October 2010 Reviews

[Oscar]

Blimey! Can't believe I'm first to review when it's the 22nd of the month. I thought I was late!!

1. Fabulous opener. Minimal electronic tinkering with an engaging dysfunctional structure.

2. Sounds like a theme to an epic science fiction film made in 1982. Incredibly evocative of those times. Fantastic!

3. Short slippery, tripping electronic interlude leading to...

4... the relentlessly repetitive but thoroughly hypnotic piece which gradually unfolds and subtly deviates. This was a real grower with something new emerging with every listen. Almost 10 minutes long too.

5. So we hear the first voice. A serene ambient opening with snippets of quiet dialogue. This is really chilled! Warmer and more traditionally structured than the previous tracks.

6,7&8. Here we go with 3 variations on a theme. Not generally my “thing” and I would generally charge the first piece as “too silly to listen to”. BUT it kind of sucked me in and I was entirely hooked. The more you listen the more you discover on this intricate, imaginative, outlandish masterpiece of avant-garde folkery. Immense! My 9 year old fucking hates it.

9. My favourite track on the mix. Another long hypnotic piece with a distant thumping beat and melancholic hazy slide guitars. There’s so many subtle undertones running throughout the track that you have to sometimes strain to hear them. The piece starts to slightly disintegrate after around 7 mins like the dial of the radio being gradually retuned to another station. We end with a melodic and optimistic sounding acoustic and electric guitar and you hardly notice that we’ve been here for over 10 mins. Brilliant!

10. Gentle, shimmering electronic intro followed by beautiful sampled angelic chants. Sweet.

11. Finishing with a lovely brooding, trip-hop track with a sensual and ethereal vocal.

Fabulous compilation. Maybe one of my favourites of all time.

[Duncan]

Blimey! Can't believe I'm first to review when it's the 22nd of the month. I thought I was late!!

Hello sir, this was mine. I figured that I was on to a loser this month, but I really pleased that it went down so well. It was actually adapted from my aborted Chill-out Project effort from earlier in the year.

1. Fabulous opener. Minimal electronic tinkering with an engaging dysfunctional structure.

David Behrman - Leadplay Night (Scene 1). Behrman is one of my favourite of the old-school avant-garde electro knob-twiddlers.

2. Sounds like a theme to an epic science fiction film made in 1982. Incredibly evocative of those times. Fantastic!

Zombi - Digitalis. Joyous early 80's synth action from a band formed in 2002. This is from the Surface To Air album, which is ridiculous, in a good way.

3. Short slippery, tripping electronic interlude leading to...

Afuken - Psychometry 3.2. From Montreal, this is Marc Leclair (AKA Afuken) who is an expert at cut 'n paste techno weirdness.

4... the relentlessly repetitive but thoroughly hypnotic piece which gradually unfolds and subtly deviates. This was a real grower with something new emerging with every listen. Almost 10 minutes long too.

Four Tet - Ringer. I almost bumped this because I figured that you might be familiar with it already but I'm glad that I kept it in now. This is the title track from his 2008 EP. The beat is fairly basic and repetitive but it's intertwined with a variety of bleepy treats.

5. So we hear the first voice. A serene ambient opening with snippets of quiet dialogue. This is really chilled! Warmer and more traditionally structured than the previous tracks.

Capitol K - Darussalam. There's no single track that is truly representative of Capital K (he ranges from exotic folky instrumentals to tracks made purely from samples) but they all share the same fuzzy warmth. This is from the lovely Island Row album.

6,7&8. Here we go with 3 variations on a theme. Not generally my “thing” and I would generally charge the first piece as “too silly to listen to”. BUT it kind of sucked me in and I was entirely hooked. The more you listen the more you discover on this intricate, imaginative, outlandish masterpiece of avant-garde folkery. Immense! My 9 year old fucking hates it.

Nico Mihly - The Only Tune (Parts 1-3). I took a bit of a gamble with this one - if you didn't like it then 15 minutes of disjointed banjo oddness may have been far too much to take - but I'm glad that it paid off. Certainly, selecting a single track of the three wouldn't have worked out of context. To be honest, i had a similar reaction to you when I first heard this (I just wanted them to get on with it) but it gets wedged in your head. The rest of the album (Mothertongue) is very different (more modern classical, more ambient) but it's a fascinating listen. It was Bleep that introduced me to album back in Mix Club's infancy.

9. My favourite track on the mix. Another long hypnotic piece with a distant thumping beat and melancholic hazy slide guitars. There’s so many subtle undertones running throughout the track that you have to sometimes strain to hear them. The piece starts to slightly disintegrate after around 7 mins like the dial of the radio being gradually retuned to another station. We end with a melodic and optimistic sounding acoustic and electric guitar and you hardly notice that we’ve been here for over 10 mins. Brilliant!

Polmo Polpo - Requiem For A Fox. Sando Perri is part of Montreal's Constellation collective. This is from the tremendously dark minimalist masterpiece Like Hearts Swelling.

10. Gentle, shimmering electronic intro followed by beautiful sampled angelic chants. Sweet.

Susumu Yokota - Azukiiro No Kaori. Gentle electronicia from Japan. The vocal samples are heartbreaking.

11. Finishing with a lovely brooding, trip-hop track with a sensual and ethereal vocal.

Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - Meltdown. I wasn't sure how well this would fit in with the rest of the comp but it seemed like a good way to go out. I actually came across it on The Insider OST recently.

Fabulous compilation. Maybe one of my favourites of all time.

Chuffed.

[Minnie the Minx]

Thanks very much for my disc, mixer! Here's my review.

1. This is fairly standard rock guitar stuff about having it with the aggravation - unsure who the singer is - sounds almost Tom Robinson Band though I am pretty sure that's not who it is!

2. Not unlike the first, and still unable to identify the singer, so all new stuff.
Not much umph, and I do like a bit of umph.

3. Some funky soul - this is much more up my street, and I'm tapping my toes here. Nice horns.

4. Some more funky soul pledging love to a young girl.

5. Some electronic funk piano mash up pledging to take over the world - if I didn't know better I would say this was the Scissor Sisters!

6.This sounds like a modern day Black Sabbath Led Zep thing, and seems to go off at a bit of a tangent.

7. Guitar electronic French spoken stuff - interesting!

8. Quite like this one - a version of the Shandells 'Go Go Gorilla -' with a cheeky twist!

9. I'm familiar with this rockabilly type girlie thing, but can't pin down the artist, but it's pleasant enough!

10. A skiffle type girlie vocal track, quite entertaining.

11. Vaguely Beckish this one, I'm sure I know the vocal. The piano hook is annoying as hell

12. Ah! The Beat, and I wanna Be With a Rock n Roll Girl. Fucking marvellous.

13. This is familiar and not unpleasant - though the annoying guitar break slows it down, it's not the Vapors is it?

14. A song about trying to find one's baby. I empathise. Quite catchy I suppose in a nine gins down kind of way.

15. An instrumental of horns and ivory and accordion which I cannot decide what I think of.


Thank you mixer. I will tell you this, the first two tracks were the sort of stuff that I would run across the road to avoid but there was some interesting variety in this of stuff I would never normally be exposed to. I'll give it a few more goes, but thanks for opening my eyes to things I would never normally listen to!
14.

[Nolamike]

Many, many, MANY thanks to my mixer this month, who compiled a slab of killer female soul singers that's gonna keep me smilin' for a helluva long time to come. And with a nice album cover to boot!

1. A killer cover of "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." It's way more intense than the original, with a super-tight horn section, and fitting with the theme of the disc, a super-powerful female voice. Can't believe I don't know this one... I'll probably be kicking myself over it.

2. Nice transition to a latin-infused (clave!) soul tune, again with a big ol' female voice.

3. A bit more stripped back - just drums, bass, guitar, and a lady singing about having a little faith in her. Sounds like a more modern track, but with a "retro" (actually, more "classic" - it isn't one of those "retro for retro's sake" things) sound. Nice.

4. This is a highlight here. One of those funk bands with, like, twenty instruments going on, but they still manage to keep it lean and menacing. AND it features a healthy dose of funky flute (but still avoiding the cheese territory that flute can lead to).

5. A funky version of "Wade In the Water." What's funny is that earlier today, I shit you not, I was listening to the Impressions' take on the tune, and then randomly heard the Ramsey Lewis take, and considered compiling a disc of every version I have, just for the hell of it. And lo and behold, there's a version I don't already have waiting in my mailbox. Which is fantastic! But at some point, that kinda weird karmic experience really oughtta result in my winning the lottery...

6. Ooooh, this is nice. A massive tympani/organ intro, going into a great girl group tune. The lead singer can't exactly sing ( ), at least not like everyone else on the disc, but she gets by on charm, and has some really helpful backup singers. I'm a sucker for this kinda thing.

7. A track about her falling in love with me. And I'm falling in love with the song. With the percussion/piano/vocal style, it sounds like a '63 girl group song, but the horns are pure smooth late to mid '60s/early '70s soul. She sounds kinda like a female Joey Ramone, but I don't *think* it's Ronnie Spector. I'm really curious to know more about this one.

8. Another girl group track, tellin' that little boy to go away. Yes! One of those tunes that has restrained, yet massive, staccatoed drums popping up throughout.

9. Holy crap, this tune is great! Whoever sings it is phenomenal (in fact on the bridge, she sounds a lot like Aretha, but sure as hell ain't no knock-off), and the instrumentation is killer. This is one of those tracks that sounds like the arrangers/producers were trying to take little bits from a ton of other successful stuff at the time - the Motown tambourine, the Philly strings, that little psychedelic fuzzed out guitar sound all over, say, Hot Buttered Soul, etc., but they come up with something that sounds like its own thing. Fantastic!

10. Sarah Vaughn! Whatever Lola wants, playa, Lola gets! Great track, and it really fits in well with this mix. Nice job recontextualizing the song - it really works well here.

11. Sharon Jones, "100 Days, 100 Nights" - which fits perfectly after the Sarah Vaughn track. This is a really well-thought out disc, anonymous-mixer person!

12. Ann Peebles, with the absolute stone cold classic, "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down." This is pretty much the best thing ever, and you can never go wrong putting it on a disc for me. Killer!

13(a). A barn-burner. She is just pleading for help. I love her voice, it's got a great grit to it. Short and sweet.

13(b). Well, track 13 goes on for about 30 seconds of silence after that last track, and up pops the closing number - an accapella gospel track that I'm kicking myself for not knowing. It's a female lead (that I really should know - I wanted to say Mahalia, but it isn't), backed by a male quartet, doing The Lord's Prayer, ending with a couple bars of "Meeting Tonight," one of those gospel tracks that doesn't get mentioned much anymore, but which pops up all over the place. Man, this one is nice. I'm gonna be really embarrassed if I own this one, which I might.

All in all, a perfect disc that suits me to a "t." Thanks so much, mystery mixer, this one'll stay in heavy rotation around Casa Nolamike, and it's gonna be the next thing I get lil Petite Nolamikette hooked on. THANKS!

[whodathunkit]

"Outer Limits". 16 rockers from the locker, some groove-some and some gruesome. A lot of them were pretty familiar which always makes "reviewing" quite difficult so I'll just drivel on.

1. Intro to Outer Limits TV show.
2. "Pride Of Man" by Quicksilver Messenger Service.Very nice. Hadn't heard it for decades. Also quite a coincidence . I wonder why QMS never made the big league of West Coast bands (at least in the UK)? Everything sounds so right - perhaps too right. A lack of quirkiness perhaps.
3. An enjoyable (although for perhaps the wrong reasons) cover of "Psychotic Reaction". What I love about this is that none of the band really have a clue. They know they have to wig out but they ain't too sure how. It's mainly vamping until ready. Sheer enthusiasm wins the day overall though.
4. Another one I hadn't heard for yonks - "Looking For A Love" by Bobby Womack. Very pleased to have remade the acquaintance. An absolute classic. Two minutes, 29 seconds and not one of them wasted.
5. Hmmm. "Sun Arise" - Rolf Harris. Now I know there's a revisionist view around that this was some sort of harbinger of the whole World Music scene but, certainly on this side of the pond, it's just one of Rolf's crappy old novelty songs as per "Jake The Peg" or "Two Little Boys".
6. Cute sunshine pop thing. "Come on down to my boat baby". I'm sure somebody included this on a mix for me before. I'm afraid it's still scoring quite high on the humdrum-ometer.
7. "Cindys Birthday" and Shane Fenton's version I think. Excellent early 60s British rubbish.
8. Followed by some appalling mid 60s British rubbish. "Silence Is Golden" - The Tremeloes. Yes I know it's a solid professional piece of close harmony pop but I was around in 1967 when it sucked a large quantity of the joy out of the summer of love. This is why Prog was invented.
9."This Wheels On Fire" - Jools and Brian.Part of my musical DNA. Of course the music snob in me has to say that their flop follow-up, a fantastic version of David Ackle's "Road To Cairo" was even better. And what an utterly tragic break up. Auger got lost in the wasteland of jazz-rock fusion and Driscoll made a succession of boring artsy-fartsy albums with her hubby.
10. "Tennessee Waltz" - Patti Page. One of the great singing-in-the-shower songs. Nuff said.
11. "Rain Rain Rain Rain" Tex-mex shuffle, beepy organ. What's not to love?
12. Er.. it's that great (and really famous) surf instrumental where the guy makes his guitar sound like a chicken, the name of which completely escapes me.
13. "When You Walk In The Room" - Jackie De Shannon. She sings it but The Searchers probably play it better. Close though.
14. More musical DNA. "Love Train" - The Ojays
15. Porter Wagoner and "The Rubber Room" - a must for any collection of wierd songs but, bizarreness aside, it's a crap song. I always feel that Porter was better suited to songs about alcoholism rather than the further reaches of mental illness.
16. Love this. Probably called "Naturally Stoned". Very 60s, west coast, buttoned-down, sunshine pop, Association- clone thing.
17. Interesting version of "Darkness, Darkness". Starts off a bit folky but ends up sounding pretty close to the Youngbloods original.
18. Outro to the Outer Limits.

Thanks for this oh mystery mixer from Los Angeles. I'm not going to say it was the most challenging mix I've received but it still held a fair share of interest and I look forward to the reveal (and the excuse for "Silence Is Golden"). It was also the only mix I've yet been able to play in the car without the customary shower of abuse from Mrs W. For this I thank you.

[Oscar]

Hello sir, this was mine. I figured that I was on to a loser this month, but I really pleased that it went down so well...

Excellent stuff! The Four Tet track makes sense as it is really the only artist on your playlist I'm familiar with. Also, Polmo Polpo (my favourite track) coming from a label I've had so much enjoyment from in the past (Godspeed, do make say think, Silver Mt Zion etc etc). Many thanks!

[NickC]

Many, many, MANY thanks to my mixer this month, who compiled a slab of killer female soul singers that's gonna keep me smilin' for a helluva long time to come. And with a nice album cover to boot!
Hello Nolamike. Well this month you had me as your mixer. I decided to try and stick with a theme, but only loose and based around powerful female vocal. Anyway, heres the drop..

1. A killer cover of "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)." It's way more intense than the original, with a super-tight horn section, and fitting with the theme of the disc, a super-powerful female voice. Can't believe I don't know this one... I'll probably be kicking myself over it.
We kick off with Sharon Jones, and her take on the Kenny Roger's/Edition classic. In all honesty I think this is one of those rare times that a cover betters the original.

2. Nice transition to a latin-infused (clave!) soul tune, again with a big ol' female voice.
One of my favourite gospel singers, but this time doing a slightly different. Its Mitty Collier with a version of Pat Hervey's Pain (which I stuck on my one of my last mixes).

3. A bit more stripped back - just drums, bass, guitar, and a lady singing about having a little faith in her. Sounds like a more modern track, but with a "retro" (actually, more "classic" - it isn't one of those "retro for retro's sake" things) sound. Nice.
It is a 'modern' track with that retro flavour. This from the garage maestros The Bellrays and Have A Little Faith In Me.

4. This is a highlight here. One of those funk bands with, like, twenty instruments going on, but they still manage to keep it lean and menacing. AND it features a healthy dose of funky flute (but still avoiding the cheese territory that flute can lead to).
This is from 74 and a group I am mystified never made it bigger. Its Isis with April Fool.


5. A funky version of "Wade In the Water." What's funny is that earlier today, I shit you not, I was listening to the Impressions' take on the tune, and then randomly heard the Ramsey Lewis take, and considered compiling a disc of every version I have, just for the hell of it. And lo and behold, there's a version I don't already have waiting in my mailbox. Which is fantastic! But at some point, that kinda weird karmic experience really oughtta result in my winning the lottery...
A great Northern fave, this time by Marlena Shaw. Has a different slant, lots of energy and a dancier feel.

6. Ooooh, this is nice. A massive tympani/organ intro, going into a great girl group tune. The lead singer can't exactly sing ( ), at least not like everyone else on the disc, but she gets by on charm, and has some really helpful backup singers. I'm a sucker for this kinda thing.
Haha, 'can't exactly sing'...well, she could act. Common for actress' of the era to bring out 45s too, this is Tuesday Weld and Are You The Boy? I found this in a record fair and bought it as a curio, but have grown quite attached to it.

7. A track about her falling in love with me. And I'm falling in love with the song. With the percussion/piano/vocal style, it sounds like a '63 girl group song, but the horns are pure smooth late to mid '60s/early '70s soul. She sounds kinda like a female Joey Ramone, but I don't *think* it's Ronnie Spector. I'm really curious to know more about this one.
This is another 45 I found years ago. Its Ronnie & Joyce with Falling In Love With You. It bridges that soul/girl group sound gap.

8. Another girl group track, tellin' that little boy to go away. Yes! One of those tunes that has restrained, yet massive, staccatoed drums popping up throughout.
The first time I heard this it blew my mind. It has that torch bearing tragedy feel. Took me a few years to track down a copy too. This is The Electrodes and Go Away.

9. Holy crap, this tune is great! Whoever sings it is phenomenal (in fact on the bridge, she sounds a lot like Aretha, but sure as hell ain't no knock-off), and the instrumentation is killer. This is one of those tracks that sounds like the arrangers/producers were trying to take little bits from a ton of other successful stuff at the time - the Motown tambourine, the Philly strings, that little psychedelic fuzzed out guitar sound all over, say, Hot Buttered Soul, etc., but they come up with something that sounds like its own thing. Fantastic!
I seem to have hit your taste with a few choice 45s. From 71 this is former Paragons singer Dee Edwards and Why Can't There Be Love.

10. Sarah Vaughn! Whatever Lola wants, playa, Lola gets! Great track, and it really fits in well with this mix. Nice job recontextualizing the song - it really works well here.
The obligatory jazz track.

11. Sharon Jones, "100 Days, 100 Nights" - which fits perfectly after the Sarah Vaughn track. This is a really well-thought out disc, anonymous-mixer person!
Sharon Jones is one of those artists who seems to turn her moods easily. When I opened the mix with 'Condition..' I thought it would be ok to hear the other side of her coin.

12. Ann Peebles, with the absolute stone cold classic, "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down." This is pretty much the best thing ever, and you can never go wrong putting it on a disc for me. Killer!
Just seemed to cool the mix down nice toward the end.

13(a). A barn-burner. She is just pleading for help. I love her voice, it's got a great grit to it. Short and sweet.
Aha! thought i'd drop in an oddity. While flicking through the 45s looking for the right track to end on, I came upon this. Its actually a guy singing!. From 66 ths is Darrow Fletcher with My Young Misery. He was a child prodigy similar to Stevie Wonder but apart from this one track he seemed to fade away.

13(b). Well, track 13 goes on for about 30 seconds of silence after that last track, and up pops the closing number - an accapella gospel track that I'm kicking myself for not knowing. It's a female lead (that I really should know - I wanted to say Mahalia, but it isn't), backed by a male quartet, doing The Lord's Prayer, ending with a couple bars of "Meeting Tonight," one of those gospel tracks that doesn't get mentioned much anymore, but which pops up all over the place. Man, this one is nice. I'm gonna be really embarrassed if I own this one, which I might.
This is included in response to the 'Gospel' thread over in Yakket Yak. Someone mentioned the Lord's Prayer by Sister Wynonna Carr, and you responded by saying you'd love to hear it....so hear it is!

All in all, a perfect disc that suits me to a "t." Thanks so much, mystery mixer, this one'll stay in heavy rotation around Casa Nolamike, and it's gonna be the next thing I get lil Petite Nolamikette hooked on. THANKS!

Im pleased you liked the disc, any info required..just cough.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - Just dropped in..
Mitty Collier - Pain
The Bellrays - Have a little faith in me
Isis - April fool
Marlena Shaw - Wade in the water
Tuesday Weld - Are you the boy?
Ronnie and Joyce - Falling in love with you
The Electrodes - Go Away
Dee Edwards - Why can't there be love?
Sarah Vaughan - Whatever Lola wants
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 100 days
Ann Peebles - Tear your playhouse down
Darrow Fletcher - My young misery
Sister Wynona Carr - Our Father

[WG Kaspar]

Thanks very much for my disc, mixer! Here's my review.

Hi Min, I was your mixer this month.

1. This is fairly standard rock guitar stuff about having it with the aggravation - unsure who the singer is - sounds almost Tom Robinson Band though I am pretty sure that's not who it is!

It's definately not the Tom Robinson Band, much more recent than that. This is The Mooney Suzuki with 99% which I thought would make a nice upbeat intro to the mix. It's also a staple when I'm djing at my local, but only students hang out there.

2. Not unlike the first, and still unable to identify the singer, so all new stuff.
Not much umph, and I do like a bit of umph.

Eels with Gone Man from the album they released earlier this year. I should say this is unlike their usual stuff, which is a lot poppier whereas this sounds like any number of recent American bands.

3. Some funky soul - this is much more up my street, and I'm tapping my toes here. Nice horns.

This is Cornershop after all the hype from their debut had died down. I'm not sure how the second album was received 'cause I had left England at the time but in truth I like it better than the debut. This is called Heavy Soup.

4. Some more funky soul pledging love to a young girl.

Another one from this year this is Eli 'Paperboy' Reed with Young Girl. Very much typical of this album and a lot less smoother (to my disappointment) than his previous efforts. Still a nice little tune.

5. Some electronic funk piano mash up pledging to take over the world - if I didn't know better I would say this was the Scissor Sisters!

This is Bobby Conn & His glass Gypsies and the track is We're Gonna Take Over The world. This guy's a right nutter and apparently used to give a really good live show., though I've not heard anything from him since this release which was in 2004. Probably not more than 10 people bought his albums.

6.This sounds like a modern day Black Sabbath Led Zep thing, and seems to go off at a bit of a tangent.

Never associated this band with Sabbath or Zep but it is an interesting comparison. This is Death from Above 1979 and where all the rage is some sort of post-punk revival in 2005. Sabbath meets Gang of Four doesn't sound so bad. They too have disappeared since. Oh and song is Little Girl.

7. Guitar electronic French spoken stuff - interesting!

a bunch of Californians than went off to France for a year or too had a hit with this one (Le Brio) and made a couple more similar sounding albums but noone's baothered again. This is Big Soul. Interestingly enough I got to them through another number called Hippy Hippy Shake which was a big hit over here in the late 90's.

8. Quite like this one - a version of the Shandells 'Go Go Gorilla -' with a cheeky twist!

Ah this is the Micragirls from a couple of years back. It's getting a drug discovering worthwhile new stuff lately but this was one of them.

9. I'm familiar with this rockabilly type girlie thing, but can't pin down the artist, but it's pleasant enough!

This is Little Barry a mate of a mate who despite having released two excellent albums he refuses to go anywhere beyond the pub rock circuit I'm told. This is called Pretty Pictures.

10. A skiffle type girlie vocal track, quite entertaining.

Another one from the mid-noughties (this is too vulgar a word) it's Sons And Daughters with The Red Receiver.This sounds a bit like Lush I suppose, but in truth they're much better than that.

11. Vaguely Beckish this one, I'm sure I know the vocal. The piano hook is annoying as hell

Bloody Americans with their annoying piano hooks This is Kelley Stoltz with The Memory Collector with an actually pretty nifty piano hook. You're not far off with Beck comparison by the way, not that there is an actual connection or anything, but this guy refuses to settle to a certain style as well.

12. Ah! The Beat, and I wanna Be With a Rock n Roll Girl. Fucking marvellous.

Isn't it just? There are times that this album will get endless repeat listens.

13. This is familiar and not unpleasant - though the annoying guitar break slows it down, it's not the Vapors is it?

Close but not really. It's The Hoodoo Gurus from down-under with Tojo. The guitar break does indeed slow things down but they do this all the time, it's part of their charm.

14. A song about trying to find one's baby. I empathise. Quite catchy I suppose in a nine gins down kind of way.

Since I've moved to powerpop territory I had to put something by The Dwight Twilley Band. A bit wee all in all but he does craft a pretty melody. This is Tryin' To Find My Baby obviously.

15. An instrumental of horns and ivory and accordion which I cannot decide what I think of.

Listening to this again I maybe should have ended at the last track but what the hell I had to put the token Greek in there. This is from a band called Trypes and it's called Loser's Trajectory. They're actually a rock'n'roll band, but they sometimes used to throw stuff like this to their albums. The only time I seen them live was the Marquee Club back in 95 and they still remain the most wasted band I've ever seen. So were the audience of course so all was well in the end. Apart from the hapless folk who had to endure our cacophonous singing onthe train home.

Thank you mixer. I will tell you this, the first two tracks were the sort of stuff that I would run across the road to avoid but there was some interesting variety in this of stuff I would never normally be exposed to. I'll give it a few more goes, but thanks for opening my eyes to things I would never normally listen to!
14.

Thanks Min. I'm glad that at some level it worked though I now do realise that Americana was a misfire. Here's the full tracklist:

1. The Mooney suzuki - 99%
2. Eels - Gone Man
3. Cornershop - Heavy Soup
4. Eli 'Paperboy' Reed - Young Girl
5. Bobby Conn & His Glass Gypsies - We're Taking Over The World
6. Death From Above 1979 - Little Girl
7. Big Soul - Le Brio
8. Micragirls - Go Go Gorilla
9. Little Barrie - Pretty Pictures
10. Sons And Daughters - Red Receiver
11. Kelley Stoltz - Memory Collector
12. the Beat - Rock'n'Roll Girl
13. The Hoodoo Gurus - Tojo
14. The Dwight Twilley Band- Tryin' To find My Baby
15. Trypes - Loser's Trajectory

[sloopjohnc]

I've listened to my disc this month a couple times and still don't know what to make of it. It was really schizophrenic. Once I thought it settled into a groove, it would switch---sometimes good, sometimes bad.

1. Slow acoustic number, halfway between Americana and Folk, with some perpetual organ in the back. Good lyrics and melody. I don't listen to this kinda stuff much anymore but did a lot a few years back.

2. Nice, old acoustic blues instrumental with great harmonica leading it through. I like the way the harp builds in intensity through the song, employing a strong vibrato at the crucial parts.

3. Slow electronica number. I listen to most of my discs while running and this was kinda hard to run to, but that's not the song's fault. Again, I used to listen to a lot of this kinda stuff 10 years ago, but don't really anymore. It was okay, but I look for music more to engage me these days.

4. So, this is a good example of the schizophrenia----from electronica to a slow acoustic number. I like the number, but I could never settle in with this disc. I liked this one, but again, I don't really find the time for more contemplative stuff like this. Nice song with good male/female duet.

5. I didn't like this one so much---a couple electronic notes running through it with an occasonal acoustic guitar. Tuneless woman singer who sings about who the hell knows what?

6. Ripped from my contemplation, a slightly above average British punkish number. They feel like they mean it, anyway.

7. Nice, insistent and jagged guitar riff opens this one. Good harder-edged guitar pop.

8. Good fuzzed-out mid-tempo rock song. Too much of this stuff can get to me, but on a comp like this, it works great.

9. Pounding drum beat and indie-recorded electric guitar echoing in the back. This was decent and I might like to hear this band's other stuff.

10. I liked this one---a short R&B driven hip-hop song about U.S. freedom or the lie of capitalism deceiving us.

11. Another of this disc's personality---a nice little semi-jazz instrumental with trumpet. It didn't really need the synthesizer in this. It made it corny instead of breezy.

12. Nice bumble bee guitar to open this one---this has got a lotta nice rhythmic things going for it including a cut-up woman's voice.

13. Sounds like an old Southern blues with trumpet and guitar. My mom and dad had lots of this stuff around the house when I was a kid.

14. This was a nice inclusion and something I like to do with my discs: slip something recognizable that someone may have not listened to in a long time and give it new context. The Cure, especially the early Cure were a great fucking band.

15. McCartneyesque ballad about vomiting after getting too drunk, but the songwriter elevates it nicely.

16. This isn't something I'd buy myself maybe, but nice little acoustic soul ballad sung with a life-scarred voice in a Mavis Staples vein.

17. Nice, classic croon of Reaching for the Moon. I've heard the Billie Holliday, Ella and Lizz Wright version, but this doesn't seem to be it. Julie London, maybe? I dunno.

18. This disc is like Sybil, I swear. Now it's Junior Murvin with Police and Thieves.

19. Finishing up the disc with beautiful version of I Shall Be Released.

[Jumper k]

OK pop pickers.

This months serving starts off with a fantastic double whammy of Madlib and Madlib as Quasimoto ( trying to trick me eh? ) Not heard Good Morning Sunshine for a while and I've dug out The Unseen as a result. Result!

Track 3 is a sampled track of youngsters goofing off with a pretty annoying comic electronic backing. Interspersed with harmonica for no real reason. No idea who it is. But its not something I desire to have inflicted on me again.

Track 4 this track is like listening to the sound of sucking helium inside Darth Vader's helmet. Sinister half heard vocals with a claustrophobic synth motif. Oddly it changes half way through into some jungle themed asthma convention. It makes me mildly psychopathic listening to it. I like it though. Something to frighten the niece and nephew with when they won't go to bed.

Track 5 Big Beat stadium house. Like Underworld. Goes on for over 7 minutes. Feels longer. Not really my cuppa.

Track 6 a very smart instrumental that start with a descending organ riff and nice bass, very Doorsian thereafter. I like this.

Track 7 which is more than can be said of this which is almost Doors pastiche with a weak female vocal, the actual backing track is OK but its twee in the extreme. Pretty dreadful.

Track 8 its the 1990's again. I'm looking at my shoes and dreaming of East Kilbride, or I have listened to Guy Chadwick. A lot. Having said that its not unpleasant in a dreampoptastic type way.

Track 9 Sisters Of Mercy on Mandrax, whilst Spiggy has a fag sitting on the drum riser engulfed in purple smoke and dry ice. I went out for a fag and fuck me its still on when I came back. Not big or clever.

Track 10 is fuzzed out later period Beatlepop. I like the drumming but the whole thing is derivative and a little dull.

Track 11 interesting lyrics over softcore ambient soundtrack. It sounds a bit like Polygon Window to start with but with American vocal. I like this.

Track 12 is a fairly uninvolving background chill out ditty. Nowt special to these ears I'm afraid.

Track 13 starts off like a rip off of One Time, One Night by Los Lobos but its Justin Townes Earle Which is nice. Ice gospel tinged tune.

So hits and misses with this mix. Its a little overlong in places but I'm interested in learning about track 4, track 6 and track 11.
Cheers mixdude/dudess.

[T. Willy Rye]

My October disc is from a very ambitious mixer. It feels like a sort of around the world in 24 tracks sort of thing. When I heard the first piece I was pretty concerned (a sort of ambient noise piece) but the mix comes on strong and I thoroughly enjoyed it on the whole so…

Track 1- I guess I just don’t have enough patience for this genre of environmental meditations or whatever is, I’ll put it down as my fault.

Track 2- I’m not sure what time frame this is from, but it seems to nod in the direction of that 60s way of bringing slight orchestration into pop songs. In this instance very slight just a tad bit of strings. I like it’s restraint and I might be able to get on board with the vocals with a few more listens. I like it, but it doesn’t hold a candle to most of the other stuff on here.

Track 3- I know next to nothing about the whole folk movement in the UK. I guess I’m fearful of penny whistles and Celtic lore, but I have to say I really love this song, only a darkened soul could resist its charms, oh shit I think I’m a convert.

Track 4- The opening of this is so Whiter Shade of Pale, but I like it better. It’s stonier, dirtier. Another Achilles heel of mine (you will be exposing far more than two with this disc) 60s psychedelic. I love the organ.

Track 5- This is that UK folk that I’m fearful of. It’s too Renaissance fair for me- it promotes a lifestyle I’m just not comfortable with that includes patchouli, lutes, and nature deities.

Track 6- see above, though this is slightly better than track 5. Prepare for the gushing.

Track 7- Great garage track. I suppose I still prefer my psychedelia cut with musical immaturity and poor recording quality.

Track 8 is also ace. Throw in a tone deaf singer and you win my heart. No really, and if I can’t make out the lyrics all the better. I’m not really looking for wisdom from a 22 year old anyway, I just want to hear his disdain and sexual frustration which I think are universals.

Track 9- I love the amateurish Hendrix beginning. Is this on Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas or whatever? I always forget to listen to that record and then I love the individual songs that come from it. So good. I don’t care if he continues those same three chords for eternity, they are so right.

Track 10-Keep the distortion coming, I think I’m getting a contact high. Though, this one sounds like it was sung by the guys from Gang of Four, maybe it is Gang of Four, I don’t really know them past Entertainment!. Didactic lyrics, funky bass, squalls of feedback guitar- I’m gonna say Gang of Four.

Track 11-I don’t know this, though it feels right in my wheelhouse of early to mid 90s. Sort of Shudder to Think like but definitely not them. I’m very curious, this is great, maybe my favorite so far. I love the sloppy guitar solo.

Track 12- Another great track. It almost sounds like if one of those late 70s bands with the angular guitars were going to do an Indian Raga. Maybe that doesn’t make sense, but I love this.

Track 13- Wow, that was an abrupt transition. Anyone who’s received one of my discs knows this is a specialty of mine too. This is a really pretty guitar piece (remarkable playing) that I would be unlikely to come across in my present musical endeavors. Thanks, this is the sort of piece I should be listening to. There’s a real shortage of sanity in my life.

Track 14- Brazilian piece (tropicalia, lounge?) don’t always know how to classify Brazilian music. Lots of fun.

Track 15- Another probably Brazilian piece. This one anchored by an acoustic guitar, more folky not bossa, but it definitely has a South American percussion to it.

Track 16-A female sung La Bamba, nice latin jazz elements. Starting to get a little bit of a 60s pop jazz feel that I’m kind of a sucker for (Don’t tell my friends in the jazz workshop).

Track 17-African piece that except for the chorus and background catcalls is pretty subdued. I love the simple bass line and guitar accompaniment.

Track 18- Bumble Bee by Lavern Baker. What a great track, had to be incredibly influential though I don’t know much about her.

Track 19- Like the bass intro, very groovy. Dirty sounding vocals late 60s/early 70s, even some nice understated horn accompaniment. Another winner.

Track 20- The groove returns in a zany 60s sort of way. This couldn’t be Tom Jones could it?

Track 21- Soul enchantress singing a plaintive 60s gospel like piece. Sounds like Aretha, the same emotive approach, not her though I think?

Track 22- This sounds like the great Jimmy Hughes, but I don’t know this one. Another funky gem. Man what a great voice!

Track 23- I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper by Flaming Ember. Nice Way to end. Well, I guess technically you didn’t, but the last track I could live without.

Track 24- Subdued electronic track. Go to sleep now. I don’t know. I don’t want to be nitpicky because this was a fantastic comp.

Thanks again for this. So much to pursue.

[bhoywonder]

I've listened to my disc this month a couple times and still don't know what to make of it. It was really schizophrenic. Once I thought it settled into a groove, it would switch---sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Ha! Yes, I decided to give you a difficult disc. I don’t know why, but I seem to recall thinking you’d enjoy something a bit off the wall. I think you should take it as a compliment. Erm, yes. Anyway!

1. Slow acoustic number, halfway between Americana and Folk, with some perpetual organ in the back. Good lyrics and melody. I don't listen to this kinda stuff much anymore but did a lot a few years back.

This is the English singer-songwriter and bass player from Fridge, Adem, with a sweet song from his debut album on Domino, Homesongs. It’s called Statued. I don’t like too much of this style, but I find Adem is a beautiful exponent of this sort of thing. He puts so much love into his music, I find him quite inspirational. Worth seeing live, especially.

2. Nice, old acoustic blues instrumental with great harmonica leading it through. I like the way the harp builds in intensity through the song, employing a strong vibrato at the crucial parts.

Jimmy & Walter – Easy. I know nothing about this, I found it on a Sun records collection and fell in love. It’s fabulous harp isn’t it? It builds wonderfully, just when you think you have a handle on the piece it goes mental. It also reminds me of being in a diner in Memphis eating a basket of catfish and this came on over the shop’s stereo system. Only in Memphis!

3. Slow electronica number. I listen to most of my discs while running and this was kinda hard to run to, but that's not the song's fault. Again, I used to listen to a lot of this kinda stuff 10 years ago, but don't really anymore. It was okay, but I look for music more to engage me these days.

I’m not really sure what you mean about music to engage you more. Do you mean you found it lightweight? I can’t really see that, but each to his own. This is a from a great collection of Scottish experimental electronic music called Alba Absurdia, on the Benbecula label. This is one of the more melodic pieces on there, it’s by Pulse Patrol and it’s called Moon Unit. I wouldn’t want to run to it either!

4. So, this is a good example of the schizophrenia----from electronica to a slow acoustic number. I like the number, but I could never settle in with this disc. I liked this one, but again, I don't really find the time for more contemplative stuff like this. Nice song with good male/female duet.

I don’t really get the schizophrenia thing, it’s just music. I always think different styles go well together, ut then it would be a dull old world if we all liked to listen in the same way! This is my favourite singer-songwriter in the world, the fabulous James Yorkston, of scotland, with a song from his most recent LP, When The Haar Rolls In, which is now a couple of years old. I’m not really one for lyrics as a rule, but his stuff really connects with me. This one is pretty heavy and not a little brave! It’s called 'Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes?'

5. I didn't like this one so much---a couple electronic notes running through it with an occasonal acoustic guitar. Tuneless woman singer who sings about who the hell knows what?

An occasional colleague of James Yorkston, this is yet another scot, HMS Ginafore, with a sng called St Abbs, or Stabbs, depending on how you read it. One man’s tuneless is another man’s soulful.

6. Ripped from my contemplation, a slightly above average British punkish number. They feel like they mean it, anyway.

A bit of fun. This is the Wedding Present, with a cover of the UK 70s smash hit (Make Me Smile) Come Up And See Me. I wonder if anyone outside the UK could ever love this…

7. Nice, insistent and jagged guitar riff opens this one. Good harder-edged guitar pop.

Blur, with MOR, from their 1997 eponymous LP. Very under-rated album by a much- unfairly – maligned band. It’s cool not to like Blur. I have no idea why. Great band.

8. Good fuzzed-out mid-tempo rock song. Too much of this stuff can get to me, but on a comp like this, it works great.

I’m the same as you here, too much of this gets on my nerves but small doses it’s great. It’s the English space-rockers Spiritualized, with You Lie You Cheat from their 2008 album Songs In A& E, which I don’t think I’ve ever played from start to finish.

9. Pounding drum beat and indie-recorded electric guitar echoing in the back. This was decent and I might like to hear this band's other stuff.

From my favourite album of the year so far, this is the Archie Bronson Outfit, from the south of England, with Run Gospel Singer from the Domino Records album Coconut, which I have on delicious yellow vinyl. They are pretty sensational live. Most odd bunch of young men, but they make a bloody great sound.

10. I liked this one---a short R&B driven hip-hop song about U.S. freedom or the lie of capitalism deceiving us.

Yeah, this one has so many great sounds, doesn’t it? It’s Soul Position, hailing from Ohio, and this is from their 2006 album Things Go Better with RJ and AL, which has a great cover.

11. Another of this disc's personality---a nice little semi-jazz instrumental with trumpet. It didn't really need the synthesizer in this. It made it corny instead of breezy.

Parisian duo Mellow, with a song called I Love You, from their gorgeous soundtrack to the sci-fi movie CQ. I found out later that I have actually recorded an album in their studio and used their lovely vintage instruments without realising it was them. More of which later.

12. Nice bumble bee guitar to open this one---this has got a lotta nice rhythmic things going for it including a cut-up woman's voice.

Sticking in France, this is M83, one of my favourite bands/acts/whatever currently making records. Their album of last year was one of the highlights of the year. This isn’t from it though. This is from 2003’sDead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts, and it’s called 0078h. Catchy, huh? If you like this, you really should check them out some more, as they really grow on you and have a number of excellent and varied records.

13. Sounds like an old Southern blues with trumpet and guitar. My mom and dad had lots of this stuff around the house when I was a kid.

The great Louis Armstrong, with Savoy Blues, from about 1923, I think. It’s a pretty early Armstrong cut, whatever the date, but, as you can hear, he knew how to blow right back then.

14. This was a nice inclusion and something I like to do with my discs: slip something recognizable that someone may have not listened to in a long time and give it new context. The Cure, especially the early Cure were a great fucking band.

Weren’t they? This popped up on random on my iTunes and – as you say, out of context – it really gripped me. Great sound, great band, great track. It’s Object, from their debut, Three Imaginary Boys.

15. McCartneyesque ballad about vomiting after getting too drunk, but the songwriter elevates it nicely.

I’m glad you didn’t slate this as I’m on it! It’s from the album mentioned earlier, which is by Morning Star and is called A Sign For The Stranger. The song is a current favourite and I’m rather proud of my understated bass on here, which I think is what really elevates things

16. This isn't something I'd buy myself maybe, but nice little acoustic soul ballad sung with a life-scarred voice in a Mavis Staples vein.

Soul legend Bettye Lavette, at the age of 60, produces what I think is probably her best record, I've Got My Own Hell To Raise, from 2005. From it, this is Just Say So. Heavy soul.

17. Nice, classic croon of Reaching for the Moon. I've heard the Billie Holliday, Ella and Lizz Wright version, but this doesn't seem to be it. Julie London, maybe? I dunno.

This is Ella, actually. Nice is right.

18. This disc is like Sybil, I swear. Now it's Junior Murvin with Police and Thieves.

Who or what is Sybil?

19. Finishing up the disc with beautiful version of I Shall Be Released.

Indeed, it’s the Brothers & Sisters of Los Angeles, from the album descriptively titled When Gospel Sings Bob Dylan. Jumper K Balls gave me this. As I recall, he had it on in the car one morning. I said I liked it, he said he hated it, ejected it form the CD player and gave it to me on the promise never to play it when he was around!

So there we are. What a bizarre disc! Listening back it’s made me feel a little twisted, so well done for making it through, and I’m glad some of it seems to have gone down well.

As ever, do let me know if you need further enlightenment!

1. Statued - Adem
2. Easy - Jimmy and Walter
3. Moon Unit - Pulse Patrol
4. Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes? - James Yorkston
5. Stabbs - H.M.S. Ginafore
6. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - The Wedding Present
7. M.O.R. - Blur
8. You Lie You Cheat - Spiritualized
9. Run Gospel Singer - Archie Bronson Outfit
10. I'm Free - Soul Position
11. I Love You - Mellow
12. 0078h - M83
13. Savoy Blues - Louis Armstrong
14. Object - The Cure
15. Gone Again - Morning Star
16. Just Say So - Bettye Lavette
17. Reaching For The Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
18. Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin
19. I Shall Be Released - The Brothers & Sisters of Los Angeles

[Magilla]

The mix I received this month was something of a struggle for me to even warm to, I'm sorry to say. Overall, it was very patchy, far too many heavy rock-type songs for my liking, sorry. I did like the electronic pop sort of stuff that turned up now and again, but otherwise there was almost nothing here I liked.

1) Fairly nice falsetto soul vocals, great horn riffs, playing, etc. The "rock" bits of the songs are a bit too bombastic for my liking, however.

2) The great Sonic Youth with 'Sugar Kane'. Wonderful song from a fine album.

3) Uptempo rock. This band has the same sort of problems that put me off Pearl Jam - far too close to stadium rock, and not edgy enough to be of interest for me.

4) More of the above sorry, including a fairly cliched guitar solo.

5) Bombastic heavy rock. Horrible.

6) A pop song with lots of electronica floating around within it. This is pretty good. Good mixture of female singing and male rapping, too. I usually can't abide the mixture of "regular" singing and male rapping but this works well.

7) A bit of syncopated pop / rock, lots of interesting samples and effects. Not bad.

8) Horrible. Some sort of post-grunge heavy rock, appalling. Good piano riff, but dire otherwise.

9) More of the same, sorry.

10) Veers into "classic rock" territory, just bad. Dreadful John Mellencamp-type stuff.

11) As above.

12) The sort of band that makes tailor-made top 40 rock. Insufferable.

13) The phrasing on the vocals are interesting, but this is more ponderous heavy rock.

14) Horray ! A lovely bit of pulsating electronica with very appealing vocals. The lyrics are very good too, telling an interesting story.

15) This seemed like it was going to be a really good song - only an accordion plus quivering, oddball vocals, before it turns to shit half-way through with utterly unnecessary heavy rocking out to the end.

16) Bloody horrible, one of those "stomping" rock outfits like Rage Against The Machine or Faith No More and their ilk. They sample the Special AKA's 'Free Nelson Mandela'.

Sorry mixer, but as you've no doubt gathered, this mix was, overall, a lemon. Just being honest, sorry.

[sloopjohnc]

I've listened to my disc this month a couple times and still don't know what to make of it. It was really schizophrenic. Once I thought it settled into a groove, it would switch---sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Ha! Yes, I decided to give you a difficult disc. I don’t know why, but I seem to recall thinking you’d enjoy something a bit off the wall. I think you should take it as a compliment. Erm, yes. Anyway!

1. Slow acoustic number, halfway between Americana and Folk, with some perpetual organ in the back. Good lyrics and melody. I don't listen to this kinda stuff much anymore but did a lot a few years back.

This is the English singer-songwriter and bass player from Fridge, Adem, with a sweet song from his debut album on Domino, Homesongs. It’s called Statued. I don’t like too much of this style, but I find Adem is a beautiful exponent of this sort of thing. He puts so much love into his music, I find him quite inspirational. Worth seeing live, especially.

2. Nice, old acoustic blues instrumental with great harmonica leading it through. I like the way the harp builds in intensity through the song, employing a strong vibrato at the crucial parts.

Jimmy & Walter – Easy. I know nothing about this, I found it on a Sun records collection and fell in love. It’s fabulous harp isn’t it? It builds wonderfully, just when you think you have a handle on the piece it goes mental. It also reminds me of being in a diner in Memphis eating a basket of catfish and this came on over the shop’s stereo system. Only in Memphis!

3. Slow electronica number. I listen to most of my discs while running and this was kinda hard to run to, but that's not the song's fault. Again, I used to listen to a lot of this kinda stuff 10 years ago, but don't really anymore. It was okay, but I look for music more to engage me these days.

I’m not really sure what you mean about music to engage you more. Do you mean you found it lightweight? I can’t really see that, but each to his own. This is a from a great collection of Scottish experimental electronic music called Alba Absurdia, on the Benbecula label. This is one of the more melodic pieces on there, it’s by Pulse Patrol and it’s called Moon Unit. I wouldn’t want to run to it either!

4. So, this is a good example of the schizophrenia----from electronica to a slow acoustic number. I like the number, but I could never settle in with this disc. I liked this one, but again, I don't really find the time for more contemplative stuff like this. Nice song with good male/female duet.

I don’t really get the schizophrenia thing, it’s just music. I always think different styles go well together, ut then it would be a dull old world if we all liked to listen in the same way! This is my favourite singer-songwriter in the world, the fabulous James Yorkston, of scotland, with a song from his most recent LP, When The Haar Rolls In, which is now a couple of years old. I’m not really one for lyrics as a rule, but his stuff really connects with me. This one is pretty heavy and not a little brave! It’s called 'Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes?'

5. I didn't like this one so much---a couple electronic notes running through it with an occasonal acoustic guitar. Tuneless woman singer who sings about who the hell knows what?

An occasional colleague of James Yorkston, this is yet another scot, HMS Ginafore, with a sng called St Abbs, or Stabbs, depending on how you read it. One man’s tuneless is another man’s soulful.

6. Ripped from my contemplation, a slightly above average British punkish number. They feel like they mean it, anyway.

A bit of fun. This is the Wedding Present, with a cover of the UK 70s smash hit (Make Me Smile) Come Up And See Me. I wonder if anyone outside the UK could ever love this…

7. Nice, insistent and jagged guitar riff opens this one. Good harder-edged guitar pop.

Blur, with MOR, from their 1997 eponymous LP. Very under-rated album by a much- unfairly – maligned band. It’s cool not to like Blur. I have no idea why. Great band.

8. Good fuzzed-out mid-tempo rock song. Too much of this stuff can get to me, but on a comp like this, it works great.

I’m the same as you here, too much of this gets on my nerves but small doses it’s great. It’s the English space-rockers Spiritualized, with You Lie You Cheat from their 2008 album Songs In A& E, which I don’t think I’ve ever played from start to finish.

9. Pounding drum beat and indie-recorded electric guitar echoing in the back. This was decent and I might like to hear this band's other stuff.

From my favourite album of the year so far, this is the Archie Bronson Outfit, from the south of England, with Run Gospel Singer from the Domino Records album Coconut, which I have on delicious yellow vinyl. They are pretty sensational live. Most odd bunch of young men, but they make a bloody great sound.

10. I liked this one---a short R&B driven hip-hop song about U.S. freedom or the lie of capitalism deceiving us.

Yeah, this one has so many great sounds, doesn’t it? It’s Soul Position, hailing from Ohio, and this is from their 2006 album Things Go Better with RJ and AL, which has a great cover.

11. Another of this disc's personality---a nice little semi-jazz instrumental with trumpet. It didn't really need the synthesizer in this. It made it corny instead of breezy.

Parisian duo Mellow, with a song called I Love You, from their gorgeous soundtrack to the sci-fi movie CQ. I found out later that I have actually recorded an album in their studio and used their lovely vintage instruments without realising it was them. More of which later.

12. Nice bumble bee guitar to open this one---this has got a lotta nice rhythmic things going for it including a cut-up woman's voice.

Sticking in France, this is M83, one of my favourite bands/acts/whatever currently making records. Their album of last year was one of the highlights of the year. This isn’t from it though. This is from 2003’sDead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts, and it’s called 0078h. Catchy, huh? If you like this, you really should check them out some more, as they really grow on you and have a number of excellent and varied records.

13. Sounds like an old Southern blues with trumpet and guitar. My mom and dad had lots of this stuff around the house when I was a kid.

The great Louis Armstrong, with Savoy Blues, from about 1923, I think. It’s a pretty early Armstrong cut, whatever the date, but, as you can hear, he knew how to blow right back then.

14. This was a nice inclusion and something I like to do with my discs: slip something recognizable that someone may have not listened to in a long time and give it new context. The Cure, especially the early Cure were a great fucking band.

Weren’t they? This popped up on random on my iTunes and – as you say, out of context – it really gripped me. Great sound, great band, great track. It’s Object, from their debut, Three Imaginary Boys.

15. McCartneyesque ballad about vomiting after getting too drunk, but the songwriter elevates it nicely.

I’m glad you didn’t slate this as I’m on it! It’s from the album mentioned earlier, which is by Morning Star and is called A Sign For The Stranger. The song is a current favourite and I’m rather proud of my understated bass on here, which I think is what really elevates things

16. This isn't something I'd buy myself maybe, but nice little acoustic soul ballad sung with a life-scarred voice in a Mavis Staples vein.

Soul legend Bettye Lavette, at the age of 60, produces what I think is probably her best record, I've Got My Own Hell To Raise, from 2005. From it, this is Just Say So. Heavy soul.

17. Nice, classic croon of Reaching for the Moon. I've heard the Billie Holliday, Ella and Lizz Wright version, but this doesn't seem to be it. Julie London, maybe? I dunno.

This is Ella, actually. Nice is right.

18. This disc is like Sybil, I swear. Now it's Junior Murvin with Police and Thieves.

Who or what is Sybil?

19. Finishing up the disc with beautiful version of I Shall Be Released.

Indeed, it’s the Brothers & Sisters of Los Angeles, from the album descriptively titled When Gospel Sings Bob Dylan. Jumper K Balls gave me this. As I recall, he had it on in the car one morning. I said I liked it, he said he hated it, ejected it form the CD player and gave it to me on the promise never to play it when he was around!

So there we are. What a bizarre disc! Listening back it’s made me feel a little twisted, so well done for making it through, and I’m glad some of it seems to have gone down well.

As ever, do let me know if you need further enlightenment!

1. Statued - Adem
2. Easy - Jimmy and Walter
3. Moon Unit - Pulse Patrol
4. Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes? - James Yorkston
5. Stabbs - H.M.S. Ginafore
6. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - The Wedding Present
7. M.O.R. - Blur
8. You Lie You Cheat - Spiritualized
9. Run Gospel Singer - Archie Bronson Outfit
10. I'm Free - Soul Position
11. I Love You - Mellow
12. 0078h - M83
13. Savoy Blues - Louis Armstrong
14. Object - The Cure
15. Gone Again - Morning Star
16. Just Say So - Bettye Lavette
17. Reaching For The Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
18. Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin
19. I Shall Be Released - The Brothers & Sisters of Los Angeles

Thanks. As usual, I have about eight or nine of these songs around, including the Archie Bronson.

Ya know, I thought it might be Satchmo, but all the guitar threw me off.

Django tried to turn me on The Wedding Present once. Pee-yew.

PS Sybil was a woman with multiple personalities---played by Sally Field in the movie.

[TG]

The mix I received this month was something of a struggle for me to even warm to, I'm sorry to say. Overall, it was very patchy, far too many heavy rock-type songs for my liking, sorry. I did like the electronic pop sort of stuff that turned up now and again, but otherwise there was almost nothing here I liked.

Well, I feel terrible. Like I wasted your time or something. I really am sorry.

And while I'm not offended or anything, I am a little baffled by your descriptions of some of the songs. Anyway, here's what you disliked -

1) Fairly nice falsetto soul vocals, great horn riffs, playing, etc. The "rock" bits of the songs are a bit too bombastic for my liking, however.

Coleen by England's Heavy. A fine mix of soul and rock, live playing and samples.

2) The great Sonic Youth with 'Sugar Kane'. Wonderful song from a fine album.

You are correct, sir.

3) Uptempo rock. This band has the same sort of problems that put me off Pearl Jam - far too close to stadium rock, and not edgy enough to be of interest for me.

Like Egypt Was by Michael Penn. To me it's fine modern Power Pop.

4) More of the above sorry, including a fairly cliched guitar solo.

Trial Separation Blues by Gutterball featuring Steve Wynn from Dream Syndicate, Stephen McCarthy from the Long Ryders and the guys from House of Freaks.

5) Bombastic heavy rock. Horrible.

The Whole Truth by Mick Jones' and Brian James' Carbon/Silicon.

6) A pop song with lots of electronica floating around within it. This is pretty good. Good mixture of female singing and male rapping, too. I usually can't abide the mixture of "regular" singing and male rapping but this works well.

Drinking in L.A. by Bran Van 2000.

7) A bit of syncopated pop / rock, lots of interesting samples and effects. Not bad.

Blue Eyed Devil by Soul Coughing - a band I'm just starting to get into.

8) Horrible. Some sort of post-grunge heavy rock, appalling. Good piano riff, but dire otherwise.

Weatherman by lo-fi master Jack Logan from his Bulk CD

9) More of the same, sorry.

Big Bang Baby by Stone Temple Pilots doing their best Redd Kross imitation.

10) Veers into "classic rock" territory, just bad. Dreadful John Mellencamp-type stuff.

Hurt by Code Blue - one of L.A.s finer 80s New Wave bands. I really don't get the Mellencamp reference.

11) As above.

Saturday Night Hitch Hiker by L.A.s The Pop. Another 1980's Power Pop/New Wave band.

12) The sort of band that makes tailor-made top 40 rock. Insufferable.

Sweet Bitch by The Shazam. More Power Pop with more chiming guitars and layered vocal harmonies.

13) The phrasing on the vocals are interesting, but this is more ponderous heavy rock.

If You Never Say Goodbye - a slice of Beatles damaged pop from P.M. Dawn. I don't see how this is ponderous or heavy, but what do I know?

14) Horray ! A lovely bit of pulsating electronica with very appealing vocals. The lyrics are very good too, telling an interesting story.

Standing Outside a Broken Telephone Booth With Money in my Hand by the Primitive Radio Gods. Great B.B. King vocal sample throughout.

15) This seemed like it was going to be a really good song - only an accordion plus quivering, oddball vocals, before it turns to shit half-way through with utterly unnecessary heavy rocking out to the end.

Wasted by the mighty, mighty Pere Ubu. I love the rocking out at the end and how David Thomas utters a very underwhelmed "rock" right before the guitar solo. I love this record.

16) Bloody horrible, one of those "stomping" rock outfits like Rage Against The Machine or Faith No More and their ilk. They sample the Special AKA's 'Free Nelson Mandela'.

St Cobain by Vernon Reid.

Sorry mixer, but as you've no doubt gathered, this mix was, overall, a lemon. Just being honest, sorry.

It is what it is. I quite like this mix and I am sorry that it didn't push many buttons for you. I'm half tempted to use it again another month and see if I get a similar reaction. It might help explain why the threads I start die a quick death around here. Better luck next month!

[Minnie the Minx]

TG.
You've been 'Magillad'

[Penk!]

My October disc is from a very ambitious mixer. It feels like a sort of around the world in 24 tracks sort of thing. When I heard the first piece I was pretty concerned (a sort of ambient noise piece) but the mix comes on strong and I thoroughly enjoyed it on the whole so…

Hello, this was mine. It's nice that you think I was being ambitious - I actually feel myself like I need to get out of the more-of-the-same groove I seem to have run into with my mixes, but then when they keep getting good reviews, it's difficult... anyway, this is what you've been hearing:

Track 1- I guess I just don’t have enough patience for this genre of environmental meditations or whatever is, I’ll put it down as my fault.

Richard Skelton - Rapture
I'll be honest and say that the first and last tracks were only really intended as "intro" and "outro" things, so I'm not too bothered that you're not into them. Regarding Skelton, he does this kind of thing so he's probably not for you. I believe he has some tenuous BCB connection, though.

Track 2- I’m not sure what time frame this is from, but it seems to nod in the direction of that 60s way of bringing slight orchestration into pop songs. In this instance very slight just a tad bit of strings. I like it’s restraint and I might be able to get on board with the vocals with a few more listens. I like it, but it doesn’t hold a candle to most of the other stuff on here.

The Pretty Things - The Sun
They got better at it later on, but this is from the Pretties' first venture into psych, Emotions.

Track 3- I know next to nothing about the whole folk movement in the UK. I guess I’m fearful of penny whistles and Celtic lore, but I have to say I really love this song, only a darkened soul could resist its charms, oh shit I think I’m a convert.

Magickal Folk of the Faraway Tree - Here's a Health to All True Lovers
I'm wary of that stuff too, but when it's nice it's very nice. This is actually a modern take on the sound, from a band with a stupid name but a fair bit of talent.

Track 4- The opening of this is so Whiter Shade of Pale, but I like it better. It’s stonier, dirtier. Another Achilles heel of mine (you will be exposing far more than two with this disc) 60s psychedelic. I love the organ.

Shadrack Chameleon - Don't Let It Get You Down
Like many psych outfits, their full albums are letdowns but this is a great track... and if you like it, you should definitely check out Forge Your Own Chains, the heavy psych comp I first found it on.

Track 5- This is that UK folk that I’m fearful of. It’s too Renaissance fair for me- it promotes a lifestyle I’m just not comfortable with that includes patchouli, lutes, and nature deities.

Heron - Lord and Master
To be fair, there is a lot of guff about this lot: they recorded their albums in a field, a lot of their stuff is crap, but I think that when they got it right, they did some gorgeous songs. Including this one.

Track 6- see above, though this is slightly better than track 5. Prepare for the gushing.

Judy Henske and Jerry Yester - Charity
One of those "cult" albums that's actually just OK. I must have been confused in thinking it might be your thing.

Track 7- Great garage track. I suppose I still prefer my psychedelia cut with musical immaturity and poor recording quality.

The Orange Wedge - From the Womb to the Tomb
I know next to nothing about this band. Does it matter?

Track 8 is also ace. Throw in a tone deaf singer and you win my heart. No really, and if I can’t make out the lyrics all the better. I’m not really looking for wisdom from a 22 year old anyway, I just want to hear his disdain and sexual frustration which I think are universals.

The Id - Boil the Kettle, Mother
If you can't make out the lyrics then you are, as the title suggests, not missing a hell of a lot. I think it was Feeb who introduced me to this lot through mix club; they are absolutely rubbish bandwagon-psych, but in an enjoyable way.

Track 9- I love the amateurish Hendrix beginning. Is this on Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas or whatever? I always forget to listen to that record and then I love the individual songs that come from it. So good. I don’t care if he continues those same three chords for eternity, they are so right.

Bunalimlar - Tas Var Kopek Yok
It isn't from the Fuzz Bananas thing - which I feel exactly the same way as you about, it always sounds great when I hear bits of it on shuffle - but from a compilation entitled Turkish Delights, which must be the laziest, most obvious title for a collection of Turkish psych ever. Anyway, these were one of the most prominent Turkish underground bands (speaking, obviously, relatively) of the '60s.

Track 10-Keep the distortion coming, I think I’m getting a contact high. Though, this one sounds like it was sung by the guys from Gang of Four, maybe it is Gang of Four, I don’t really know them past Entertainment!. Didactic lyrics, funky bass, squalls of feedback guitar- I’m gonna say Gang of Four.

Gang of Four - History's Bunk
If you like Entertainment! you should definitely check out their Peel Sessions, which are basically a bunch of the same tracks (and a couple of extras, like this one), but noisier and tighter.

Track 11-I don’t know this, though it feels right in my wheelhouse of early to mid 90s. Sort of Shudder to Think like but definitely not them. I’m very curious, this is great, maybe my favorite so far. I love the sloppy guitar solo.

bob hund - Länge Länge
See, people never believe me when I say this lot are the best band of the '90s, the best band to have come out of Sweden, and so on, and yet when they actually hear them...

Track 12- Another great track. It almost sounds like if one of those late 70s bands with the angular guitars were going to do an Indian Raga. Maybe that doesn’t make sense, but I love this.

Nayim Alal - Bleida
A bloke from North Africa who makes really cool noises on a guitar, and occasionally does a bit of that Arabic singing that sounds like a call to prayer. The pictures that come up on a Google search suggest that in the Sahara, it's the music rather than the image that is important.

Track 13- Wow, that was an abrupt transition. Anyone who’s received one of my discs knows this is a specialty of mine too. This is a really pretty guitar piece (remarkable playing) that I would be unlikely to come across in my present musical endeavors. Thanks, this is the sort of piece I should be listening to. There’s a real shortage of sanity in my life.

Satwa - Valsa Dos Cogumelos
Satwa's only album is apparently a major statement against the Brazilian military dictatorship in the '70s. I'm not sure in what sense, though, as it's almost entirely instrumental. Very nice, though.

Track 14- Brazilian piece (tropicalia, lounge?) don’t always know how to classify Brazilian music. Lots of fun.

Baden Powell and Vinícius de Moraes
As well as creating the Boy Scouts, it turns out that Baron Robert Baden-Powell was also a Brazilian musician in the '60s. Fancy that. Anyway, he made a very good album together with fellow bossa nova type Vinícius de Moraes.

Track 15- Another probably Brazilian piece. This one anchored by an acoustic guitar, more folky not bossa, but it definitely has a South American percussion to it.

Pekka Streng - Auringon Lapsi
Bizarrely enough, this bloke's actually Finnish. Or was: he died young, and is as such a mysterious and legendary figure in Finnish pop history. His album's nice, anyhow.

Track 16-A female sung La Bamba, nice latin jazz elements. Starting to get a little bit of a 60s pop jazz feel that I’m kind of a sucker for (Don’t tell my friends in the jazz workshop).

Monna Bell y Aldemara Romero - La Bamba
From a collaboration between a Mexican pop singer and one of Venezuela's best-known musicians. Which I guess makes it significant, anyhow.

Track 17-African piece that except for the chorus and background catcalls is pretty subdued. I love the simple bass line and guitar accompaniment.

Amaqawe Omculo - Jabulani Balaleli, Pt 2
This is from the recentish Strut compilation Next Stop Soweto, of jivey South African stuff from the '60s.

Track 18- Bumble Bee by Lavern Baker. What a great track, had to be incredibly influential though I don’t know much about her.

Lavern Baker - Bumble Bee
It's always nice when the reviewer knows a track, because it means I don't have to write a witty or informative explanation.

Track 19- Like the bass intro, very groovy. Dirty sounding vocals late 60s/early 70s, even some nice understated horn accompaniment. Another winner.

US69 - Yesterday's Folks
Another track I know nothing about and just found on a compilation somewhere. Good one to have on the iPod, anyway.

Track 20- The groove returns in a zany 60s sort of way. This couldn’t be Tom Jones could it?

Tom Jones - Keep on Runnin'
It could indeed! Aside from the well-known stuff, he did cut some pretty good funky numbers in his heyday.

Track 21- Soul enchantress singing a plaintive 60s gospel like piece. Sounds like Aretha, the same emotive approach, not her though I think?

Patti La Belle and the Blue Belles - He's Gone
One of the Swamp Dogg stable of artists, I believe. Another one that's just a good track to, you know, know.

Track 22- This sounds like the great Jimmy Hughes, but I don’t know this one. Another funky gem. Man what a great voice!

Jimmy Hughes - What Side of the Door
Right again; this is from his very fine album Something Special, which I got hold of and was impressed by after it was discussed recently on YY (not sure which thread, unfortunately).

Track 23- I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper by Flaming Ember. Nice Way to end. Well, I guess technically you didn’t, but the last track I could live without.

Flaming Ember - I'm Not My Brother's Keeper
Yeah, sorry about that. Initially I did, but I can never resist throwing something on to fill up a spare 50 seconds, even if unnecessary and unwanted.

Track 24- Subdued electronic track. Go to sleep now. I don’t know. I don’t want to be nitpicky because this was a fantastic comp.

Mark van Hoen - 1979
And this was it.

Thanks again for this. So much to pursue.

No worries; I'm pleased you enjoyed it so much. A lot of the stuff is from comps - but those records are themselves worth getting hold of. Many can be tracked down on blogs, but if you want to hear more of anything, just let me know.

The truth, the whole truth and all that:

Richard Skelton - Rapture
The Pretty Things - The Sun
Magickal Folk of the Faraway Tree - Here's a Health to All True Lovers
Shadrack Chameleon - Don't Let It Get You Down
Heron - Lord and Master
Judy Henske and Jerry Yester - Charity
The Orange Wedge - From the Womb to the Tomb
The Id - Boil the Kettle, Mother
Bunalimlar - Tas Var Kopek Yok
Gang of Four - History's Bunk
bob hund - Länge Länge
Nayim Alal - Bleida
Satwa - Valsa Dos Cogumelos
Baden Powell and Vinícius de Moraes - Tempo De Amor
Pekka Streng - Auringon Lapsi
Monna Bell y Aldemaro Romero - La Bamba
Amaqawe Omculo - Jabulani Balaleli, Pt 2
Lavern Baker - Bumble Bee
US69 - Yesterday's Folks
Tom Jones - Keep on Runnin'
Patti La Belle and the Blue Belles - He's Gone
Jimmy Hughes - What Side of the Door
Flaming Ember - My Brother's Keeper
Mark van Hoen - 1979

[Moleskin]

OK pop pickers.

This months serving starts off with a fantastic double whammy of Madlib and Madlib as Quasimoto ( trying to trick me eh? ) Not heard Good Morning Sunshine for a while and I've dug out The Unseen as a result. Result!

Track 3 is a sampled track of youngsters goofing off with a pretty annoying comic electronic backing. Interspersed with harmonica for no real reason. No idea who it is. But its not something I desire to have inflicted on me again.

Track 4 this track is like listening to the sound of sucking helium inside Darth Vader's helmet. Sinister half heard vocals with a claustrophobic synth motif. Oddly it changes half way through into some jungle themed asthma convention. It makes me mildly psychopathic listening to it. I like it though. Something to frighten the niece and nephew with when they won't go to bed.

Track 5 Big Beat stadium house. Like Underworld. Goes on for over 7 minutes. Feels longer. Not really my cuppa.

Track 6 a very smart instrumental that start with a descending organ riff and nice bass, very Doorsian thereafter. I like this.

Track 7 which is more than can be said of this which is almost Doors pastiche with a weak female vocal, the actual backing track is OK but its twee in the extreme. Pretty dreadful.

Track 8 its the 1990's again. I'm looking at my shoes and dreaming of East Kilbride, or I have listened to Guy Chadwick. A lot. Having said that its not unpleasant in a dreampoptastic type way.

Track 9 Sisters Of Mercy on Mandrax, whilst Spiggy has a fag sitting on the drum riser engulfed in purple smoke and dry ice. I went out for a fag and fuck me its still on when I came back. Not big or clever.

Track 10 is fuzzed out later period Beatlepop. I like the drumming but the whole thing is derivative and a little dull.

Track 11 interesting lyrics over softcore ambient soundtrack. It sounds a bit like Polygon Window to start with but with American vocal. I like this.

Track 12 is a fairly uninvolving background chill out ditty. Nowt special to these ears I'm afraid.

Track 13 starts off like a rip off of One Time, One Night by Los Lobos but its Justin Townes Earle Which is nice. Ice gospel tinged tune.

So hits and misses with this mix. Its a little overlong in places but I'm interested in learning about track 4, track 6 and track 11.
Cheers mixdude/dudess.

This was from me. Unfortunately the track listing is not to hand so I will post the full details tomorrow, if you can bear the suspense.

[Moleskin]

OK pop pickers.

This months serving starts off with a fantastic double whammy of Madlib and Madlib as Quasimoto ( trying to trick me eh? ) Not heard Good Morning Sunshine for a while and I've dug out The Unseen as a result. Result!

Indeed. At some point I will have to get proper versions of these albums.

1: Madlib - Slim's Return
2: Quasimoto - Goodmorning Sunshine

Track 3 is a sampled track of youngsters goofing off with a pretty annoying comic electronic backing. Interspersed with harmonica for no real reason. No idea who it is. But its not something I desire to have inflicted on me again.

3: The Books - Freezing Cold Nights. I liked the vaguely menacing narration by the boy, myself.

Track 4 this track is like listening to the sound of sucking helium inside Darth Vader's helmet. Sinister half heard vocals with a claustrophobic synth motif. Oddly it changes half way through into some jungle themed asthma convention. It makes me mildly psychopathic listening to it. I like it though. Something to frighten the niece and nephew with when they won't go to bed.

4: Bass Communion vs Muslimgauze - Four. Bass Communion is one of the side projects of Steven Wilson of No-Man and Porcupine Tree in which he dabbles with found sound and tape manipulation. Muslimgauze was "a prolific British ethnic electronica and experimental musician, influenced by conflicts in the Muslim world with an emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Track 5 Big Beat stadium house. Like Underworld. Goes on for over 7 minutes. Feels longer. Not really my cuppa.

5: These New Puritans - We Want War. From Hidden, one of my favourite albums of the year.

Track 6 a very smart instrumental that start with a descending organ riff and nice bass, very Doorsian thereafter. I like this.

6: Electrelane - Film Music. They are an all-girl band based in Brighton. This is from their first album Rocket To The Moon; they put out 4 albums of this kind of thing before going on hiatus a couple of years ago.

Track 7 which is more than can be said of this which is almost Doors pastiche with a weak female vocal, the actual backing track is OK but its twee in the extreme. Pretty dreadful.

7: Broadcast - The Book Lovers. From their Work and Non Work collection.

Track 8 its the 1990's again. I'm looking at my shoes and dreaming of East Kilbride, or I have listened to Guy Chadwick. A lot. Having said that its not unpleasant in a dreampoptastic type way.

8: British Sea Power - The Great Skua, from their album Do You Like Rock Music?. One of the very few interesting British bands of the moment, I think.

Track 9 Sisters Of Mercy on Mandrax, whilst Spiggy has a fag sitting on the drum riser engulfed in purple smoke and dry ice. I went out for a fag and fuck me its still on when I came back. Not big or clever.

9: Moon Duo - Motorcycle I Love You. This is one of the chaps from Wooden Shjips collaborating with his girlfriend.

Track 10 is fuzzed out later period Beatlepop. I like the drumming but the whole thing is derivative and a little dull.

10: Tame Impala - Lucidity. There's a bit of a buzz growing around this Australian psych band.

Track 11 interesting lyrics over softcore ambient soundtrack. It sounds a bit like Polygon Window to start with but with American vocal. I like this.

11: Centrozoon - Ten Versions of America. This is the other half of No-Man, Tim Bowness, singing with a German experimental outfit. They are very keen on the Chapman Stick and other proggy trappings. The EP from which this is taken also has a 'pop' remix of the track.

Track 12 is a fairly uninvolving background chill out ditty. Nowt special to these ears I'm afraid.

12: Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon.

Track 13 starts off like a rip off of One Time, One Night by Los Lobos but its Justin Townes Earle Which is nice. Ice gospel tinged tune.

13: Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues. Indeed, the whole album is pretty great to my ears.

So hits and misses with this mix. Its a little overlong in places but I'm interested in learning about track 4, track 6 and track 11.
Cheers mixdude/dudess.

Here's the full tracklisting:

Madlib - Slim's Return
Quasimoto - Goodmorning Sunshine
The Books - Freezing Cold Nights
Bass Communion vs Muslimgauze - Four
These New Puritans - We Want War
Electrelane - Film Music
Broadcast - The Book Lovers
British Sea Power - The Great Skua
Moon Duo - Motorcycle I Love You
Tame Impala - Lucidity
Centrozoon - Ten Versions of America
Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon
Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues

[Jumper k]

OK pop pickers.

This months serving starts off with a fantastic double whammy of Madlib and Madlib as Quasimoto ( trying to trick me eh? ) Not heard Good Morning Sunshine for a while and I've dug out The Unseen as a result. Result!

Indeed. At some point I will have to get proper versions of these albums.

1: Madlib - Slim's Return
2: Quasimoto - Goodmorning Sunshine

Track 3 is a sampled track of youngsters goofing off with a pretty annoying comic electronic backing. Interspersed with harmonica for no real reason. No idea who it is. But its not something I desire to have inflicted on me again.

3: The Books - Freezing Cold Nights. I liked the vaguely menacing narration by the boy, myself.

Track 4 this track is like listening to the sound of sucking helium inside Darth Vader's helmet. Sinister half heard vocals with a claustrophobic synth motif. Oddly it changes half way through into some jungle themed asthma convention. It makes me mildly psychopathic listening to it. I like it though. Something to frighten the niece and nephew with when they won't go to bed.

4: Bass Communion vs Muslimgauze - Four. Bass Communion is one of the side projects of Steven Wilson of No-Man and Porcupine Tree in which he dabbles with found sound and tape manipulation. Muslimgauze was "a prolific British ethnic electronica and experimental musician, influenced by conflicts in the Muslim world with an emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Track 5 Big Beat stadium house. Like Underworld. Goes on for over 7 minutes. Feels longer. Not really my cuppa.

5: These New Puritans - We Want War. From Hidden, one of my favourite albums of the year.

Track 6 a very smart instrumental that start with a descending organ riff and nice bass, very Doorsian thereafter. I like this.

6: Electrelane - Film Music. They are an all-girl band based in Brighton. This is from their first album Rocket To The Moon; they put out 4 albums of this kind of thing before going on hiatus a couple of years ago.

Track 7 which is more than can be said of this which is almost Doors pastiche with a weak female vocal, the actual backing track is OK but its twee in the extreme. Pretty dreadful.

7: Broadcast - The Book Lovers. From their Work and Non Work collection.

Track 8 its the 1990's again. I'm looking at my shoes and dreaming of East Kilbride, or I have listened to Guy Chadwick. A lot. Having said that its not unpleasant in a dreampoptastic type way.

8: British Sea Power - The Great Skua, from their album Do You Like Rock Music?. One of the very few interesting British bands of the moment, I think.

Track 9 Sisters Of Mercy on Mandrax, whilst Spiggy has a fag sitting on the drum riser engulfed in purple smoke and dry ice. I went out for a fag and fuck me its still on when I came back. Not big or clever.

9: Moon Duo - Motorcycle I Love You. This is one of the chaps from Wooden Shjips collaborating with his girlfriend.

Track 10 is fuzzed out later period Beatlepop. I like the drumming but the whole thing is derivative and a little dull.

10: Tame Impala - Lucidity. There's a bit of a buzz growing around this Australian psych band.

Track 11 interesting lyrics over softcore ambient soundtrack. It sounds a bit like Polygon Window to start with but with American vocal. I like this.

11: Centrozoon - Ten Versions of America. This is the other half of No-Man, Tim Bowness, singing with a German experimental outfit. They are very keen on the Chapman Stick and other proggy trappings. The EP from which this is taken also has a 'pop' remix of the track.

Track 12 is a fairly uninvolving background chill out ditty. Nowt special to these ears I'm afraid.

12: Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon.

Track 13 starts off like a rip off of One Time, One Night by Los Lobos but its Justin Townes Earle Which is nice. Ice gospel tinged tune.

13: Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues. Indeed, the whole album is pretty great to my ears.

So hits and misses with this mix. Its a little overlong in places but I'm interested in learning about track 4, track 6 and track 11.
Cheers mixdude/dudess.

Here's the full tracklisting:

Madlib - Slim's Return
Quasimoto - Goodmorning Sunshine
The Books - Freezing Cold Nights
Bass Communion vs Muslimgauze - Four
These New Puritans - We Want War
Electrelane - Film Music
Broadcast - The Book Lovers
British Sea Power - The Great Skua
Moon Duo - Motorcycle I Love You
Tame Impala - Lucidity
Centrozoon - Ten Versions of America
Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon
Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues

Thanks again. I'm going to invest in the Bass Communion and Centrozoon. I've never listened to British Sea Power, I must say that I'd always thought they might be fey indie so am a little surprised at the overtly shoegazy leitmotif. Is this track represenatative of the rest of their catalogue?