February ‘09 Mix

February 22, 2009

1) Now We Can See – Now We Can See – The Thermals

The Thermals go for an easy hook here, but I’m not sure anyone does the high school poetry rise up anthem better than Hutch Harris. If you’re not singing “oh wayo whoah” along with the band, then uh… hit fast forward, I guess.

2) Sound the Alarms – High on Jackson Hill – Immaculate Machine

Here’s another anthem, but it’s quite a bit more challenging. Immaculate Machine sounds more assertive than ever, with their rhythm section pushing along with military urgency reminiscent of early U2.

3) Zero – It’s Blitz – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs go full-on synth on their first sneak peek of It’s Blitz, and Karen O sounds better, and more Siouxsie, than ever. On the other hand, I’ll be a little sad if the album doesn’t have any of that trademark biting guitar work from Nick Zinner.

4) Search And Destroy – War Child Heroes – Peaches

I expected Peaches covering Iggy Pop to be positively outrageous, but she inverts the whole thing with a throbbing electro rendition. If the original was a punch in the face, this threatens to stab you in your back and steal a kidney. I will now use the two mandatory words for any discussion of electronic music: bleep bloop.

5) The Light From Your Mac – Klang! – The Rakes

I wonder if Apple pays for such egregious placement. That aside, I find this song’s drunken begging absolutely hilarious. Even the bassline is funny.

6) Dimmer – Grrr… – Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen’s always good for a bit of jaunty fun. Their string section, in particularly, seems to be going for maximum whimsy.

7) Sitting Still – Murmur – R.E.M.

These are some of my favorite nonsense lyrics ever: “up to par and katie bar / the kitchen sides but not me in / sitting time for the big kill / wasting time sitting still” I still don’t know what it means but it makes perfect sense somehow.

8) The Prowl – Keep It Hid – Dan Auerbach

That first off-mike “yeh” that Auerbach throws in the beginning sounds like Puffy was doing backing vocals. It’s not, of course, because this song is actually good.

9) Tightrope – Dark Was The Night – Yeasayer

I’ve never given Yeasayer much of a listen, but their contribution to Dark Was The Night really surprised me. It’s got tribal percussion, a soothing guitar strum and a really good whiny vocal. It vaguely sounds like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (if that means anything to anyone anymore).

10) The Rake’s Song – The Hazards Of Love – The Decemberists

The Decemberists go rock opera for their new record, with a full album exploring some sort of tale of murders and shapeshifters. If this track is any indication, this’ll be their heaviest work since The Tain, and possibly their bloodiest piece yet.  Spoiler:  some motherfuckers get killed!

11) Hot Burrito #1 (I’m Your Toy) – Sweetheart ‘09 – DeVotchKa

This is actually from one of those Starbucks compilations. I felt a little dirty handing money over, but it’s chockfull of great covers, including DeVotchKa’s wistful reading of this Gram Parson/Flying Burrito Brothers heartbreaker.  Gram Parson’s was so great he actually sold records while saddled with the word Burrito.

12) Love Hurts – Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels – Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris

A little more Gram Parsons for ya. It dawned on me that when I saw Jenny Lewis sing this at her show she wasn’t doing her tribute to Nazareth, but the Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris original. It’s been repurposed so many times it’s hard to listen to it straight up, but this version is so damn sincere, it makes me let go of all the other bullshit.

13) Change Is Hard – Volume One – She & Him

Zooey Deschanel isn’t quite a great singer, but she’s got a really love voice. She doesn’t quite knock it out of the park when she needs to here, but that awkward effort somehow fits.

14) Don’t Forget Me – Middle Cyclone – Neko Case

Now here’s a great singer. Armed with a barnful of pianos and a Harry Nilsson song, comes up with something thunderously grand. The song is no longer just genuinely sad, it’s an epic tragedy.  By the way, Middle Cyclone is one of best records of 2009.  I’m sure of it.

Posted in Mixtape