July 2011

This month is a bit slight on the new music front, so if that’s what you are more interested in go check out last month’s mix (or just put David Comes to Life on repeat). In lieu of a helping of new songs, I managed to pull together a bunch of really classic tracks. There are some timeless numbers here, the kind of tracks I’ll play for my grandkids and they’ll think I’m crazy or deaf. I still have most of my hearing, but the sanity issue is always up for debate. Enjoy!

July 2011 Mix

1. The Mekons – Hello Cruel World (The Edge of the World, 1986)
   What an opener; to clarify, I mean opener to this record more so than this mix. I think this record is a good place to start in the vast Mekons catalogue because it includes a large variety of styles they dabble in throughout their career. Even this track tackles a lot: you can hear the post punk leanings in that plodding drum beat, but then the accordion comes in overpowers everything. I will take this opportunity to say it: there are no bad Mekons records.


2. The Bilders – Baby Cum Bak (Split Seconds, 1984)
   Yet another New Zeland band, this one led by Bill Direen. The Bilders are one of the classic NZ bands that I feel never seem to get appreciated. In fact, their first LP was one of the first full lengths released on Flying Nun; however, Flying Nun passed on this record (their second) because of a lack in improved recording quality.


3. Come – Yr Reign (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, 1994)
   Initially, I wasn’t a huge Come fan. Something about them had me coming back and before long I was totally hooked. Thalia Zedek’s vocals do take a little getting used to, but they are so perfectly suited to the music that it will eventually get you. Their career owes a huge debt to the Birthday Party, and hopefully Nick Cave doesn’t ever come knocking.


4. Big Dipper – She’s Fetching (Heavens, 1987)
   Guys from Volcano Suns and The Embarrassment get together to form a band that sounds like college radio from the late 80s. See also: power pop, jangle pop, The Feelies, Big Star. I wish I could stop singing this song to myself.


5. Woods – Blood Dries Darker (At Echo Lake, 2010)
   Woods just released a new record last month, but this song is better than all the tracks on it. I have a real soft spot for this band, and I totally blame it on the vocals. Lots of reverb, yes, but he can actually sing as well!


6. The Pastels – Yoga (Mobile Safari, 1994)
   Early Pastels records = meh. Then they had a resurgence in the mid-90’s, centering around this record, and really managed to pull it together. This is probably their best song, but you wouldn’t do bad to listen to all of Mobile Safari; beyond that, Illuminati is worth a listen. Then stop.


7. Dolly Mixture – Dream Come True (Demonstration Tapes, 1984)
   I saw the Dolly Mixture documentary a little while back, all I remember from it was that Captain Sensible married one of them and that brought about the end of the band. If those early Damned records weren’t so awesome, I don’t know if I would be able to forgive the man.


8. Ego Summit – Illogical (The Room Isn’t Big Enough, 1997)
   Ego Summit was an Ohio-based “supergroup” which featured Jim Shepard, Tommy Jay, Ron House, Don Howland and Mike Rep. These five dudes are responsible for probably about 60% of the greatest music from that state (the other 40 belongs to Pollard/Sprout camp), and this record is no exception.


9. The Saints – (I’m) Stranded ((I’m) Stranded, 1977)
   Everything about this song is perfect – and I think the real kicker is they probably wrote it in like 5 minutes. There’s an energy present here that faded from their later records, but this remains a stone classic, almost a desert island disc.


10. The Men – Lotus (Leave Home, 2011)
    Finally we get to a brand new song! The Men are from Brooklyn, and recently played at a local record store and got me hooked. This track is instrumental but I still think it’s the catchiest song on the record, which is tough to swallow.


11. Swell Maps – Spitfire Parade (A Trip to Marineville, 1979)
    This song is such a freaking beautiful mess. The guitars rip at one another’s throat for the length of the track, while the rhythm section plods along in the background, almost to the beat of a different track. Had a worse band tried to write this song, it would have failed miserably, but these Birmingham chaps make it a classic.


12. X-Ray Spex – Warrior in Woolworths (Germfree Adolescents, 1978)
    Every time I hear this song, it brings back fond memories of going to Woolworths as a child with my grandmother, and buying them out of comic books and X-Men figures. I can’t help but think that the 8-year old in me would have been totally cool with strutting around the dingy clothes racks to this track. RIP Poly Styrene, and thanks for this record.


13. Hüsker Dü – Diane (Metal Circus, 1983)
    ‘How do we write a song guys? Well first thing we’ll need a topic. Let’s see, how about that we write a song about that horrible murder that happened in our town two years ago. Ok sure, BUT let’s write it from the point of view of the sociopathic murderer.’ I can’t even imagine how this conversation actually went, but I think I’m at least halfway there?


14. Coïtus Int. – Dry Up Soon (Dead Excitement, 1980)
    Coïtus Int. were a bunch of Dutchmen who really liked joy division, that much is obvious. However, this EP has a little edge to it that separates it from the hundreds of wannabes and definitely kept my attention. This EP was recently reissued by a friend to you and me, good ole TS’s (see March 2011) new label bunkerpop.


15. Psychic Teens – Red (Unreleased, 2011)
    So far, I’ve avoided including my friends’ bands from these mixes. It was an unconscious decision, and definitely not meant to slight anyone. In fact, I kind of feel bad for not doing it sooner, so I will try to make up for it in the future. The point of this babbling is this: you need to hear this band. You need to see this band. You need to love this band. I don’t say that often, especially when the personal connections are so close, but it’s the truth and you will be thanking me shortly.


16. Psychic TV – Godstar (Allegory and Self, 1988)
    Alternate title: Genesis Breyer P-Orridge writes a pop song. To connect the dots here, I purchased this record off a member of Psychic Teens! This record is kind of a transition between their early, more avant garde styled releases into acid house (I am not making this up), and it’s mostly really weird. This song was initially intended to be the theme to a move about Brian Jones, which was obviously never made (go figure).


17. Master Musicians of Bukkake – Failed Future (Totem Three, 2011)
    The old curve ball at the end. This is one of my favorite records to come out this year, but it’s just so out there that I had to close with it so you can hit the stop button if you want. If not, the I’ll let you know that MMoB are a collective of musicians from the pacific northwest, who maybe feature members of Earth and definitely feature members of Sun City Girls. Their recordings are a hodgepodge of musical styles, and this is their Goblin worship track. Beyond that, it’s more or less a mystery.