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The theme I gave to seafoam: "Budapest to Moscow on the Metro"
01. Broken Social Scene - Farewell To The Pressure Kids
Good start to the mix. It certainly sets the tone for the rest of the mix. One minor complaint: the song is really short; just over 2 minutes. But overall, I like it.
RATING: 8.0 (…out of 10)
02. The Pink Mountaintops - Holiday
Excellent. I really like this. The boy/girl vocals are well done. This, to me, is the perfect pop song. It’s catchy and at times, quite, moody.
RATING: 9.0
03. Kurt Vile - Freeway
I should like this more than I actually do but it’s underwhelming and quite frankly, a bit boring. It’s not terrible, however, but it’s a bit of a letdown, considering the song that preceded it.
RATING: 5.0
04. A.A. Bondy - I Can See The Pines Are Dancing
And we’re back on track. This is awesome. I regret the fact that I totally missed the boat on his album in 2009 but better late than never I suppose. It’s just a really catchy country/pop song that puts a smile on your face. Excellent.
RATING: 9.0
05. Desolation Wilderness - Venice Beach
Best song on the mix. At times, folksy; at others, psych pop, with moody vocals. A song that really didn’t make a huge impression on me at first, but with repeated listens grew to be my favorite on the mix.
RATING: 10
06. The Clientele - These Days Nothing But Sunshine
I’m not a fan of The Clientele but this song grew on me after repeated listens. The vocals aren’t my cup ‘o tea but overall it’s a pleasant listen. Good.
RATING: 7.0
07. The Pernice Brothers - Sometimes I Remember
This is really not doing anything for me. Actually, it got less and less interesting with repeated listens. It’s the sort of song that would’ve given me a boner if the year were 1994 however.
RATING: 3.0
08. El Perro Del Mar - Change Of Heart
This song wins the award for Biggest Grower on the mix. Initially, I found it boring and at 5+ minutes, quite tedious. After several listens, however, the vocals and the melodies just come to life.
RATING: 8.5
09. The Anomoanon - As I Wander
Pretty harmless indie country. Actually, it’s enjoyable and quite a treat on a mix with very little from this genre, but it’s understandable considering the theme. I also like that the Anomoanon don’t quite resort to desperate stereotypes and cliches that other artists in this genre do.
RATING: 7.0
10. Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time
See, now this is crap. It’s the sort of disingenuous indie pop that you hear a lot of these days. It’s so bad that I honestly find it offensive. I hope they die in a tour bus accident.
RATING: ZERO!!!
11. Foreign Born - Wait In This Chair
This is more like it. Foreign Born are a more accessible version of the Walkmen; much more pop as well. Very subtle at first, but after repeated listens, I’ve decided that this is one of two songs on the mix to receive a perfect score. Simply awesome.
RATING: 10
12. Outrageous Cherry - Get Out While You Can
Just when things were looking good, this happens. It’s a song that really doesn’t quite fit the theme nor is very good. The only thing Outrageous Cherry get right is the title.
RATING: 2.0
13. Papercuts - A Dictator’s Lament
On first listen, I always wonder why Papercuts aren’t bigger than they are. They are, at the very least, as good as some of the most hyped current indie rock artists. After repeated listens, I realize that it’s because they aren’t that interesting. They seem to get real tired, real fast, and this song is no exception. It’s decent indie rock, not great.
RATING: 6.0
14. The War On Drugs - Buenos Aires Beach
This is very good. It’s lo-fi goodness but it’s also very catchy and melodic. Unfortunately, many lo-fi artists forget the melody part. Overall, a very enjoyable listen.
RATING: 7.5
15. The Asteroid No. 4 - Let It Go
Ugh. See my review of the Outrageous Cherry song. This is even worse simply because it’s 5+ minutes of it.
RATING: ZERO!!!
16. Cold Cave - Life Magazine
Not bad I suppose. It’s harmless synth-pop with female vocals. Actually, the vocals are pretty good. Usually, female fronted synth-pop make me cringe. This doesn’t.
RATING: 5.0
17. The Helio Sequence - You Can Come To Me
Not bad, but it suffers from not being memorable enough. Even after several listens, I fail to remember something about it that stands out. Decent, but forgettable.
RATING: 6.0
18. David Kilgour - Today Is Gonna Be Mine
Another standout track. It’s a solid 3-minute pop song that manages to reel you in and rewards you for it. Fantastic. One of the better songs on the mix.
RATING: 8.0
19. Yo La Tengo - Avalon Or Someone Very Similar
Typical stuff you’d expect to hear from YLT. Solid indie rock. Unfortunately, they bore me. This song, in particular, is rather uninspiring.
RATING: 6.0
20. The Low Anthem - OMGCD
This song definitely grew on me, but there’s still something about it that annoys me. Unlike The Anomoanon, this is the kind of clichéd indie country that doesn’t do much for me.
RATING: 5.0
21. Pastels & Tenniscoats - Tokyo Glasgow (or Budapest Moscow)
This feels like an afterthought within the context of the mix. I suppose it would’ve felt a bit more relevant if it were place somewhere in the middle as a sort of intermission piece. Musically, it’s intriguing at first but falls flat after repeated listens. Like I said, an afterthought.
RATING: 4.5
Overall, I found the mix to be quite enjoyable. The first half was simply fantastic but the second half wasn’t so great. I suspect that seafoam tried to be a bit more experimental and add diversity towards the end but this sort of mix didn’t need it. I’ve looked into several artists since I started listening to the mix, and even bought a couple of their albums (Foreign Born, Desolation Wilderness). As for the theme, with a couple of minor exceptions, seafoam captured exactly the mood I was looking for. Thanks, seafoam. It was a pleasant experience.
RATING: 8.0
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