Let's Be Friends

Summer is a time of adventure, new friends and heat stroke. Friends are sometimes of the boy or girl variety and occasionally we expect benefits from a friendship but overall friendship is one of the most rewarding experiences of any of our short lives. I thought I should dedicate this month's mix to friends. If you're one of my friends then you know who you are and this one's for you!(along with all the other ones really.) Track 1 - "Champagne for my Real Friends, Real Pain for my Sham Friends" by Fall Out Boy As with most F.O.B. songs this one is drenched in metaphor but I think it's about the burnout nature of celebrity. Track 2 - "Shiksa(Girlfriend)" by Say Anything This is a song about the joys of a new love. It's also catchy as hell as with everything by Say Anything. Track 3 - "We Used to Be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols If you watched Veronica Mars then you already know this amazing song and if you didn't watch Veronica Mars then what are you doing reading my blog!? Go watch Veronica Mars! Track 4 - "Diplomat's Son" by Vampire Weekend It's hard to put into words how much I like Vampire Weekend. They are just brilliant! Track 5 - "Girlfriend" by Phoenix Phoenix were already a great band before "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" was released but they really outdid themselves. It is a near-perfect album! Track 6 - "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Alex and Jade singing to each other in this song is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard. Track 7 - "Friend Crush" by Friends Could this song be any more appropriate for this mix? I think not! I've been waiting a few months for this song to be released and one of the reasons that this mix is a little late is that I was waiting for this album to be released yesterday! Track 8 - "At Least I'm not as Sad(as I Used To Be)" by fun. It wouldn't really be a Jeff mix without a little fun., right? This song really represents the unorthodox song structure that is one of the many reasons I admire Nate Ruess so much! Track 9 - "Hotel Song" by Regina Spektor Speaking of new albums, Regina just released "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats" and it is utterly delightful! Track 10 - "Take it Easy(Love Nothing)" by Bright Eyes This is a pretty tragic song about a friendship going too far and leaving a naïve boy heartbroken. Track 11 - "Hospital Beds" by Cold War Kids A soulful and fun song from CWK about dying in a hospital. Track 12 - "Pure Morning" by Placebo This is probably the song most people associate with Placebo. Definitely a classic. Track 13 - "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend(feat. Angel Deradoorian)" by Discovery As I've explained before Discovery is the side project of Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij(his last name has "Batman" in it!? How lucky!) and Ra Ra Riot's Wesley Miles. The two explore some incredible electro-funk as well as covering some Ra Ra Riot songs. Track 14 - "We're Going to Be Friends" by The White Stripes Very cute song about grade-school friends. Track 15 - "I've Got Friends" by Manchester Orchestra This is a great example of why friends are amazing. This song is about the singer's friends telling him to get out of an unhealthy relationship. Track 16 - "Boyfriend" by Best Coast A little contemporary surf-rock for you wonderful people. Track 17 - "We Could Be Friends" by Freelance Whales The majority of Freelance Whales's music is already adorable but believe me when I tell you that this is their cutest song. Track 18 - "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend(Broken Spindles Remix)" by Her Space Holiday From the remixed version of "The Young Machines" which is, believe it or not, even better than the original album. Track 19 - "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!" by Sufjan Stevens Unlike almost every other Sufjan Stevens song this title is actually what the song is about. Track 20 - "School Friends" by Now, Now Now, Now opened for The Naked and Famous when I saw them in April and I was awestruck by how good they were. You don't expect the opening act to be as good as the headliners but Now, Now really are. Some might say that they are a little derivative of Tegan & Sara but I think they have a whole different attitude. This song is intense too. Fuck guys like this! On that note I hope you enjoyed listening to this mix as much as I enjoyed making it. As always let me know if you would like a copy.

Gotta Get That Paper

This month I would like to examine songs about money. Money is a pretty powerful force in the decisions of all people. As a fun-employed individual I can tell you that not having any sucks while too much money can lead to a Scarface situation where you decide to cover your desk in blow and then get shot to death(*SPOILERS*). [by the way, i have no idea what is wrong with the parsing on this post... blogger got an update and now i can't put line breaks in] Track 1 - "Mo Money Mo Problems(feat. Mase & Puff Daddy)" by The Notorious B.I.G. Pretty much had to start this mix with Biggie! Track 2 - "Time to Pretend" by MGMT MGMT you are so incredibly weird but so awesome at the same time! "The models will have children, we'll get a divorce, find some more models, everything must run its course" Track 3 - "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant This is kind of a dispassionate list of the terrible things people will do for money. Track 4 - "Right Round(feat. Ke$ha)" by Flo-Rida It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out that this whole song is about getting head. Keep it classy Flo-Rida. Track 5 - "Ride Wit Me" by Nelly I don't know what an "L" is and I refuse to smoke it with you, Nelly, until you tell me! Ben-Z or no Ben-Z. Track 6 - "Glamorous(feat. Ludacris)" by Fergie This song would be absolute garbage without Luda in it. I suppose that rule is true for a lot of things though. Track 7 - "A Milli" by Lil' Wayne Young Money! While Lil' Wheezy's crazy homophobic demeanor insults me as a person he sure is catchy... Plus we all know he's secretly gay. Track 8 - "Fighters" by Lupe Fiasco A mellow track from "The Cool". Track 9 - "Gold Digger(feat. Jamie Foxx)" by Kanye West We want pre-nup! "You will see him on T.V., any given Sunday, win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai." Track 10 - "Waterfalls" by TLC Hey everyone, remember this gem? Words to live by. Track 11 - "Can I Get a...(feat. Amil & Ja Rule)" by Jay-Z This song is super infectious as is but if you haven't heard the Girl Talk rendition from "All Day" then you are doing yourself a disservice! It is ten times as awesome. Track 12 - "Price Tag(feat. B.o.B.)" by Jessie J Don't hate me, I really like this song! Guilty pleasures are the best kind. Track 13 - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National That sounds like a pretty bad situation: "I still owe money to the money to the money I owe." Track 14 - "Gold on the Ceiling" by The Black Keys Not sure why he keeps his gold there or who would steal it... Track 15 - "Life's a Bitch" by Nas My buddy, Vignesh, can sing almost any song by Nas from memory. Professional. "Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high cause you never know when you're gonna go." Track 16 - "War" by Mos Def A song about how gangsta the government is... in a bad way. Track 17 - "I Told You I Was Freaky" by Flight of the Conchords I love how this could easily be an MGMT music video. Track 18 - "Money Makes the World Go Round(feat. Nas)" by R. Kelly Can't really tell if R. Kelly is trying to make money or make out with money. And on that note this mix draws to a close. Thanks for reading. You won't have to wait too long for a new mix since I let this one take half the month to complete.

April Showers

If you're like me then you never wash your car which makes this time of year very exciting. In all seriousness though I love the rain. I love people scampering to their cars. I love the rhythmic pitter-patter on my window as I am drifting off to sleep. I love the air after the rain. I hope you enjoy these rain-centric songs!

Track 1 - "Standing in the Rain" by Billy Talent
I would really like to see some new music from Billy Talent. Their existing three albums are so consistently excellent.

Track 2 - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by The Rolling Stones
Some classic Stones for you.


Track 3 - "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead
I remember when I first heard this album it redefined what I thought music could be. I went through this musical awakening in high school where I learned that not all music was oldies and showtunes.


Track 4 - "The Youth" by MGMT
This album was one of the strongest debut albums I've ever heard.

Track 5 - "Rain" by Mika
I know I've said it before but I love that even Mika's sad songs are super chipper sounding.


Track 6 - "Title and Registration" by Death Cab For Cutie
I totally keep gloves in my glove compartment! Granted it is also a time capsule as I almost never go in there.


Track 7 - "Rain(feat. Scarface & Billy Cook)" by Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire gets pretty serious in this song about suicidal thoughts. Don't do it, people. Life is worth living.

Track 8 - "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
One of those songs that was just immediately on this playlist as soon as I thought of the theme.


Track 9 - "English Summer Rain" by Placebo
During an encore at a Placebo concert I attended they covered "Where is my Mind?" by Pixies. I wish I had a recording of that; it was so amazing.


Track 10 - "156" by Mew
Even though they are from Denmark, Mew used to play a lot of shows in the Bay Area. If you are not familiar with them then I have done you a great service because they are fantastic.


Track 11 - "Let It Rain" by Tilly and the Wall
A beautiful song from Tilly and the Wall about passion turning into love.

Track 12 - "I Guess It's Gonna Rain Today" by Sondre Lerche
Songs about rain are frequently songs about getting dumped... I suppose if you are already sad then rain is kind of adding insult to injury.

Track 13 - "Kill the Messenger" by Jack's Mannequin
Jack's Mannequin is the project Andrew McMahon started while Something Corporate was on hiatus. Both bands have his signature piano-rock(piano-emo) style.

Track 14 - "The Rain" by Akon
I like the quiet piano and storm sounds that comprise the musical accompaniment on this song.

Track 15 - "I Can't Stand the Rain" by The Commitments
I thought about including the Tina Turner version of this song but the truth is I just like the version from the movie "The Commitments" way more.

Track 16 - "Thistle & Weeds" by Mumford & Sons
These guys really need a second album. No pressure.

Track 17 - "The Rain" by The Swell Season
Speaking of "The Commitments", Glen Hansard(singer/songwriter behind The Frames and 1/2 of The Swell Season) was in that movie. He has such a lovely voice.

Track 18 - "Raincoat Song" by The Decemberists
I had such high hopes for "The Hazards of Love" based on the collection of singles and b-sides leading up to its release but I was quite disappointed.

Track 19 - "Somebody Loved" by The Weepies
Another very cute song from The Weepies. "You turned me into somebody loved."


Track 20 - "re:Stacks" by Bon Iver
I don't want to over-saturate you all with Bon Iver but, like Nate Ruess's two projects, they are too good to not include in a LOT of mixes.


As always, thank you for reading my ramblings! Feel free to comment as I will reply to all comments. Hit me up for a copy of the mix.

The Eyes of March

Some say they are the windows to the soul. Others say you should always keep one open. Either way eyes sure do inspire a lot of good music. All pun credits go to my sister Rachael.

Track 1 - "Sleepyhead" by Passion Pit
This is one of the songs from Passion Pit's first EP(the valentine's day gift for his girlfriend). It really encompasses all that I love about Passion Pit.


Track 2 - "DLZ" by TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio never fails to impress me.

Track 3 - "Le Disko" by Shiny Toy Guns
This is a really fun one. Extremely danceable.


Track 4 - "The Coolest" by Lupe Fiasco
Some classic Lupe for you. He really needs to realize that he is one of the best raw hip-hop artists out there and stop overproducing his tracks.

Track 5 - "My Body" by Young the Giant
One of my favorite new bands. Hopefully their second album will live up to the quality of this one.


Track 6 - "Just a Dream" by Nelly
That's right! Nelly! I bet you forgot about Nelly.


Track 7 - "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service
I know everyone already loves this song but it fits the theme and it's wonderful.


Track 8 - "Eyes" by Rogue Wave
Rogue Wave are a local band from Oakland! Hooray for Bay Area bands.

Track 9 - "Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol
This song just builds and builds and explodes. It was used in the first episode of The Black Donnellys in a very suspenseful climax (don't remember that show? it's okay; it only lasted thirteen episodes. i liked it though. it had Olivia Wilde in it.)


Track 10 - "Many of Horror" by Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish band that have apparently been around for a long time. This song was my introduction to them not too long ago.


Track 11 - "Honey Let Me Sing You a Song" by Matt Hires
I have to listen to this song a couple times a day to stay happy and hopeful. It's delightful.


Track 12 - "Baby(feat. Nelly)" by Pharrell
Pharrell is everything Soulja Boy wishes he could be.

Track 13 - "Rebellion(Lies)" by Arcade Fire
I remember when Funeral came out I listened to this song and "In the Back Seat" over and over.


Track 14 - "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel
I would be remiss to not include this song.


Track 15 - "Eyes" by The Naked and Famous
I get to see these guys in April!

Track 16 - "Blue Eyes" by Cary Brothers
This song got stupid popular after it was on the Garden State soundtrack. Since then Cary Brothers has done roughly nothing.

Track 17 - "My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille" by Beirut
Zach Condon dropped out of high school to travel with his brother and learn about world music. I would say that this gamble paid off pretty well.

Track 18 - "Closer(Presets Remix) by Kings of Leon
This remix was included in Kings of Leon's newest album "Come Around Sundown". I find it utterly haunting.

Another great way to listen to these mixes is to friend me on Spotify and listen to them there!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

I received a request last year for a breakup mix(a more focused one since part of the "Lifespan of a Relationship" mix is a breakup). My knee-jerk reaction was to save it for Valentine's Day. I don't know what that says about me... There are different philosophies regarding breakup mixes. Do you go with sad bastard music about love lost or tongue-in-cheek songs about relationships? Do you want the album to have a bitter tone or a funny one? I ended up going with a bit of each. By the way, I have never been more frustrated by songs I have already included in previous mixes than when going through my iTunes to make this mix. I hope that everyone enjoys this but I hope especially that those of you with fresh dating wounds really connect with these songs. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Track 1 - "Our Perfect Disease" by The Wombats
The Wombats are one of my favorite discoveries of 2011 and this bitterness anthem had to start off the mix. "We all need someone to drive us mad".


Track 2 - "Song for the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five
This has been a staple on all breakup mixes I've made since about 2003. Everyone feels this way. You don't just want all the money and presents that you wasted on this person back, you also want the time and effort.


Track 3 - "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green
Despite the over-saturation of this song it is a great one. Also if you are listening to "Forget You" you are doing it wrong. Living well is the best revenge but sometimes you need to advertise it.


Track 4 - "There's No Home for You Here" by The White Stripes
This song is so biting and well written. The next time I'm in a bad breakup I want Jack White to come over and express my displeasure.

Track 5 - "Bye Bye Bye" by 'N Sync
I had to...


Track 6 - "Love Lockdown(LMFAO Remix)" by Kanye West
Everyone hated Kanye's auto-tuned album "808's and Heartbreaks" but I kind of loved it. This remix by LMFAO takes the song to a whole new level by adding their own verse and tweaking the beats.


Track 7 - "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince
Will Smith gave me all the knowledge I needed when I was in high school. I should've listened.


Track 8 - "Pussy Killz" by Nas
This is pretty much the NSFW version of the last song.

Track 9 - "Okay I Believe You, but My Tommy Gun Don't" by Brand New
One of my favorite songs from Brand New. "Every line is about who I don't want to write about anymore."

Track 10 - "Heartbeat" by Childish Gambino
For those of you who don't know, Childish Gambino is the hip-hop alter ego of Donald Glover(Troy from Community, writer for 30 Rock). He has gotten better and better and I love his newest album, "Camp". The last line of this song changes from performance to performance.


Track 11 - "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars
This song tells both perspectives of a chance meeting between two former lovers. It also features strings, so... yeah. Jeff trap.


Track 12 - "Happy Ending" by Mika
I feel like this is the only sad thing that's ever happened to Mika. He's just so chipper!


Track 13 - "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver
This song is about not wanting a love to end but being unable to stop its demise.


Track 14 - "A Lack of Color" by Death Cab For Cutie
Realized only too late that I have already used this song! Now that all the mixes are on this computer hopefully I will stop making dumb mistakes like that.


Track 15 - "IMpossible" by Figurine
Figurine is a music project started by James Tamborello(of The Postal Service).


Track 16 - "U R the One" by Mos Def
Who hurt you, Mos? I will mess them up! A fantastic song about feeling like a great potential was squandered.

Track 17 - "Devil Dressed in Blue" by Right Away, Great Captain
RAGC is the solo project of Andy Hull from Manchester Orchestra. Much like Coheed and Cambria, Hull tells an ongoing story with each album about a 17th century sailor.

Track 18 - "Miss Misery" by Elliott Smith
This was the song Elliott wrote for Good Will Hunting. He really smashed it out of the park.


Track 19 - "No Way" by The Naked and Famous
The way this song swells halfway through is amazing. Listen to this in your car as loud as your ears will allow. You will thank me.


As always hit me up for a copy and let me know what you think!

One Hit Wonders!

Well there goes one New Year's Resolution: Be more punctual with blog entries.
This month we are taking a look at bands whose contribution to good music is less of a roaring fire and more of a molotov cocktail. I am at the age now where all the popular music from my high school years has been either canonized or proven a fluke so when my good friend Neal suggested that I make a mix of One-Hit-Wonders I gladly accepted the challenge. Here are some of my favorite songs from artists who, for one reason or another, couldn't put together a quality album.

Track 1 - "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5
I bet, even as a baby crying in his crib, little Michael was melting hearts and taking names. To be honest I also like "ABC" but the Jackson 5 really have nothing else on par with this song.


Track 2 - "Fat Lip" by Sum 41
I remember Sum 41 being insanely popular in high school but this is the only song they have that's worth a damn. (besides "Pieces" but that's not really a hit, just a sad ballad) Don't get me wrong I love me some pop-punk but Sum 41 never matched the energy or catchiness of this track.


Track 3 - "Bust a Move" by Young MC
I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement when I saw not-so-Young MC's cameo in "Up In the Air". This song features Flea on bass!


Track 4 - "Dammit" by Blink 182
I might be alone on this one but I just hated all of Blink's songs from "Enema of the State" and onward. They might prove me wrong with their reformation but I sincerely doubt it.


Track 5 - "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies
One of the first concerts I ever went to (with my dad and sister) was BNL with Semisonic opening for them. I can't really remember but it must have been a short concert...

Track 6 - "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba
Remember when this song had receded from your memory and you could once again go a week without your subconscious going "I GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT I GET UP AGAIN!" You're welcome!


Track 7 - "Inside Out" by Eve 6
I feel like deep down we're all born knowing the lyrics to this song. Other than their band name being a reference to the greatest show ever and this song they don't have anything really going for them.


Track 8 - "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus
Apparently this song was from the movie "Loser" which if you couldn't tell by the mere fact that Jason Biggs was in it was baaaaaad. This song became pretty popular though and when my friend Wesley suggested it be included I agreed.


Track 9 - "Whoomp!(There it is) by Tag Team
This song will forever be known as Ben Wyatt's swearing-in ceremony theme song. This was a suggestion by my sister, Rachael.


Track 10 - "In the Meantime" by Spacehog
I had completely forgotten about this song until it popped up in Rock Band. Rock Band is really the champion of all one-hit-wonders. Probably because the licenses are so cheap.


Track 11 - "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal
While this song is pretty awesome Seal's main achievement is locking down Heidi Klum. I guess I would slack off on my music career too if I had Heidi Klum to come home to for better or worse. The video for this song was apparently shot to be a promotional video for a Batman movie that never ended up getting made. I really want to put the version sung by Jeff Winger and Dean Pelton.


Track 12 - "No Rain" by Blind Melon
This one isn't really fair. Who knows how many other great songs Blind Melon would have made if their lead singer hadn't tragically died from an overdose.


Track 13 - "O-O-H Child" by The Five Stairsteps
I do so love the rhythm and blues.


Track 14 - "Good" by Better Than Ezra
This was another great suggestion by Wesley.


Track 15 - "Closing Time" by Semisonic
These songs really are fantastic songs by bands who just couldn't replicate the quality of these hits. I jam out to this one pretty regularly.


Track 16 - "Because I Got High" by Afroman
I really don't know where Afroman gets his weed, but it sounds potent as hell. This video is from when Kevin Smith was still funny.


Track 17 - "Baby I Love Your Way" by Peter Frampton
I couldn't agree more with Rob's sentiment in High Fidelity concerning this song. I used to hate it until I heard the Lisa Bonet version in the film which made me appreciate the original.


Track 18 - "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve
Strings!!! Need I say more?


Track 19 - "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie
This song's message is pretty simple. Girls can't be trusted to have male friends. Very enlightened, Biz.


Track 20 - "Boston" by Augustana
The piano in this song just gets me every time.


Happy New Year everyone! Make it count because the world's gonna end this year!

Waiting...

How apt that I am roughly a week late with this month's mix. The theme we are exploring this time is waiting; whether time does it for no man you can bet that good things come to him should he consider the practice. Whether it is for your ship to come in, the other shoe to drop or simply the moment it is something we all will spend too much of our lives doing. They say that some accidents simply wait to happen and some fool even made a game out of it but I will simply wait to see what you think of this month's mix.

Track 1 - "We Are Young" by Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe
This is the first release from Fun.'s upcoming sophomore album which is supposed to be released early next year. I don't know about you but based on this song - as well as the fact that I would follow Nate Ruess off a cliff - I cannot wait for the new album's release!


Track 2 - "Crawl" by Two Tongues
Two Tongues is a group comprising of Max Bemis of Say Anything and Chris Conley of Saves the Day (two of my favorite bands!). The two gave their first live performance while the two bands were touring together as a complete surprise to the crowd. I could not be happier with the result of their collaborations.

Track 3 - "Wait, Wait, Wait" by The Format
The first time I listened to "Interventions and Lullabies", the album that this track appears on, I was underwhelmed by this song. I don't remember what my mindset was but I think I wanted all of their songs to sound like "On Your Porch". Since then, however, it has become one of my most beloved Format songs.

Track 4 - "Mushaboom" by Feist
Leslie Feist was once a member of the canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene before finding success as a solo artist. This song is so bubbly and fun it's downright infectious.


Track 5 - "Apartment Story" by The National
The National have a unique style mainly due to the baritone of their lead singer Matt Berninger. Um... I like them a lot, don't know what else to say really.


Track 6 - "Today" by The Smashing Pumpkins
Billy Corgan wrote this song after breaking off his long term relationship with Courtney Love (much to the chagrim of her "songwriting" career). He was working dead end jobs and living on couches and floors of friends. The song is supposedly his unrealized suicide note. Having said that I am in love with how personal he is with his fans. He leaves nothing of himself out of his music.


Track 7 - "Worth the Wait" by We Are Scientists
We Are Scientists are from Pomona College where my friend, Eric attended. He told me that they would play shows at the college constantly and I promptly informed him how deep my burning jealousy ran.

Track 8 - "Ottoman" by Vampire Weekend
Can someone tell me why not one but TWO Vampire Weekend songs contain the phrase "it feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too"? Anyways I love this song which was I believe written for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (which you should watch anytime you want to remember what a crush feels like).


Track 9 - "Rome" by Phoenix
For a band that usually writes lyrics equivalent to a random stream of consciousness or simply nonsense this song is particularly tragic.


Track 10 - "We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire
Win Butler's words ring true to me. There is a lot more charm in the lack of technology. I remember when I used to wonder what people spent their days doing before Facebook ruined all the mystique.

Track 11 - "The Waiting Game" by Broken Bells
I sincerely hope that James Mercer and Danger Mouse release another album together because their first was amazing.

Track 12 - "I'll Believe in Anything" by Wolf Parade
It's sad that Wolf Parade might never record another album. After their expo 86 tour they announced an indefinite hiatus. It's rare to see such an earnest and talented indie pop group.


Track 13 - "Pioneer to the Falls" by Interpol
This band bores my dear sister, Rachael. I'm sorry for this song's inclusion Sissles but I really appreciate their subtle brooding sound.

Track 14 - "Waiting for the 7:18" by Bloc Party
Actually I appear to have struck a section of bands that Rachael does not particularly care for. I swear I didn't do this on purpose! Bloc Party is at once soothingly mellow and childishly energetic. I have no idea how they achieve this juxtaposition but it is delightful.

Track 15 - "Can You Tell" by Ra Ra Riot
I started listening to Ra Ra Riot after falling for Discovery which is the collaboration of Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij and Wesley Miles who is the singer from Ra Ra Riot. This song was actually covered by the duo but I much prefer the Ra Ra Riot version. One thing I especially appreciate about Ra Ra Riot is their string section consisting of a cello and violin.


Track 16 - "The Funeral" by Band of Horses
At this point you know all about my love of Band of Horses. This song evokes very powerful emotions in my heart-guts.


Track 17 - "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes
This song is from the sophomore album from Seattle-based anti-folk greats, Fleet Foxes which came out earlier this year.

Track 18 - "Maps(acoustic)" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I think Karen O's impressive vocal range is demonstrated in this stripped-bare version of the song. More and more I am convinced that she is a musical genius and I am looking forward to her contributions to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"'s soundtrack.


Track 19 - "Leave" by The Swell Season
The Swell Season is comprised of Glen Hansard from The Frames and Czech pianist/songwriter Markéta Irglová. If you saw the movie "Once" then you would recognize these two as the leads.


I hope you all enjoy this collection of songs. I have many more fun mixes planned for the coming months!

Girls & Boys

This month's mix is about the idiosyncrasies that differentiate the two primary genders of our populous. Some of the observations made in these songs are oversimplifications, but they are all based in truth or at least extremely funny. I know today is not the first of the month and I apologize for that, but I was putting the final touches on this and generally spacing out.

Track 1 - "Hey Now Girl" by Phantom Planet
Phantom Planet is Jason Schwartzman's first band in which he played drums until moving on to his current solo project, Coconut Records. The lead singer is also the bully from "Donnie Darko". They are poppy and fun and you probably know them as "that band that made the theme song for the O.C."(don't call it that). This song is about a particularly dangerous breed of female... the seventeen-year-old.


Track 2 - "Foreign Language" by Anberlin
The opening verse of this song really tells you all you need to know about it's message.

Track 3 - "This Ain't a Scene It's an Arms Race (Kanye West remix)" by Fall Out Boy
You've probably heard this song before but if you haven't heard the Kanye West remix then you are missing out (until now!) (i'm pretty sure my main purpose is not to play you songs you've never heard before anyway, this song just REALLY works on this mix.)

Track 4 - "Friday Night" by Girl Talk
I've been trying to work a Girl Talk song into one of this mixes since the inception of this blog and I finally found one that was not only perfect for the theme (on so many levels) but I think it flows pretty well (let me know your thoughts on that outlandish claim). If you don't know who Girl Talk is he's a mash-up artist by the name of Gregg Gillis. From what I understand of his career he has been sampling popular music and making mash-ups since high school and throughout his college years and then found enough recognition to make it his full-time job. His last three albums have been one cohesive track with track breaks only to make the album easier to navigate. (also all three of these albums are SPECTACULAR: "Night Ripper", "Feed the Animals", and "All Day")

Track 5 - "Blame it on the Girls" by Mika
I know I shouldn't like Mika, but he's just so damn catchy.


Track 6 - "Bad Education" by Tilly and the Wall
This delightful indie group from Omaha features a tap dancer in lieu of a drummer which creates a really original sound.

Track 7 - "Girls and Boys" by Blur
This is one of the songs that made me want to create this mix. This is one of my favorite songs by one of the best bands of the 90's.


Track 8 - "Lola" by The Raincoats
This song was suggested by my good friend, Steven. I think this version by the Raincoats is much more charming than the original by the Kinks and I definitely wouldn't have thought of this one for the mix independently but it's so perfect.

Track 9 - "Technicolor Girls" by Death Cab For Cutie
This song is from my second favorite Death Cab release, Forbidden Love E.P. It's a charming song about the simplicities of childhood.

Track 10 - "Drunk Girls" by LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy is a musical and songwriting genius. His songs are so often deeply insightful and extremely danceable, an unlikely combination.


Track 11 - "All the Pretty Girls Go to the City" by Spoon
I've been to cities before... It's entirely accurate.

Track 12 - "Boys" by Ryan Adams
This demonstrates one of the reasons I love Ryan Adams: he is as romantic as I am.

Track 13 - "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" by Panic! at the Disco
I challenge you to find the bitterness in this song... Did you find it?


Track 14 - "Post Modern Girls" by The Strokes & Regina Spektor
This song was made when Julian Casablancas and Regina were dating and it's a shame they didn't end things amicably because this song is amazing.

Track 15 - "Boys Better" by The Dandy Warhols
I first heard this wonderful Dandy Warhols song in the movie "Good Will Hunting" (if you don't like this movie then you are dead inside)


Track 16 - "Girls Like You" by The Naked and Famous
I love the warning given in these lyrics: "Don't you know people write songs about girls like you." This song is ultimately about a girl who isn't fooling anyone.


Track 17 - "Walking the Dog II" by Fun.
This is an alternate version of one of the best tracks from Fun.'s debut album, "Aim and Ignite". You all know about my love of Nate Ruess so when I remembered that this song had an homage to Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" onto the mix it went.

Track 18 - "Dance Anthem of the 80's" by Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor is an accomplished songwriter and composer and this song is a great showcase of those talents. The breakdown in the latter half is what endears this song to me, especially the part where she soulfully exclaims:
"It's been a long time since before I've been touched/ Now I'm getting touched all the time/ And it's only a matter of whom/ And it's only a matter of why"


Track 19 - "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Greg Laswell
It makes me laugh every time I think about this ultra moody rendition of Cyndi Lauper's bubbly pop song.

Track 20 - "How to Be Perfect Men" by Songs:Ohia
This song was suggested by my lovely sister, Rachael. I fell for this song almost immediately and have gone hunting for everything by Jason Molina, the mastermind behind this song.

Track 21 - "Boys Don't Cry" by Grant-Lee Phillips
Don't get me wrong, I love the Cure but I like this cover of the track because it's so bare. I feel like it wraps up the mix better.

What's In a Name?

I know this post is a few days late but I didn't want to post it until I had finished the artwork and August really snuck up on me... This month is dedicated to the ladies that inspire great music. Not all of these are flattering representations of the respective name but on more than one occasion I could have sworn the song was written about someone I know and I hope you have similar realizations. This month's theme and the idea for the artwork were both from the mind of my sister, Rachael.

Track 1 - "Every Man Has a Molly" by Say Anything
This song epitomizes the mix to me. These songwriters were bold enough to name names and probably paid the price in friendships... or rough sex...

Track 2 - "Holly Hox Forget Me Nots" by Saves the Day
As with many songs by Saves the Day this one is rife with metaphor.

Track 3 - "Sailor Song" by Regina Spektor
Regina telling it like it is. Or was... in World War II or whatever.

Track 4 - "Jackie Big Tits" by The Kooks
I doubt anyone will have a person that this song reminds them of, but it's a really good song.

Track 5 - "Golly Sandra" by Eisley
I remember my old housemate Megan first introducing me to Eisley. They are a very lovely band.

Track 6 - "Daria" by Cake
This is admittedly a really weird song but it is so damn catchy!

Track 7 - "Roxanne" by The Police
If you haven't heard my wordless rendition of Roxanne on Rock Band then you really haven't lived. Hopefully this song doesn't remind you of anyone...



Track 8 - "Laura" by Mates of State
This is from Mates of State's covers album, "Crushes". Their rendition of the Girls song makes me well up a little though it doesn't apply to anyone I've known with that name.

Track 9 - "Back Stabbin' Betty" by Cage the Elephant
A song about an abusive, ungrateful woman. I hate seeing verbally abusive wives.

Track 10 - "Sweet Marie" by The Anniversary
I only got to see The Anniversary once before their untimely break-up but it was an amazing show. I mean, of course I like them. They have that winning combination of guy singer and girl singer harmonizing.


Track 11 - "Margie" by Heathers
My sister Rachael introduced me to this duo from Ireland. This is their song about a friend who can't keep a secret. This song is also what we refer to as a Twofer.


Track 12 - "Adelaide" by Anberlin
A song about getting strung along by a girl who needs a comforting pair of arms and doesn't care who's attached to them.

Track 13 - "Eryn Smith" by The Matches
This band started as 'The Locals' and my friend, Robert told me about them. They are a local Bay Area band. I like their blend of hip-hop sensibilities and pop-punk ensemble.

Track 14 - "Xavia" by The Submarines
A clever and talented duo from Boston. You might remember this song from Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. (GREAT movie!)

Track 15 - "Cath..." by Death Cab For Cutie
This song is tragic. It's about a woman who is unable to love.


Track 16 - "Leslie Ann Levine" by The Decemberists
This haunting song is the tale of a baby born prematurely into a ditch whose ghost haunts a 17th century town. The Decemberists are really good at writing creepy, intricate stories into their songs.

Track 17 - "Hannah Hold On" by The Get Up Kids
I think this song is about a relationship that ended before either party got to see what could have been.

Track 18 - "Astair" by Matt Costa
A song about not knowing why someone is leaving.


Track 19 - "For Emma" by Bon Iver
Justin Vernon is an amazing singer and songwriter. There actually aren't any Bon Iver songs I don't like.


Track 20 - "To Sheila" by The Smashing Pumpkins
This is one of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs from my favorite Smashing Pumpkins album. I love how stripped bare the song sounds yet Billy Corgan's poetry carries the piece.

Track 21 - "Nora" by The Long Winters
I had to choose between this song and "Mimi" (because we all know how good I am about not choosing two songs by the same band for the same mix) but since "Mimi" has complete silly-nonsense lyrics and Nora is my little sister's name I went with this song.

Track 22 - "For Annabelle" by Band of Horses
Band of Horses have, in the last year or so, climbed from "these guys are pretty darn good" to "top 5 favorite bands!"

May's Mix: The Drugs

For this month's mix I scoured my favorite music to find all the drug references I could (drugs certainly influence a lot of popular music). There were classics left off this mix in the interest of introducing new stuff to you wonderful people. In conclusion, don't do drugs (hi Mom!)

Track 1 - "Dog Problems" by The Format
This song has the winning combo of clever tempo changes and Nate Ruess's voice.


Track 2 - "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance
Almost all of MCR's songs are about drugs so I just picked one I liked a lot.
Video

Track 3 - "Saint Veronika" by Billy Talent
My friend, Robert first introduced me to this amazing band in senior year of high school and I find myself binging on their albums periodically. They did something really cool for their newest album by making the second disc of the deluxe version contain the entire album without guitar tracks so you can play along (if you are so inclined).


Track 4 - "Your Love is My Drug" by Ke$ha
I couldn't resist...


Track 5 - "Love is a Drug" by New Politics
I think it's funny that this song has the same metaphor as Ke$ha's but it isn't portrayed as a good thing like it is in her song.

Track 6 - "That Time" by Regina Spektor
One of Regina's cutest songs in my opinion.


Track 7 - "Say It 'Aint So" by Weezer
Remember when Weezer wrote awesome songs? I try to think of new Weezer as a different band because they obviously forgot how to be good.


Track 8 - "Thug is a Drug" by Mos Def
I was excited to find a Mos Def song that applied to this mix.

Track 9 - "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes
My awesome sister Rachael pointed out that this song should be on here.


Track 10 - "Drug Ballad" by Eminem
A very fitting classic Eminem song for everybody.

Track 11 - "Marijuana" by Kid CuDi
I had my pick of a lot of Kid CuDi songs but I decided to go with the most obvious one for laughs.

Track 12 - "At the Bottom" by Brand New
Rachael and I have different opinions of when this band peaked (for me it was on "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" and for her it was "Deja Entendu") but it was definitely before the album that this song is from, though I do like this song.


Track 13 - "White Light/White Heat" by The Velvet Underground
My friend Steven insisted that this song be on here. We had the choice of original or Bowie cover but stuck with the original.

Track 14 - "Heroine" by Blonde Redhead
I would say I have to be in a certain mood to listen to Blonde Redhead, but every time I hear one of their songs I am instantly in the mood for more.

Track 15 - "The Way We Get By" by Spoon
I absolutely adore this song and it's just a lucky coincidence that it fits perfectly on this mix.

Track 16 - "Waiting for the Next Drug" by the 88
Here's a funny little tidbit. The lead singer of this band wrote and performed the theme song for Community(GREAT show).

Track 17 - "The Medication is Wearing Off" by Eels
This song really takes me back.

Track 18 - "Palmcorder Yajna" by The Mountain Goats
This song was another suggestion by Rachael. She says that to see John Darnielle perform this in concert is quite a spectacle. The way he sings it live conveys just how important each word is to him.


Track 19 - "St. Ide's Heaven" by Elliott Smith
This is one of my absolute favorite Elliott Smith songs.

April's Mix: Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros

This month I have finally delivered the frequently requested, long promised hip-hop mix. Now any hip-hop purists that are reading this (since I don’t know any I doubt there are any who have stumbled upon my page, but if you’re out there, let’s go get drinks sometime) should know that I enjoy FUN rap and hip-hop almost as much as I enjoy GOOD hip-hop, so that will be adequately represented on this month’s installation. I hope you all enjoy ghetto-blasting this mix out of your hoopties.

Track 1 – “This Means You” by Reflection Eternal featuring Mos Def
Reflection Eternal is a duo composed of Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek. Kweli and Mos Def are definitely the reason I started listening to hip-hop. Discovering them in high school really changed my perceptions about the genre. They both have amazing solo careers but I like their collaborations most.

Track 2 – “All of the Lights” by Kanye West featuring Rihanna and Kid CuDi
Kanye is a great songwriter and when he’s not auto-tuning his voice I tend to like everything he does. He really straddles that line between fun and genuinely good. In this track he followed that magical formula for making a fantastic track: feature Rihanna in it.


Track 3 – “Low” by Flo-Rida featuring T-Pain
I remember driving cross country with my friend Steven and we could not get this song out of our collective heads but we couldn’t for the life of us remember the title. When we used a lifeline, and called his girlfriend to find out, we felt like idiots when she told us the name of the song…


Track 4 – “Lapdance” by N.E.R.D. featuring Lee Harvey and Vita
Pharrell and Chad Hugo are an unstoppable duo. Pharrell’s solo stuff is good but when working with Hugo on either N.E.R.D. or on their production team The Neptunes he really manufactures his best work.


Track 5 – “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid CuDi featuring MGMT and Ratatat
The real lesson here is when Ratatat is working the beats and MGMT handles the chorus you actually can’t go wrong. What a dream team! Kid CuDi is one of my favorite hip-hop artists and, though this happens to be my favorite song of his, he really needs no help from MGMT or Ratatat to be awesome.


Track 6 – “It Wasn’t Us” by Ludacris and I-20
Ludacris is about as gangsta as I get with my taste. This track was produced by The Neptunes and you can really tell by the beats.

Track 7 – “What’s Golden” by Jurassic 5
Doesn’t this song take you way back to 2003? It does for me, but Jurassic 5 are no less amazing today than they were then. I really wish more hip-hop artists were trying to break the mold like these guys. Good beats, good rhymes, and no ego.


Track 8 – “The Rooster” by OutKast
Andre 3000 and Big Boi are such a fantastic team. Their songs are frequently as funny as they are catchy. Also anyone who hasn’t seen their movie, Idlewild should.

Track 9 – “Drivin’ Me Wild” by Common featuring Lily Allen
You can always count on Common to write empowering lyrics for women. One of the things I really like about him is how positive his lyrics are.


Track 10 – “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and Goon Rock
Ever since my friend Tim introduced this song to me a few weeks ago it has been completely lodged in my cerebellum. It prompted me to check out LMFAO’s other work and it’s all as good as this song. Also if anyone buys me an “Every Day I’m Shuffling” shirt we will be friends forever.


Track 11 – “Whatever You Like” by T.I.
T.I. is another artist that writes really positive songs about important issues(obviously this song isn’t one of those… It’s just fun). I don’t know how many of you heard about him saving a man from suicide, but that happened. He heard about a guy threatening to jump off a building and thought, “Hey that’s within driving distance of me!” and just went on over and talked the guy off the ledge. The man is a fucking prince!(when he isn’t buying illegal firearms…)
Video

Track 12 – “Ms. Fat Booty” by Mos Def
I like how the story recalled here is almost exactly the same as the one in “Low” only much more eloquent. It was really tough to choose just one Mos Def song(the two Black Star songs totally don’t count…).



Track 13 – “Paper Planes” by M.I.A.
Why does a song that is this damn catchy have to have a completely un-singable chorus!? Regardless it is so much fun. I remember having this going on repeat for weeks after the Pineapple Express trailer featured it.


Track 14 – “Definition” by Black Star
Black Star is the moniker of Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s main collaboration. As far as I’m concerned they are unbeatable. They flow so well together and really broke a lot of ground with their song structure and beats.


Track 15 – “Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem featuring Rihanna
Both having experience from each side of the situation, it is a powerful thing to hear Eminem and Rihanna collaborate on a song about domestic violence.


Track 16 – “Coffee” by Aesop Rock featuring John Darnielle
Aesop Rock is an extremely talented songwriter and producer and this song features John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats. This song(and Aesop Rock in general) was introduced to me by my sister, Rachael who is a huge Mountain Goats fan.


Track 17 – “Hurt Feelings” by Flight of the Conchords
I would be remiss if I didn’t include some Flight of the Conchords on this mix. If you haven’t watched Flight of the Conchords or heard their music you should correct that right away.


Track 18 – “What’s My Name” by Rihanna featuring Drake
As you may have noticed by now I really like Rihanna. She always writes catchy empowering songs and I love her voice. Despite Drake’s math struggles on this track it is a great song.


Track 19 – “Thieves in the Night” by Black Star
I wanted to close the album with the most ethereal, dreamlike, chamber-pop sounding hip-hop song in my repertoire. I know I used Black Star earlier but using them twice is for emphasis. They are the best.

As always hit me up for a copy.
Peace!

January's Mix

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Oh, sorry, I’ll bring it down a bit. I know your head must be throbbing, but you know what’s good for a hangover!? January’s mix! This mix is one you'll want to listen to curled up in front of your fireplace sipping hot cocoa.

Track 1 – “The New Year” by Death Cab For Cutie
I decided to start this mix off thematically, but also I really love this song. This kicks off Ben Gibbard’s big “bad relationship” album and it definitely sums up the way some new year’s eves have felt to me (not this year. this year’s eve was great.)


Track 2 – “Fluorescent Adolescent” by Arctic Monkeys
I’ve been waiting for a mix to put this song on, which is, in my opinion, the greatest Arctic Monkeys songs and an instant classic. The first time I heard this song I felt like I grew up listening to it.


Track 3 – “Blue Beard” by Band of Horses
This is quite an infectious song. I put it on a mix for my sister recently(yes, i still make personal mixes. we never said anything about exclusivity!) and she has been putting it on repeat for a few weeks now.


Track 4 – “The Cave” by Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons is a charming English folk band that has won me over in recent months. This song in particular reminds me of new year’s resolutions and therefore got this spot on the mix, though it is also just an amazing song.


Track 5 – “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens
For a period of about three years I didn’t go to sleep without listening to Michigan. Sufjan Stevens has a very special place in my heart. This song is obviously not from Michigan but I feel like it mixes better than any song on that album. This may sound like blasphemy but some albums should really never be broken up and deserve to be listened to in their entirety.

Track 6 – “Four Winds” by Bright Eyes
This is a relatively recent track from Bright Eyes but it ranks among my favorites. Bright Eyes would have definitely been on an earlier mix, but as I’ve shared with you before I am rebuilding my music library from practically nothing(stupid computers) and neglected to acquire my bright eyes collection until just last week.


Track 7 – “He War” by Cat Power
My first girlfriend made me one mix during our brief relationship and this song was one of the tracks on it. It immediately wound its way into my head.


Track 8 – “The Commander Thinks Aloud” by The Long Winters
John Roderick is the brainchild behind The Long Winters and his lyrics are frequently brilliant loosely connected streams of consciousness. He once described his writing process as (and i’m paraphrasing because i can’t find the interview i read this in) looking back upon the most meaningful, disappointing, and wonderful times in his life and shrugging.


Track 9 – “Get Higher” by Paper Tongues
Another new band that has quickly won me over, Paper Tongues mix hip-hop elements into their poppy rock to great success.


Track 10 – “The Wrestle” by Frightened Rabbit
I wanted to share another great song from this band that my sister, Rachael introduced me to. This song has really intense lyrics that get easily overlooked because of its beautiful musicality.


Track 11 – “Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies
Black Francis is such a talented songwriter that I will forget just how much I love Pixies and then listen to a song of theirs and hear it in a way I’ve never heard it before and it will mean so much more to me than it did before.

Track 12 – “You Wouldn’t Like Me” by Tegan and Sara
Rachael describes it as cheating when siblings (especially twins) harmonize in songs. Tegan and Sara are chronic cheaters and I couldn’t be more happy about it. Despite my recent disappointing Tegan and Sara experience (too long of a story to explain here, but ask me about it sometime and i will tell you) I adore these twin songwriters.


Track 13 – “Christmas TV” by Slow Club
This song was on a really good episode of Chuck (great show) and I had to track it down and listen to it over and over. The duo who made it are apparently English.


Track 14 – “West Coast” by Coconut Records
Jason Schwartzman’s solo project after the break up of his band, “Phantom Planet”. I played this song for my sister when she was moving to Rochester, NY for grad school and it was understandably upsetting. I really like Jason Schwartzman in everything he does.


Track 15 – “Samson” by Regina Spektor
Despite being notoriously bad at relationships Regina sure can write a pretty song about a simple and cute love.


Track 16 – “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice
Like most people I fell in love with Damien’s music when he was featured on Closer’s soundtrack. A few weeks back I was borrowing my dad’s car which has XM radio (which is usually mediocre at best) and was flipping channels when I came upon a live performance by Damien Rice. He was telling stories about all of his favorite songs and playing them by himself in the studio. I just sat there in the car listening long after I had reached my destination.


Track 17 – “Winter” by Joshua Radin
Despite not being crazy about his new album, I really appreciate Joshua Radin’s older stuff. He is a very skilled guitar player and singer.


Track 18 – “Jezebel” by Iron & Wine
When I had my big bushy beard (RIP) I got compared several times to Sam Beam of Iron & Wine (which was pretty flattering. he’s a handsome man). These comparisons would always cause me to break out the Iron & Wine collecting dust in my iTunes library and listen to it nonstop.


Track 19 – “Look Up” by Stars
Another fragment of Broken Social Scene, Stars are a Canadian pop band. They often feature trumpets and strings and you all know I’m a sucker for that. This song sounds really hopeful to me and I thought it was an elegant way to end January’s mix.