As part of the rejuvenation of this blog, I present the newest, latest mixtape.
Gobbledigook – Sigur Rós Released exactly one week ago, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust is an exercise in a more organic Sigur Rós. A huge departure from the operatic, grand schemes of Sigur Rós’s previous efforts, their latest LP, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, and first track, "Gobbledigook" is chalk full of acoustic guitars, and pulsing percussion. Released in the advent of (my) summer, “Gobbledigook,” is an excellent June confection. Have a listen.
Agoraphobia – Deerhunter A smooth, almost Beach Boys-esque song from the yet-to-be-released Atlanta five-some’s forthcoming third record, Microcastle, “Agoraphobia” abandons the shoegaze of Deerhunter’s second record, Cryptograms, in favor of a brighter, summery sound. Although the band has departed from their reverb soaked songs, the pleasant, soft melody of “Agoraphobia” leaves little to complain about.
Inside a Boy – My Brightest Diamond “Inside a Boy” is My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden at her finest. Crushing guitars armed with Worden’s soulful, sultry voice represents My Brightest Diamond’s epic, classical sound at its pinnacle. “Inside a Boy” is the first track off Worden’s latest (second) LP, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. Although much of the material on Shark’s Teeth differs greatly from her debut album, “Inside a Boy” is an amalgamation of the sonic landscape Worden carved out in 2006’s Bring Me the Workhorse and perhaps one of the strongest songs to come from the indie outfit.
The E Street Shuffle – Bruce Springsteen What can be said about Bruce Springsteen in a singular paragraph that can’t be better garnered from a five minute Google/Wikipedia search? Assuming everyone has heard of Bruce Springsteen, “The E Street Shuffle” is the opening track off Springsteen’s second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Released in 1973, “The E Street Shuffle” and the majority of The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is a showcase for Springsteen’s more full-bodied, almost orchestral sound. When listening to “The E Street Shuffle,” it’s possible to hear inklings of Illinois-era Sufjan Stevens or any other artist that’s embraced a variety of instrumentation and bombastic musicality.
The Shape Is in a Trace – Thurston Moore Foregoing waves of distortion and the noise of nothingness, Thurston Moore’s 2007 solo release, Trees Outside the Academy was a pleasant surprise of acoustic guitars and verse-chorus-verse structure. “The Shape Is in a Trace” is an exemplary track from the aforementioned album and displays Moore’s acoustic guitar talent coupled with a weighted string arrangement. With Sonic Youth’s 2006 LP Rather Ripped showing the band downplaying their avant garde tendencies, Trees Outside the Academy and “The Shape Is in a Trace” demonstrates Moore’s continuation of this welcomed new trend.
Hurly / Burly – Man Man Blazing, schizophrenic, boisterous, bludgeoning, percussion, pop, and perfunctory are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind when listening to Man Man’s “Hurly / Burly,” the second track off their third record, Rabbit Habits (2008). Bursting with a wide variety of instrumental ornamentation and a plethora of different instruments, “Hurly / Burly” is sonically all over the map. However, the track retains momentum, never operates at too breakneck of a speed and never loses its listener, which will be entertained by the almost incoherent nature of “Hurly / Burly.”
Light of Love – Music Go Music What begins as a Jens Lekman-infused pop song, transforms into a Queen-influenced ballad in “Light of Love,” a track from California’s Music Go Music. “Light of Love” sounds like it comes from eras past. More than anything, the band plays off Abba templates, but the up-tempo and optimistic song is littered with nostalgia, which makes for an ideal summertime listen.
Post-Paint Boy – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Much like all of Stephen Malkmus’ finest post-Pavement material, “Post-Paint Boy” retains all the quirky, catchy sentiments that helped define the 90’s indie staple. The track is the third to last from Malkmus’ 2005 album, Face the Truth. “Post-Paint Boy” is made up of forward moving rhythm guitar, chirping percussion, and a lead guitar melody that matches Malkmus’ soft, sing-a-long lyrics, all of which culminate into a pleasant, easy-going sonic digestion.
California – Joni Mitchell Well, as previously stated, I’m in California. How could that theme not creep up in an issue or two of the mixtape? “California” is off Joni Mitchell’s beautifully sparse, emotionally excellent third record, Blue. Not only is the album a brutally fantastic piece of folk music, “California” is the definition of early, bright Mitchell. The track is pleasant and warm. Try to imagine the sun high above the Pacific, with sand tangling your feet. “Oh will you take me as I am?/ Will you take me as I am?,” sings Mitchell, and ultimately smilingly encourages, “Take me as I am.” Take me as I am.
To date, it's been twenty-three days since my last entry. Before that I was only sparsely posting mixtapes. Well, that's what finishing up a tense academic year, packing your life up, and driving/moving to Los Angeles will do to you.
However, in case any of you are waiting with bated breath, I'm happy to announce that regular blogging (more than just mixtapes) will resume starting Monday (with, yes, a new mixtape).
This past Saturday, I completed my four-day trek from Kalamazoo to L.A. (which included some entertaining/interesting stops along the way) to prepare for my summer internship with the Los Angeles Times. As of now, I'm working periodically throughout the week, but have ample free time. When I'm not exploring the completely foreign California, I plan on getting back to a regular blogging schedule.
I'm going to include a few more features that just The Monday Mixtape, as well as being more regular about writing up albums of the week and artist spotlights. Overall, I like the layout, so not much will change there, but I'm adding on a few new things on the column to the right, such as an easy way to navigate subscription (both feed and e-mail) and a list of links to what I read most frequently.
In general, things are going to be slightly more brief. By putting less focus on lengthy pieces, I'll be able to get out more material at a much more frequent rate, so when you check more than once a week, there'll be something new to read.
Alas, I'm blathering on. The title of this entry says it all.
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my personal heavy rotation.
This week’s mixtape is a summer-time extravaganza. Twelve new tracks supplicated by three gems make up today’s mix. That’s right, fifteen songs that either reflect the ambiance of late-May daytime sun or the orange glow in the skies of summer nights and should more than make up for my recent mixtape absence.
52 Girls – The B-52’s An all time summer classic, “52 Girls” represents the early era of the B-52’s at their best. Minimalist drums and guitar provide the toe-tapping background to the sultry and melodic dual vocals of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson from the second track off the band’s eponymous debut album. Although “52 Girls” isn’t as new wave as some of the band’s other material, its upbeat, kitschy nature grabs the listener’s attention and is a fundamental exercise in pop.
Water Curses – Animal Collective “Water Curses” is the first track off of Animal Collective’s recently released EP of the same name. Recorded during the Strawberry Jam sessions in 2007, “Water Curses” is as bubbling and bright as any of the catchy pop found on last year’s Strawberry Jam; It’s a carousel of airy melody and optimistic fervent instrumental orchestration. Despite being busy with a variety of seemingly random samples, Animal Collective condenses the hyper sonic cornucopia into an experience that is easy, satisfying, and unique. After listening, it’s easy to see that “Water Curses” is the type of song that no other band is producing right now, which is a theme prominent in Animal Collective history.
Yesterday’s Garden – Tim Fite A cheerful, lackadaisical attempt at pop music off of Tim Fite’s latest LP, Fair Ain’t Fair, “Yesterday’s Garden” contains several recognizable elements borrowed from Randy Newman and The Beatles. The song begins pleasantly enough, with lazy piano accompanied only by Fite’s bold voice, but soon banjos, penny whistles, and boisterous vocal accompaniment enter and the song transforms into a sing-a-long that is reminiscent of forgotten Disney VHS tapes or Kermit the Frog musical performances. The uniqueness of Fite’s voice and musical style make “Yesterday’s Garden” an interesting listen.
Mean God – Times New Viking Clocking in right over 1:30, the album version of Times New Viking’s “Mean God” is an example of the band’s loud, discordant mess of a sound (see “Faces on Fire” in the first mixtape issue). However, underneath almost all of their songs’ piercing roughness exists an understanding of pop mechanics and the version of “Mean God” posted today (off of the band’s recent Daytrotter session) is an example of just that. For reasons unknown, Times New Viking toned down their harsh dissonance, opting to keep their vocals and guitars clean in their Daytrotter session. The result is a take of “Mean God” that is just as up-tempo as its counterpart, as the band hardly abandons their energy in this forward moving, punk-influenced track.
Rooks – Shearwater Having earned an album of the week feature, Shearwater is no stranger to this blog. “Rooks” is the brand new single off the band’s forthcoming LP, simply titled Rook. Numerous sonic elements explored in the aft mentioned album review are seen throughout “Rooks,” although the band certainly shows growth. The powerful bridge made up of trumpet and the eerie woos of supplemental vocalists, as well as the straightforward marching pulse of the song itself, is new territory for Shearwater. As well as musical evolution, Shearwater demonstrates expansion in the form of front man Jonathan Meiburg’s vocals. Forgoing the edge-of-your-seat dramatics displayed on 2006’s Palo Santo, Meiburg chooses to remain discreet and ominous, which signals growth, promise, and interest for the Rook’s June 3rd release.
Van Tan – DD/MM/YYYY A five-piece out of Toronto, Canada, DD/MM/YYYY has an experimental punk sound that is part Fugazi and part Blood Brothers with the rhythmical influence of Liars thrown in. Having two drummers, “Van Tan” strongest aural point is its rhythm; at the three minute mark, the rhythm section practically takes over the track. Melodically riffed guitars, Guy Picciotto-like vocal shouts, and shifting musical theatrics add distinct layers to the drum-heavy track all of which helps maintain the song’s sonic momentum.
Royal Gregory – Holy Fuck Holy Fuck is Toronto, Canada’s analog answer to electronic music. Made up of a drummer, bass player, and two unique effects men, Holy Fuck’s sound is pure electronica, but created without the genre staples, laptops or programming; the electronics heard on their output are created live with the use of various keyboards, children’s toys, and even a film sequencer. By ad-libbing their own material both live and in the studio, their songs take on a very fluid dynamic structure. “Royal Gregory,” off the band’s 2007 LP, is an stellar example of Holy Fuck’s dance-oriented electronic material, combing a thick bass groove with steady, heavy, drumming and myriad digital noises, including muffled, sampled vocals. Constant tonal and rhythm shifts in “Royal Gregory” not only keep the track from boring the listener, but are also evidence of the band’s organic sound. Armed with their unique sound, Holy Fuck crafts a song that holds up to whatever electronic-dance music is currently flooding the market.
Sleeper Hold – No Age 2008 has brought several great albums so far, but one of the strongest has been No Age’s debut record, Nouns. “Sleeper Hold” makes for the fourth No Age track I’ve posted on the mixtape. However, “Sleeper Hold,” is as different from the previously posted songs as those songs were to one another. “Sleeper Hold” finds the band reveling in their experimental noise-rock distortion and pulsing drums. Elements of shoegaze and punk run rampant over the quick-hitting 2:26 track as No Age finds themselves creating a near-perfect basement-rock anthem. The most disappointing thing about the fervent song is its running time; just when you find yourself moving your body and singing along, the song abruptly ends. Fortunately, “Sleeper Hold” is followed by several other tracks on the great Nouns LP that share the same musical and emotional tenor.
Morning Light – Girls Sunny enough to reflect the musical ornamentation of recent Caribou, but grungy enough to earn comparisons to Jesus and Mary Chain, San Francisco’s Girls play in worn melancholy, shoegaze ground. “Morning Light” is off the band’s soon-to-be-released 7”. Vigorous melody and lo-fi noise make up the power-pop a-side and although the song feels a little long due to its near constant repetition, “Morning Light” has enough of a hook to draw in fans of the aforementioned genres.
Hazel St. – Deerhunter Though Deerhunter front man, Bradford Cox and his side-project Atlas Sound have been mentioned on an issue or two of the mixtape before, Deerhunter, arguably the better musical act, have yet to make an appearance until today. “Hazel St.” exemplifies the band’s hushed shoegaze sound. Building various gentle pop harmonies upon layers of delicate, muted sonic soundscapes, Deerhunter exemplifies ethereal psychedelia and “Hazel St.” is an exercise in just that. Not only does the song burst with lush harmony, it manages to be catchy and friendly, cultivating a mellowed listening experience.
Warning – Wye Oak An indie-folk outfit out of Baltimore, Wye Oak just released their debut album on Merge records, If Children. “Warning” is track two on the debut LP from the duo, who gained notoriety because of multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack unique performance style – whereas singer Jenn Wasner handles vocals and guitar, Stack plays drums and keyboard at the same time, drumming with his two feet and right hand while handling keys with his left. “Warning” starts off much similarly to the polite musings of Death Cab for Cutie, but as the tempo picks up, the song elevates into territory familiar to Foo Fighters’ softer material. There’s plenty of guitar feedback and charged drumming to give the song needed dirt, preventing anything too gentle from overpowering the breezy track.
Glitter & Gold – Cheap Time Two minutes of glam-rock based pop-punk. That’s what Cheap Time delivers on “Glitter & Gold,” the second track off the band’s 2008 self-titled debut record. The three-piece hails from Tennessee and lists The Runaways, T. Rex, Red Cross, and Pussy Galore as influences on their Myspace. Though treading almost no new territory, Cheap Time packs “Glitter & Gold” with quick-draw tempo and crunching, riffing, guitar that demonstrate garage rock at its finest, which is hardly a bad thing.
Going to Georgia – The Mountain Goats Without question, The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle is a fantastic songwriter. “Going to Georgia” is musically simple enough, made up of only three chords, but it’s Darnielle’s lyrics and voice that give the song its life. Released in 1994 as the second to last track of the Zopilote Machine album, “Going to Georgia” is best summed up as honest, harsh, fragility converted to song. “The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway/ Is that it’s you/ And you’re standing in the doorway” is one of the most crushingly beautiful, shiver inducing, lyrical lines I’ve ever heard. The song’s heavy lyrics juxtaposed against its uncomplicated structure speak volumes on its own, but Darnielle’s out of tune vocal delivery is the third piece of this delicate sonic puzzle, which earns more than one listen.
You’ve Done It Again, Virginia – The National On May 20th, The National released their DVD/CD set A Skin, A Night & The Virginia EP. “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia” is the first track of the EP and it’s a re-recording of a song of the same name, found on 2005’s Lit Up EP. Their second time around, The National adds several Sufjan Stevens-helmed flourishes to the simple, brooding acoustic song. “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia,” particularly with Sufjan’s accompaniment, sounds as if it would fit perfectly within the stark musical landscape of 2007’s critically acclaimed Boxer, complete with lead singer Matt Berninger’s soulful croak which tells of bleak American life. If anything, “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia,” along with the entirety of the Virginia EP, acts as a bookend for the excellent Boxer, delivering familiar sounds and themes to familiar audiences and ears.
Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ – Titus Andronicus Hailing from Glen Rock, New Jersey and delivering bombastic punk, Titus Andronicus’ “Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ” begins humbly, only to violently erupt into urgent, epic noise akin to both Neutral Milk Hotel and Nirvana. A band-led “Fuck you!” kicks off the overdriven guitars, drums, keys, and singer Liam Betson’s “Conor Oberst-inspired” vocals. Once the five-piece hits this rapid-fire momentum at the 1:17 mark, it’s never lost. Though the music briefly slows down during a guitar lead bridge, Titus Andronicus immediately re-ignites as ferocious drums are reintroduced along with keyboard and a brass section, all of which aurally pummels its audience for the song’s remaining minutes. Outside of their sound, the band is constantly referencing other elements of literature and pop culture in their lyrics, song titles, etc. – Along with their band name taken from Shakespeare’s earliest play, the title of their 2008 debut record, The Airing of Grievances, references a particular Festivus ritual of Seinfeld fame. The band is receiving attention from a variety of blogs and media outlets, most notably Pitchfork Media, and their new record is worth experiencing.
