Mixtape Of The Month: Feelin' Gangsta

I rushed in here after watching last night's BSG [another mindfraker] to finish this because as I became aware today - March is almost upon us!

This one's a little bit different than last month for two major reasons...

1]  I made a conscious effort to pick things up a bit after I got called out by the Missus for becoming a softy in my old age last month.  Happy now?
2]  At some point in the month, I decried the state of hip hop music as being really ass-o-riffic thanks to that god damn Dirty South vocal filter that seemingly is on every rap/hip hop track these days.  This declaration sent me to iTunes Music Store to see if I could find some new hip hop to add to my collection that could prove me wrong.  Those songs are well-represented here.

And off we go...

SIDE A
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I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You - Black Kids
I'm pretty sure that Kate Nash's awesome cover of this song has made a previous Mixtape Of The Month and with this featured on the playlist at work these days, I thought it was only fitting to pay tribute to the original.  This kicks off Side A with a burst of energy and awesomeness.  I defy anyone to listen to this song and not be singing it for days to follow.  This is one of those songs that just makes you happy when you hear it.

Section 22: Running Away - The Polyphonic Spree
Unfortunately, I can't say why I've had this song stuck in my head lately and why I included it this month.  In fact, there's a Non-Disclosure Agreement that would prohibit it!  Suffice to say that I don't care if the Polyphonic Spree is a cult or not because they make some damn fine music.  Another song that just brings a smile to my face all the time when I hear it.

Slow Show - The National
I'm pretty sure the version that'll by housed on MY Mixtape is a live one from some radio station or Internet place but the one I've included for your benefit is the actual studio version.  The National didn't really come to my attention until I saw them open for R.E.M. last year.  At that point, I only knew them as "the band that covered a kinda obscure Bruce song."  But they quickly won me over with biiiiig songs and powerful vocals.  This is one of those songs.  The song [especially in the live version] just seems so huge at times, you'd think the vocals [which are damn subtle] would get lost in the mix but they just power on through to create an amazing piece of music.

Let It Slip - The School
In a similar way to the Pipettes knockin' the hell out of Pull Shapes, The School channels some of those bubble gum pop bands from the 50s to put something out there that very few bands are doing and even fewer are doing well.  The version I included for you guys sounds a little different to my highly-tonedeaf ear... more polished or something... maybe I have a demo or an older less studio version?  No clue but it's still awesome.  Listen to this one and imagine your parents [well, if you're my age anyways] listening to something just like it.

Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
Back in October when I reviewed Wilco's set at the Bridge School Benefit, I made the following statement...
They took a person who didn't know many of their songs [me!] and managed to make me entertained by their entire set
So, if we go back to that statement and now reveal that months later, I'm still listening to and enjoying one of the songs they played that day that I had no clue about - well, that just shows how talented of a band that they are.  I still look forward to a chance to see them in a smaller venue someday.

Just Dropped In - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
Wait a second.  Is this the same Kenny Rogers who rocked the house with The Gambler, Lady, and Islands In The Stream among others?  No fucking way.  I love when I stumble upon artists who went waaaaay outside their wheelhouse and managed to put something awesome together.  Apparently he did this before those other songs but it doesn't make it any less amazing.  Obviously, this is being included because of its' star turn in The Big Lebowski which is on my mind because Lebowski Fest is coming to Los Angeles in May and I'm trying to work myself into getting excited so that I want to go... that make sense?  Oh, the song rocks too.  Listen to it!

First Time High - Of Montreal
Sadly, Seeqpod doesn't have this so you can't hear it but I'd suggest hunting it down to check it out.  Maybe... here!

Turn Me On - Norah Jones
After all that kickass rockishness, it's time for one of our slow jams.  I'm not the kind of guy who likes to paint all these elaborate pictures about what kind of scene a certain song creates in my mind BUT... well, let's just say this song makes me easily envision it being sung by a sulty songstress on a darkened stage in a smoky piano bar... oh yeah, and she's singing that song just for you, buddy!  You know it!  Go get that crazy dame!

I've Been High - R.E.M.
You guys drew the short straw here because there's an AMAZING in-studio version of this that is on one of the KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic albums.  This is a great live version that you get but that studio version is the equivalent of a musical orgasm.  Yep.  I said it.  I meant it.  I'm here to represent it.  But until you can track that down, you're stuck with this.  And with such a beautiful song, we wrap up Side A with a bang!


SIDE B
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Gangsta Gangsta - N.W.A.
For years, I've sat sadly with N.W.A. only being represented on my iTunes by Compton, Police, and Express Yourself.  This month, I decided to remedy that.  This is one of those songs that just shows off how amazing that group was with each member carrying their own shit so strongly, it couldn't help but make the whole group rock the house.  Hopefully none of you are listening to this at work - well, unless you have earphones.

Vato - Snoop Dogg w/B-Real
One of the things I love about the hip hop/rap world that you just don't usually see in other genres is how frequently you see collaborations like this.  Snoop Dogg with B-Real from Cypress Hill?  Seems like a natural match, huh?  This one tells a pretty simply story about some guys fuckin' with gangsta Snoop and how Snoop had to deal with them.  Sounds like every other hip hop song, no?  I love the back and forth between Snoop and B-Real though - that's what makes this one stand out to me.

Crack A Bottle - Eminem, Dre, 50 Cent
No luck on this one either.  It's nowhere to be found on Seeqpod.  I'm going to guess they made 'em pull it down because this song's been all over the place lately.  I'm a big fan of two of the three artists on this one so I had to give it a shot.  No one puts together a hook like Eminem and Dre.  This one will be stuck in your head too.  Guaranteed.

California Vacation - The Game
Remember when everyone was talking about 50 Cent vs The Game?  Well, one listen to the last track and this track will tell you who won that one musically.  Financially?  Who knows.  But musically, The Game is far beyond what 50 Cent is capable of with his gangsta romance rap.  This is one of those songs where you can hear the heritage of West Coast rap in every piece of it.  Having Snoop as a guest star on it doesn't hurt either.

Timecop - Iron Chic
Seeqpod is letting me down tonight but I did manage to find a link for y'all for this one.  This would drop us out of the gangsta rap and kick us back a ways.  This is the kind of song and the kind of band that I would have gone absolutely apeshit for about ten years ago.  Now?  Well, I can reminisce fondly while listening to them.  I'm sure I would have seen them a half dozen times in a year's span - probably all at crazy shows where 15 bands played.  Ahhh - memories.

Green Means Go - The Color Wheels
This knocks us a little further away from the West Coast rap with a really fun poppy punk track.  It's catchy as hell too so you can feel free to blame me tomorrow evening when you're humming "It goes green means go and no means no..."  Fun song.  I enjoyed it immensely when I first stumbled upon it and thought it was instantly worthy of inclusion on this list.

I Really Love You - Dee Dee Sharp
I talked about The School channeling some 50's pop earlier but this one is legit straight off the AM dial from the 60s.  The thing that strikes me the most about this song though is that it feels like it should be included on a Tarantino soundtrack so that a whole new generation can treasure it - just like The Delfonics, Dusty Springfield, Dick Dale, and so many others.  Tell me you can't hear this blasting out of a scene in Jackie Brown.  Sadly, I don't think it'll fit in Inglorious Bastards though.  Anyone else see the trailer for that and just start giggling uncontrollably?  The tagline "You haven't seen war until you've see it through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino" reaffirms my belief in Hollywood... and then someone mentions Mall Cop.  Sigh.

Heartless - Kanye West
Never let it be said that I don't have the ability to mock myself.  Yes, after going on a diatribe above about the Dirty South vocal filter - here it is in all its glory.  And yes, I do think it's a cheap trick for Kanye to go for because I think he's better than that.  His vocals are good enough to stand on their own without some fucking studio magician slapping shit on him to make him sound like a robot.  But, that being said... great song.

End tape!

I'll be back tomorrow [or Monday] to talk about my favorite music from February so it's a jam-packed music weekend here at the B-Spot.

Listen and enjoy...

Mixtape Of The Month: January 2009

In keeping with the spirit of last night's post about Indie 103, I decided it was finally time to put up the mixtape I've been slowly working on. As you know, I've toyed with different formats to this over the months and I still haven't really found one that I liked but for now, I thought I'd go with this...

Fuck Corporate Radio
January 28, 2009
Runtime: 58:39

Side A
------
The Sound - Moody Motorcycle


This is one of those songs that if you're not incredibly careful - it'll end up dancing around your head for the entirety of the day. The chorus is as catchy as peanut butter salmonella and twice as deadly! I went back and forth on it at first if I liked the song at all but by the end, I found myself humming it when I hadn't heard it in hours. So, now that I've got you bobbing your head and singing along to the opening track...

New Room - The Botticellis
Time to take it down a step. It's a nice, simple, melodic song with nothing fancy to it. But the vocals are sharp and the music is passable. Together, it's a killer combination. Imeem doesn't have this one - BOOOOOO! - but I've linked to the kind folks at My Old Kentucky Blog. Hopefully they won't mind the extra traffic.

Border Guards - The Rosebuds

It's still a little down but the beat is up at least. I was afraid I might put you guys to sleep if I went with what I really wanted to slot in here. This'll keep you in the same groove as the Botticellis but it'll pick things up a notch.

Blue Ocean Blue - Lake

This song sounds like it should have been done by Mates Of State - which is an amazingly awesome compliment in my book because I adore Mates of State. The music actually kinda sounds like something out of an 80's videogame which is an odd comparison but when you hear it, you'll believe me. POSSIBLE KILL SCREEN!

Snowblind - +/-

You've got to appreciate a song that can start off with just a slight backing track and a soft, simple vocal and still manage to hold your attention until the song really kicks to the next level. Reminds me a little of The Postal Service at times. This is actually one of my favorite songs at the moment.

We Intertwined - The Hush Sound
Sadly, I couldn't find this anywhere for you guys. It's a real shame too because this is one of my favorite songs on this mix. I heard Fastball's "Out Of My Head" on my way to work today and it strikes me that the lead singer for them and the lead singer for The Hush Sound sound a lot alike - on this song at least. Go out of your way to hunt this one down. You won't be disappointed.

Big Star - Haley Bonar

I'll be damned if this song doesn't sound like it belongs in a movie or TV show. Especially when the chorus hits. The song isn't very remarkable and may end up quite forgettable in the end. But for now, the chorus sticks a bit in my head. The vocals sorta remind me of a solo version of Tegan & Sara for some reason. Anyone else getting that vibe?

Unforgettable Season - Cut Copy

To close out Side A, here's some words of comfort: If you're one of the few people left in the indie music listening world that somehow managed to miss out on the Cut Copy craze in 2008, it's going to be okay. The perfect blend of modern electronic music with a loving glance back at the 80's music of our youth - Cut Copy's music makes me happy. That's the only reason you should need to listen to them.


Side B
------

Singing The Devil's Tune - Nick Jaina

Before I knock you back out cold with some shoegazing, I thought I'd let Nick Jaina make sure you're still aware. This is another one that could be stuck in your head in an instant so be wary when the background vocals kick in.

Have You Forgotten - Denison Whitmer
Damn it to hell. Another song I couldn't find online for y'all. I was on a roll here with snapping off a trio of what could totally pass as folk music - the kind of song that would fit right in with some imagery out of The Grapes Of Wrath or some such shit like that. Man, I'm a terrible music writer. I'm gifted with the ability of bullshit in so many areas - why can't I write music-related bullshit?

Murder In The City - The Avett Brothers
The exciting conclusion to my Grapes Of Wrath trilogy! Are you still awake? It could be worse. I could've slipped in some Greg Graffin folk music here. Did everyone know that Greg Graffin - yes, Bad Religion's lead singer Greg Graffin - has his own folk album? Who knew? Thanks for expanding my musical horizons, Danny. I'm going to link elsewhere for this one too to the AMAZING I Am Fuel, You Are Friends

Hey Hey Hey (That Kids Okay) - Ruby Isle
Thanks to FensePost for the link.

Again, I'm not sure I'll like this song next month - or tomorrow for that matter. Hell, I might decide it's shit by the time I finish this sentence. But for now, in this time and place, I find this to be a perfectly harmless piece of fluff to break up the folk rock-a-thon.

My Friend - Dr. Dog

Okay, this one - I'm late to the party on. For months, the Interweb has been all afiery about the awesomeness of Dr. Dog and I just couldn't get it. I could listen to it - but I couldn't hear it in the immortal words of the brilliant screenwriter for White Men Can't Jump. But this one? I kinda dig it. It's got something kinda cool - a throwback sorta sound at times while avoiding being pigeonholed into some kind of "retro" slot. This one won't be for everyone but check it out. Give it a spin.

Holy Cow (demo) - Margot & The Nuclear So And Sos

Beautiful song - and don't look now, but this chorus will be wedged between your firing synapses in no time as well. The linked version isn't the demo but it'll do, donkey. I dig the demo because it's stripped down to the very basics. It really adds a charm to it that I don't think the final product has in quite as strong supply.

Sad Song (Pacific Remix) - Au Revoir Simone

This is an okay-to-good song. There are parts of it that I really, really like and parts of it I'm just kinda "meh" over. But in the end, it's a nice pick me up before the slow song that wraps up this edition of the Mixtape Of The Month.

Butterfly Nets - Bishop Allen

Sheer awesomeness. If you don't like this song, I'm not sure I like you anymore and I really doubt we can be friends. So, if you value our friendship, listen to the song again and change your mind.

I'm waiting.



STILL waiting!


Okay... you're back. Change your mind?


Awesome! Now we can be friends again! Now where the fuck did I put that hugging emoticon?

Mixtape Of The Month - Aural Hershiser

So, I'm still running behind schedule on Mixtapes Of The Month but I'm on the comeback trail, I can feel it!

Download and enjoy!

Mixtape Of The Month (April 2008)
Title: Aural Hershiser
Length: 1:43:30
File Size: 95 MB
Featuring: 16 cool-as-fuck songs including music by Styx, Vampire Weekend, Motley Crue, Bob Marley, Pearl Jam, Kate Nash, No Doubt, Black Sabbath, Flight Of The Conchords, and many, many more!

March Mixtape: More Details

It occurs to me this morning that I probably should've given some more info about the March Mixtape rather than just throwing the link up and letting you play Musical Russian Roulette.

Soooooo... the bad news? It checks in somewhere over two hours.

The good news? Music from Leonard Cohen, Eddie Vedder, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Belle And Sebastian, Sonic Youth, Stevie Wonder, The Clash, Jackie Wilson, Kate Nash, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, and many, many more.

So download it today so I don't feel bad for spending so much time working on it!

Mixtape of the Month - March

Okay, okay... I'm past due. But I did warn you it would be a little late because I was working on something different for it.

And here it is.

This is the first Mixtape of the Month podcast. I decided a couple months ago that it just wasn't right that I would post this list of songs every month and give you no way to hear it. So, now you have a way to hear them.

You've also got me providing commentary between songs to do the usual Mixtape stuff... explain where I found it, why I dig it, etc.

Now, a warning...

This podcasting thing is very much a work in progress for me. I'm already on my second mic and I think I'm going to return it in the next couple days to get a headset mic. I recorded this edition on Apple's GarageBand program which seems to have given me mixed results. It was easy to use but it has left the volume levels lower than desired. You may have trouble hearing the recaps and reviews if you're not listening to this on earphones. I'll try to do better next time!

The good news is that I put this up in mp3 form so you can listen to it in the car, from afar, up against the minibar... wherever you so desire. Bad news? It's a little tough to hear and it's shockingly long. I didn't quite realize how long it would take me to ramble incoherently!

The music on it, in my opinion, is fantastic though so for most of you it's probably worth a listen.

For April's, I'm hoping to solve both the volume and length issues but we shall see.

Enjoy!

Mixtape Of The Month (March)

Mixtape Of The Month: Cover Me, I'm Going In

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