March ’04 Mix
March 25, 2004
1) The Fever – Pawn Shoppe Heart – The Von Bondies
The Von Bondies new record is mostly just slabs of glammed up guitars, but “The Fever” finds the ladies breaking it up with coy and clever choruses. It’s one of the few bits where it feels like the VBs have a sense of humor and having any fun with this rock n’ roll thing.
2) Darts of Pleasure – Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
It sticks pretty close to their formula, with teasing verses and explosive chorus matching up with strict dancebeat drums, but the whole thing takes a bizarre turn for the better when the band suddenly starts yelling in German. ICH HEISSE SUPERFANTASTISCH.
3) C30, C60, C90, Go! – All Medicated Geniuses [EP] – Pretty Girls Make Graves
I’m not sure if PGMG supports filesharing or not, but they apparently have no problems with cassettes and piracy, covering this old Bow Wow Wow track about that very topic. It sounds like it was recorded on a tape recorder, of course.
4) Get By – Quality – Talib Kweli
I heard this track on one of my Z-Trip mixes with the intro synced up with Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman.” When the handclap starts, Z-Trip he just says “I’m going to let this run, cuz this track is a motherfucker.” I hate when DJs talk, but he was dead right.
5) Freestyle – Chappelle Show – Mos Def
I can’t have Talib without having a little of his partner in crime, the mighty mighty Mos Def. I was messing with DVD Audio Ripper and yanked this off my Chappelle show DVD, just a couple of minutes of Mos driving around freestyling over a spare beat cobbled from congas and a little bit of the hook from “The Message.”
6) Lady Don’t Tek No – Lady Don’t Tek No – Latyrx
Confession: When this DJ Shadow produced track pops up on my IPod, I’ve been known to sit straight up and yell “THIS IS MY JAM!”
7) Human Behaviour – Read: Interpreting Bjork – The Decemberists
In all honesty, I wanted to put The Tain on here, as I listened to it a bunch this month. But I couldn’t drop an 18 minute song onto a monthly mix without pretty much killing the whole damn thing. Instead I used this old cover, which sounds like the original except that it is exceptionally creepy.
8) The Scarlet Tide – Cold Mountain – Alison Krauss
I hate Anthony Minghella movies so much that I didn’t even go see “Cold Mountain” in the theaters, but I was really floored by Krauss’ performance of this at the Oscars. One of Elvis Costello’s strengths as a songwriter is taking an assignment like this (write a fake Appalachian folk ballad) and just nailing it while maintaining his own voice. It’s an fantastic song, and fits right alongside his extended version of “Ommie Wise.”
9) Alison – Costello & Nieve (NY) – Costello & Nieve
I mentioned this overextended medley last month in my mix and figured it should come in here. Alison/Living A Little, Laughing A Little/Tracks Of My Tears/Tears Of A Clown/No More Tearstained Make-Up/Clowntime Is Over. The coulrophobic in me shakes and shivers.
10) Watch This House – Beat Beat Heartbeat – The Natural History
Speaking of Elvis… I’m not sure I’ve ever really heard a band so successfully ape Costello’s sound, specifically his vocal phrasings, like the Natural History does here. It really sounds like it could be a Trust-era b-side, which is a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE compliment from me.
11) Dirty Old Town – Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead [EP] – Ted Leo / Pharmacists
The Dirty Old Town DVD starts with a solo performance of this at Piano’s, and it’s pretty damn hypnotizing. It’s a cover, so I can’t really credit Ted with this, but the first few lines have a beautiful simplicity to them: “I met my love by the gas works wall / Dreamed a dream by the old canal / Kissed my girl by the factory wall / Dirty Old Town, Dirty Old Town…”
12) Glitterball – Lay of the Land – Seachange
Duff mentioned that Seachange could be the next Interpol if handled correctly, and I totally buy into it. I wish that the record were a little more cleanly recorded though. The sad strings and the desperation in the vocal on “Glitterball” make this one my favorite of the record.
13) Muzzle of Bees – A Ghost is Born – Wilco
Wilco’s followup to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is hotly anticipated, and will almost certainly be seen as a disappointment. It’s a great record, but it’s awkward and experimental in parts, and YHF is just a lot to live up to. On first listen, Muzzle of Bees really jumped out at me first. Its mix of acoustic melody, fits of noise and just that little touch of dissonance reminds me “Automatic For The People,” which isn’t a comparison I make lightly.
14) What I Say and What I Mean – Like It Or Not – The Like
I got the 3rd Like EP and I actually was disappointed by it. This track’s pretty good, but the other two on the EP are more conventional numbers. “Bridge To Nowhere” is like something from the Corrs or Sixpence None the Richer. It will be interesting to see if the band goes more mainstream or it can find just that little touch of edge that it needs. I’m clearly expecting too much of this band already.
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