1.
"Those were the D'OHS!" - Was this on an actual episode? I don't recall ever seeing it. It got a chuckle out of me.
2.
Devin Davis - Transcendental Sports Anthem - I like both of the songs I have heard from this guy so far. And it does kinda sound like a sports anthem. 4/5
3.
Destroyer - 3000 Flowers - I didn't care much for it the first time I heard it but I like that shuffling rhythm it has...plus I've grown to like that riff that is played all throughout the song. 4/5
4.
John Dufilho - I'm Outside - Catchy, and I like the guitar tones. I like the way it starts out with that riff in the beginning that sounds kind of boring on it's own, but then the rest of the song comes in and it makes more sense. It does have a repetitive hook. But it's a good one. 4/5
5.
Babyshambles - Back from the Dead - This reminds me of Hall & Oates' "Maneater" for some reason. Not bad though. 2/5
6.
Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On - I don't know how she managed to slip past me all these years. I never really listened to her until I started buying New Pornographers CDs. The solo stuff of hers that I have heard lately seems to do her voice more justice. 3.5/5
7.
American Analog Set - First of Four - My bro likes these guys. This kind of bored me the first few listens because it seemed to have an indistinguishable glumness about it. But it's grown on me. And I like the way the bass doesn't dominate the track, but sneaks in when it needs to. 3/5
8.
Headphones - Pink and Brown - I like PDL more. But this is one of 4 tracks I like from the Headphones album. 3/5
9.
Simple Means - Hidden Grove - I don't remember this standing out at first but it grew on me. One of the tracks I like the most on this mix. I will surely check these guys out. 5/5
10.
The Raconteurs - Steady, As She Goes - Another one that didn't stand out as much when I first heard it but its hook slowly revealed itself to me. Gets kind of cluttery around 2:40 though for a brief moment. I actually didn't realize this was a new band with Jack White until I recently checked allmusic. 3/5
11.
Rhett Miller - Ain't That Strange - I like the Old 97s but never got around to checking out Rhett's solo stuff. Like most tracks here, it took a few spins. It's better than I thought it would be. 3/5
12.
Eagles of Death Metal - I Gotta Feeling (Just Nineteen) - Heard of them, but never heard them until now. This has a sexy swagger to it that reminds me of QOTSA. I pretty much liked immediately. 3.5/5
13.
The Minus 5 - Original Luke - I like it. Over the last month, I've come to notice that there is a board-wide conspiracy to get me to buy the new Minus 5. 3.5/5
14.
The Ike Reilly Assassination - Farm Girl - The harmonica on the intro is a nice touch. It's a pretty solid rockin song that would be easier for me to get into in a live setting. I do hope he eventually finds a "Farm Girl." 3/5
15.
"No Folk Like Prison Folk" - hah
16.
Cat Power - Could We - I haven't heard much from The Greatest, but this is better than most of what I have heard from her overall. Previously the only song I really liked from her was "Free" from You Are Free. 3.5/5
17.
Isobel Campbell/Mark Lanegan - Honey Child, What Can I Do? - I'm not sure how I missed it the first few times, but this track has a subtle warmth that I've come to appreciate. 3/5
18.
The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree - The claps and the ringy snare drum go well together. Not much else about the song still sounds out. 2/5
19.
Marah - The Hustle - At first I was kind of indifferent to this, but it's grown on me. And I do like the way it evolves into a full fledged disco based song in the last 45 seconds. 3/5
20.
Portastatic - Through With People - This is good but I think I liked the song on Soreal's mix more. 2.5/5
21.
The New Pornographers - Graceland - Hmmm...never heard this one. Seems like classic NP though. 3/5
22.
Spoon - My First Time, Vol 3 - Wow...never heard this one either. It's danceable like "Camera.." One thing I have to say about Spoon, their drum sounds are always top notch. 4/5
23.
Ted Leo + the Pharmacists - Suspect Device - Doesn't blow me away, but it's pretty energetic. 2/5
24.
Okkervil River - No Key, No Plan - Better than most of what made it on to Black Sheep Boy. 3/5
25.
Centro-Matic - Triggers & Trash Heaps - Saw these guys open for MMJ back in 2004. They were good live but I'm not really into this for some reason. 2/5
26.
Sally Crewe & the Sudden Moves - Looks Fast for a Reason - I like this, especially the parts where the sticks are used in place of the closed symbol for the pacing of the rhythm. 3/5
27.
Robert Pollard - I'm a Widow - Robert makes so much freakin music I can barely keep up. I never got around to picking up the last 2 GBV albums so I was never in a rush to pick up the solo album. But this is a good track. For some reason, when I play this on the CD player in my bedroom, it skips back to the 1:49 part of the song once it gets to the end of the song. One night, when I was going to sleep and I had my headphones on, I think I basically listened to this song for 30 minutes straight without realizing it. 4/5
This is just a fun solid mix throughout, and there's not really a stinker in the bunch. Probably my fav one of the exchange so far (especially the first half). A very strong trio of opening songs. It kind of makes my mix sound a bit too serious in comparison.
*edit*
By the way FT, I looked in allmusic and could not find a "Simple Means." But I found a "Slender Means" that had a song called "Hidden Groove." I take it that's them?