First, of all, sorry if this is brief, but it's based solely on the first listen. Given the amount of these I'll be doing, I doubt I'll give any mix more than a single spin before posting thoughts. So these are initial impressions, to be taken with a grain of salt…

Soreal - "18 for the Obners"

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" - Decent lyrics. 3/5
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" - Too cute. 2/5
3. The National - "Karen" - Nice. Better than I thought this band was. 4/5
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" - My favorite Dungen track. Can't go wrong here. 5/5
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" - Another good one. Didin't really grab my attention at first, but it's nice. I might have to look into this band. 4/5
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" - These guys suck, but this probably isn't their worst. 1/5
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" - I miss old Four Tet. 2/5
8. Nina Samone - "I Shall Be Released" (?) - Wait, isn't this "Suzanne"? I prefer Cohen's version. 3/5
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" - Hey, I had this song on one of my mixes. Dammit. 4/5
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" - I like the Congotronics stuff. Good job picking a track without the whistles. 4/5
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping" - transitional, N/A
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" - My first taste of Josh Rouse. No thanks. 1/5
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" - I guess this is the best Wolf Parade song. 4/5
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" - OK. Kinda listless. 3/5
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" - Eh. See above. 2/5
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" - Mix has fallen into a lull now. 2/5
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" - Like the bounciness here. Good recovery. 4/5
18. The Frames - "Finally" - I don't like The Frames. Sorry. 1/5

Overall:
Flow - 4/5. No jarring transitions (though I like those sometimes) in a somewhat eclectic batch.
Theme - N/A. Seems like a bunch of recent favorites which is perfectly fine.
Surprises - 2/5. Introduced me to The 88s. Showed me that The National have at least one good song.
Song Quality - 3/5

Final score: 3/5

soreal - "18 for the Obners"

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" - didn't do much for me. 2/5
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" - Just the name of the track reminds me of the 70s. Not necessarily a good thing. 2/5
3. The National - "Karen" - Good. I guess I didn't give these guys a good listen initially. 3/5
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" - Great song. 4/5
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" - This must be on that album that timmyjoe has (but refuses to sell to me). I like, of course. 5/5
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" - I'm not entirely familiar with this band, but it's nice background music. 3/5
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" - I have to echo the previous sentiment stated: I miss old Four Tet. 2/5
8. Nina Samone - "I Shall Be Released" (?) - eh, okay, I guess. 2/5
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" - Not familiar with this band either, but this is cool. Sounds like a throwback to the 60s. 3/5
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" - A little too repetitive for my tastes, but interesting. Had never heard them before. 3/5
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping" - transitional, N/A
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" - I like this song, just on the sheer melodic aspect. One of my favorites. 5/5
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" - Nothing really exciting here, but not terrible. Maybe I haven't given these guys a fair shake, but I fail to be overly impressed by them so far. 3/5
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" - This sounds like a perfect song to drive to, like on a long road trip by myself. 3/5
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" - I like this one! 4/5
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" - I love the Pernice Bros., but this song doesn't strike me like some of their others. 3/5
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" - I like this one too. Why do I think of 70s era Bowie when I hear this? 4/5
18. The Frames - "Finally" - I like the Frames, but would not consider this one of their better songs. If I were to pull a song off of Burn the Maps to close out the cd, I would have chosen "Suffer in Silence" or "Locusts." 4/5

Overall: 3/5
A good effort, and thanks for introducing me to some bands I'd never heard before (Os Mutantes, Portastatic, The Layaways, Konono No. 1, the Neins and Devin Davis).

oops. i somehow mislabeled the nina simone track. you guys are right, its "Suzanne".

thanks for the reviews.

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" - A cool explosive opener. Could see myself getting used to this. Busy drummer. 3/5
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" - Nothing that really grabs me. Not bad tho. Something about the singer reminds me of the Neutral Milk Hotel guy sometimes. 2/5
3. The National - "Karen" - The 2nd listen made me realize I like it. Gets at least a 3 solely for saying the lyric "Fuck me and make me a drink." 3.5/5
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" - The most interesting track on this CD. I didn't know this is what Dungen sounds like. Trippy chorus. Love it. 5/5
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" - I like the layering on this. Were they influenced by The 77s by any chance? j/k I doubt it. 5/5
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" - Not much to the vocal delivery but the dance groove helps. 2/5
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" - Interesting beats but a bit too meandering for my tastes. 2/5
8. Nina Simone - "Suzanne" - She is an expressive vocalist for sure. I've never felt compelled to check out anything beyond certain songs like "Four Women." But this brings me one step closer to doing so, even though it's a cover. 3/5
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" - Dear God that guitar can get grating (it is a guitar right?). But this is too fun. And I had this stuck in my head all day today. 3.5/5
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" - Not something I would listen to incessantly by itself. But I do like it when artists incorporate this trance-y afro-pop stuff into their songs. And it would surely be cool to watch. 2/5
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping" - Appropriately titled.
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" - Pleasant. Simple. Autumnal. I like it. 3/5
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" - Quite different from the preceding track. I need to pick up "Apologies..." 3/5
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" - I dig it. Morose but not melodramatic. 3/5
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" - See Layaways. Nice whip-like percussion sound. 3/5
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" - I like the sunny indie-pop feel. Cool lyrics. Other than that, not a whole lot to it. 2/5
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" - Yeah, this has been on my "to buy" list for a while. 3.5/5
18. The Frames - "Finally" - Not really into the guy's voice. Music is OK I guess. Some decent orchestral arrangements. 2/5

Overall 3/5

Some of these I will probably look into (The 88s, Dungen, Portastatic, The Layaways, The National). Some of these I will look further into (Minus 5, Wolf Parade). For others - once or twice is probably enough.

And isn't "Jonathon Livingston Seagull" by the Neins Circa?

Yeah. I looked them up out of curiosity and I could not find a band called The Neins. But there is a "The Neins Circa."

i saw them open for a.c. newman a year or so ago and they were the neins then. i didn't realize they changed their name. drats.

There is a band called The Nein out of Durham, NC, so that could be a reason for the name change.

Soreal - "18 for the Obners"

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" 4* Excellent--along w/ FT's selection, this has prompted me to order this
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" 1* JLS is a relatively short book, unfortunately this song is not
3. The National - "Karen" 3* Better than anything else I've heard from The National
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" 3* Solid, I wish I knew what he was singin'
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" 4* Best on the mix, the singer's got an effectiv Ray Davies thing going for him--I'll be buying this too
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" 2* not my cuppa
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" 2* I keep waiting for something interesting to happen...waiting...waiting...
8. Nina Samone - "I Shall Be Released" 3* fits well at this point of the mix
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" 4* Quirky and perky--me likey
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" 1* The name contains the sequence of letters "no no no". I don't think that's a coincidence.
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping"
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" 2* Nothing stands out, I wouldn't go out of my way to skip over the track, but I wouldn't fast forward to it either
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" 3* A fresh pick-up from the last few tracks--decent blend on the keyboards, not overbearing
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" 3* Pleasant, but not special
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" 2* What this sound has to do with truckstops is beyond me. Same feel as The Layaways, but not as good
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" 2* not a fan
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" 2* When will bands stop writing the lost Magical Mystery Tour sessions song?
18. The Frames - "Finally" 2* It's okay, but when they try to sound desperate, it's just silly. I don't like the strings arrangements either.

This mix is greater than the sum of its parts. Even the weaker tracks fit well into the overall scheme--it's quieter than my usual fare, but a good listen nonetheless. Thanks!

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" – Nice mix intro track. Dig the drums. 3/5
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" – I really tried to get into this one, but it meanders a little too much for a mix. Probably better-suited for the full-length. 2/5
3. The National - "Karen" – Much better. A great band and a solid song selection. 4/5
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" – Another nice selection. Heard a different Dungen track on a recent Paste comp and recall liking it as well. Will have to look into these guys a bit further. 4/5
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" – The piano and tambourine (!) add quite a bit to this track; it reminds me a bit of Blur, and I really like it. Best track so far. 5/5
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" – The samples alone make it an interesting track, but it doesn’t really stand out as much as the previous track. Nice flow from tracks 3-6. 2/5
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" – Good transitional track, but it runs on a bit long. 2/5
8. Nina Samone - "Suzanne" – Hmmm. That was pretty painful. 2/5
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" – Loves me some psychedelic tropicalia. 4/5
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" – The mix has taken an interesting turn, and this track runs on a little long given its repetitive nature. 2/5
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping" - transitional, N/A
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" – This is the only track I’ve ever heard by Rouse, and I dig it. One of the best on the mix. 5/5
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" – I love Wolf Parade, but despite the frequent mention this song gets in reviews and on blogs, I don’t find it to be one of the better tracks on Apologies… 3/5
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" – The track has a nice build, and through repeated listens, it’s definitely a grower. 3/5
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" – I’ve been reading a lot of good things about this release. Interesting storyline and rising and falling tempo make it a win for me. 3/5
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" – Like the slide, but the track as a whole just doesn’t resonate with me. 2/5
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" – I agree with dnorwood that this definitely has a 70s feel to it. Like it. 4/5
18. The Frames - "Finally" – I’m not familiar with the Frames and like the build of this track (although it doesn’t feel like a mix closer to me). 3/5

Solid mix – thanks for passing it along. Another set of bands I’ve heard of but never sampled. Will definitely be looking into The 88s and Rouse, and your Dungen track has convinced me that I should pick that up as well. I liked the fact that you included some longer tunes on the mix – I’ve always been reluctant to do so but see that it can work with the right tracks. Great stuff and a staple in my car since receiving it. Thanks!

soreal - "18 for the Obners"

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" - nice opener 3.5/5
2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" - Too folky for my taste, especailly after listening to angry young men 2/5
3. The National - "Karen" - Good song off Alligator 3.5/5
4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" - Swede Rock, can Timmyjoe translate 3/5
5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" - This is a grower for me 3/5
6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas- it's nice background music. 3/5
7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" - see above. 2/5
8. Nina Samone - "I Shall Be Released" (?) - eh, okay, I guess. 2/5
9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" - is somebody having a party 3/5
10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" - more background music 2.5/5
11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping" - nice chirping?
12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" - Bring on the handclaps. 4/5
13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" - good stuff 3/5
14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" - Just alright. 2.5/5
15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" - I like this one! nice use of strings 3.5/5
16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" - I like this one too 3.5/5
17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" - I like this one too. keep it rolling 3/5
18. The Frames - "Finally" - good close to the mix 3/5

nice job

1. Devin Davis - "Giant Spiders" - 1.5/5

I wondered if I'd been too quick to judge Devin Davis after he sounded better than I remembered based on the song on FT's mix. I don't like this song much at all though. It starts out ok but then he decides to rock out and it becomes a mess. His vocals are off key and remind me a little of when Conor Oberst tries to rock it out with the Desaparecidos. At least I liked their music though even if I didn't dig the vocals.

2. The Neins - "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" - 2.5/5

This is better. I like the soft horns. I don't get why he starts shouting out the lyrics in parts though. Still I could see myself liking some of their stuff.

3. The National - "Karen" - 3/5

Not bad. Its not really grabbing me enough that I want to buy it yet, but I like it more than I thought I would based on short clips I'd heard when they were first getting a lot of attention on the board. I could also see it being a grower. The little piano and violin parts are nice.

4. Dungen - "Gjort Bort Sig" - 4/5

I know nothing about these guys except that they are Swedish. I really like this. The best song so far. This I will look into more. Why hasn't Timmyjoe been beating us over the head with these guys. Is there a good starting point for them?


5. The 88s - "Elbow Blues" - 4/5

I saw these guys open for the Zombies about a year or two ago, and was unimpressed so I paid them no attention when they started getting some buzz on the board. This is a lot better than I expected though. Maybe I caught them on an off night or maybe they are just a better studio band than a live band.


6. Her Space Holiday - "A Match Made in Texas" - 2.5/5

I recall hearing some things by them on old cmj samplers that I didn't like at all. This isn't bad. Isn't enough to make me want more though.

7. Four Tet - "Smile Around the Face" - 2/5

Not really my thing but I'm glad you included it. This is the type of stuff I would never be exposed to if not for the board.


8. Nina Simone - "Suzanne" - 3/5

I've never heard her version. I like it ok, but like Leonard Cohen's version much more. My mother was/is a huge Nina Simone fan. My taste wasn't as varied as a wee lad as it is now. It never occurred to me that I should have gone through their rekkids when they were getting rid of them all, but I bet I could have salvaged some good stuff if I did. Of course, I didn't own a turntable for the last 15+ years either.

9. Os Mutantes - "Bat Macumba" - 4/5

Similar comment as to drinky. I like them, and this was a good song. I just like a lot of other Brazilian more and wish some other bands would get the attention Mutantes do.


10. Konono No.1 - "Kule Kule" - 4/5

Despite being curious about them, I'd never been motivated enough to pick either 1 or 2 up. I think I was scared away by comments from some saying they were world music for people who don't like world music. This is the first song I've heard. I can see why people say that, but I think its more that they have broader appeal than that they are somehow unpure and wouldn't appeal to a typical world music fan. That said, I'm not sure I'd really want to listen to 40-60 minutes straight of this.

11. Elliott Smith - "Ostrich and Chirping"

decent transition but its no simpsons

12. Josh Rouse - "Winter in the Hamptons" - 3.5/5

Its lightweight pop...he's a master of the genre and I find it enjoyable enough in small doses but 3.5 is about as high as I can go on this style of music.

13. Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light" - 2.5/5

Another song that doesn't really grab me but I'm glad you included it because I've never heard anything by them and was curious about them. If this is their best song though then they aren't really for me.


14. The Layaways - "The Long Night" - 2.0/5

I don't know...nothing wrong with it that I can pinpoint but I just find it to be boring.

15. Portastatic - "Truckstop Cassettes" - 3/5

This is either the second or third mix with a song by these guys. Why have I never heard of them before? Seems like they have a strong obnish fanbase. Nothing overwhelming but not bad either...I like the little orchestral flourishes.

16. Pernice Brothers - "Dumb It Down" - 4/5

The consensus on the board seems to be that the last two Pernice Bros albums have been disappointing snoozers. Not to my ears. Still love 'em. Does Joe really have a brother that's involved? I've always wondered but have been too lazy to research...anyone know?

17. Minus 5 - "My Life as a Creep" - 4/5

Another band featured on multiple mixes. Sounds much better than the Down with Wilco album...I didn't like that much at all. I'm going to have listen to the couple songs I have now back to back and decide whether to pick this up. I think this is my favorite of the songs I've heard by them so far.


18. The Frames - "Finally" - 2/5

I've decided that I like them a lot live, but that the only album i really like much is "Dance With the Devil". That album is really really good. None of the rest really grabs me though. This doesn't change anything.


Thanks for the mix. I enjoyed it more than the individual ratings might imply.

Ta Det Lugnt is a great album. Try to find the version with the bonus disc.

I think you're right, billy... I have never seen them live, but I saw them on a KCRW live performance, and they didn't shine like they do on their albums. Still, a great band to pop on the stereo when you're feeling it though.



I think you're right about this too. Excellent live band... sometimes Glen's voice doesn't translate well in the studio, and a lot of people (including myself) get irritated by his "shouting." When it's live, it doesn't matter, and you can feel and see the emotion behind it. And I also love "Dance the Devil" too... far more than their later output. You should check out "Fitzcarraldo" if you haven't already, my 2nd fave album of theirs. Much older with different lineup and slightly different vibe, but it still works.

I have to admit, I feel like I'm falling off the Frames wagon as of late... I just can't get excited about them anymore.

I agree its their second best. Its been a long time since I've listened to it. I don't think its bad but I do think "Dance With the Devil" is head and shoulders above anything else they've done.

That seems to be the one I always return to.

yay. finally some love for nina simone.

i admit using a cover was a bit of a mistep here. i didn't realize it was a cover until too late, which shows my ignorance. i was mostly looking for something of hers that would fit in well with the rest of the mix.

also, i just wanted to say that drinky got this right. i originally had this weird bird theme (hence the cover art) but there weren't enough songs i really liked and felt confident about sending to you guys, so i scrapped the idea. the neins and elliot smith transition are all thats left of it here.

1. Devin Davis - Giant Spiders
I suppose this is a decent start to the mix. Mr. Davis isn’t really doing much for me but I’ll admit, this song is a little better than the one FT included on his mix. Very average.
OPA! RATING: 4.5 (…out of 10)

2. The Neins - Jonathan Livingston Seagull
This I like. It’s a little long but it doesn’t take away from the song.
OPA! RATING: 6.0

3. The National - Karen
I really wasn’t expecting The National to be this good. I don’t know about their album but this song is good. Nice melody and rhythm. The mix seems to be headed in the right direction.
OPA! RATING: 6.5

4. Dungen - Gjort Bort Sig
Stunning. There’s something very lively about Dungen (on CD) that most bands in this genre can’t even attempt. Full of energy. I love it.
OPA! RATING: 7.0

5. The 88s - Elbow Blues
This is one of my favorites on the mix. I own this album and I don’t recall this being a song that stood out for me, but I’ll have to revisit it.
OPA! RATING: 8.0

6. Her Space Holiday - A Match Made in Texas
I like the music but there’s something very tacky about the lyrics. Anytime the words ‘America’ and ‘American’ are repeated over and over again, the song tends to sound cheesy.
OPA! RATING: 4.0

7. Four Tet - Smile Around the Face
Now this I like. I don’t mind the occasional instrumental if it’s good, and this one definitely delivers. Nice.
OPA! RATING: 6.5

8. Nina Simone - Suzanne
I am sooooo obsessed with Nina Simone, and this makes my obsession even more unhealthy. I love love love this song.
OPA! RATING: 8.5

9. Os Mutantes - Bat Macumba
And the mix keeps on delivering the goods. I’d never heard anything from Os Mutantes before and after listening to this song, I will seek them out.
OPA! RATING: 8.0

10. Konono No.1 - Kule Kule
OK, I’m officially creaming my pants. I know it’s repetitive. And I know it can get a bit annoying with the whistles. But I love Konono No. 1.
OPA! RATING: 7.5

11. Elliott Smith - Ostrich and Chirping
I just hiccupped.
OPA! RATING: N/A

12. Josh Rouse - Winter in the Hamptons
Was this on The OC? Or was it on Laguna Beach? Dreadful. This is where the mix starts to go downhill. Such a shame.
OPA! RATING: 3.0

13. Wolf Parade - Shine a Light
It’s so funny, but every mix I’ve received from a friend with a Wolf parade song, it’s always been ‘Shine A Light’. It’s as if they don’t have any other songs. It’s alright I suppose. Decent indie rock.
OPA! RATING: 5.5

14. The Layaways - The Long Night
A long night indeed. Too long and dull. Nothing exciting about this one. Nor is it any good. Movin’ on…
OPA! RATING: 2.5

15. Portastatic - Truckstop Cassettes
The mix is a little frustrating at this point. It seems as if Jamie fell asleep and put her computer on auto-shuffle. The only positive, it’s a little better than the song before it.
OPA! RATING: 4.5

16. Pernice Brothers - Dumb It Down
Oh jeez…see above.
OPA! RATING: 3.5

17. Minus 5 - My Life as a Creep
OK, this is better. Actually, this song has really grown on me since I first heard it. Probably the biggest grower on the mix. Doesn’t mean it’s outstanding though. It’s decent.
OPA! RATING: 5.0

18. The Frames – Finally
Finally! That’s what I said as soon as this song ended. It’s brutal. I think The Frames (and Okkervil River) are two of the most overhyped bands around.
OPA! RATING: 3.0

I have to admit, I was looking forward to getting this mix from Jamie ‘cause I really enjoyed the mix she sent me some time last year. In fact, I think it’s my favorite mix ever by an Obner, so you could understand my excitement.

The first half of the mix absolutely delivers, with the trio of Nina Simone, Os Mutantes, and Konono No. 1 really making it enjoyable for me. The second half, on the other hand, is brutal. Very uninspiring and dull. I wanted to somehow find something nice to say about it, but unfortunately, I’d be lying if I did.

Overall, Jamie makes some of the best mixes but reeeeally lost focus towards the end on this one.

OPA! RATING: 5.50 (…out of 10)


So far....

So Real - 18 For The Obner
5.50

FT - ...Sheriff Lobo...
5.18