May ’03 Mix

May 11, 2003

Liner Notes:

1) Fire/Sign – Movement – The Gossip

I’m not entirely sold on The Gossip, because they seem like a bit of a one trick pony. But when they get it going, as they do on “Fire/Sign” off Movement, they rip it up bigtime. Beth Ditto clears her throat and after that it’s all disco beats, handclaps and a single searing blues guitar.

2) Thickfreakness – Thickfreakness – The Black Keys

The Black Keys title track off their second album tells you pretty much all you have to know about The Black Keys. Despite being two nerdy looking White guys from Akron, they throw down raw, fuzzed up blues that fit perfectly on Fat Possum, a label that’s almost exclusively ancient Black dudes. Dan Auerbach’s guitar is particularly bonegrinding on this track.

3) No Fun/Push It – Radio Soulwax, Vol. 2 – Two Many DJs

It’s the Stooges “No Fun” mashed up with Salt N Pepa’s “Push It.” What more do you need to say, really? Oh, both songs have been my phone ringtone at one point. I guess I could mention that.

4) You – Playing With A Different Sex – The Au Pairs

I’m dropping back about 20 years for this one, but this song’s worth it. These old skool post-punkers laid down the groundwork for a lot of my current favorite bands, and “You” is a track where the Au Pairs have all their guns blazing. I particularly dig the opening riff, which is vaguely reminiscent of “Mirror in the Bathroom.”

5) No, Not Now – Make Up The Breakdown – Hot Hot Heat

The Hot Hot Heat made the major label jump last year, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them shoved down my throat later this year. Like almost all their work, “No, Not Now” is interminably catchy, bordering on mind pollution. Careful, it may get stuck in your head.

6) Bridges, Squares – Heart of Oak – Ted Leo / Pharmacists

My faux new wave string continues here, with Ted Leo’s bouncy tribute to Boston. My favorite parts are the dub style bridge, and Leo’s use of “ossify” and “predictable waves of historicity” in his chorus. Absolutely stunning.

7) Everlasting Scream – Creatures – Elf Power

I think the indie pop section of this mix is starting now. I used this song mostly because I love the fast pace of the drums here, which is just so rarely done in this genre. The screech of the pickslide and the subsequent guitar line after the first verse is really hot too.

8) Let’s Get Ready To Crumble – Let’s Get Ready To Crumble – Russian Futurists

It’s amazing what one guy can do if he has enough garage sale 99 cent Casio keyboards. This is one of my favorite metarawk songs (songs about how awesome rawk music is). “c’mon let’s loose control and sell our souls to rock n roll.” Simple and to the point.

9) All For Swinging You Around – Electric Version – The New Pornographers

So far, Electric Version is my favorite record of the year, in a year stacked full of really good rekkids. This isn’t even my favorite track, but I didn’t want to burn all the good songs on my first month of songs. Neko Case’s voice is dead perfect in this one.

10) Falling Away – I Like The Like EP2 – The Like

While everyone in the Like pulls their weight, the thing that sticks out on this track for me are Z’s smoky vocals, which have this hypnotic dreaminess to them. She has a really unique delivery and phrasing, which is the last thing I really expect out of teenage bands. Huge things await when this band graduates high school.

11) The Rifleman – Let The War Against Music Begin – The Minus 5

Here’s an older Minus 5 track. OK, not that old. Slow and lumbering, this is also the prettiest track on the CD. The main melody, the oohs, the ahhs. It’s all so gorgeous. The TV show references are just bonus.

12) Death on the Stairs – Up The Bracket – The Libertines

Here’s an incredibly happy song for something with a chorus of “KILL ME, PLEASE KILL ME.” The song feels like a ripoff of something else (The Strokes’ “Last Nite,” maybe?) but I’m down with it anyway. Reminds me of The Jam, sorta…

13) The Bitterest Pill – Snap! – The Jam

Speaking of which. Later era Jam, which means that most people will say it comes just short of genius. I think the strings on the chorus that come in on the second verse/chorus really make this song. That and when Paul Weller bounces his voice up the register out of nowhere. That part’s really cool too.

14) Maps – Fever To Tell – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

In retrospect (all seven hours of it), this track really hoses up the flow of this CD. It felt necessary to include it though, as I have listened to YYYs quite a bit this month. I jumped on this track just because it somehow manages to be touching and soft while having absolutely thunderous drums in the background. Neat trick.

15) All World Cowboy Romance – Signals, Calls and Marches – Mission of Burma

More old post-punk (from Boston, no less), this time an instrumental that fades the CD out after about five minutes of shimmery guitar buildup and release. “All World Cowboy Romance” is arguably one of the finest, most evocative, song titles ever.

Category Posted in Mixtape