To commiserate/celebrate the end of summer, here’s your friend Summer Gems Part II.
Tracklisting:
1. You Turn Clear In The Sun – Telekinesis 2. Hypnotic Winter – JEFF the Brotherhood 3. Before The Dive – St. Lucia 4. Henrietta – Yeasayer 5. Falling Out – Body Language 6. The Look – Metronomy 7. Waiting On A Friend – The Rolling Stones 8. Just My Imagination – The Temptations 9. I Want To Hold Your Hand – Al Green 10. Where I’m Going – Cut Copy 11. I’m Goin’ Down – Bruce Springsteen 12. Time To Run -Lord Huron 13. Little Garcon – Born Ruffians 14. Private Affair – The Virgins 15. The Village – Boy & Bear 16. Don’t Deny Your Heart – Hot Chip 17. Everything All The Time – The Outfit 18. New Coat – White Denim 19. More Of This – Vetiver
I’ve invited you all to participate in this pet project of mine– one that I’ve been thinking about doing for quite a while. As of this moment, there is no set date for putting this live, but I wanted to put the word out now so we can get started creating something great.
A little backstory:
I’m not sure what the average suckage percentage for first dates is, but my money’s on 60-70. Contrary to what you might think, this is not because 60-70% of people suck, but more that the both of you are too busy exchanging nervous banalities to uncover each other’s non-sucky parts. This project aims to circumvent that, via something that everyone loves: music. Music is a fantastic personality and predilection gauge. Think about it–it’s easy to pretend you stand on one side of politics, religion, easy to lie about liking Smash and loathing Cougar Town, but music is hard to lie about; it’s a measure of taste. It’s wrong to think that there can be one taste better than the other (though Creed and Nickleback are trying very hard to disprove that), but it does help inform you about another person.
The manifestation I have in mind is simple: a mixtape, anywhere from 5-20 songs that explain who you are. They can be songs that have always been associated with a memory, a song from a band that you think is great, a Top 10 of songs that would make great movie openers. Choose anything that is a window into what you like, what you are passionate about, who you are. There are no limits, here, as people aren’t meant to be simplified down to a playlist, but you can certainly introduce yourself as one.
There are a few rules:
1. Try not to use more than one song from the same band unless absolutely necessary, or the songs from the band are nothing alike (or possibly, taken from different decades). For the sake of brevity, we’ll call this The Rolling Stones exception.
2. Try your best to include why you’ve chosen the particular song. For instance why did you choose “In My Life” by The Beatles? Was it for the beautiful guitar intro; is there something in the lyrics that is permanently associated with a time or person in your life? Does it deserve to be in a list of love songs that no one remembers are love songs?
3. Not absolutely essential, but if possible, try to make the songs in your playlist synch up with each other. Sequencing is perhaps the most important thing in a playlist; you want songs to feel like they’re leading into, or away from each other.
Send your ideas, questions, concerns to theartofthemixtape@gmail.com with “Hello, My Name Is… Project” in the subject line
Just in time for everybody to tuck in to the most lazy and food filled day of the year. As always the tracks are all free downloads, but support these wonderful artists if you can.
Man Who Lives Forever (Rollo & Grady Session)- Lord Huron
Lord Huron has been a band that is constantly defying my expectations, they’re due out for a well deserved full length album this coming year and if Man Who Lives Forever is any indication of where their sound is going, look for them to be all over the indie airwaves next year.
Possibly the greatest talent to emerge from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante has shown that he’s no one trick pony and a masterful songwriter in his own right, Song To Sing When I’m Lonely is one of my favorites, starting with a melody right out of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Blitzen Trapper have the new Americana sound locked down on their most recent full length, American Goldwing. Think of it as Wilco with a little more drawl and optimism. Not many bands these days can write a narrative as compelling as this Portland group.
Critics of The Head and the Heart stated that their debut album was filled with derivative sounds of Americana, on “Coeur D’Alene” all they can note is a perfectly crafted pop song.
Quite possibly my favorite song of 2011 with its off-kilter rhythms and technicolor arrangements, Temple lures you in with the first few notes and by the time his charming lilt comes into the fore there’s no letting go.
White Denim is one of those bands that can make prodigious skill seem par for the course for their songwriting, “Handwriting” being an intriguing guitar run through that makes you wonder how they’re playing what they’re playing and can still mold it into a conventional song form. The pedal steel puts a nice touch.
If not the best thing to come out of Iceland, by far he is the most underrated. Sure his name might never be commonplace in pop music but he is as well deserving as any singer-songwriter out there right now.
Gotye shows the creative intensity that we used to expect out of Beck, but this Australian troubadour proves his equal and more through his clever approach at arrangements and his chameleon vocals.
Livin’ In The Jungle- Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears seem intent on bringing R&B back to what it once was, the hard propulsive blues that brought the Black Keys into prominence with Brothers only with more of a funky kick and a wicked horn section.
James Hunter wowed Van Morrison with his debut Believe What I Say even getting the man himself to duet on a couple tracks with him, if Sam Cooke had managed to live to old age this croon might be what we were in for.
When it hits me that she’s gone/ I think i’ll run for president/ Get my face put on the million dollar bill/ So when these rich men that she wants/ Show her ways they can’t take care of her/ I’ll have found a way to be there with her still
Within the opening of “Million Dollar Bill” Taylor Goldsmith managed to portray the sadness, jealousy, and ultimately love that’s still present when your lover has left you. Proof why he’s one of the greatest songwriters of his generation.
It wouldn’t be the farthest stretch to compare this band with Mumford & Sons, but that would greatly undermine the talent present in this group, the lyrics and vocals alone on this song should guarantee them recognition for album of the year (and yes, the rest of the album is fine too).
For the acoustic guitars and the rolling drum fills that propel this song along and the endearing harmonies that go along with it. Who couldn’t like a band called Tiger Waves? And you call yourselves American.
No matter how many incarnations there was and will always be of tight harmonies and acoustic fingerpicking, it will always sound good, and Jones Street Station isn’t about to change that. But they certainly liven the arrangement up to great success.
It’s been a while but Art of The Mixtape is back in action with a mixtape for these good old summer days whether its lying on a beach, grilling dinner, or just relaxing in your own home, these grooves should put you in the perfect mood for the summer months. This mixtape features classics from artists like George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, Little Feat, Bob Marley, and Miles Davis, as well as some artists you may not have heard of. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the tunes.
The Art of the Mixtape 