Dude Rock

I saw the Karp documentary recently. I'd also been listening to a lot of Future of the Left. It inspired me. This shit is heavy.

Pissed Jeans, Federation X, Rye Coalition, Wrangler Brutes, Floor, Big'N, Crystal Antlers, Flipper, and more!

Dude rock abounds!

*Image credit- The Addams Family

Africa!!!

Here we go. It's been awhile. Some of my friends have asked me to start posting mixes again, so despite the fact that I'm in a much more interesting place with far less free time (no longer making this act necessary to keep a grip on my sanity), I'll still dig back in and post new mixes on occasion.

I created this mix for my sister (a high school history teacher) who is teaching a unit on Africa. We were talking about how hard it is to conceptualize how normal a life so foreign can be and I asked if she would be interested in a mix of African music to introduce them to give them. As usual, I couldn't keep it to just one disc. While this is in no way complete, it does contain music from Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Ethiopia, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Benin and/or Togo, Sierra Leone, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. There's a fair amount of '70s soul/James Brown influenced music, Fela and kin are healthily represented, and there is music both old and new, loud and quiet.

I hope you enjoy it.

Africa Mix 1
Africa Mix 2

*Image credit- Philip Kwame Apagya

For When The World Is Letting You Down

This one is for when nothing seems to be working out, and it's everyone else's fault. The lies of elected government officials, your friends not picking up the phone, another depressingly bad date, I could keep going. At times like this there's only one thing you need and that's a song to sing along to. Did I say sing? I meant scream. What you need is an angry anthem begging for just one fucking person that you can believe in. The Shods wrote this song for you, for this feeling, and it's perfect. But that's what the Shods do. They write songs for you to shake your fist at, to bring a smile to your face, to make your heart swell, to sing along to, and they do it so so well.

The Shods' Give Me One Person

Hella Pops

Hella Pops. Power Pop, Pop, Pop Punk, etc. Hella Pops.

This is the first mix I've made where I couldn't come up with an order, so I just hit random a few times til it worked. This is also the pre-cursor to the power pop mix.

HELLA POPS

Lemonheads- The Great Big No
The Strange Boys- Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up
The Go- You Go Bangin' On
John Cale- Child's Christmas In Wales
Pointed Sticks- Out Of Luck
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Radio, Radio
Linus Of Hollywood- Thank You For Making Me Feel...Better
Ramones- Chasing The Night
New York Dolls- Stranded In The Jungle
Arlo- Runaround
The Wave Pictures- Just Like A Drummer
The Smiths- Ask
Marshall Crenshaw- There She Goes Again
Lesley Gore- Maybe I Know
The Troggs- Love Is All Around
Harlem- Caroline
Richard X. Heyman- In The Scheme Of Things
Flight Of The Conchords- Carol Brown
The Bananas- Gentrification For Dummies
Belle & Sebastian- Dirty Dream Number Two
Aceyalone- Lonely Ones
Reigning Sound- Debris
Wreckless Eric- Whole Wide World
Van Morrison- (Straight To Your Heart) Like A Cannon Ball
The Muffs- Everywhere I Go

Hella Pops

*Image credit- Harold Edgerton, Bullet Through Balloons, 1959

We Made It Through That Water

I went to New Orleans this past summer to photograph. I got into my rental car upon arriving and started flipping through the radio stations before finding some old school hip hop and settling in for the drive. The next song that came on was this exciting, booty-shaking brass band song about surviving Katrina. Best possible accompaniment for my drive into town. While driving I wrote down a few lyrics to be able to look the song up later. I kept trying to listen to that station the rest of my trip, but it never played anything other than the same Top 20 hits on shuffle after that. Months later I found the song on the Treme soundtrack. This is it. It still sounds important. It's a thoroughly satisfying and cathartic mix of pure joy and years of frustration getting released. And if it doesn't make you wanna dance, I don't know what to say.

Free Agents Brass Band's We Made It Through That Water

*Image credit- "Home of Lionel Williams Who Drowned in the Flood, New Orleans, LA, 2006" by Will Steacy

Power Pop Plus

Here's my power pop mix. Power Pop purists beware. The plus means I've taken liberties. Not to say there isn't plenty of great Power Pop on here, but Harry Belafonte? It just worked. This one's from sometime in the fall, but it's perfect for spring.

POWER POP PLUS

The Raspberries- Tonight
Badfinger- No Matter What
Elton John- Crocodile Rock
The Plimsouls- A Million Miles Away
The dB's- A Spy In The House Of Love
The Modern Lovers- Government Center
The Boys- (Baby) It's You
David Bowie- Here Comes The Night
George Harrison- Apple Scruffs
20/20- Jack's Got A Problem
Raspberries- Oh Tonight
Only Ones- City Of Fun
The Romantics- I Can't Tell You Anything
Demon's Claws- Weird Ways
Shivvers- Teen Line
20/20- The Night I Heard A Scream
The Breakaways- House On A Hill
Bonnie Hayes- Girls Like Me
Harry Nilsson- Me and My Arrow
The Hollies- Jennifer Eccles
Only Ones- Another Girl, Another Planet
Matthew Sweet- I've Been Waiting
The Posies- Ontario
Harry Belafonte- Jump In The Line

Power Pop Plus

*Image credit- Andy Warhol (Power Pop Art!)

Winter 2011 Mix

Here's a mix I threw together from a bunch of stuff I was listening to a few months ago. This is the first LCD Soundsystem song I really fell for. Very late to the game. The Max song is an old mixtape staple from an old split 7" with Matty Luv from Hickey on the A-Side. It's one of my favorite songs and I'm excited that a few new people will get to hear it.

WINTER 2011 MIX

LCD Soundsystem / Dance Yrself Clean
Built To Spill / The Plan
New Order / The Village
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Home
The Dø / The Calendar
The Everly Brothers / Cathy's Clown
The Human Hearts / Pilot Light
Little Scream / Heron and the Fox
The Good Ones / Sara
Gerry Nobody and Erwin Leirs / Drowning Alone
Max / 80 East
Title Tracks / Tougher Than The Rest
Sonny & The Sunsets / Lovin' On An Older Gal
Girls / Oh My Love
Cary Ann Hearst / The Thread
The Action / Brain
The Resonars / The Golden Age
The Parting Gifts / My Mind's Made Up
Range Rats / The Two Of Us
V-3 / Another Exterminator (Eaten By Bugs)

Winter Mix 2011

*Image credit- Allan Macintyre

Looking For A Reason

Here's a quiet one based around three versions of I Found A Reason. This is a mix I made or year or so ago, whenever Love More and Excuses first appeared on the internet, and it remains one of my favorites.

LOOKING FOR A REASON

Cat Power- I Found A Reason
The Velvet Underground- I Found A Reason
Beach House- Zebra
The Dutchess & The Duke- The River
Dirty Three- Everything's Fucked
Low- When I Go Deaf
Sharon Van Etten- Love More
The Morning Benders- Excuses
Daniel, Fred & Julie- The Gambler And His Bride
Ida- Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
The Velvet Underground- I Found A Reason (Demo)
Dirty Three- I Offered It Up To The Stars & The Night Sky
Lajkó Félix- Vigadó / Ballroom
Nick- Rewind

Looking For A Reason

*Image credit- Whitney Hubbs from the series Day For Night

Her Pain, Our Gain

This time, just the ladies.

HER PAIN, OUR GAIN

Candi Staton- I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')
Doris Troy- Whatcha Gonna Do About It
Aretha Franklin- I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Love You)
Sharon Jones- How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?
Etta James- Pushover
Betty Wright- Clean Up Woman
Rose Batiste- Hit and Run
Diana Ross & The Supremes- Where Did Our Love Go
Sweet Inspirations- Sweet Inspiration
Baby Washington- That's How Heartaches Are Made
Linda Jones- For Your Precious Love
Barbara Lynn- You'll Lose A Good Thing
Penny & The Quarters- You and Me
Rozetta Johnson- That Hurts
Freda Gray & The Rocketeers- Stay Away From My Johnny
The Sweet Things- I'm In A World Of Trouble
Fontella Bass- Rescue Me
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas- (Love Is Like) A Heatwave
Wendy Rene- Bar-B-Q
Ike & Tina Turner- A Fool In Love
Mary Wells- My Guy
The Marvelettes- Please Mr. Postman
The Ronettes- (The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up
The Shirelles- Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Bettye Lavette- My Man, He's A Lovin' Man
Helene Smith- You Got To Do Your Share
Bettye Swann- Make Me Yours

Her Pain, Our Gain

*Image credit- Young Aretha Franklin in studio

Hard Times

For some reason this is the Mirah song that is most deeply embedded in my brain. I'd already been a fan for awhile when this came out and I don't really like most of this album, but there it is, stuck. It's slow and stately, gorgeous and sad. I guess I'm a sucker for the bare voice of sorrow. Watch out, though, it's sticky. (Yes, I know it's a cover.)

Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra's Hard Times

Ocean Songs.

I love the ocean. I grew up in the Bay Area next to it, I love driving along it, I photograph it a lot, and I've missed it terribly while in Arizona. I made a mix about it. While in Arizona. Yes, it made me feel better. (And yes, I stole the title from Dirty Three.)

OCEAN SONGS.
Nina Nastasia- Ocean
Dirty Three- Restless Waves
Low- Over The Ocean
Dirty Projectors & Bjork- On And Ever Onward
Dennis Wilson- Pacific Ocean Blue
Modest Mouse- Grey Ice Water
Sun Kil Moon- Ocean Breathes Salty
Sandy Denny & the Strawbs- Sail Away To The Sea
Beachwood Sparks- The Calming Seas
Billy Bragg & Wilco- Secrets Of The Sea
So Cow- International Waters
Saturday Looks Good To Me- (Even If You Die On The) Ocean
Love Is All- Sea Sick
The Jesus Lizard- Seasick
The Thermals- At The Bottom Of The Sea
The Velvet Underground- Ocean (Outtake)
Patrick Watson- Man Under The Sea
A.A. Bondy- Of The Sea
Alela Diane- The Ocean

Ocean Songs.

*Image credit- Lisa M. Robinson from her show Oceana opening April 28th at Klompching Gallery.

Versions: Baby Blue

Back with another Versions, this time one of about 50 I could do from Bobby D songs. It would be tempting to have done Don't Think Twice, It's Alright and posted the Four Seasons' version, which is in the running for the worst song ever recorded. I actually had a twinge of regret about not choosing It Ain't Me, Babe, as there are two phenomenal covers of it, but I'm sticking with my current favorites. Here are two ridiculously good covers by two 60s garage gods.

It's embarrassing to admit, but I'd never paid much attention to It's All Over Now, Baby Blue before finding these songs in practically the same week. Bob Dylan has so many songs and albums that I'd just never gotten around to listening to Bringing It All Back Home. My mistake. Both these bands make the song their own. Not much else to say. Enjoy.

Them's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

13th Floor Elevators' Baby Blue

HE from OAKLAND?!

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Their Pain, Our Gain 2

The soul mix of my life, the sequel.

THEIR PAIN, OUR GAIN 2
Ernesto Djedje- Zadie Bobo
Showmen- 39-21-46
Brenton Wood- Oogum Boogum
Bill Moss- Sock It To ‘Em Soul Brother
Ronnie Whitehead- Out Of Breath
Solomon Burke- Home In Your Heart
Lon Rogers & the Soul Blenders- Too Good To Be True
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings- I Learned The Hard Way
O.V. Wright- Nickel And A Nail
Charles Bradley- Why Is It So Hard?
Willie Hightower- Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Ronnie Taylor- Without Love
Archie Bell & the Drells- Go For What You Know
Aretha Franklin- Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
Cymande- Bra
Toussaint McCall- Nothing Takes The Place Of You
James Carr- The Dark End Of The Street
Them Two- Am I A Good Man
Bobby “Blue” Bland- I’m Not Ashamed
Curtis Mayfield- Power To The People (Demo)
Parliament- Oh Lord Why Lord/Prayer
Sam & Dave- When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (Live)
The Combinations- While You Were Gone
Ray Charles- Tell The Truth (Live)

Their Pain, Our Gain 2

*Image credit- still from Sam & Dave Live in Europe

Hunxa Hunxa Burning Love

Shiiiit. Seth's fucking KILLING IT these days. Listen to that swagger. I can't wait to get back to the Bay and catch these songs live. (On a Johnny-related note, one of Seth's earliest bands, The Knock Ups, covered Johnny, Are You Queer? and there's a Johnny song on this album, too.) Just go buy it.

Hunx And His Punx's The Curse of Being Young

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny?! (or Hella Johnny)

What is it with Johnny? Why does every band write a song about him? Is there some implicit agreement amongst bands that Johnny will be the generic rock n roll stand in name? Is it just that everybody knows a Johnny? Is it Chuck Berry's fault? Is there another name that's been the title of more songs? Anyways, here's a buncha Johnny songs from a longer list of Johnny songs I turned into a mix.

Josie Cotton's Johnny, Are You Queer?

Suicide's Johnny

Boris Vian et Juliette Greco's Fais-Moi Mal Johnny

Stiff Little Fingers' Johnny Was

Freda Gray & the Rocketeers' Stay Away From My Johnny

Violent Femmes' Johnny

The Bouncing Souls' The Ballad of Johnny X

The Replacements' Johnny Fast

Even Julie Brown gets in on the action at the end of The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun

No More Bullshit

'Cuz sometimes you've gotta scream it from the rafters.

Camper Van Beethoven's No More Bullshit

*Image credit: Jörg Brüggemann's Metalheadz

Versions: Sickles and Hammers

Most people have it all wrong. The line on Sebadoh is: personal, singer-songwriter, lo-fi, proto-emo. Wrooooong. Sebadoh were (and still are when they reune), a fearsome rock band. Most people just know Brand New Love and Skulls and On Fire and songs like that. Here, I present exhibit A of Sebadoh as rock gods. They outdo the Minutemen on their own song. Sickles and Hammers is an early Minutemen song that's a 48 second blast of anger and energy. It's wild and unhinged and over before you've even really realized it started. It's dizzying in its attack and fulfills last post's requirement for instant playback. It's one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands. Sebadoh's cover is every bit as wild and unhinged, but it's heavier. It hits harder. It does what the original does, only better. I dare you to take the challenge and play these side by side. Minutemen, one of the all time great punk bands and Sebadoh, the wussy, lo-fi whiners. See who wins.

Sebadoh's Sickles and Hammers

Minutemen's Sickles and Hammers

Heroin Sucks!!!

The best songs are the ones that, as soon as they end, you quickly reach over to move the needle, click back, or rewind to hear again. Short ones are the best, like a minute and a half long perfect pop song by Guided By Voices or The Smiths' Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want. The songs are only long enough to whet your appetite, but have a pop hook good enough to make you want (nay, need) more.

The best punk and hardcore songs function this same way: short, fast blasts of energy with a simple hook. Today's example is the Charm City Suicides' song Heroin Sucks. Its heavy stomp hits you right out of the gate, barely giving you time to register the way its making you feel before the broken, chanted/screamed vocals come in. The song is pure anger and excitement, and the source of that hatred? Heroin! Who can't get behind hating heroin? (Aside from junkies, of course.) The chorus is an epic, screamed sing-along during breaks after heavy double drum and bass/guitar hits. Boom boom, HEROIN, boom boom, SUCKS, boom boom, HEROIN, boom boom, SUCKS, boom boom HEROIN SUUUCKS!! It's the feel-good scream-along of the decade, it's incredibly addictive, and it'll make you hit rewind.

(On a side note, the guitarist, Brian Dubin, is a 6'2 or 3" redhead with thick-rim, black glasses that he's constantly shoving back up with his palm while playing, and the lead singer is a very earnest straight edge guy who goes nuts on stage. Quite a live show. They broke up and they are missed.)

Charm City Suicides' Heroin Sucks

More Songs NOT For Girls You Want To Date

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