|
1. "Today is the Day" - Apollo Sunshine
Great choice for an opener! I've heard a lot about this band, and now that I've actually heard them, I definitely want to hear more. I feel like jumping from cubicle to cubicle doing an "I'm a Pepper"-style dance routine!
2. "Maybe You Can Owe Me" - Architecture in Helsinki
This track was largely unremarkable -- not bad, but it just didn't really ever grab me.
3. "Western Isles" - The Bats
Lovely harmonies and nice strumming on this one. These guys played at SXSW right after Whiney's Parts & Labor gig. I now regret following my stomach's advice to rush off for a Jackalope burger. instead of sticking around to catch more of their set.
4. "The Lovers' Rights" - The Rosebuds
The album from which this track is taken was one of my biggest pleasant surprises of 2005, in no small part thanks to this song, along with a couple of others (including "Shake Our Tree," which I included on my mix, and "Boxcar"). Pure jangly bliss!
5. "I Want the Answers" - The Fleshtones
This is certainly a catchy number. I could see this rocking the house at a late-'60s frat party (back when frats were still cool). What the world needs now, is more stuff like this.
6. "The Coast is Always Changing" - Maximo Park
Strange thing about Maximo Park: I always enjoy their songs whenever I hear them (such as on a mix, or when they pop up on shuffle), but I never get the urge to go pop in their album. I wonder why that is? I have no idea, but I do like this song...I promise!
7. "Dial Jupiter" - Fancey
I like the Fancey album, and would like to eventually see a second album from the unheralded New PrOn. This track reminds me a lot of Cloud Eleven, of whom our own billy g is a big fan. I love the organ on this one.
8. "Queen of a Million Blinking Eyes" - Tall Grass Captains of Greater Chicago
Quite possibly the greatest cumulative number of letters between a song title and band name I can recall. This is an interesting sound they've got. Kind of Psychamericana. My curiosity has been sufficiently piqued to look into them further.
9. "I Will Never See The Sun" - Great Lake Swimmers
The vocals sound a lot like My Morning Jacket, which is always a good thing, but this is a really subdued track. It's not bad, but let's kick out the jams, fellas! A little too repetitive, as well, though the astronaut radio transmissions toward the end are a nice touch.
10. "Close Your Eyes" - Micah P. Hinson
This falls into the same category for me as the Architecture in Helsinki track. Neither fish nor fowl. Every now and then, he sounds like a less helium-filled Tim DeLaughter.
11. "Happy 13" - Flotation Toy Warning
Give Mates of State some quaaludes and what have you got? Flotation Toy Warning! There are selected moments throughout this song that I enjoyed, but I'd have to stop just short of giving the entire track a thumbs-up. It's interesting enough, though, for me to be curious as to whether they might have some better material in their repertoire.
12. "The Early Years" - Sparrow
This jolts things back into gear quite nicely. Kind of Shins-y with added female vocal harmonization. I really dig this!
13. "Triggers and Trash Heaps" - Centro-Matic
I included this EXACT track on my own mix, so I've got to like it...right? Well, I will say that at the time I made my mix, the new C-M album had not yet been release, so I only had the single at my disposal. It's a good song, but there are a few others on the new album that are better.
14. "Exposure" - Get Him Eat Him
Boy, this ranks up there with Arctic Monkeys on the stupid band name charts. However, as is also the case with Arctic Monkeys, the music is much better than the crappy band name would have you believe. This is a really good choice for a mix closer, so you nailed both the beginning and end!
First off, I really appreciate you making a special one-of-a-kind mix just for me, Jamie! There were a couple of bands/tracks on here I already own, but there was plenty of stuff I've never heard before. Things hit a bit of a brief lull there between tracks 9-11, but recovered splendidly thereafter. Even the couple of tracks that didn't grab me couldn't be considered teddible. Part of it may have just been a "not in the mood for that at this time of the day" kind of thing. My tastes tend to run fickle like that. Anyhoo, all things considered, this was a good mix worthy of a high B. Thanks, J!
_________________
bendandscoop.com
|
