Cover image by Andrew®
December 09 Music Mix Notes
Hi, hello and welcome to December’s Music Mix – the hardest mix I have put together so far. It is, of course, a labour of love and I do get a lot of pleasure out of not only listening to the mix but also reading the many and varied comments from my friends here on MFTM – long may it continue. Also, please remember to respect copyright law; if you like a song from the mix, there’s a very good chance you will also like the album – so do me and the artist a favour and buy the CD.
Secret Machine – First Wave Intact
This is one of those songs that literally stopped me in my tracks. One day while browsing in my local record shop in City Centre, Doha this track came on loud and proud over the shop speakers. To say I was gobsmacked is an understatement – first thing the song is great, secondly this shop normally play the latest albums by Britney et al. or some young Lebanese starlet (Sin Again will know what I’m talking about) that doesn’t do much for my ears. Needless to say I bought the album and I think it starts the mix off on rather a high note. The rest of the album is in the same vein with some good songs and some OK songs. The follow up is just as good but the Curtis brothers seem to have lost their way recently which is a shame.
Them Crooked Vultures – Scumbag Blues
What can I say? Album of the month, probably album of the year (or ‘The Incident’) maybe even album of the decade!!!! It’s really that good – I probably could have had the entire album as this month’s music mix. This song just zooms along, love the organ love the groove, not bad for 2 geezers and an old git.
Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
Another one with the groove and mixes so well with Scumbag Blues especially the bass at the introduction. Such a great band with David Byrne who leads so well – he must be one of the most under-rated and important front men of the past 20 years.
Manning – Lost in Play
This was actually a free download from Guy Manning’s website and I have been meaning to buy the album (Songs from the Bilston House) but never got round to it – will do now as this is such a great song. Amazing flute weaving in and out of the song with great soloing and interaction with guitar and keyboard.
Kings of Leon – Molly Chambers
From their debut album ‘Youth & Young Manhood’ this is the song that first made me listen to them and although their follow up albums have all been well received, especially their latest ‘Only by the Night’, this is still my favourite album and track. This song has everything I like about music and all in 2 minutes 16 seconds – great intro, great subject matter, good lyrics and a great chorus – what more do you want?
North Mississippi Allstars – Po Black Maddie
Allstars’ first release, Shake Hands With Shorty, was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” and this track is one of several I could have selected for my mix as the album is so good and so full of songs to groove to. Just the love the slide guitar solo.
Colour Haze – Silent
Recommended to us by my good friend Spacepig; Colour Haze is a stoner/psychedelic rock group from Munich, Germany that simply make amazing music. This track is from their latest album ‘All‘ which is I feel is their best, but the only way to listen to these guys is to put all their albums on shuffle and just immerse yourself into their wonderful wall of sound.
Radiohead – Blow Out
This is apparently Jonny’s Greenwood’s favourite Pablo Honey track and the band’s closing song of choice for many of the early shows, “Blow Out” is one of Thom’s more personal songs about low self-esteem – and he has quite a range of songs to select. Great lyrics though.
“In my mind and nailed into my heels.
All the time killing what I feel.
And everything I touch
[All wrapped up in cotton wool]
[All wrapped up and sugar coated]
turns to stone.And everything I touch
[All wrapped up in cotton wool]
[All wrapped up and sugar coated]
turns stone.I am fused just in case I blow out.
I am glued just because I crack out”
My Morning Jacket – Wordless Chorus
You have to love a song with lyrics like:
“A carton of eggs think
It’s all worthwhile
Tell me spirit – what has not been done?”
One of my favourite songs by My Morning Jacket – will also remind me of a trip to Amsterdam (pub crawl really) with my youngest pup. The beat in the beginning just grabs you, and then when the words come, you just gotta sit and listen. Plus I do like a simple chorus “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh oooooooooh aahhhh ooooooooooooooooooooooo”
These guys surely are “the innovators”
Otis Redding – Ole Man Trouble
What’s there to say about this song? Just listen and wait for the magic of Otis to hit you. Great way to start my chill out part of the mix.
Augustus Pablo – Brown Jim
And talking of ‘chilled out’ it don’t get much chiller than this. Augustus Pablo is better known as Horace Swaby a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and keyboardist who sadly died in 1999. Active from the 1970s onwards, he was known for his devotion to the spiritual Rastafarian movement and for his use of the melodica (an instrument used primarily to teach children music in the Jamaican public schools) in reggae music.
Talk Talk – Eden
Phil Brown, the engineer on this song has said “It was very, very psychedelic. We had candles and oil wheels, strobes going, sometimes just total darkness in the studio. You’d get totally disorientated, no daylight, no time frame”. This, I believe is reflected in the feel of the song – quite timeless with lots of space and silence. Just amazing – the album (The Spirit of Eden) is also a classic with Andy Gill recently writing:
“Spirit of Eden has not dated; it’s remarkable how contemporary it sounds, anticipating post-rock, The Verve and Radiohead. It’s the sound of an artist being given the keys to the kingdom and returning with art.”
Nightmares on Wax – Les Nuits
This song has been in every first draft of every music mix since August but somehow missed the final cut as it didn’t quite fit into the chill section of that particular mix. This month it stays. The opening track from their 1999 album ‘Carboot Soul’ – it only reached number 71 in the UK but received huge critical acclaim and is just perfect chill out music.
The Album Leaf – Thule
The Album Leaf is an American musical project centred around Jimmy LaValle, a multi-instrumentalist from California who brought in most of the members of Sigur Rós to play on his 2004 album ‘In a Safe Place’. You can hear their influence in the dreamy atmospheric melody that drifts along at a lovely pace mmm nice – are you still awake?
Tricky – Overcome
I can remember buying one of Tricky’s later albums ‘Blow Out‘ mainly cos it has one of the sexiest covers I had ever seen (sic) – but it also contains some great tunes and made me explore his music more. This led me to ‘Maxinquaye’ which reached number 3 in the UK charts and was nominated for the Mercury Prize and voted Album of the Year by NME Magazine (my God, what happened to NME?). The album is his best work and a fine example of trip-hop, featuring the silky vocals of Martina Topley-Bird. The album is dedicated to his mother, Maxine Quaye, who committed suicide when he was he a young boy.
DJ Shadow – Building Steam with a Grain of Salt
One of the weirder song titles in my mix but also one of the best songs. DJ Shadow (aka Joshua Davis) is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter who is sample-crazy – in fact the album ‘Endtroducing’ is structured completely out of sampled elements, including hip hop, jazz, funk, psychedelia, old television shows, interviews and percussion tracks. The song mixes well here with Tricky and other tracks and I feel it has almost a ‘prog rock’ feel in the way that it develops, building layers into layers– it even has a drum solo (of sorts).
Them Crooked Vultures – Gunman
End of chill-out and back to heavier things with the 2 geezers and an old git in fine form again with Gunman. As I mention in my review of this album (see this month’s Album of the Month), Josh Homme has really raised his game here and I believe peaked but it’s the rhythm section again that, for me, steals the show.
Alex Lifeson – Don’t Care
Very dark, very dangerous, very unlike anything you will hear on a Rush album but it just shows the talent of the guy. I particularly like the vocals of Edwin, a Canadian alternative rock singer and solo artist from Toronto, and former lead vocalist for I Mother Earth.
The lyrics are also not what I imagine Geddy singing or Neil Peart writing:
“I’ll come to you from behind
You know my touch will not be kind
You’ll feel my loveless power bind
No feelings here that you can find
Between your legs I will lay
On your back you better stay
I’m gonna fuck you night and day
Do it hard- make me pay
Do it hard- make me pay
Do it hard- make me pay
Do it hard- make me pay
Do it hard”
The New Pornographers – All the Old Showstoppers
Recommended by my one of my pups and who am I to argue when the result is as good as this. Great song from a great album from another Canadian artist (what’s in the water over there?) and just sounds so good as part of my mix.
Supertramp – Give a Little Bit
Just couldn’t decide whether to have this song or Floyd to end December’s music mix.. so… I had both, well it is my website you know. Another great song that works well here – I do love it when one song ends and the next one kicks in and sounds as good as the last two songs do together.
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
What can be said about this song? Nothing much except classic, classic, classic.
I suppose I could add that I do wish you were here in sunny Qatar at the moment as the sun is shining, it’s a gorgeous 25 degrees outside, not a cloud in the sky, the whole country’s on holiday and we’re off to the beach for my pups to go wind-surfing – so yes, I do wish you were here as you would be more than welcome to join us.
Don’t forget – if you like a song on the Mix, let me know, I’d love your feedback.
The Music Mix 05 [a 145 mb zip file] will be available for one month from today – until midnight on 31 December 2009.
Please support the artists – if you like a track, buy the album!
Music for the Month ~ Music Mix 05 ~ December 2009
| # | Track | Length | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Wave Intact | 9:00 | Secret Machines | Now Here Is Nowhere |
| 2 | Scumbag Blues | 4:26 | Them Crooked Vultures | Them Crooked Vultures |
| 3 | Psycho Killer | 4:21 | Talking Heads | The Best of Talking Heads |
| 4 | Lost in Play | 7:09 | Mannig | Songs From The Bilston House |
| 5 | Molly's Chambers | 2:15 | Kings of Leon | Youth and Young Manhood |
| 6 | Po Black Maddie | 4:32 | North Mississippi Allstars | Shake Hands With Shorty |
| 7 | Silent | 7:21 | Colour Haze | All |
| 8 | Blow Out | 4:41 | Radiohead | Pablo Honey |
| 9 | Wordless Chorus | 4:12 | My Morning Jacket | Z |
| 10 | Ole Man Trouble | 2:38 | Otis Redding | Otis Blue |
| 11 | Brown Jim | 3:15 | Augustus Pablo | El Rocker's |
| 12 | Eden | 6:34 | Talk Talk | Spirit of Eden |
| 13 | Les Nuits | 6:20 | Nightmares on Wax | Carboot Soul |
| 14 | Thule | 3:04 | The Album Leaf | In A Safe Place |
| 15 | Overcome | 4:30 | Tricky | Maxinquaye |
| 16 | Building Steam with a Grain of Salt | 6:40 | DJ Shadow | Endtroducing..... |
| 17 | Gunman | 4:46 | Them Crooked Vultures | Them Crooked Vultures |
| 18 | Don't Care | 4:05 | Alex Lifeson | Victor |
| 19 | All The Old Showstoppers | 4:08 | The New Pornographers | Challengers |
| 20 | Give A Little Bit | 4:08 | Supertramp | Retrospectacle |
| 21 | Wish You Were Here | 5:40 | Pink Floyd | Wish You Were Here |
Haven’t listened to it yet Mr Dog, but it looks like the best yet, well done!
* waves at Spacepig * – lovely to see you back! I can imagine it’s hellishly busy at work at the moment (I’m contributing to your busyness as we speak, I’m afraid!) but I’m intrigued at a band/artist called Howlin Rain and Seasick Steve so am off to see if I can find some samples.
Am also debating whether or not to write a guest post in Mr Dog’s absence – he’s just had emergency surgery (but is fine!) so won’t be around for a few days
Hi Liefste zus
First off, send my best wishes to Mr Dog, hope to see him back soon and that all is OK with him.
And yes, go on , give us a guest spot, we need more input.
So, yes, it is getting a little bit busy at work just now but that’s OK. The way things are in Ireland at the moment, any job, as long as it’s secure is a good job. The employment situation here at the moment isn’t very good, but luckily, Mrs Spacepig and myself both have good, secure jobs so we are riding the storm easily enough.
I am quite sure as well that your shopping in our store is not affecting me at all. I only really get involved when things go horribly wrong for either the company or the customer and 99.99% of the time that doesn’t happen. Unfortunately, 0.01% multiplied by a hundred million is still quite a lot of the time.
Onto the music – surprised you don’t know Seasick Steve, he’s quite big just now here and in the UK. Lately he’s become a bit commercialised for me, but the one I have chosen is still when he was a blues/boogie man. Man I just love The Blues!!!!
Howlin Rain maybe are a bit more obscure. I am sure that if The Happy Hound doesn’t know them then he will know Comets On Fire. More or less the same band. Very strange band, one minute they are all out punk/garage sound then before you know it, they’re chilled/psychedlic. Some great songwriting as well. Try this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxMVHiIkFWM
And for Seasick Steve, here’s a good suggestion (well I think so anyway)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUzmZvwMNsw
Enjoy the journey.
Just an afterthought! Shouldn’t this conversation be in the Discussion page? I think we’ve got lost!
Thanks for those links Spacepig – I think they both take more than one listen so I’ll come back tomorrow and give them another go.
Don’t worry about being “off topic” here! I was going to write a guest post but it feels a bit like breaking and entering or snooping in someone’s bathroom cabinet when you’re over there for dinner so I won’t until I’ve okayed it with the Dog. But I’ll pass on your good wishes to him when I ring tomorrow. Apparently he’s still in hospital but they’re hoping that he’ll be out tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Best regards from Ken hope you have a speedy recovery
Thank you Ken, have passed on your good wishes to himself, they’re all much appreciated.
Laughing Dog, Spacepig, Liefste Zus, and any other blues aficionados, here’s one for you: Commercial free blues streaming 24×7 from San Jose, California.
http://www.koqx.com/
My audiostreaming is tuned almost permanently to this site.
Y’all can thank me later
Re “Psycho Killer”, personally I believe the live version on “Stop Making Sense” is FAR better – raunchier, edgier, more gritty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMtV4mdMRUA&feature=related
The DVD of the live show is a must-see, and the CD is a must-have.
Favourite song ? “Slippery People” (LURV the percussion !)
Pink Floyd. Roger Waters, one of the finest lyricists ever. A little-heard track, “When the Tigers Broke Free”, is one of my favourites. It opens the movie “The Wall”, but as far as I know was only issued on a re-released version of “The Final Cut”, and also on “ECHOES: The Best of Pink Floyd”. Have to respect a line like “His Majesty signed / In his own rubber stamp.” For some reason (ok, I used to be a sailor), the Waters lyrics that always stay with me are
“… but now she stands upon Southampton Dock
with her handkerchief
and her summer frock clings to her wet body in the rain
in quiet desperation, knuckles white upon the slippery reins
she bravely waves the boys goodbye again …”
(from “The Final Cut”)
Hi UncleRaveDave – and welcome to Musicforthemonth.com
Thanks for your post and thanks for recommending this station – am listening to now and enjoying – I know some of my friends here will enjoy too.
Hi UncleRaveDave
Your version certainly is different and you right it is of course “raunchier, edgier, more gritty” and shows what a genius David B is – I will have to look for a copy of this DVD.
My only concern is that it would not have fitted into the music mix as well as the original does. The track before (Scumbag) has a brilliant driving drum and bass intro which continues to the end – then following on from this is another a brilliant driving drum and bass intro (Psycho Killer) albeit a little different. If I had chosen the live version of Psycho Killer I don’t think I would have achieved the ‘flow’ I always try to achieve with my mixes. And of course the next track (Lost in Play) flows on nicely.
What do you think of the mix? Is this your first one? All feedback appreciated
Thanks again for a great post – I do like a good lyric and Waters is one of the best. There’s a good article (crap CD) in this months Mojo about Waters and The Wall that you may like.
I will leave this reply to my good friend Spacepig – who I’m sure (if he’s not too busy right now) would love to continue this discussion
Hi UncleRaveDave
Don’t know how long I have before the boss interferes and tells me to do some work so I’ll just dive straight in.
First off, thanks for the link to the Blues station, I will certainly be trying this one out when (if) I get home tonight.
Pink Floyd – great band. My own favourite from The Wall though is the full length version of Empty Spaces and I just love the video that goes along with it. Overall though, favourite Floyd track would have to be Set The Controls for The Heart of The Sun from Ummagumma, bettered only by the version on Live at Pompeii.
Southampton Dock – another great track and brilliant lyrics. I maybe think that for a different reason to you though. I am assuming that you are American although I may be wrong (I usually am). I remember when this came out I had become politically aware, no thanks to Maggie Thatcher. To me, the lyrics you quoted above just said everything I thought of her (and still do). I don’t want to turn this into a political discussion but when Roger Waters is being discussed it can be difficult to avoid. Being young, Scottish and working class under Thatcher was akin to being a Jew under Hitler. It seemed that every day we woke up, another human right was being taken from us. And then, when she decided she needed a war to boost her ego, the first thing she did was to send the recruiting sergeants up to our schools and colleges. Like so many before her throughout history however, she was never going to get her own hands bloodied.
Roger spoke for us all when he pointed out that her bravery was in sending the youngsters off to some unknown dot in an ocean thousands of miles away that we had never even heard of to fight against some ‘enemy’ that we had absolutely no knowledge of and not a thing in the world against. Some things just never change do they?
Anyway, enough of the political ranting, great to get some new input and welcome along.
S’pig, sorry to disappoint, but I am not an American (though my niece just became engaged to one today, does that count ?). I am well aware of (though not as intimately as you) the political backdrop to The Final Cut, but the Southampton lyrics, taken alone, just strike some sad, dark, romantic chord in my nautical makeup.
My own past also is fraught with political strife and turmoil:
“My friends,” he said, “We’ve reached our goal
The threat is under firm control
As long as peace and order reign
I’ll be damned if I can see a reason to explain
Why the fear and the fire and the guns remain” (Dan Heymann)
(doesn’t that sound like something Mrs T would’ve said – or that Waters would’ve had her say ?)
Congrats to the niece, but no, that doesn’t make you American.
Very deep lyrics again, and I have to agree that it does sound a bit like a Maggie speech although it could also apply to the present day.
Anyway, now had a chance to listen to your radio station recommendation and it sounds really good. Problem is though, that the plastic is trembling already in anticipation. Every time I think I am running out of new music to buy, The Dog suggests something else. Now it looks like you’re at it too. And I have just found another one in the new music mix that needs immediate investigation, where will it all end?
Not going to say which one I’ve discovered yet, hang on for my monthly appraisal and all will be revealed.
Hi Spacey – I’ve been trying to think which track made you write “I have just found another one in the new music mix that needs immediate investigation”????
The most obvious is ‘Lost in Play’ but I reckon you will have heard of Guy Manning, so my 3 guesses are Augustus Pablo’s album, The Spirit of Eden (not many know Talk Talk were this good) or Alex Lifeson – am I close?
Not even lukewarm!
mmm…..interesting – then it must be The Album Leaf
Note to Laughing Dog
Whilst on my travels I’ve also listened a lot to this month’s Music Mix and while I do not believe it has the flow of previous mixes it certainly has great songs and prompted me to purchase two albums – Augustus Pablo and Talk Talk.
Note to Spacepig – where have your usual comments gone ?
Hi Ken – good point – Spacey I know you’ve been busy but your comments on the Music Mix have been sorely missed. Plus there’s only one more week until the next mix is uploaded.
Don’t worry my friends, my usual ramblings will be posted this weekend. I have got about half of them done but it is a little difficult squeezing in the time just now not only to listen to the mix but also to gather my thoughts on the songs.
Fear not, another week and all will be back to normal.
Hey Mr SP How are you I was wondering to where you been with your comments on the mix. I like it and agree with Ken that the songs are just great, already looking forward to the next one on Xmas day. I’ll be in UK then so be able to enjoy it there sitting next to the fire.
OK, Yuletide over, time to start catching up!
Secret Machines: I like the drumbeat on here. Sounds a bit like Placebo when the vocals kick in. Don’t know the first thing about this band but it certainly sounds sorta fresh if a little dated at the same time. I would like to hear a bit more, but on this showing, looks promising. Bet they would do a great live show.
Them Crooked Vultures – Scumbag Blues: Having listened to this album a few times, I can see where the appeal lies. Many people have described them as the best rock band ever. I don’t go along with that, and I can’t see this as the album of the year, but this is probably my favourite track on the album. Has that slightly spacey feel that I go for.
Talking Heads – Psycho Killer: Great song, hits all the right buttons for me! I’m not going to get drawn into the argument over what’s the best version, much easier just to enjoy what is playing.
Mannig – Lost in Play: Now we’re talking music! This wasn’t made to sell zillions of copies, it’s the sound of a band doing what they love doing. You can tell that a lot of time has been spent crafting this song, and there’s some nifty flute work on there and I just lurv the sound of the flute. I can see that Amazon don’t have this on CD, only on Download which I can’t get, so going to have to go a searching.
Kings of Leon – Molly’s Chambers: Oh oh!! I remember being less than complimentary about this band before now. I can’t say too much as Junior likes them, let’s just say that I may be a bit old for them. At least it’s not mass produced dirge and they are doing something (reasonably) original!
North Mississippi Allstars – Po Black Maddie: We’ve got there Mr Dog! Where did you find this one? Brilliant track, CD on the way from Amazon. Bluesy, country, folky, great voice, awesome guitar sound, all rolled into one, don’t know how I managed to miss this band. Love it!!
Colour Haze – Silent: What can I say that I haven’t already said about this band? Yes they’re nutters, but they sure can rock when they want to.I spent some time trying to work out what my favourite song of theirs was. Then I decided why bother, they’re all great, just enjoy them for what they are.
Radiohead – Blow Out: I can never really put my finger on what it is about this band that I don’t like. I reckon I would be expected to enjoy them considering my taste in music, but they just never seem to hit the spot for me. This song is OK, maybe they spoil the vibe a bit when they start getting all heavy about 90 seconds in, but I have certainly heard a lot worse from them.
My Morning Jacket – Wordless Chorus: On the other hand, here’s a band that I don’t want to like, mainly because around these parts you see all the local neds hanging around with this band’s name emblazoned across their leathers. But it really is quite an enjoyable song unfortunately.
Otis Redding: Sheer, sheer class. My biker friends used to really try to wind me up for having such a healthy collection of this guy’s CDs. Now, 30 years on, most of them have the same CDs.
Augustus Pablo – Jim Brown: I like this, nice and relaxed. I have to admit never having heard any of Pablo’s music before, although it has often been recommended. Now I don’t suppose I have any option, just going to have to get some.
Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden: Well Mr Dog, maybe not many people know that Talk Talk were this good, but I did! Seen them a couple of times through the 80′s and 90′s, never failed to please. My favourite though would have to be It’s My Life.
Nightmares on Wax – Les Nuits: This is fantastic! It’s not the kind of music I was expecting from them at all. I always thought they were some weird goth/punk type band – now I know better. So chilled out – pour me another glass of red and hit that volume dial!
The Album Leaf – Thule: Blends in so well with the previous track you can hardly see the join! Maybe I’m beginning to get what this mix idea is all about. The plastic is starting to tremble again.
Tricky – Overcome: I liked Tricky on Massive Attack’s Blue Lines. Problem with that now is that nothing I have heard from them comes even close to that CD and so I always seem to consider it second rate. This one is OK, but not opinion changing in any way.
DJ Shadow – Building Steam With A Grain of Salt – I got forced into watching DJ Shadow at one of the V festivals a few years ago. 2 o’clock in the afternoon on a nice sunny summer day at the front of the stage with about 50,000 sweaty teenagers pressing you to death is not my idea of bliss. Didn’t like the music he played then, still don’t like it.
Them Crooked Vultures – Gunman: Why do I get the feeling that they are just playing on JPJ’s name? I don’t want to be too critical because it probably is quite good in its own way, but… I have to admit I had hoped for something a bit special.
Alex Lifeson – Don’t Care: Nothing at all like Rush, which is possibly a good thing despite Rush being among the all time greats. But, and this is a big but – like the previous track, it doesn’t live up to expectations. Oh there’s some good enough guitar shredding, the drums are powerful enough, but in my own opinion, the vocals are horrific, the lyrics unimaginative – don’t like.
The New Pornographers – All The Old Showstoppers: Jolly little song, enjoyable in its own way.I could listen to some more of this band (if I had time).
Supertramp – Give A Little Bit: Why do I always forget about this band? They really are quite good. Seen them years ago (Breakfast in America days). Great concert and this song is up there with their best.It just seems that they are forever dropping off my radar and then just suddenly reappear again.
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here: The problem this CD has is that it followed Dark Side of the Moon. For any other band, this would be their masterpiece, for the Floyd, maybe third or fourth best! I find it impossible to play this one without playing the whole album, and then of course the only option is to slap on Animals. Great song, enhanced only when Roy Harper joins in later on.
Sorry I’m late and maybe my musings aren’t quite up to the usual controversial standard, but it has been a bit rushed.