June ’06 Mix

June 30, 2006

1) Love Your Shotgun – Be Your Own Pet – Be Your Own Pet

“I hate it, this riot, all I wanted was a room at the Hyattttttttt” pretty much nails San Diego Comic-Con in one. The rest of the song has nothing to do with nerds.

2) Fast Asleep – Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives – Voxtrot

Ramesh writes great changeups, where he’ll establish a great melody only to pull the rug out from under you and grab you with a different hook. This song does that two or three times, without having a strongly defined bridge or chorus.

3) Common Reactor – Carnavas – Silversun Pickups

Everyone raves about Silversun Pickups live, and I can believe it. The albums feel like they’re barely conveying the hugeness of their anthems.

4) She’s Right – Free To Stay – Smoosh

Free to Stay is a bit thin as far as great songs go, as they stretch themselves beyond simple pop pleasures. This is a great song, they just have to crank out more than one or two per album.

5) Grounds For Divorce – Apologies To The Queen Mary – Wolf Parade

I don’t feel strongly about Wolf Parade either way, but I seriously thought this was a Modest Mouse song I hadn’t heard when it popped up randomly on my iPod.

6) Cowbell – The Loon – Tapes ‘n Tapes

Tapes n Tapes is an uneven band live, but they brought it on Cowbell, with a nervy energy that doesn’t quite come across here.

7) This Isn’t Farmlife – Cannibal Sea – Essex Green

I think I’m going to make it a policy to only listen to the Essex Green songs that Sasha Bell sings on. Sorry, other dudes in Essex Green.

8) A Better Son-Daughter – The Execution of All Things – Rilo Kiley

When Jenny Lewis starts singing, I mean REALLY starts singing, it’s the kind of rallying cry that makes the teen boys weep.

9) The Avalanche – The Avalanche – Sufjan Stevens

There’s a little bit where Sufjans voice breaks during his singing of the word “Avalanche” that just makes this song for me. It’s like the moment the ice cracks.

10) Like u Crazy – Bring It Back – Mates Of State

The band sings it like it’s around a campfire but it’s so much more uplifting than Kumbaya.

11) I Think We’re Alone Now – B-Sides and Rarities – The Pipettes

Better than Tiffany’s version. BLASPHEMOUS, I KNOW. Tiffany’s version didn’t have that bizarro backup vocal trying to imitate a theremin, for instance. WOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOH.

12) Happiness Is All The Rage – Cover Of The Week – eric Metronome

I figure if he can cover a song a week I can put one song a month on my mix.

13) Look For Me (I’ll Be Around) – Blacklisted – Neko Case

It’s been established Neko Case can sing pretty much anything, but when she torched it up for this song in concert, she smouldered. The audience just wilted.

14) Leave You Behind – All Hands on the Bad One – Sleater-Kinney
This was the beginning of the Long Mourning. Of their many breakup songs, this is the prettiest, with the strongest harmonies of the band’s entire catalog.

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