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
