Songs for Your Space Odyssey

I've really been lacking inspiration these past few months in terms of mixes, but I have returned triumphant, with a brand-spanking new mix for your listening pleasure. My friend "D" had a sci-fi themed party the other night, which I was sadly unable to attend due to other out-of-town engagements, but in commemoration of her birthday, and her apparently kick-ass (and revealing) costume, I have created "Songs for Your Space Odyssey".

Obviously, this mix has Bowie. Duh. It also contains a couple tracks off of "OK Computer". Again, duh. In an attempt to vary the music, and to avoid breaking the first rule of mix-taping, I have managed to find some pretty solid covers. Other than this however, are a nice mix of songs ranging in genre for your flight across the galaxy, and please, don't forget to bring your towel.

track list
01. "Fett's Vette" - MC Chris (Life's a Bitch and I'm Her Pimp)
02. "Every Planet We Reach is Dead" - Gorillaz (Demon Days)
03. "Paranoid Android" - Sia (Exit Music)
04. "Starman" - Mates of State (All Day)
05. "Rocket Man" - Elton John (Rocket Man)
06. "Space Travel is Boring" - Sun Kil Moon (Tiny Cities)
07. "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1" - The Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots)
08. "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 2" - The Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots)
09. "Astronaut" - Wintersleep (Welcome to the Night Sky)*
10. "Monster (RAC Remix)" - You Say Party! We Say Die! (Remiks Cube)
11. "Robots" - Flight of the Conchords (Flight of the Conchords)
12. "Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys (Sounds of Science)
13. "Gamma Ray" - Beck (Modern Guilt)
14. "Harder, Better, Faster" - Daft Punk (Discovery)
15. "Ziggy Stardust" - David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars)
16. "The Tarleks" - The Rheostatics (2067)*
17. "3rd Planet" - Modest Mouse (The Moon and Antartica)
18. "Ray Gun" - The Bird and The Bee (Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future)
19. "Sad Robot" - Stars (Sad Robot EP)
20. "Moonage Daydream" - Danny Michel (Loving the Alien)*
21. "The Killing Moon" - Echo and The Bunnymen (Donnie Darko OST)
22. "Looking for Astronauts" - The National (Alligator)
23. "Subterranian Homesick Alien" - Radiohead (OK Computer)
24. "Sci-Fi Lullabye" - Silversun Pickups (Pikul EP)*
25. "Space Oddity" - David Bowie (Best of Bowie)

Top 5 (Under the Radar) Albums of The Year

Seeing how we've been doing a music blog for a little over a half-year now and I feel it is suitable to call myself "a blogger" (whatever that means), I feel it is my right, nay, my duty to put out an indulgent, tired cliche of a Top 5 List. I feel I have this right firstly because of my undying love for "High Fidelity" as well as my passionate desire to spread the word about some of the fantastic albums that have flew under the radar this past year. You will not see Coldplay, Kings of Leon, or even TV on the Radio on my list, seeing how both of those acts received so much year end attention. Also, you will not see The Hold Steady on my list, because I feel I have devoted enough mental adoration to them and their previous albums, I already expected greatness from this album, and me putting them on my list would be somewhat masturbatory. Rather, you will see some really fantastic indie gems that snuck up on me this year and managed to hold my attention and buzz around in my head long enough for me to write them down right here.

5. Noah and the Whale - "Peaceful the World Lays Me Down"

I have embarrassingly little to say about this album since I got my hands on it just a few days ago, but any music based on Wes Anderson films, and imbued with their quirk and playful charm are good by me. The very first time I heard Noah and The Whale, I listened to the entire album in one sitting, which has maybe happened to me three times in my life. That is not to say I have never listened to an entire album, just not the first time I play it. If I had heard this album earlier, it would probably be higher on my list, but this is the way the world works.




4. Amylie "Jusqu'aux oreilles"

First of all, I don't speak any french. None. I barely passed intro French in grade 10, and it's been a while. I can now tell you that I have no idea what Amylie is singing about. It could be anything. She could be singing about elephant sex and I would be humming along merrily. This is a testament to Amylie's talent. I've heard some comparisons to Feist, but I'm not sure I hear it. What I can tell you is that Amylie can sing beautifully. She is probably the most talented singer I've heard in a while, and manages to keep me captivated by just her voice and the playful melodies of her songs. Even if you're not into French music, like I certainly am not, check her out, you will most likely be pleasantly surprised.




p.s. the translation video is somewhat terrible, but it's all i could find. I do not think one needs a translation to appreciate the music, in fact, it may hinder one's enjoyment.

3. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"

I can't really say much about this album that hasn't already been said. Perhaps the most critically acclaimed of the albums on my list (at least in the blogs and magazines that I frequent), so I will not devote too much time to this album other than to say that it is beautifully heart-wrenching and honest. Please do yourself a favor and check out Bon Iver, and grow a beard in celebration of this fantastic album.




2. Los Campesinos! - "Hold on Now, Youngster..."/ "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed"

Ok, technically I suppose this is cheating, but you know what? A self proclaimed blogger has that prerogative, and both albums were released this year. Overflowing with joyful teenage neuroses and ideosyncratic playfulness, (see why i'm a blogger now? thought of that one in psych class) Los Campesinos! provides the soundtrack to your teenage years, complete with glockenspiel, and really damn catchy pop tunes. Also they're from Cardiff, home of my favorite anti-alien task force (if you get that, you get a gold star, but you will never touch a breast again, sorry dude). Admittedly, they are not for everyone due to the fact that the lead singer might rub some people the wrong way (particularily those with a low tolerance for goofy emo haircuts and naisally pseudo-singing), but if you are the least bit interested, please check em out.



1. Frightened Rabbit "The Midnight Organ Fight"

I absolutely love this album. No other album this year has stuck with me as much as this. I can listen to this album at any time, any place. I even listen to this while running, and it keeps me going, which is a big deal for me since running is perhaps the most boring thing for me to do. I've describes Frightened Rabbit as a Scottish version of Glen Hansard's (of Once fame) The Frames, but I don't think that really does them justice. It's hard to put my finger on it, but for some reason, no other album this year really resonated with me like Frightened Rabbit. I'm not sure if its the writing, or the delivery, but this album has since been put into my pantheon of albums with such peers as Interpol's "Turn on the Bright Lights" and The Thermals "The Body, The Blood, The Machine". I have listened to this album in its entirety more times this year than I can count on all of the digits on my body, and in my opinion, it is better in its entirety than in its individual parts. Of course, as usual, Grey's Anatomy beat me to the punch and featured "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" in an episode, and apparently Chuck also had a couple songs, which is news to me since I watch it, but I just looked it up, so there you go. Also, ladies, a hint: nothing will make me drop my pants faster than a thick scottish accent, just for future reference.





Honorable Mentions: The Streets, Arkells, Fleet Foxes, Girl Talk, Elliot Brood

Songs for Christmas that Don't Suck Santa's Bells

Now I hate Christmas spirit as much as the next self-respecting hipster. However, it seems that we are finally at that point in the season where it is simply inescapable, which drives me up the wall. If possible, I would like to go grocery shopping without hearing Britney or Beyonce's latest rendition of some song that used to be good before it was driven into the ground season after season. Seriously, Elvis did it just fine years ago, thank you very much.

Anyways, in an attempt to make the holidays that much more bearable for you, because I love you all that much, I have somehow managed to pull myself away from studying the evolution of emotion to bring you this: Songs for Christmas That Don't Suck Santa's Bells.

On this list, I hope, is the remedy for all that Christmas spirit. There's some bittersweet, some depressing, some unknowns (maybe), and just the littlest bit of cheer (courtesy of your hipster favorites). Hopefully these are songs that haven't been driven into the floor for you. Also important to note, this is a bit of a personal list, and includes some of the Christmas music that I grew up with. This will explain the Bon Jovi and Tom Petty, so Kathryn stop looking at me like that, I know what you're thinking.

Anyways, have a good holiday season, this will most likely be my last post in 2008 since I am leaving the country for the holidays. See you all in 2009.

track list
01. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab for Cutie
02. Merry Christmas Baby - Bonnie Rait and Charles Brown
03. That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! - Sufjan Stevens
04. The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes
05. Please Come Home for Christmas - Jon Bon Jovi
06. Back Door Santa - Clarence Carter
07. Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty
08. Christmas in Hollis - Run-D.M.C.
09. Oi to the World - No Doubt
1o. Santa Clause is Back in Town - My Morning Jacket
11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies ft. Sarah McLachlan
12. Happy Christmas (War is Over) - The Polyphonic Spree

p.s. Isn't that picture ridiculously awesome? That's what you get when you google image search "hipster christmas"

Songs That Remind You It's OK - - December 1, 2008

Hooray for a triumphant return. Sorry about being absent for so long and neglecting my duties, but I have been neck deep in papers and midterms for a good couple of months.

I'm sure Kath and I aren't well known for our cheery and upbeat musical selections, and seeing as how i have been in a fairly constant state of assignment numbness, it would be easy to create another soul crushingly, moody and somewhat depressing mix for your listening pleasure. However, I am going to break the chain and present a mix to assure you, like i needed to assure myself the past couple of months, that things are going to be ok.

Of course, still being myself, some of the songs on this mix are fairly bittersweet but there is an overall sense that despite how shitty things can get, things usually turn out alright, something that I'm going to try and keep in my mind for my upcoming finals.

track list
01. Returning to The Fold - The Thermals (The Body, The Blood, The Machine)
02. Dig for Fire - Pixies (Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies)
03. Don't Panic - Coldplay (Parachutes)
04. Fresh Feeling - Eels (Scrubs OST)
05. Dry the Rain - The Beta Band (Three EPs)
06. Brett Dennen - Darlin Do Not Fear (So Much More)
07. I will survive - Cake (Fashion Nugget)
08. What I Got - Sublime (Sublime)
09. Almost Crimes (Radio Kills Remix) - Broken Social Scene (You Forgot It In People)
10. Dear Prudence - The Beatles (White Album)
11. Sometimes - Michael Franti (Mystery Men OST)*
12. Midnight Train - Danny Michel (Valhalla)*
13. We Will Still Need A Song - Hawksley Workman (Lover/Fighter)
14. Float On - Modest Mouse (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)
15. This Year - The Mountain Goats (The Sunset Tree)
16. When Your Mind's Made Up - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (Once OST)
17. We Will Become Silhouettes - The Postal Service (Give Up)
18. You Can Make Him Like You - The Hold Steady (Boys and Girls in America)
19. On The Edge of A Cliff - The Streets (Everything is Borrowed)
20. Calendar Girl - Stars (Set Yourself on Fire)
21. Upward over the Mountain - Iron & Wine (The Creek Drank the Cradle)
22. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley (Legend)
23. Merry Happy - Kate Nash (Made of Bricks)

Songs for Your Unfortunate Demise

First off, Dudes and Dudettes, please don't read too much into this. This mix is grim, morbid, and a little twisted. However, do not fear, I have my reasons.

I recently discovered Nick Cave's fantastic album "Murder Ballads", and was, quite simply, inspired. This is also the reason two Nick Cave songs bookend this list. As well as the whole Nick Cave thing, this mix fits in quite nicely with that whole upcoming Halloween/Day of the Dead event that is sure to have you scrambling to your nearest used clothing store for clothing you can bloody and tear up for your frightening "slutty zombie", "slutty corpse" or "slutty crime scene investigator" costume.

Once again, let me ensure you that I am not obsessed with death, nor do i think about it any more than a regular person should. With that being said, enjoy pondering your eventual demise, my friends.

original track list
01. Stagger Lee - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Murder Ballads)
02. If This Head Has Gone Missing, I Have Gone Hunting - Get Well Soon (Rest Now Weary Head)
03. The Big Three Killed my Baby - The White Stripes (The White Stripes)
04. Die Die Die - Cold War Kids (Acoustic at the District)
05. Faces in the Hall - Gym Class Heroes (The Papercut Chronicles)*
06. One for the Cutters - The Hold Steady (Stay Positive)*
07. Leslie Anne Levine - The Decemberists (Castaways and Cutouts)
08. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads (Talking Heads: 77)
09. Delia's Gone - Johnny Cash (The Legend of Johnny Cash)
10. Carolina Drama - The Raconteurs (Consolers of the Lonely)
11. 38 Years Old - The Tragically Hip (Yer Favorites)*
12. I Will Follow You into the Dark - Amanda Palmer (Book Smart)
13. Suicide Underground - Air (The Virgin Suicides OST)
14. Did You Know Him - Michael Andrews (Donnie Darko OST)
15. Henry Lee - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Murder Ballads)

Songs for Your Troubled Dreams

So I haven't really been sleeping that great lately. I'm not really sure what it is, but it might have something to do with all of the X-Files I've been watching and the fact that I recently read "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War". Suffice it to say, I've had some weird dreams. For example, on two occasions I have dreamed of the Zombie Apocalypse, and on the second occasion, I was saved by Batman's personal secretary, dressed in a snappy looking pantsuit. Weird stuff, right? Also, I recently dreamed that I was trying to hang out with Kevin Smith but he was totally a dick about it, which kind of messed me up cause I always got the impression he was a pretty cool dude.

Anyways, this mix attempts to capture the feeling and mood of a dream. 1 part strangely romantic yet ominous, 1 part floating/falling, 1 part unnerving/jarring. Yet, with all of this said, dreams always seem to have a strange coherence and consistency that only make sense to you while you are sleeping. This mix is a sharp contrast to Kath's last mix and is intended to be a musical assault. Definitely don't listen to this while falling asleep.

p.s. My apologies for not posting anything last week as promised. I was very busy, and dropped the ball. My bad, sorry dawgs.

original track list
01. "(intro)" - Broken Social Scene (Bee Hives)*
02. "Pennantless on Homecoming " - Hills Like White Elephants (Himalaya)
03. "Soft Revolution" - The Stills (Do You Trust Your Friends?)*
04. "What's a Girl to Do?" - Bat for Lashes (Fur and Gold)
05. "Cliquot" - Beirut (Flying Club Cup)
06. "Tarantulove" - Hawksley Workman (For Him and the Girls)
07. "Bad Education" - Tilly and the Wall (Bottoms of Barrels)
08. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" - Arcade Fire (Funeral)
09. "Devil's Eyes (Piano Version)" - Buck 65 (Secret House Against the World)
10. "The Devil's Workday" - Modest Mouse (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)*
11. "Satan Said Dance" - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Some Loud Thunder)
12. "Trouble With Dreams" - Eels (Blinking Lights and Other Revelations)
13. "Cells" - The Servant (The Servant)
14. "Fire Coming Out of The Monkey's Head" - Gorillaz (Demon Days)
15. "Helter Skelter" - The Beatles (The Beatles [The White Album])
16. "Modern World (Original)" - Wolf Parade (Apologies to the Queen Mary)
17. "One for the Cutters" - The Hold Steady (Stay Positive)
18. "Les Lumieres Pt. 2" - Bell Orchestre (Recording a Tunnel)
19. "Pioneer to the Falls" - Interpol (Our Love to Admire)
20. "Zombie" - The Cranberries (Stars)
21. "Nimrod's Son" - Pixies (Wave of Mutilation)
22. "Lolita" - Elefant (The Black Magic Show)
23. "Wolf Like Me" - TV on the Radio (Return to Cookie Mountain)
24. "The Less I Know" - Raine Maida (The Hunter's Lullaby)*
25. "Paranoid Android" - Radiohead (OK Computer)
26. "Feathers" - Man Man (Six Demon Bag)
27. "Mad World" - Michael Andrews and Gary Jules (Donnie Darko OST)
28. "God Make Up Your Mind" - Cold War Kids (Robbers & Cowards)
29. "Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby (Nana Del Laberinto del Fauno)" - Javier Navarette (Pan's Labyrinth OST)

*Yes, I know there are repeats from my last mix. Get over it, they fit really well.

Songs for Your Existential Crisis

"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."

As with Kath's last playlist, I encountered a problem with Mixwit's selection of music, as it is sometimes unfortunate. That being said, this tape is a bastardized version of its true form. I will post the completed list as always, and feel free to contact us to get a full version.

Apart from the technicalities, this tape is the soundtrack for your existential crisis. Have fun with that, by the way... I tried to create a mix with the feeling of being lost, being moody, being confused, and being in crisis. The styles of music vary from folk, to rock, to death-country, to... well, Beirut.

Enjoy.

original track list
01. "Gulag Orkestar" - Beirut (Gulag Orkestar)
02. "My Body is a Cage" - Arcade Fire (Neon Bible)
03. "Both Crosses" - The Hold Steady (Stay Positive)*
04. "King's Crossing" - Elliot Smith (From a Basement on the Hill)
05. "Dramamine" - Sun Kil Moon (Tiny Cities)
06. "Tatou" - Brand New (Deja Entendu)*
07. "Hospital Beds" - Cold War Kids (Daytrotter Session)
08. "The Cold Part" - Modest Mouse (The Moon and Antartica)*
09. "Chuckwagon" - Elliott Brood (Mountain Meadows)*
10. "The Pelican" - Menomena (Friend and Foe)
11. "Dilaudid" - The Mountain Goats (The Sunset Tree)
12. "SW" - Blonde Redhead (23)
13. "Leif Erikson" - Interpol (Turn on the Bright Lights)
14. "The Swell Season" - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (The Swell Season)*
15. "This Place is a Prison" - The Poastal Service (Give Up)
16. "Nude" - Radiohead (In Rainbows)
17. "Going, Going, Gone" - Stars (Nightsongs)*
18. "Zombie" - The Cranberries (Stars)
19. "The Apartment Song" - Do Make Say Think (Goodbye Enemy Airship)*
20. "Gouge Away" - Pixies (Wave of Mutilation)
21. "Wolf Like Me" - TV on the Radio (Return to Cookie Mountain)

Bend Over -- July 8. 2008

This mixtape started its life as something very different; it had more irony, more pop, more fun, but somewhere along the road, it changed. Its basic idea is the same however; at it's core, this tape is about being fucked in the ass. Hard. Sometimes its literal, sometimes figurative (by another person, an idea, or a social system), occaisionally it's a vague concept, but i would like to think that a nice sort of cohesion developed along the way. It is still a pop tape though, by all means, i love the indie pop: relatively easy to consume, entertaining as hell, hooky and catchy. However, the subject matter is a little darker than i originally intended it to be, but i hope it is still enjoyable.

Track List

1. "The Big Three Killed My Baby" - The White Stripes (The White Stripes)
2. "Black Limousine" - Dragonette (Galore) *
3. "Cheating On You" - Franz Ferdinand (Franz Ferdinand)
4. "Stalker" - Louis XIV (Slick Dogs and Ponies)
5. "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" - We Are Scientists (Live Session - EP)
6. "Living Room" - Tegan and Sara (If It Was You)
7. "I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say" - The Subways (Young For Eternity)
8. "State of the Nation" - David Ford (I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I've Caused)
9. "One More Night (Your Ex-Lover Remains Dead)" - Stars (Set Yourself On Fire)
10. "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" - Brand New (Deja Entendu)
11. "Pull Out" - Death From Above 1979 (You're A Woman, I'm A Machine)
12. "Cries A Girl" - Buck 65 (This Right Here Is Buck 65)
13. "Carolina Drama" - The Raconteurs (Consolers Of The Lonely) *
14. "Never Went to Church" - The Streets (The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living)
15. "Citrus" - The Hold Steady (Boys And Girls In America)