Weekly Mix #83

Sometimes I feel that the more I make these mixes the less known the songs are but then I'll look back at the list and feel like I've heard each song a million times. This mix has a section that gets into some sould real and otherwise but that's really the only neat transition . . . well the last two songs work really well together but if you have any heartbeat you'll be a slobbering mess after listening to them.

1. Rope by Foo Fighters
Keeping the hopes and dreams of Rock alive after a longer stretch of success than I would have ever though.
2. Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin
I never think of this as one my favorite Zep songs but it always satisfies, always gets me feeling good.
3. Impressed by Charlie Sexton
This was a minor hit back in 1985. He had big hair and the video was very 80s

4. Punching In a Dream by Naked and Famous
the best music I've heard from New Zealand since . . . Crowded House?
5. California by EMA
"Fuck California, you made me boring" EMA laying it down like a punk but sounding like a performance artist. There aren't too many anti California songs out there but this number fills that void for 2011.

6. Come Undone by Duran Duran
One of my favorite DD songs.
7. Two Against One  by Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
Jack White sings the vocals on this song, I think it's from the TV series Rome
8. My Body by Young the Giant
It's a sing along and sing alongs are very dangerous ans subversive as is dance music! Think about what dance music gets people to do.
9. Angela Surf City by The Walkmen
I always want The Walkmen to be better than they are but they haven't done better than The Rat. This song is pretty enjoyable in it's surf type feel.

10.Surfin' U.S.A. by The Beach Boys
Groovy song from 1963, a song that creates something that doesn't really exist anywhere but in our imagination.
11.Taken for a Fool by The Strokes
I though this new album would be great but it was sort of flat. This is one of the high lights however.
12.Come Closer by Miles Kane
This song sounds like Beady Eye but it's not. So it's catchy Brit pop sounding stuff.
13.Gloria by Mando Diao
Damn this song is good! Scandinavia out performs America again. It may ll be show tunes but the passion behind this song is powerful sounding. It's got a great slick video too!
14.Sinister Kid by The Black Keys
They got opne speed and that's soulful funk without soul of funkiness, impressive.
15.Respect by Otis Redding
The original before Aretha Franklyn got her hands on it and made it huge. Otis' version is more brassy and funky and just as enjoyable.

16.Old Tyme Religion by Hugo
Is this song a joke? It sounds like it might be with it's modern take on low-fi soul
17.Even Flow by Pearl Jam
Happy 20 years guys. Eddy belts it like nobody's business even if back then everybody wanted his business.

18.New Direction by Black Lips
There was a buzz about this band that never triumphed above that murmer
19.The No No Song by The Sounds
So catchy and so cool. I always wonder why these guys never had a monster hit.
20. Goodbye, Dear Friend by Deer tick
Really this song should only be listened to if you want to be depressed, if the mood is dark and you can take it. It makes me want to cry in no good way.
21.Bridge Over troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
On the other side of tears this will give you hope if you were feeling lost after that list track.

Weekly Mix #81

On this mix I got a little retro blues stretch going which can either be really enjoyable or really dull depending where you are and what you are doing.  There are new songs and old song, there's music from Scotland, Australia, Spain, New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada so you can enjoy some "world" music.

Mix # 81 from Solidpants on 8tracks.

1. Party Poison by My Chemical Romance
If anything it seemed like the right song to start the mix off with
2. I Want You Back by Hoodoo Gurus

What good song that has been lost in time because they were Australian. This isn't even my favorite song by them as Miss Freelove '69 is a little more fun.

3.There Is a Light That Never Goes out by Dum Dum Girls

The gall to cover the smiths! Dum Dum Girls do a great job o joke, they maintain that nice melody and never seem to get worked up about it. Which way us better to be hit by a double decker bus or a ten ton truck?

4. Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine

There are people believe modern rock started and ended with their album Loveless, I'm not one of them. I get it, I do, the fuzzy guitars and layers and all that is great.

5. When I'm With You by Best Coast
This song grew on me slowly but when I heard this iTunes studio version I was smitten by it! Granted it is an indie rock piece of ear candy but when I hear it I always hear a Phil Spector girl group. I shoved this song down my friend's throats for two weeks trying to make them submit and love the song the way I do. Who cares if they're hipsters?

6. The Roller by Beady Eye

What is it that lacks from this music, is it Noel Gallagher?

7. Around My Head by Cage the Elephant
I heard this song and suddenly it was clear that bands were still being influenced by the Pixies. Think Dig For Fire.
8. Ana by The Pixies

This is one of my favorite Pixies songs even if it is about an alien. Without the Pixies there would be no Nirvana as we know it.

9. Tambourine Girl by Ringo Deathstarr

Is their name awesome of awful? The song isn't bad between guitar surges, there's actually a catchy tune here. It has a certain 80s underground vibe a band that I can't quite recall.

10.April Skies by The Jesus & Mary Chain

There are people who are so crazy for this band it's funny. I like them and do understand that their influence reaches beyond the bands who don't know they're copying them. Scottish rock doesn't get much better, or does it?

11.Young Blood by Naked and Famous

This is what the US gets from New Zealand in the way of music. I like them but I couldn't tell you why.

12.Stick w/Me Kid by The Dears

Do I really wish this band was as big as they deserve to be? They sound like they shold have hits but it just never happened, did it? Oh, Canada!

13. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine by The White Stripes

Let's get electric bluesy and such

14.Wail by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

A band that I assume influenced Jack and Meg. They always seemed to never quite live up to what I expected from them but this song is alright.

15.Stray Cat Strut by The Stray Cats
"Gettin' my dinner from a garbage can" Brian Stetzer has come years since this 1982 song even though you wouldn't always know it. In comparison to all the New Wave that was going on this song was a blast of sort of sweatiness that seemed far more genuine despite the reality of it. After all The Stray Cats were a retro rock band.
16.Boogie de la Muerte by Guadalupe Plata

Spanish retro rock in the rockabilly style sounds just as good as when the Americans were doing it in the fifties and again in the eighties. I'll say this for them, they seem to be having more fun than anybody else.

17.She's Long Gone by The Black Keyes
It all fits together if you hear these songs back to back. These guys get real into a groovy sound here but man do the rip off the White Stripes  Ball and Biscuit.
18. Runaway by Del Shannon

Is this the real deal? He was a man of a good voice RIP Del.

19.We Are Everlasting by Standing Shadows

Alright, we're back with some 2011music that frankly is not that great.

20.Baby's Arms by Kurt Vile
A dreamy little sweet song for the lovers.
21.House of Pain by Van Halen
I was so down with this song for like a three week period that I drove myself crazy. This bad boy is from the bands last album, 1984. Hagar does not count! By the way this starts another linear part of the mix, are you smart enough to get it?
22.Superhuman by Velvet Revolver

Abrasive at first and then it gets going into the mind of Scott Weiland. So are they still a band or what?

23.Cocaine Chest Pain by Kopek
I heard this song and thought the band would be awesome but they were not, this was the best they had to offer on this album. They're named after a breed of dog, so that's cool.

Weekly Mix #77

This is a good one so listen up. 25 songs! Wowzah! Some of the bands are very similar to the ones from the last mix but that's because some of the bands released some good records. 2010 seems to be a better year for music now. Weird, I wonder if I'll think the same thing about 2011 which has been shite for the most part.

1. Howlin' for You by The Black Keys

I think this is my favorite Black Keys song; it's got a good groove with some blues.

2. Heart In A Cage by The Strokes

It's a good one. Not the New York band's best but it still goes the distance.

3. Haunting at 1300 McKinley by The Black Angels

Kind of spooky with good guitars and echoing vocals; it's what the band does best in their 1960s sound quest.

4. People Are Strange by The Doors

Speaking of the 1960s here's the real deal. Morrison delivers some of his coolest lyrics in this little ditty.

5. Summertime by Sex Bob-Omb

More pseudo garage rock from Scott Pilgrim and Beck

6. E nessuno si fara'delmale by Calibro

Instrumentals can be cool but barely get this funky

7. She Said Yeah by The Rolling Stones

Little rock songs that click like this are rare.

8. Caress by The Brian Jonestown Masacre

Some bands want to be the stones real bad

9. Endlessly by Duffy

Some people need the 1960s to have a career even though they weren't born until the 1980s

10.It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones

People are still trying to copy this sound today. Can you beat the real sex bomb?

11.Bring On The Dancing Horses by Echo & The Bunnymen

This is one f the best songs of it's era, morose, bizarre lyrically and big hair. The video is very 80s as well.

12.Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

Too sad, too much, too much. This song would be aweosme if I was a 12 year old girl.

13.Agents of Love by Wolf Parade

I don't know too much about these guys but the couple songs I know I like

14.Dr. Feelgood by Mötley Crüe

This one rocks so loud and goes out to my friend Jason wherever he is!

15.Don't Ask by Blood Red Shoes

Agressive indie rock. Good vocal and sound, right on! But then I saw their picture and I got kinda' unsure.

16.Don't Forget About Me by John Mellencamp

More awesome roots rock by the Indiana boy

17.Freeze to Me Mama by Koerner, Ray and Glover

This is a song I was introduced to by Pandora, thank you for this little country, folk, blue grass number; it's cool.

18.That's Some Dream by Good Old War

It's sung happily but it isn't really that chipper.

19.Paris 2004 by Peter, Bjorn and John

I was in Paris in 2004; I did not share the same experience.

20.Flowers On The Wall by The Statler brothers

You may recognize this number from Pulp Fiction

21.Sheena Is A Punk Rocker by The Ramones

This is the best Ramones song and if you disagree you can go to hell

22.We Don't Need Another Song About California by My Chemical Romance

Actually we do need another song about California.

23.Life In The Fast Lane by The Eagles

Here's a band from California if not the  band from California. Every day, all the time. I am not the first nor shall I be the last to fall under the spell of Hotel California.

24.Boyfriend by Best Coast

This band grows on me every time I listen to them . . . they're from California

25.My Sweet Lord by George Harrison
This song makes me emotional, sot of makes me feel loved in some weird spiritual way I can't explain well.

Weekly Mix #76

What can I say about this 2010 mix that features many solo artists and few current big hits? I just don't know. There's really no theme here though some of the songs are paired for perspective like  No Better Than This and Rock Around The Clock. Others are used as examples of what is and what shall never be.

Enjoy!


1. Civil War by Guns N' Roses

There are times when this is their best song ever.

2. Fever Dreaming by No Age
It's a little abrasive rocker of a song
3. It Is Happening Again by Blood Red  Shoes
The vocals remind me of early indie rock chicks
4. Bubblegum by Clinic

Modern psychedelic grooves by the faceless Clinic

5. Tales Of Brave Ulysses by Cream

This is old psychedelic music. This is the original power trio. This is Eric Claptan before solo works. This a sample of great Britsh drumming by ginger Baker.

 6. Never Gonna Give you Up by The Black Keys
The Ohio dudes slow it down and get down to a dreamy and soulful song of yearning and heartbreak
7. Respect by Aretha Franklin
Otis Redding did it first but the queen of soul perfected it by teaching the world how to spell it.
8. I'm The Man by Joe Jackson
There's more to him than Stepping Out
9. Where's My Sex? by Weezer
Not one of their finest but it's sort of funny
10.Black Sheep by Metric 
Indie rock that sounds bigger than it could ever possibly be. More music from the Scott Pilgrim movie
11.Brand New Key by Melanie
A fun little ditty from 1969 or if you prefer it was on the Boogie Nights Soundtrack
12.Hey Boy by Mark Ronson
Getting down to the light danceable beats of the producer as artist.
13.Well, Well, Well by Duffy
Her second album wasn't as good as the first but as far as modern, British , soul singers go I think this is still better than Adele.
14.Young Men Dead by The Black Angels
Shamefully I learned about this song while watching a video game commercial.
15.Only You by Portishead
This song! It is like a person you carry a torch for years after the relationship was over; it's up there with some of the most wrenching pop songs I can think of. I suppose it's there best song.
16.Games Without Frontiers by Peter Gabriel
If you like a little French in your pop music this song with make you happy!
17.Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets
We are going way back now to 1956 when all this rock n' roll actually meant something more than what it does now.
18.No Better Than This by John Mellencamp
You are a good man John Mellencamp and I applaud your roots rock!
19.Tatooine by John Messersmith
A song about a fictional place from the Star Wars saga. It's actually not so much about light sabers and tie fighters as it is about choosing ones path and wanting something more. It's a lovely little song and definitely one of my favorites from 2010
20.Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
One song about the desert deserves another. For many years this was my favorite Led Zeppelin song; it's epic and powerful just like the band it's self.

Weekly Mix#75

Black: Ryder, Keys, Flag and Angels all represented. The Black Crows were not invited. This is a moody mix that begins as savagely as it begins. Several bands appear that will most likely ever appear again like O. Children, The Heavy and Elf Power so enjoy these songs if you can.

1. Chainsaw by The Ramones

Some people never got over the Ramones and what they did to music. I'm too young for that so I just always thought they were funny but cool.

2. The Return of Jackie and Judy by Tom Waits
If you ever wanted to know what Tom Waits' version of punk would be, this is it.
3. Threshold by Sex Bob-Omb
More Beck penned garage rock for the Scott Pilgrim movie
4. TV Party by Black Flag

Yup, that's Henry Rollins back when he was an LA punk.

5.  Angel Dance by Robert Plant
He's old but he's still doing music well
6. Right Behind Me by John Mellencamp
Songs about the devil are always interesting. This one was recorded in the same room of the Gunter Hotel that Robert Johnson recorded in. Neat.  
7. Deep Water by Portishead

This is not normal Portishead. Ukelele in their work has not been heard before and they still make me uncomfortable.

8. Ruins by O.Children
Modern Goth music
9. Cut You up by Peter Murphy
Goth music from the 80s. Former Bauhaus singer goes a little pop

10.Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is one of the bands stupidest songs but it was a hit in that mid tempo way
11.Bad Vibrations by The Black Angels
Modern psychedelic rock
12.Next Girl by The Black Keys

Dirty, white R&B = huge $$$

13.Birthday by Sugarcubes

This is one of the strangest, most wonderful sounding songs. Before she went solo, Björk was in this band making weirdly awesome music.

14.Shame On The Moon by Bob Seger

One of Seger's forgotten gems, a little sentimental but good.

15.Oh No! Not You Again! by The Heavy
This is an abrasive rock joint
16.Sweet Come Down by The Black Ryder

Modern old timey sounding cowboy camp fire song from a tin box

17.Stranger and Stranger by Elf Power

It's a nice big California sounding song

18.Billionaire by travie McCoy (feat. Bruno Mars)
I agree it would be nice to be this well off. This song however is not so awesome.
19. Junkies Prayer by Fishbone
Not so much a song as it is spoken word. Fishbone, the one time ska party band followed some of the tone of Truth and Soul to remain serious on their album, The Reality of My Surroundings which was a very socially aware effort. This is a creepy piece that can only be followed with . . .

20.Heroin by The Velvet Underground

I don't know what it's like to be a heroin addict but I'm going to trust Lou Reed and the band on this. It is a sonically beautiful mess of sadness

21.My Wild Love by The Doors
Hypnotic and haunted, The Doors keep the mood consistent.
22.Worm Tamer by Grinderman
Nick Cave goes hard and raw in this tale of  . . . I'm not quite sure.

Weekly Mix #74

If I had thought harder about this mix there would be an REM song and the Replacements song would have been Left of The Dial. Another time perhaps. This is groovy 2010 mix with a whopping 24 songs!
Enjoy.


1. We Are Sex Bob-Omb by Sex Bob-Omb

Written by Beck for the Scott Pilgrim movie it is what garage rock should be, short, loud and fun!

2. Shout At The Devil y Mötley Crüe

The crew rocked the 80s like nobody else. Were they a good band? No they were a horrible band but they rocked and somehow they still tour and play to thousands.

3. I'm So Sad, So Very Very Sad by Crash and the Boys

Also from the Scott Pilgrim movie, this one is 13 seconds long and embraces the humor of Rock!

4. Black Rain by Soundgarden

I don't know if this is a new song or an old song or what but it's not bad and it's loud.

5. Quiet Kid by Dead Confederite

Not too big of a fan of this band but tune is grungy modern

6. The Sun Ain't Gonna' Shine Anymore by The Walker Brothers

How deep is your wall of sound? This is a great heartbreak song as it's sweeping and maudlin. The sixties had some amazing music that wasn't by The Beatles.

7. Hot Child In The City by Nick Gilder

Statutory rape? Nah! I don't know, maybe she just looks young, she said she was eighteen. The seventies were a groovy place where you could get away with more creepiness.

8. Tighten Up by The Black Keys

I suppose this is a good example of rock in 2010. I mean it's more white R&B than anything else but 2010 didn't rock so loud, did it?

9. I Don't Believe You by The Thermals
Indie Rock . . . sometimes you are a great thing and sometimes you are just like everybody else. These dudes are from Portland OR.
10.East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed

Theme from Smokey and the Bandit. It's a stupidly awesome song

11.It's Getting Boring By the Sea by Blood Red Shoes

Can you tell that I loved the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack? Here's more music that I totally dug!

12.What Is Life by George Harrison
A Phil Specter masterpiece! This is just a great sounding song from Mr. Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. Love it!
13.Razors by Vermillion Sands

Remember what I said about I Don't Believe You? Well the same applies for these guys.

14.Snobby Little Elf by Morningwood

Well produced Indie Rock is still Indie Rock, especially when it's from New York.

15.All Nigh Long by Buckcherry

More sex songs by the most tattooed band on this mix

16.That's All Right by Elvis Presley

All hail the king! This is a simple ditty but it's so good!

17.Romeo Had Juliette by Lou Reed

Maybe the last good music Lou put out was from his 1989 album, New York.

18.Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

Knowing anything about Bryan Wilson is depressing and sad which is why this song isn't a nice as it should be.

19.Memories by Weezer

They got big on this song, such a large sound for them.

20.Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) by My Chemical Romance

If you know me or you read this blog you know this was my favorite song from 2010, raise your fists and sing along!

21.Creep by Scala And Kolacny Brothers

You may have heard this in the trailer for The Social Network.

22.Nothin' But a Good Time by Poison

Working dudes everywhere partied to this song while I was still in high school thinking it was all stupid. Kind of still do. I'll say it again My Chemical Romance are current incarnation of Poison.

23. I'll Be You by The Replacement

Critical darlings from Minneapolis! This was what Indie bands in the eighties turned into once signed. This was from the album Don't tell A Soul and supposed to be their big cross over album so they could be bigger than R.E.M.

24.Tell Me Why by M.I.A.
She has more than Paper Planes though nothing is quite that good.