Happy New Year Happy Mix

My year end mix-tapes serve as my holiday cards to beloved friends. They also are little time capsules for me because I use them to collect all of my favorite songs of the year. Not necessarily released that year, they're the songs that I spent the most time actually listening to. This year was notable for several reasons, I've never had enough songs to fill up 2 CDs and I've never had so much pop music and ballads. It's all pretty up stuff, mood-wise.

I used to gravitate towards the music that I already knew but this year was more about reaching out to new stuff. At least 8 of these songs are by Chicago bands playing out currently. I've been completely thrilled by the local music being created now. It's a great feeling when music is exciting right now and you're not strictly ruled by the music that you discovered during your formative years.

You can do research on these bands if you want more information on them. I'm just going to share my impressions. In all honesty, quite a few of them are favorites because they remind me of other beloved bands. But they're still pretty great on their own. Hope that you can find something you like on here.

Cheers!

Liz



2008 Mixtape Volume 1

Here be volume 1.

1. Dr. Dog - Say Something
....WORDS HANG LIKE THEY'RE JUST HANGING OUT
This track has the loopy music, weird vocals, catchy chorus of "I gotta know." There's something that I find grand about the pace of this song. They remind me of all the best parts of Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show in that they're goofy but totally have the chops to back it all up.

2. Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
AND SUDDENLY I FOUND MYSELF AN INNOVATOR
Here is a super snappy pop song. I had the same reaction to this that I had to M.I.A. when I first heard her work. Notable detail: the sparest of percussive keyboard lines that runs through the whole song.

3. Spouse - Chicago
...........I'M SEEING SIDEWAYS NO SUCH THING AS MY WAY
This was so, so difficult. Jose was part of at least 4 different projects that released great albums last year. The album by Nuclear Waste Management Club stops me in my tracks and brings me to tears every single time. I have to limit the amount of time that I listen to it so I can be a functional human and not just a sobbing lump. But with lyrics like "pleasure us Sears Tower" I just had to use this track. It's another perfect pop song by one of my favorite song-writers.

4. The Kooks - Kids (MGMT cover)
FAMILY OF TREES WANTED TO BE HAUNTED
The Kooks enjoy a reserved acoustic moment. A perfect cover because it's very different from the original. The Kooks made it their own.

5. Paul & Linda McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed
..IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING
In order of appeal: George, John, Ringo, Paul. But recently something about this song clicked. It was probably because I heard Jon Brion do a cover that absolutely killed. Jon Brion is the best carrier of the Beatles torch. But I came back to the original. Supposedly the live version is better, but this one is sweet.

6. Swizz Beatz - Take A Picture
........................I MAKE MY PAPERS YOU HATERS
I got this album last year when it came out but it finally grew on me. Swizz is so cool. He sells computers that come fully loaded with his own kind of music-making software already on them but you can only buy them in Switzerland or something. He's one of those entrepreneur-rappers. I love him but it's a good thing the rap thing is working out for him.

7. Van Duren - Grow Yourself Up
.................I'LL BE HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME
This is the real deal here; Big Star-related via Chris Bell & Jody Stephens who just happens to be one of the best drummers ever. While they don't play with this project (they play on other ones) the flavor comes through on here. This guy is still recording new songs. Let's love him while he's around to love, eh? Oh, those drums.

8. fFlashlights - Stones Speak
.............................A FOOTPATH IS WORN SMOOTH
(Mostly) local Chicagoans, fFlashlights is one of my new favorite bands. They put on a outstanding rock show. You lucky soul, this song is from the unreleased rough mixes demo otherwise you would never get to hear it. This trio is comprised of Elliot Dicks, Doug McCombs, & Chris Brokaw. I would have loved to put the 7 minute song that devolves into a beautiful dense wall of sound but, alas, limited space here.

9. KatJonBand - Bad Apples
.............................................TALKING TO MY LAWYER
Kat from The Ex and Jon Langford got together to make a pretty sweet album.

10. Headlights - Catch Them All
.......................................IT'S SO LATE IT'S SO LATE
Headlights are another local outfit. Their previous releases were strictly straightforward indie rock so it's nice to see them branch out with a more lush production style and developing the song-writing. The wiry guitar solo at the end reminds me of the dBs and early Feelies.

11. Robert Wyatt - You You
..YOU YOU GAVE ME MANY STUCK IN MY MEMORY
One of the best weirdo voices in rock & roll, Robert Wyatt continues to put out great albums. In the words of Wyatt and the Soft Machine, "You did it again."

12. The Walkmen - Yellow Kid
.WILD SCHEMES ARE NOTHING BUT PIPE DREAMS
Weird little song that snuck up on me and wouldn't let me forget it. I don't know anything about this band. I don't even know how this song got onto my computer but I couldn't stop listening to it.

13. Lykke Li - Little Bit
...I WOULD DO IT PUSH THE BUTTON PULL THE TRIGGER
Neil turned me onto this sweet little dance/pop number. Then he probably turned around cooked a 5 course meal. I totally fell for this song. The vocals are captivating, almost haunting. The video features her cool-jerk dance moves.

14. The Swirlies - Version
..................................................................................
Douglas Wolk turns me onto this one virtually by disclosing that "The Swirlies are offering free downloads of most of their discography, including this record, my favorite by far of all the indie-rock remix albums of the '90's." Thanks, Douglas!
http://circletheglo.be/search/swirlies

15. Steve Reich - Daniel Variations
.................................................................................
Steve Reich's moving composition in memory of journalist Daniel Pearl.

16. Bottomless Pit - The Cardinal Movements
....NO TOLERANCE FOR NONSENSE
My other favorite new Chicago band is the Bottomless Pit. I have listened to this band's album and ep more than maybe anything else. There is something about it that hits all my favorite buttons. Tight drums that groove. Enjoy their melodically dense songs with the hooks that grab and hold on tight.

17. The Nu-Sonics - Nice Guys
.HOW THE WORLD GOT SET UP ON THIS COURSE
Alex Sniderman is another song-writing master. It was pretty difficult choosing between all his great songs as well. His musical touchstones are classic. His lyrics are so heartfelt and honest that I have to look away sometimes. How did such a young guy from Brooklyn figure all these things out already?

18. Jon Brion - Knock Yourself Out
.......THE UNEXPLAINABLE HAS YOU RIDDLED
This song originally appeared in the movie I Heart Huckabees. Jon Brion writes the songs to all your favorite movies. He is the producer/musician that plays all the instruments and I'm going to be him when I grow up.

19. Rivers Cuomo - Can't Stop Partying
..IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ME I'M IN VIP
This song is amazing. I can't stop singing this song. Pop pathos in pill form.


2008 Mixtape Volume II

Here be volume 2.

1. Bottomless Pit - Red Pen
......YOU KNOW IT AIN'T EASY TO BE ON YOUR OWN
The fact that there is only two Bottomless Pit songs speaks to my restraint. This song kills me. The amp static at the beginning is a great leave-in detail. I had this song on repeat once and listened to it until 4 in the morning. And I'll do it again in a heartbeat.

2. Allá - El Movimiento
...............I CAN'T DECIPHER THESE LYRICS NO ONE CAN
Chicagoans. It's kinda surprising that more people don't know about this band. Their next album is going to be all covers. They do a Faust song and they are doing Umbrella by Rhianna. It's going to be awesome.

3. High Places - The Storm
CLOTHES ARE STAINED WITH PITCH IT WAS WORTH IT
I know that they're not actually using water as a percussion instrument but it sure sounds like it. It is inspiring me to use water on my next recording. Better keep it far away from the recording equipment. And, hilariously, it sounds like they're using Timbaland's famous snare sound. Probably not, but it's close.

4. Radiohead - All I Need
IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PICTURE LYING IN THE LEAVES
This might be the closest that Radiohead ever got to a love song. Radiohead put out a great album in 2007 that I continued to listen to all 2008. You can find them playing all these songs live online and be impressed by their musicianship. Also, 50% of the reason that I enjoy the BBC original version of Life On Mars is because it feels like I'm watching Thom Yorke run around in 1974 England.

5. Kaki King - Pull Me Out Alive
...THE TYRANNY OF TRYING TO KNOW EVERYTHING
Thanks to David I know about the cool percussive style of guitar-playing that Kaki King invented. This song doesn't have that style of playing but I love the cool way she voices the verses. Also, that Ric Ocasek-style keyboard that comes up in the 2nd verse with the thin guitar line that follows really makes the song for me.

6. Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica
......................TRY AND HAVE A SOFTER INSIDE
This is Brian Wilson to me.

7. Busdriver - Sun Shower
.......IT WAS YOU AND YOUR DJ IN MATCHING PANTS
Where did this song come from? It came from 1980, from my parent's basement where I sat at the computer every day after school playing video games and listening to Depeche Mode cassettes. Portamento! Shut-up, I really like this song. I find it infectious despite the super-freaky lyrics.

8. Spottiswoode & His Enemies - In The Pouring Rain
..EVERYTHING IS SHINING
Oh, Jonathan!

9. Robyn Hitchcock - Surfer Ghost
.........HOLD YOU IN MIND HOLD YOU IN MIND
From the Robyn Hitchcock collection that came out earlier this year. I wasn't familiar with this song before but I love the dynamics that end the song with the long outro and grand outro harmonies.

10. Cat Power - New York
...................................................................................
Cover song. I like this Stones-y version. Actually the whole album was pretty damn bluesy. Nice take on a song that already has a quintessential version.

11. The Notorious B.I.G. & Ratatat - Party & Bullshit
......I HOPE I DON'T GET SHOT
Are you as excited about the upcoming Notorious B.I.G. movie as I am!?! Whoa.

12. Ted Leo & Tom Scharpling - Turlet
..THE TAPAS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN EATING
The Best Show on WFMU is the only show that I tune in to religiously. I turn the phone off and settle in every Tuesday. This song was written in one 3 hour episode with all lyrics supplied by people that called into the show. Triumph!

13. Field Music - Closer At Hand
….QUESTIONS WE TEND TO ASK ARE USELESS
Yes! As in, the progressive rock outfit Yes. Field Music are so sophisticated that I consider them the Yes or Steely Dan of our (their?) generation. Many great, weird songs come from them. Their albums are totally worth exploring.

14. Maritime - For Science Fiction
.....FREAKS COME ON FOREVER IN THE BLACK
Here is another song that mysteriously appeared on my computer. I fell in love with the power poppy-ness and then realized what the lyrics were saying. Then I decided that I loved it anyway. It's a Praise song about science fiction. I adore Neal Stephenson so I can relate to being exactly this overjoyed about sci fi.

15. Parts & Labor - Mount Misery
............SERIOUSLY DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS
Eno-ish, weird, and loopy. Loud when live.

16. Headlights - Get Your Head Around It
.....WINTERS HEAL DESPITE HOW THEY
Another flash of Yes the band but this tune is featuring sweet glockenspiel parts.

17. Cheap Trick - Voices
..................................PLEASE CAN I SEE YOU EVERY DAY
You wouldn't believe how often I listen to Cheap Trick. They write some of the best bridges of any pop band. This is one of my favorite songs of theirs and it never gets any airplay. Their transitions and intervals are all very Beatlesque. I think that this one reminds me of She's So Heavy.

18. The Bitter Tears - Murdered In The Bar
ROLLING AROUND IN THE DAISIES ON
These local boys must be seen to be believed. They are an excellent cocktail of pathos and humor and exceptional musicianship and shamelessness always intent on surprising the audience. Alan Scalpone screams I Hate Music and I die laughing. Not for the faint of heart.

19. Superchunk - Eastern Terminal
.....I'M A BLUSHING BRIDE WILLING TO LEARN
Mark Robinson produced this Old Superchunk tune in the production style of Joy Division. I say he totally succeeded.