Okay, I now have a chance to review this mix since I've had a few days of nonstop listening. Bill, what a great mix cd! I must admit, a lot of the bands I'd never heard of before, but Bill's got my tastes pegged pretty well.
* - ick
** - meh
*** - okay
**** - now this sounds more like it
***** - Dana will listen to ad nauseum
The Chills: February -- nice start to the cd. I started listening to this in my car, and I just wanted to roll the windows down and scream down the road... unfortunately it was 55 degrees out and I was in traffic on my way to work. ****
The Headaches: Power For Passion - this reminds me of something I would have listened to in highschool, or at the very least, sounds like it could have been featured on the SLC Punk soundtrack. ***
The Undertones: Jump Boys - I LOVE THIS SONG! What a blast from the past hearing Feargal Sharkey of all people. I always crank this one up and sing along. *****
DM3: 1* 2* Devastated - Another one I turn up the volume to. I wonder how I ever missed out on this band, but looks like they released albums during my "dark period"-- after college, depressed in NC, no access to good music. *****
German Art Students: Speed Of Sound - This one started off well enough, but the woman's voice gets on my nerves by the end. **
P76: Headed Straight For The Sun - while this one is a nice little head-bopper, it gets lost in the generic world of power-pop, imho. **
The Cult: Electric Ocean ("Peace" version) - well, hey, I can remember listening to this album in highschool too, and I always loved the Cult. This is a nice version of an otherwise predictable Cult song on the revamped Electric album. ****
Huevos Rancheros: What A Way To Run A Railroad - this one is apparently so good that even my picky husband asked who it was. In my world, if you can impress the punk/hardcore snob, you've done a good job. ****
The Fleshtones: Way Down South - again, this reminds me of highschool in Georgia. Good fun. ***
The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy: Big Saturday - okay, when I first saw this, I thought Jazz Butcher with David J from Bauhaus/Love and Rockets. This is different, but still has that 80s "alternative" sound that I was infatuated with back in highschool. ***
The Bluerunners: I Sho Do - oh my god, this one's a "got your buzz on and dancing like a crazy person in your living room" song. *****
Snips: Mr. Dillinger - I'd never heard of this band before. Not bad, but didn't hook me. **
Sam and Dave: Wrap It Up - Well, of course, this song trumps that shitty version that the Fabulous Thunderbirds did in the 80s. Another good party/dance tune. *****
The Higsons: Them Changes - don't know why, but I'm a sucker for that funk bass. ***
The Yachts: Yachting Types - definitely has a Nick Lowe vibe to it. Not bad. ***
The Romantics: Devil In Me - hmm, never heard this song before. So this is what the new Romantics sounds like... not bad! I wouldn't mind hearing more! ***
Psychic TV: Papal Breakdance - oh yeah, this sounds like Dana dance material circa 1986. ***
Midnight Oil: Hercules - good God, Peter Garrett sounds like a teenager in this song. Hadn't heard it before, but it rocks. ***
(can you tell I listen mostly to the first half of this cd over and over again?)
DMZ: Barracuda - when I first heard this, I thought it was a young Iggy Pop. I like the punk snobbiness of it. ****
The Close Lobsters: Skyscrapers - this reminds me a bit of Lloyd Cole, which is not a bad thing. Damn, I miss bands like this. ***
The Returnables: Monica - don't know why, but this reminded me a bit of Ted Leo's sound, but not quite as enticing. **
The Brotherhood Of Lizards: Market Day - hadn't heard of these guys, but I like the retro-60's sound. ****
Peter Case: The End - You know, I never listened to a lot of Peter Case's solo stuff after Plimsouls. Appropriately named song for the final song on the cd, and beautiful for dropping on the couch after your binge drinking evening. ***
Overall, I would rate this cd ****. Well done, Bill!
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