The Booze and the Drugs

1. 4th Of July Shooter Jennings
2. Still In Hollywood Concrete Blonde
3. Peacock Suit Paul Weller
4. One Time Woman J.D. Blackfoot
5. Weight On Me Mama Junkhouse
6. The Booze And The Drugs The Broken Family Band
7. Time Gone By Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds
8. Looking For A Supergirl The Makers
9. You're Gonna Lose Royal Trux
10. I Wanna Holler (But The Town's Too Small) The Detroit Cobras
11. Red House Jimi Hendrix
12. Fools on Parade The Jayhawks
13. She's Just 14 John Phillips
14. It Can't Be Nashville Every Night The Tragically Hip
15. Wiser Time The Black Crowes
16. So Long Bernie The Lowest Of The Low
17. Body of an American The Pogues
18. To Be A Millionare Spacehog
19. No Way Out DGeneration
20. Tweeter And The Monkey Man Headstones
21. Louie Louie Iggy Pop
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The Booze and the Drugs II

1. Guitar Town Steve Earle
2. Been Down Too Long Scott H. Biram
3. Make Your Mama Proud Fastball
4. Dollar Bill Screaming Trees
5. Closing Time Leonard Cohen
6. Let It Ride Ryan Adams
7. Tangerine Led Zeppelin
8. Just About 'The Only' Blues The Lowest Of The Low
9. Tangled Up In Blue [Live] Bob Dylan & The Rolling Thunder Review
10. 2,000 Man [Live] Kiss
11. Queen Bitch David Bowie
12. Driver's Seat Sniff 'N' the Tears
13. South Station Blues The Joe Perry Project
14. Sooner Than Later Pete Droge & The Sinners
15. Cordelia The Tragically Hip
16. Womans Intuition Hunter-Ronson
17. People Who Died The Jim Carroll Band
18. Caravan [Live] Van Morrison and The Band
19. Nowhere Road Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson

Got your mixes today... will be giving a listen today as well... nice to see Concrete Blonde on there (mine has them too). Looking forward to listening!

Review here:

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Interesting, I did an allmusic search for this band… didn’t realize Waylon Jennings had a musician son! The song itself is great, but just a tad on the country/twangy side for me. 3/5
2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – LOVE THIS SONG. Ever seen these guys in concert, Chas? They’re great. I get pissed that they get overlooked a lot of the time, because I always thought they were damned talented. 5/5
3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – the Modfather! I hadn’t heard this song before, but this is pretty rocking. I’m already getting the sense this is the sort of mix I’d put on in my car, while driving down some desert road, with an open bottle of whiskey. 4/5
4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – No offense, but this song reminds me of some of the 45’s my older sister used to buy… not the cool oldest sister, but the lesser informed older sister… it’s not really my thing. 2/5
5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – Hadn’t heard of these guys before either… must say, for a band formed in 1989, they sound like they formed in the mid to late 70s. Not bad, and yeah, definitely something that would sound good while under the influence. 3/5
6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – I recently saw a film on Sundance called “Southern Belles,” and for whatever reason, this song reminds me of it. Is this what people think about in Saskatoon? I can pretty much assure that people in rural Georgia think about it. 3/5
7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – Wasn’t Izzy supposed to be the “talented” one in G’n’R? Damn, Chas… so far, from the sound of the music, I’m getting the sense you should have come to adulthood in the mid 70s. That’s not an insult, just an observation. This isn’t bad. 3/5
8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – this is slick… 4/5
9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – hey, I’m kinda digging this… shhh, don’t tell anyone! 3/5
10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - oh man, this reminds me of growing up in Fayette County, Georgia! Haha! I totally can relate. 4/5
11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – can’t fuck with this dude. 5/5
12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – ok, now I’ve decided you must be Yail and Loogar’s long lost fourth cousin once removed. Are you sure you didn’t grow up with those two? I’m not too familiar with these guys… I know the about the street cred, but that’s about it. Good tune. 3/5
13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – John Phillips of Mamas and the Papas fame? Can’t be, right? I’ll admit the title is skeeving me out a bit, but the flow has it going on. 4/5
14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – I’m ashamed to say I’m not very familiar with this band either despite having heard of them for ages. This is great stuff… makes me wonder why I never really checked them out before. 4/5
15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – did you know that before they made it “big,” their name used to be Mr. Crowe’s Garden? Atlanta trivia for you. I don’t doubt the talent of these guys, but I never really got into them. I just can’t get the picture out of my head of Chris Robinson, likely stoned out of his gourd, wearing his leather pants emblazoned with marijuana leaves at the Atlanta Pot Festival years ago. But hey, it fits in with your mix so touché! 2/5
16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – this was a good tune, but not too remarkable, imo. 3/5
17. Body of an American – the Pogues – yay, couldn’t make a mix about boozing without including these guys. LOVE IT. 4/5
18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – To be honest, I’ve never really listened to these guys, if you don’t include that “In the Meantime” song. In fact, I never knew they could sound like this. This isn’t so bad! 3/5
19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – one of my friends just loves this band and esp. Jesse Malin. I’d never heard them before, so this was a first for me. Great stuff for sure. 4/5
20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – hmm, not really my thing. 2/5
21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – yes! 5/5

The Booze and the Drugs cd 2

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – Steve Earle is one of those guys I always like when I listen to him, yet I’ve never bought any of his albums before. Wonderful tune. 4/5
2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – Quite “down-home” in sound. I like this! 4/5
3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – again, not the sound I expected from these guys. Pretty rocking. 4/5
4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – strangely, I’m not feeling one way or the other about this song. 2/5
5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – it’s very difficult not to like a Leonard Cohen song, so I will stand by that statement. 4/5
6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – this song is good, but I’ve never been a huge Ryan Adams fan. Unfortunately I think his self-important attitude has overshadowed my ability to listen to him objectively. 3/5
7. Tangerine – Led Zeppelin – I know there are naysayers in our midst who hate these guys, and admittedly I wasn’t always a fan (still wouldn’t consider myself a huge one by any means), but they have some gems for sure. This is one of them. 4/5
8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low – these guys must be important to you to warrant a second appearance. Strangely enough, this song kinda reminds me of something I’m going through right now, personally speaking. So just by resonating with me right now at this moment, it’s getting high marks. 4/5
9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – I know I’m probably going to get drawn and quartered for saying this, but…. (looks around furtively)… I’ve never been a fan of Dylan’s voice. I won’t deny his songwriting ability and creativity though. 3/5
10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – gulp… Kiss… sorry, no thanks. 2/5
11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – alright this is more like it! One of my favorite tunes, but then again the entire Hunky Dory album is gold in my opinion. This always gets my head bobbing to the beat, and a smile on my face. 5/5
12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – I like this, Chas… 4/5
13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – This is great. I have a thing for Joe’s abs which helps. 4/5
14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – Pete’s got a great voice, and this is a nice mellow tune. 3/5
15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – hmm, this one isn’t resonating with me as much as the previous track you included. 2/5
16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – ok, who’s singing? His voice kinda reminds me of Roger Daltry, and I don’t mean that as an insult. This is rocking. Me likey. 4/5
17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – I’ve always loved this song, so no complaints from me. 5/5
18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – hmm, not one of my favorites so far… 2/5
19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – ahh, the circle is now complete… start with a Jennings, end with a Jennings. OK, remember my remark about twang and not digging it? Well, I absolve Waylon and Willie of that. They can do no wrong. 4/5

Overall, a great mix, Charles…. And yes, it definitely gave me insight into what kind of person you are, what kind of stuff you grew up on, what you’re listening to when you’re boozing it up… So thanks, man. I appreciate you sharing.

3.5 out of 5

And the fun begins...it looks like Charlie's mix will be the first to be reviewed.

Junkhouse, Headstones, two Low and two Hip?

You fucking Canuck.

You forgot Leonard Cohen, jagoff.

Thanks Dana, I'm glad you liked it! I think what I'm going to do after everyone posts their comments, is to review it myself and post my own thoughts and why I picked the songs, rather than a point-by-point commentary on every review. I hope I can turn around a review as fast as you! Thanks again.

(Many thanks to Norwood for creating the bbcode template for the DumpJail mix)

And btw - I'm not in Dumpjack's group for this exchange, so these discs must have been delivered to my mailbox by happy accident. The Canadian postal service sometimes fucks up in the most glorious of ways.

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Byrdsian jangle of the highest order but, like, masculine Byrdsian jangle, complete with authentic drawl. "Couldn't take anymore of that rock and roll, so we put on a little George Jones and sang along." Normally, I wouldn't condone such a strategy, but godonlyknows what kind of shee might've been playing on that stereo beforehand. Certainly not Shooter Jennings. Great stuff. (4/5)

2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – Oh mama. I've said it before many times, but Johnette Neopolitano has the most awesome voice. Full of sex, but not kewpie doll Scarlet Johansen sex - it's all power and attitude, with a long streak of mean in there. Which means you can actually TALK to her afterwards. But you'd have to sweat a little during the conversation as well. Cooler than cool. (4/5)

3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – Paul Weller's the exact same age as me, and when I was 19 I was prepared to claim him as some sort of idol. That changed as the Jam matured and I started to suspect that he was truly, fatally, British. And then the Style Council proved it. I'm not very interested in his solo work, because it always sounds like this song. Professional, uninspired, and grimly humorless. It also reminds me of the sort of '70s music I always hated (and that the Jam once promised to rescue us from). (2/5)

4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – Kudos to you, DJ, for including a JD Blackfoot joint on this mix. I only have a vague recollection of Blackfoot - and never bought one of his albums - and this song makes me wonder what I was missing out on. Sounds like a lost John Fogerty chestnut. And I mean the John Fogerty of CCR, not that other one that gave us Eye of the Zombie. (4/5)

5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – I had a Junkhouse album for a while. I think it was called Birthday and each CD came with a wax candle in the spine of the jewelcase. I sold it, although I'm not sure why. (3/5)

6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – This really is a minor masterpiece. To follow the line "We're all fucked up on the booze and the drugs" with the line "How long you gonna be in the bathroom baby" is evidence of considerable genius. Extra points for giving LooGAR a theme song. (4/5)

7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – I've always wished Izzy didn't bow to label pressure and would've just credited this album to the Ju Ju Hounds. Small point, I guess - but this is Izzy sounding more like the Faces than ever before or since, so a gesture that said "dude, this is before Rod went Hollywood" would've been appropriate, especially in light of his own ex-frontman disappearing into the bottomless caverns of dickishness. (4/5)

8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – I think I've sold 2 or maybe 3 Makers albums. This song is from the one I've kept, Rock Star God, which was a glam concept album by a garage band that wanted to play funk. You can't go wrong with that recipe, can you? (3/5)

9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – I get the feeling that I like the same music that Neil Haggerty likes. And I also get the feeling that pretty much comes down to liking Exile On Main Street. But Royal Trux play Exile like it was built on bad junk in a rat-infested downtown toilet instead of clean needles in a French villa. Interesting, for sure, but dirty and messy and kinda hard to look at. (3/5)

10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - I'm a little worried about the Detroit Cobras. 3 albums and an ep into their run and they're showing signs of exhaustion. And that's after writing one (1) original song. Anyway, this is still good, but it's mid-tempo without the slink that Rachel Nagy usually tosses off effortlessly. Wait and see. (3/5)

11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – Electric blues is not my kind of thing at all, but for some reason I can listen to Jimi burning it up without feeling the need to purge. (4/5)

12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – Jayhawks don't raise the tempo like this nearly often enough. Not that it breaks any land speed records, but it has a nice swing to it. One of their finer moments in a career of some fairly fine moments. (4/5)

13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – Jesus Christ, this is either awesomely shitty or shittily awesome. I don't know if there's ultimately any difference. Mick and Keef raise this up to Jamming With Edward levels of sleaze, and Phillips drawls like he spent a year of nightschool studying let It Bleed, both of which take away attention from the lyrics, although I'm sure McKenzie still heard them loud and clear. Yeesh. (unrateable)

14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – This is a great Hip tune. I'd never even heard it before, so thanks for including it. (4/5)

15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – Another band influenced clearly by the Faces and the Stones of Exile On Main Street, but cleaning it up sufficiently to take it into the lobby of a Beverly Hills bank. I'm not much of a fan, but this song is all right. Chris Robinson is definitely best when he sticks to singing instead of doing that Steve Marriott/Humble Pie imitation. Incidentally, Steve Marriott was considered as a replacement for Brian Jones at one point. Y'see? The Stones knew better. (3/5)

16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – I've always liked Shakespeare My Butt a lot, and this is one of the songs on it that I've barely listened to. I always end up playing "Salesmen, Cheats, and Liars" over and over again, I guess. Anyway, in context of the mix the song stands out in a good way. Works as a transition to that next mofo too. (3/5)

17. Body of an American – the Pogues – Okay, I've got this far without making myself a drink, but that just changed. Back to the Jack and Coke. It's only appropriate. It'd also be appropriate to tear the enamel off my teeth and piss myself, but let's just keep some of this as hypotheticals. (3/5)

18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – Total surprise to see Spacehog on this mix. Who's the famous chick Royston is dating? I feel I should know. Up until listening to this song, that's ALL I felt I should know. (3/5)

19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – I quite liked DGeneration, at least up until their last album, which veered into hair metal territory. They never quite had the strength of songwriting they needed - and I think that bad songwriting is still Jesse Malin's weakness. This song was one of their best - I think they recorded it on their first TWO albums, so they clearly felt it represented a highlight. (3/5)

20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – One of the best moments of the Headstones. Sort of a punky blooze, best heard when drunk instead of merely drinking. Good addition to the mix, but as a stand-alone, it's still a meh. (3/5)

21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – How many times has the Ig recorded this song? Always liked the artlessly puerile lyrics of the version on Metallic K.O. (to wit: "she got a rose down in her hair/ her ass is black and her tits are bare"), which brought the dirt that the Kingsmen only promised. This is a good version though - the deedly deedly geetar wank is offset by the one note piano, and it's Iggy, so really, how far away from neanderthal genius is it gonna go? (3/5)


Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 2

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – I may as well risk getting hyperbolic here, but this is one of the best songs ever committed to tape. And it was '85 or '86 so, yes, TAPE. I mean, this thing is bedrock. It sounds like it always existed. Like it was inevitable. Like how the fuck did it take so long for someone to write it? Like Earle grabbed the thing out of the ether and rode it home. (5/5)

2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – This is the high point of Graveyard Shift, maybe excepting the title track. It's like Tom Waits without the pretense to capital A art, or Captain Beefheart stripped down to the rank of boatswain. Good dirty country blues. And I mean good. (4/5)

3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – This was the first Fastball song I ever heard. Surprised the hell out of me when they reappeared with "The Way". Of course, I bought that album too. They were travelling in an interesting direction before success hit. (3/5)

4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – Gotta thank you again for including this. Another one of the albums I rashly sold. I never really missed it until this mix - and then remembered that for a brief moment, the Screaming Trees seemed like a Stateside answer to the guitar-shredding romantic gloom of the Jesus and Mary Chain. (3/5)

5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – I'm not much of a Cohen fan. He has a singing range of maybe two notes, and his lyrics are based on a few cheap literary tricks. But he seems like a pretty cool guy, all the same, except for that whole monk thing. And he had sex with Janis Joplin, which... oh, wait a sec... (2/5)

6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – typical Ryan Adams. Professional, melodic, and still pretty forgettable. He just doesn't have the gravitas in his voice to pull off the shit he's aiming for. When this comes on my foot might tap, and I won't press the skip button, but my attention will wander to things like grocery lists. And if that's what he's good for, then that's great. Everybody has to write grocery lists. (2/5)

7. Tangerine - Led Zeppelin - Yeh, this is one of those Led Zep songs that makes me start to realize that my blanket Zep hate is ignorant and unfounded. And then I realize that Roger Hodgson stole that little guitar strum in this song and appropriated it for Supertramp's "Give A Litttle Bit". And then I laugh and return to my blinkered ign'ance. (3/5)

8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low – now THIS is one of the songs off Shakespeare My Butt that I listen to a lot. I've put it on many mixes in the past. Always wondered if Ron is talking about "The Only" on Hastings in the battle zone in Vancouver, or if Toronto has it's own "The Only". I'm gonna go with the former, if only because the $4 bowl of seafood chowder used to totally rock. (4/5)

9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – In retrospect, it's hard to believe that less than 10 short years had elapsed between "Like A Rolling Stone" and Bob's decision to cover his face in white greasepaint on the Rolling Thunder Revue. But even that thought takes a backseat to your decision to use Dylan as a lead-in to KISS. Holy irreverence, Batman. (3/5)

10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – I admit I cringed when I saw this on the tracklist, but thanks for picking one of the few songs that Gene'n'Paul Inc. allowed Ace to sing. (2/5)

11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – This was the moment when Bowie's quest to be Lou Reed actually bore fruit. Mostly thanks, again, to Mick Ronson. Listening to this song after all these years, Bowie really does seem to be a little uncomfortable with this whole "rocking" thing. Ronson, on the other hand, does not. A moment, for sure. (5/5)

12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – I get Sniff 'n' The Tears mixed up with Flash 'n' The Pan, for obvious reasons. When I first heard this song on the radio back in the '80s, I thought it was the new Al Stewart song. You remember "Year of the Cat"? This paragraph is entirely full of flashbacks I would gladly never have again. (2/5)

13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – I'll take Norwood's word that Joe Perry's got good abs. Heroin will do that for a guy. But his voice? Weak. So weak it makes me appreciate Steve Tyler. (2/5)

14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – Worst thing to happen to Pete Droge was getting "If You Don't Love Me I'll Kill Myself" on the soundtrack to that Jim Carrey flick. The guy deserves better. I saw him do an in-store in Seattle's Easy Street Records and there's a fairly major talent there. (3/5)

15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – Not bad. This almost harkens back to the sound of Road Apples - hell, for all I know it might be on it. I'm kinda wishing you threw on "Locked In The Trunk Of A Car" instead of this one, just to see what the Obner response would be. Maybe I'll put that one on one of my next mixes. (3/5)

16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – Ian Hunter at his most Stonesy. In fact, I'd love to hear the Stones cover this song. (4/5)

17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – Why don't I have this album on cd? I have a sudden craving to hear "Wicked Gravity" and "Crow". (5/5)

18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – I really miss this aspect of Van Morrison. He used to seem to be full of such joy and energy, and I know he got beat down by years of commercial failure, but what the fuck do you expect when you try to foist a celtic version of rhythm 'n' blues on the record buying public? That's a specialty niche at the best of times, even without the Irish slant - just ask the hundreds of truly great black r'n'b artists that disappeared in cold, ugly obscurity. So my message to Van is to listen to this Dumpjack mix and REGAIN THE MAGIC. It's in you, you bald, pudgy, malcontent motherfucker, so grab it. (4/5)

19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – I like the idea of outlaw country a lot better than the actuality. There's nothing here to dislike, except for that damn two-step beat that makes me wanna grab my square dancing partner and allemande right outta here. Other than that, there's a sense of world-weariness and hard-won wisdom that is palpable. Either that, or dudes are just stoned. (3/5)




This is a great 2 disc collection of songs. But what does it say about DumpJack? I'd say it reveals him as a disturbed, unstable boozehound with about 2 weeks to go before the law catches up with him. In the meantime, the more mixes we can get him to compile, the better off we'll ALL be.

I'm fairly certain it's this place but not positive.

It's just that a lot of the places in their songs are Toronto-based: the Carlaw Bridge, Sneaky Dee's, Bathurst St., etc.

Many thanks for the review, Dr. Radcliffe. I'm glad you enjoyed them both. I had a lot of fun putting them together. I'm glad you were drinking Jack and coke during Disc 1, because that's exactly what I was drinking when I made that one. Disc 2 was mainly put together while drinking gin and tonic. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Like I mentioned in response to Dana's review, after everyone has posted theirs, I'll post my own detailed review of the mix. Thanks again!

That would be Ms. Liv Tyler.




Interesting observation about Bowie... I can kinda see that.

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Nice way to start off this mix. I really enjoy this - aligns with my music taste. We've got a George Jones reference, southern accent, and a driving beat. An auspicious start for Mr. Dumpjack. 4/5.
2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – Never listened to much Concrete Blonde at all. This is ok I guess but nothing spectacular. I like the lyrics and vocal. Kind of forgettable tune. 2/5.
3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – This is more like it. Nice rockin' tune. Maybe I will need to explore more Weller. 3/5.
4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – Sounds like something my dad would have played on a saturday afternoon - Milwaukee's Best in hand. A little CCR in here..in fact, a lot of CCR. Not that that's a bad thing. 3/5.
5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – never heard of Junkhouse. Another nice bluesy track. A little repetitive on the riff. Johnny Cash proved that it works but this ain't Johnny. 2/5.
6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – Nice. World-weary vocals get me every time. F-bombs, alcohol and drug references, very nice. Guy's voice reminds me of Bobby Bare, Jr. Love how the pace picks up about a minute and a half in. Best track so far. 4/5.
7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – I remember going to watch movies as a kid and getting Jujubees stuck all in my teeth and then spending the next 30 minutes digging them out with my fingers. Not pleasant. Neither is this. 2/5.
8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – Woah this starts out metal or something. Reminds me of something but I can't place it. This would be great as background music at a party or driving around picking up prosties. 3/5.
9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – Blues posturing with a metal vocal. Royal Trux - risky name for a band this bad. 1/5.
10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - Handclaps...is that handclaps? Good start. Very nice vocal and backing vocals. Sounds like something that would come from Detroit. Enjoyed it. 3/5.
11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – I'm not all that familiar with this guy's work but he could really work on his guitar technique. Pretty boring. 4/5. Dangerous putting this song on this mix. This is the blues. Puts a lot of the preceding songs to shame. 5/5.
12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – Love the Jayhawks but this is totally not representative of their catalog. I guess that's why you put it on here. I greatly prefer other Jayhawsks songs but this isnt bad - plus it references drugs and my drink - Jack and Coke. 3/5.
13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – "just?" 3/5.
14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – Now we're talking. I've always resisted this band for some reason. Call it anti-Canadianism. But this is the best thing on this disc. Nice change of pace from all the other blues songs. Right up my alley, sir. 4+/5.
15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – I've got nothing against the Crowes but this song is kind of pedestrian...other than the chorus which is nicely done. Robinson does have a great rock voice, I'll give him that. But man - you can't lose Kate Hudson. Seriously, dude, get your act together. 2/5.
16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – Pretty good I guess. I listened to a bunch of this band on your artist mixes earlier this year and found them listenable but not memorable, really. 2/5.
17. Body of an American – the Pogues – I mean c'mon. Its the motherfucking Pogues. And by the way, I hope this isnt some kind of veiled threat. 5/5.
18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – Haven't heard much of this band other than that one hit. This is totally different. I like it. Very melodic, nice knee-slapping music. Maybe this should be a 4...nahh. 3/5.
19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – Never heard this band before. They've listened to alot of The Replacements which is always helpful. Not the greatest vocalist, however. 3/5.
20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – Id give this 2 out of 5 for the title alone. This would fit in nicely on my mix. I love this type of shit. 3/5.
21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – I honestly hate this song - the original I mean. But this almost rescues it. 3/5.

The Booze and the Drugs cd 2 - review coming soon.

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle - another one that is an obvious 5/5.
2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram - woah what is this? This sounds like something from about 60 years ago or something. 4/5.
3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball - did these guys sing Sex and Candy or something else? Counting Blue Cars? I know it was something. Hey, this ain't half bad....but not quite half good. 2/5.
4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees - great band that I never really explored enough. Kind of a recurring theme, I know. Lanegan sings like he is from another planet. Such a unique and complex voice. Goddamn this is good 5/5.
5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen - never head this one before. I am a Cohen fan but only of like 10 songs. I dont think this is one of them but its not bad. 3/5.
6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams - one of Ryan Adams best songs. I admit I am a big Ryan Adams an Whiskeytown fan, so sue me. 4/5.
7. Tangerine – Led Zeppelin - i know this song well and its always been one of my favore Led Zeppelin songs. Probably because it doesn't reference Gollum. 4/5.
8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low - another Lowest of the Low song, eh? You took a risk, sir, and it paid off. This is the better of their two songs here. Still a bid pedestrian but I can appreciate it. 3/5.
9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review - I mean, fuck, one of my favorite songs of all time. 6/5.
10. 2,000 Man (Live) – i'm running out of energy now. All I can say is pretty good. 4/5.
11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – one of these days Im going to go out and buy a bunch of David Bowie albums. This is awesome. 5/5.
12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – never heard of this. Woah there was a synth. This is way outside the rest of this mix so far. I kiind of hate this but kind of like it. Seems like it would be awesome for a gay porn soundtrack from the 70s. Truly weird. 5/5.
13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project - meh. 1/5.
14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners - I've always liked Pete Droge. What happened to this dude? What hapened to his hat? 4/5.
15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip - Cordelia on Buffy the Vampire Slayer was really f'n hot. Wowza. Ok, back to listening. This is not as good as the other song by this band. When bands just yell out "YEAH" for no good reason it makes me wonder. Not sure when this was made but it sounds like typical mid 90's guitar rock. 2/5.
16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson - pretty damn cool tune. Nice harmonies. Pure rock n' roll. 4/5.
17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band - tremendous song. 5/5
18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band - love Van. You are closing out this mix very nicely. 4/5.
19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson - hard to quibble with this. I mean its Waylon and Willie. Willie sounds a lot better than Waylon, though. 4/5.

Traveling Wilburys cover.

Thanks for the review, Rod. I'm glad you dug it. Frankly I'm surprised that you didn't trash the KISS song, haha. Of course, it's a cover so maybe that was the saving grace, eh?

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Saw him live a couple o’ months ago, and he definitely brought the twang (imo, Hank III out-twangs Jennings, but the temptation to follow it up with a dash o’ thrash/cowpunk is just too damn much for him…not that there’s anything wrong with that). Great track finish and a strong mix start. (4/5)

2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – This song was on a mix I received quite a few years ago, and frankly, I’m just as underwhelmed by it now as I was then. I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t like Concrete Blonde, it’s just that to me, this particular track comes across as a mediocre X rip-off. (2/5)

3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – Color me ignorant, but I purposely avoid post-Jam/Style Council Weller fearing it will bring nothing but confusion and/or disappointment. I know I should be checking my pre-perceived Weller notions at the door, but his solo material just doesn’t float for me.(2/5)

4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – I dig it and completely agree with Rads regarding the CCR feel. A nice mix resurrection from the previous coupla tracks. (3/5)

5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – Fuckin’ a low down and dirty…soundtrack to a PBR and a smoke. Track delivers. (3/5)

6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – I’d heard (and really liked) Devil in the Details and Back of the Chapel on a Rough Trade comp but despite positive reviews, decided not to pursue further. Mistake on my part. God damn but this is good. (4.5/5)

7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – Wow. Having never been a huge Gn’R fan, I was expecting a helluva lot worse than this from Izzy. IMO, outside of nearly every Bo Diddley tune, Buddy’s “Not Fade Away” and Bruce’s “She’s the One”, this beat is just plain overused and tired. But I think it really works here. The track is solid, and the solo makes it. No shit – who’d a thunk it. (4/5)

8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – The guitar/keyboard intro is promising, but the tune just doesn’t deliver from that point. I imagine this tune would make for a nice soundtrack as I drive to happy hour after a week of working for the man, but outside of that scenario, it’s leaving me whelmed. (3/5)

9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – Honestly, I shouldn’t like this. It’s a bit grungy (in a Mudhoney circa “Touch Me I’m Sick” kinda way) and in dire need of a little remasterin’. That said, it’s currently fighting for a top 5 spot on your mix(es). First Royal Trux I’ve ever heard. (4.5/5)

10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras – Run o’ the mill bluesy singalong that I’ve begun skipping on repeat listens. Just doesn’t jump out at me; perhaps it’s because I dig the intro of the next track so damn much. (2/5)

11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – Feels a bit like an intermission after the smoking first half of this mix. That solo. Every time I hear it, I’m amazed Jimi cut it off at <4 minutes. (4/5)

12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – Hmmmm...not bad. Never been a Jayhawks fan but can see this one being a grower. (3/5)

13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – As a Stones fan, this is a straight-up painful listen. “She’s just a little girl who thinks like a man”? Ooof. (1/5)

14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – I’m a late comer to the Tragically Hip party and was introduced primarily through CMJ/Obner mixes. I’m sold and plan on investing in TH in the near-term (is the Yer Favourites best-of a solid start? I may try to pick something up at the Tower clearance sale). (4/5)

15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – I definitely prefer the slower BC grooves and hadn’t heard this one before. Love the back-to-back-to-back solos, but it gets a bit jam-bandish at the end. If they’d avoided the temptation to build to a crescendo and shortened the song by 50 seconds, the rating would be higher. (3/5)

16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – Heard of but not heard TLOTL and imagine they’ve got quite the cult following. Both tracks you’ve included here are pretty solid and leave me interested in hearing more, as I imagine there’s even better in their catalogue. (2/5)

17. Body of an American – the Pogues – This sounds exactly like 361 other Pogues tunes, and I love every damn one of ‘em. (5/5)

18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – Not bad and not “In the Meantime”. Catchy and brief. I’m a fan. (3/5)

19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – This one slipped by me the first few times around - but after repeat listens, it’s velcroed itself to my cranium. Anthemic, sneering punk. (4/5)

20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – At first listen, the story was intriguing enough for me to play along. On repeated listens, neither the story nor the band kept me engaged. (1/5)

21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – I’ve always been anti-“Louie Louie” covers, and despite Iggy’s attempts to make it interesting, I still prefer the Kingsmen version to all others (do like the single note piano though). (2/5)


Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 2

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – Tracks like this sound like they were tailor made for Earle - just seems so damn natural for him. I was introduced to Earle with Exit 0, but I’ve come to believe that Guitar Town kicks its ass in nearly every way. (4.5/5)

2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – The Obner-wan introduced me to Biram earlier this year, and Rad’s description – “Good dirty country blues” – is spot-fucking on. Love it. (4.5/5)

3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – I’ve got a buddy in Plano who’s always spoken highly of these dudes. Tight, infectious, and barely over 2 minutes in length – ‘tis a keeper. (3/5)

4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – Always been my favorite Trees track, and listening to it in headphones this week has given me a whole new feel for all that’s goin’ on here. (4/5)

5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – I prefer my Cohen a little more lonely and depressed. (2/5)

6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – I’ll be honest. I’m not huge on Adams, but I’ve really begun to dig this particular song. The chorus is just so damn melodic, and I’ve found myself singing it hours after I’ve put this mix down. Can’t argue with that. (3.5/5)

7. Tangerine - Led Zeppelin – It’s nearly impossible for me to say anything negative about this track. (5/5)

8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low – Much better than the TLOTL track on Mix 1. I’m now regretting having not downloaded the TLOTL mix someone (you?) posted on obner a few months back. (4/5)

9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – I’m usually not a fan of live tracks on a mix, but I’m currently going through a Dylan phase (No Direction Home has sucked me back into my Dylan stash), and the timing is right. Not my favorite RTR track, but solid nonetheless. (3/5)

10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – What? No New York Groove? Kidding. All in all, this tune is listenable but not memorable. Sandwiching KISS between Dylan and Bowie takes satchel, and I respect your decision. (2.5/5)

11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – A classic. I’ve always hoped that the “oh yeah”s and the “you betcha” were ad libbed and not written on some damn lyric sheet. The idea of Bowie having to force himself down that path would kill it for me. (4/5)

12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – At the risk of showing my age, I loved this tune as a kid and was really just getting into music when it was released. It’s amazing how well this track has aged. Ah, nostalgia. (4/5)

13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – Yeah, this one’s painful, and I’ve only made it all the way through once. (1/5)

14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – Dark and quite vast. Impressive instrumentation throughout. (3/5)

15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – Again, it’s hard to argue with what I’ve heard from this band. (3.5/5)

16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – Like it, but it runs on a bit long. Hunter really gives it up here. (3/5)

17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – Ah yes, more nostalgia. Loved it then, and find that it too has aged very well. DBT’s cover, while a nice encore surprise under the influence of beers-a-plenty, is really just that – a cover. No one could do the original justice. Interestingly, this is the only Jim Carroll song I’ve ever heard. (4/5)

18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – One of my top five from Van the man, and I’d never heard this version before. Thanks for including. (4/5)

19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – To be candid, if this were the first time I’d heard this song, the score would probably be higher. But having revered Earle’s original for so damn long, even highwaymen can’t do it justice. (3/5)

Summary
First mix I received, and holy schnikes, did it deliver. Mathematically, the score comes out to ~3.25/5, but I'll round her up to 3.75/5 because you've given me a solid perspective of your musical tastes. To that end, we've definitely got some genres in common. On the other hand, you've introduced (and in some cases reintroduced) me to a handful of bands, albums, or tracks that I need to be giving more attention. I'm planning on spinning both mixes at an upcoming poker night, so rest assured that these will be on heavy rotation. Thanks, Djack...

Glad you dug it, man! I had fun putting it together. To answer yr Hip question, you can't go wrong with Yer Favourites is a solid overview. However, I have a Hip mix I did up myself that I'm going to pm you just in case you'd like a fuller preview before a purchase. I also heartily endorse these mixes for gatherings where alcohol is consumed. It's a state-dependant thang.

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1
1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Never heard him before. This has a decent hook. Not sure how much I'd listen to it on my own free will.
6.5/10
2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – Well this is a surprise. The only thing I heard by them prior to this is "Joey" and that Leonard Cohen song they covered on Pump Up The Volume. Kinda raucous.
7.5/10
3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – Dig the thumping blues groove on this one.
6/10
4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – I can see the Creedence comparison. The hook's not really winning me over.
5.5/10
5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – Waddya know. I have a weight on me too. So, I can relate.
8.5/10
6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – Well hey it's the title track. Funny lyrics and clever hook. I like the way they keep it stripped down in the beginning and then speed it up for the second go 'round until it abruptly ends.
8/10
7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – The 1st time I've heard anything by Izzy's "other" band. Not exactly a stand out track for me here, but it's a hell of alot more interesting than most of what GnR has done.
6.5/10
8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers - Heh...he said he wants to give a girl his "human torch." Kinda funky and punky at the same time. Not bad but hasn't made a big impact on me.
6/10
9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – I would like this a LOT more if it weren't for that voice. Kinda throaty, but it sounds too "put on." But for some reason, it still grabs my attention when it comes on...so I must not dislike it that much.
6.5/10
10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - Retro sounding garage rock with a sultry singer. This works.
8.5/10
11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – Jimi at his bar-bluesiest. I have to be in the mood for this kind of stuff. A genius on the guitar for sure - which should go without saying.
6.5/10
12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – It's got all the fool-proof ingredients for a great pop song: harmonies, rhythmic piano, tambourine, melodic bass, and a guitar solo that does not descend into wankfest territory.
8/10
13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – The "slightly off sync" harmonies on the chorus are a nice touch, but it's a bit of a snoozer.
4.5/10
14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – I'm not big on the other Tragically Hip song that appears on this mix, but I do like this one. Almost seems like a different vocalist.
7/10
15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – Hard to fuck with the Black Crowes. For me anyways, judging by most of what I have heard. I do have that "best of" that came out and this is on it. I've considered getting Southern Harmony... Haven't gotten around to it yet. Good album all the way through?
8.5/10
16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – As it began, I was almost expecting Eagle Eye Cherry's "Save Tonight." That cool guitar solo that starts at 1:56 is what saves it for me.
6.5/10
17. Body of an American – the Pogues – I like the way it starts off like an Irish drinking song, and then an abrupt change in tempo brings on the polka-punk.
8/10
18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – I'm always down for a short, simplistic, acoustic guitar driven clap-along. Plus I've never heard Spacehog before.
7/10
19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – Quite a switch, but I guess it was about time for the all out punk rock assault to rear its head on this mix. Well received on my end.
7/10
20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – It's not a complete stinkbomb...but I prefer The Travelling Wilburys' version far more.
5.5/10
21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – Just when I thought I was sick of this song, Iggy gives it a fresh twist. This is the only version of this that he's done that I have actually heard. Fun.
7.5/10

The Booze and the Drugs cd 2

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – The twangiest of the bunch, but enjoyable.
7/10
2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – Yes, you can have an "amen" and an "8 outta 10.".
8/10
3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – Holy shit....you mean they didn't always rip off Elvis Costello?
6.5/10
4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – I think this is the first Screaming Trees song I have ever heard. My initial impression was that it's kind of repetitive, but the subtle dynamics grew on me.
6.5/10
5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – I don't know much L.C. I was always under the impression that he is more somber than this musically. In other words, I wasn't expecting something that's almost dance-able, I hate to say it, in an Abba sort of way. This is a great song though.
9/10
6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – I missed the Ryan Adams train, I guess because I always thought too much of Bryan Adams. Obviously, they are quite different. This one caught on with me pretty fast. In fact, I have already added both Cold Roses CDs to my "want list" on lala.
7.5/10
7. Tangerine – Led Zeppelin – I'm a closet Led Zeppelin fan, especially Zoso and Physical Graffiti. I don't know what album this comes from, but it's a fine song.
7.5/10
8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest if the Low - The closest this mix comes to M-O-R pop/rock. But I actually like this more than the other song by this band that appears on this mix. I don't why this reminds me of Guster. Maybe it's the vocalist.
7.5/10
9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – Good choice of a Dylan song. A little different from the version I know...In fact, I think the words are a little different.
8/10
10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – Gotta have a Kiss song sandwiched between Bob and Dave. I went through this mix a few times while barely making any kind of glance at the track listing. I think I listened to this song in particular 3 times before finally realizing it's Kiss. It's decent.
6/10
11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – One of Bowie's rockin' moments....before I was born too.
7/10
12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – Daggum, this kicks my ass. Probably my fav track here. Will definitely appear on a future personal mix of mine for my car.
9.5/10
13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – My mix says this is Aerosmith. But I looked around and it appears to be Joe Perry solo, even though it somehow wormed its way into Aerosmith's box set. Probably because it rocks. Yeah.
8/10
14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – This is a great song. I can see myself looking into these guys if this at all a reflection of their songwriting.
9/10
15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – I'm just not into the singer's quivery delivery on this track. Nothing wrong with the music.
5.5/10
16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – This actually seems more like a Kiss song than "2,000 Man." Thunderous drums. A "shout along" worthy chorus. The over the top guitar solo.
7/10
17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – This is awesome. Maybe I'll finally get around to watching Basketball Diaries now.
9/10
18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – This is OK. Seems like it goes on a bit too long.
6/10
19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – I guess if you start with a Jennings, you may as well end with one....doing a Steve Earle cover....with Willie.
7/10

Thanks Dumpjack. A pretty diverse batch of songs and quite a bit I'll be sure to look futher into. Overall, I give it a 7.5/10

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – My first response was relief that this wasn’t a poor version of Dave Alvin’s 4th of July. There are a few lame rhymes here and there but that’s okay. Freaking love it. (4/5)

2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – No doubt about that voice. Johnette Neopolitano can read my grocery list to me every day and I’d enjoy it. The song is good but I always hated that “still in Hollywood” chant. (3/5)

3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – While I love Paul Weller’s voice this song sounds really dated. (1/5)

4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – This is a gem. Who’s up for tequila shots at the bar? Love this. (4/5)

5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – This is new for me. I’m totally sucked in by the moodiness of this song and that fuzz..... (3/5)

6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – All I can really do is quote Radcliffe because it’s exactly how I feel: “To follow the line "We're all fucked up on the booze and the drugs" with the line "How long you gonna be in the bathroom baby" is evidence of considerable genius.” This song kills. (4/5)

7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – Another good one, DJ. This mix just keeps rolling on with that guitar and hand clapping and yeah, I’m on my third shot. (4/5)

8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – Yeah, me too. (3/5)

9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – In my youth I woke up feeling like this song more than I can remember. Pass the ground glass for my cheerio-o’s please. And shut the fuck up. (3/5)

10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - This is cool. Very much like the Original Sinners’ ‘billy vibe. At first I thought this would be cool if Chrissie Hynde sang it and while I’d love to here that, this girl’s voice has a nice been on my knees too long feel to it. Points for decent hand clapping. (4/5)

11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – Perfect and I won’t sully this with my asinine and banal comments. (5/5)

12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – I like the Jayhawks but this is one of those songs that sounds a little too 70’s for my taste. (2/5)

13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – This mix has been such great fun up until now but everybody needs a bathroom break. I’m giving it a 1 only because of the way that the guitars and chorus meet up. (1/5)

14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – You’re getting me into these guys. Good stuff. (3/5)

15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – Not a Black Crowes fan. Somebody tell that guy to cool it on that electric piano. This song should have met the snippy scissors at 3 minutes tops. (1/5)

16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – This is new to me and I’m crazy about this guy’s voice. Good song and thanks for the intro. (3.5/5)

17. Body of an American – the Pogues – I hate the fucking (southside Chicago) Irish and am drunk enough to fight any motherfucker who cares to disagree. Look at me and make me kick your ass. (3/5)

18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – Maybe I’m still pissed from that Pogues tune but this just isn’t happening for me. (1/5)

19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – Just in time. Crank this bastard up. (3.5/5)

20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – Fekking great. Nice kick in the head. it’s loud and I’m driving in the dark. (4/5)

21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – Love the sloppy mess this song is and Iggy’s ability to make it sound charming. My mascara’s running. Are we out of Stoly? (4/5)



Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 2

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – One of my favorite songs ever. “$37 and a Jap guitar” Not a flaw here. It’s perfect. Still have this damn cassette in my car. (5/5)

2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – This is new to me and I’m instantly there. No fake songwriting/singing bullshit here. I know this guy’s seen the dark side. It’s stuff like this that keep me from really joining the DBT fanclub. It’s the real deal. (4/5)

3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – Very okay and I’d rate this higher if I didn’t just hear the previous song. (2/5)

4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – Big fan of the droning moodiness. (3/5)

5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – With the exception of a few songs, I’ve never been a huge Cohen fan but I like this and hearing it in the context of this mix makes it seem a little less precious than a lot of his other stuff. Did he really say something about men dancing around polka dots? Wtf? You’ve made this much more palatable than it should be, Charlie. (2/5)

6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – Not a Ryan Adams fan. He’s always seemed a little less than genuine to me. Not bad music. Someone should write some decent lyrics to it. (2/5)

7. Tangerine - Led Zeppelin - I’m a real middle of the road Zeppelin fan. It’s all those Lord of the Ring lyrics. I wanted to fast forward through this but was glad I didn’t. There are parts of this that are actually very pretty and I hate you for making me say that. (2/5)

8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low – This is a great song and it really “gets to me” in a good way. Very moving and I hate you for making me say that, too. (5/5)

9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – I expected this to be a train wreck but am pleasantly surprised and relieved. I love early Dylan so much and the last half of his career has been a real love/hate thing with me. Glad to hear this. (3/5)

10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – I wanted to hate this song so much once I found out who was singing it. I was never a Kiss fan at all but I have to be honest and say that I heard it without the track listing and I genuinely like it. I’m such a disappointment to myself. (2.5/5)

11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – Not really a Bowie fan one way or the other but I lurve Mick Ronson. I’m convinced that he could make a Hop on Pop song sound palatable. (3/5)

12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – It’s funny to hear this song. It’s so bad and incredibly laughable but that’s because I was around then working shitty jobs that always had this on in the background. I’m giving you a point for digging it out and slapping it down here. (1/5)

13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – Crank up the volume and turn up the vocals. It’s too weak for this mix. (1/5)

14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – Very okay but again, in the context of such a strong mix, it just flails about. (1/5)

15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – Again, you’re converting me. (2.5/5)

16. Womans Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – Hunter/Ronson. One of the most perfect combinations ever. Guitars/drums/vocals...a glorious calculated mess. They always sound drunk and on the verge of sliding off the sofa. These guys rip me apart. Love it. (5/5)

17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – Nothing to do but bob your head and sing along. (5/5)

18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – Again, another great song by a great performer. So bloody optimistic I wonder why I listen but I can’t stay away. He’s brilliant. (4/5)

19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – I’m more of a Waylon fan (using the term lightly) than Willie but damn if I can say I hate this song. It’s catchy as hell. maybe Radcliffe will dance with me. (3/5)



Damn, Charlie. This is a monumental 2 disc effort and I gotta say you pulled it off. Even the clunkers still manage to fit in. I’ve listened to both discs about 20 times each and it just gets better and better. It makes me want to hang out and drink with good friends and completely bullshit the night away.

It’s the first contender in my Best Of the Bunch pile. Thanks so much.

Thanks for the reviews! Once again, I appreciate the effort on your part to listen to my self-indulgence and share your thoughts.

Laura, sometime we will have to drink, hang-out and bullshit the night away to these mixes. I'll bring the gin.

01. 4th Of July Shooter Jennings
“Wow, I actually like this. It’s catchy and raunchy all at the same time. A little too polished for my tastes. This sort of music needs to be raw and dirty. Nonetheless, it’s still a nice start to the mix.”
RATING: 7.0 (…out of 10)

02. Still In Hollywood Concrete Blonde
“The volume level of this song seriously takes away from its energy. If it were just a bit higher, the song would rock. As a result, it comes off as weak.”
RATING: 5.0

03. Peacock Suit Paul Weller
“This is not bad, not bad at all. Again, a little too polished for this sort of thing. Would’ve liked it to be a little more raw.”
RATING: 6.0

04. One Time Woman J.D. Blackfoot
“OK, now this is improvement. J.D. gets down and dirty. Yes.”
RATING: 7.5

05. Weight On Me Mama Junkhouse
“Whoa. Without a doubt, my favorite song on the mix. You can feel the booze and the drugs at work here. Excellent. My second perfect score of the mix exchange. (The other being Galaxie 500 on BGL3‘s mix).”
RATING: 10

06. The Booze And The Drugs The Broken Family Band
“Ah, the title track. Let’s make this Charlie’s theme song. Song is short and sweet. On a negative note, the ending of this songs bugs me. It‘s abrupt and not very clean.”
RATING: 7.0

07. Time Gone By Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds
“Again, this is too polished. Something about this song comes off as disingenuous to me. Just doesn’t do it for me.”
RATING: 5.0

08. Looking For A Supergirl The Makers
“I suppose this song is a little better but it’s no JD Blackfoot or Junkhouse. Too polished.”
RATING: 5.5

09. You're Gonna Lose Royal Trux
“Very interesting. There’s something amazing about this song but I can’t seem to pinpoint what. The vocals are awesome by the way.”
RATING: 8.5

10. I Wanna Holler (But The Town's Too Small) The Detroit Cobras
“I wanna holler too…but in a good way. Excellent song, which makes two in a row. I love the strong female vocals.”
RATING: 7.5

11. Red House Jimi Hendrix
“This song suffers from bad location on the mix. It immediately follows two rocking songs so I’m not yet in the mood for a bluesy slow song. And it’s followed by another rocking song. I think this would’ve had more of impact towards the end of the mix surrounded by some slower songs. As a result, it feels long and momentum killing.”
RATINGS: 5.5

12. Fools on Parade The Jayhawks
“This is nice and catchy with a fine chorus. A welcomed return to rockers.”
RATING: 6.5

13. She's Just 14 John Phillips
“Oh my, back to the slow stuff. I like the vocals but the song is too long and boring. Nothing much to get excited about this one.”
RATING: 4.5

14. It Can't Be Nashville Every Night The Tragically Hip
“Good, back to the rockers. Charlie needs to make up his mind here or learn Mix Making 101. (You know I love ya, Charlie.)”
RATING: 6.5

15. Wiser Time The Black Crowes
“Ugh, I’m getting very frustrated here. This song is not bad but it’s just overshadowed by the good songs that surround it.”
RATING: 5.0

16. So Long Bernie The Lowest Of The Low
“OK, now this is good. It’s not as polished as some of the songs on the mix, and it’s downright depressing. It makes you want to do drugs. Fantastic.”
RATING: 8.5

17. Body of an American The Pogues
“The previous song made me want to do drugs, this one made me want to drink. Perfect 1-2 punch here, Charlie. You’re getting better at this. ”
RATING: 7.5

18. To Be A Millionare Spacehog
“This song is too short and too polished to matter. Feels out of place on this mix. Moving on…”
RATING: 6.0

19. No Way Out Dgeneration
“Why do I feel like I’ve just had sex? There’s something very dirty about this song and I feel like I need a shower or a blowjob.”
RATING: 7.0

20. Tweeter And The Monkey Man Headstones
“I think bands who mention their names in their song is a bit too corny for me. I couldn’t get past that. It’s not a great song anyway.”
RATING: 6.0

21. Louie Louie Iggy Pop
“Ugh…no. I hate covers. Very poor ending to this mix.”
RATING: 4.0

I had two issues with this mix:
1) some of the songs were too polished and felt a bit disingenuous as down and dirty songs about booze and drugs go, and
2) the Jimi Hendrix song gets lost in the shuffle. Poor decision there. It’s probably one of the best songs on the mix but you wouldn’t know it.
This is not to say that the mix wasn’t enjoyable. On the contrary…
There were some amazing choices such as Royal Trux, JD Blackfoot, The Lowest Of The Low, and of course, Junkhouse.
In addition, other than the Iggy Pop song, I didn’t find anything unlistenable.
A very solid mix. Thanks Charlie.
NOTE: Review for Disc 2 is coming soon.

OVERALL RATING: 6.48 (Music) + 1.00 (Double CD) = 7.48 (…out of 10)

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HOW YOU COMPARE TO OTHER OBNERS

01. SAINT PATRICK Histoire De La Pop Music (Disc 1) – 7.78

02. DUMPJACK The Booze And The Drugs (Disc 1) - 7.48

03. BGL3 Walking Through Confusion With A Smile On My Face – 7.28

Thanks for the review! I know you put some effort into hearing it a few times through. I'll return your comments with a few of my own. I obviously don't agree with the disingenuous or insincerity critique of some of the artists with respect to booze/drugs. Sometimes unpolished music really is raw and rude, and sometimes it's just underproduced. The criticism of Izzy Stradlin' as 'too polished' is quite off the mark, in my opinion. I think this guy really went through the ringer, and he makes some very valid and interesting music, that absolutely does not sound too polished to my ears. If we contrast that with the Junkhouse song you gave high marks too, there's somewhat of a disconnect between us because while I enjoy that song a great deal, I find that one much cleaner and polished that Izzy's, and I seriously don't think Tom Wilson ever really hit the lows that he did. But this is just opinion.

With respect to the placement of the Jimi Hendrix song, I'll obviously disagree with your opinion as well. I don't think it derails the mix, despite the shift in tempo. I think the transition between "I Wanna Holler.." and "Red House" works because of the shift in tempo. And the abrupt change back to a more upbeat song "Fools on Parade" benefits the mix by creating a bit of a non-linearity. There are mixes I have made on my ipod that are nothing but uptempo and fast for when I'm drinking, but eventually, one needs a break in the non-stop rhythm. And let's face it, just because a song is fast doesn't necessitate it being a great drinking song. "Red House" works for me. Same with "She's Just 14", although Mick and Keith really nail it and the lyrics are just skuzzy to warrant inclusion here. As for your dislike of covers, well we all have our blind spots, I suppose. I think it's the perfect end to this mix, because it's raucous and Iggy sounds like he's having a helluva a lot of fun with it, too.

Chris, thanks again for the review, I'm really glad you took a liking to some of the songs, and I look forward to part 2. I'm sure I'll have some good rebuttals for that one as well .

Dumpjack – The Booze and the Drugs cd 1

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – Shooter Jennings doesn't do it for me despite my almost unnatural love for his dad. His music is has all the elements I love but just doesn't quite translate. That said, this is a good song. Almost has an Alabama quality to it. 4/5
2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – I need more Concrete Blonde. Everything I've heard, I 've loved. This included. The guitars remind me of Sonic Reducer but I like this more. Everything a rock song should be. 4/5
3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – I've only had limited experience to teh Jam and almost none with Mr. Weller. I like this. Alot more soul than the Jam. You almost would swear he was black. A little more hook and this song would be perfect. 3.5/5
4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – Reminds me of Creedence in a good way. At least the bassline does. Fantastic. So many bands try this sound to disasterous results like Marshall Tucker. JD Blackfoot pulls it off at least on this track. 5/5
5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – Fatalistic in all the right ways. I don't smoke but if I did, I'd like to cruise around in an old broken Camaro with this as teh soundtrack at about 3:00 AM. Ultimately it denies the payoff that you're hoping for though. 3/5
6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – Sometimes, you here and song and you think, "yes this is it. this is EXACTLY what music should be." I felt this way about this song. Never heard any BFB before but I need more. I want everything they've released. 5/5
7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds –I have to admit I'm dissappointed by this. I can hear the Stones all over this. It could be on Exile but sometimes 1+1 does not equal 2. It just lacks that something. 2/5
8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – This almost could be hair metal. But the key word is almost. In fact it's everything that hair metal should have been. 3.5/5
9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – Fever Dog? Is this Jason Lee from Almost Famous if Stillwater was rooted in punk instead of 70's arena rock? Still dig it though.3.5/5
10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras - I think Rads didn't like this one and it reminded Dana of growing up in Georgia. Well, I side with Dana. Maybe it's cause I can also relate growing up in Louisiana, but I totally dig this. The guitar is sinister and I love the girl group back up vocals. 4.5/5
11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – People really should stop trying to play music like Hendrix. He almost makes everyone else playing the electric blues obsolete(do you hear me Clapton?). Guitar is stupid great on this. 5/5
12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – Love this band. Always have. One of their less countryish songs and shows their pop sensablities, which are outstanding. Has a ballad of John and Yoko quality to it. 4/5
13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – I hear this and I feel embarrased that I'm so ignorant that I know nothing of Phillips beyond the Mamas and Papas. Could easily be one of the Stones's ballads. 3.5/5
14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – the Tragically Hip – I like this but it doesn't bowl me over or anything. 2.5/5
15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes – The Crowes occasionally resonate with me with a good ole fashoined rock song. This one is just kind of meh. I like them when they rev it up a little more. 2/5
16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – Obner so often says, "nothing groundbreaking" or some bullshit like that. This is nothing groundbreaking but it's good, which is more difficult than being groundbreaking in my opinion. 4/5
17. Body of an American – the Pogues –Everybody loves an Irish Drinking song right? 3.5/5
18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – I only know them from the hit. This isn't bad at all, which is what I kind of expected. I don't know if I'll ever buy their stuff or anything but it fits with the rest of the mix very well. 3/5
19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – Nice punk song. 3.5/5
20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – hmm, this is really my thing. 4/5
21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – I have a rule for covers. They need to present an interesting take on the original or improve on it . This does neither and I like Iggy alot. 1/5

Overall great mix. One of favorites of the exchange. We have similar taste so it's no surprise. Great job.

DumpJack Mix - The Booze and the Drugs

This was the first mix I received, and when I first opened the package, I was excited, but then disappointed that there were two discs. That gets a demerit from me (and you’re definitely not the only one). Anyway, I’ll get off my soap box. Reading through the track list, I could tell this was going to be (mostly) a rock compilation, and I’ve been in the mood for the rock lately, so I was excited to hear it. I am treating this as two mixes and will review each one separately. Also, I am not going to review every song (just as I wouldn’t for a proper album normally), but will hit the songs I really like and the ones I didn’t care for much.

Disc I

This mix has a nice flow to it and made me wonder if this range of music is that comprises the vast majority of DJ’s collection or whether this is just what he really prefers and decided to put on this mix.

1. Shooter Jennings - “4th of July” -- I had been looking forward to hearing this song (due to a discussion about it in chat) and it doesn’t disappoint. It reminds me a bit of Steve Earle, and is a great melodic tune that is a bit more rock than I expected.

2. Concrete Blonde - “Still In Hollywood” -- This is a blast from the past for me, and I have it on cassette somewhere around here. This is the only album of Concrete Blonde I really have ever cared to listen to.

5. Junkhouse - “Weight On Me Mama” -- Definitely not my style. I really find this slow, bluesy rock kinda boring.

6. The Broken Family Band - “The Booze and the Drugs” -- Simply excellent. Musically it’s great, and they just have a way with their lyrics that I really enjoy. I only have one album by these guys and I need more.

8. The Makers - “Looking For a Supergirl” -- I had never heard of these guys, but this is a very fun, accessible song that I had fun singing to my baby girl.

13. John Phillips - “She’s Just 14” -- Typically, this sort of Stonesy rock is not my thing, but I like this one (probably because it reminds me of Phil Lee).

15. The Black Crowes - “Wiser Time” -- Better than I expected, but still my least favorite song on this comp.

17. The Pogues - “Body of an American” -- What is this from? I’m a Pogues fan, but I had not heard this. When I saw it on the track list, I figured it was from the non-Shane era, but he’s at the helm here, and it’s a fine song.

19. DGeneration - “No Way Out” -- Probably the best surprise to me on this comp, and coincidentally, the most rocking song on it too. Straight ahead rock, but done very well.

21. Iggy Pop - “Louie Louie” -- Is there anyone who hasn’t done a “Louie Louie” cover? Even with the new lyrics, and despite the fact I’m an Iggy fan, I could live without this.

Overall, a job well done and there are some gems on here that will cause me to add to my wish list.

Disc II

Disc II

1. Guitar Town - Steve Earle -- I’m a Steve Earle fan and this is a very good opening track for a comp like this.

2. Been Down Too Long - Scott H. Biram --I like the Gibby Haynes-style vocals, but at first the song came off as basically a novelty song (with the “Amen!” etc.). However, the more I listen to it the more I like it.

4. Dollar Bill - Screaming Trees --The Screaming Trees are very hit or miss with me, and this one misses. I really don’t like it much at all.

7. Tangerine - Led Zeppelin --There are only a handful of Zeppelin songs that I care to sit through these days, and this isn’t in one. Luckily, it’s only 3 minutes long.

8. Just About 'The Only' Blues - The Lowest Of The Low --I really like these Lowest of the Low songs. There’s a certain charm to their songs that sits well with me.

9. Tangled Up In Blue [Live] - Bob Dylan & The Rolling Thunder Review --Over the past 10 years or so, I’ve become a big Dylan fan, and this is one of my favorites of his. I really like this version of it too, and didn‘t have it previously. Definitely a 5-star track for me.

12. Driver's Seat - Sniff 'N' the Tears --I associate this track with classic rock radio, which is where I first heard it. It’s an okay song, but not a standout to me.

15. Cordelia - The Tragically Hip --I think I’d like these guys a lot better with a different vocalist. The music seems to be good, but I don’t like the style of the vocalist much.

17. People Who Died - The Jim Carroll Band --I’ve always liked this song (and it reminds me of The Nails’ “88 Lines About 44 Women" which I also like). This is a song I didn’t have and hadn’t heard in a long time. Excellent choice.

Again, a very good mix, with only a couple songs I didn’t care for, and a lot of good ones. Well done, DJ.

So I thought I'd include my own thoughts on my mix, why I included songs, how they ended up there etc. Truthfully, as I read this over, some of the choices are kind of puzzling I guess, but I do really like these mixes still. Part I of the mix was done up while drinking gin and tonic, while part II was put together while on Jack and Coke. I don't know if that's necessary information to have, but sometimes it helps.

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The Booze and the Drugs part I

1. 4th of July – Shooter Jennings – I don’t exactly remember when I first heard about Shooter, but he’s Waylon’s son I figured I had to check this out. I picked it up for cheap one day and was extremely pleased. The whole album has got a good, rollickin’ feel to it. There are about a half a dozen really great songs on the album, and I played the shit out of this on The Great Road Trip of 2004 when I moved out to Saskatoon. This song represents most basically what I love about music. It sounds great in the car on the road, out of the stereo when you’re having a couple of beers and then the song actually ends with the George Jones, saying “…wh-when we gonna get paid for this?..” so I thought it would be a good choice to kick off my mix. I could kid myself and choose something more emotive, with more authentic substance and grit, but I’d be fucking lying. This is the stuff that makes me move.

2. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde – This might be the very first song I think I’d ever heard by this band which stand as one of my All Time Favourites. Johnette’s voice just dripped with a very dark sexuality, that was appealing and a little scary all at once. She tells stories and makes you want to sit next to her all night and listen. Maybe you’ll get to know her better, maybe you won’t. Their albums are a decent substitute for those of us who will never get to know her personally.

3. Peacock Suit – Paul Weller – I’m only a minor Jam fan, I actually only own only their Greatest Hits compilation (although I’m hoping to start collecting those nice reissues). I’m less a fan of Paul’s solo work, with Heavy Soul being the only Paul Weller album I have. Radcliffe said this is what he hates about 70s rock music, however, this groovy cut is what I love about it. It’s my only real KISS song (i.e. Gene/Paul) on this compilation and since KISS was pretty critical in my early musical life, I had to have something on there to acknowledge it without driving the reviewers crazy.

4. One Time Woman – J.D. Blackfoot – I downloaded JD’s album a little while before I started this mix. I’d vaguely heard of him and his The Ultimate Prophecy album before, but this track immediately appealed to me. This song reminded me of Credence and had a quality that made it necessary for inclusion on the mix. There’s no history here, obviously, but it just had that thing that made it imperative.

5. Weight on Me Mama – Junkhouse – I only have the debut album by this band called Strays. I’ve never been a real fan and actually shelved this album for the longest time. I pulled it out awhile back and it promptly stayed out for a long time. It’s a bluesy, rockin’ album that sounds great when you're (surprise, surprise) drinking! There’s a number of cuts that were in contention for this compilation, including ‘This Old Man is Too Drunk To Drive’. That song didn’t work in the sequencing. This one did. It’s got a nice, slightly menacing quality to it that I like. He’s got a great voice.

6. The Booze and the Drugs – The Broken Family Band – I first heard of this album from Dalen and KonstaninL, I believe, awhile back. It has kind of country feel to it, which I love, and the sentiment which gives this compilation its ultimate theme. I obviously like the booze and the drugs a lot and lyrically this song just brings it home “How long you gonna be in the bathroom, baby?” Great lyrics too. This song was a no brainer as a choice cut and the theme for the mix.

7. Time Gone By – Izzy Stradlin & the JuJu Hounds – I’m a huge Guns ‘n’ Roses fan, enough so that it was a thread about them on CMJ (someone was trashing them, I can’t remember who) that eventually transitioned me from lurker to poster. Something by them deserved inclusion based on their importance to my musical history. I seriously considered submitting a track by them, but none of them really felt right (I had three different existing mixes with other songs in place which eventually got nuked). Izzy was an extremely important member of Guns, and his absence probably signaled the beginning of the end for one of the most important bands of the last 25 years. This song makes me melancholy, but in a good way.

8. Looking for a Supergirl – the Makers – This is my Dolls/trash track. I love the Dolls, but didn’t want to put them on a mix like this. In lieu of the real thing, I always think of cut-away bands like The Makers. Especially this album (Rock Star God), with its great cover and perfect use of pianos (something that can completely fuck up a great track if not done with the greatest of care, see various tracks on Use Your Illusion).

9. You’re Gonna Lose – Royal Trux – I figured this is a good segue from the last track. I’m a minor Royal Trux fan, and this album has got sleaze all over it. I love the feel of this song. LooGAR would probably say he can smell her off the album. This is probably true.

10. I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small) – The Detroit Cobras – This is one of my favourite hand-clap songs. Rachel Nagy has an unbelievablly sexy voice, it's kind of low and purring and then it's just out there. I can pretty much listen to her all day. Her and Johnette need to get together and do stuff. And also, growing up in a really small town, I appreciate the sentiment.

11. Red House – Jimi Hendrix – I’m a huge Jimi Hendrix fan, particularly Are You Experienced. It was one of my favourite albums when I was 15. I remember hearing this and instantly loving it. Jimi’s protagonist lives in a Red House and loves to fuck around, unapologetically. This is also was something I identify with, as a person.

12. Fools on Parade – the Jayhawks – Never been a huge Jayhawks devotee, only owning a couple of albums. This is from the bonus disc of Rainy Day Music and I always thought it should have been a choice album cut. It rocks and rolls, and has everything I’m generally looking for in a song. Especially when the lyrics talk about smoking cigarettes and drinking Jack and coke. Winner all around.

13. She’s Just 14 – John Phillips – LooGAR hooked me up with Pay Pack and Follow and I immediately deloused my computer and my home after playing it. Truly disgusting stuff, so obviously I loved it immediately. This song, with Mick and Keith, is choice. And the fact that ‘She’s just 14’ reminds me of ‘Time to Run’ by the Forgotten Rebels. The Rebels were in contention for this mix, but didn’t make the quality pass. The Rebels were the most important band in the entire world to me when I was around 13 or 14. Anyway, this song is horrible and perfect all at once. Let’s face it, heroin is bad. It’s a terrible drug. But if you catch it at the right time, you can get some good art out of it. And by good, I mean awesome.

14. It Can’t Be Nashville Every Night – The Tragically Hip – My favourite band, so it’s an obvious inclusion here in a mix like this. From their second to last album In Between Evolution, it’s the Hip at their grandest. ‘With it's la la oh oh ohs, whoa-ohs and yeahs!’ Great chorus, great song, great band.

15. Wiser Time – the Black Crowes –I have a bunch of Black Crowes albums, but the one I really love is their debut. It reminds me of the tequila shot contest I had in 1990 (I won, but in contests like this, everyone wins). Shake Your Money Maker was the soundtrack to that particular event. I decided against a song from that album and picked this one from Amorica. This track reminds me of the highway, and I absolutely love the pedal steel in this. It always makes me want to hit the road.

16. So Long Bernie – The Lowest of the Low – I’d say I truly love this band, but the truth is I just really love their album Shakespeare My Butt. For me, it’s a true university classic, one that instantly takes me back to the early 90s when I was younger and lighter. There were literally a half dozen songs from it that warranted inclusion, but this one and one other made the cut. Is it the best one? Probably not, but it’s still great. “It’s like finding out Klaus Barbie is your neighbour, only weirder”. Songs about killers and alleged Nazi war criminals are always good.

17. Body of an American – the Pogues – There’s not a whole lot to say about this song. It’s the Pogues, from Rum, Sodomy and Lash. I love drinking and love listening to the Pogues when I’m drinking. I chose this one because of its great inclusion in The Wire. Truthfully, ‘Fairytale of New York’ would have been a better choice for the mix, but you could stick that anywhere and it would somehow work.

18. To Be a Millionaire – Spacehog – I don’t really like the band or the album it’s from, but this ‘hidden’ track is 1000x better than anything they ever did. Nobody has ever heard this song, because who the fuck is going to get to the hidden track on Resident Alien. It needed to get out and be heard. Here it is.

19. No Way Out – Dgeneration – Sleazy. I only have the one album, and I like it a lot. This fucker was immediate upon first pass. It leaps out at you and grabs you. It’s the sound of a lot of music I like. I don’t have any particular memory associated with it, other than it sounds great when you’re on the way to getting ripped.

20. Tweeter and the Monkey Man – Headstones – Fact: I love the Travelling Wilbury’s Volume I. The album is kind of MOR, yet I still do enjoy hearing these songs after nearly 20 years. This Headstones track is my choice to represent the Springsteen via Wilburys, and bad Canadian rock. The Headstones don’t really do a whole lot for me, but this is a great cover.

21. Louie Louie – Iggy Pop – If you don’t love this song, just kill yourself. Haha, seriously, Ig is just having fun with this one and I’m a little surprised at how many people really hated it. How can you hate ‘Louie, Louie’? Why do you hate music? This is Iggy Pop singing a modified version of ‘Louie, Louie’. You all realize that, right? Play this again, only louder and sing along. And knock over the nearest lamp, too.

The Booze and the Drugs part II

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle – I’ve used this phrase before, but to me, this is what ALL music should sound like. It’s got everything, which is why it would rank pretty damn high rank in my Top 10 Songs Of All Time. It’s got it all, absolutely nothing gets close to this Steve Earle song. It’s so simple, yet completely memorable at the same time. A true classic.

2. Been Down Too Long – Scott H. Biram – I think I got this album from mcaputo. Don’t know a whole lot about the artist, but it just felt right here. Maybe it’s the religious imagery which made me want to acknowledge my lapsed beliefs. Can I get an amen?

3. Make Your Mama Proud – Fastball – I find it hard to believe that this was the first song I heard from this band. It's just surprising that they morphed into a latter Soul Asylum. The choice posed by Fastball in the chorus often requires careful thought. I just think this is a great rock and roll song.

4. Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees – Not really a fan of this band, actually. They’ve a couple of songs I like a lot, but there’s never been anything that has thrilled me. Except this song. Mark Lanegan’s voice is superb, it’s all whiskey and heartache.

5. Closing Time – Leonard Cohen – I love this song a lot. His show in ’92 ranks among the best I’ve ever seen. He played everything you’d want to hear, came on for three encores and left you wanting more. I love his voice, it’s hoarse and atonal, but it somehow works. This song has the whiff of alcohol, it’s not drunk, but you can smell booze.

6. Let it Ride – Ryan Adams – “I wasn’t ready to go, I’m never ready to go, let it ride…” This is the best Ryan Adams song on a really great double album. A complete road song. As I reflect on this, the mix easily could have represented road AND booze/drug songs. This also is a 3rd beer song.

7. Tangerine – Led Zeppelin – I’m a Zep fan. Not a fanatic. Let’s make that point clear. I can’t get truly riled up about this band, but there are a few songs that I really feel and which makes you believe the hype. The other I wanted to put on here was ‘That’s the Way’, also from III. Another, probably more apt choice would have been ‘Travelling Riverside Blues’, what I feel is their absolutely best song, but this one seemed to fit better here, despite the fact that when I’m juiced it’s the Zep song I most want to hear. I used to do a passable Robert Plant imitation when I was younger and considerably thinner. I kind of wish I put ‘Riverside’ on Disc 1, actually. Fuck …

8. Just About ‘The Only’ Blues – The Lowest of the Low – “Let's take a walk down to the Only, and drink until our kidneys fail, and you can tell me that you want me, and I can think about betrayal, you can leave me thinking, drinking all night, 'cause that's the sharpest nail….’ This album is obviously pretty crucial to my theme and I’ve already mentioned, it’s one of my favourite, throwing-back-booze albums. It’s partly nostalgic, to be clear. But overall, booze isn’t necessary to love this song or the album. I don’t know where the Low conjured this up, but I’m glad they did.

9. Tangled Up in Blue (Live) – Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review – I’m a Dylan fan, but only a few songs have honestly really touched me, with both lyrics, music and delivery. This particular version of ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ is probably my favourite Dylan song. I don’t exactly know why it appeals to me so much. I do remember watching a rock music special one time (I think it was Rolling Stone magazine’s 20 years of Rock and Roll or something like that, Dennis Hopper was the ‘host’) and they showed a clip of Dylan singing this particular version, all done up in that pancake make-up. The clip only showed him singing the first two verses but it was enough to make a me go out and start buying Dylan albums. And the harmonica freak-out at the end? That’s how a song should end.

10. 2,000 Man (Live) – Kiss – Okay, there HAD to be a KISS song here. They were my ‘All Time Favourite Band’ growing up. When I was a kid, this was the shit. I had the posters, the fake tattoos, everything. In retrospect, a lot of my continual love is probably wrapped up with nostalgia. No one could possibly love Dynasty or Unmasked, but I still do. Early KISS still rules, I don’t care. ‘Deuce’ is great rock and roll. So, yeah I had to put a KISS song on the mix and I always thought this unplugged version of ‘2000 Man’ is awesome. Ace’s solo album from 1978 was fantastic, as is this track, originally on Dynasty. He was an unrepentant drunk, so he achieves even higher marks with me.

11. Queen Bitch – David Bowie – My aunt gave me a vinyl copy of changesbowie when I was a kid and soon become completely became obsessed with Bowie. I saw him live when I was 13 on the how-could-it-be-anything-but-shitty ‘Glass Spider’ tour. He played a lot of old tracks on that tour, but not this one. This is something else. It was a few years after I started listening to Bowie that I first heard Hunky Dory and hearing this song was like hearing him again for the first time.

12. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n’ the Tears – This is from the ‘Boogie Nights’ soundtrack, probably my favourite movie of all time (it often jockeys for first place with ‘Goodfellas’). The inclusion of this track is due to this movie, because as far as pairing music with cinematic images, it’s only rivaled by that Scorcese movie. When Floyd Gondolli rolls into Jack Horner’s New Year’s Eve party, this song is cued up, signaling the end of Jack’s film-making and heralding the beginning of the cheap, 80s cutout videotape porn. The song is awesome.

13. South Station Blues – The Joe Perry Project – I enjoy the old Aerosmith so I had to include it here. This technically isn’t Aerosmith, but Joe Perry’s drug induced side project when everyone became so incapacitated that this became a viable option. This song has an incredible groove. It’s actually horrifying to consider what this band became. Everyone should play this song (or something off of Rocks) and then consider “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing”. This band was fucking great.

14. Sooner than Later – Pete Droge and the Sinners – I actually don’t really even know many Pete Droge songs outside of his Find a Door album. I love the beginning of this song ‘…Left that bottle of wine on the TV table…’ You just know that it isn’t good wine, you know? I also really dig his song ‘Beautiful Girl’ from the movie of the same name. It’s a great movie and song. I considered placing it here but it just didn’t segue well into the next one. I love Pete’s voice and think this is a great track.

15. Cordelia – The Tragically Hip – Obviously I’ve expressed my love of the Tragically Hip over and over. This song is my personal #1 by them. I really don’t know why, and I’m serious when I say that. But the second the song kicks in, I’m absolutely hooked. I don’t even know what the fuck the song is about. Gord screams a lot about ‘I’m NOT Cordelia’ and ‘tramping the boards, screaming out Macbeth’ but at the end of the day I don’t really care what he’s talking about. Sometimes the music and the delivery matter more.

16. Woman’s Intuition – Hunter-Ronson – I’m a big fan of Mott so I knew something either Ian or his former band ought to be on here. Radcliffe and I had a mix exchange and he actually sent me Ian’s first album and an assortment of other singles. The absolute second I heard this song I fell hard. This falls into the “why can’t all music sound like this?”

17. People Who Died – The Jim Carroll Band – What more can anyone say about this song? It’s so goddamn good it defies description. There are so many good moments within this track, but I always liked how he says “Hey it sure beats Ri-kerrss” I think anyone can get off on this song.

18. Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison and the Band – This song never really came alive until I heard it on The Last Waltz. The studio cut is great, but on this particular version, man, I don’t even know what to say about it. It’s got the incessant ‘la la la’s’, that’s one thing, but at the end of it, you’ve still got a great song, backed up by The Band, and sung by someone who is apparently hammered out of his tree while performing. What this lacks is the visual component from the film, because you can’t see the kicks, you can’t see the suit, you can’t see everything that makes this a perfect performance. But you can hear it here when he drops the mike and you hear Robbie say:

‘Van the Man!’

19. Nowhere Road – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – There’s really nothing I can say about these two guys that has not been said a thousand times before. I’d have preferred to have a couple of solo tracks on the mix, but this song just felt right as a send off. “There’s a road, in Oklahoma, straighter than a preacher, longer than a memory.” They sound fantastic on this track. When a song like this comes on during the beer drinking, I'm immediately about 1000x happier.