An unexpected hospital trip turned into two surgeries. I should be back home and recovering tomorrow. Never a dull moment in my world. I’ll be back to sharing the music I love in no time. Music heals the body inside and out.
In hindsight, I probably should've made this more of a career overview of Al Cisneros. Then I could've included Asbestos Death, Sleep, Shrine Builder, and his work with Six Organs of Admittance, Harvestman and the Melvins. It is what it is, and here is a mix of my favorite Om and Al solo tracks for some post-holiday meditative comedown. While making the Spotify list, I checked and found the YouTube mix made by someone else and took this as an easy out to save me some work today.
Tributes and remixes can be a lot of fun to dive into. From what I've come across, most are a pretty solid effort with not many weak links on those comps. I've included multiple tracks from the one I have, and a few oddball tracks that crossed my path. The only real omission I had intended to include is from Ciccone Youth, but that's not exactly a cover or a remix. And yes, I did include one remix from Harmonia & Eno, but its close enough to a Neu! track that it fit in by my standards.
00:00 The Legendary Pink Dots - Super
04:10 Neu! Im Gluck (The National Remix)
12:05 Porcupine Tree - Hallogallo
15:41 Neu! - Fur Immer (Eye Remix)
21:51 Neu! - Weissensee (Fink Version)
28:37 Download - Hallo Gallo
36:27 Neu! - Super (Mogwai remix)
40:48 Autechre - Weissensee
49:33 Neu! - After Eight (They Hate Change cover)
51:38 Harmonia & Eno 76 - By The Riverside (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix)
59:16 Beyond the Wizards Sleeve - Hallogallo (I Swim Around rework 2008)
Those pioneers we've come to know and love over their three albums (four or five if you count those ones that really sound like a completely different band). Yes talking about Dinger and Rother. I recall having my mind blown when I purchased "Neu! 2" from the beachside Taang records in San Diego, along with SSD discography, DJ Spooky's "Subliminal Minded EP", Third Eye Foundation's "I poo poo on your juju" and Nurse With Wound's Automating 2. The clerk rightly said, "Well one of these sticks out like a sore thumb." Still, Neu! were well known by artists citing them as inspiration, and I knew the Legendary Pink Dot's cover of "Super." I had no idea what else to expect, and I was beyond surprised. A few months later, a roommate that worked at an Independent records pulled a copy of Neu! 1 from their incoming vinyl order, and set it aside for me. I rushed over that afternoon to pick it up and it didn't leave my turntable for weeks.
On to this mix, as I know most readers should already know them and their history. This mix focuses on what came after for Dinger and Rother. Aside from Hallogallo 2010, nothing ever really lived up to the pure joy I felt hearing Neu!, but there are still some great moments, especially with Harmonia. Here's a brief overview of their post-Neu! output.
Straying from alternative and into post-punk territory a bit, before returning with some stone cold classics. Yeah, Pretty Girls Make Graves are on the last two mixes and this one, so what, they're great. While I knew XTC from some of their later output, I'd never heard this song until Primus covered it. My wife had the Strokes CD when we started dating and we never listened to it, I put it on this week and remembered there were some good tracks on it. The Cardigans again, this time covering Kraftwerk; while Snakefinger's cover is my favorite, this one holds up pretty well. Second Still is another random find, along with the Part Time Punks sessions which I came across via The Prids. Longtime fan of the Raveonettes, there are certain occasions where their sound fits the mood perfectly. Sasami is one I have mixed feelings over - a local radio DJ said she has one of the most unique and unparalleled sound. A statement I disagree with, and find this song's style to be a very overt copy of His Name Is Alive's late 90's early 2000's output. Very, very similar. I mean to include more Black Heart Procession in my mixes, all their stuff is fantastic. I don't recall where or how I came across Magick Brother & Mystic Sister, but I like them! Then some diversity to this mix coming via Khruangbin, early My Morning Jacket, and my wife's favorite song from The Church. I included this Depeche Mode track because I had a nostalgic moment remembering one of my students that wanted me to teach her all of Violator on the guitar. The more tracks leading up to the most wonderful closer by the Cranes, I wish there was an extended mix of that track, its so beautiful.
00:00 The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - This Love is Fucking Right!
02:58 Fake Names - Darkest Days
06:14 Gang of Four - Ether
10:03 Pretty Girls Make Graves - Ghosts in the Radio
12:55 XTC - Making Plans for Nigel
16:58 The Strokes - The Modern Age
20:23 The Cardigans - Das Model ('00)
23:08 Second Still - New Barn
26:54 The Raveonettes - Veronica Fever
29:30 Sasami - Make It Right
31:59 Black Heart Procession - The Look in My Eyes
34:48 Stereolab - Wow and Flutter (7" EP Version, alternate mix)
37:41 Magick Brother & Mystic Sister - Waterforms
41:27 Khruangbin - Mary Always
44:37 My Morning Jacket - Xmas Curtain
49:28 The Church - Under the Milky Way
54:17 Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus
57:54 Mitski - Love Me More
61:20 Blonde Redhead - En Particulier
65:20 Stereo MC's - Connected
69:15 The Crystal Method - (Can't You) Trip Like I Do
A continuation of the last mix, split mostly so I didn't include two songs from the same artist in the playlist. More classics that bring up nostalgia. Very fond memories of a lot of these tracks, and mixed in some newer items as well. What can I say, a feel good mix that might get people singing along and cheer them up as winter quickly approaches.
00:00 Pretty Girls Make Graves - The Getaway
04:14 The Smiths - Cemetery Gates
06:40 Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves
10:36 Pixies - Surf of Mutilation
12:53 Screaming Trees - The Turning
15:27 Violent Femmes - Kiss Off
18:09 Khruangbin - The Man Who Took My Sunglasses (Session Victim remix)
I've got a lot of alternative mixes coming soon. These are the only tracks I know from Best Kissers in the World and Whipped Cream, both from a Stoli Vodka promo CD which for early 90's has a solid tracklist. Our local independent radio station has been playing Mrs. Robinson quite often lately, reminded me what a great album that was from. Included this Frank Black track because of the new Scott Pilgrim Netflix show. Meat Puppets because I had recently finished "Corporate Rock Sucks" the SST records story. The Cure remixed by Keith LeBlanc? Yes please, I want more. Then I'll admit I've been on a Pretty Girls Make Graves kick after ready the Dharma Bums. Then several classics that don't need much introduction. True Body is hte newest track on here, and don't really recall how I came across this gem. The Editors are another group I should pay more attention to. The New Fast Automatic Daffodils came to my attention through this track on MTV's 120 Minutes. I loved the funky baggy sometimes dubby sound that made them stand out from so many other alternative bands. I keep meaning to do an overview mix of them, but haven't given it the attention I should. Zola Jesus is another recent track, and she is magnificent in all she does. Ending with perhaps a more rare cut of a favorite track.
The title of this mix comes from my daughter, I try to write down all the funny quips she comes up with and this one stood out. Hope you enjoy. YouTube playlist is pretty good as most of these have actual official videos.
00:00 Asobi Seksu - Thursday
04:12 Stereolab - The Noise of Carpet
07:07 Best Kissers in the World - Pickin' Flowers For
10:23 The Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson
13:53 Frank Black - I Heard Ramona Sing
17:25 Meat Puppets - Severed Goddess Hand
20:14 Siouxsie and The Banshees - Spellbound
23:29 Slowdive - Bleed
26:52 The Cure - Primary (Red Mix 1990)
33:53 Pretty Girls Make Graves - Speakers Push The Air
36:44 Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You
40:43 Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
44:26 The Smiths - William, It Was Really Nothing
46:24 The Breeders - When I Was A Painter
49:41 True Body - Spirit City
53:35 Editors - The Weight of the World
57:44 New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Fishes Eyes
63:45 New Order - True Faith (edit)
67:46 Zola Jesus - Long Way Down
71:41 Whipped Cream - Explosion
75:50 Joy Division - Ceremony (Graveyard Studios, Prestwich version)
Lissie was certainly working more on her Stevie Nicks impression than covering Bob Seger (just kidding, this is a totally different song), and it turned out quite well. This is another mix for my wife, she either requested these songs or I thought they'd be something she enjoyed. Well, mostly. I went my own way towards the end and it worked out just fine. Despite my writing her off as another pop star, I've really come around on Lana Del Rey. Phosphorescent remind me of something from the 80's and I can't quite nail what it is. Stephen Sanchez is quite an old soul crooner, unexpected in this day and age. I loved Pearl Jam's Ten when it came out, but didn't follow them much, yet Eddie Vedder is still knocking our killer tracks with his inimitable style. Ending this indie folk mix with some classic and obscure country which felt appropriate. I was on some internet research for the backstory of another song when I saw Lefty Frizzell's Long Black Veil mentioned and couldn't miss the opportunity to close with Townes Van Zandt.
00:00 Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker
02:56 Lissie - Night Moves
05:58 Rosa Linn - Snap
08:56 Eddie Vedder - Brother the Cloud
13:15 Father John Misty - Goodbye Mr Blue
18:07 Lana Del Rey - Let Me Love You Like A Woman
21:25 Ray LaMontagne - Such a Simple Thing
26:13 Phosphorescent - New Birth in New England
31:03 Phosphorescent - Song for Zula
37:06 Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You
39:54 Monsters of Folk - Temazcal
43:32 Daughter - Medicine
47:30 Indigo Sparke - Everything Everything
50:43 The Kinks - Death of a Clown
53:38 Crosby Stills and Nash - Wooden Ships
58:56 Hermanos Gutierrez - Tres Hermanos
62:09 Willie Nelson - Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die (live)
64:06 Jimmy Carter and Dallas County Green - Travelin'
Sometimes I amass some great songs that are just odd enough to not really fit in other mixes. Here I've pulled these together and they work well. This takes me back to my teenage years where my mixes blurred genre lines from track to track, and I liked it that way.
00:00 The Misfits meet The Nutley Brass - Teenagers from Mars
The last of my three Gamelan mixes and this is the dark and industrial territory. Still, great examples here and a really enjoyable listen. Hoping the casual listener finds something new or exciting on these mixes.
00:00 Boards of Canada - 23 (Random 35 Track Tape)
00:50 The Residents Sekar Jaya - Burn My Bones (instrumental)
05:42 Hildur Guonadottir - Earbrace
08:52 O Yuki Conjugate - Anima
12:01 Forrest Fang - Night Procession
17:07 Numun - Eyes Open
21:12 23 Skidoo - G-2 Contemplation
28:41 Aphex Twin - Kladfvgbung Micshk
30:31 Million Brazilians - Geodelphic Jazz Nocturne I
Part two, this time more pop and accessible music appearances of the Gamelan style or instruments. Some really solid tunes in this mix. Love the Sofa Surfers and this was a nice treat on their Encounters album. The actual Gamelan track by Sekar Melati shocked me when I found it originally on YouTube; quite a well done interpretation of Gang of Four. Never thought those two would cross paths. Then the aforementioned Kim Hiorthoy track, which I came across via the Wire Tapper CDs. A nice surprise from Bjork, this EP is work seeking out for the dramatically different versions of these early tracks. I really prefer this remix of Banco de Gaia, its still trancey as is expected but this has more dynamics and flow to it than I come to expect of their body of work. The rest are some similarly styled finds that round this out nicely.
00:00 Akusmi - Concrescence
04:38 Georgia - Ayolas
10:05 Sofa Surfers - Gamelan
15:55 Sekar Melati - Not Great Men (live) (Gang of Four)
19:03 Kim Hiorthoy - Det Blev Fel
24:29 Bjork - One Day (Celebrating Wood and Metal)
30:24 Thomas Bartlett & Nico Muhly - Festina
34:25 Pantayo - One More Latch (Give It To 'Ya)
37:05 Young Marco - Moving Ornaments
41:28 Banco de Gaia - Oreia (International Observer's Monkey Forest Dub)
It was back in high school and I made some new friends that had just moved to the states after growing up in Indonesia. They shared some Gamelan cassettes with me, which blew my mind. I loved the percussion, chants, flutes, and wild rhythm shifts. Of course the liner notes were not in English so I had no idea what I was actually listening to, but it stuck with me. I sought out many additional recordings and eventually settled on Balinese Gamelan as the style I liked the most. Javanese was my next favorite style, and frequently more mellow. The Sudanese style was the most wild and chaotic, which surprisingly I didn't like as much given that i was into industrial and punk heavily at the time.
Ever since then, I've always had a few Gamelan CDs or mp3s near at hand and take every opportunity to introduce friends to the style. I turned one member of my Sangha on to it, and he in turn is trying to learn and audition for the local Colorado chapter of a Gamelan orchestra. Then came some wonderful surprises with other styles of music I was listening to. Like the Residents pairing up with Sekar Jaya on a "Santa Dog" installment. Or Kim Hiorthoy's "Det Blev Fel" which adeptly uses the Gamelan sounds for an electronic dance track. I was thrilled that one of my favorite bands, His Name Is Alive, included the USA vs Gamelan Cd in the limited Cloud Box set with some amusing liner notes about almost a guerilla style takeover of the Michigan college Gamelan instrument collection.
That leads us to this three part mix of unexpected Gamelan. My premise was to collect several examples where Gamelan instruments or styles were incorporated by non-Gamelan oriented musicians. The more I researched, the more tracks I found that fit this description. Sure, the presence is stronger in some tracks than others.
00:00 His Name Is Alive - USA vs Gamelan track 5
06:42 This Heat with Mario Boyer Diekuuroh - various cassette recording 1977-78 track 1
08:36 The Residents & Sekar Jaya - Santa Dog for Gamelan Orchestra
13:38 Thomas Bartlett & Nico Muhly - Gambangan
15:30 Cybe - Elektro Gamelan
17:52 Squarepusher - Gong Acid
22:33 Eberhard Schoener - Gong Gede
27:56 Gregory Taylor - Historian (Sejarawan)
40:20 Mike Oldfield - Blood Sucking
41:37 University of Illinois Ensemble, Freda Pierce - The Bewitched
51:08 Sun City Girls - Roulette Peace Pipes
54:49 Aphex Twin - Jynweythek Ylow
56:58 Steve Reich and Musicians - Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ
75:23 Pantayo - Bakal Bote
77:33 Monica Pearce - Denim - Jamie Drake, Joseph Ferretti, Daniel Morphy & Wesley Shen
Hard to think of anyone growing up in the 90s wasn't familiar with Portishead. Minimal output, but everything is solid and genre defining. Here's a selection of rarities and remixes of/by them to supplement those albums we've all heard dozens of times. I remember back in the early 2000's I made a lot of friends by trading a bootleg copy of their short film "To Kill A Deadman." I found it on YouTube and much higher quality than my VHS rip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4C0KHsR8Wg
00:00 Portishead - Still Numb
03:39 Paul Weller - Wild Wood (The Sheared Wood Remix)
07:00 Earthling - Nefisa (Portishead Mix)
12:39 Portishead - Glory Box (Scorn)
18:39 Natalie Imbruglia - Leave Me (Portishead Remix)
22:56 Noir Desir - Oublie (Replicant remix)
26:25 Portishead - Sour Times (Lot More)
30:45 The Sabres of Paradies - Planet D (Portishead Remix)
A companion to the best Pink Floyd album. Pulling alternate & early versions and some solo tracks from the era that fit well in the scenario of what if Roger Waters wasn't the main songwriter for this album. I pulled most of this another blog, which I'd cite but honestly can't find the link anymore. Having heard the album tracks so many times (and never get sick of them), it is refreshing and brings much joy hearing these two live versions from 1974, 3 years before Animals was released. The alternate lyrics are fantastic.
00:00 Pink Floyd - Pigs on the Wing (extended version)
03:15 Pink Floyd - You've Got To Be Crazy (Live at Wembley 1974)
20:56 David Gilmour - I Can't Breathe Anymore
23:49 Richard Wright - Cat Cruise
28:56 Pink Floyd - Raving and Drooling (Live at Wembley 1974)
The second mix, split because even as big of a fan as I am I have a hard time sitting through more than an hour of this without a break. This half has more of the same and includes tracks from the "Five Hundred Boy Piano", which is a reference to an old Dr Seuss live action movie. I have a copy of the 5000 Fingers of Dr T on VHS, which I tracked down because Meat Beat Manifesto sampled it ("Yes sir very atomic!"). That is one strange movie and the VTB music sounds like it could fit as part of the soundtrack.
The wonderful and truly weird world of Volcano the Bear. I've been a fan and collector for many years and have never found any other group quite like them. Generally lumped in with avant garde, freak folk, or free jazz, I really think they are something totally different. The music is chaotic and controlled, naive and skilled, beautiful and abrasive, all things at once.
I first came across them through Brainwashed.com, and specifically a review citing Steven Stapleton as a fan - he even released one of their early albums on United Dairies. Then came the flood of CDrs of live performances and small run vinyl editions from the likes of Beta Lactam Ring Records. I was lucky enough to score several of those editions. While never officially disbanding, around 2015 they released the 5LP set "Commencing" which collected all the odds and ends and unused material and this kind of felt like the end in my opinion. Their artwork is always entertaining, I get a lot of questions on the "Yak Folks Y'are" LP that I usually leave on display in my bookshelf.
Here is the first of two mixes of what I consider their best work.
Oh yes, I am passionate about Black Sabbath, and have the t-shirt "You can only trust yourself and the first six Black Sabbath albums." I'd like to update that and say only the first four. There are several tribute albums out there, and certainly a mixed bag of quality in the output. I've picked what I consider to be some of the better versions here, and a few that are just cool interpretations or surprise appearances. Only repeated one track, because they were such different interpretations, plus I love hearing the Budos Band back up Charles Bradley on his version. Yeah, I know I used Brown Sabbath multiple times here; it should be obvious that I don't follow the rules of a mix tape set forth in High Fidelity. Hopefully a surprise for the casual listener is Beth Gibbons from Portishead doing a tremendously cool version of the namesake track. I had a friend that kept pushing the Cardigans on me, which I only knew "Lovefool." Turns out they did several Sabbath and Ozzy covers in their own style and they work pretty well. I honestly kept the track by Shelter in here because it may not be the best cover, but it is not everyday you get to hear Hari Krishna's doing a cover of Black Sabbath. I left off Helmet's version in place of Quix*O*tic, and Marissa Nadler in place of Rondellus - they were both pretty mellow and this one fit better as a closer. I wanted to include the Matmos cover of FX but it really didn't fit in anywhere, which I suppose was the point of the original track on Vol 4. I did include these on the spotify mix because some other tracks weren't available (a common theme with that platform). Who knows, I may get motivated and make a part 2 for this mix someday. I had to choose something totally absurd, but also true for the cover here.
00:00 Zola Jesus - Changes
05:50 Sleep - Snowblind
11:37 Isis - Hand of Doom
19:59 Quix*O*tic - Lord of this World
25:29 Brown Sabbath - Into the Void
31:50 Neurosis - Children of the Grave
37:23 Brownout - Fairies Wear Boots
44:14 The Cardigans - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
48:31 Charles Bradley - Changes
54:06 Ruthie Foster - War Pigs
58:36 Gonga feat Beth Gibbons - Black Sabbeth
65:53 Hilary Woods - N.I.B.
68:52 Brown Sabbath feat David Jimenez - Planet Caravan
I've started to organize my large folder of covers that I've been amassing for the last several years. I think this is my second mix culled from that lot. This one focuses on electronic covers, either by electronic artists or covering electronic artists. As much as I loved Dub Trio's work, it was quite a shock when I came across their Seefeel cover on their live album giving me a whole new appreciation of the group. I've included probably the only Fatboy Slim track I have. It was a very difficult decision on which Pink Freud track to select, seriously check out their album of Autechre covers, it is wonderful start to finish. The Khruangbin track was billed as a Yellow Magic Orchestra cover, though this song was written my Martin Denny; oh well. The Solex cover of Echo & The Bunnymen is just fun. Love the Phil Western cover of Severed Heads. Ladytron covering Death in June is one I never would have guessed would happen, but it works. Sure, a couple Slowdive covers from the same compilation because nearly every track on it is worth a listen. Another one I had trouble selecting was which mix of Kaw-Liga to include, but opted for the album cut over any of the remixes. Glad Orbital recorded a studio version of the Doctor Who theme, I remember them playing it live when I saw them in 1993.
00:00 Dub Trio - Extract (Seefeel) 04:44 Pink Freud - Bike (live) (Autechre) 08:46 Hermann & Kleine - Dagger (Slowdive) 13:09 Tortoise - As You Said (Joy Division) 17:25 Khruangbin - Firecracker (Martin Denny/YMO) 21:31 Solex - The Cutter (Echo & The Bunnymen) 24:39 Fatboy Slim - Radioactivity (Kraftwerk) 28:00 Fujiya & Miyagi - Your Silent Face (New Order) 34:27 Phil Western - We Have Come To Bless This House (Severed Heads) 38:15 I Am Spoonbender - Where Do Words Go? (Berlin) 43:40 Ladytron - Little Black Angel (Death in June) 47:06 Future 3 - Alison (Slowdive) 50:11 Pulseprogramming - Blooms Eventually (Hood remix) 54:30 I Monster - Daydream in Blue (Wallace Collection) 57:43 The Residents - Kaw-Liga (Hank Williams Sr) 62:27 Orbital - Doctor? (Delia Derbyshire) 67:54 Fingersnag - Basscadet (Autechre) 72:46 Instrumental - Little Fluffy Clouds (The Orb)
Time to bring that dub back. This mix inclues some recent finds like Naffi Sandwich (courtesy of https://nathannothinsez.blogspot.com/), The Thugs, Holy Tongue, and what is that a Sugarcubes track on a dub mix? Yes, surprised me too, though not available in spotify or youtube, this track courtesy of Sugarcubes Vitamin Extended Play Youth Remixes 12
While I adore the Alpha & Omega remixes of Om, I chose the original versions of these excellent tracks instead. I sadly under represent Mr Adrian Sherwood on this blog, a case I hope to remedy soon enough.
00:00 3head - Afnaz
04:58 Om - Addis Ababa
09:17 The Thugs - Underground Rituals
10:23 The Smile - The Smoke
15:22 Ab-10 - Out For Justice Dub
19:21 Naffi Sandwich - Skank Rank
23:37 Suns of Arqa - Acid Tabla (Adrian Sherwood 12" Version)
29:42 Dub Specialists - Silence
35:21 Bost & Bim meet Fabwise - Creepy Movie
39:18 Holy Tongue - I Am Here In A Place Beyond Desire and Fear
43:57 Revolutionaries - Bamba in Dub
47:36 Satori & Dr Echo - Dub Decision
51:27 The Thugs - Kali is Our God
55:40 Suns of Arqa - Govinda's Hosue (Wadada Mix 12")
There is more to Jamaican religious music than just the Rastafari and Nyabinghi styles. I've picked some obvious choices here, and pulled a lot from the compilations on Social Music Records "Noah Found Grace," and "Put No Blame on The Master." Yes the Jo Johnson Swf track cuts off short, but what is available is an excellent track worthy of being included. I went back and forth on the last track several times, it fits in this mix but it also sticks out in this mix. I didn't have anywhere else to use it, so decided why not. Easy enough for the listener to hit stop if they don't care for it.
00:00 Bob Marley - Rastaman Chant
03:46 Ras Michael - Keep Cool Babylon
07:25 Dicky Burton & The Prophets - God is Watching You (dub plate mix)
10:35 The Melodians - Rivers of Babylon
14:42 Jo Johnson Swf - Leave it There
16:14 Otis Wright - It's Soon Be Done
19:00 Astley Dixon - Put No Blame on the Master
21:31 Glen Francis - Hold My Hand
23:51 Grace & Peggy - How Great is The Lord
27:37 Ras Michael - Carnal Mind
30:35 The Gospel Singers - Noah Found Grace
32:31 L Winter - The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow
35:06 Bob Marley & The Wailers - Small Axe
38:52 unknown - Lead Me Through The Darkness
41:34 Triumphant Singers - I'll Soon Be Home
44:23 Bro Marshall - It Soon Be Done
46:42 Hubert Cunningham - In My Father's House
49:34 Laurel Aitken - Haile Selassie
52:44 Bob Marley - Forever Loving Jah
56:28 Max Romeo - Chase of the Devil
59:46 Yabby You - Dicky Burton, God is Watching You
62:33 Matisyahu - Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light)
