Cochlea Plunder Guild

CHARRENGE!!!

2011-07-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Fresh off the mission on medical release. I wanna stroke the ear hole for a minute until I return, but I wanna keep it clean, uplifting. No cuss, mang! No drama, just straight melt your face off.

Begin.

June Mix--Plunder Guild Heartrate: 2 bp/annum

2010-06-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

suckle on this, guilders and friends. no theme. just songs. keeping the club heart thumping.

JUNE MIX 2010

band/song

The Durutti Column--Otis
Obits--Two-Headed Coin
Gonjasufi--Duet
Joanna Newsome--Jackrabbits
Parchman Farm Laborer--No More My lord
Lindsey Buckingham--I am Waiting
the Posies--Coming Right Along
Washington Phillips--Lift Him Up, That's All
Joakim--Drumtrax
Felt--Down But Not Yet Out
NoMeansNo--Rag 'n Bone
Emperor X--Raytracer
Thee More Shallows--Monkey vs. Shark
Washed Out--Feel it All Around
The Bad Plus--Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Those Bastard Souls--Telegram
Smoke--Friends

sides

2009-09-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

I started to make a mix of just anything that's been dominating my inner ear. I wanted you all to hear it, to sit 'round like nighthawks at the Double T again, stale coffee, jukin our tunes for each other.

Shootan the Breeze: it was a mix intended to say just that. But music is cathartic, and the jukebox that sits at the end of our table is a troubadour of life. In retro-mix-spective my emotions had their own agenda.

Stranger, I don't know why I've told you this. Not a soul has heard it since it's genesis one year ago, but if your listening ears are poised (and I've known the Guild to have proclivity to this) that nasty little music box will sing Pandora's song.

1. Hey - Pixies
2. I Live Off You (live) - X-ray Spex
3. Your Rocky Spine - Great Lake Swimmers
4. Love, Love, Love (Everyone) - Akron/Family
5. Poison Dart - The Bug
6. A Whorehouse is Any House - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
7. Chilly Kisses - Millie Small
8. Technicolour - Nurses
9. Native Soil - Sarah Harmer
10. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
11. You Asked Me To (Single Version) - Waylon Jennings
12. Ruby Tuesday - Melanie
13. Drops in the River - Fleet Foxes
14. Watch Her Disappear - Tom Waits

She breaks her tunneled gaze from a mugged and blackened pool of coffee: Pass the creme, wouldjya?

http://www.box.net/shared/onnlfc6hob

A Notwist Sandwich, Served with Love

2009-04-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

Click HERE for this mix

There isn’t really a theme to this…some things I surprisingly haven’t put on earlier mixes, other things I recently found. Some specific notes and preemptive defense of tracks:

Tracks 1 and 22: I was steered in the direction of the Notwist by Jonrex, whose tastes never let me down, and they didn’t this time. I was wrestling to select 1 of 2 songs to include on here, and I just decided to put them both up.

Track 2: Complete teenage-lust puberty-voice badassery.

Track 3: This song has been trapped in my skull for months now—these folks are an intensely odd German band, sort of channeling both Trans Am and Blondie into a compellingly catchy and weird stew of Roland synth and thumpy bass. And I think somewhere in the song she says “Arrow of Light.” Biographical aside, as a Boy Scout, I earned my “Arrow of light Award” in 1995.

Track 6: Some people might groan whenever I start dropping Silkworm on them. I understand. This track is a lo-fi acoustic keeper though. Give it a chance.

Track 10: Grifters again, yes, sorry. Their catalogue just has too many hot spots. I can’t get over the transitions in this track, and David Shouse’s lyrics/vocals are always top-drawer.

Track 11: Que canção maravilhosa.

Track 13: Remember At the Drive In → Sparta? Same vocalist…this song starts slowly, but starts stomping…kills me when it picks up and “For a while I tried” drops in…

Track 20: This one also starts slowly, and sometimes Sheik’s lyrics get on my nerves, but the guitar work on the bridge and outro is grand.

Many of the other songs are from derivative bands or friends of the Kinsella brothers (American Football). Noyes, The One Up Downstairs, Very Secretary—there is a thread running through these tracks and it isn’t just killer guitar chops.

So…enjoy.

Track list...
1. One Step Inside Doesn't Mean You Understand--The Notwist
2. I Want Some More--Chan Romero
3. Satan Highway--Eagle Boston
4. Restless--Langhorne Slim
5. Fear Of Trains--The Magnetic Fields
6. Leading The Evening--Silkworm
7. Throw Your Arms Around Me--Hunters & Collectors
8. The Ballad of Paladin--Johnny Western
9. This Is the Bad 1--Noyes
10. Slow Day for the Cleaner--The Grifters
11. Alone Again Or--Love
12. Waiting On the Stairs--Pela
13. Wednesday Nights--Sleepercar
14. Demon Host--Timber Timbre
15. Rememories--The One Up Downstairs
16. Paper Bag--Very Secretary
17. I Got a Line On You--Spirit
18. First Words--Favorite Saints
19. Thirteen--Big Star
20. Hidden Track--duncan sheik
21. Friends--Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
22. Gone Gone Gone--The Notwist

Frozen

2008-12-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

Winter Oak by Eyvind Earle

Get it before it melts

Before I moved north and east I sold my car which forced me clean out my trunk. In doing so. I found things long thought to have gone the way of all the earth. One important find was my CD collection. As I was rifling through the cobwebs and dust lined artifact two things struck me: I have loads of sweet sweet 80's pop, guilty though it may be - and, I haven't ripped any of them into digital form so they can be numbered among the very great.

I have remedied the latter and to enjoy the former to the fullest I have made it a point to put at least one 80's guilty pleasure on every mix or playlist. So you will have to be patient if it is not your favorite brand of free music because I am finding these songs to be high quality fun smothered in tasty nostalgia gravy.

Also, I only put a few holiday themed songs on there because I don't find the majority of it palatable enough to make a whole mix of it, (though that could be fun to compile a mix of the most dry-heavingly abhorrent Christmas songs) but I felt a few were warranted.

So here it is. I had more than a little trouble with the silliness of MediaFire as my OG mix was 107MB and it can only be 100MB and it didn't know that for about 5 frantic hours, so if this doesn't work let me know so I can stress over 5 more. Sadly we lost Vince Guaraldi's Christmas Time is Here because of the size restriction. But you can't argue with the freeness of the site, so I comply willingly.

cheers.

1. It's Five o'Clock -- Aphrodite's Child
2. Ahn -- Benoit Piolard
3. Landing Light -- No Pasaran
4. Holiday Machine -- Bottom of the Hudson*
5. The Shy Retirer -- Arab Strap
6. Christmas Song -- Dave Matthews & Tim Reyonlds (come on...we all knew eventually I would out him on a mix)
7. You Know More Than I Know -- John Cale
8. Dripping Whispers -- The Soul's Release
9. I Want Wind To Blow -- The Microphones
10. In The Margins -- Echo & the Bunnymen
11. M62 Song -- Doves
12. Oh L'Amour -- Erasure
13. Blue Tulip -- Bon Iver
14. The Furnace -- Merusault
15. Ruby Tuesday -- Franco Battiato
16. The Look of Love -- ABC
17. The Streets in the Rain -- The Samples
18. You Lost Sight of Me -- Micah P. Hinson
19. Fairytale of New York -- The Pogues

*Holiday Machine is one of those random songs that I don't remember how I got. I double checked this Guild and couldn't find evidence that it came from here so I am using it. However, if I have inadvertently pulled a Gillilli and pilfered a song off a previous mix, my apologies.

No one should ever have to go through what Emily did to me....it still hurts to talk about.

Gone but not Forgotten

2008-12-04T13:13:00.001-08:00

I really appreciate ej (wajok) message. It made me realize that I have been a little lost and perhaps I should return to the Mixtape work and start sending out my mixes again. I have prepared a few, but never posted... My own fault.

I have relocated since my destiny does not appear to need to continue in Rexburg, Idaho. I now reside at:
3903 Glacier Court
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525

So if there are any mixes that were sent to me, they are probably misdirected to some other location, I am sorry I never got to hear them.
Once I fix up that blasted computer of mine holding all the music I was ever given, stolen, or even on occasion purchased, I will begin setting up posts with new tracklists.

in review (mirror)

2008-12-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Comment by wajok:

Received.

Critiques to follow after a slow roll over the tongue.

2007-05-17 7.08.MD

'Nigma,

I hope you still frequent this place because you ought to know:

I just braved the lone (wo)manned 12 hour drive from Virginia to my home in Toronto and do not hyperbolate in saying that seven hours of the silence in my car was molested by the tireless spinning of your May(April) '07 mix. Without tracklist I said to myself, "that voice, that whistle... could it be Andrew Bird?" Caribou betrayed themselves with their smattering of crescendos and decrescendos. Mirah. La voz.

I found that without a tracklist I was still able to identify six or seven of the artists by sound alone, but it wasn't the comfort of familiarity that kept me spinning. It's just a beautiful blend. Fluid. The tone was arresting.

At hour two into the drive I was sure I was going to turn around and never make it back to Oz, but I discovered your micks at the bottom of a pile, neglected, scratched to sh-t (track 8 and 9 are forever sullied). It gave me drive, filled my tank, fuelled my engine.

Merci bien mon ami.

ej (wajok)

Through these arms I transfer _____:

Here's some from Gillzy.........................

2008-11-22T16:56:00.000-08:00

Get it here

All right, I've been meaning to post this for ages. I've had a love/hate relationship with this list and finally have just decided to take the plunge and if you want it, take it, if you don't, fine. Let me know if you have problems getting the tracks.......I've never done this before.

Some notes:

Can't get enough of that Murray Head.

"Muzorewi's Daughter"......yeah. When I don't really dig this song, it really aggravates me. It's really not p.c. either. But at the same time....I've danced to drum circles that sang worse. I heard this song in a random place and enjoyed it at the time. If you hate it, I understand. Still, it is one of the only non-lugubrious songs on here so at least let it cleanse your ear palate.

"Two Out of Three Ain't Bad": Yes, Meat Loaf makes a comeback. My father always carried with him a cassette tape of Bat Out of Hell and on one occasion, Dad was singing along to "Two Out of Three" and crooning Mom with it. Mom didn't appreciate the lyrics and (we were driving from Mississippi back to Utah...long trip) the third or fourth time around my mom finally ejected the cassette tape and chucked it out the window where another car on the freeway promptly ran over it. Without saying a word, my dad pulled an identical Bat Out of Hell cassette tape out of his jacket pocket and jammed the damned thing back into the tape player. I swear this story is true. You could have cut that tension with a butter knife.

Jamirquai: I know, whatever, it's on Napolean Dynamite. I care not. I can't listen to this song and not dance. It makes me think, "I have this music IN me!" For that reason alone, I include it in this mix. I dare you to listen to the whole thing without moving. Even riding my bicycle at midnight, I can't help but at least give a few fist punches into the air when this song appears on my music-listening device.

Paolo Nutini: I don't really like his other stuff, but I like this one song. I'm just saying.

"Japanese to English": So, this is the live version.....I tried to find the other vers. but I couldn't. They both have their merits but I'd like to snag a version of the original albumized track. If anyone has it.....................por favor.

Well. The end.

And Then There Were Few...

2008-10-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here is the mix...hopefully.

Just some tracks. The few of us that want to keep up here should just feel free to post willy-nilly, I think. I like that idea. I haven't been on the "hip new music" tip lately...everyday I realize how much great music I have passed up. This mix is mainly songs in that realm, no binding theme again other than I appreciate each of these songs lyrically/thematically, instrumentally, A&B, or otherwise.

Poster's Memo/Things I Think Are Worth Watching Out For:

Pink Steam, about 4:04 in the song...the guitars start playing, for a few seconds, a really moving (to me) little 3 or 4 note sequence that quickly leaves. I listen to the whole song for this.

Untrust Us--nice little smash up of a great song by "Death From Above 1979" (la cocaina no es buena para su salud)

Pitch--the vocals/lyrics are amazing, and they go full scale at about 2:10. I have listened to this track probably 120 times and it razes me every time

Mercy Seat--some amazing lyrics here

My Shit's Fucked Up--i can't say enough about Warren Zevon or this song. Really. I think I dig this song so much because of a live version I heard (free for your taking at archive.org) where the audience seems to be beer swilling frat guys absolutely out of touch with their own mortality, and Zevon is their in front of them singing about the fact that he knows his time is short. It is really haunting. I suggest tracking it down. Caveat Auditor--explicit lyrics warning, but entirely tasteful in my opinion...I mean, the man wrote this while diagnosed with mesothelioma...

Sawtooth Tiger--I like Alex Mauer, or anyone else who releases an entire album on an NES cartridge.

Fixed in the Sky--I know I keep coming back with the Grifters, but I really just can't stop. This song is an instrumental and it just aches. Really beautiful sounds here.

To many notes. All these songs have their virtues. Now someone else post a mix so that I have something to spin on my long walks to school.

Until the next instant...

j. wyatt

much belated sergei politictov

2008-05-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

thanks to emmy for help w/ the image. some repeats in artists here and one same cd. i feel kind of arrogant making a political statement, but it was a theme that was on my mind. of course everyone will have their own pov. i think these are good songs either way so please enjoy them. interesting that "youth against fascism" still seems to apply some 15 yrs later. and marvin's 35 yr old classic. conversely, does anybody even think about jesse [helms] anymore? maybe in the south.

as a side note: next week i'm going to the gorge for the sasquatch festival. i'm looking for suggestions on who i shouldn't miss. especially early in the day and at the side stages. take a look at the line up at http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/ and please give me some feedback. i've checked out some of these artists, but don't want to miss something awesome 'cause i'm watching malkmus for the 3rd time. not that he isn't awesome. you know what i mean.

thanks all

This is an encrypted transmission

2008-05-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

Winter was hard and I live an ungodly distance from the post-office, it has snowed like a hell would snow and I nearly split my gulliver when I took a tumble one day riding my bike home from work on the ice. But you know me, I can't complain.

I have a stack of cds labeled with a yellow sticky note. It has been collecting dust. The 'to do' check-box on the note indicates a void of action or a surplus of inaction. I can't tell which. In any case I feel bad about syncopating the rhythm of the guild. And the physical media and its transport has been my biggest impediment to faithful interchange. I've been considering leaving the discs behind at the places I frequent, such as the pool where I do laps, the pub where I eat on thursdays, the vietnamese place that has great pho, the cafe where I drink green tea and read books I don't understand. . . Maybe I'll leave them with an anonymous note that says "I think you're great" or a suspicious looking one-time pad filled with random numbers and letters stamped in red FOR YOUR EARS ONLY.

So for those who would like to hear the iso-wintertime mix that I herded together only to let it age gracefully on my cheap fibreboard dresser, you can get it here & here, or if you'd prefer a torrent, you can get that here.

Namaste to my young american warriors of the post subprime new economic epoch.
And to my fellow Canadian compatriot(s) I'll share a terrible joke:

So this baby seal walks into a club . . .

(tracklisting is included in both the torrent folder and the zip file. This mix was constructed sequentially and intended to play sequentially. Non-sequential random-ordered playing may result in strange juxtapositions, scattered thoughts of antique deep-sea diving helmets and notions of bears wearing ill-fitting hats.)

* in memory of an old horseman who loved the Aussies and taught me to walk a horse the last ½ mile home after a hard ride.

And the band played waltzing matilda as they carried him down the gangway.

Now Hear This

2008-04-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

This has been mailed.

Highlight below to reveal the track list.

1. Vittorio E. -- Spoon
2. Girlfriend in a Coma -- The Smiths
3. Hold On -- Tom Waits
4. Into the Fire -- Thirteen Senses
5. Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie -- Joanna Newsom
6. Dead Souls -- Joy Division
7. Fly -- Nick Drake
8. Who Am I Supposed To Be? -- John Lennon
9. Out To Get You -- James
10. No Name #3 -- Elliot Smith
11. All Readymade-- Timesbold
12. The Celibate Life -- The Shins
13. Coyotes -- Don Edwards
14. Play With Fire -- The Rolling Stones
15. Ar nAthair - The Lords Prayer -- Liam O Maonlai
16. Love Vigilantes -- New Order
17. Leif Erickson -- Interpol
18. Toy Soldiers -- Martika
19. Cherry Red -- The Groundhogs
20. Here -- Pavement

(insert sound of me grinding my teeth here)

2008-03-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

So some a-hole got my debit card info (and PIN and that little number on the back for verification) and used my card with impunity on the internet. Thus I have a frozen account, no card, a large headache, an $1800 Moneygram and $1200 worth of pants. Until it is resolved (BofA told me it would be fixed last Wednesday, but alas...) I am living leanly and carefully and have chosen to mail my mixes (already burned and ready) prob'ly around the first-ish of April.
I chose to buy food and gas instead of mailing the mixes. I'm such an ingrate.
I'll post the tracks when they hit the mail.
Thanks fer yer patience,
The Captain

From the long lost Vincnt

2008-03-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

Trevor, our old guild mate who left had a contribution and he wanted me to share it all with you. He spent a lot of time on it so give it a listen.

He said,
please share it with the guild. it's completely tagged and everything. the artist will come up as "vincnt" but all the names of the bands are in the track name. i couldn't think of a better way to do it. enjoy and share!

CLICK HERE FOR THE MIX

note: this mix was composed as i sat on the floor of my room one morning scratching at my growing beard, hence the name "music for beard-wearers."

Don't Mess with Abe

2008-03-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is my mix. Uploaded for you to download. I have had it ready for months, but I like the idea of saving time and money on postage and CDs. Don't call me cheap or lazy, at least not to my face. I will say that I am REALLY proud of this mix and it definitely deserves a few listens. I love it!
You will love it!

So here it is without bells and whistles, but I am sure you will hear both bells and whistles.

Enigma Guild Mix March 08

01 Peter Bjorn and John – Young Folks feat. Victoria Bergsman
02 White Rabbits – Kid On My Shoulder
03 Arthur & Yu – Lion’s Mouth
04 Hot Chip – Over and Over
05 The Dodos – Trades & Tariffs
06 Danielson – Did I Step On Your Trumpet
07 Radiohead – House of Cards
08 Deer Tick - Ashamed
09 Eagle*Seagull – Your Beauty is a Knife I Turn On My Throat
10 Kid Theodore – Lady Luck
11 Eric Bachmann – Little Bird
12 Caribou – Melody Day
13 Shapiro – All Things Around the Sun
14 Yeasayer - Sunrise
15 M. Ward – Chinese Translation
16 Voxtrot – Soft & Warm
17 Ghostland Observatory – Midnight Voyage

a soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March

2008-03-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

These will go out on Monday. A few bands we've seen in the guild already and a few tracks I'm positive everyone already has (Beck's, por ejemple) but these are what I felt like throwing down this time around. I did put some effort in theme and order but being as how I find stranger transitions than some, if it comes off crazy eclectic and sporadic, apologies all around. Have a good several March holidays, everyone. I hope the yellow peeps taste as good this year as the gold foiled chocolate coins. I considered swapping out Portobello Road for Let's Go Fly a Kite seeing as how it's spring and all, but....I felt like having a darker mix. Did anyone else think Bowie looked eerily like David Tomlinson in his Prestige role? Could have been the mustache. Lemme know if there's any trouble with the cds....my computer has been weird the past year but decided to start burning cds again just recently.....it could be an Easter miracle, but if there are any bunk mixes that get sent out I will resend away with the real deal. Hope you like these.

1 Care of Cell 44 -- The Zombies
2 Will You Be Me? -- Kimya Dawson
3 The Hard Way Every Time -- Jim Croce
4 I Want to Live in a Wigwam -- Cat Stevens
5 Velvet Goldmine -- David Bowie
6 One of These Days -- Doves
7 Her Hairagami Set -- The Brunettes
8 Gila -- Beach House
9 Good People Check -- Themselves
10 Crushed Bones -- Why?
11 Ladies of Cambridge -- Vampire Weekend
12 All Through the Night -- Cyndi Lauper
13 Out Under Stars -- Vitesse
14 The Other Side of Mt Heart Attack -- Liars
15 Citrus -- The Hold Steady
16 Portobello Road -- David Tomlinson/Angela Lansbury
17 Little One -- Beck
18 Don't be Afraid to Sing -- Stars
19 I Know You Can Smile -- Slowblow
20 You Forgot to Answer -- Nico

The Name of This Mix Is...

2008-02-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

First mix of 2008? No...that jewel goes to Eiryn. Make sure you download her mix via the link in the post below. It is ridiculously good.

For this mix, nothing special--just an assemblage of old and recent favorites with no binding theme other than my liking.

I know I have some artist repeats: the Grifters and Mice Parade. But they are stand-up tracks, regardless. Maybe you'll find something worth your time.

I have to say that if you listen to nothing else on this mix, at least give the outro of "Stand!" your full attention, as it comprises the baddest-ass 51 seconds in the history of recorded music.

1 Roadrunner--The Modern Lovers
2 Glad To Be Scattered--Track a Tiger
3 Wheels--Grand Drive
4 Rollerdisco--Black Moth Super Rainbow
5 The Boat Room--Mice Parade
6 Skinny Love--Bon Iver
7 Get Thy Bearings--Donovan
8 Rubber Biscuit--The Chips
9 Fire in the Middle--Nightmares on Wax
10 Blues Run the Game--Jackson C. Frank
11 Rat Trap--The Boomtown Rats
12 2H.B.--Roxy Music
13 Song To Bobby--Cat Power
14 Leave The Light On--Bottomless Pit
15 Vicious World--Rufus Wainwright
16 New Grass--Talk Talk
17 Eureka I.V.--The Grifters
18 Stand!--Sly & The Family Stone
19 This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)--Talking Heads

the dark month

2008-02-26T12:32:00.001-08:00

for the month of february:

darkies peppered with luff

welcome to the first mix of 2008, et enjoi.

The deal is...

2008-01-25T06:28:00.001-08:00

...that interest has been sagging in the Guild, probably due to the time sanctions that each of us encounter in our day-to-day. Understandable. I think that it would be good though to assess who is interested in continuing with this. I have really enjoyed getting mixes and I am grateful to the people who faithfully send me free music. When people miss a month, I can empathize. I will send out an email along these lines too, in an effort to trim any tired or otherwise over-occupied limbs. I have also taken the liberty of re-drawing the rotation for early 2008. My guidance on this was to spread out members who not only faithfully send out mixes, but who send out mixes in the months they are designated. That should ensure at least a consistent supply of trax. Look below (or on the sidebar) to find your month, and if you're disgruntled, let's step aside into the comments section.

Enjoi.

February--Wajok Weiss, Isopraxis, Grifter

March--Gillz, Enigma, Che, Captain Admiral

April--Ibid, Teacher of Fruit, Sweetface

May--Renbencan, Rice, Shamus, Courtney

ewereekah

2008-01-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

So if any of you remember, or care, there was a mystere trak on "the shimshamshimmy". Well, I hunted Red Fox - The Choir Practice and knew the voices instantly. A few more shovelles of grit on dirt pile I struck the hollow woody thump of the trak name:

Up All Day

by none other than The Choir Practice.

So there be a present, I would also like to offer another:

January 26th at 12:00am (SLC) there is a birthday celebration for a Meestah Richard Mark Cobabe (Nobabes) Jr. So you may not know him... that's not the important part. The important part is Brewvies, the theatre pub I've rented, and Festa Di Laurea, the most tender and enchanting Italian flick you will ever catch that I am having screened. There are couches for pews and tables for foods. You can bring your own food and beverage. I'm not a drinker but not adversed to a few brews making an appearance. There is no charge, but I'm probably going to have a Birthday Honey Pot at the front door for anyone who wants to donate to the medicating of the sharp pain of 30 years old.

Any more questions... please ask, eirynjakob@gmail.com and please invite EVERYONE, there are about 80 seat cushions to fill.

egg nog benedict with holidays sauce

2007-12-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

Mmmm. I would actually eat that conconction. I bet Martha Stewart has already thought of it though. In any case, this be December bitches. I have a nimiety of excuses to defend this micks. First -- technology -- foe! I did not ask for the micks to be burned in this order, I gots no flow. So, excuse me if it hurts your ears, it sure as hell hurts mine. 2econd -- it was a nontraditional christmas or a cheeeeeeese christmas and I just couldn't squeeze the dank flavour from the Gruyere. However, I did find myself wrecklessly prone to throwing in an earsore or two. You'll know when you hear them, and if you don't your tolerance is much greater than mine. 3rice-- this micks was produced for the most part to validate my own christmas nostalgia, which, lucky for me, worked. Unlucky for you... this micks brings with it christmas narratives so sugar coated they are best served from a rusting tin on grandma's living room side table. So herr goes, track list AND exegesis:

one) Auld Lang Syne – Drums and Tuba
two) the Christmas song – Leadbelly
three) Bonhomme’s Sweltering Snowsuit – ASSIGNMENT CANADA!This is a CBC radio archive circa 1970. It was absolutely necessary to convey who Bonhomme is and what he represents, which makes better sense of song five. That naughty Broken Social Scene.
Four) le bonhomme se s’couait en skidoo – la famille Soucy
Bienvenue to a French Canadian Christmas. I am not French, but grew up quite proximal to them. This is what we do. We sing and play on spoons and fiddle. We drink wassail until ruddy cheeked and build toboggans to hold 16 people. And get right sauced and ride on our skidoos. Ahh… even at age 9 I had my own skidoo, yellow bellied, round nosed, her name was Alouette.
Five) I slept with Bonhomme at the CBC – Broken Social Scene
Six) Christmas card from a hooker – Tom waits
7even) Nutcracker overture/Dance of the Sugarplum fairy – del rey Even buttrockers get Christmas!
Eight) Merry Yatesmas – Paul Yates and His Men
It takes a lot for a man to publicly admit he wants presents, and to back it up with an address. In my ideal mixtape guild we would collectively render a barrage of holiday spirit on this man. But just for this round, let’s be realists
Nine) Christmas (Live) – The Who
ten) Merry Christmas, Not X-Mas – Arrah and the Ferns
11) Jakob has no “s” and Christmas has no “x” – Jakob Family ChristmasBienvenue to a Jakob family Christmas. I think I copped this clip three years ago. My brother does the same thing every time the family gathers, he plays and we sit around and talk story. It’s such an integral part of my Christmas that I just had to share it. If I had to wrap one bit of audio up and put in under the tree, to you from me, this is it.
twelfth) soulful Christmas tree – james brown
Imagine yourself on a commercial spending quest through the mall three days before Christmas. This song is on repeat. And you’re in Old Navy.
30een) A Christmas Present 1973 – DeFord Bailey If anyone was so lucky to have the holiday upbringing I did… this is not just the mimicry of the wheels and whistle, this is the whole damn POLAR EXPRESS. Ah man, we’d line up, find our car, spend hours without parents but with elves and hot chocolate and carolled sing alongs, all to be suffixed with a visit from the jolly man himself. If you have never rode the Polar Express, my regrets, and may DeFord do what the immaterial memories of my mind cannot.
14) Joy to the World – Ben Harper (I think? The artist doesn’t matter, all that matters is that this is my favourite carol. Just let it melt your face off.)
Fifteen) When the first snow comes – Chad Serhal
6teen) Noel Huron – Alan Mills and Gilbert “Buck” LancombeI also had the privilege of growing up on a native reserve. This was a carol I knew by heart, and I knew it in Huron as well. It’s image is jet and silvery in my mind, but warm and rosy in my heart. Christmas isn’t just for white Europeans anymore.

Again, my apologies for the flow and some earsores, but Merry Christmas guilders. And if I never got a micks from you this round… you’ll understand the coal.

ej

Space is a Lonely Place

2007-11-10T00:09:00.000-08:00

So yeah, it took a while to mail, but I have had it finished for a while. Thanks for being patient... again.
So here is my space concept mix

01 Muse | Space Dementia
02 Queen | Flash
03 Belle & Sebastian | A Space Boy Dream
04 My Morning Jacket | Rocket Man
05 Air | Surfing on a Rocket
06 David Bowie | Space Oddity
07 Flaming Lips | Vein of Stars
08 They Might Be Giants | Space Suit
09 Peter Schilling | Major Tom
10 Radiohead | Subterranean Homesick Alien
11 Smashing Pumpkins | Spaceboy
12 Grandaddy | So You'll Aim Toward The Sky

There were other songs and artists I could have included in the mix. Some were silly or spastic. I think the point of this album was to show how the vast black emptiness can make one melancholy. Our space heroes either to long for home or to keep exploring with no hopes of returning.
Raise your glass to the astronauts and cosmonauts of the past, present, and future.

PS: Included in the same package is Stacey's (Che's) mix. Hope you enjoy both.

The Return of the Living Dead

2007-11-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

A few days before Devil's Night I was watching an ole favorite horror flick, the aforementioned Return of the Living Dead. As I was watching, I realized that for the last several months I have been living a zombie-like life, minus the brain eating of course. Like Shawn at the beginning of Shawn of the Dead I have been shuffling around in a daze. Events beyond my control have been kicking me in the ass and I have been very bummed out. At the same time a few people have caused my faith in my fellow human beings to sink to a new low. I have been a study in bitter, frustrated apathy.

To paraphrase Comic Book Guy: Worst. Summer. Ever.

It's getting a bit better now. Someday soon I may be back to my old self.

I tell you these things not so you'll have pity, but so that when you listen to my mix you'll hopefully understand the sour place it comes from.

I had intended to have a theme, but I simply couldn't find my way. There were many songs that I wanted to include, but they just didn't go with my mood.

That being said, as I was working on this mix I at times embraced the abyss and chose songs that helped me continue to be in a poopy mood, and at other times I chose songs with bits that made me happy enough to not contemplate dressing in my Grammy's undies and eating a gun. Just kidding. The track list is as follows...

as usual...SPOILER ALERT!!!

1. Suede - Lazy
2. Les Savy Fav - Pots and Pans
3. Grinderman - No Pussy Blues
4. Pavement - Type Slowly (live)
5. Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
6. Cracker - Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)
7. Bloodhound Gang - Fire Water Burn
8. 808 State - OneInTen
9. Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
10. Peaches - Fuck the Pain Away
11. Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next
12. Geneva - Tranquilizer
13. Fugazi - Waiting Room
14. Descendants - Bikeage
15. Slipknot - Duality
16. Marilyn Manson - Rock is Dead
17. Supernaturals - Smile

I embrace the abyss to: Grinderman, Lightfoot, Peaches, Slipknot, Descendants and Manson for all the obvious reasons.

I enjoy: the campy lyrics of Shiny Toy Guns, the snideness of the Supernaturals, the guitar solo during Pavement, the bassline of the Descendants, the Bloodhound Gang line "I'm the root of all that's evil/yeah, but you can call me Cookie", the brazenly dirty lyrics of Peaches (this song always makes me think of Buffy during season 6 when she was doing the Humpty Dance with Spike) and just the whole Les Savy Fav song...it makes me feel like...I dunno...but it's freakin' cool. By the way just how do you pronounce Les Savy Fav? Anyone?

So. There it is then.

Sorry for not being on time but lately it's been hard enough to get out of bed and put on some pants let alone be slightly creative.

I know that this will sound cheesy, but making this mixtape has really been theraputic for me. It's the first decent use of my brain in months. After making this I truly feel as if I am returning from the dead. Never underestimate the healing power of music. Thanks, Joe, for inviting me along.

Thes should hit the mail tomorrow or the next day...I guess that's November 8 or 9.

Yarrr.

the Captain

P.S. FYI there's mucho naughty words here...try not to play this around my mom. Thanks.

Niggy Tardust

2007-11-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

A Trent Reznor produced album free of DRM for, uh, free? Yeah.

Saul Williams opened for NIN and T-Rez was so impressed he said, 'Hey, lets make an album'.
You can download the album for free with Trent Reznor's blessing if you wanny, or you can pay $5 to support the artist and get a higher bitrate version in mp3 or FLAC. I paid the 5 quai. Costs less than a box of generic freezer waffles and better yet, it cuts the sweaty more-than-slightly-creepy, opportunistic middle-man out of the loop. I vote for that. I vote for waffles. I vote for music and I vote for you.

Fear is the Mind Killer

2007-10-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

(click on picture for clearer playlist)

This mix is on its way. I couldn't pass up a theme this time, so similar to Gillz' mix, I have chosen songs that have disturbed, frightened, or outright terrified me at some point in my life.

I am a little disappointed in my effort this time around. There were a lot of tracks that I am missing, and a few bonus tracks that wouldn't burn for some odd reason. Maybe I will send these around in an email, and you can take them or leave them.

This mix will only be "effective" with patience, and a good form or transmission. I say pick a dimly lit room, put on some comfortable headphones, and strap on some fresh courage. Or, take a drive through dark trees with the windows down and the stereo up. This is a vast departure from what I wanted to include on my next mix, but I hope something resonates with at least one of you.

If I could include video on the disc (which I guess I could), a few more tracks would have been Herby Hancock's "Rockit," Grateful Dead "Touch of Grey," George Harrison "I Got My Mind Set On You," and a His Name is Alive video. These short films scared the poop out of me, and are still unnerving. I guess of all things, as a kid I found personification of non-persons the height of terror. What songs bothered/bother you, and why? I want to know.

Thanks.

daysleepers

2007-10-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Fresh out of the Stereogum oven, an Automatic for the People tribute album. Do yourself a free proud if you like REM in other people's voices.

Werewolves from Phoenix

2007-10-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

Okay all, my October mix goes into the mail tomorrow huzzah huzzah. It's a mix of spooky and not-so-spooky and a lot of it is new to me, so hopefully y'all can find something new to you or at least pleasing to you. So: here eez zee leest:

1 David Bowie - Glass Spider
2 Beirut - Guyamas Sonora
3 A C Newman - Better than Most
4 Vitesse - Not Forever
5 13 & God - Perfect Speed
6 Cat Power - Werewolf
7 Björk & PJ Harvey - I Can't Get No Satisfaction
8 Air - Sexy Boy
9 José González - Killing for Love
10 Radical Face - Welcome Home
11 Murder by Death - I'm Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe
12 Tom Waits - Black Wings
13 *extra spooky track*
14 *extra ghostly track*
15 Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse
16 Xiu Xiu - Save Me Save Me
17 Magnetic Field - A Chicken With His Head Cut Off
18 Electric President - Metal Fingers
19 Subtle - Nomanisanisland
20 Aphex Twin - Beetles
21 Meat Loaf - You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth

Also, did everyone get the new address list from mid-September? I've only received one mixtape since I moved to Mesa, so I'm just checking.

Much and much and much love, Gillz

35 depression

2007-09-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

an end of summer pop cd. postmarked yesterday (oops.) arriving real soon.

did you see the words . animal collective
i send my love to you . palace brothers
golden sun . the elephants
sold! . enon
us ones in between . sunset rubdown
race you . figurines
where the hell is benny l? . the star no star
baby said . hot chip
lost to the lonesome . pela
goodbye princess . the failures
calliope! . the veils
slow down . boilermaker
mwyktcita&b? . cyhsy
the magic position . patrick wolf
utter dispair . liger
he gives us all his love . randy newman
autumn all the time . the sugarplastic
one that got away . the anomoanon
i will find you . simon joyner
hugging my grudge . the boy least likely to
up with people . lambchop

i didn't dig too deep in the trenches for these gems but i hope you find/like/love something new.

Remember when Music Videos were Awesome?

2007-09-11T08:09:00.001-07:00

I'm posting this to spite the VMAs. MTV has become the largest joke in my mind. It's not even a parody of itself. Here's a video that probably should have won because of it's splenderiferousness.

2007-09-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hey.

2007-09-10T14:57:00.001-07:00

Hey.

I added a lil' reminder over on the sidebar thar. Check it for your group assignment. Will September's group release their fine mixes months late? Let us hope not.

Viva la strange.

Bring the Noise!

2007-09-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

It's September. I'm excited for presents in circular shapes. Here's a little math/prog rock to celebrate.

a group chat..

2007-08-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

So now what?

We made it through the first go-round will relatively few casualties, mix-wise. All members and members still intact. By my way of thinking, this first batch was a stomping success.

Should we simply kick the cycle back off again, starting immediately, and scrapping the 15th due date (just make sure we mail our mixes sometime during the month we are scheduled)? Thoughts?

We have 2 new members that will be contributing to the club: Che and Renbencan. Welcome them. IF we decide to just start again, I will repost the teams in full, and send around an updated address form. Any address changes that need to be made, please send to trainsmoke@gmail.com .

Thoughts you are thinking?

Rudeeee! Theeeeo! Waaalrusss!

2007-07-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Another tidbit I ran across: Rubber Souled - Beatles songs covered by your favorite Soul artists. From Stevie Wonder's funked out version of We Can Work It Out to a nightmare inducing Bill Cosby cover of Sgt Peppers. It is phree for download here.

the shim sham shimmy

2007-07-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

Hearts will be broken --

Given that only two people voted spools and I am currently amidst a nomadic quest I voted "nay sharks, sneer your teeth in the direction of the tuna!" to the cassettes. In redemption, and out of obligation --for there is a responsibility accompanying a hypersonic mix-- warm up, sweat it out, and cool down with the finest of terry hugging your noggin. I hope you'll find your colour appropriate, and the mix a barrage of hurt on your fat cells. Eat your heart out Shaquille O'Neal.

Track 12 is a choose-your-own-artist. But seriously, if you really know who it is, let me know.

end post.

dj r.p. mcmurphy live @ the cuckoo's nest

2007-07-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

1. Into The Woods 5:21 My Morning Jacket Z 2005
2. Up Above The Sea 3:41 John Vanderslice Cellar Door 2004
3. Brain Damage 4:07 Roger Waters In The Flesh [Disc 2] (Live) 2000
4. So So Sick 1:55 Unrest B.P.M. (1991-1994) 1995
5. Not Like the Other Girls 5:46 The Rasmus Dead Letters
6. She's Losing It 2:22 Belle & Sebastian Tigermilk 1999
7. The Cask Of Amontillado 4:33 The Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery & Imagina 1976
8. Mistaken Point 3:00 Flin Flon Boo-Boo 1999
9. Rocky 3:44 Butthole Surfers Hairway To Steven 1988
10. Creep/the blower’s daughter (live at Glastonbury 2004) 2:19 Damien Rice Q - Glastonbury Jukebox 2004
11. Decomposing Trees 4:06 Galaxie 500 On Fire [Bonus Tracks] 1989
12. The Great Escape 3:18 We Are Scientists With Love And Squalor 2005
13. I Wanna Die 1:49 Adam Green Friends Of Mine 2003
14. In Your Mind 3:46 Built To Spill Ancient Melodies Of The Future 2001
15. Mama's Room 3:55 Under the Infuence of Giants Under the Infuence of Gia 2006
16. Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) 4:15 Ray LaMontagne
17. Never Be OK 4:11 Versus Two Cents Plus Tax 1996
18. One Step Beyond 3:32 Madness Total Madness: The Very Best Of 1979
19. Red House 3:45 Shudder To Think 50,000 B.C. 1997
20. Wrecking Now 2:33 Guided By Voices Do The Collapse 1999
21. Tragedy 2:57 Young Love Young Love 2006
22. Things To Do Today - 1.) Try 4:00 True Love Always Hopefully 1998

OKX: A Tribute to OK Computer

2007-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I tagged a bridge which should be visible on Google earth the next time they refresh. Floating.

Just in case the rest of you didn't catch this tidbit across the tubes, here is a free (as in love) OK Computer tribute album from Stereogum. As one of my most beloved albums, I'm still quite surprised at how well it holds up through re-interpretation, deconstruction and recombination. From the 'Strung out on OK Computer' (string quartet cover) to the Easy Star All Stars dub interpretation - 'Radiodread', I love it all. So do try to enjoy this one. God loves his children. Yeah.

Stereogum OKX

Cellar Door

2007-07-13T09:27:00.001-07:00

This Mix has been sent.

1. Minimum Wage -- They Might Be Giants
2. Hardwood Pews -- Horse Feathers
3. The Universe! -- Do Make Say Think
4. Am I Wry? No -- Mew
5. Sandstorms -- Viking Moses
6. A New England -- Billy Bragg
7. Big Bad John -- Jimmy Dean
8. Death In The Sea -- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
9. That Summer At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy -- The Twilight Sad
10. Dumb Animals -- Handsome Furs
11. Bermuda Highway -- My Morning Jacket
12. Welcome Home -- Radical Face
13. Lubbock Love Song -- Sleepy Horses
14. Damage -- Yo La Tengo
15. You Miss Your Candyman -- Terry Callier

songs to get the hell out of town to

2007-07-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Oh, excuses. But it's sent out. For reals.

This mix reflects a mix I made back in 2003. It was about midnight and I was making a mix CD in a fit of different emotions. I suddenly realized I'd been creating a driving mix and it struck me that I needed to get the hell out of Dodge City. As Rexburg is called sometimes. I got up, filled a duffel bag, grabbed a new loaf of bread from my roommate and a jar of PB and a jar of Jam, drained my bank account and started driving. I flipped a coin. Tails was south and I started driving. I listened to my Mix CD over and over until I arrived in L.A.

This is not the mix. This is just a tribute. I'm sure that mix would be a lot more melodramatic. I wouldn't put you through it. But it's got a lot of the same elements. Self-destruction, girls, anti-establishment, the push and pull of hometowns, and yes, melodrama, and a few covers in tribute of Darren's blog entry.

The first song is more of that feeling I get before I have to get up and leave. It progresses from there. Some songs are echoed feelings, most are lyric based.

Preview:

1. The Horse You Ride - Department of Eagles
2. Walcott - Vampire Weekend
3. Damnit Anna - The Morning Benders
4. West Coast - Coconut Records
5. Anti-Anti - Snowden
6. Ghost on a Hill - Tenlons Fort
7. Runway to Elsewhere - Pacific!
8. Wet and Rusting - Menomena
9. Black Cab - Jens Lekman
10. Miss Idaho - Ox
11. Elephant Gun - Beirut
12. Home By Saturday - Hayden
13. Talking Crap About a Pretty Sunset - Modest Mouse
14. Strange Powers - Magnetic Fields
15. Heart It Races - Dr. Dog (Architecture in Helsinki cover)
16. Jealous Guy - Donny Hathaway (John Lennon cover)
17. Bye Bye Blackbird - Joe Cocker (Etta James cover)

Scots bats and angry country acts--yeah it rhymes, get over it.

2007-06-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Her she be in all her glory. I'll be sending this out on Wedendsay the 13th--enjoy

1-I Was a Lover—TV On The Radio
2-Weekends of Sound—764-HERO
3-New Birds—Arab Strap
4-Clarinet—The Delgados
5-The Sheep Have Been Reupholstered—Purr Bats
6-Made You Feel That Way—Blackalicious
7-Sci-Fi Wasabi—Cibo Matto
8-The Fightin’ Side of Me—Merle Haggard
9-I’m Atlanta Bound—Gene Autry
10-Hard Time Killing Floor Blues—Skip James
11-Sign On The Window—Bob Dylan
12-With You—Flaming Lips
13-Olympic Cyclist—Ballboy (this is one that just sort slipped onto the mix…I’m not sure it belongs.)
14-Keep it Together—Aqueduct
15-I’m Straight—Modern Lovers
16-Anthrax—Gang of Four
17-He’s Dumb (Wives of Farmers)—Grandaddy
18-The Earthquake of ’73—Fruit Bats
19-Asymetrical Threats—Maserati

. . . and the horse I sat down on

2007-06-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

*alert* The Isopraxis mix has been mailed to the guild today, so within 5 to 7 days, you should be recieving it. *alert*

And Matthias and Giuseppi, be expecting some cultural contraband and commie timepieces to mark your hours along with the musics.

And for those who want a peek at the playlist, here it is below in the rot13

Track 8 is by one of my cowtown friends: Tariq

Track 21 What I lovingly call the 'Anschluss Bonanza', is better if you imagine it sung by an SS cowboy, but really, what isn't?

1. Pybnx naq Qnttre / Gur Hcfrggref 4:09
2. V Tbg Gb Gryy Lbh / Qe. Bpgntba 0:48
3. Oynpx Furrc - Guvf be Gung 4:01
4. Ybatwbua / Obqrafgnaqvt 2000 2:53
5. Fphon (Nzba Gbova erzvk) / Obabob 4:20
6. Pbashfvba / Gur Mhgbaf 3:32
7. BX Jvgu Zl Qrpnl / Tenaqnqql 6:11
8. Purreyrnqre'f Cnenqr / Gnevd 3:46
9. Uhaqerq Zvyr Uvtu Pvgl / Bprna Pbybhe Fprar 3:55
10. Gur Rivy Qbcr / Cuvy Cuvyyvcf 3:30
11. SYNG ORNG / ZE.BVMB 5:16
12. Qrre Fgbc / Tbyqsencc 4:06
13. Zbeavat Zvfg / Zbhagnvarre 3:50
14. Naq Gurl Ybbx Oebxra Urnegrq / Sbhe Grg 5:09
15. Zl Ornhgvshy Sevraq / Puneyngnaf HX 4:34
16. V Fubhyq Unir Xabja Orggre / Jver 3:52
17. Gur Tbbq & Gur Onq Thl / Zl Oevtugrfg Qvnzbaq 4:16
18. Erq Onyybba / Gur Fznyy Snprf 4:13
19. Gensvx Pnaninev / Naxnenyv Ghethg 3:47
20. Tha Pbpxrq, Chzcrq & Fubg / Fcrpvny Rssrpg
21. Obanamn / Enys Cnhyfra 2:09

monsters say - "YARR!!"

2007-06-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Complete with album art for you iTunes freaks out there, here is the track listing for the mix.

1. Portugal. The Man - The Devil
2. My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep
3. Badly Drawn Boy - Once Around The Block
4. Devendra Banhart - A Ribbon
5. The Cure - Why Can't I Be You
6. +/- (Plus/Minus) - I've Been Lost
7. Voxtrot - The Start Of Something
8. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
9. The Streets - Dry Your Eyes
10. Wilco - The Man Who Loves You
11. Kings Of Convenience - Singing Softly To Me
12. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
13. mewithoutYou - Nice & Blue Pt. 2
14. The White Stripes - We're Going To Be Friends

I made every effort possible to make this a good cohesive mix that really flows and evolves as you listen rather than just slap as many good songs as I could fit onto one CD. I suppose I can only hope you guys dig it. Cheers!

-Vincnt

Finally friends, the mix is in the mail...

2007-06-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

My sincerest apologies, peoples of the guild. Nothing but sheer laziness has prevented me from getting my mix to you sooner than now. The good news is that my mix is on it's way to you as we speak. Utah people should look forward to a lovely little envelope with their name on it as soon as tomorrow. The bad news is that it's almost two months late. I will post the track listing tomorrow evening.

-Vincnt

another wikipedic offering

2007-06-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

I just figured everyone else ought to know where to go in case they ever found themselves in similar fixes.
List of Problems Solved

I'm getting Married...

2007-05-27T23:15:00.000-07:00

Because posts have started to lag, I'm going to bring this up here. I'm getting married soon, and I'm attempting to compile a good Marriage mix. I'm looking for both fast and slow, both sappy and solemn, both obscure and familiar--but never cliche. Any ideas?
loverus.

Gillz's Rainbow Hump Bump Mix List

2007-05-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Well, she should be coming to yer homes in a matter of days or hopefully hours for most of you. This be the tracklist, so look at it or don't. I know I've expressed grand cockiness about what I would eventually send out but let me footnote past claims with the truth that I was a bit rushed between camping and sending that led me to make some quick and sharp last-minute decisions, including swapping out an Iron Maiden track for video game music and leaving out important tracks I remembered I forgot as they came on to mock me when driving north on Saturday. But no more excuses. I'll stand behind this. Take it like carrion if you need to. If every person finds at least one new song they'd like to keep, I will feel like a success. Every high school guidance counselor would say the same.

1. Blonde Redhead---Equus
2. The Devastations---The Night I Couldn't Stop Crying
3. Cat Power---Naked if I Want to
4. Beirut---Scenic World
5. Wolf Parade---Grounds for Divorce
6. The Pillows---Ride on a Shooting Star
7. Bowie---Time Will Crawl
8. Meat Loaf---Modern Girl
9. Bachman-Turner Overdrive---Let It Ride
10. The Evens---Everybody Knows
11. Man Man---Van Helsing Boombox
12. Castlevania---Vampire Killer
13. The Books---Venice
14. Woody Guthrie---Talking Hard Work
15. Burt Bacharach---South American Getaway
16. Loney, Dear---Sinister in a State of Hope
17. Travis---The Cage
18. Bob Dylan---It Ain't Me Babe
19. M. Ward---Paul's Song
20. Regina Spektor---Better
21. The The---This is the Day

I feel like the Bowie song goes better with the video so I'll post it following this brief message. It isn't the greatest video, but there's an orange-jumpsuited and mohawked gentleman I am crushing on and Bowie spends most of it being flopped around like a rag doll and making faces in mirrors. It's goofy. Bachman-Turner Overdrive is for my mom...we both love that song. I don't want to hear any crap about The The being on M&M commercials and the roof-dancing-scene of Empire Records. It's still a damn fine song, and I want it on my mix. All right then. For your viewing pleasure:

Possible Spoiler Warning--C. Arafat's Tracklist Ahoy

2007-05-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Some of you will likely not receive this for a few days (Shame, Iso, Ms. Weiss) but most of you have probably already received it and are now using it as a beverage coaster on the coffee table.

In case I failed to include a tracklist with your mix (and assuming you want one), I will post the list here.

1. Grifters—Piddlebach
2. Mice Parade—Double Dolphins on the Nickel
3. Gary Numan—M.E.
4. Silver Jews—Punks in the Beerlight
5. Sparks—This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us (Orchestral)
6. Otis Redding—Hard To Handle
7. The Ladies—Vacation, Asphyxia, Vacation
8. Roy Harper—Another Day
9. Can—Vitamin C
10. Dungen—Panda
11. Elliott Smith—Going Nowhere
12. Chris Watson—Vultures, 9 Birds on a Zebra Carcass, Itong Plains, Kenya
13. Unwound—Murder Movies
14. Hood—To Emphasize Words
15. Echo and the Bunnymen—My Kingdom
16. Woven Hand—The Good Hand
17. The Advantage—Goonies 2, NES
18. Thailand—Mass Beating
19. Martin Tielli—From the Reel
20. Aphrodite’s Child—The Four Horsemen
21. Silkworm—Bar Ice
22. Smoke—Curtains

a pilgrimage to the origins

2007-05-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

The dog, crack in the cement and third step from the landing have been asking how I am in a mixtape guild when I am receiving mixcds.

July is coming and for the sake of not wanting to pull a knivesy-spoonsy on anyone I inquire as to who can support a dual spooled melange from me? You can have the cds and I will not curl my nose at you, but if you've got the player, raise it high upon your shoulder and let me know you want to put the "realthang" in the mix-realthang-tape guild.

Merci bien.

-wajok

Enigma's Late Late Late, but still arrived Mix

2007-05-13T23:04:00.000-07:00

Some of you have gotten it, some of you haven't and so you can still complain about how lazy the April group was. At least until you get mine, that is. All appologies for lateness. Life does tend to get in the way. Moving from apartment to house, not having 20 bucks to spend on burnable CDs, starting a new full sememster of school, travelling... blah blah blah, yada yada yada. I just hope the anticipation doesn't detract from the quality of the mix. Enjoy.

1. Arizona - Surviving the Savior
2. Devotchka - Queen of the Surface Streets
3. Damien Jurado - Abilene
4. Andrew Bird - A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
5. Caribou - Bees
6. Eagle*Seagull - Lock and Key
7. Cass McCombs - What Isn't Nature
8. On!Air!Library - Bread
9. Autolux - Capital Kind of Strain
10. Oh No! Oh My! - Walk In the Park
11. Band of Horses - Monsters (apparently I stole this track... hahaha too late!)
12. Clinic - Come Into Our Room
13. Mirah - Special Death
14. Belle & Sebastian - (I Believe in) Travellin' Light
15. Arcade Fire - Cold Wind
16. The Black Heart Procession - Guess I'll Forget You

Thats all.
I hope that some of the songs that you will love and enjoy, even possibly be some of your new favorite. As for me, I may never listen to these songs again.
Adieu.

PS: Thanks Captian for your mix. It was enjoyable. My favorite track would have to be by Nina Simone.

you stole "monsters" from my mixtape

2007-05-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

i had that song in a playlist of potential mixtape songs. i guess that helps narrow it down for me. i love their album. maybe i'll just choose another track. great pick! is a complete tracklisting coming?

Gillz's Quantum Whipped Delights Status

2007-05-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Hey all..........this is the story. I've about a half hour until midnight and while the mixtapes are done, I have nothing to package them in and I must be in Lehi, UT, by nine a.m. sharp to survival camp with at-risk teens until this next Thursday.

I won't ask for an extension in the future. But please hear me out. These are my excuses: I had to graduate. And I did. But it took some effort. And the day I graduated was the day before I left all means of cd-burning-equipment when I embarked on an 8-day extreme and strenuous tour of Cache Valley with the ever-cheezy and remarkably horrible yet lovely Latter-Day Voices which ended late last night and now I'm to be on my first week of work tomorrow morning where I'll be tossed without training halfway into the rotation with a bunch of people I've never met. I'm PRETTY SURE they'll let me off this next Thursday instead of pulling a double and keeping me on an extra week til the Thursday after that.......but sometimes you don't know these things until you think you're going home and then you're informed that you aren't. But I'll fight this circumstance if it becomes realized.

*clears throat* I'm just asking for an extra couple of days. I can send off the CDs Friday the 18th and you can all get them early the next week. Okay? I swear to cover the cases in kisses and candy and clever quips for giggles and endearing sighs. It'll be worth the wait, or I'll be damned. I have complained just as much as everyone else for other people's late starts and so you can complain as much as you'd like about me, to my face even. You'll change your tune in a week when my mix blows your boots off.

And, also, since a few of the April folk have since sent their deals, maybe it'll be nice that you won't get mine for another week so you can appropriately appreciate the April and May kids? You have my word you won't have to wait more than an extra week for my mix. I just cain't do it tomorrow. Profuse apologies and love, Gillz

Boondoggles vs Immediacy

2007-05-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

I was musing over the intracacies of the logistics of mixtape exchanges:

There are songs to collect (which we do as consumers anyway),
There is media to buy (the lowly and nearly obsolete cdr discs),
And we must pay the postal piper to have these nearly obsolete bits of plastic shipped from locality to locality, sometimes internationally.

Not to mention the silver fleece of packaging, wrapping and the sealings with kisses to ensure fortuitous delivery of our prizes.

I was thinking about the equation and I realized that we might be able to reduce the steps down to a slipstream of simplicity: Collecting and then sending, thus eliminating the media, the postals and all the lovely s.w.a.k.s.

My proposal:
We keeps it digital.

We collect our musics and put the best and the brightest into a folder. i.e. "Gillz's Whipped Cream and Other Delights" and then we upload thems to a central server, like the venerable Maison des Oiseaux, where everyone with computer can access and instantaneously pull them down like so many fresh timber from the hilltops of Macedonia.

That way we have no impediments of either buying useless media, nor the mechanations of state postal delivery. We save our timber, we save our fossil fuels, we save our plastics (our futures) and most of all we save our efforts. We can spend the surplus in time loving our Loves, listening to our loves and loving to love new creations instead of wasting our strength between the gears of postal service vans.

I think I might know a person with such a server who might (with a minimal bribe) have said server already ups and runnings.
He could, theoretically, set aside a folder to enclose the mixes where all of the like-minded might set their treasures.

Thus ending world poverty, at least to a dozen or so souls involved in the mixtapesabound project, in terms of maximising the collective leisure at sharing songs with their pals.

Isn't that the point, after all is said and not mailed?

Spoiler Alert! Track Listing Ahead!

2007-05-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

I mailed my mixtapes yesterday, Wednesday May 9, and since some of you live pretty close to me and might receive the packages today, I thought I'd best post the track list in case you really want it to go along with your music.

A quick disclaimer: As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm not overly concerned with my street cred, in fact, I don't even know if I have any. That said, I don't know how 'hip' my mixtape may be to you. That said, let it be known that my mixtape was simply to show you music that I enjoy a great deal.

You'll find more old stuff than new. You'll probably know most of the artists if not the songs themselves. I just chose stuff that I think is of a high quality and that I listen to frequently.

And so, without further ado...(turn away if you don't wanna know yet!)

Captain Admiral's Track List for May 2007

1. Linus and Lucy - The Vince Guaraldi Trio
2. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
3. Ain't Got No/I Got Life (Groovefinder remix) - Nina Simone
4. Black Swan - Thom Yorke
5. Give Your Love (live) - Mannequin Men
6. Safety Third - Melvins + Lustmord
7. Slack Motherfucker - Superchunk
8. Nervous Breakdown - Black Flag
9. Dance Monkey - Sage Francis
10. The Greatest - Cat Power
11. Deep Red Bells - Neko Case
12. Sun (Leftfield remix) - John Lydon
13. Club Foot - Kasabian
14. Joe Strummer - Cowboy Mouth

Hopefully you will enjoy these songs as much as I do.

the Captain

P.S. From the selfish plug departement: I'd really like some input on a blog I'm doing about movies that I'm watching this summer...if any of you could read my Captains Ramblings blog and give me some feedback it would be much appreciated.

How do I?

2007-05-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but how do I make muliple copies of things I've bought off itunes? Is there a way to disable their copy cap? (Are there other engines/cd burning software that will allow me to copy as many as I want?)

I recall that someone addressed this breifly in a previous post, but I didn't understand.

Sorry and thanks.

The Axeman Cometh?

2007-05-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

So. Returning from Mexico, I expected to find my mailbox brimming with mixtape wonders and pieces of aural majesty. There was music in there, but only my ebay winnings, and nothing, nothing from guild members.

Without the normal contrived embelishments in my writing style: this pisses me off. Really. I don't know why it upsets me so much, aside from being very excited to hear possible new tracks and plow new musical fields.

I know it might seem incredibly draconian to suggest that the late members be banished from the guild, but that was my only thought all morning. The first group needed to kick this off right, and they didn't, but being the first group might also warrant increased patience. I am a patient guy normally, which is why I don't understand whay I was so upset by lack of music.

I know we have beat this high horse to death, so I will stop here. But all it takes is a little postage and an hour or so of your day to brighten the life of at least one young lad in Idaho Falls. I am certain there are others who feel the same. Now, having said that, it is almost my turn to mail, so if I am late, I expect a lambasting of the highest order.

Also, I would suggest to the first group that if you haven't already mailed your mixes, don't bother at this point because the market will be flooded, so to speak. Does anyone agree?

A Report: How I Spent My B-Day Money

2007-05-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to report all week but I went and saw Modest Mouse play with Man Man and Love as Laughter in Harlem. I feel as long as we're talking about music I'd love to hear reports on albums and concerts that people are digging. I warn you already that my ultra adoration of Modest Mouse will taint this report.

The awesomitude of the concert is largely due to the ultra dream team of Isaac Brock and Johnny Marr. The whole show was two big spotlights on them and it was aptly so. They're like the couple I never want to see broken up. They played a great deal from the new album which is growing on me. From "Good News for People Who Like Bad News" they played "Ocean Breathes Salty", "Float On", and "Bukowski". Some old favorites played were: "Doin' the Cockroach", "Trailer Trash", "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes".

In fact, "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" was totally reinvented by Johnny Marr who built it up with a sick stadium burning solo that worked in Modest Mouse's two drummers and then Brock's impassioned lyrical screaming. That one song made it evident that Johnny is a master. He was having such a good time, too. I hope he's here to stay.

Isaac was in top form, though a little less talky. He's usually more engaging in smaller settings but the venue was so huge it didn't seem appropriate. They used to play at CBGB's but since they closed down there's a big music scene hole in New York. As odd as that sounds. The United Palace where they played is cool but still huge.

Other Highlights: Man Man, crazy circus music on crack, was a delight. I've never seen them live and they were a show all in themselves. I can't wait to see them again. All six of them play in a compact space looking at each other and almost everyone plays percussion. The lead singer plays the keyboard with one hand while banging a tambourine with a drumstick and screaming into the microphone. All in white tennis clothing.

Love as Laughter blew. Sorry if anyone likes them. Modest Mouse yeah!

April?

2007-04-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Any bets we get May's mix tapes before the April folks decide to meander off the slow boat?

I hope so because this is a pitiful opening charge.

2007-04-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

Once every 10 years or so a thing comes across the bow that should be duly noted.
In the late 90's I worked as a builder of highways in the perpetual state of Idaho. I walked the latitude and longitude of the state stifled and listening mostly to KRIC out of Rexburg to get my NPR fixes. It was my informational heroin. The co-workers, (mostly headbangers and Z103 kind of people) thought I was daffy, but I didn't care. I thought their practice of warming cans of Campbells Chunky over the hearth of hot asphalt was weird. . . I even took part in the unholy gustitory communion myself and came to know that it was not wholly evil when a boy was hungry for something hot at noon in the Idaho July. Like I say. . . Hot times require hot measures.

That year I heard a little exposé on NPR about a band and their album that was forecasted to change perceptions of modern music. OK computer. I was skeptical. That Christmas my pal Mitchell gifted me the album. One of the few that I still cherish and absorbs me with every playing. That was the Christmas where everything changed for me. Not because of the Radiohead, but it was nice to have the perfect soundtrack to accompany the sudden alien cloud in which I found myself gasping for anything resembling oxygen. Ten years later, in vino veritas, it is true. . . Thom Yorke's voice, the Greenwood boys. They changed everything.

I could be wrong. i usually am in matters of providence and fortune. But I have a feeling that this new NIN album is something. Maybe you don't like the NIN - that is fine. I'm not here to debate you. But for every decade they say there is an album that typifies the generation. Where Ok Computer exposed the dissociative life of the dot com bubble times, Year Zero voices the anxiety of something like the first discovery that the Great Father's Iron Horse is rushing like a tsunami upon your children. . .

But that's just my impression. I'd like to hear a bit of what you peeps think.

All this time, I thought that a death-star balloon would kick ass.
I have obviously been well plussed.

-iso

Status? ! ?

2007-04-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

I hate to be Sergeant Fussypants, but here I am.

Mixes are due. I think the guild, unlike the IRS or IRA, can be more forgiving in matters of deadlines, at least this month. So, Enigma-M, Juan Juan Fur Tete, and Vincenzo, you have a few days to get these out. I am still waiting for a 3 mailing addresses from members--you know who you are. Let's get shaking. The first round is the maiden voyage for the guild, the precedence-setter: lets break a bottle of vintage Sauternes across this ship's bow, not Night Train. Capiche?

Thoughts or concerns? Let us reason together in the comments section.

Because I love? you all just this much...

2007-04-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

very special treat for each of you...make sure you have two good speakers or are wearing headphones for this. It will change your life

2007-04-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit curious...

Where do ya'll get your music from?

I get mine from all over the place. It goes a little something like this...

itunes. A very good library with a few stunning omissions (Radiohead, Sex Pistols) I like the option of listening to a clip before you buy, and they have some really good deals sometimes. (Thelonious Monk's "Live at the It Club" for $9.99!)

emusic. I like this site a lot, the price is right ($19.99 for 75 songs per month) but if I download less than 75 I lose the remainder, and if I download 75 as far as I can tell there's no way to download more. Even though I'm paying less than $0.27 per song, I always feel a bit taken.

various magazines. I still subscribe to CMJ and I pick up Paste every month. Occasionally I get Uncut or somesuch.

Music stores. I got a part time job (like 9 hours a week) at a Hastings Entertainment store. I cruise the used bins and spend more than I earned there pretty much every week.

Anyhoo, I was just wondering if this is normal, or if I'm old fashioned, or ...what.

Seacrest out.

Insanity-ness.

2007-04-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

I guess this is as good a place as any to spit this out...this might be old hat to some, but I just read that Johnny Marr, yes, Johnny Marr now plays guitar for Modest Mouse. Should this compel me to renew interest (not in Marr, but in Mouse)?

Discuss.

Let the mixing begin.

2007-03-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

To quote Rob from the book:

“To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with "Got to Get You Off My Mind," but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the whole thing in pairs and...oh, there are loads of rules.”

Official Groups

2007-03-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

They have been randomly generated, and they are as follows. Once again, I want to aver that I assigned a number to each member and then randomized the sequence. I had no selective preference about the order or placement of anyone. If any of you are not amenable to your position, please indicate and we can work something out.

Group 1:
Enigma Machinist
Vincent
Jan Wan 4t
Approx. mixtape due date: APRIL 15th (it is a tall tall order, but you are up to it)

Group 2:
Gillz
Captain Admiral
Chaucer Arafat
Due Date: May 15th--how 'bout our best fertility tracks? Rites of Spring and such?

Group 3:
Shamus
Isopraxis
Teacher of Fruit
Due Date: June 15th--some emancipation tracks perhaps?

Group 4:
Sweetface
Ibid
Wajok Weiß
Rice
Due Date: July 15th--break out the John Philip Souza!

Ignore my stupid quips. But lets try to have mixes postmarked by the ides of each month. I will assemble the addresses and send each of you an email so that you might have a destination for your mixtapes.

Time!

2007-03-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

We are lacking one person. I am going to move forth, tomorrow evening, and generate a schedule. For anyone who wants to investigate my method for randomizing a schedule, please go to Random.org and make sure you are ok with its randomness. It is a great site, and it is good to finally have a valid reason to use it.

I am going to assign each member a number (1-13) and then generate them to create 3 groups of 3, and 1 group of 4. I vow, with bog and all his holy angels and saints as my witnesses, that I will go with the first random number sequence I am given.

If anyone has any misgivings about this method, please speak. I will post the teams on either Thursday night or Friday morning.

Dye A Log

2007-03-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Let us talk. Some items...

1) Teh Blogggg

I think everyone's status on the blog is set to admin. Feel free to post. This is for everyone.

2) The Mixes (once they begin)

We need to discuss a schedule for mixes. My thought is, depending on how many members join, that we break into teams. Lets suppose we have 12 members. I was initially thinking of 6 teams of 2 (and I use "team" strictly in the sense of "a collective of members who create mixes in the same month"--there is no mandate to collaborate or anything of the sort). Okay, so, 6 teams of 2 would allow everyone to create 2 mixes per year. This schedule offers ample time for digestion of the mixtapes, which I find is necessary. By my way of thinking, being bombarded with 5 or more mixtapes is rarely good. HOWEVER, I also realize that the concept of mixtape clubs is a sort of indirect narcissism. It is a selfish act, creating a mixtape for someone else--it gives as much if not more pleasure to the creator than to the recipient. It's a blatant "look at me!" mechanism, and I think the more often we produce mixtapes, the more involved people will remain. I was in a mixtape club before this one (a club whose name I can't mention) and I think part of the reason that it fizzled out was because of how spread-out the schedule was. There were 2 people a month who created mixes, and if they failed to do so, many people didn't feel rewarded enough to contribute the following month. So, I propose that we do the following: arrange the schedule so that we would each be creating a mixtape every 3 months or so. Either 4 teams of 3, or 3 teams of 4. Please chime in on this.

3) Content

We can't limit any content. Everything is fair game. Everything. I hasten to insert the caveat that, perhaps if something on our mixtape could be seen as strongly offensive, we might want to offer a disclaimer before guild members listen. I don't know a lot of you, and I can't gauge your sensitivities. I really have no sensitivities, aside from cats in renaissance clothing, so I don't mind what goes on, but some people might. Even if it is Frou Frou's "Let's Go" (sorry Troy). It all has to be fair game, that is the guiding ethos of the guild.

4) Aesthetics

I mentioned that I was a member of a mixtape club prior to this one. I think another reason that it went under was that there was a subtle game of one-upsmanship with regards to the decoration of the mixtapes. No kidding. People kept trying to make more hip and exciting designs to accommodate their music. Some of it was really good, because it bolstered the theme of the mixtape. But I don't think we should impose any rule stating that we have to decorate our mixtapes. We can mail them in a clear jewel case with no identification whatsoever, if we feel like it. If we want to hand-draw the Harlem Globetrotters on the disc and encase the case in Astroturf, that is fine too. The guild knoweth no limits.

My goal is that, by Sunday, membership will at least be finalized enough to where we can get the first 2 or 3 months schedule hammered out, and I can randomize a schedule for the guild. Please post your thoughts below, and once again, if you have yet to do so, send a reliable physical mailing address to trainsmoke@gmail.com. I will collect them all and redistribute them to everyone. Also, a few of you have suggested friends, to whom I have extended invites. None of them have enrolled yet, so please encourage them to do so. If they need me to resend the invite, I will, but weez gots to be swift on this. Lets get moving.

Ready.......break

Here Here, I Hold the Conch...Currently

2007-03-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Established rules of the mixtape club:

1) 'Mixtape' will be used heretofore as a single word, not two words with a hyphen.
2) The word 'mixtape' will refer to compact discs containing musical arrangements, spoken word, or whatever the creator deems necessary for the overall zeitgeist of the mixtape in creation.
3) Members, when designated, will be responsible to create and distribute a mixtape to every other member of the guild.
4) Members will offer their candid comentary on the audio files received, and they will offer said commentary in the comments section of this Web Log, or "Blog," or even "Weog."
5) Members will maintain the utmost rigor and punctuality with respect to mixtape distribution as to encourage rewards for fellow guild members.
6) Members will refrain from including Sufjan Stevens on their mixtapes, as he is not pleasing to the ear.
7) Rules are subject to change through democratic processes.

Sky me, boyeeee!