Thursday, December 30, 2010

A Barnum & Bailey Christmas

So, Every year some friends and I choose the songs that we've really enjoyed in the year, and put together a little mix CD. Here is this years list, complete with cover art. Check out these songs!

Open spaces, Johnny Greenwood- This year I went on a real classical kick. I listened to an NPR list of 50 top classical albums. I read about all the composers in the list. Then I never returned to it. This track was not among the music NPR suggested, but I think it was the catalyst for my classical listening.

The Clap, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down- I like clapping ever so much, and I originally wantedthis to start the compilation, but I felt that Open Spaces fit their better. Consider “Open Spaces” and “The Clap” as the “overture.”

See Fernando, Jenny Lewis- While I don’t see myself partaking of “a bottle of suds” anytime soon, I think I’d be more tempted if it were offered to me by Fernando.

Start A War, The National- I love this track. I love this voice. This was the first of two groups that I discovered this year only to realize that Chris had recently posted music from them on previous compilations. The other band was Vampire Weekend. I like how this song could have so easily erupted, and somehow didn’t. It’s right on that edge.

The Breeze, Dr. Dog –I don’t know exactly why I like this track, I just do, so stuff it.

Please Do Not go, Violent Femmes – This was the year that I the Violent Femmes made a somewhat unexpected return into heavy rotation. Do you realize how old this music is? It reminds me of high school, but in reality, it should remind me of kindergarten.

Truckin,’ Grateful dead- I don’t get the Grateful Dead. Never have. But I like this song.

Lomhlaba Kawunoni, Ladysmith Black Mambazo- I first heard Ladysmith Black Mambazo when I was just a little kid, and loved them right away, although I had no idea to whom I was listening. It was only this year that I discovered the secret behind those great African vocals on Paul Simon’s “Graceland.” Ladysmith Black Mambazo were brought into the studio, but they’ve recorded a bunch of stuff on their own. What an incredible sound. Since we had an overture, let’s call this the “entr'actes”

People are strange, The Doors- “Women seem wicked when you’re alone.” Truer words were never spoken (well, with the exception of “leggo my eggo!”). The Doors are weird. Jim Morrison was whacked out. I guess that is why I love them so.

You got yr. cherry bomb, Spoon- Give me a steady upbeat tempo & I tend to be hooked. I love the horns on this track. I also am aware of the fact that it causes my foot to tap involuntarily.

Where is my mind, the pixies- I watched a Pixies documentary this year. What a cool band. I had a really hard time choosing a track, but in the end, I couldn’t resist playing my favorite from days gone by.

Acid tongue, Jenny Lewis- Jenny Lewis says it how it is, and apparently she is a liar. So am I, sometimes.

World news, local natives- I could have put several tracks from Gorilla Manor on this list. James & I hired lawyers & spent several thousand dollars working up a mutually favorable agreement in terms of who got which song. Clearly, I hired the better lawyer.

Laminated Cat, Jeff tweedy (sunken treasure)- And you thought I might put together a compilation list that contained no Jeff Tweedy. Ha. Think again. Laminated Cat became my favorite song to play on the guitar this year. I love these lyrics despite my general optimism. “Springtime comes and the leaves are back on the trees again, snipers are harder to see, my friends.” (Chris, be warned.)

Like the Ocean PT 1 & 2, the Besnard Lakes- I liked these 2 tracks. The rest of the album sounded about the same. These tracks almost got deleted. The reason they stuck on is that they used a guitar technique that got heavy use on “Loveless,” by My bloody Valentine. I like it when things go a bit out of tune for a moment or two.

Band on the run, Wings- James & his wife joined my wife and I for a trip through some of the best music of the last 50 years- Paul McCartney Live! It was an excellent concert, and Sir. Paul, my third favorite Beatle, was incredible. I’ve always liked this track; probably more than anything else he has done post Beatles.

I’m waiting for the man, the velvet underground- This is also the year that I finally realized what the deal was with the Velvet Underground. I guess I just had never given them a good listen. I almost put “Heroin” on the list, but in the end I wanted something a bit more upbeat.

Pretty Birds, Fictionist- I usually dislike local bands in Utah. They tend to either be really heavy, trying to buck the Utah culture, or they tend to sound like another happy day in happy valley. Fictionist is a local band that I think deserves international attention. This is a live (in studio) performance of Pretty Birds. I tried to get a better copy, but failed. This was recorded off of YouTube, but I think the soundis pretty good.

I stand corrected, Vampire Weekend- Frankly, I could have put 60% of the Vampire Weekend album on this list, and maybe one track from Contra. As a whole, listening to Vampire Weekend (the album) is such a great mix of sounds, and the drumming is incredible.

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