finished and burning. will be mailed out tomorrow (saturday) morning. yay i made it early!

people are going to hate this

[img][600:600]http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/5702/coverdz8.jpg[/img]

i sort of tried to make the worst cover ever. and then the mix is only from cds i own, no mp3s. and my cd collection is nowhere near what most people here have, but my mp3 collection destroys almost anyone. but yeah. anyway. its sort of bad, sort of good. hopefully a couple people enjoy it. all good songs, just no real theme i guess.

You fucker, that version of "Maggie May" was gonna go on my mix.


(awesome)

I was contemplating a j-live track on my mix...I like that one.

oh, and I would say you succeeded on your goal for the cover art.

its some picture a friend of mine drew in mspaint like 3 years ago and i found it and it was hilarious.

at least i know that song will get a good score from you when you get your mix next week i hope.

looks like you're off to a good start.

Based on my second listen, first with tracklisting:


This Head Is Your Head

1. The Good Life - Album Of The Year
I always assumed they were emo. The name sure is. This is pretty good, though it's a tad long. Certainly enough to make me look further into them. 7/10

2. Ryan Adams - The Hardest Part
Ryan Adams? Seriously? This sounds nothing like him and I own two cd's by him. A good song but the more inconsistent he is with sounds and genres, the more I dislike him. For some reason. 8/10

3. Bob Dylan - Spanish Harlem Incident
I'm pretty sure you can identify a Bob Dylan song from a mile away. Whether it were someone covering him or not, I could still pick it out of a crowd as a Dylan song. That said, this is good but sounds pretty much like a lot of other Dylan songs. Nothing too distinguishable about it for me. 6/10

4. Todd Rundgren - Just Another Onionhead
I don't know. 3/10

5. Elvis Costello - Less Than Zero
First song on here I was already familiar with. One of my favorites from him. Classic Costello. 9/10

6. The Kinks - Tin Soldier Man
This reminds me of the Beatles. 1/10

7. Harold Allen - I Need Some Loving
This must be from the '50s. It sounds like an Elvis song, though Harold isn't quite as interesting, vocally, as The King. 6/10

8. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Ding Dong Daddy
Sounds like something off of the American Folk box set or the Ghost World soundtrack. Just excellent. 9/10

9. The Replacements - I Will Dare
I love the Replacements but this isn't one of my favorites by them. 6/10

10. The Stooges - 1970 [Take 3]
I thought this was okay for the first twelve minutes. Then it just wouldn't end. It kept going and going and he kept screeching and screeching. I was afraid it wouldn't stop unless I hit the 'skip' button so I did. 1/10

11. Wu-Tang Clan - Shame On A Nigga
Ugh. Next. 1/10

12. Nas - Nas Is Like...
Better than I'd have thought. But it's still the kind of rap that I don't like. 3/10

13. J-Live - Mcee
Ditto. 2/10

14. Boards Of Canada - '84 Pontiac Dream
This is okay but instrumental music doesn't do much for me. 4/10

15. Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer [live]
Good. I'll seek out the studio version. 6/10

16. The Faces - Maggie May [live on the BBC]
I love this song but don't really like this version. 5/10

17. Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away [live]
Eh. The quality's enough to make me not really want to listen to it. And the mix is getting a bit long so my interest is starting to wane. 5/10

18. A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again
I wonder what's for dinner tonight. 5/10

19. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Stars
Oh, Survivor's on tonight. And the TNA primetime debut. 5/10

20. Jeff Buckley - Forget Her
I can't believe it's only Thursday. It really feels like Friday. 7/10

21. Antony & The Johnsons - Fistful Of Love
Well, at least tomorrow's the end of the week. 9/10


Final Thoughts:
If that whole middle section had been cut out, this would've been a pretty decent mix. I'd probably like those last few songs more if the whole thing just wasn't so long. And all the boring rap in the middle really slowed down the momentum. Still, two songs I already loved and a couple of others I'm glad to have heard.

The cover art for this mix is hilarious - it's like a missing Gentle Giant album.


This Head Is Your Head

1. The Good Life - Album Of The Year
The intro takes sooo long before that magic moment when the bongos kick in (and bongos were a highlight of alongwaltz’s mix too, which prompts me to wonder if bongos are a new generation’s cowbell). But there is something interesting going on here that helps me get over the Conor Oberstian timbre of the singer’s voice and (almost) ignore some of the lyrics. Like, dude, when you mention that you’ve subjected some poor girl to 24 hours of Nico’s Chelsea Girl and then, to add insult to injury, you’ve played her some of your own songs, well, is it any wonder the girl found an excuse to leave? 3/5

2. Ryan Adams - The Hardest Part
It’s possible that one day I will be able to appreciate Ryan Adams as more than a competent and prolific songwriter. This song wants me to believe that. It sounds like he’s trying, like he’s reaching for something, which is in stark contrast to his usual pose of reclining on a chaise longue while nubile servants feed him grapes. A positive step. 3/5

3. Bob Dylan - Spanish Harlem Incident
It’s impossible for me to hear Dylan outside of the context of his own history. Yeah, he’s an important, irreplaceable figure in pop culture, in art, music, attitude, and fashion. And yeah, I do like this song. But I liked it a whole lot more when I was a freshman, which is obviously more my problem than Dylan’s. (unrateable)

4. Todd Rundgren - Just Another Onionhead
Exhibit A in the case that Rundgren is more clever than smart. A clever guy will create a so-so pop song and fill it up with annoying backwards vocals and circus keyboards, whereas a smart guy would recognize that music is meant to be listened to. Oh god, make it stop. 0/5

5. Elvis Costello - Less Than Zero
My Aim Is True made my Listmania. I still consider it one of the best debuts of all time. I seem to recall that “Less Than Zero” was EC’s first single, and he rewrote the lyrics for the album version so they’d be more understandable to North American ears. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that original version. Unless this is it. Either way… 5/5

6. The Kinks - Tin Soldier Man
As a kid I never got into the Kinks, but I remember well all the stories of Dave Davies running across stages to take a kick at his brother Ray. This is the sort of song that puts me squarely on Dave’s side. 2/5

7. Harold Allen - I Need Some Loving
A nice country stroll, or is it mellow rockabilly? Is there even a difference? I don’t know Harold Allen, but I’m liking this. It’s more Johnny Rivers than Elvis Presley, but that doesn’t necessarily qualify as a complaint. 3/5

8. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Ding Dong Daddy
Western Swing is a genre that warrants a modern reappraisal of its historical import. There’s definitely rock and roll here. The same throughline that joins Cab Calloway to Little Richard runs straight through the heart of Bob Wills. ‘Tis awesome indeed. Plus, I almost put a cover of this song on my mix. 5/5

9. The Replacements - I Will Dare
Some people don’t like this song. Weird. 5/5

10. The Stooges - 1970 [Take 3]
I guess this version is from the mammoth boxset of the Funhouse sessions. I’ve always wanted that, but there are finite boundaries to my Stooges love (most of them attached to dollar signs). Anyway, I think side 2 of Funhouse is genius, so you know I’m on board for a thuggish riff-fest complete with free-jazz sax skronk. The Stooges knew they were on to something here, they just didn’t know what. My theory is they heard the MC5 pulling Sun Ra references out their collective ass and figured they’d hop on a trend before it started. Almost 40 years later, we’re still waiting for that trend to begin. 4/5

11. Wu-Tang Clan - Shame On A Nigga
This is over almost too soon. There’s a lot of hip hop and rap that I can’t appreciate. Okay, full disclosure - most of it I can’t appreciate. Blame it on pigmentation or age or upbringing, but I find it repetitive and mired in its own conventions, and I remain unimpressed by the ability to merely rhyme. We teach that skill in kindergarten, ferchrissakes. But every now and then I get exposed to something like this, and I hear all the shee that I’ve been missing. 4/5

12. Nas - Nas Is Like...
This is merely okay. A letdown after the previous track. 2/5

13. J-Live - Mcee
Holy James Brown, we gots some funk. This would be a great addition to one of Billy G’s mixes. Score another goodie. 3/5

14. Boards Of Canada - '84 Pontiac Dream
Here’s a first – I really have nothing to say about this. It’s a dull soundscape with a beat. Sounds like it took exactly as long to write as it did to play. Both done simultaneously, of course. Meh. 1/5

15. Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer [live]
Good version. I really do like Jeff Tweedy’s voice – I just hope he gets interested in songs again one day. 3/5

16. The Faces - Maggie May [live on the BBC]
Man, I love this version. It’s so much dirtier and sloppier than the one on Rod’s solo album. I love how you can hear the whole band. Ronnie Lane’s bass and Ian McLagan’s organ are totally in your face, and Rod Stewart’s vocals have to fight for space with Ron Wood’s chunky chording. Also love that scrap of dialogue at the beginning, and how the band goes from horsing around to nailing this fucker. Sheer drunken majesty. 5/5

17. Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away [live]
Slick move, placing Rod Stewart’s vocal idol right after the Faces track. Of course, Rod can’t compare with Cooke (and Rod’s saving grace in those early days was that he KNEW it). Damn, this is one of the greatest sounds in the universe. Somewhere out there right now, in a distant galaxy, alien beings are frugging to this. 5/5

18. A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again
I like parts of this, but I hate the female vocal singing that half-assed snippet of a modern R&B ballad as a sort of chorus. 2/5

19. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Stars
I have not had a sip of the BJM Kool-Aid. Like all their stuff, this isn’t bad. But if Anton wants me to buy his act as a misunderstood genius he’s gonna have to push the envelope a little further than this. 2/5

20. Jeff Buckley - Forget Her
Nice! A Jeff Buckley song I don’t have. Where’s this from? Goddamn, this dude could’ve done some amazing shit if he’d only stuck around. 5/5

21. Antony & The Johnsons - Fistful Of Love
Very few songs could adequately follow the emotions conjured up by that Buckley track, but this one, with that spoken Lou Reed intro, does it perfectly. Antony’s finest moment, IMO – this is like Roxy Music taken over by the holy spirit of R&B past. As perfect as perfect got in 2005. 5/5



For me this collection isn't totally coherent as a mix, but as a collection of 21 random songs it's pretty damn cool. Lots of stuff I'm very glad to have - and quite a few things I've already got that I love.

What does this mix say about Contradiction? Damned if I know, except that the dude's tastes span extremely wide.

Thanks!

i cant believe rads like antony. my mind is blown.

man i was so worried about rads review and it was pretty awesome. 8)

Mine as well.

so im missing 7 reviews dudes

one day.

Wasn't it in his top 5 last year?

i dont have enough mental energy to remember obners top 5 from previous years.

And, it was #16, to be precise

Yep, and I even started a thread about the homely mofo: http://www.obner.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t ... ght=antony

My capsule review at the time: "pretty damn good, in a mordant queer cabaret sorta way." I stand by that summation, although I find a great deal of the queer cabaret hard to listen to (but "Fistful Of Love" is still worth the cost of the whole album).

so..you figured out teh search function. awesome!

This Head Is Your Head

1. The Good Life - Album Of The Year
This is a pretty epic song, but it doesn't really hold my interest. I'm not really feeling the lyrics and the music is just kinda there. (2/5)

2. Ryan Adams - The Hardest Part
Never been a Ryan Adams fan. A good friend of mine is, and I always thought that was some form of masochism. I've never given him much of a chance, to be fair, and this really isn't half bad. It's a little more than half good. (3/5)

3. Bob Dylan - Spanish Harlem Incident
You cheated. This is an unfuckwithable classic. I guess it also helps that I haven't listened to this song enough to be the least bit tired of it. (5/5)

4. Todd Rundgren - Just Another Onionhead
Yeah, um, huh? I guess you were thinking "What the hell can follow Bob?" and just sort of gave up? I didn't know Todd Rundgren had his own solo career. It's actually kinda neat, not to mention nice and short. (3/5)

5. Elvis Costello - Less Than Zero
Cut this shit out. You're supposed to put some obscure pop also-rans on these mixes. No fair using stone cold classics. (5/5)

6. The Kinks - Tin Soldier Man
I love the Kinks, but this song just sounds too cute all by itself here. I like it well enough on the album, but I don't think it's one of the better tracks off of it. It'd be nice for tracks like "Death of a Clown" or "Lazy Old Sun" to get some mix love. (3/5)

7. Harold Allen - I Need Some Loving
Doesn't really do much for me. Sounds a little bit like Elvis, for lack of any better points of reference. This is a style/era that I have very little knowledge or interest in right now. (2/5)

8. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Ding Dong Daddy
Nice. I could definitely stand to get more of this kind of stuff. (4/5)

9. The Replacements - I Will Dare
I tried to like Tim and Pleased to Meet Me for a little while, but they didn't stick. So I sort of gave up on The Replacements without ever listening to Let It Be. I know that was probably a mistake. This song is pretty much undeniably good. (4/5)

10. The Stooges - 1970 [Take 3]
Some of these alternate takes/demos are really great. I fucking love that 12 minute version of "Fun House". This one, I don't know. I mean, it's good, but it doesn't really seem better or different enough from the album version to be necessary. Still kicks ass, though. (4/5)

11. Wu-Tang Clan - Shame On A Nigga
Dude, I used to rock this in my dad's Ford Ranger when I first got my driver's license, riding around the suburbs of Prattville, AL. As lame as that sounds, it was AWESOME. Seriously, one of the best hooks in all of hip hop. This song can never be loud enough. (5/5)

12. Nas - Nas Is Like...
I've never liked Nas. I feel like I'm supposed to, but it just isn't happening. That loop is kind of annoying. I'm no more impressed with Nas' ability to spit out rhymes than I am with Eddie Van Halen's ability to play intricate guitar solos. I mean, what's the point of this song? "I'm a fucking badass." Apparently a lot of people agree, but I don't give a shit. Make better beats. Better hooks or no hooks. (1/5)

13. J-Live - Mcee
This is better. The music doesn't bore me to tears. The lyrics might not be any more interesting or meaningful, but at least the song has a good groove. Kind of like De La Soul or EPMD or something. Yeah, I don't really listen to much rap. (3/5)

14. Boards Of Canada - '84 Pontiac Dream
I still haven't given this BoC album much of a chance. I kinda got bored with them after Geogaddi. This is nice. Got their signature synths and that worn, rainy-day sound. (3/5)

15. Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer [live]
I just never really liked this song. It's nostalgia for something I never experienced, and it just isn't as good a pop song as "Shot in the Arm", "Camera", and several others of theirs. Plus this live version is just sorta OK. (2/5)

16. The Faces - Maggie May [live on the BBC]
I recently discovered that I like The Faces despite the fact that I've hated Rod Stewart for most of my life. So this presents something of a dilemma for me. Before I'd (knowingly) heard The Faces, I was familiar with this as a Rod Stewart song, and as such I never liked it. This version really is good, though. Nice dirty guitar. (4/5)

17. Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away [live]
This presents another dilemma. It's not Sam Cooke's fault, but I think I'm incapable of truly enjoying this song no matter who does it. Blame the late '80s revival of various "Twist" songs, I guess. Still, this is doing a lot to help me forget about all that. (3/5)

18. A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again
I loved Tribe when I first heard them, but that was a long, long time ago. This is just kinda boring. I really don't like the chorus at all with those female vocals and stuff. (2/5)

19. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Stars
I don't like this band at all. I'm kinda disappointed that you put them on here. I mean, seriously, I haven't heard a whole lot by them, but I think these dudes are a fucking joke. (0/5)

20. Jeff Buckley - Forget Her
Damn, I've never heard this one as far as I know, but it feels really familiar. It's pretty awesome. At least as good as anything on Grace. (4/5)

21. Antony & The Johnsons - Fistful Of Love
I was pretty big on this album for while (and I remember Radcliffe being one of the first ones pushing it), but I got over most of it. I guess I agree that this is his best song even if I'm pretty played out on it now. (4/5)

You've got some really great songs on here, but the mix as a whole feels kinda scattershot. Mine will probably be the same way, but I've been impressed with how consistent and naturally flowing Patrick's (each disc considered separately) and alongwaltz's felt even if I didn't like as many of the songs. I don't know if it was a conscious effort on their part to maintain a consistent feel or if their tastes are less ecclectic than yours. Anyway, this was really enjoyable, and there's a couple of things on here I'll have to look into.

Thanks.

yeah i wanted mine to be scattered. "this head is your head"

the theme of the mixes was supposed to be talking about our tastes or whatever that vague shit was, this doesn't come close to touching it. just pulled from cds to the left of me. i dont think this mix is good either, its way more disjointed than just about anything i've ever made, but i was trying for a broad range.

also since you and Rads hadn't heard that Buckley song...its on the 3-disc deluxe edition that came out in 2005 and it was originally supposed to be on Grace, but he used Dream Brother instead (mistake I would say). I love the song just a little less than Last Goodbye, which is my favorite by him.