September ‘06 Mix

September 30, 2006

1) Welcome To The Planet - Burn To Shine - Portland - Thermals

The empty living room practice space provided to the bands on Burn to Shine was a little too pristine for the rough’n'ready Thermals, who rocked it anyway.

2) The Veil Comes Down - Make History - Thunderbirds Are Now!

Thunderbirds keep their beats strong and let their vocals and guitars flail all over. Their singer sounds less like a girl on this record.

3) Dancing for No One - Hello Stranger - Hello Stranger

I think this is about a crazy woman that lives under the freeway. I think. She’s singing about the 405, at least.

4) The Lottery - Knives Don’t Have Your Back - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton

I like her a lot better with Metric, but she’s got a knack for rambling here, letting a loose vocal eventually fit around the music.

5) Ballad Of Broken Seas - Ballad Of The Broken Seas - Isobel Campbell/Mark Lanegan

This waltzy number is a slow wobbler with a few too many beers in it. I think Christy Moore would do a killer cover.

6) Broken Boy Soldier - Broken Boy Soldiers - Raconteurs

I’ve actually forgotten how this song got here. This sounds like they want to duel with Wolfmother.

7) Give Your Heart Away - Magic Potion - Black Keys

Give Your Heart Away is one the more “traditional” Keys song on Magic Potion. There’s no noodling or odd production, just a soulful riff with a great boogie groove.

8) Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner - Yes, Virginia - Dresden Dolls

I know it doesn’t seem possible, but this track is even more frantic than the usual Dresden song. This is one of the bonus tracks off the Japanese version of Yes, Virginia.

9) The Crane Wife 3 - The Crane Wife - Decemberists

I wasn’t a big fan of this track at first, but it’s got a soothing effect if you let it wash over you. There aren’t a lot of changes in the song, but it builds and builds to a wonderfully epic finish.

10) Shoot the Lights Out - Southern Manners - Watson Twins

This is one of the Watson’s strongest efforts, with a beautifully spooky doubled vocal on the chorus.

11) How Much I’ve Lied - Cover Of The Week - eric Metronome

On this Gram Parsons cover, Metronome brings his sad frailty to country and hits it out of the park.

12) Trouble - Your Biggest Fan - Voxtrot

Voxtrot throws a little bossa nova intro into the mix, but the standout section has to be the swelling bridge that starts after Ramesh sings “oh i am lost and lonely in the arms of london / and she cries” and bursts at the seams when he mentions “techno at the beach.”

Posted in Mixtape