash & Young

This is a band I've always felt I should listen to more, but I've never really sought them out. This one is familiar, of course, from radio play, and it's a great little song. I really like layered harmonies like this. I should get an album - any suggestions?

I might have guessed that this would be a staple of American AOR radio. Not much heard here, actually. Written and sung by Blackpool-born Graham Nash.

11. Waterfall - The Stone Roses

This one is beautiful. Definitely one of my favorites.

I can't make up my mind about the Stone Roses. They are an essential component of the 1980s Madchester scene. Some much-hyped poll of recent years had their eponymous debut album (from which this is taken)the best ever made. This is nonsense. It's a fine album but not a classic. IMHO.

12. Fugitive Motel - Elbow

Another hit, and one that really grew on me after repeated listening. Something melancholy, maybe hopeful or at least wishful - it definitely evokes an emotional response in me.

Being largely unaware of what's a hit this last 25 years, I first encountered this on a freebie CD that came with the Guardian a few years ago, and I was smitten. Apparently Elbow arouses strong negative feelings amongst some rock obsessives but what the hell.

13. Lilac Wine - Elkie Brooks

This one is not a dance tune - it sounds like it could be from a musical, since it has a very dramatic feel. I'd never heard it before. The singer's voice has a lot of vibrato, which makes it distinct, but not completely appealing. I don't dislike the song, and it make keep growing on me. But so far, not a fave.

I first encountered Elkie Brooks as half of the front of Vinegar Joe alongside Robert Palmer in the 1970s. I'm sorry I had no Vinegar Joe tracks to include. These days she's a stalwart of the standard provincial tours and a guaranteed sell-out. This old Eartha Kitt song is generally the big set piece of the act.

14. Closer Than Yesterday - Renaissance

Lovely song - particularly like the vocals on this one. So, former Yardbirds?? Would never have guessed!

I can never make up my mind about Renaissance. Sometimes I love to wallow in that big sound. Sometimes I begin to understand why punk had to happen. (I like them best for the sheer chutzpah of, when everybody else was getting into synths, using a full-on symphony orchestra) The best Renaissance tracks are those without the annoying Annie Haslam on vocals but since she's our Lancashire representative this is one of the better ones. I love the multi-tracked Annies in counterpoint.

15. Juliet - The Four Pennies

The only one I tend to skip. It's a slow one, and it just doesn't grab me.

Not quite sure why I included it now I think about it. A surprise number one in 1964, and from Blackburn (of the 4,000 holes). Singer Lionel Morton later found fame as a presenter of Play School, a favourite TV show for tots and the more louche university students.

16. Too Shy - Kajagoogoo

This one is an old favorite, and it's great to hear it again. Very catchy chorus, and that bass intro is the best part.

A staple of the jukebox at the Green Dragon in Cambridge at a difficult time in my life.

17. Bus Stop - The Hollies

Great little pop song. I've known it for years, but never had a copy.

Graham Nash again, of course. The Hollies were best at being upbeat rather than maudlin and were never as good after Nash left. This is my favourite.

18. Living In The Past - Jethro Tull

Hey, this is a treat. I used to listen to someone else's Jethro Tull records, but I never got around to buying my own. I like this song a lot. I love that flute. I wish I'd discovered them earlier, when I was in high school, because it might have inspired me to practice my band instrument with a little more enthusiasm.

Early Tull were a fine band indeed. They did get boring after a while. Most of them from Blackpool but - get this - Glenn Cornick, who plays bass on this, is from Barrow!

19. No Milk Today - Herman's Hermits

AWESOME. This was love at first sight, you know, figuratively. Anthony, my five-year-old, agrees and whenever he gets in the car with me, his first words are, "Can you play number 19?" I can't get this one out of my head most of the time, but I don't mind.

When I was young, being caught in possession of a Herman's Hermit's record was social death. But what's not to love about this one? Peter Noone, like Davy Jones, appeared in Coronation Street.

20. Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis

Gorgeous! I have no idea what any of the lyrics mean, but they sound good with the music.

The first time I heard Oasis I thought I was listening to Beatles outtakes. Until I got to She's Electric when I began to wonder how much Ray Davies was going to sue the Gallaghers for. But before they got really self-indulgent they did some terrific stuff.

I was going to start this mix with the biggest of the Liverpool bands and end it with the biggest of the Manchester bands. But I just couldn't resist finishing with...

21. On The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine - Laurel & Hardy

Oh, wow. When I was a kid, my dad used to sing this song, but with different lyrics. I'd never heard the Laurel & Hardy version with the girl. His had a cow on a railroad track, and it ended badly. "She was a good old cow with eyes so fine, but you can't expect a cow to read a railroad sign. . . " This is a great closer - something completely different.

Stan Laurel, aka Arthur Jefferson, was from Ulverston, just up the road from here.

Made In Lancashire - Review

2008-09-11T03:22:00.001Z

CD arrives

2008-09-10T09:04:00.002Z

A breathless messenger in a Royal Mail uniform has just arrived bearing a package from Athens, Georgia.

I happen to know that this is the second attempt to send as I have been in correspondence with Nancy and this is the replacement, complete with bonus. I know I'm going to enjoy this because I've enjoyed what's come from Nancy before.

But I see I may yet be first with a review!

Thank you, Nancy.

Thanks, Rosalind

2008-08-30T17:53:00.002Z

Just got a package in the mail with not one but THREE CDs - a new Mix Club called "Made In Lancashire" and 2 bonuses from a previous round. Can't wait to listen!

Mix from Alan

2008-08-29T23:36:00.001Z

I got my mix just before I went on holiday and I haven't had time to sit down with it yet- but I will this weekend!

I'll do the reverse post from the Cali mix as well-

Got my Mix!

2008-08-27T15:39:00.002Z

My mix just arrive from Nicole :) Many thanks. I'm about to pop off for about a week on vacation, but when I come back I promise a review! And I'll post my reverse review to Neil then too. Have a good week everyone.

North American Indie Mix

2008-08-22T17:34:00.000Z

Winging its way across the Atlantic comes the appropriately named 'North American Indie Mix' from the fabulous Kat (aka Skyekat). A quick glance through the track the listing shows that most of the bands and all of the tracks will be new to me. North American Indie as a distinct genre is unfamilar to me, I must admit. My knowledge of modern American music probably stops somewhere between grunge and west coast punk, so this should be informative if nothing else. Here we go then ...

01 Me and Mia - Ted Leo

A nice high energy track to start with, choppy guitars and a lot of energy. Thumbs up!

02 Neighbourhood #3 - The Arcade Fire

Ooh, this is different. It sounds reminiscent of New Order circa True Faith, which is a positive thing in my book. It took a few listens to get used to the vocal style, but this has grown on me enormously. Definitely one for further investigation. Two thumbs up!

03 You're Pretty Good Looking (for a girl) - The White Stripes

Now, I have heard of the White Stripes, but this is a new track to me, and to be honest I wouldn't have recognised them if I hadn't had the track listing. I quite like this, in a raw, unpolished, back to basics rock sort of a way. It doesn't outstay its welcome, which is a plus point.

04 King of Carrot Flowers - Neutral Milk Hotel

A bit of a late sixties vibe with the guitars, and perhaps a touch of They Might Be Giants style quirkiness with the harmonica and slightly nasal vocals. Another grower, and one thumb up!

05 July, July - The Decemberists

A bit more quirkiness, and these are even more like TMBG, in a good way. I love the lines about crooked French Canadians and chickens. Catchy chorus too. Excellent stuff, two thumbs I think.

06 A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger - Of Montreal

Talking of French Canadians ... this is a bit different, and I'm not entirely sure about it. The vocals are a bit hit and miss, with more miss than hit I'm afraid. Not quite a thumbs down, but this has me tempted to skip the track.

07 Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley

Another change of mood, to a female songer singwriter (that was a typo but I like it), and it's a definite hit, with a bit of a Stevie Nicks vibe to it. Polished and laid back at the same time, it's only the slightly cheesy seventies style instrumental break that lets it down. A definite thumbs up!

08 Why do you let me stay here - She and Him

From the seventies, to something that is almost a sixties Motown/Phil Specter sort of track, complete with backing harmonies and full on production. I could quite easily imagine the Ronnettes singing this. Thumbs up!

09 Paper Thin Walls - Modest Mouse

Back to a more traditional indie sound now, with echoes of David Byrne in there as well. The name rings a bell, and a quick google tells me that Johnnie Marr (ex of The Smiths) is now playing with them which has got to be worth investigating, I think. This track doesn't really grab me, but I'm still intrigued none the less.

10 The Golden Age - Bridges and Powerlines

Cranking up the energy now, with some solid drumming underpinning some really catchy guitar work. Good stuff, and a thumbs up!

11 Yeah Sapphire -The Hold Steady

More good guitar work, although the vocalist seems to be channeling Richard Butler in a gruff voiced sort of way, and it all goes a bit Bruce Springsteen towards the end of the track with the piano fighting for attention. Possibly a touch pompous, but intriguing all the same.

12 Salute Your Solution - The Raconteurs

I was mometarily confused, thinking that these were more like The White Stripes than the actual White Stripes track from earlier on, but google again tells me that it is indeed Jack White on vocals here, with a sort of indie supergroup. Thumbs up!

13 Stop - Against Me

A very anthemic chorus that has me singing along every time, and at 2;33 it's the perfect length for this sort of punky track. Thumbs up

14 Hallelujah The Hills - Hallelujah The Hills

This is the opposite of a grower, I'm afraid. I really liked it on first hearing, particularly the almost C&W use of a fiddle (or maybe a cello), but the vocals shouted through some sort of weird sound mangling device really started to grate on me after a couple of listens. A reluctant thumbs down.

15 Mistaken for Strangers - The National

A more downbeat track now, sounding like something from the miserabilist end of the 80s, but in a good way, along the lines of Echo and the Bunnymen meeting the Cure in a back alley somewhere for a fight. I'm not sure about the end of the track where it sort of fizzles out rather than ending with a bang, but on balance a thumbs up

16 My Moon My Man - Feist

An excellent little track, from a female singer song writer, that bounces along in a rather jolly and catchy way with some nice twists along the way. I like this one a lot, although I'm assuming that the strange bit at the end is a lead in to another track on the cd. Thumbs up!

17 Imitosis - Andrew Bird

Hmmm, this sounds a bit too much like an American version of Sting for my tastes, I'm afraid. Clever and polished, but it rings hollow and it all falls a bit flat for me.

18 Be Good - Tokyo Police Club

In total contrast, this is excellent - tight, compact and to the point, and it receives lots of plus points for references to Samurai. Two thumbs up!

19 BTK Blues - Pink Nasty

Not what I was expecting from the name of the band, it's quite acceptable folk-rock with a southern edge, until the oddly misplaced chorus kicks in. OK, I suppose, but not really my cup of proverbial tea.

20 Paris 2004 - Peter Bjorn & John

Another mild disappointment with this one - I was expecting some sort of Abba tribute, and got a bit of fairly average jangly guitar pop. If my preferred tea is Earl Grey, this is the generic supermarket brand.

21 Black Flowers - Yo La Tengo

Everything sounds like Coldplay now - nuff said.

22 The Greatest - Cat Power

Oooh, this is more like it. Smoky blues, sung with a breathy hint of regret. The singer songwriter equivalent of 'I coulda been a contender'. Lovely. Two thumbs up, most definitely!

23 Sheffield Shanty - Monkey Swallows the Universe

You're cheating with this one, but I'll let you get away with it, simply because this song is simply gorgeous. In an odd bit of synchronicity I saw the singer Nat Johnson supporting John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett a couple of months ago, and was quite taken with her solo version of 'Teenager in Love'. I'd forgotten about her until hearing this track which inspired me to go on a wild google search to buy the MSTU cds and I ended up joining her forum as the first member on the list an hour after it had been launched. This is a lovely song, that wins with its themes of piracy on the flooded streets of Sheffield and also name checking most of the places that I've lived in over the last twenty years. Admittedly, it would have to be a heck of a flood to be able to sail from Broomhill to Walkley, but it's a change from the 52 bus ... :-)

So, on the whole an excellent mix that has opened my eyes to at least a couple of new artists, some of them not even from Sheffield - many thanks again!

My CDs Arrived

2008-08-16T18:06:00.002Z

Very excited to get my post on Friday, and find my first mixclub CD. Initial thoughts are that it's a bit different to my usual tastes (although tonto likes it very much)! Cluckin' Bell my favourite so far.

Thanks to my mystery sender (neil h)?

Fuller review to follow...

Winging its way

2008-08-14T17:58:00.001Z

My CD is hopefully flying over the ocean now, as I mailed it yesterday. Hopefully it will get there soon!

My First Mix Club CD

2008-08-13T19:32:00.002Z

Having spent the best part of yesterday honing my original track list of three hours down to the maximum 74 minutes, the masterpiece is now winging it's way to the nominated receipient. Thanks to Tonto for supplying: the machinery,the cd and posting it!

CD For Round Seven

2008-08-12T16:30:00.001Z

The CD for my recipient is in the post. Might even get to it's destination tomorrow (Royal Mail permitting)!

Mix Club Round 6 – CD from Nicole

2008-08-11T11:16:00.000Z

OK I know I should have posted this months ago, and the next round is now underway, but I really must post my review of round six. So to tide us over until our round seven CDs arrive, here it is.

When my CD arrived in the post, I looked at the track listing and thought that there was a recurrent theme, it’s not hard to miss (just look down below). What I didn’t know then was what the reason was. I thought I’d worked it out when I read Nicole’s blog and realised she was an LA ex-pat living in London. I didn’t know until the other day, when I ‘fessed up to be lazy about getting around to writing my review that when she put the CD together she was feeling homesick.

This however is one great CD IMHO, thanks Nicole…

California Dreamin’ - The Mama’s & Papa’s

Classic track have always loved this, even if it does get considerably over-played on “oldies” radio stations. Great start, love this mix already.

L.A Woman - The Doors

I am a huge Doors fan, and this is one of my favourites. Another hit.

Hotel California – Gipsy Kings

Not The Eagles version, which I was actually quite glad of, because a bit like California Dreamin’ that gets too much air-play. This version is however perhaps better than the original? Always a bit risky saying that and often so often proven not to be the case (anyone remember Madonna’s version of American Pie?), in this case the Spanish guitar and vocals do bring a special touch not present in the original, although not quite sure why they switch back to English for part of the chorus, perhaps because it doesn’t translate (Such a lovely place, such a lovely place). Three hits in a row, where does this mix go now?

Only to one of my all time favourite performers!

California – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, were a group that I was listening to around one of the pivotal moments in my life. It was summer and Free falling, Learning to Fly, Running Down the Dream, were constant companions on my cassette tape walkman as I mowed neighbourhood lawns. I’ve loved them ever since, and through them all the members of The Travelling Wilburys. Now running four for four.

No Peace Los Angeles - Mike Dougherty

OK, I’ll be honest, this wasn’t an instant hit. I didn’t like it the first few times, but it’s a grower. The more I listened, and I mean listened to the words the more it grew.

Los Angeles, I’m Yours – The Decemberists

I’d not heard of The Decemberists until some one asked Girl on a Train for her top tunes of 2007, she listed them as part of recommendations, and I took a leap and found that I enjoyed them too. This track was new though, but as good as the others.

California – Josh Ritter

A most chilled track. An audio tour of California. Loved it.

Come A Long Way – Michelle Shocked

I’m not a fan of Michelle Shocked I’m afraid. If I hadn’t read the track listing before I’d played it, it might have been OK because I did like the tracked, and it fitted really well with the CD as a whole, I just had to overcome my prejudice! So eyes closed another hit for this CD, but I’m not going to convert to being a Michelle Shocked fan just yet.

California – Rufus Wainwright

Heard of him, but never his music. Again this one fitted well with the rest of the mix, and left me wondering whether to track down more. I haven’t done so yet, but it’s just the sort of CD I might pick up in a sale, and then end up with even more in my collection as time goes by.

Screenwriters Blues – Soul Coughing

A change of pace, with a song relying much more on it’s lyrics than the instruments played. It’s quite addictive though.

California Sun – Ramones

Again another case of heard of, but not the music. This time I don’t think it captured me enough to want more, it just made me think of a cheap Beach Boys take off. Unfortunately the only miss on the whole CD.

Walking in LA – Missing Persons

Back to winning ways, another hit.

Los Angeles Waltz – Razorlight

I hadn’t heard this Razorlight track before, despite having at least one of their albums in my CD collection.

Beverly Hills – Weezer

It’s always a tad embarrassing when you catch yourself on the train, joining in to the track that’s playing on your headphones, and realising that (of course) no one else can hear what you can. Another hit (and embarrassing moment, thanks Nicole ;) )

Why You’d Want To Live Here – Death Cab for Cutie

Never heard of them or their music before this CD, but an instant favourite, and one of the best on the CD. Really great track, great lyrics, tunes and whole package really.

California Stars – Billy Brag and Wilco

Perfect reduction in temp after the previous track, and another hit. Great mellow tune.

In California – Neko Case

Another one that I’ve never heard of before, and another new discovery. I really enjoyed this track, and will definitely be seeking out more of her[?] music.

Blues in LA – Cecil Grant

This was great. Just like an old 78rpm record and perfect for this CD. Another hit, and a reminder to me why I like blues music.

Surf Beat – Dick Dale and His Del-Tones

A great track to end on, and another one that I’ve never heard of, but will be tracking down some more. All instrumental and just great, a bit like the closing credits of a movie and California. This whole CD is great and I really loved every minute of it. Incredible ratio of hits to misses, only one miss on the whole CD.

I didn’t know it at the time, that Nicole was feeling home-sick when she put it together, I hope it gave you as much pleasure as it has given me.

Round 7 is under way!

2008-08-10T13:27:00.003Z

We now have a respectable number of participants, and it appears that there is life in the old mixclub yet. I've just sent out the emails with your mixee names and addresses, so let me know if you have any questions or problems as soon as possible. Remember that the deal is that you will send out one standard audio cd to your mixee in the next week or so and review the cd that you will receive in turn.

Have fun!

New Round?

2008-08-03T14:38:00.001Z

Anyone up for another round? Besides me?

Message For Nicole

2008-05-11T14:17:00.001Z

Just to let you know your CD arrived here yesterday, and I'm part-way through listening for the first time. Full review to follow.

Response to Nancy

2008-05-05T11:47:00.002Z

Alan called this mix "kind of retro" and indeed, it took me back in time!

That's great, it was also kind-of self indulgent, as I popped some of my own favourites in there.

1. Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen I hadn't heard this one in ages. When I was a kid, I hated it - it was an ugly audio cartoon to me and I just didn't get it. Listening to it again now, well, it hasn't gotten prettier with time, but it's funnier, and it impressed me a bit that someone had the imagination to record it. I thought I'd be skipping over it, but I kept letting the track play, and though it's not a favorite, it's kind of fun.

This actually came from the film soundtrack for Full Metal Jacket, looking back I'm not 100% sure why it made it as the opening track on this mix.

2. Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top Ooooh, I love ZZ Top and this song is one of my favorites! Thanks! I love their blues-infused rock, or is it the other way around?

Your welcome :)

3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2 I'm sure I liked this song well enough when it first came out, but sadly, for me, the joy was killed by way too much radio play. And I still couldn't muster much of a reaction. I never bought any of their albums and this is really all I know about their sound.

Oh dear, yes I know what you mean though, played to death!

4. Industrial Disease by Dire Straits A fun one from Dire Straits that I hadn't heard before. I like their sound which always reminded me of a more laidback ZZ Top. This song has the humor and political message I associate with the band. I like everything the keyboards are doing in this song!

This is one of my favourite Dire Staits songs, mainly for the lyrics.

5. Stainsby Girls by Chris Rea This one really grew on me after a few repetitions. His voice seemed familiar, but when I looked him up, I only recognized the really old one, "Fool If You Think It's Over," which I wouldn't have associated with this one. Stainsby Girls is a sweet song, his raspy voice full of tenderness for not just a girl but a hometown, it sounds like.

He's still cranking out the albums, although more recently seems to have gone much more bluesey, which I personally prefer, but in keeping with the retro nature of the mix I went back for something from the late 80's

6 & 7. Home By The Sea & Second Home By Sea I had this album. The yellow and brown cover had images of pieces of a shape sorter game that I'd had as a kid. I think Genesis still had their edge on this one, though it was watered down in subsequent albums, I guess where Phil Collins became more dominant. The lyrics are interesting and disturbing, and I remember when "going to my room and listening to records" was a thing I did, like reading a book is now, and I would immerse myself in that particular story. . . Good song(s), good memory.

IMO The best Genesis album ever, and this is the best track(s) from that album, and after all you can't have one with out the other.

8. Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp Or was he still John Cougar in those days? This is a good representation of what he was best at, singing the life of white, midwestern American kids. I think I like it more now, looking back on it, than I did when it first came out. This is another one that got too much airplay for me.

John Cougar I think.

9. To Her Door by Paul Kelly I fell in love with this one once I really paid attention to the words. I love a good story song, and this is lovely.

Glad you liked it, another personal favourite

10. Africa by Toto Awww, I LOVE this one. I had the album on cassette way back when. I love everything about this song - the melody, the instrumentation, the awesome flute line that comes in halfway through, the lyrics . . . it's getting hard to type while dancing around the living room.

And another!

11. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? by Moby This one tells me I have to hear more of Moby. I clearly have not paid enough attention to him up to know.

Suggest you start with "18" or "Play" as albums, if you are going for more.

12. Take On Me by A-ha It's funny, I remember this one well from the eighties, and it was never a favorite, never one I paid much attention to. But every time it came around on your mix, I found myself singing along happily. An old acquaintance turned into an old friend.

I couldn't have put together a retro mix and not put this on, simply because of the memories I have from it when it was in the charts.

13. Ironic by Alanis Morisette Never cared much for this one during the month that it was on the radio every five minutes, but I did pay attention to the lyrics this time around. And joined the argument: wait, that's not what ironic means! Or is it? But I didn't really care for the song as a whole, sorry.

That's OK. For me this could of been, and still could be the theme song to my life at times. It was also one of the tracks I chose for the only time I have ever been a guest on a radio show!

14. I Will Wait by Hootie and the Blowfish This is a fun one. I'd never listened to Hootie and the Blowfish before, so this totally new to me. It's definitely catchy, and a feel-good song. "Rising out of the ashes of Grunge" said the internet, which amused me.

Try Musical Chairs, Looking out for Lucky or Cracked Rearview if you going for more Hootie and the Blowfish

15. Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai I like music, all kinds. I would call myself open-minded that way. And most music, I can meet halfway, you know - go to where that music is and get into it. And then sometimes there's music that comes to me and by the time I start listening, it's already inside. And that's where this song is. I can't even say I feel that way about most r&b or funk or jazz or whatever you would call this one. But this song and this sound really works for me. I'd never heard Jamiroquai before, so a huge thank you for this one.

From the album Travelling Without Moving if you want to hear the rest of it, this track one of my favourites.

16. Search for the Hero by M People Another new one. I like the singer's voice and the jazzy percussion. I would definitely like to hear more of this group. When I first heard the song, I thought, it must be on the soundtrack of one of the Lion King movies! But no.

Lion King movie!??! Surely you mean Peugeot car ad!

17. The Show Goes On by Bruce Hornsby & The Range I like Bruce Hornsby well enough, but he just doesn't excite me. The few songs of his I know sound very much alike, and this one was hard to listen to just because I kept expecting it to turn into to something else, maybe "End of the Innocence". It's not a bad sound - I couldn't dislike it. But not a favorite.

My final favourite, and I think of all of them the only one we disagree on, which is probably a good thing.

Overall, a very enjoyable mix. A slightly higher ratio of known to unknown songs than usual, but it was fun to revisit some memories. And also a couple of discoveries I'm really psyched about. Thanks a lot, Alan.

Your welcome glad you liked the mix, and if you follow up on those new discoveries, I think you'll be please.

Alan's Mix

2008-05-05T10:13:00.002Z

Hey Alan-

Yours will be in the mail tomorrow!

Sorry for the delay-

Live and Unleashed - Reverse Review

2008-05-04T16:00:00.003Z

Live and Unleashed: the tracks are all either live or recorded in a single take

Smoke Rings - Laurie Anderson
At first I thought this was going to be really soporific and a bit pedestrian. But before I realised it, it had reached out tentacles and started to draw me in. Strange, beautiful and captivating. I'd like to hear more. (I gather Laurie married Lou Reed recently, which seems a bit odd as I didn't think Lou was into that kind of thing. But what do I know?

This is from the concert movie and album 'Home of the Brave' and it is a good introduction to Laurie Anderson's first couple of albums. One of the strangest instruments she uses on it is a tape bow, which is a violin bow with a piece of magnetic tape mounted on it, played across a tape head on a violin.

Clocks - Ed Alleyne-Johnson
Ah, the Chester busker! I don't much care for Coldplay so it won't be a surprise that I like this version better than the original. All the same, a little goes a long way and I suspect that this works best on a sunny Saturday under the Rows.

The double cd that this comes from is effectively one single performance with different cover versions of songs strung together. It makes me want to go the Chester on the off chance of seeing him live.

Life During Wartime - Talking Heads
I can take all the Talking Heads I can get. The only thing I regret about this live performance is not being there. Tight and funky and exhilarating as ever.

'Stop Making Sense' is probably the definitive concert movie. I love the way that the instruments are introduced one by one, starting with the empty stage and David Byrne in his big suit with an acoustic guitar.

News Rave - Bill Bailey
Witty electronic funk built around the Greenwich Time Signal, with a manic rant from the Billy Connolly of the West Country himself. Fun, and blessedly short so it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Bill Bailey is a very accomplished musician and makes switching between a huge array of different weird and wonderful instruments look effortless.

Rez/Cowgirl - Underworld
This kind of synthetic electronical really isn't my kind of thing I'm afraid. It lacks wit and subtlety and it gives me a headache. At one point the robotic voice seems to be saying, over and over again, "I'm invisible". I found myself wishing it was inaudible. Sorry.

I suspected that this one perhaps wouldn't be to your tastes. It doesn't really work listening to it on a cd at home - you need to be in a crowd of like minded people and dancing to the layered rhythms as they get built up on top of each other.

Tour de France 2003 - Kraftwerk
More of the same. This, however, does have a bit of subtlety about it at least. Still not my kind of thing but I could wish this was the almost 12-minute track and not the previous one.

The original 12" version of this is one of my favourite dance records. This live version is quite different in feel, but still very effective I think. Incidentally Bill Bailey does a wonderful parody of Kraftwerk singing the Hokey Cokey in one of his concerts.

Not So Manic Now - Client B (Sarah Blackwood)
I don't know who Sarah Blackwood is but she says this was originally a Dubstar song and I think I've heard of them so presumably she was associated with them. This, however, is treated in a folky way and in a voice that milks its Yorkshireness for all its worth, as if she's trying to be a second Kate Rusby. Or maybe it's the other way round, I don't know. Nice voice though, I'd loke to hear more. Nelly McKay's Ding Dong was a favourite from my last mix and this is another neurosis-as-song, but without quite having Nelly's charm.

Sarah Blackwood was the lead vocalist in the band Dubstar and is now part of the group Client. She's originally from Halifax, and I love her accent as a contrast to the bland transatlantic warblings that you usually hear.

Across the Alley from the Alamo - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
What a contrast! If I cared about such things I'd worry that this was desperately uncool, but I don't, and I really enjoyed this bit of period cowboy jazz. Very infectious. Good call.

Bob Wills was a true musical pioneer of the genre known as Western Swing pulling together diverse influences of blues and folk music and eventually developing into Country and Western. He travelled around the mid west and south with a large and varied band of 'playboys' acting as a sort of musical MC to their fantastic musicianship.

Kung Fu Internationale - John Cooper Clarke
Not a song, but a piece of performance poetry. As such it's not something you really want to be listening to at home, but as a taster of what was undoubtedly a very enjoyable evening in the back room of a pub somewhere it's a mouthwatering tease. You really had to be there

This is a piece I recommend to people who don't get the idea of rhythm in poetry, and the links with song writing.

John Otway - Cheryl's Going Home
Oh hello there Neil, it was you all along, wasn't it! John Otway trades on being awful, which he isn't at all. Over a good, if not spectacular, driving beat he weaves his idiosycratic vocal line into something immensely enjoyable.

This is a staple of his live set, and comes from the cd 'The Set Remains the Same'. He managed at one point to get a whole rock opera out of the song in conjunction with the poet Atilla the Stockbroker.

My Generation - The Who
A live set, with not just the title song but See Me Feel Me and a lot of rollicking good Who type rock which nevre gets tedious and is over a lot sooner than the track indicator says it ought to. A terrific finish to the mix

Probably the definitive record of a live concert. The recent digital remaster of the whole concert is the one to get.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Comments to Will

2008-05-04T03:04:00.002Z

It's true, I did try to tailor the mix to your taste as much as possible - or as much as I knew or could guess of it. I had more confidence in some songs than others.

1. Breathless - X
No messing about, straight in with something that rocks! . . .

Great! I swiped this from Helly's Alan, punk rock aficionado, so I'll share the credit.

2. Ruby Soho - Rancid
The Clash. The Clash. The Clash [. . .] But this song has a great punk feel with the right amount of reggae backbeat mixed in

Another one from Helly and Alan's wedding CD. Apparently the reggae touch is too fine for my palate to detect - just sounds like stompin punk rock to me. Your story encourages me, as I assumed all kids are bound to attach to the music their parents hate the most.

3. Oh, Oh, I love Her So - The Ramones
"I met her at the Burger King.
We fell in love at the soda machine."
Two minutes of power packed energy. Tell the story and then get out.

Yeah, isn't this a great little tune? I miss the Ramones. And I really regret not having a clue who they were when they were still around. I wasn't cool that way in high school.

4. Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand

I don't think you can be my age (or, um, older) and not at least once have jumped around to this song at a party. Sounds better in French, though, doesn't it?

5. Lipstick - Imperial Teen
It starts wonderfully, full of promise, the music has a wonderful raw edge to it and I really am liking this. The bass kicks in, the guitar rides over the top, heck, even the lyrics have an edge to them. I do feel like he needs to be more shouty. He needs an edge to his voice. In spite of this, I like the song, a plus, overall.

I agree with your comment - the vocals are definitely weak on this one. I like the singer better on another one, called Yoo Hoo, and that's got a little more going on in the chorus, too. Still, I like this song a lot anyway.

6. California - Little Red Rocket
Who are Little Red Rocket? A sort of cross between The Bangles and Veruca Salt with a little B52s thrown in. Have you ever heard "Come back to Texas" by Bowling For Soup, one of my favourite songs? The lyrics are very reminiscent of that. Liked it.

Funny you mention Bowling For Soup. I noticed a CD at Border's - never heard of them and wanted to listen just because I liked the CD cover, but they don't have the little headphone station anymore. Then I ran across them on someone's blog, and then in an article about something, and now here. I'll have to listen to them eventually. This group, Little Red Rocket, was an Athens group formed by two teenage girls - I don't think either one of them was old enough to get into the clubs they played in. They've since gone on to other projects.

7. Welcome to Tijuana - Manu Chao
Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't get me wrong, I loved this song. However it is one of those songs that starts to creep up on you at totally the wrong time. And there is a time and place to sing songs that creep up on you unnoticed. It isn't a good moment when you are wandering around a classroom, checking up on kid's work, singing along:
Welcome to Tijuana,
Tequila, sexo y marihuana.
Thanks for that :^)

Ha ha - it happens to me all the time. At this point in the mix, we've moved onto a theme. I wondered if you'd like that laidback sound.

8. Mi Vida Brilla - Aterciopelados
My life shines - thanks for noticing! I'm sure that the lyrics to this are wonderful. I'm sure that you thought long and hard about choosing this. But (unfortunately for this track) I'm a music man first, lyrics guy second (actually, Maria will tell you that lyrics tend to come in a poor fourth after music, music, music). This was something that Phil Collins could have sung along to...sorry, because (in my world) it don't get much worse than that.

I did choose it for the lyrics, translating it to myself as "My life is brilliant," which seems like something you would say. :-) A friend of mine put me on to the group and it took a lot of listens before the songs started to grow on me. I agree that this one isn't remarkable musically, although this one has really grown on me over time.

9. Es Por Ti - Juanes
Ooooooooooo, I've just got a new mobile phone and it comes with Juanes wallpaper, Juanes themes, Juanes ringtones. I'm not using any of them! Are you scared about what I'm going to say next!!??!! I like this. It is on constant rotation, at the moment, on MTVMexico, which means that I was already familiar with it. However, it wasn't on my mp3 player before - 'tis now! Don't know how familiar you are with the works of Sr. Juanes but there are other songs that I do like more. But thanks for this - am scoring a certain amount of "street cred" points!

It's STILL on constant rotation? This was my souvenir from my last trip to Mexico in 2002, five years ago! And the song A Dios Le Pido was on the radio approximately every thirty seconds and I had it memorized before I bought the CD. That one CD is all I know of Juanes, but most of it I like a lot. This was my favorite love song and I thought you would like the words.

10. Crystal Frontier - Calexico
Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, anyone who has rocks in the back of his throat (hell, Edith Piaff) would have made this song brilliant. (Can I use the word edge again?) I know this isn't a country song, I know that it is trying to be Tex-Mex in its sound, but it just needs to be a little more rough in the vocals. It is a song that tells a pain-staking story (or two), it needs vocals that add to that pain. Now, if you can find me a cover version done by Rick Astley, I'd love it :^) And I am being serious! It needs to be more blues-y, more something.

Oh, too bad! I had more confidence in this one - it's a new acquisition to me and it about knocked me over the first time I heard it. I love the vocals, the understated quality of the voice that somehow makes the story more haunting and sad. Like he's holding it in so he can get it out at all, the way you tell awful things in a whisper or a toneless voice because if you let out any emotion you just lose it altogether. The way some of the men I know talk about their border crossings and the people they knew that died. This song/band is like a new crush for me, I'm still not over it at all. Don't talk to me about Rick Astley right now.

11. Mexican Moon - Concrete Blonde
This is going to be your favourite track on the whole CD - I know that because...because if this was playing in a supermarket I'd stop shopping and walk out the store. If this was playing in an elevator, I'd get out at the next floor. There is probably a nice way to say how I feel about this song but the words escape me for the moment. It takes 50+ seconds for the vocals to kick in and I don't blame the vocalist. If I was asked to sing along to this I'd hesitate a hell of a lot longer. Too harsh? Sorry. I knew you'd like it :^(

It's not my favorite track on the CD, but I like it a lot more than you do! I suddenly remembered it when I was trying to add to the southwestern theme and grabbed it off of iTunes. I'd had the album on cassette ages ago, and that was one of two songs that stood out for me. This one is so dreamy, gives me that peaceful feeling of two glasses of wine and a cigarette outdoors on a cool evening.

12. Mahna, Mahna - Cake.
Rule number one: Don't mess with The Muppets. There is one definitive version of this song and it is done by The Muppets. Nuff said!

This was the only one I regretted after I'd burned the CD. I kept going back and forth on Cake selections. I mean, you have to admire the daring, to tread on such hallowed ground.

13. David - Nellie McKay
Promise you won't tell anyone I said this? I liked this. I have no idea who this person is, never heard of her before. If you were to ask me, in public, about this song I would have to say that I spent most of the time with my head in a kitchen drawer, slamming it shut, repeatedly. However, between you and me, I liked it. Would this be the wrong moment to mention it made me think of "Belleville Rendez-vous", which I also liked. I'll go stand in the corner for a bit.

Why would you not want anyone to know that you like a song by the brilliant and delightful Nellie McKay?? What's Belleville Rendez-vous?

14. Private Suit - Bettie Serveert
Either I know this or it sounds like something I've heard before. Maybe that's it - it sounds like something I've heard before - and it just washed over me. I kept trying to listen to it, hitting rewind, sitting down, forcing myself to listen to it, and the next thing you know is that I'm in the next room doing something else. It just didn't hold my attention. Sorry. The word "generic" comes to mind. There is nothing in this to catch on to, nothing new, nothing different. I think I've heard it before. And I probably didn't listen to it then.

Oh, well. Chaqu'un a son gout. One of my favorite bands.

15. Nobody - Paul Simon
Paul Simon is a poet. These are lyrics that I would quite happily sing to Maria. Hell, so long as she doesn't read this I might just cut and paste them into an email! Yay me!

I chose it for just that reason! I won't say anything.

16. Secret Heart - Ron Sexsmith
This is a real person! That is his real name!! Damn, I was hoping he was a rapper with a made-up name!!! But no, it appears that: His first five albums are generally melancholic pop-folk with elegant melodies, accentuated use of guitars and economic application of other instruments. Nancy, I love you, I really do. We love you, we both do!! But this is a generally melancholic pop-folk song with elegant melodies, accentuated use of guitars and an economic application of other instruments. Me, I'm putting my head in the kitchen drawer again!!!!

Feist recorded this song and had (I think) a hit with it, but he's the one who wrote it. I like melancholic pop-folk with blah blah blah, wasn't sure if you would - clearly not.

17. Blue Magic - Kelly Hogan
Good News - this isn't Hulk Hogan's daughter. This song needs to be listened to at 11:37pm as you drive out the city on into the desert. The top down on your convertible, the music system on full, the sky full of stars, the wind in your hair. At some stage, you need to drive past Slash, doing the guitar solo, in the middle of nowhere. Wonderful guitar solos.

This, believe it or not, is the song I MOST hoped you wouldn't hate, and I'm very relieved to see that you don't. Kelly Hogan is my one long-enduring, unrequited girl crush. She's from Atlanta and I got to know her in a band called the Jody Grind - my first date with my husband, actually. Two of its members died in a car crash way too early on in their career, in the early 90s. This song came from some work she did with the remaining band member, Bill Taft, in the aftermath, but she didn't record this with him. I actually hate this recording of this gorgeous song because the vocal track is mixed way too low.

18. Into My Arms - Nick Cave
It's Nick Cave - do I have to say more? But I will. The lyrics are perfect. The vocals are perfect. The emotion in this song is wonderful. A fantastic end to the CD!

I was 99% sure you would love this song.

...but wait...what's this?....

19. Bonus Track
Promise that you won't tell anyone this? I have a weird love for Gilbert and Sullivan. I have performed in three of their operettas and produced one. I am that boring person who sings along when, Sideshow Bob or Bart, break into song in "The Simpsons". I love Gilbert and Sullivan!! I am also English! I am not British. I am not European. I am English!! So, the bonus track is from H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is the song "For He Is An Englishman". Loved it!!

That makes me happy. There was the danger you'd think it was a bad joke.

from Nancy to Will with love

2008-05-03T23:10:00.000Z

You know that moment, when you read a track listing, and you know that someone has really thought long and hard about what they are doing? That's what happened when I read the track listing on the CD I got from Nancy. I knew she had spent hours, thinking carefully, about what she was going to send me. She knew a lot of my story, she knew what songs she was going to send me. The CD track listing was wonderful.

And now, breathe...

1. Breathless - X
No messing about, straight in with something that rocks! It's not a cover of The Corrs (which was a bit scary at first) and definitely not a cover of Shayne Ward (thank the powers that be) but was a straight forward X rendition of Breathless. And this is the way I'd like to be breathless - maxim pogoing, excessive bouncing around. Music is supposed to be fun (in my book) and this is fun, Fun, FUN!

2. Ruby Soho - Rancid
The Clash. The Clash. The Clash. I have a history with this track. I was convinced, the first time that I heard this track (many moons ago) that this was The Clash - could Tim Armstrong sound more like Joe Strummer on this track? My son was listening to it and my heart soared! Yes!! My son is listening to The Clash - my job, as a parent, is done! Of course it isn't The Clash, it's Rancid (who, my son informed me, are the founding fathers of punk - which cost him three years in his bedroom, on bread and water). But this song has a great punk feel with the right amount of reggae backbeat mixed in (which, for those of you taking notes, is very little - all songs should try to avoid reggae...are you listening Joe?).

3. Oh, Oh, I love Her So - The Ramones
"I met her at the Burger King.
We fell in love at the soda machine."
Two minutes of power packed energy. Tell the story and then get out. The Ramones are gods - and unfortunately most of them are in heaven as I type. The early 70s was not a great time to listen to music as a pre-teenager/teenager. The only drugs that were readily available were sugar, sugar, and sugar. If you could lay your hands on anything harder then you could listen to Yes, Genesis, Rick Wakeman, ELP, and anything else that went on and on and on and on. What I wanted was something fast, something energetic, something that didn't talk about trolls and orcs. I got the Ramones! Was I happy? Gabba, gabba hey, I was happy! The Ramones are gods. Nuff said.

4. Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand
Blondie sang in French on Denise, Denise. Nena sang in German on 99 Red Balloons. And Plastic Betrand was French (yes, I know Nena was German!). Did I care? No! I bounced around the room in 1978 and I was still bouncing around (thirty years later) in 2008. Of course, thanks to the power of the t'internet I now know I was dancing to lyrics that went:

Wham!
Bam!
Someone poured whiskey on my cat, Splash
And lit him
He went "boof"
While he was on my bed
I tried to put him out with a broom
My goitre problem got in the way (I sleep naked?)
Very quickly
Ouch,Ouch,Ouch,Ouch
In four colours
Ey up!
One morning
There's loot at my place
It's my shit wrapped in plastic
Horse's in fishnets
Spare a drop in one's mouth
It's a very grand beer dance
I like my beer in a big glass
And spew
Ooo,Ooo,Ooo,Ooo

Come on you Indians in your igloos
That's life for me.
Me, me, me, me
Ey up!
The mother
Is larger than a panel
What a vibration
And a voyage through passion
Be my dirty passenger
And ride in my lime Combi
You are King of the divan
Oh,Oh,Oh,Oh
I'm King of the divan
That's life for me
Ey up!
Occupy me
Touch my trinkets
Touch my little house plant
It's not today that I wish to talk of tambourines
Or the head of a mannequin
Yeah,Yeah,Yeah,Yeah
That's life for me
Repeat thrice...
Ey up!
My Nana's the best
She's bizzarre
Marry me
And carry my case
Lever me onto the bar
My life force will come for a grand cocktail
Oh yeah,Yeah,Yeah,Yeah
Dance on the plate
That's life for me
My life for me

Yes, I fell stupid now! But, there again, I have had haircuts that I don't like to talk about :^)

5. Lipstick - Imperial Teen
It starts wonderfully, full of promise, the music has a wonderful raw edge to it and I really am liking this. The bass kicks in, the guitar rides over the top, heck, even the lyrics have an edge to them. I do feel like he needs to be more shouty. He needs an edge to his voice. In spite of this, I like the song, a plus, overall.

6. California - Little Red Rocket
Who are Little Red Rocket? A sort of cross between The Bangles and Veruca Salt with a little B52s thrown in. Have you ever heard "Come back to Texas" by Bowling For Soup, one of my favourite songs? The lyrics are very reminiscent of that. Liked it.

7. Welcome to Tijuana - Manu Chao
Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't get me wrong, I loved this song. However it is one of those songs that starts to creep up on you at totally the wrong time. And there is a time and place to sing songs that creep up on you unnoticed. It isn't a good moment when you are wandering around a classroom, checking up on kid's work, singing along:
Welcome to Tijuana,
Tequila, sexo y marihuana.
Thanks for that :^)

8. Mi Vida Brilla - Aterciopelados
My life shines - thanks for noticing! I'm sure that the lyrics to this are wonderful. I'm sure that you thought long and hard about choosing this. But (unfortunately for this track) I'm a music man first, lyrics guy second (actually, Maria will tell you that lyrics tend to come in a poor fourth after music, music, music). This was something that Phil Collins could have sung along to...sorry, because (in my world) it don't get much worse than that.

9. Es Por Ti - Juanes
Ooooooooooo, I've just got a new mobile phone and it comes with Juanes wallpaper, Juanes themes, Juanes ringtones. I'm not using any of them! Are you scared about what I'm going to say next!!??!! I like this. It is on constant rotation, at the moment, on MTVMexico, which means that I was already familiar with it. However, it wasn't on my mp3 player before - 'tis now! Don't know how familiar you are with the works of Sr. Juanes but there are other songs that I do like more. But thanks for this - am scoring a certain amount of "street cred" points!

10. Crystal Frontier - Calexico
Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, anyone who has rocks in the back of his throat (hell, Edith Piaff) would have made this song brilliant. (Can I use the word edge again?) I know this isn't a country song, I know that it is trying to be Tex-Mex in its sound, but it just needs to be a little more rough in the vocals. It is a song that tells a pain-staking story (or two), it needs vocals that add to that pain. Now, if you can find me a cover version done by Rick Astley, I'd love it :^) And I am being serious! It needs to be more blues-y, more something.

11. Mexican Moon - Concrete Blonde
This is going to be your favourite track on the whole CD - I know that because...because if this was playing in a supermarket I'd stop shopping and walk out the store. If this was playing in an elevator, I'd get out at the next floor. There is probably a nice way to say how I feel about this song but the words escape me for the moment. It takes 50+ seconds for the vocals to kick in and I don't blame the vocalist. If I was asked to sing along to this I'd hesitate a hell of a lot longer. Too harsh? Sorry. I knew you'd like it :^(

12. Mahna, Mahna - Cake.
Rule number one: Don't mess with The Muppets. There is one definitive version of this song and it is done by The Muppets. Nuff said!

13. David - Nellie McKay
Promise you won't tell anyone I said this? I liked this. I have no idea who this person is, never heard of her before. If you were to ask me, in public, about this song I would have to say that I spent most of the time with my head in a kitchen drawer, slamming it shut, repeatedly. However, between you and me, I liked it. Would this be the wrong moment to mention it made me think of "Belleville Rendez-vous", which I also liked. I'll go stand in the corner for a bit.

14. Private Suit - Bettie Serveert
Either I know this or it sounds like something I've heard before. Maybe that's it - it sounds like something I've heard before - and it just washed over me. I kept trying to listen to it, hitting rewind, sitting down, forcing myself to listen to it, and the next thing you know is that I'm in the next room doing something else. It just didn't hold my attention. Sorry. The word "generic" comes to mind. There is nothing in this to catch on to, nothing new, nothing different. I think I've heard it before. And I probably didn't listen to it then.

15. Nobody - Paul Simon
Paul Simon is a poet. These are lyrics that I would quite happily sing to Maria. Hell, so long as she doesn't read this I might just cut and paste them into an email! Yay me!

16. Secret Heart - Ron Sexsmith
This is a real person! That is his real name!! Damn, I was hoping he was a rapper with a made-up name!!! But no, it appears that: His first five albums are generally melancholic pop-folk with elegant melodies, accentuated use of guitars and economic application of other instruments. Nancy, I love you, I really do. We love you, we both do!! But this is a generally melancholic pop-folk song with elegant melodies, accentuated use of guitars and an economic application of other instruments. Me, I'm putting my head in the kitchen drawer again!!!!

17. Blue Magic - Kelly Hogan
Good News - this isn't Hulk Hogan's daughter. This song needs to be listened to at 11:37pm as you drive out the city on into the desert. The top down on your convertible, the music system on full, the sky full of stars, the wind in your hair. At some stage, you need to drive past Slash, doing the guitar solo, in the middle of nowhere. Wonderful guitar solos.

18. Into My Arms - Nick Cave
It's Nick Cave - do I have to say more? But I will. The lyrics are perfect. The vocals are perfect. The emotion in this song is wonderful. A fantastic end to the CD!

...but wait...what's this?....

19. Bonus Track
Promise that you won't tell anyone this? I have a weird love for Gilbert and Sullivan. I have performed in three of their operettas and produced one. I am that boring person who sings along when, Sideshow Bob or Bart, break into song in "The Simpsons". I love Gilbert and Sullivan!! I am also English! I am not British. I am not European. I am English!! So, the bonus track is from H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is the song "For He Is An Englishman". Loved it!!

Wow! That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Sometimes it is very difficult to actually put in words why a certain song works for you. The good news (for Nancy) is that the CD will slip into the rotation. It will be in the changer, tracks will come up, people will ask who it is, and I will be able to answer. Thanks!

2008-05-03T20:39:00.000Z

Live and Unleashed: the tracks are all either live or recorded in a single take

Smoke Rings - Laurie Anderson
At first I thought this was going to be really soporific and a bit pedestrian. But before I realised it, it had reached out tentacles and started to draw me in. Strange, beautiful and captivating. I'd like to hear more. (I gather Laurie married Lou Reed recently, which seems a bit odd as I didn't think Lou was into that kind of thing. But what do I know?

Clocks - Ed Alleyne-Johnson
Ah, the Chester busker! I don't much care for Coldplay so it won't be a surprise that I like this version better than the original. All the same, a little goes a long way and I suspect that this works best on a sunny Saturday under the Rows.

Life During Wartime - Talking Heads
I can take all the Talking Heads I can get. The only thing I regret about this live performance is not being there. Tight and funky and exhilarating as ever.

News Rave - Bill Bailey
Witty electronic funk built around the Greenwich Time Signal, with a manic rant from the Billy Connolly of the West Country himself. Fun, and blessedly short so it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Rez/Cowgirl - Underworld
This kind of synthetic electronical really isn't my kind of thing I'm afraid. It lacks wit and subtlety and it gives me a headache. At one point the robotic voice seems to be saying, over and over again, "I'm invisible". I found myself wishing it was inaudible. Sorry.

Tour de France 2003 - Kraftwerk
More of the same. This, however, does have a bit of subtlety about it at least. Still not my kind of thing but I could wish this was the almost 12-minute track and not the previous one.

Not So Manic Now - Client B (Sarah Blackwood)
I don't know who Sarah Blackwood is but she says this was originally a Dubstar song and I think I've heard of them so presumably she was associated with them. This, however, is treated in a folky way and in a voice that milks its Yorkshireness for all its worth, as if she's trying to be a second Kate Rusby. Or maybe it's the other way round, I don't know. Nice voice though, I'd loke to hear more. Nelly McKay's Ding Dong was a favourite from my last mix and this is another neurosis-as-song, but without quite having Nelly's charm.

Across the Alley from the Alamo - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
What a contrast! If I cared about such things I'd worry that this was desperately uncool, but I don't, and I really enjoyed this bit of period cowboy jazz. Very infectious. Good call.

Kung Fu Internationale - John Cooper Clarke
Not a song, but a piece of performance poetry. As such it's not something you really want to be listening to at home, but as a taster of what was undoubtedly a very enjoyable evening in the back room of a pub somewhere it's a mouthwatering tease. You really had to be there

John Otway - Cheryl's Going Home
Oh hello there Neil, it was you all along, wasn't it! John Otway trades on being awful, which he isn't at all. Over a good, if not spectacular, driving beat he weaves his idiosycratic vocal line into something immensely enjoyable.

My Generation - The Who
A live set, with not just the title song but See Me Feel Me and a lot of rollicking good Who type rock which nevre gets tedious and is over a lot sooner than the track indicator says it ought to. A terrific finish to the mix

a reply to neil's review

2008-05-03T19:26:00.002Z

OK, forgive me if this isn't what I'm supposed to do - I'm new at this - but, having read through back posts, it appears that "the person who sent the damn CD in the first place has to apologise in public". So that is what I am doing.

1 Glosli - Sigur Ros

This is a bit of a strange track that builds slowly from an odd start sounding like somebody marching on cardboard boxes accompanied by some strangulated warbling, to something rather magnificent. The vocals are tantalisingly indistinct, remaining just out of reach but I suspect that that is the idea. I suspect this needs to be listened to at maximum volume for best effect, so I did. The music box at the end is lovely too.

This is our get-out-of-bed track. Try it. Put it on the CD alarm and wake up to it. It builds, slowly, and, by the time you have to throw back the sheets and get on with your life, it is invigorating. Sigur Ros is a group that Maria was convinced I would not like (and I was convinced I wouldn't)! However, she was wrong (me too). I like music. I like music that affects me and this affects me! Glad you liked it.

2. Dead - My Chemical Romance

A complete contrast here, bouncy fun rock that skips along in a quite jaunty and charming manner. Not what I was expecting at all, but that's because I was probably expecting it to sound like the Chemical Brothers - doh! Enjoyable in a west coast punk style, and it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Good. It is scary sending out songs that you really like to someone else. This song makes me bounce! It makes me run round the room! This song is pure sugar, pure energy. And, it is quick in-and-out fun! Unless you listen to the lyrics!

3. Matador - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Oh my. This is excellent. Football whistles, thumping great drums, latino vocals and everything. I want this on my GTA soundtrack now, so I can drive around Little Havana in Vice City listening to it.

Tee-hee! There is so much Latin American music that I don't get (don't get me started on Mariachi) but this just rocks. There is no other place in the world that this could have come from. Hell, I'm going to slap it on the player now, as I type - which will just mean that the rest of my replies will be tainted by bouncing along to Matador. Maria wants to know if you have read the lyrics? She will send you a translation if you wish :^)

4. Handlebars - Flobots

This is quite a clever rap, but it doesn't really grab me. It sounds a bit too much like the Weird Al Yankovich parody 'White and Nerdy'.

First time I heard it I thought it was Weird Al too! However, once you start to listen to the lyrics it becomes excessively political...really? You thought you'd get away without a little politics thrown in there? I'd expect the same from you - except it might be a little bit more anti-religion rather than anti-global-domination. That said, I found that I keep catching myself, wandering around, singing "I can ride my bike with no handlebars" at the most inappropriate times - sorry to the sixth grade for disturbing their maths exam.

5. Billy Bragg - New England

An absolute classic, and one I have on vinyl up in the attic. "It's wrong to wish on space hardware" is probably one of my all time favourite song lyrics.

Except for the lyric "in the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of unrequited", which is just brilliant, I know where you are coming from. As luvverly as Kirsty MacColl is, this really is the better version!

6. Me Voy - Juilieta Vengas

I love this one, a song that manages to be upbeat and whistful at the same time, and quite lovely with it.

Juilieta Vengas - Si was the first CD that Maria bought for me. This song isn't on the CD but (thanks to MTVMexico) I have heard a lot of her music. I thought that this was the one to send. It is luvverly, isn't it?

7. The Jeep Song - The Dresden Dolls

I saw this pair playing at the Leadmill a while ago and they reminded a bit of a goth version of The White Stripes, but this is not one of their better tracks I think. The drummer chap can't really sing, and when he joins in it all sounds a bit naff. Thumbs down, I'm afraid.

Damn, damn, and triple damn. It is my fault because I (foolishly) didn't think you'd know The Dresden Dolls. And then it turns out that you have seen them live! Damn you neil h. and your street cred! Yes, it isn't their best track, and I know that I should be sending bestest tracks, but it is an accessible track. If you wanted to get someone hooked on The Dresden Dolls what would you send? I thought this was fun, quirky, and interesting enough to spark an interest. Now I discover that the interest was already there - I apologise.

8. 2 +2 = 5 - Radiohead

In theory I should like Radiohead, but for some reason I have never really listened to them. I think that this song has convinced me to remedy that, so I'm going to buy a copy of OK Computer in the near future and sit down and give it a proper hearing.

OK, I cheated (a bit) in my choice of music. I know of your love of Mr. Wild Willy Barrett and his home-made guitar and so I went for a guitar based Radiohead track. If you liked this you might be better off with "Hail to the Thief". Don't get me wrong, Radiohead is wonderful, but this is indicative of that album, not necessarily of "OK Computer". In passing, Creep is my favourite Radiohead track, and (if you like your guitars) Prince did a cover of it at Cochella this year. You might not be able to find any copies of it on the t'internet because TAFKAP can be a bit touchy about the t'internet. However, if you can find a copy, listen to it.

9. Authority Song - Jimmy Eat World

Hmm, this drifted by without me noticing and I had to skip back to listen to it again. A bit too bland, I think.

Fair enough. Again I probably messed up. There are better tracks and, you're right, this is probably bland and predictable. I'm learning. Next person gets "Bleed American".

10. Que Onda Guero - Beck

Another popular band that I have managed to avoid (see Radiohead), this track really appeals to me with the ambient street sounds and the rap lyrics referring to mariachi bands, followed by a Spanish chorus. This is what the Flobots should sound like, I think. Another must for the GTA soundtrack.

The problem with Beck is that he is eclectic. He is all over the place, pulling ideas from wherever he wants (bit like a male Bjork). In most cases it works for me but then there are the times it doesn't. He has a 75% hit rate with each album. 25% of each album I hate, really hate but the other 75% is just pure brilliance. This track is fantastic and has a special significance for me - because I am blond (guero) in Mexico!

11. DJ DJ - Transplants

Ooh, another goody. Very catchy intro and bassline, and a nice boppy beat. Reminds me of the Beastie Boys in some ways, which is a good thing in case you were wondering.

This just makes me laugh. In fact The Transplants make me laugh. They are sooooo angry, so annoyed with the world, and yet they are so ineffectual. And, yeah, I think you are right to compare them with the Beasties.

12. Skin and Bones - Foo Fighters

Yet another example of a popular band that is new to me, and I'm guessing this is an atypical example of their stuff. A very spare intro sets the scene nicely before the drums join in and the occasional burst of guitar, and then what sounds like a harmonica. I wasn't sure about this at first, but it has grown on me with subsequent listens.

Atypical - yes. The Foos (hey, they are out there fighting the forces of Foo so that you and I can sleep safely in our beds) are a shouty band. But I thought that there was going to be way too much shouty music on this CD and decided to give you a respite. This is from an "unplugged" album - less shouting and more musical. Glad that it grew on you.

13. Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

Very reminiscent of Iggy Pop, or maybe Psychedelic Furs, with growly vocals over a menacing bass and a nice tight drum beat. Yum.

It is controlled violence. There is something that is deeply sexual about She Wants Revenge, and that comment probably says waaaaay too much about me...and is slightly worrying about the fact that I sent the track to another man :^) Shall we just move on...?

14. New Best Friend - The Lashes

Sounds like a church organ to start with, before the vocals start and everything kicks off in a rather satisfying way. Not outstanding, but good, solid stuff.

Part of the fun of doing this is the chance to throw in odd tracks from bands that I (hope) the listener has never heard of. I know that (some of) the idea is to get people to discover new bands and fall in love with them but (and this is just me) sometimes I'd like to just say: here's a band that you've never heard of, playing a song that you will never hear again, and your day isn't ruined. Damn, it's the teacher in me. Now you can answer a question in a pub quiz and look really knowledgeable without leaving home! My job is done. "Solid", that'll do.

15. Irish Blood, English Heart - Morrisey

I have a bit of problem with Morrisey. Don't get me wrong - I loved the Smiths and still consider them to be one of the defining sounds of the 80s, but Morrisey's subsequent solo career has been a bit of a curate's egg. Parts of it are excellent - 'Suedehead' and more recently 'You have killed me' were very good, but there have been some decidedly average tracks in there as well. I sort of like this, but then again I don't really. Hmmm, that sounds hopelessly indecisive. Sorry.

Again, Morrissey makes me laugh. I know I shouldn't but I do. I (sort of) knew that you would know most of The Smiths' back-catalogue, didn't know that you would know of his solo career. I liked most of the album - You Are The Quarry - and just went for a more accessible track. Be indecisive...I think he is :^)

16. Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park

I initially thought this was Green Day, but a glance at the track list put me straight. It almost veers into a sort of mawkish U2 style ballad at one point, particularly in the guitar break at the end, and I think I prefer them when they are doing more in your face punky sort of stuff.

YES, me too. I love Linkin Park when they are shouting! However (as mentioned in the comment about The Foo Fighters), I was worried about too many shouty songs. This struck me as being not Linkin Park, enough not like them to actually be someone else. And, yes, you have hit the nail on the head. Listen to it one more time, except this time think: U2 - With or Without You.

17. Into Action - Tim Armstrong

A complete contrast now, with a lovely, upbeat, bouncy bit of ska that makes me want to lace up my dms and start jumping around the room. Excellent - two thumbs up!

Ok, time to be honest. I slipped two songs into this compilation by Tim Armstrong. The Transplants is also Tim Armstrong - except as The Transplants he is also joined by another rapper and the drummer from Blink 182. I have this deep down desire to hate Mr. Armstrong because I was once informed, by my (then) fifteen year old son that Rancid were the founding fathers of punk! This was/is a group that was formed in 1991!! Their lead singer is/was Tim Armstrong. Rancid sound so much like The Clash that I was determined to hate everything they did. However, as Joe Strummer went towards a more reggae based sound with The Clash so Tim Armstrong went towards Ska. I fully wait to hear my son tell me that Mr. Armstrong was the founding father of Ska - I will then beat him over the head with every two-tone album I own...much as I hit him over the head with every Clash album I possessed.

18. Huddle Formation - The Go! Team

Another goody to finish with. I like boppy guitar based pop with female vocalists, and this fits the bill perfectly. I love the cheerleader chorus bits as well.

Yep, exactly how I described them the first time I heard them - cheerleaders on crack!

So, in summary, it certainly was a Rick Astley free zone. I have a small confession to make though - I was listening to a documentary on Radio 2 about the Stock, Aitken and Waterman phenomenon and it struck me that if you strip out the cheesy, 80s pop backing track the boy Rick has quite the most amazing singing voice and I'd love to hear him tackle some proper soul classics at some point. Anyhoo, high points of the mix that will send me scurrying to hear more of include Sigur Ros, Los Fabulosas Cadillacs, Tim Armstrong and the Go! Team.

Cool. It is scary sending out a CD full of songs that you might like/love, knowing that someone might just say "meh". I tried and, it sounds like, I suceeded. Of course, if you had hated everything then I would also have counted it as a success. Music can be very individual and if you'd not liked anything I'd have felt a better individual (we're all individuals - I'm not). I agree with you about Rick Astley's voice - didn't he start out as a tea boy at SAW? - it always reminds me of Heather Small (M People)...and that's a good thing :^)

Cheers Will - much appreciated!

Back atcha!

Review of Alan's Mix

2008-05-03T13:06:00.002Z

Alan called this mix "kind of retro" and indeed, it took me back in time!

1. Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen

I hadn't heard this one in ages. When I was a kid, I hated it - it was an ugly audio cartoon to me and I just didn't get it. Listening to it again now, well, it hasn't gotten prettier with time, but it's funnier, and it impressed me a bit that someone had the imagination to record it. I thought I'd be skipping over it, but I kept letting the track play, and though it's not a favorite, it's kind of fun.

2. Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top

Ooooh, I love ZZ Top and this song is one of my favorites! Thanks! I love their blues-infused rock, or is it the other way around?

3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2

I'm sure I liked this song well enough when it first came out, but sadly, for me, the joy was killed by way too much radio play. And I still couldn't muster much of a reaction. I never bought any of their albums and this is really all I know about their sound.

4. Industrial Disease by Dire Straits

A fun one from Dire Straits that I hadn't heard before. I like their sound which always reminded me of a more laidback ZZ Top. This song has the humor and political message I associate with the band. I like everything the keyboards are doing in this song!

5. Stainsby Girls by Chris Rea

This one really grew on me after a few repetitions. His voice seemed familiar, but when I looked him up, I only recognized the really old one, "Fool If You Think It's Over," which I wouldn't have associated with this one. Stainsby Girls is a sweet song, his raspy voice full of tenderness for not just a girl but a hometown, it sounds like.

6 & 7. Home By The Sea & Second Home By Sea

I had this album. The yellow and brown cover had images of pieces of a shape sorter game that I'd had as a kid. I think Genesis still had their edge on this one, though it was watered down in subsequent albums, I guess where Phil Collins became more dominant. The lyrics are interesting and disturbing, and I remember when "going to my room and listening to records" was a thing I did, like reading a book is now, and I would immerse myself in that particular story. . . Good song(s), good memory.

8. Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp

Or was he still John Cougar in those days? This is a good representation of what he was best at, singing the life of white, midwestern American kids. I think I like it more now, looking back on it, than I did when it first came out. This is another one that got too much airplay for me.

9. To Her Door by Paul Kelly

I fell in love with this one once I really paid attention to the words. I love a good story song, and this is lovely.

10. Africa by Toto

Awww, I LOVE this one. I had the album on cassette way back when. I love everything about this song - the melody, the instrumentation, the awesome flute line that comes in halfway through, the lyrics . . . it's getting hard to type while dancing around the living room.

11. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? by Moby

This one tells me I have to hear more of Moby. I clearly have not paid enough attention to him up to know.

12. Take On Me by A-ha

It's funny, I remember this one well from the eighties, and it was never a favorite, never one I paid much attention to. But every time it came around on your mix, I found myself singing along happily. An old acquaintance turned into an old friend.

13. Ironic by Alanis Morisette

Never cared much for this one during the month that it was on the radio every five minutes, but I did pay attention to the lyrics this time around. And joined the argument: wait, that's not what ironic means! Or is it? But I didn't really care for the song as a whole, sorry.

14. I Will Wait by Hootie and the Blowfish

This is a fun one. I'd never listened to Hootie and the Blowfish before, so this totally new to me. It's definitely catchy, and a feel-good song. "Rising out of the ashes of Grunge" said the internet, which amused me.

15. Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai

I like music, all kinds. I would call myself open-minded that way. And most music, I can meet halfway, you know - go to where that music is and get into it. And then sometimes there's music that comes to me and by the time I start listening, it's already inside. And that's where this song is. I can't even say I feel that way about most r&b or funk or jazz or whatever you would call this one. But this song and this sound really works for me. I'd never heard Jamiroquai before, so a huge thank you for this one.

16. Search for the Hero by M People

Another new one. I like the singer's voice and the jazzy percussion. I would definitely like to hear more of this group. When I first heard the song, I thought, it must be on the soundtrack of one of the Lion King movies! But no.

17. The Show Goes On by Bruce Hornsby & The Range

I like Bruce Hornsby well enough, but he just doesn't excite me. The few songs of his I know sound very much alike, and this one was hard to listen to just because I kept expecting it to turn into to something else, maybe "End of the Innocence". It's not a bad sound - I couldn't dislike it. But not a favorite.

Overall, a very enjoyable mix. A slightly higher ratio of known to unknown songs than usual, but it was fun to revisit some memories. And also a couple of discoveries I'm really psyched about. Thanks a lot, Alan.

A Rick Astley Free Zone

2008-05-03T12:30:00.001Z

1 Glosli - Sigur Ros

This is a bit of a strange track that builds slowly from an odd start sounding like somebody marching on cardboard boxes accompanied by some strangulated warbling, to something rather magnificent. The vocals are tantalisingly indistinct, remaining just out of reach but I suspect that that is the idea. I suspect this needs to be listened to at maximum volume for best effect, so I did. The music box at the end is lovely too.

2. Dead - My Chemical Romance

A complete contrast here, bouncy fun rock that skips along in a quite jaunty and charming manner. Not what I was expecting at all, but that's because I was probably expecting it to sound like the Chemical Brothers - doh! Enjoyable in a west coast punk style, and it doesn't outstay its welcome

3. Matador - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Oh my. This is excellent. Football whistles, thumping great drums, latino vocals and everything. I want this on my GTA soundtrack now, so I can drive around Little Havana in Vice City listening to it.

4. Handlebars - Flobots

This is quite a clever rap, but it doesn't really grab me. It sounds a bit too much like the Weird Al Yankovich parody 'White and Nerdy'.

5. Billy Bragg - New England

An absolute classic, and one I have on vinyl up in the attic. "It's wrong to wish on space hardware" is probably one of my all time favourite song lyrics.

6. Me Voy - Juilieta Vengas

I love this one, a song that manages to be upbeat and whistful at the same time, and quite lovely with it.

7. The Jeep Song - The Dresden Dolls

I saw this pair playing at the Leadmill a while ago and they reminded a bit of a goth version of The White Stripes, but this is not one of their better tracks I think. The drummer chap can't really sing, and when he joins in it all sounds a bit naff. Thumbs down, I'm afraid

8. 2 +2 = 5 - Radiohead

In theory I should like Radiohead, but for some reason I have never really listened to them. I think that this song has convinced me to remedy that, so I'm going to buy a copy of OK Computer in the near future and sit down and give it a proper hearing.

9. Authority Song - Jimmy Eat World

Hmm, this drifted by without me noticing and I had to skip back to listen to it again. A bit too bland, I think.

10. Que Onda Guero - Beck

Another popular band that I have managed to avoid (see Radiohead), this track really appeals to me with the ambient street sounds and the rap lyrics referring to mariachi bands, followed by a Spanish chorus. This is what the Flobots should sound like, I think. Another must for the GTA soundtrack.

11. DJ DJ - Transplants

Ooh, another goody. Very catchy intro and bassline, and a nice boppy beat. Reminds me of the Beastie Boys in some ways, which is a good thing in case you were wondering

12. Skin and Bones - Foo Fighters

Yet another example of a popular band that is new to me, and I'm guessing this is an atypical example of their stuff. A very spare intro sets the scene nicely before the drums join in and the occasional burst of guitar, and then what sounds like a harmonica. I wasn't sure about this at first, but it has grown on me with subsequent listens.

13. Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

Very reminiscent of Iggy Pop, or maybe Psychedelic Furs, with growly vocals over a menacing bass and a nice tight drum beat. Yum.

14. New Best Friend - The Lashes

Sounds like a church organ to start with, before the vocals start and everything kicks off in a rather satisfying way. Not outstanding, but good, solid stuff.

15. Irish Blood, English Heart - Morrisey

I have a bit of problem with Morrisey. Don't get me wrong - I loved the Smiths and still consider them to be one of the defining sounds of the 80s, but Morrisey's subsequent solo career has been a bit of a curate's egg. Parts of it are excellent - 'Suedehead' and more recently 'You have killed me' were very good, but there have been some decidedly average tracks in there as well. I sort of like this, but then again I don't really. Hmmm, that sounds hopelessly indecisive. Sorry.

16. Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park

I initially thought this was Green Day, but a glance at the track list put me straight. It almost veers into a sort of mawkish U2 style ballad at one point, particularly in the guitar break at the end, and I think I prefer them when they are doing more in your face punky sort of stuff.

17. Into Action - Tim Armstrong

A complete contrast now, with a lovely, upbeat, bouncy bit of ska that makes me want to lace up my dms and start jumping around the room. Excellent - two thumbs up!

18. Huddle Formation - The Go! Team

Another goody to finish with. I like boppy guitar based pop with female vocalists, and this fits the bill perfectly. I love the cheerleader chorus bits as well.

So, in summary, it certainly was a Rick Astley free zone. I have a small confession to make though - I was listening to a documentary on Radio 2 about the Stock, Aitken and Waterman phenomenon and it struck me that if you strip out the cheesy, 80s pop backing track the boy Rick has quite the most amazing singing voice and I'd love to hear him tackle some proper soul classics at some point. Anyhoo, high points of the mix that will send me scurrying to hear more of include Sigur Ros, Los Fabulosas Cadillacs, Tim Armstrong and the Go! Team.

Cheers Will - much appreciated!

Excitement sets in

2008-04-30T00:27:00.002Z

YIPEE!!! I have a new CD to listen to. And, and, and the tracklist just rocks! Now, all I have to find is enough time to settle down and listen to it :^)

Those news reports you might hear of an earthquake in Tijuana might just be me, bouncing around in my Doc Martins.

Thanks Nancy.

Hey, Alan

2008-04-28T23:27:00.003Z

Your CD arrived and it's in transit to iTunes right now. I'm already listening to some Genesis and having a vivid flashback to 1984! Looks like a good mix of the familiar and unknown.

Ping Will

2008-04-25T19:08:00.000Z

Your cd arrived today, and it promises to be a Rick Astley free zone - hurrah!

Nancy's CD

2008-04-21T11:54:00.001Z

Posted your CD off to you today. Sorry it took a while to get the mix together, and I ended up changing my mind too many times. That said, hope you like it's kinda retro.

Mixclub 6 Review

2008-04-19T08:09:00.002Z

1. It Must Be Love - Labi Siffre

The madness version of this song is one of my all time faves. This version is nicely upbeat. It's a little more "New York Coffee House" than I'm used to and there are very definite hints of ukalele in there, but on the whole it's a nice gentle song.

2. Quicksand - Travis

I loved their first album but, for some reason, never listened to anything past that. It's an interesting contrast to the previous song, cos it's - well - a bit bloody miserable :) I think it's the backing vocals that are doing it. Not a song I'd go out of my way to listen to.

3. Lawyers Guns & Money - Warren Zevon

I've been a fan of The Zev for more years than I care to remember, and this track really sums up what he's all about - the humour, the lyricism and the sardonic turn of phrase, all wrapped up with his rich baritone vocal. The man!

4. Walk in Love - The Manhattan Transfer

Oh God it's horrible! Please make it stop!

5. Morning Dew - Tim Rose

Oo this is interesting - has a nice kinda "Vietnam protest song" thing going. Fantastic vocal and some excellent drumming. I'll have to look up some more of this guys music.

6. If it's Magic - Stevie Wonder

Never been much of a fan of this genre, although I do acknowledge that Stevie Wonder is a man of towering talent. Having said that, this is a nice song.

7. Oxford Town - Richie Havens

I like this - it has a kind of Johnny Cash meets Nick Cave at Bruce Springsteen's house going. Really nice forward drive to the thing, given the steam train impression the rythmn section and mouth organ are doing. Nice track.

8. Dance me to the end of love - Leonard Cohen

It's Leonard Cohen, therefore it's the best thing ever regardless of what it actually sounds like. Everything he's ever written, recorded, or even just looked at is automatically ACE.

9. Scratch & Sniff - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones

I'm knackered after that! I don't really feel qualified to say anything about this track cos I've no idea what was going on in it! I'm too thick to get this kind of music :) I did like the wierd synth noises though.

10. Hit the road to dreamland - Betty Hutton

While the song itself is quite lovely, it summons up far too many images of giant broadway smiles, straw boaters, and canes to sit comfortably on my narrow broadway-hating shoulders.

11. Ella Guru - Captain Beefheart & his magic band

There's a very large number of people who would proclaim Captain Beefheart as a music genius. That wouldn't be me, though. I just don't like it. At all. Which is strange, given that it's a helluva lot more musical than most of the stuff I listen to.

12. Brilliant Mistake - Elvis Costello

Sparkly, jangly and melodic! Lovely :)

13. Fugitive Motel - Elbow

I really really like this one - another one to be hunted out for further listening.

14. Ain't no Sunshine - Al Green

Another great track. Could probably have benefited from a bit less orchestration, but then who am I to criticise Al Green?

15. The Great Curve - Talking Heads

Um, no - not my thing. I do hope the person who made this mix doesn't get mind - I might break them!

16. Razor Boy - Steely Dan

I think this is from a part of the seventies that I was blissfully unaware of :)

17. Time of the Season - The Zombies

I think I'd probably have loved this about ten years ago, but age is bringing broken musical tastes upon me. It's a good song, but not one I'd go out of my way to hear.

18. God Song - Matching Mole

I think I shall refrain from commenting on this one in the name of group harmony.

19. Hold Your Head Up - Argent

The old staples :) It's at least twenty years since I heard anything like this! Shades of Deep Purple, Free, etc etc.

20. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist - Muse

This is a magnificent track, but really feels out of place on this mix, for some reason. I don't honestly know how Matt Bellamy manages to get himself so worked up during the course of a three minute song, but thank god he does. Genius.

21. Black Coffee - Peggy Lee

I'm sorry - this kinda stuff just makes me violent :)

Reading back through that, it comes across as very negative. Please don't get me wrong - I've really enjoyed every second of this mix. It's not all been to my taste to it's been a fascinating mix and given me loads to think about :)

Will

2008-04-17T21:57:00.000Z

Your CD went in the mail today.

And they're off!

2008-04-10T11:55:00.001Z

I've just sent out the emails for this round of Mixclub - any questions or problems please let me know!

Full of the joys of Spring

2008-03-31T13:52:00.001Z

Seeing as how Rosie has asked, it could be time for another round of Mixclub. Who wants to play this round?

Hello? Anybody home?

2008-03-31T11:45:00.001Z

Is this project now dead? Or is it time for another round?

Bad, Bad, Bad

2008-01-18T21:01:00.000Z

I am a bad blogger. I've had Nicole's mix in hand for nearly a month, but I haven't reviewed it yet. I probabl won't have time until next weekend. Apologies, Nicole.

Comments To Alan

2008-01-17T02:03:00.000Z

Lipstick Traces - Amazing Rhythm Aces.

This was a nice mellow start. I'm sure the lyrics sound familiar, but try as I might, I can't place them.

This has been recorded by many people. I was looking for the version I'd heard on the radio when I was in elementary school, and this wasn't it, but it was close.

Rose Garden - Southern Culture On The Skids

Very familiar song, but had never heard of the group before.

They're sort of local, from North Carolina. I love this version of the song!

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Cake

I've heard another mix of this particular track before, but I have to say I much prefer this one. There is almost a lingering menace about this one.

Yay! I'm glad you liked it.

Destination Anywhere - The Commitments

This had me tapping my foot before the end of the first verse, but it didn't seem to build on the great opening which was a shame. It seemed like it was going somewhere but never got there.

Oh, well.

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations

Another one where I recognise the tune but not the group, although without checking this sounds like the original? This reminds me of all sorts of things from my childhood, because I can remember the song being on the radio.

Maybe it's the original - I don't know how old you are, but it was a hit for the Foundations in 1968. I never heard it till nearly 20 years later, for some reason.

My Fallen Words - Bettie Serveert

I'm afraid I couldn't get this track to play, no matter what I did.

I'm sorry about that. I should have checked.

Alabama Song - Audition With Max Reinhardt

Really not for me I'm afraid. I gave it several chances, and yet each time I kept hitting the button to skip to the next track. I think the changes in tempo were what got to me.

It's a strange one - not for everyone, I'm sure.

Yoo Hoo - Imperial Teen

Most upbeat track so far, but didn't get along with the drawling voice of the singer. I like the track, but kept wanting to tell him to talk properly!

That was a selling point for me. :-)

Let's Do It - Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg

Funky track. Liked this a lot. My favourite of the whole mix.

Cool! Another hit.

3rd of July - The Jody Grind

"A Suitcase of Fireworks" was one of the lyrics, but I'm afraid it did nothing for me.

I keep putting Jody Grind tracks on mixes, trying to spread the love. They're my favorite band of all time.

I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar - Jonathan Richman

Dangerous track this one. It'll have you singing along. Beyond that though I really didn't get along with it.

Too bad.

D.R.I.N.K - The Jazz Butcher

This struck me as a kind of 40's lounge room singer. I did like the trombone solo in the middle, and I think this made me play this track again and again.

Pat Fish and Max Eider, your compatriots, were the key members of The Jazz Butcher. This is my favorite song, since I'm a sucker for lounge, but their music is really wide-ranging.

A Dios Le Pido - Juanes

I have no idea what the Spanish lyrics are, but I did enjoy this one. Much more my thing.

Here's a rough translation.

Sunday Morning - K-OS

Good beat to this, liked the track, but I've never heard of the group before at all. I might see if I can track something else of theirs down.

You can hear their whole album on their website.

Minha Galera - Manu Chao

Sorry this didn't do it for me.

You might like some of his more upbeat stuff. This is almost like a lullabye.

Thank You For The Love - Mother's Finest

Another miss, felt they needed a boost of adrenalin to get through to the end of the song.

I've been in a slow mood lately - too bad for you! This was an amazing funk band from the seventies, unique in the day, and place (Atlanta) for having both black and white members.

Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit - Geogres Brassens

Another track sung in another language. This time I understood more of the song (just!), and I think as a result it had more appeal to me.

For me, the music is so appealing, regardless of the words.

Speaking With the Angel - Ron Sexsmith

This was quite mellow, and I think of all the slower tracks this was probably my favourite.

I'm glad you liked this one! He's my current favorite singer/songwriter.

Caramel - Suzanne Vega

We just don't get on Suzanne Vega and I. We never have, probably never will, sorry.

One of you should have said something.

Open Up Your Heart - Uncle Walt's Band

This was a nice soothing track to have right at the end of the mix, although for some reason the first time my walkman played it, it started from this one and worked backwards!

I think my overall thoughts about the mix, is that it was a little slow for my tastes. Generally I prefer something with more pace. It did grow on me the more I listened and still is. It's a perfect CD to have in the car, and while away the bad traffic, although I still hit next track when Suzanne Vega comes on!

Thanks Nancy, I enjoyed my first mixclub mix, and am looking forward to the next round whenever that may be.
You're very welcome!

Mix 5 From Nancy

2008-01-13T15:40:00.000Z

It was with some excitement that I opened the package from America with the customs label that proclaimed; "CD" & "Gift". This was my mix!

Lipstick Traces - Amazing Rhythm Aces.

This was a nice mellow start. I'm sure the lyrics sound familiar, but try as I might, I can't place them.

Rose Garden - Southern Culture On The Skids

Very familiar song, but had never heard of the group before.

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Cake

I've heard another mix of this particular track before, but I have to say I much prefer this one. There is almost a lingering menace about this one.

Destination Anywhere - The Commitments

This had me tapping my foot before the end of the first verse, but it didn't seem to build on the great opening which was a shame. It seemed like it was going somewhere but never got there.

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations

Another one where I recognise the tune but not the group, although without checking this sounds like the original? This reminds me of all sorts of things from my childhood, because I can remember the song being on the radio.

My Fallen Words - Bettie Serveert

I'm afraid I couldn't get this track to play, no matter what I did.

Alabama Song - Audition With Max Reinhardt

Really not for me I'm afraid. I gave it several chances, and yet each time I kept hitting the button to skip to the next track. I think the changes in tempo were what got to me.

Yoo Hoo - Imperial Teen

Most upbeat track so far, but didn't get along with the drawling voice of the singer. I like the track, but kept wanting to tell him to talk properly!

Let's Do It - Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg

Funky track. Liked this a lot. My favourite of the whole mix.

3rd of July - The Jody Grind

"A Suitcase of Fireworks" was one of the lyrics, but I'm afraid it did nothing for me.

I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar - Jonathan Richman

Dangerous track this one. It'll have you singing along. Beyond that though I really didn't get along with it.

D.R.I.N.K - The Jazz Butcher

This struck me as a kind of 40's lounge room singer. I did like the trombone solo in the middle, and I think this made me play this track again and again.

A Dios Le Pido - Juanes

I have no idea what the Spanish lyrics are, but I did enjoy this one. Much more my thing.

Sunday Morning - K-OS

Good beat to this, liked the track, but I've never heard of the group before at all. I might see if I can track something else of theirs down.

Minha Galera - Manu Chao

Sorry this didn't do it for me.

Thank You For The Love - Mother's Finest

Another miss, felt they needed a boost of adrenalin to get through to the end of the song.

Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit - Geogres Brassens

Another track sung in another language. This time I understood more of the song (just!), and I think as a result it had more appeal to me.

Speaking With the Angel - Ron Sexsmith

This was quite mellow, and I think of all the slower tracks this was probably my favourite.

Caramel - Suzanne Vega

We just don't get on Suzanne Vega and I. We never have, probably never will, sorry.

Open Up Your Heart - Uncle Walt's Band

This was a nice soothing track to have right at the end of the mix, although for some reason the first time my walkman played it, it started from this one and worked backwards!

I think my overall thoughts about the mix, is that it was a little slow for my tastes. Generally I prefer something with more pace. It did grow on me the more I listened and still is. It's a perfect CD to have in the car, and while away the bad traffic, although I still hit next track when Suzanne Vega comes on!

Thanks Nancy, I enjoyed my first mixclub mix, and am looking forward to the next round whenever that may be.

My CD Has Arrived

2008-01-03T11:44:00.000Z

My CD from Nancy arrived in this morning's post, and is as I type, being "ripped" to the PC hard-drive. Twenty tracks, and only two of those look vaguely familiar, so t looks as though I am in for some treats. More when I have had a chance to have a proper listen.

Comments to Nancy

2008-01-02T11:23:00.000Z

I'm glad you found at least some things to like in here. I'm also particularly gratified to read your appreciation for a couple of little-known acts for whom I like to proselytise! And if some tracks missed the mark, well, I try to give a broad spread of the kind of things I like (and that covers a lot of ground, as you see, although you probably guess a bias towards the bluesy). And if you liked everything, well, I wouldn't be trying hard enough.

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.

Yes, starting with this can't do anything but put you in the right mood, can it?

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.

It is a little bit startling, isn't it? I love Colin Blunstone's smoky, rather wistful, voice and it works a treat with the string quartet. The history of popular music hasn't been as kind to the Zombies as it should have been.

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

Yes, an old favourite and one that, when it first appeared, made me aware that I had odd tastes compared with my more pop-oriented 10-year-olds!

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.

I love Annie Lennox. Hard to pick one track out of many excellent ones but this is about as representative as any.

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

If I had just one song on a desert island, it would be this one.

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

There are three singers that tower above all others. Ella has amazing technique (but can be just a bit too clinical in execution). Billie oozes emotion (her technique is sometimes wanting, though who cares). The Divine Sarah is the best of the lot. She can do anything and everything, and makes it all so sexy.

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.

More evocative of a period than anything else. Altered Images had been true post-punk originals but fans accused them of selling out with this more commercially poppy effort. But Clare Grogan has such a lovely voice I always thought it a shame to hear her wasted on little-girl shrieking.

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

The sort of stuff that never fails to send shivers down my spine.

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.

Peter Skellern is my great guilty pleasure. He's a no more than adequate as a singer, but he's a fine pianist and, most importantly, a consummate showman. Rather camp and lays on his Lancashire-ness with a trowel. He's a good and witty songwriter as well as an interpreter of standards, and he can do straight voice-and-piano perfectly well, but his quirky Tin Pan Alley arrangements with brass band are, to me, irresistable.

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.

I prefer to leave out the dancing and accentuate the drunk a bit more but yes, that's how I feel. Also, I always thought I was a natural New Romantic at the time if I hadn't already been too old and a parent.

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?

I'm so glad you liked this! I was living in Bristol in the 1990s when the Bristol Trip Hop scene was going on. Bands like Massive Attack and Portishead didn't deign to appear in their home city because they felt it beneath them, but then there were a couple of acts that could sell out any space they cared to play in and didn't charge the earth for the privilege, although they were little-known outside Bristol. The Sweet Soul Sisters worked best in the intimate atmosphere of the back room of a pub, so getting into a gig was never easy, but always memorable. They did witty as well as sombre. More where this came from, if you are interested. The song is traditional African, as I'm sure you guessed, and appears in the film Out of Africa.

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.

I'm a big Doors fan and always have been. I like to think of this as the most perfectly-formed two-and-a-half minutes in the history of rock music.

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.

I don't like Skunk Anansie all that much but I do like this track a lot. The singer makes no compromises with her Sarf Lannan accent and it all helps to add to the grittiness.

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

I can be really boring about my great musical awakening, and it happened like this. Round about the time of my sixteenth birthday I was staying in Provence with my French Exchange family. The mother of the family was a big blues fan and as a birthday treat I was taken to Chateauvallon, the open-air theatre near Toulon, to see somebody I'd never heard of (and who didn't sound all that appealing, to be honest) called Memphis Slim. The summer air was heavy and perfumed, as if it might have been around the lower Mississippi, and I was entranced. Memphis Slim has ever since held a special place in my affection. I don't have as many recordings as I would like, however.

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.

I'm absolutely in agreement. Picking one Dan/Fagen track out of all that wonderful stuff is near impossible. I'd rate The Nightfly as, if not the best album ever, at least up there with the very best, but I chose one from the somewhat less well-known Kamakiriad for its mystical quality.

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.

I'm sorry you don't like this one. What I love is the interplay between the voice and the guitar. Sandy Denny had a gorgeous voice and was taken away from us far too young. The guitarist was... well, we'll come to that in a moment.

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.

Another great Bristol institution little-known anywhere else. One of the great mysteries is why they never had a major recording contract, only a couple of very agreeable independent albums that are hard to get hold of. But then they are a live band first and foremost and their rollicking gigs are legendary. Once again, more where that came from if you are interested.

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.

I've heard Richard Thompson described as the best guitarist nobody's ever heard of, which is unfair because he has a substantial and devoted following. His voice isn't technically great but it is quirky and powerful, and he is a wonderful, intelligent and witty songwriter. A Thompson album is always an eclectic experience. Oh, and he is also the guitarist on track 16, if you hadn't already guessed.

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.

Terrific, irreverent, fun. No more and no less.

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.

I liked Ten Years After a lot, round about the time I saw Memphis Slim. Then, like everybody else just about, I forgot about them. Until four years ago when I saw Alvin Lee on tour with Edgar Winter. He was in his sixties with a beer gut by then, but he could still make that guitar sing and I've seldom seen a performer so obviously enjoying himself!

Thanks a lot, Rosalind!

You are very welcome. I enjoyed putting it together.

Review of Mix #5 from Rosalind

2008-01-02T02:34:00.000Z

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!

Things Christmasy (mostly) - from Alan

2008-01-01T18:49:00.000Z

Santa Monica - Savage Garden A laid back start to the mix, not my sort of thing to be honest, but some neat lyrical touches turned things around towards the end of the track. I quite like the idea of somebody pretending to be a super model or Norman Mailer on the telephone.
The Man in the Santa Suit - Fountains of Wayne Ah, this is more like it. Some obligatory sleighbells to set the mood for a nifty little song about a grumpy fat man who looks like Jerry Garcia dressing up as Santa to earn some money.
Fairy Tale of New York - Pogues and Kirsty McColl A classic Christmas song, mawkish, grim, funny and ultimately cheering.
Winter Coat - Paul Kelly Oddly enough, this reminds me of bits of The Wall by Pink Floyd, not so much for the music as the feel of the lyrics with somebody retreating to the safety of a winter coat as a shield against the world.
Houston Angel - Chris Rea I'd not heard this track before, and it has really grown on me. I was under the impression that Chris Rea had gone a bit bonkers recently releasing 12 volume box sets of folk music, but this is a nice bit of sleazy blues rock which is right up my street. Thumbs up.
I Want an Alien for Christmas - Fountains of Wayne Fun, boppy and poppy. I think I might have to check out more of these guys.
The Twisted Chipmonk Song - Bob Rivers I was all set to hate this, and then I listened to the lyrics and nearly crashed my car chortling at it. Excellent.
Innocents' Song / Gwithian - Show of Hands Ooh, this is a change of pace. Very atmospheric, almost to the point of being menacing. A perfect antidote to Christmas schmaltz.
The Falmouth Packet / Haul Away Joe - Show of Hands A more up tempo track with some virtuoso fiddle playing that makes me feel like dancing a jig. These are definite musts for further investigation I think. It segues nicely into a proper sea shanty that goes nicely with my collection of Pirate tracks (as in yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, not the other kind!)
Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park Not quite what I was expecting from Linkin Park, but a nice laid back track that reminds me of Green Day
Cardiff Bay - Martyn Joseph Technically very good, but this left me a bit cold I'm afraid. He's a bit of bargain basement Mark Knopfler to my ears.
Alcohol - Bare Naked Ladies An excellent sing along party track - cheers!
Wild West Show - Big and Rich I like this, but I was expecting it to be a bit more country than it actually was. I can has more steel guitars, pls?
Dreaming in Red - The Calling I had to listen to this a couple of times because it sort of drifted in one ear and out of the other. It's ok, but a bit bland I think.
Angels of Silence - Counting Crows Ah, this is more like it. Punchy, up beat and in your face. I think I'd probably like more of this sort of stuff.
Queen of the New Year - Deacon Blue This is actually only the second track on the mix that I've heard before, and it's another favourite. A good way to start the new year, I think
Unanswered Prayer - Garth Brooks As with the Big and Rich track, I was expecting this to be more country than it was. A mawkish song like this really needs the full on country treatment for best effect.
Another Year's Gone - Hootie and the Blowfish Hmm, I was a bit dubious as I can remember not thinking much of Hootie and the Blowfish first time around, but this track is a definite grower.

All in all, an excellent mix with a good selection of styles and a very positive hit to miss ratio. The real stand outs were Fountains of Wayne and Show of Hands, both of which were completely new to me, and warrant further investigation. Thanks Alan - much appreciated!

Mix Club Holiday Edition - from Kate

2008-01-01T11:46:00.000Z

Time I did something about reviewing this. New Year, new brooms and so on.

The sad news is that something went wrong with the burn. Of the seventeen tracks that were billed on the playlist, only eleven registered completely, and one partly. This is a shame because the remaining five tracks sound like really good stuff, except that they generate nothing more than electronic noise.

Anyway, what have we got?

1. Blue Christmas - Porky Pig

An Elvis Presley standard, giving a working over by Tex Avery's dysphasic animated pig. A great treatment for a song that really shouldn't be taken too seriously anyway.

2. Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Nice bit of gentle Bill Evans soundalike jazz trio spoilt by rather twee voices that are fine for Christmas but a bit cloying on a wet and grey January day.

3. 'Zat You, Santa Claus? - Louis Armstrong

Satchmo does the novelty comedy act for the season. His voice is an acquired taste, of course, and it's hard to imagine wanting to listen to too much of this without a glass or two or port to wash it down. But then this is a seasonal mix and let's not be unfair: it fits the bill perfectly.

4. Baby It's Cold Outside - Ann Margret and Al Hirt

I have special memories of this song. My late ex-partner Frank did a great Dean Martin impersonation and we used to do this together, once as a public karaoke. Frank Loesser wrote it to do with his wife but I don't think he meant hgis wife to upstage him. Here, Ann Margret is all silky vamp and not at all mousy; she steals the show completely.

5. Christmas Island - Leon Redbone

How would I like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island? Not a lot, really, consider that Australia uses it as a dumping ground for its unwanted. ut spending Christmas listening to Leon Redbone would be a deliciously hedonistic experience.

6. Let It Snow! - Ella Fitzgerald

Another standard, and one that in lesser hands I find annoying, but Ella is different. She stamps her personality all over it, backed by a lovely smoky sax, and fills it with joie-de-vivre.

7. Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto - James Brown

This sounds like a rather subdued James Brown. A nice, spicy addition to a festive mix in a more laid-back soul style than I'm used to from him. Something that might bear listening to outside the season though.

8. Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

This reminds me of my father, who had oodles of recordings of Latin-lite dancable ditties like this.

9. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

The only track in the mix that I already have. The quintessential all-American Tin Pan Alley Christmas song to me, it reminds me irresistably of Christmases with Momma B in Verona, New York in the 80s, with AM radio playing this sort of thing constantly in the kitchen. While outside is the sort of Christmassy scene that is traditional in England but never happens - knee-deep snow with snowman and bright red birds (but cardinals rather than robins)

10. Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives

Another TPA standard to go with the above. Jolly and cheering and redolent of mulled wine and mince pies with the extended family.

11. O Come O Come Emmanuel - Sufjan Stevens

Magical, thoroughly original, rereading of my favourite Christmas hymn. Very spare but beautiful. People keep recommending Sufjan Stevens to me and I get to like him more and more.

12. Christmas In Jail - The Youngsters

An enjoyable song which I would have wanted to hear more of, if it didn't dissolve into electronic noice halfway through.

The remaining tracks, which didn't come through, were:

13 - Jingle Bells - The Ventures
14. Greensleeves - John Coltrane
15. Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
16. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Tiny Tim
17. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

As I say, this is a great pity. I's have particularly enjoyed hearing Tiny Tim again!

As this is a seasonal mix, it would be unfair to say that I probably wouldn't want to play this very much at other times of the year, but it is what it is and what it is will no doubt get played often at Christmases yet to come.

Thank you, Kate!

Mine, Too!

2007-12-27T20:18:00.001Z

Thanks, Nicole. Please bear with me for a few days as I attempt to reclaim my life post-Christmas-insanity. I will report back soon.

Mine has arrived too

2007-12-27T10:03:00.000Z

All the way from Kate in Albany, NY. Hey, I remember Albany, seen across the river after the magnificent train ride up the shores of the Hudson!

A festive mix and full of stuff I just know I'm going to love!

Got It

2007-12-27T00:45:00.000Z

My CD came today - is it from Rosalind? It's in transit from the computer to the iPod. Can't wait to listen - looks like a wide-ranging mix, if Billie Holliday and Skunk Anansie are two points on the spectrum! :-)

2007-12-23T01:06:00.000Z

Okay, Alan, it went in the mail today. No clever theme - or even stupid theme - just a bunch of songs I like these days.

To Alan

2007-12-21T01:56:00.000Z

Or maybe Saturday - work is all-consuming right now. Sorry for the delay!

2007-12-20T01:33:00.000Z

I'm running late this time around, sorry Alan. If I can just make up my mind, it'll hit the post on Friday. No holiday music, though - I don't have any except an old Chipmunks record from when I was like ten.

Hey, Rosalind...

2007-12-18T02:57:00.000Z

I will be posting your mix tomorrow AM. Apologies for the delay. I've been dealing with tons of snow, a sick cat, and an extremely active 2-year-old child!! Happy holidays!

Incoming!

2007-12-17T21:28:00.000Z

I've received my cd from Alan today, a festive mix that shares just one track with my own compilation - I'm looking forward to giving it a proper spin in the car tomorrow!

Round 5

2007-12-10T21:15:00.001Z

Here we go for round 5. The emails have been sent out and the usual rules apply. Please let me know asap if there are any problems or queries, but most importantly have fun!

Season's greetings

2007-12-02T11:19:00.000Z

I'm sorry I've been so remiss in getting round to organising the next round, but it looks like people are champing at the bit. We've got Nichole, Rosie and Nancy for starters, so who else is ready for a suitably festive mix? A seasonal theme is not mandatory, but it might be nice to have something to play whilst the fairy lights twinkle and snow falls outside, or perhaps some completely non festive music to listen to on your ipod as you make good your escape from overdone sprouts and fractious relatives.

One minor admin notice - Rachel had problems with her email account so she's now jasfoup at googlemail dot com. Please ignore any emails from her old account.

New round?

2007-11-30T09:13:00.000Z

Anyone up for a new round?

Reset password

2007-11-18T12:17:00.000Z

Hey guys-

I forgot my blogger password so I reset it. It sent you all a e-mail too.

Nicole

Music for Affairs by Leatherdykeuk

2007-10-21T01:41:00.000Z

I'm really sorry I'm so late with this...

1) Siouxsie & Banshees: Dear Prudence - Reminds me of high school, when goth was cool and Siouxsie was the epitome of bad-ass. I like the reverb and the swirly effects.

2) Kate Bush: The Man With The Child In His Eyes - I love Kate Bush. She has a very unique, lush and sensual voice and this is a gorgeous song.

3) Percy Sledge: When A Man Loves A Woman - A classic! Conjures up images of slow dancing with my hubby at our wedding.

4) Dinah Washington: Mad About The Boy - Another good one! Should be on a James Bond soundtrack, if it isn't already.

5) Etta James: I Just Want To Make Love To You - I've got a dirty little secret: I don't like Etta James. I have always felt pressure to like her... she's clearly talented, she's an icon with the classic rags to riches story... but I just don't (well, except for At Last. I can't find anything to dislike about that one).

6) Gypsy Kings: Bamboleo - I don't understand a lick of Spanish, but who cares?Shake your booty!

7) Alicia Keys: Fallin' - This song is extremely played out in America, to the extent that I am no longer able to appreciate it, unfortunately.

8) Grace Jones: Private Life - Dig this one... the mellow, reggae-style beat, the lyrics, the Grace Jones weirdness... nobody else does weird quite like Grace Jones. I'll be adding this one to my iPod.

9) Pink: Family Portrait - Not a Pink fan. At all.

10) Michael Andrews: Mad World - I am a big Tears For Fears fan and love the original... and I think this cover version is really nice.

11) Dire Straits: Love Over Gold - Pleasant tune, but doesn't captivate me in any way.

12) Tim Buckley: Dolphins - Too shmaltzy for me. Jeff Buckley, on the other hand...

13) Portishead: Glory Box - I love Portishead. Beth Gibbons' has such a sexy voice. This song fits the theme perfectly.

14) James Blunt: Goodbye My Lover - Dude sounds like a lady... and not in a good way. I don't understand the hype about this man.

15) Sinead O'Connor: Nothing Compares To You - Another throwback from my high school years. Prince was smart to give this song to Sinead. Her "angry rebel" schtick really works well here.

16) Depeche Mode: Enjoy The Silence I lovelovelove this song, always have. Pretty, melancholy melody, angsty-lyrics... it's all in there. I was a big Depeche Mode fan in high school, and hearing this made me dig out all my old LPs.

An interesting mix that included a handful of old favorites and definitely conjured up some memories for me. Thanks, Leatherdykeuk!

Comments To Rosalind

2007-10-10T00:46:00.001Z

You have a really nice way of writing about music! I enjoyed reading the review. I realized when I chose the theme that "music for a long day" could easily turn into "music to fall asleep to" or "really boring music that makes you wish you were asleep," so I'm pleased and relieved you found something interesting in the mix.

1. Air - Playground Love
Languid, laid-back opening. Just the thing to sink into the sofa to. Deliciously smooth sax, like warm caramel, lifts the song from the oridnary onto a higher plane.

Yeah, isn't it great? I heard it first in a very dramatic commercial for jeans and my husband tracked it down for me as a gift because I wouldn't stop asking What IS that song?

2. Ana Toroja - Hawaii, Bombay
Tropical breezes with a distinctly salty tang and a whiff of spices. Is she singing in Japanese? Immediately likeable, but I might drop off with too much of it. Reminds me of an exotic, upbeat, Enya.

She's singing in Spanish - she's from Spain and actually recorded this with the group Mecano, so it's really a Mecano song. I have a whole CD of hers that all has pretty much this same light, breezy feel.

3. Bettie Serveert - Satisfied
For some reason, the opening chords put me in mind of Ten Years After's Love Like a Man. What comes after the opening chords is nothing like. Smoky and soothing. A shot of Laphroaig.

I can't recommend the album "Private Suit" enough!! (P.S. What is Laphroaig?)

4. Bitter:Sweet - Don't Forget to Breathe
A bit of trip-hop; quite bitter, not very sweet, a bit of a bit. Reminsicent of Portishead, which I see comes up later. Like chewing on an orange rind.

So . . . is that a good thing or a bad thing? If you run across it, check out their song "Dirty Laundry" - it's really fun.

5. Eva Cassidy - People Get Ready
Somebody I have heard of! Filed-down, sugar-coated R&B. Nice voice but lacks the kind of edge that makes this kind of song soar.

I probably should have chosen a different song - I kind of agree with you about this.

6. Jevetta Steele - Calling You
This is more like it - a versatile but very controlled voice, which you feel could explode into something excitingly menacing at any moment. Yet it never quite does. I keep expecting something to happen but ultimately it's rather bland and disappointing. On first hearing I got rather bored with waiting. Salsa that needs more chilli in it.

Have you ever seen the movie Baghdad Cafe? This song is on the soundtrack, and it's the theme song of the movie. It's a wonderful film - if you see it, it might give you a different feeling for the song.

7. Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons
Sorry, but this is the first track I disliked. I'm not sure what the silly little-girl voice is supposed to signify, or whether the singer is always like this. There's some rather nice harp (or something) that redeems it somewhat.

I had the same reaction the first two or three times I played this CD. It was given to me by a friend who persuaded me by his enthusiasm to keep listening, and indeed she won me over in the end. And yes, she always sounds like that.

8. The Jody Grind - Promise of Sleep
At this point I find I want something a little more energetic. This doesn't deliver but it does live up to its title. I have nothing to say against it, but not a lot for it either.

Too bad.

9. Keren Ann - Not Going Anywhere
No, she isn't, is she? Nice voice, but the song fails to stir anything within me.

I just found that whole album hypnotic. In a good way.

10. Llasa de Sela - Los Peces
Aha! A change of tone, and something more upbeat! It's an interesting mixture, Latin overlaid with the tones and cadences of Klezmer, or maybe the other way round. I like this a lot and I'd certainly like to hear more.

In case you don't know (and I didn't!) this is a really well-known traditional Christmas song in Spanish. One of my (Mexican) students brought her guitar to class and played it and everyone sang along - that's how well-known. I really like Llasa's deep voice.

11. Maria McKee - If Love is a Red Dress
Another R&B voice - quite a belting one this time - out for a gentle run, not getting out of second gear. I'd like to hear more.

Nice metaphor!

12. Maysa - Sunshine
Cool and funky. Nice!

I always listen to this song when I need to cheer up.

13. The Jazz Butcher - Sweet Jane
I like this. Simple but haunting acoustic guitar riff and an attention-grabbing vocal. Manages to remind me of early Velvet Underground, and also Mark Knopfler,

Hmmm. I need to find out who Mark Knopfler is.

14. Nancy Sinatra - Sugar Town
And not only do I know the performer, but I know the track too. And it's a pretty damned good one. After the rather sombre stuff that's gone before, this makes me feel good about life in a dreamy sort of way

Yes, me, too!

15. Nellie McKay - Ding Dong
The upbeat tone continues, though the chirpy song is heavily ironic and woven with a darker thread. I like irony. I like this song too but I think I might tire of it if I heard too much of it.

I've listened to it a bazillion times. I have a very high threshold for Nellie McKay!

16. Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
This is how to do gentle R&B, restrained but promising great things. A class performer.

Indeed.

17. Portishead - Sour Times
A real old friend, this one! It's twelve years, now, since I bought the Dummy album to see what all the fuss was about the local success story. I didn't rate the first track much the first time through, but this track bowled me over from the beginning.

Me, too - it was my favorite song the first time I ever heard it.

18. The Blow - Some Chocolates
This is a wacky one. I'm not sure whether or not it's meant to be ironic, but the simple arrangement of two voices weaving harmonies together against an irregular handclap rhythm is immediately intriguing and comes off a treat.

Glad you liked it! I ran across it by accident on i-tunes and got hooked immediately.

19. Suzanne Vega - Caramel
Another good track from a performer of know high quality.

I like her version of this song better than any other.

20. Paul Simon - Long, Long Day
Perhaps not my favourite Paul Simon track but he sets a high standard and seldom if ever writes a bad one. He is, after all, the master of sweet, wistful, melancholy for the end of the day, and an apt conclusion to this collection.

Thank you, Nancy!

You're welcome.

Music for a Long Day

2007-10-09T20:15:00.000Z

1. Air - Playground Love
Languid, laid-back opening. Just the thing to sink into the sofa to. Deliciously smooth sax, like warm caramel, lifts the song from the oridnary onto a higher plane.

2. Ana Toroja - Hawaii, Bombay
Tropical breezes with a distinctly salty tang and a whiff of spices. Is she singing in Japanese? Immediately likeable, but I might drop off with too much of it. Reminds me of an exotic, upbeat, Enya.

3. Bettie Serveert - Satisfied
For some reason, the opening chords put me in mind of Ten Years After's Love Like a Man. What comes after the opening chords is nothing like. Smoky and soothing. A shot of Laphroaig.

4. Bitter:Sweet - Don't Forget to Breathe
A bit of trip-hop; quite bitter, not very sweet, a bit of a bit. Reminsicent of Portishead, which I see comes up later. Like chewing on an orange rind.

5. Eva Cassidy - People Get Ready
Somebody I have heard of! Filed-down, sugar-coated R&B. Nice voice but lacks the kind of edge that makes this kind of song soar.

6. Jevetta Steele - Calling You
This is more like it - a versatile but very controlled voice, which you feel could explode into something excitingly menacing at any moment. Yet it never quite does. I keep expecting something to happen but ultimately it's rather bland and disappointing. On first hearing I got rather bored with waiting. Salsa that needs more chilli in it.

7. Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons
Sorry, but this is the first track I disliked. I'm not sure what the silly little-girl voice is supposed to signify, or whether the singer is always like this. There's some rather nice harp (or something) that redeems it somewhat.

8. The Jody Grind - Promise of Sleep
At this point I find I want something a little more energetic. This doesn't deliver but it does live up to its title. I have nothing to say against it, but not a lot for it either.

9. Keren Ann - Not Going Anywhere
No, she isn't, is she? Nice voice, but the song fails to stir anything within me.

10. Llasa de Sela - Los Peces
Aha! A change of tone, and something more upbeat! It's an interesting mixture, Latin overlaid with the tones and cadences of Klezmer, or maybe the other way round. I like this a lot and I'd certainly like to hear more.

11. Maria McKee - If Love is a Red Dress
Another R&B voice - quite a belting one this time - out for a gentle run, not getting out of second gear. I'd like to hear more.

12. Maysa - Sunshine
Cool and funky. Nice!

13. The Jazz Butcher - Sweet Jane
I like this. Simple but haunting acoustic guitar riff and an attention-grabbing vocal. Manages to remind me of early Velvet Underground, and also Mark Knopfler,

14. Nancy Sinatra - Sugar Town
And not only do I know the performer, but I know the track too. And it's a pretty damned good one. After the rather sombre stuff that's gone before, this makes me feel good about life in a dreamy sort of way

15. Nellie McKay - Ding Dong
The upbeat tone continues, though the chirpy song is heavily ironic and woven with a darker thread. I like irony. I like this song too but I think I might tire of it if I heard too much of it.

16. Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
This is how to do gentle R&B, restrained but promising great things. A class performer.

17. Portishead - Sour Times
A real old friend, this one! It's twelve years, now, since I bought the Dummy album to see what all the fuss was about the local success story. I didn't rate the first track much the first time through, but this track bowled me over from the beginning.

18. The Blow - Some Chocolates
This is a wacky one. I'm not sure whether or not it's meant to be ironic, but the simple arrangement of two voices weaving harmonies together against an irregular handclap rhythm is immediately intriguing and comes off a treat.

19. Suzanne Vega - Caramel
Another good track from a performer of know high quality.

20. Paul Simon - Long, Long Day
Perhaps not my favourite Paul Simon track but he sets a high standard and seldom if ever writes a bad one. He is, after all, the master of sweet, wistful, melancholy for the end of the day, and an apt conclusion to this collection.

Thank you, Nancy!

Party Mix - Reverse Review

2007-10-09T18:20:00.000Z

1. Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes To Hollywood

It's terrible but the only song I remember from this band is Relax. I don't think this song made it to the US. I enjoyed this. Like how it starts slow then gets going.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood only had a handful of hits and one album, but what an album it was. Trevor Horn did a masterful job on production with the big numbers contrasting with some delicious cover versions - 'Do you know the way to San Jose' is simply wonderful. The big standout of the album is the title track which I've picked here, mainly because of the way the soundscape changes from the ambient jungle sounds to the big dance beats and back again.

2. Drop - Drop

I really dig this. It's so different from anything I would normally listen to

A really simple, catchy dance track with added water noises. This works equally well as something to dance to and low level background music, for when the canapés are being handed out

3. Pacific Flight - 808 State

I think I might need to be on E to like this. . .

This is a bit of self indulgence, with one of my favourite rave tracks that actually got a decent showing in the charts as well. Oddly enough, I heard a documentary on Radio 4 last week about rave culture that featured a brief snippet of this track at one point.

4. Art of Love (Youth and Orb Mix) - The Art of Noise

Great beat.

It's the sign of a good remix to be able to take the original elements of a track and rework them to produce something new whilst still retaining enough to be recognizable. This is a long, long way from the original 'Moments in Love', but I think it really works in this context. Yum.

5. '75 AKA Stay With You - Lemon Jelly

Another Great Beat

A fairly middle of the road 70s number given a real spit and polish by Lemon Jelly. The teasing build up and repetition of the introductory riff really pays off when the chorus is finally allowed to breath for the first time.

6. Low Rider - War

I know it's silly- but I have always flippen loved this song. . .

This song was one of my personal highlights of the San Andreas soundtrack, particularly when driving one of the eponymous low riders of the title.

7. Tokoloshe Man- John Kongos

Fun and funky

This is the sound of 70s wedding discos (at least, the good ones, that is). Really good foot stomping beat.

8. Don't Move - Life on Mars OST

Funny 4 second intro to the next song

The next song is also from the Life on Mars soundtrack, so I just included this for fun ... J

9. Blockbuster - The Sweet

First bar I knew I was going to love this song.

I love the wailing sirens on this track, coupled with a superb bassline. A glam rock classic.

10. Babylon's Burning - The Ruts

Really like this- I don't know enough punk

Continuing with the police siren motif (although this has bells as well, which were probably long gone by the mid 70s), this is a fantastically angry punk classic. At this point the party guests should be just about ready to riot and start chucking half bricks through the window of the local supermarket.

11 Ever Fallen In Love - The Buzzcocks

Another good song I didn't know!

Punk does a love song! A perfect, sing along number that everyone can sympathise with, I'm sure.

12. Beware of the Flowers - John Otway
"Beware of the flowers, cause I'm sure they are going to get you yeah." LOL hysterical lyric

Utterly mad, but sung with such infectious enthusiasm that it carries you along with it. Wild Willy Barrett plays a mean bit of guitar on this as well.

13. Oi! - Orbital

It grows on you

Another sort of remix, this takes a sample from Ian Dury and uses it to good effect. The video for this is rather strange too - giant robot children stomping through Paris for no adequately explored reason.

14. Rez- Underworld

Like how it builds up

I really do love this sort of music. Deceptively simple at first, the rhythms are layered with increasing complexity as the piece progresses, almost without you realising it. It shares a lot with the sensibilities of Steve Reich and Phillip Glass, but the major difference is that you can dance to this one ...

15. Sirocco - Hernan Cattaneo/John Tonks

Good beat

If people aren't dancing by now, then the party has gone dreadfully wrong somewhere along the line ...

16. Voodoo Child - Rogue Traders

Love this

I didn't realise quite how many remix projects I'd included on this cd until I came to write this, but this is a real stand out. It takes the chorus from Pump it Up by Elvis Costello and produces one of the best dance tracks of recent years. You might recognise it from the last series of Doctor Who, when the Master finally succumbed to the drums in his head and heralded the end of the world.

I like this mix CD- although I have to admit that trance isn't really my thing. I can listen to it once in a while. My favourite part is the punk classics- that I sadly didn't know and Low Rider. . . It's the American West Coast Girl in me. . . J

The theme I had in mind for this cd was 'The Ultimate Party Mix' and looking back, I'm not entirely sure it was successful. I've had to cram in a lot of changes of mood for each phase of the party - introductory background music, melodic dance, 70s retro, punk, 80s dance and more contemporary stuff. It's a good taster though, and I still have it as a playlist on my mp3 player.

Good call on my secret identity Nancy - the Otway track is a bit of a give away though ... :-)

For Kate

2007-10-08T22:46:00.000Z

Here's the link for the files you didn't receive. I don't understand why it wasn't delivered, but this is what was in the package. It'll take about 40 minutes to download on a 2Mb line, and will be available for seven days from now.

regards, Rachel

Party Mix

2007-10-08T22:36:00.000Z

I'm not sure who created mine for me- Big thanks to whomever it is!

1. Pleasuredome – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

It’s terrible but the only song I remember from this band is Relax. I don’t think this song made it to the US. I enjoyed this. Like how it starts slow then gets going.

2. Drop - Drop

I really dig this. It’s so different from anything I would normally listen to

3. Pacific Flight - 808 State

I think I might need to be on E to like this. . .

4. Art of Love (Youth and Orb Mix) – The Art of Noise

Great beat.

5. ’75 AKA Stay With You – Lemon Jelly

Another Great Beat

6. Low Rider – War

I know it’s silly- but I have always flippen loved this song. . .

7. Tokoloshe Man- John Kongos

Fun and funky

8. Don’t Move – Life on Mars OST

Funny 4 second intro to the next song

9. Blockbuster – The Sweet

First bar I knew I was going to love this song.

10. Babylon’s Burning – The Ruts

Really like this- I don’t know enough punk

11 Ever Fallen In Love – The Buzzcocks

Another good song I didn’t know!

12. Beware of the Flowers - John Otway
“Beware of the flowers, cause I’m sure they are going to get you yeah.” LOL hysterical lyric

13. Oil – Orbital

It grows on you

14. Rez- Underworld

Like how it builds up

15. Sirocco – Hernan Cattaneo/John Tonks

Good beat

16. Voodoo Child – Rogue Traders

Love this

I like this mix CD- although I have to admit that trance isn’t really my thing. I can listen to it once in a while. My favourite part is the punk classics- that I sadly didn’t know and Low Rider. . . It’s the American West Coast Girl in me. . . J

Thanks for making it for me!

Still Nothing...

2007-10-08T16:44:00.000Z

and my mix was supposedly mailed over two weeks ago...

I wonder if Neil gave out an incorrect address for me? I never got anything last round, either...

Paging Nancy...

2007-10-07T16:12:00.002Z

Erm, with the chaos surrounding my computer breakdown last week, your disc has become separated from the track listing, and I seem to have mislaid the latter.

Can you let me have a fresh listing, and then I'll review the CD asap. For now, let me just say that Music For A Long Day is very effective for soothing after a manic week and a half!

(Neil has my email address, or you could post it directly)

Between the Eggnog and the Mistletoe...

2007-09-30T20:58:00.000Z

My thoughts on this interesting compilation:

01 James Brown - Sex Machine
One of the ultimate feel-good songs. A great introduction to the compilation.

02 Etta James - I just want to make love to you
Superb! I have several of her albums. Such a sexy voice!

03 The Beatles - Why don't we do it in the road
I can't say I'm overly keen on the Beatles, but this one was most appropriate. Thanks.

04 Sarah McLeod - You shook me all night long
Lovely version of this. I hadn't heard it before.

05 Prince and the Revolution - Darling Nikki
Wasn't too keen on this one. It fitted the theme well, though ;)

06 Amy Rigby - Year of the Fling
I didn't like this one either, I'm afraid, which surprised me.

07Amanda Corr - It Ain't the Meat, it's the Motion
I loved this one. Will definitely be looking out for more.

08 Little Esther and Little Willie Littlefield - Turn the Lamps down Low
I loved this one too. There seems to be a theme regarding my favourites...

09 Big Joe Turner - Shake Rattle and Roll
A great oldie!
10 Little Richard - Tutti Frutti
And another!

11 Orville 'Fats' Noel - Ride Daddy Ride
I remember this one. Great stuff!

12 Elvis Costello - Let's Misbehave
I loved this. What album is this from?

13 Boby Roy Brown - Shake Em Up
I liked this. Unususual, because rock and roll isn't really my 'thing'.

14 The Drivers - Smooth Slow and Easy
I could take or leave this one.

15 Billy Ward and the Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man
Another one I could take or leave - sorry!

16 Wynonie Harris - Keep on Churnin'
This was lovely and thumpy. I found myself humming along.

17 Howlin' Wolf - Spoonful
Great stuff.

18 Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton - Baby It's Cold Outside
An amusing version

19 Sam Cooke - Feel It
This passed me by, I'm afraid.

20 Marvin Gaye - Let's Get it on
Absolute classic!

21Barry White - Can't Get Enough of your Love, Babe
I was never keen on Barry, sorry!

22 Bruce Springsteen - I'm on Fire
Bruce never rocked my boat either, I'm afraid.

23 Elvis Presley - I want you, I need you, I love you
Argh! No.

24 Bessie Smith - Need a little sugar in my bowl.
Superb! Bravo!

Some super tracks on here, and some I'll never play again. I will be looking out for three or four albums, though.
Thanks so much for taking the trouble to make this for me, N.

Review of Kate's Mix on Round Four

2007-09-30T18:02:00.000Z

Now 4 for 4 in Mix Club satisfaction! This one is an All-Male Revue with an interesting variety of music, including some old favorites, and new finds. Thanks a lot, Kate!

1. Wake Up Little Sparrow - Devendra Banhart

Great starter! This is a spare, melodic, kind of melancholy song that I couldn't place in time. I'd never heard of Devendra Banhart and was mildly surprised to find the song was as recent as 2005. Very lovely, haunting song.

2. Once Around The Block - Badly Drawn Boy

This is very cool - nice and jazzy, reminds me of a Jazz Butcher song. This would be a nice one for a drive on a spring day with the windows down.

3. Rosie Won't You Please Come Home - The Kinks

I love this one! A lot of content in the guise of minor key pop tune, the song is in the voice of a parent begging their child to come home: "Two long years have passed away/ Since you tried to change your life, Christmas wasn't quite the same." The harpsichord is a nice and very 60s touch.

4. Our Little Angel - Elvis Costello

This one is an old favorite, with classically arresting lyrics: "Well you try to love her but she's so contrary /Like a chainsaw running through a dictionary."

5. Lazy Bones - Leon Redbone

Leon Redbone always makes me smile. He sings all his songs like he's half-asleep or half-drunk, and it works for him. This is an old Hoagy Carmichael tune, perfect for Redbone's style.

6. No Time - Ian McGlynn

This is really good new discovery for me. I love the horns on this piece, and its overall catchiness. I definitely want to hear more from Mr. McGlynn.

7. Anything and Everything - The Posies

Hmmmm. It's a nice song. Can't come up with much of a comment, though. It wasn't one that stood out.

8. Punchbag - The Bees

I'm surprised how much I like this one! Trippy music with a running keyboard arpeggio but not much melodic focus, kind of jazzy with horns, a high vocal line with interesting harmonies. I just found this one really cool and easy to listen to.

9. Skin, is my - Andrew Bird

Cool! This one didn't grab my attention the first few playthroughs but only now that I'm sitting here and paying attention to it as I write, I realize that it's really an amazing song - nonlinear, all kinds of sounds going on, shifts from one vocal style to another, but totally held together with the rhythm and movement that makes me want to get up and dance. I like the string instrument that's being plucked throughout - don't know what it is, but it adds a lot. I looked this guy up in Wikipedia - he has quite the musical history. Really interesting, complex, unusual song.

10.Little Things - Bobby Goldsboro

Ooh, Bobby Goldsboro! I used to have huge crush on the man in 1975 when he was on tv and I was nine years old. I don't remember this song from these days - I only remember "Honey," which was a horrible, maudlin song that made me lay awake in bed crying about death. This song is way, way better. It's a perfect example of the Catchy Little Pop Song, which always makes me happy.

11. Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie - Bob Dylan

Here was a nice surprise - spoken word poetry from Bob Dylan. I'm really glad I got to hear this - thank you!

12. How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco

The answer is to the implied question is: Smile all the time. A low-key song, not very memorable for me.

13. Crooked Dice - Grant Lee Buffalo

Basic rock song - it reminded me, in a good way, of the music I used to listen to on 96 Rock in my best friend's car on the way home from high school.

14. Sometimes I Wish I Was A Pretty Girl - Robyn Hitchcock

Not sure what to make of this. Interesting, not bad to listen to, but unappealing lyrics. Not even sure what he's saying he wants to do to himself in the shower, although it's a fairly obvious guess.

15. What's Your Fashion - Tony Allen

Awesome! Afrobeat jazz, I absolutely love it, must hear more. Nigerian Tony Allen is the drummer on this totally rhythm-oriented song, and someone named Eska adds the vocals

16. When I'm With You - Archer Prewitt

A nice, upbeat song that really moves and an electric guitar line that really reminds me of Steely Dan - which is never bad. Another good song for a long drive with the windows down.

17. Pusherman - Curtis Mayfield

Sung entirely in falsetto, this song reminded me of The Jackal (from that scene with Allison Janney lip-syncing on The West Wing). This song comes from the soundtrack of Superfly and has all you could possibly want from 60s era r&b.

18. Jesus Gonna Be Here - Tom Waits

I love Tom Waits, but had never heard this song. It's a good one! Very typical of his style. Coincidentally, I recent sent someone a mix that included his "Chocolate Jesus."

19. Dirty Work - Steely Dan

I LOVE Steely Dan. They were my first favorite band, and I've never really gotten tired of them. This song is from an early album, Can't Buy A Thrill, with David Palmer on vocals, so it doesn't have quite the characteristic Steely Dan sound - still, a great song!

20. Same Thing - The Grays

I used to have Ro Sham Bo on cassette and the car ate it when I hadn't had it very long. I never replaced it, but I should have because I really liked it - especially this song! I've had the chorus in my head all day. Too bad The Grays didn't last as a band.

21. Strung Out Again - Elliott Smith

This last track brings the mood down a bit with a song about drug abuse. This is actually a lovely song, and reminds me a little of Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done."

Between the egg nog and the mistletoe

2007-09-29T10:15:00.000Z

My CD arrived :)
Thanks NT :)

Will review it when I get a chance!

Posted to the Big Apple

2007-09-20T22:54:00.001Z

Kate, your 'Music for Affairs' CD was posted today.

On it's way

2007-09-17T16:50:00.001Z

Mine was posted this afternoon.

2007-09-11T21:15:00.000Z

Rosalind, your CD left Athens, Georgia today.

Start your cd burners!

2007-09-06T15:12:00.000Z

You should all know the rules by now - any problems or questions, give me a shout!

Return of the mix

2007-09-02T17:52:00.000Z

Well, it's September, traditionally the time for new beginnings - new terms, new projects and the like. It's about time we had another round of this here mix club thingammy.

I have had a couple of suggestions for possible themes for this round, if anybody feels inspired. Doug has suggested 'Music for Affairs' which is a subtle twist on the love song genre - it could cover such things as secret passions, sordid assignations and betrayal. My idea was 'Now That's What I Call a Party', for the ultimate party mix cd guaranteed to get a gathering grooving. Or something.

Who wants to play this time?

Time for another round?

2007-08-27T20:53:00.000Z

How about it?

Round 3 wrap up

2007-07-07T12:35:00.000Z

Most people seem to have received and reviewed a cd for this round. If anybody hasn't had a cd yet, please let me know and I'll sort out a replacement. Looking forward to the next round, what are people's opinions on a themed round, and if so what sort of themes might be of interest? Thoughts, anyone?

Mix Club 3 (from Nicole)

2007-06-27T16:13:00.000Z

I can tell you like your jazz !

Soul Bossa Nova – Quincy Jones & His Orchestra

I’m sure this has been used in tons of adverts as it was very familiar to me. The tune is a right earworm.

Jambo – Dizzy Gillespie

Classic jazz number, got me bopping about.

Dub Lion – DJ Food

Bit of a world music feel but not my thing.

In The Cave – Jacques Dutronc

A pleasant piece of music to have on in the background.

Green Onions – Booker T & the MGs

Dum dum dum dum…. Another familiar earworm number.

Hand Clappin’ – Red Prysock

High tempo jazz number. Does exactly what it says on the tin, I was clapping away.

Limbo Jazz – Duke Ellington & Coleman Hawkins

Lots of trumpet to swing to.

Swingin’ The Mambo – Tito Puente

More funky jazz. Quite relaxing.

Ode To A Butterfly – Nickel Creek

I hear a banjo. Now we’re talking ! I do like a bit of bluegrass and this is very good indeed. I shall be investigating this further.

Bubblehouse – Medeski, Martin & Wood

This one didn’t make much of an impression on me. Impressive playing but it started to irritate a bit as it got faster. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the right mood.

In A Sentimental Mood – John Coltrane & Duke Ellington

Good old-fashioned jazz instrumental.

When I Fall In Love – from Good Night & Good Luck soundtrack

Loved the movie. Love the track. Perfect for a romantic slow-dance.

No Hay Problemo – Pink Martini

Piano-led jazz instrumental. Had the old shoulders going.

Attack of the Mutant Guitars – The Duke Levine Group

Am I right in thinking Duke Levine is Mary Chapin Carpenter’s guitarist ? I like her. Excellent guitar instrumental.

Time Is Tight – Booker T & the MGs

Baby Elephant Walk – Henry Mancini

Another couple of earworms.

Doin It To Death – The JBs

Strollin’ With Mary Jane – Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys

These 2 didn’t make much of an impression, I’m afraid.

Pagan Love Song – Duke Kamoku & His Islanders

Here be ukeleles. Nice Hawaiian feel.

Two Picks And A Bone – T-Bone Walker & friends

Again, something calming to have on in the background.

Hawaii Five-O – The Ventures

Ba ba ba ba ba… everybody knows this one. Classic !

Thanks Nicole, enjoyed listening and will pick up some more Nickel Creek.

Kate's CD - Mix Club Two: Covers

2007-06-25T21:33:00.000Z

Yeah. This is late. I’m sorry Kate. Those of you that read my regular blog know that things have been slightly nutty of the work front, but to be honest not so nutty that I am so behind. Sorry.

Kate put together a CD of covers. What was fun about this was the only cover version I was familiar with was Cracker’s Rainy Days and Mondays. The rest of them were new to me which is always groovy.

1. Any Major Dude Will Tell You- Wilco

I really like this song. Has a really hippy feel. . . and this may be a sin. . . but I prefer it to Steely Dan. I have one question. What’s a squonk?

2. Jumpin’ Jack Flash Flash – Alex Chilton

You can’t help but be aware of the source when you hear this version. . . but it’s really great and Chilton has this gravely voice and really nice clear phrasing.

3. Happiness Is A Warm Gun – The Breeders

Great version. It ain’t the Beatles, but hell, only the Beatles were the Beatles.

4. Beautiful Stranger – Jon Aver

I couldn’t figure out why I knew this song and then I did a search and realized it was a Madonna tune. He has a nice voice but it feels white bread to me. Maybe my knowing it’s Madonna and the inner battle of my soul of how much she annoys me and actually liking her because she is catchy is turning me against it.

5. Smoke On The Water – Senor Coconut

Ah Kate. This version is bloody inspired. You probably knew I would love this. (Kate and I used to work together.) It’s so cheesy. Fantastic. It is so different from Deep Purple but is so much fun. I need to look at more of his stuff.

6. Satisfaction – Devo

Fun. Ain’t the Stones, but hell, only the Stones were The Stones.

7.Heart of Glass – The Bad Plus

I’m not sure why I don’t totally like this. It’s a jazz version of the song..I like jazz. I like Blondie. I like this song. This version however makes me feel like a cat in a bath.

8. Rainy Days and Mondays – Cracker

I came across this version maybe three, four years ago during a drunkin iTunes purchasing session. What I love about it is it has the spirit of the Carpenters but is still so unique with his voice that isn’t really beautiful.

9. Wave of Mutilation – Grant Lee Phillips

I love this version. Really. Love it. Will you hate me if I tell you I like it more than the Pixies?

10. One More Cup of Coffee – White Stripes

When I die, when I come back in my next life can I be someone groovy and cool and talented like Bob Dylan or Jack or Meg White?

11. Hotel California – Gipsy Kings

I have already gone on and on in a previous review about how I adore the Gipsy Kings. And like many people, I also love The Eagles. This may be my favorite tune on this cd.

12. Sea of Love – Cat Power

I love the version by The Honeydrippers I like Cat Power. I like this version. I just don’t love it. . .

13. Your Cheatin’ Heart – Beck

I don’t think I know the Hank Williams version of this. . . I think Patsy is my point of reference for it. This is a nice version.

14. Sweet Child of Mine – Luna

Really like this version of this song. . .

15. If I Needed Someone – Nellie McKay

So very different from The Beatles, but it has its own charm. I’m not at all familiar with her but I am going to check her out.

16. Dr Wu – The Minutemen

Another Steely Dan cover. I don’t know The Minutemen but I am also adding them to my must check out pile. Interesting sound. Not sure if I dig the two vocals together. . . Or does it work because they don’t work together.

17. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Susanna and the Magical Orchestra

Languid. Quiet. Nothing like Joy Division. Eerie.

18. Let’s Dance – M. Ward

Oooooo sexy song. Love the Bowie of course, but this is just a guy and a guitar (well and a harmonica)

Overall- Fan-flipping-tastic CD. The structure works well together and they are all covers that are really rather different from the original.

I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for putting it together for me!

Got My CD

2007-06-25T21:21:00.001Z

My CD came Friday Enitharmon. Thanks!

Nothing Yet

2007-06-25T19:04:00.000Z

I've not received my mix yet, either....

Panic

2007-06-25T11:56:00.001Z

I posted my mix last Thursday, first class. No sign of it turning up yet - should I worry?

Nothing for me yet...