T O P I C R E V I E W |
Carl |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 02:53:39 http://www.tinymixtapes.com/articles/03.04.07_ipod.htm
iPod Random Mix Tape #1 by Gooblar
Oh, the miracles of modern technology. Faced with the spectre of transporting my entire music collection to London for my year here (note the spelling of 'spectre'), I resorted to drastic measures. For a ridiculous sum of money, I invested in an iPod that, with 10 gigabytes of memory, can hold something like 200 albums. The best part of a device that currently contains 2,337 songs is the shuffle feature. Every day, when I'm on the way to school, my new toy creates a random mix tape for me, plucked from the whole library. Let's see how it does with the 60-minute format...
Side 1:
Quasi - "The Star You Left Behind" - Field Studies Church organ, great drum track in the distance, nice and slow, with great fills-- a great slice of dreamy indie pop, with Sam Coomes's considerable melodic talents utilized towards the creation of atmosphere, rather than their usual itchy bounce. Janet's drums are filtered, in the distance, nice and slow, giving her ample space to fill with imaginative fills. Another showcase for the Best Drummer In Rock N' Roll. As an opening track, it works as an introduction--not as a kick-ass grabber.
The Pixies - "Ed is Dead" - Come on Pilgrim Abrasive, keeping with the indie rock theme. It's not among my favorite Pixies songs, but it's actually a pretty conventional song for Francis, tempered with trademark screaming guitar notes and unsettling Kim harmonies.
The Velvet Underground - "Jesus" - The Velvet Underground It's always so weird to hear Lou singing to Jesus. This is a beautiful song, though, and his voice is really sweet. Great harmonies on the chorus. Is it me, or does the song go up a half step every verse? I never noticed that before.. This one's a good link from previous song, what with Black Francis wanting to "be a singer like Lou Reed".
Patsy Cline - "Leavin' On Your Mind" - 12 Greatest Hits This may be my favorite Patsy track. The melody sounds like Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood"...She bends the notes up to the melody. Plunk plunk bassline, tinkling piano, swelling strings, really obvious vocal overdub at the start of the last verse. Great, dramatic ending.
The Flaming Lips - "Suddenly Everything Has Changed" - The Soft Bulletin Mind-blowing--everyday life (vegetables) interrupted by some great, serious epiphany (heavy dreamy interlude). The second verse has a swing beat, almost country. Cool throat-clearing sounds. One of my favorites on an album full of favorites.
The Pixies - "Vamos" - Come on Pilgrim The beauty of the truly random shuffle--two pixies songs in 6 tracks (would've been cool if we'd gotten both Vamoses). This is a more primitive version, but basically the same arrangement as SR version. My favorite part of this song is those goddamn unrelenting drums. They just keep on pounding--"oom-pa, oom-pa, oom-pa." Your mama's a British bitch? A pretty thing?
Grandaddy - "Sikh in a Baja VW Bug" - The Broken Down Comforter Collection Should Sikhs be offended by this song? Should I be offended by this song? Grandaddy at their most willfully eccentric. Undeniably catchy...one of those songs that you pay no mind to when you're listening to the actual album, but will creep into your consciousness 3 weeks later and drive you out of your fucking mind.
The Beatles - "What Goes On" - Rubber Soul I sort of swore off the Beatles for a year, in the hopes that when I'd go back to them, they'd excite me again; that resolution's not really holding. I'm very happy, though, that we got a Ringo track. Tons of Harrison guitar here, almost rockabilly. Chirping guitar during the verse. Perhaps a showcase for the two overlooked Beatles?
Radiohead - "Morning Bell" - Kid A So so glad we got this version and not the clearly inferior Amnesiac version. If not for "Idioteque," this would be my favorite track on the album. Perfect production. Soaring Yorke. Bubbling bassline. took me about a year to figure out what the lyrics are about (the key was understanding that he's saying "cut the kids in half").
Side 2:
Chris Stamey - "The Summer Sun" - DIY: American Power Pop 1: Come out and Play (comp) Great slice of eccentric pop from the early eighties. Good side opener because he starts the song with an "aah", as if he just had a satisfying sip of Dr. Pepper. The lyrics are absolute nonsense.
The Modern Lovers - "Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers 1-2-3-4-5-6. most recognizable opening in rock and roll? It's an all-time classic. The perfect expression of Richman's fascination with suburban America, driving, the radio, and the 50's. We actually studied this song in a pop culture class I took some years ago. 2 chords, synth solo! We actually have a Stop n' Shop in my home town now. I always get this song in my head after I cruise past it.
D'Angelo - "Left & Right" - Voodoo With the great rap from Meth and Redman -absolutely filthy. Meth starts with "Who got the biggest ass in the house?" D keepin' it real, under the 5 minute mark (a real accomplishment for him-the album's like 80 minutes long). Meth outshines Redman and D'Angelo. D: "I'll rub your back, and fulfill your needs" MM: "I fucked Brown Sugar behind the fiberglass window" "You ain't skeezin'? You dick teasin? I'm leavin!"
Billy Bragg and Wilco - "Eisler on the Go" - Mermaid Avenue I This is a great transition. From Method Man to a whiny Billy Bragg. One of my least favorites on this album...just depressing. Do we assume that Billy and Jeff sing the ones they wrote? first real dud on the tape, if you ask me.
Wilco - "What's the World Got in Store" - Being There Tweedy comes to rescue us from Billy Bragg, whom he seems to have had enough of. I like this track: "I just know you need your rest, but I can't say what's best for yoooou"--sounds like Summerteeth on that harmony there. maybe the most "Summerteethy" on Being There.
The Paybacks - "Black Girl" - Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit (comp) If Jack White jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you jump too? If Jack White threw a party, and nobody came, would I know who the Paybacks are? Garage rock in its most idealized nugget form. This is one of the standouts of the Sympathetic Sounds comp.
The Avalanches - "Pablo's Cruise" - Since I Left You The interlude, which is 0:52. Nice and quick. Better go into something good...
The White Stripes - "Red Death at 6:14" - Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit (comp) Raw...Jack and Meg White let loose. Wondering if something this unpolished will get on any future albums. Great coughs to go with the flaming lips above (now all we need is Sloan's "she says what she means" (Hey Mr. P., what about a mix-tape full of songs with coughs in them?)). Whoo.
Pavement - "Two States" - Slanted and Enchanted Standout track on an album full of them (wait, have I said that already?). Spiral stairs. considerably quieter mastering than previous tracks--indie records have come a long way in technology in 10 years (note: this is not from the re-mastered reissue). Regardless, "40 Million Daggers!" is louder than bombs.
A Tribe Called Quest - "Oh My God" - Midnight Marauders And of course, the hip-hop closer. Just classic bassline that's used by many many artists (just don't ask me which). "used to have a crush on Dawn from En Vogue" "Shahid push the fader from here to Granada" Oh My Gawd, yes, Oh My Gawd gives birth to Old Dirty Bastard's whole career. |
3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Carl |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 19:52:59 quote: Originally posted by chineselover
Carl, I'm not sure i get this?
It's a guy doing a review of the random mix on his iPod, Ed Is Dead and Vamos (COP version) are on there, plus he mentions Black Francis in his little summary of The Velvet Underground's Jesus!
pas de dutchie! |
billgoodman |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 19:18:34 I hope you fuckin' paid for those songs!
--------------------------- God save the Noisies |
chineselover |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 08:06:48 Carl, I'm not sure i get this? |
|
|