My original idea was to have 12 sophisticated jazzy/bluesy tracks similar to Gary Burton’s and Pat Methany’s track here… but all these songs starting jumping out at me shouting “Pick me, pick me pick me”.

So I did, and I found that actually these songs were quite sophisticated, in a kinda lumpy gravy sort of way… what am I on about? Shut up Dog and press play.

[01] Burning Spear – One Marcus Garvey
[Marcus Garvey & Garvey's Ghost]
 
 
 
 
 
 
[02] Future Boy – Catherine Wheel [Adam and Eve]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[03] Wordless Chorus – My Morning Jacket [Okonokos]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[04] Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow, Antonio Sanchez –
B and G (Midwestern Night’s Dream) [Quartet Live!]
 
 
 
 
 
 
[05] Tame Impala – Solitude is Bliss [Innerspeaker]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[06] Cary Brothers – Honestly [Who You Are]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[07] The Soundcarriers – Last Broadcast [Celeste]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[08] Bonobo – The Keeper ft. Andreya Triana [Black Sands]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[09] Dylan LeBlanc – If the Creek Don’t Rise [Pauper's Field]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[10] Isobel Campbell, Mark Lanegan – Snake Song [Hawk]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[11] Royksopp – The Alcoholic [Senior]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[12] Iron Maiden – When the Wind Blows [The Final Frontier]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Sophistication Is Music Mix [a 102 mb zip file] will be available for one month from today – until midnight on 7 October 2010. Music discussion always welcomed in the comments box below.

Cover image by TouTouke

November Music Mix Notes

Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart
I just can’t resist a thumping good bass line – and this has a thumping good bass line in spades. Plus I love the way the song keeps its sparkle throughout its 8 minutes and 26 seconds – not a dull moment to be had and a great way to start the mix. The album “Narrow Stairs” is worth a look at too, in my opinion it’s their best yet – though my pups disagree.

Everclear – So Much For The Afterglow
Their 2000 album “Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to… ” is a better album and introduced me to the band but this song just powers along at the speed of diarrhea with a riff to die for. I can’t dance but I can certainly move my butt to this.

Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
This song reminds me so much of a holiday in France in 2001 when me and Mrs. Dog would sing along to this as we drove south – much to the dismay of my pups. But what a great song – you know I love Luci (Blue was included on Augusts mix) and I do love a song that rhymes ‘Eggs ‘n’ Bacon’ with ‘House in Macon’ – just superb.

Athlete – Love Come Rescue
Great album (see review), great band and this is a rather surprising song from them – a slow acoustic song – simple but good.
 
 
 
 
Gomez – Natural Reaction
Such a good band and make it as my ‘Artist of the Month” with 2 songs in my mix. This song has a great chorus – I’d forgotten how much I like a good chorus:
“I get so nervous
Waitin’ for a natural reaction and
I can’t stop thinkin’
You’ve exposed (?)
Leave me a nervous wreck
… a nervous wreck”
And the bridge near the end which almost turns into a Russian folk song? Good stuff.

Grand Drive – Love and the Truth
From their fourth album “The Lights in This Town Are Too Many to Count”, this song takes an age to develop but when it does it really does it in style with the bass and drums simply doing what bass and drums do best kicking it into life making this the Wilson brothers (Danny and Julian) best song.

Gruff Rhys – Candylion
From Gruff’s 2007 solo album, this song just begged me to be included into my mix – and who can resist a song with lyrics like “A penguin and carnation/A lemon and Dalmatian” – he is such a good songwriter.
 
 
 
Gomez – Make No Sound
Second track on the mix from Gomez and the title track from their Mercury winning debut album – great song, great album, great band – what else do you need to know?
 
 
 
 Irma Thomas – In the Middle of it All
Track number 9 and time to slow it down a little and who better to do that than the wonderful Irma Thomas. I’ve always loved a good voice, especially a female soul voice, and they don’t come much better than Irma’s. It has so much character and style that she could sing the yellow pages and have me in tears. This song is from ‘After the Rain’ which has come to mean so much to the people of her home town of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina hit them and as with all good soul and R&B, it takes a heartache to make the song good – this song is special.
 
Anita O’Day – Sweet Georgia Brown
Even I find this a strange choice to be included in my music mix – but you know that I do like different types of music and this is such a classic version of a classic song – perfect for singing in the shower. Here’s an extract from the bio on her website:
 

“Anita O’Day, was the last surviving member of the great jazz singers (whose ranks also include Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan). Born in Chicago, O’Day gained national attention as the girl singer with drummer Gene Krupa’s orchestra on the hit record “Let Me Off Uptown”. After two tenures with Krupa and one, in-between, with Stan Kenton and his Orchestra, O’Day became a solo star and, along with Fitzgerald and Vaughan, a founding fore-mother of modern jazz vocals.”

I especially love the intro with just drum and voice then the band kicks in and all hell breaks loose “Sweet Georgia Brown”.

Craig Armstrong – ‘Wake Up In New York’ feat. Evan Dando
Atmospheric chill out music at its best – the album ‘As If To Nothing’ has a gorgeous quality to it with collaborations with Bono and The Edge, Mogwai, and David McAlmont but it’s this track that stands out for me and always makes me stop and listen.
 
 
Iggy Pop – Lust for Life
Couldn’t resist Amazon’s description of this song – “The relentless, driving drums and thunderous bass of the opening title track are the magic components that make it the best song Iggy Pop ever recorded without the Stooges” – says it all really. Another one for the shower!
 
 
Guru – Loungin’
Another bass line from Heaven but this time it’s a wee bit jazzy and soulful. I bought both the album that this song is from (Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1) and Vol. 2 when I didn’t really know what I was buying – I just loved the music. My Dad is a big jazz fan, and even he loves this song with the trumpet and reference to the old jazz greats – “loungin’ loungin’ – mellow out we’re loungin.”
 
Four Tet – She Moves Me
From the 2003 album ‘Rounds’ this is a fine example of electronic music (sic I hate that term) that treats the listener on to a wonderful acoustic guitar melody that makes the drum loop and synth come to life.
 
 
 
Dire Straits – Down to the Waterline
The guitar is a wonderful instrument and the sound of Mark Knopfler’s guitar on their 1978 debut demonstrates how it really should sound. Pure genius, pure British rock/blues at its best – this is their best album (though Communiqué is close) – forget their later albums, this cannot be beaten and is a true reflection of Knopfler’s talent – a great song.

So… we’re on track 16 – how’s it been so far? Me, I’m having a ball, next song please!
 
 
Feeder – Just the Way I’m Feeling
There are better songs on the album “Summer’s Gone” and the title track “Comfort in Sound” to name but two but it’s this song, I feel truly highlights how they were feeling at this time with the sad death of drummer Jon Lee, in January 2002 – the chorus says it all…

and i feel it’s going down
10 feet below the ground
i’m waiting for your healing hands
1 touch can bring me round
i feel we’re going down
10 feet below the ground
it’s just the way i’m feeling
yeh yeh it’s just the way im feeling

 
Dada – All I Am
When I lived in the UK, I would spend many enjoyable hours searching the CD dump-bins of my local Woolworths and W. H. Smiths looking for albums for 2 quid (sometimes less) that I would like. I often bought just because I recognized the producer or simply liked the artwork on the cover. Very often these purchases ended up in the bin – sometimes they ended up at the front of CD collection. This is one example – I can’t even remember where or when I bought it – and I’m not going to spoil your fun by doing a google search for information on the band ‘cos I know nothing about them either – just love the song.
 
The Golden Animals – Steady Roller
From their 2008 debut album “Free Your Mind and Win a Pony” that apparently they recorded somewhere in the Californian desert in temperatures in excess of 120 degrees! The album is OK, not great – this song is by far the highlight although ‘Queen Mary’ and ‘I Want You To Come’ are pleasant enough.
 
 
Cary Brothers – Ride
Love the muted guitar on this song and the dreamy vocals – plus it blends so well with the previous song by the Golden Animals. This is from the only EP of theirs I own, ‘Waiting for Your Letter’. Think I’m going to have buy some more of their stuff.
 
 
 
Eddi Reader – Jamie Come Try Me
Fabulous voice, fabulous song – the album gets a bit repetitive at the end but this song is a worthy addition to my mix and brings a lovely Celtic feel to proceedings.
 
 
 
Genesis – Undertow
From their ninth studio album ‘And Then There Were Three’ released in 1978 this must be one of my favourite Genesis tracks. I haven‘t got the original album on vinyl anymore (this is from their Platinum Collection) but I can remember being overawed by the sheer quality of the whole album. Great song to end my Music Mix for November – hope you enjoy.

Don’t forget – if you like a song on the Mix, let me know, I’d love your feedback.

The Music Mix 04 [a 122 mb zip file] will be available for one month from today – until 30 November 2009.

Please support the artists – if you like a track, buy the album!

Music for the Month ~ Music Mix 04 ~ November 2009