"City at Night"

December 2007 (EC Trade)
for: Nocturne

1. Phenomena - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. My Moon My Man - Feist
3. Swallow My Pride - The Ramones
4. Pull A U - The Kills
5. Buffalo Boots - Luna
6. We Share Our Mothers' Health - The Knife
7. Bamboo Banga - M.I.A.
8. In This City - Enon
9. Sittin' Here - Dizzee Rascal
10. NYC - Interpol
11. One More Time - Daft Punk
12. Black Swan - Thom Yorke
13. In the Dark - Nina Simone
14. On Parade - Electrelane
15. Heela - John Parish And Polly Jean Harvey
16. Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem
17. Digital - Joy Division
18. After Hours -The Velvet Underground
19. Tonight - TV On The Radio

Comments on the mix: After making a number of winter mixes that were supposed to be warm and cozy, I thought it was time for something cold and decadent. This mix is meant to convey the highs and lows of an endless night on the town.

"Lucky 2007"

December 2007
for: Sgt Howie and Nocturne

1. Fake Empire - The National
2. I Feel It All - Feist
3. Teardrop - José González
4. Mama, Won't You Keep Those Castles In The Air And Burning? - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
5. There Are Too Many Birds - Arthur & Yu
6. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon
7. Paper Planes - M.I.A.
8. Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire
9. Wait For Me - Dean & Britta
10. Missed The Boat - Modest Mouse
11. Love Today - Mika
12. Lay Your Head Down - Keren Ann
13. You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse
14. Don't Let Him Waste Your Time - Jarvis Cocker
15. Effect & Cause - The White Stripes
16. Night Majestic - Au Revoir Simone
17. White Chalk - PJ Harvey
18. Boy With A Coin - Iron & Wine
19. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
20. Cut And Run - Electrelane

Comments on the mix: After 2005 and 2006, here's my third year-end wrap up. Unlike the previous two mixes, I don't own all these albums (1, 4, 10, 11, 12 or 13 are just singles I picked up). Jarvis Cocker and Au Revoir Simone were my dud purchases this year, but there was lots of fabulous music to compensate! (I actually put this together at the end of November, so who know what I might buy in my final month.)

"Warming Trends"

November/December 2007
for: Sgt Howie

1. Toumani - Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra
2. Kothbiro - Ayub Ogada
3. Hombre - Eduardo Mateo
4. Chereko - Nyota Ndogo
5. Bam Bam - Sister Nancy
6. La Vigüela - Gotan Project
7. Ekibobo - Samite
8. Sebastiana - Gal Costa
9. La Réalité - Amadou & Mariam
10. Pega a Voga, Cabeludo - Gilberto Gil
11. Bassekou - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
12. Panis Et Circenses - Os Mutantes
13. Sante Yalla - Cheikh Lô
14. ¿Quién? - Juana Molina
15. Paradiso - Konono Nº1
16. N'Jarou - Ali Farka Touré
17. Woza Azania - Kevin Nathaniel

Comments on the mix: Here is my attempt at a "World Music" mix. I do love African music, but find it difficult to incorporate into my regular mixes. "Warming Trends" blends African and Latin American music (with one reggae track thrown in). It's music from warm places!

"House by the Sea"

October 2007 (EC Trade)
for: Ballroom Pink

1. Losing Streak - Eels
2. 12 Months - The Stratford 4
3. Teardrop - José González
4. Lion's Mouth - Arthur & Yu
5. An Earlier Autumn - The Field Mice
6. Still at Home - Luna
7. Ballad of the Broken Seas - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
8. Scenic World - Beirut
9. Ultimate Stars - Saturday Looks Good To Me
10. House By The Sea - Iron & Wine
11. Whip-Smart - Liz Phair
12. White Horses - Dean & Britta
13. Things Are What You Make of Them (reprise) - Bishop Allen
14. Could We - Cat Power
15. End of the Day - Beck
16. Dark Halls - Au Revoir Simone
17. Untitled - Stellastarr
18. White Chalk - PJ Harvey
19. Wayward Song - The Earlies
20. The End - Sibylle Baier

Comments on the mix: I'm afraid this is one of those basically themeless mixes I slapped a title on.

"More!"

October 2007 (EC Trade)
for: P.D. Noosh

1. I Want More - Can
2. You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse
3. Aphrodisiac - Bow Wow Wow
4. 1 2 3 4 - Feist
5. Kiss Off - Violent Femmes
6. Satin Chic - Goldfrapp
7. Burning Love - Elvis Presley
8. Danger! High Voltage - Electric Six
9. Paper Planes - M.I.A.
10. Razzmatazz - Pulp
11. Hot Lunch Jam - Fame Soundtrack
12. The One You Can't Have - Honeys
13. I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
14. Grace Kelly - Mika
15. Don't Stop - Brazilian Girls
16. More Than This - Roxy Music
17. Na Na Na - The Knife
18. I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl - Nina Simone
19. Satan Said Dance - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
20. (Antichrist Television Blues) - Arcade Fire
21. Rag And Bone - The White Stripes
22. Pega a Voga, Cabeludo - Gilberto Gil

Comments on the mix: Excess and greed! Or something.

"The Lonesome Depot"

October 2007 (EC Trade)
for: LostHighway

1. Tonight - Sibylle Baier
2. The Train From Kansas City - The Shangri-Las
3. California (All The Way) - Luna
4. Down The Line - José González
5. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
6. Sea Lion Woman - Feist
7. Penny On The Train Track - Ben Kweller
8. The Orchids - Califone
9. 1000 Words - Arthur & Yu
10. Chinese Translation - M. Ward
11. Born On A Train - The Magnetic Fields
12. Rama Lama - Sons & Daughters
13. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
14. Ramblin Man - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
15. Lonely Weekends - Charlie Rich
16. Effect & Cause - The White Stripes
17. Shiny Cattle - Magic Car
18. Railroad Man - Eels
19. Arc of Time (Time Code) - Bright Eyes
20. Like the 309 - Johnny Cash
21. Ticket Man - The Kills

Comments on the mix: The club's on hiatus, so I signed up for some EC trades. The first was with LostHighway, who has sent me some great mixes in the past. I knew I couldn't compete with her knowledge of Country music, but I aimed for that feel, using other genres. I also used a whole bunch of train songs.

"Night Drive"

July 2007
for: Diane Court

1. Lay Your Head Down - Keren Ann
2. Fake Empire - The National
3. Ceremony - New Order
4. Singer Sing - Dean & Britta
5. Little Honey - Kelly Willis
6. Sweet Thing - Van Morrison
7. Damage - Yo La Tengo
8. Drive On - Johnny Cash
9. The Heart of Saturday Night - Tom Waits
10. 1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins
11. New Round - Beck
12. It Wasn't Me - Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
13. Lake Charles - Lucinda Williams
14. I've Been High - R.E.M.
15. The Greatest - Cat Power
16. Poison Cup - M. Ward
17. Country Mile - Camera Obscura
18. Atmosphere - Joy Division
19. Brandy Alexander - Feist
20. The Things We Did and Didn't Do - The Magnetic Fields

Comments on the mix: Music for a long, solitary drive on a summer’s night. There have always been certain songs that sound like “night driving” to me, and after I found two recent releases that fit the bill (the two opening tracks here), I decided to attempt a whole mix in the genre. Of course, an entire mix of slow, intense, rhythmic songs might be a bit much, so there are a few songs that don’t quite fit the criteria but seem to match in spirit.

Comments on the cover: When I started contemplating a cover for this one, my first thought was "that Robert Frank shot from 'The Americans'." And lo and behold, Google Images brought it up instantly! That never happens!

"Garden Party"

June 2007
for: Jedzz

1. Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie & The Banshees
2. Listen Up! - The Gossip
3. Open Your Heart - Lavender Diamond
4. Sideshow By The Seashore - Luna
5. How Do I Let A Good Man Down? - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
6. Number 1 -Goldfrapp
7. Sorry - Madonna
8. Trains to Brazil - Guillemots
9. Cherries in the Snow - Elk City
10. Dirty Mind - The Pipettes
11. The Seed (2.0) - The Roots & Cody Chestnutt
12. Wet And Rusting - Menomena
13. Lady Lawyers - Oxford Collapse
14. Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady
15. Alcohol - Saturday Looks Good To Me
16. I Need All The Friends I Can Get - Camera Obscura
17. I Feel It All - Feist
18. Night Majestic - Au Revoir Simone
19. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
20. Cut And Run - Electrelane

Comments on the mix: Following Sunburn and Picnic, here's what strikes me as "summery" music in 2007. Couldn't come up with a great title this year (too much like "Picnic"), but the butterflies are cute!

"Mixed Company"

April/May 2007
for: jakes mom

1. Your Ex-Love Is Dead – Stars
2. Letter From An Occupant – The New Pornographers
3. Johnny Cash – Sons & Daughters
4. All My Little Words – The Magnetic Fields
5. The Well & The Lighthouse – Arcade Fire
6. What Have I Done To Deserve This? – Pet Shop Boys
7. In The Walls – Stellastarr
8. The Mess We’re In – PJ Harvey
9. Dragonflys – Devendra Banhart
10. Candy – Iggy Pop & Kate Pierson
11. Honey Babe – Magic Car
12. Ghosts Are Good Company – Bishop Allen
13. Ramblin Man – Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
14. Kool Thing – Sonic Youth
15. Words You Used To Say – Dean & Britta
16. No Bad News – Bonnie “Prince” Billy
17. Legal Man – Belle & Sebastian
18. Some Velvet Morning – Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra
19. Our Way To Fall – Yo La Tengo
20. Well It’s True That We Love One Another – The White Stripes

Comments on the mix: This mix idea has been kicking around for a while, but the Dean & Britta album finally forced me to act. All these songs have a mix of male and female voices. They aren't necessarily duets; there are backing vocals as well. I'm not sure why I kept it so indie rock. Initially, I had some other genres in there, but took them out. This combination seemed right. (That delicious blast from the past by Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson, is complements of a recent mix I received from derhay)

Comments on the cover: This isn't the cover I sent to jakes mom. I wasn't that happy with the original cover, so when I was teaching myself InDesign this month I redid it. I've got a feeling that I'll send this mix out again, so I might as well have a cover I like.

"Hope"

March 2007
for: decca

1. I'll Believe in Anything - Wolf Parade
2. Mighty Fine Blues - Eels
3. Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
4. More Than This - Roxy Music
5. Mama, Won't You Keep Those Castles In The Air And Burning? - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
6. Scenic World - Beirut
7. I'm Into Something Good - Earl-Jean
8. Wait For Me - Dean & Britta
9. Cripple Crow - Devendra Banhart
10. Magic Trick - M. Ward
11. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine - Patti Page
12. Canada - The Field Mice
13. Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire
14. My Doorbell - The White Stripes
15. Typing - Saturday Looks Good To Me
16. Roses & Hips - Keren Ann
17. Revolver - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
18. The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side - The Magnetic Fields
19. You And I Are A Gang Of Losers - The Dears
20. Noah's Ark - Cocorosie
21. Wayfaring Stranger - Neko Case

Comments on the mix: Unfortunately, "Hope" means very little here. This is basically a themeless mix with a title stuck on it. But "Hope" seemed ... March-appropriate.

"Sweater Set"

February 2007
for: BlueJayWay

1. Requiem - M. Ward
2. Postcards From Italy - Beirut
3. You Work All Weekend - Saturday Looks Good To Me
4. Lay And Love - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5. Civil War Correspondent - John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey
6. Bewitched - Luna
7. Adlai Stevenson - Sufjan Stevens
8. Our Kitten Sees Ghosts - Califone
9. Forgot To Write - Oxford Collapse
10. Click Click Click Click - Bishop Allen
11. Tonight - Sibylle Baier
12. Is It Any Wonder - The Shortwave Set
13. Everyone - Van Morrison
14. Us - Regina Spektor
15. Awkward Duet - Sons & Daughters
16. Kiss Me Like You Mean It - The Magnetic Fields
17. Ugly Love - Eels
18. Country Mile - Camera Obscura
19. Bring It Back Again - The Earlies
20. May Queen - Liz Phair
21. And Sleep Al Mar - Au Revoir Simone

Comments on the mix: Following Off Season, this was another effort to create a cozy, wintery mix. During the planning stages, I was calling it "My Favorite Sweater," but I think that "Sweater Set" is a cooler, and more mix-appropriate title.

Comments on the cover: Yup, those are my sweaters. I shot them while the disk was burning. First time I photographed something just for a mix cover.

"Hot Drink in a Cold Cafe"

December 2006
for: Masticator

1. Through the Backyards - Au Revoir Simone
2. Real Real - Nina Simone
3. Femme Fatale - The Velvet Underground
4. Reno Dakota - The Magnetic Fields
5. Rodeo Town - The Kills
6. Citrus - The Hold Steady
7. Bird on a Wire - Johnny Cash
8. Poison Cup - M. Ward
9. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
10. Please Go Away - The Shirelles
11. Better Than Bad - The Shortwave Set
12. Best Bit - Beth Orton
13. On Parade - Electrelane
14. Here - Pavement
15. A Method - TV On The Radio
16. The Orchids - Califone
17. Hey - The Pixies
18. Overcome - Tricky
19. Rebound - Charlie Rich
20. Bati Mon Nid - Françoise Hardy
21. Is That All There Is? - John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey
22. 23 Minutes In Brussels - Luna

Comments on the mix: I always told myself that when I was finally assigned the illustrious leader of the Mix Club, first azucar and now Masticator, I would do a "Best of Mix Club" mix. And yet when my turn came, I ... didn't. Part of it was timing. I knew I wanted to make a year-end wrap up mix in December, and having two "compilations" for the round seemed wrong. Also, I just wasn't in the mood. But if Masticator ever assigns me again, hopefully I can make it happen! Now, that I've gotten that out of the way, let's consider what I ended up sending him. I had long been considering a mix that I was calling "Cafe Culture" in my head. The inspiration was the soundtrack of the many "hip" cafes that I sit in here in NYC. Not the actual music I hear, but the general vibe. So I started asking, what makes music cool — like unimpeachably cool? It turned out that was a very difficult standard to meet. Frankly, I think the final three tracks on this mix do a pretty good job, but I also know there's a lot here for music snobs to sneer at. I ended up with a mix for Masticator; it has a certain vibe, sure, but it's also tryng hard to please — which is inherently unhip. I do like the way the title of the mix makes that adjustment — something warm amid the cool. The Club Czar said he liked it, and that's what's important.

"This is 2006"

December 2006
for: Masticator

1. Let's Get Out Of This Country - Camera Obscura
2. Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. Chinese Translation - M. Ward
4. God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash
5. Sheela-Na-Gig - PJ Harvey
6. Sunday Noises - Califone
7. Repeat To Fade - The Shortwave Set
8. Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
9. Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby - Islands
10. Level - The Raconteurs
11. Lady Lawyers - Oxford Collapse
12. Painter In Your Pocket - Destroyer
13. The Disco Song - Au Revoir Simone
14. You Can Make Him Like You - The Hold Steady
15. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
16. Honey Child What Can I Do? - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
17. No Bad News - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
18. Ida, My - Annuals
19. Absinthe - Beth Orton
20. Tonight - TV On The Radio

Comments on the mix: My second annual year-end wrap up. As with last year, this is really a retrospective of albums. I hardly pretend to keep up with singles. The PJ track is off the 2006 Peel sessions album; it was actually recorded in 1991. The Annuals album was the only dud of my purchases here. Otherwise, this strikes me as a pretty good year for music.

"Harvest Moon"

October 2006
for: glammonkey

1. Waiting Room - Fugazi
2. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio
3. Let's Have a Party - Wanda Jackson
4. You Can Make Him Like You - The Hold Steady
5. Wave of Mutilation - The Pixies
6. Skip To The End - The Futureheads
7. I Don't Want To Get Over You - The Magnetic Fields
8. Hurricanes - Au Revoir Simone
9. Fist City - Loretta Lynn
10. Chicago [Acoustic] - Sufjan Stevens
11. Grounds for Divorce - Wolf Parade
12. Badlands - Bruce Springsteen
13. Way Out - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
14. Thumbelina Farewell - Ron Sexsmith
15. Rough Gem - Islands
16. Can't Let Go - Lucinda Williams
17. Mighty Fine Blues - Eels
18. Opportunity - The Jewels
19. Alex Chilton - The Replacements
20. 25 Easy Pieces - The Earlies
21. That's Right (You're Not From Texas) - Lyle Lovett
22. Details of the War - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Comments on the mix: My vaguely conceptual forays continue, with this mix subtitled "Music for an Autumn Night." Somehow I was channeling my college years and this sense of a "kegger in a corn field." Eh? Oddly, I don't think any of these songs were actually released during my college tenure.

Comments on the cover: And this, ladies and gentlemen, is my least favorite mix cover of all time. I was just lazy. This mix deserved better.

"Storied"

September 2006
for: *

1. Hows About Tellin A Story - Devendra Banhart
2. From The Ritz To The Rubble - Arctic Monkeys
3. Babies - Pulp
4. Joshua - Dolly Parton
5. Shine a Light - Wolf Parade
6. Johnny Cash - Sons & Daughters
7. Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case
8. Over and Over Again (Lost and Found) - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
9. An Earlier Autumn - The Field Mice
10. The Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes
11. I Hung My Head - Johnny Cash
12. Revolver - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
13. Watercolours into the Ocean - Destroyer
14. Lua - Bright Eyes
15. I'm From Further North Than You - The Wedding Present
16. The Heart of Saturday Night - Tom Waits
17. Papa Was A Rodeo - The Magnetic Fields
18. Letter of Resignation - The Weakerthans
19. Parting Gift - Fiona Apple
20. For You (live) - Bruce Springsteen

Comments on the mix: *My mixee never acknowledged this one, and the tracklisting has never appeared on the boards. This is my bastard stepchild mix. I had been assigned a newbie, and I came up with a vague, catch-all "theme." I decided to start with that Devendra Banhart track and then feature songs that have ... some narrative. Maybe. I was properly shamed when my own September mix arrived from Jedzz and, in a case of weird Mix Club synergy, he had made me a mix where every song actually contained a self-contained story. Shame! I was really burning to get that Springsteen track on my mix this month, and it's possible that it was the over eight minutes of Bruce that sent my mixee running for the hills.

"Campfire"

August 2006
for: jimcat

1. This Heart's on Fire - Wolf Parade
2. Old Dan Tucker - Bruce Springsteen
3. 3000 Flowers - Destroyer
4. Jogging Gorgeous Summer - Islands
5. Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
6. Mambo Sun - T. Rex
7. So Long Marianne - Leonard Cohen
8. Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
9. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
10. Paper Tiger - Spoon
11. Is It True - Brenda Lee
12. Sweet Li'l Thing - Eels
13. Someone's Daughter - Beth Orton
14. King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1 - Neutral Milk Hotel
15. I Lost It - Lucinda Williams
16. The Promised Land - Johnnie Allan
17. Ballad of the Broken Seas - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
18. Now That I Know - Devendra Banhart
19. Morning Wonder - The Earlies
20. Tennessee Stud - Johnny Cash

Comments on the mix: This is a "concept" mix like Off Season, but for a different time and place. I guess I was trying to come up with something summery, but not just poppy and fun. "Campfire" seemed a good title, and I started thinking of music for a summer evening gathering in the wilds of the country. Some of the songs might be a bit difficult to sing round a campfire, but I think the general mood is right. Quite like this mix, just wish the cover was a bit less generic.

"20 Year Reunion: 1986"

June 2006
for: razzy

1. Open Your Heart - Madonna
2. Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads
3. If You Leave - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4. Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths
5. Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles
6. Kiss - Prince & the Revolution
7. Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money with Ronnie Spector
8. Pretty In Pink - The Psychedelic Furs
9. Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
10. Left of Center - Suzanne Vega
11. Walk This Way - Run-D.M.C.
12. She's an Angel - They Might Be Giants
13. You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
14. A Question Of Time - Depeche Mode
15. When I Think Of You - Janet Jackson
16. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) - Pet Shop Boys
17. Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
18. Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo & The Bunnymen
19. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
20. Fall On Me - R.E.M.

Comments on the mix: This mix had the longest gestation period of any I've done for the Club. I think it was in January of that year that I got the idea. I must admit I was inspired by the fact that I own a "Best of 1986" CD, which I bought years ago for "Life in a Northern Town," my favorite one-hit-wonder of all time. That CD provided five tracks here. The "Pretty in Pink" soundtrack gave me four more. Then I had to scrounge up the rest. Looking back on 1986 (which I decided was a great year for music) from 2006 seemed a strong concept, so I was determined to follow this through. It turned out I had enough '80s stuff to balance the whole thing out, and only had to buy "Sledgehammer" from the iTunes store. So I ended up with 20 tracks — perfect! I liked the variety, it reflects my own musical history in 1986 where I was making the shift from mainstream pop (represented by Madonna, who I still really like) to Alternative rock (represented by R.E.M.). It's still pretty cheese-heavy, so I waited a few rounds before I thought I had a mixee who would really appreciate it. Ultimately, this is one of my favorite mixes, and I think I sent it out as a bonus for every remaining round that year.

Comments on the cover: The cover here also took extra time, because I scanned all these pictures from an old yearbook. I picked the people with the worst '80s hair (sorry guys!). I need to point out that despite the way this album was titled and packaged, I was only in junior high in 1986. Still, 20 years... Damn!

"Sunburn"

June 2006
for: razzy

1. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
2. Riot in Cell Block #9 - Wanda Jackson
3. Level - The Raconteurs
4. Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby - Islands
5. Tangerine Speedo - Caviar
6. Pull Shapes - The Pipettes
7. Que Onda Guero - Beck
8. The Way We Get By - Spoon
9. Head On - Jesus and Mary Chain
10. Camions Sauvages - Amadou & Mariam
11. The Motion of Love - Gene Loves Jezebel
12. Cherish - Madonna
13. Janie Jones - The Clash
14. Elevator Love Letter - Stars
15. John Saw That Number - Neko Case
16. Ramblin Man - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
17. Nothing But a Heartache - The Flirtations
18. Gimme Some Salt - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
19. Surf Wax America - Weezer
20. After Last Night - The Rev-Lons
21. Dudley - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
22. Our Way To Fall - Yo La Tengo

Comments on the mix: First of two mixes I sent to razzy. This is my second annual "Summer Mix," following Picnic last year. It's meant to be fun and summery in tone. That Wanda Jackson track is da bomb!

"Belles of May"

May 2006
for: Spinning Will

1. A Widow's Toast - Neko Case
2. Bad Reputation - Joan Jett
3. Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. He's Got the Power - The Exciters
5. Portions For Foxes - Rilo Kiley
6. Pleasant As May - Dolly Parton
7. Don't Drink Poison - Le Tigre
8. Galang - M.I.A.
9. Car Song - Elastica
10. Bells - Electrelane
11. Absinthe - Beth Orton
12. Welcome To The Club - Jean Chapel
13. Long Island - That Dog
14. Can't Help Loving That Man - Trudy Richards
15. At The Back Of The Shell - The Kills
16. Do I Move You? - Nina Simone
17. Coin-Operated Boy - Dresden Dolls
18. Little Sparrow - Bettye LaVette
19. Midi Dans Le Salon De La Duchesse - Keren Ann
20. Love & Communication - Cat Power
21. Unemployed In Summertime - Emiliana Torrini
22. Different Drum - Stone Poneys
23. Yr Room - The Shortwave Set

Comments of the mix: A mix of ladies, made for a guy. Before I got my mix assignment, I came up with this title, mostly just to use Dolly's "Pleasant as May." Dolly, of course, is a big-haired belle. But I tried to keep this group pretty diverse. There are definitely some artists here that clash with the girly-girly images on the cover. The first two tracks present a classic mixing horror, the unexpected volume shift. In iTunes, we have Neko Case's ringing invocation blasted away by Joan Jett. On CD, however that Neko track is recorded at such a high volume, and Joan as such a medium-low, that the effect is ruined. This is one of those cases where I agonized over reburning the CD with a different track order. Ultimately, I just liked it too much. I apologetically mentioned the issue in my note to Spinning Will.

"Heavy Rotation"

April 2006
for: *

1. Danger! High Voltage! - Electric Six
2. Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind But Me) - The Chiffons
4. Eleanor, Put Your Boots On - Franz Ferdinand
5. I Feel Just Like a Child - Devendra Barnhart
6. That Teenage Feeling - Neko Case
7. Is it Any Wonder - The Shortwave Set
8. You're Driving Me Crazy - Dianne Reeves
9. Painter in Your Pocket - Destroyer
10. Comes and Goes - Dolly Parton
11. The Blue Are Still Blue - Belle and Sebastian
12. Could We - Cat Power
13. Mornings Eleven - The Magic Numbers
14. Queen Bitch - David Bowie
15. Down to Zero - Bettye LaVette
16. Honey Child, What Can I Do? - Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell
17. Go Now - Bessie Banks
18. Bring It Back Again - The Earlies
19. Heart of Soul - Beth Orton
20. Vittorio E - Spoon

Comments on the mix: When this round began, I said to myself, "What kind of 'theme' can I do that will include Yeah Yeah Yeah's 'Cheated Hearts'?" That song made me evangelical! I wound up with just a "recently added" mix, which was made easier by the big gap since the previous round. Also making an appearance, two songs from the Girl Group box set that would be peppering my mixes for many rounds to come. *My original mixee never acknowledged this fine mix, but thanks to an EC trade with the lovely Diane Court, the tracklisting made it onto the boards.

"The Thaw"

February/March 2006
for: britishney

1. The Motion of Love - Gene Loves Jezebel
2. Apple Blossom - The White Stripes.
3. Repeat To Fade - The Shortwave Set
4. I'm Getting Better All The Time - Barbara Pittman
5. Losing Streak - Eels
6. A Hiccup In Your Happiness - The Lucksmiths
7. Elevator Love Letter - Stars
8. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
9. In the Dark - Nina Simone
10. The Beast in Me - Johnny Cash
11. Lonely Weekends - Charlie Rich
12. Ghosts Are Good Company - Bishop Allen
13. Gravity Rides Everything - Modest Mouse
14. Roses & Hips - Keren Ann
15. (Night Time Is) The Right Time - Ray Charles
16. Anytime - My Morning Jacket
17. Wellington's Wednesdays - The Weakerthans
18. Gimme Some Salt - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
19. Darkness On The Edge Of Town - Bruce Springsteen
20. Buffalo Boots - Luna
21. Wayward Song - The Earlies
22. Just Say So - Bettye LaVette

Comments on the mix: I found britishney a little difficult just because we have such similar tastes in music it was hard to come up with stuff that was new to her. The idea of a "thawing" theme is a solid one, but I hardly followed through here. Inevitably, my need to include certain songs just for my mixee outweighs thematic constraints. britishney took a little while to post my tracklisting, but gave a really thoughtful response when she did, so I look at this one as a success.

Comments on the cover: Man, I wish all my covers were this charmed. A few quick ideas, all of which seemed to work beautifully. The "Neon" typeface functioning like a radiator is my favorite touch.

"Best of 2005"

Selections from the New Albums I've Heard This Year
November/December 2005
for: Neant

1. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead - Stars
2. Hey Man (Now You're Really Living) - Eels
3. Kids With Guns - Gorillaz
4. This Modern Love - Bloc Party
5. First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
6. Greatest You Can Find - Keren Ann
7. Paul Simon - The Russian Futurists
8. The Power Is On - The Go! Team
9. Bells - Electrelane
10. Forever For Her (Is Over For Me) - The White Stripes
11. Mushaboom - Feist
12. Sénégal Fast Food - Amadou & Mariam
13. Gideon - My Morning Jacket
14. Rodeo Town - The Kills
15. Medicine - Sons & Daughters
16. Over and Over Again (Lost and Found) - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
17. The Price & Style - Robbers on High Street
18. Oh My God - Kaiser Chiefs
19. Go It Alone - Beck
20. Marx and Engels - Belle & Sebastian

Comments on the mix: My first "best of the year" mix came with a lot of caveats. Since I primarily listen to music through albums — and remain generally unaware of hot singles — I compiled a list of albums and then picked songs from each. The mix does give a picture of what I listened to that year — with albums that I adored (Stars, Eels, The White Stripes, Amadou and Mariam) and albums that I wished I hadn't spent money on (The Go! Team, My Morning Jacket, Robbers of High Street, Kaiser Chiefs). I included Belle & Sebastian as a bonus track ("Push Barman to Open Old Wounds" was released in 2005, although the song is older).

Comments on the cover: I was working with the idea of The Best ... Dressed, which I thought kind of worked, given the FTOTZ's fondness for celebrity gossip. To promote the "magazine" look, there's a big halftone pattern on the images (kind of lost in the jpg above). The tracklisting also included the name of each album.

"Rest for the Wicked"

November/December 2005
for: Neant

1. Bedtime Story - Madonna
2. Dreaming - Blondie
3. Live As You Dream - Beth Orton
4. Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby - Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch
5. Trouble With Dreams - Eels
6. Sweet Dreams (Of You) - Patsy Cline
7. Sleep the Clock Around - Belle & Sebastian
8. For You And I - Keren Ann
9. I Don't Sleep, I Dream - R.E.M.
10. Daydream Believer - The Monkees
11. Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire
12. Innocent When You Dream - Tom Waits
13. This Dream - Youssou N'Dour
14. Sleep Tonight - Stars
15. Lullabye - Emitt Rhodes
16. Rocks In My Bed - Ella Fitzgerald
17. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - Nirvana
18. Dream On - The Chemical Brothers

Comments: When I made this, there wasn't much Mix Club history for Neant, who lives in Australia. She got two mixes this round, neither one particularly tailored to her. I don't have too much to say about this one. I think I've pretty much given up making mixes of this type.

"Off Season"

November 2005 (EC trade)
for: glammonkey

1. Return to Hot Chicken - Yo La Tengo
2. Railroad Man - Eels
3. Liezah - The Coral
4. Chelsea Burns - Keren Ann
5. Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins
6. All Tomorrow's Parties - The Velvet Underground
7. You've Got Her in Your Pocket - The White Stripes
8. A Wrong Turn and Raindrops - The Field Mice
9. Gone For Good - The Shins
10. Fly - Nick Drake
11. I Don't Blame You - Cat Power
12. Some Velvet Morning - Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra
13. Here - Pavement
14. First Day of my Life - Bright Eyes
15. Sleep the Clock Around - Belle and Sebastian
16. Let it Die - Feist
17. Surf Song - James Yorkton and the Athletes
18. Things Are What You Make of Them (reprise) - Bishop Allen
19. Shiny Cattle - Magic Car
20. Is this Desire? - PJ Harvey

Comments on the mix: This was an Extracurricular Trade. (glammonkey sent me an inspired double-CD set of girl bands.) This mix came out of an idea that had been brewing in my head for a while. I liked the idea of a mix for "a beach house in winter." Not that I have a beach house, but it could fantasize about it. A cozy place, with wind rattling the shutters, and seagulls cawing outside. The music is warming — and almost nostalgic. (I've actually revisited the idea of a "cozy" mix several times since.) Ultimately, "Beach House in Winter" struck me as too long and cumbersome a title and I decided on "Off Season" instead. I do love traveling in the off season... There's a bonus track on this mix: Track 21 is the sound of seagulls, from PJ Harvey's "Uh Huh Her." This is one of my all-around favorites I've made for the Club.

Comments on the cover: The photo is of St. Ives, Cornwall, taken on a very rainy, off season day. One of the rare occasions I've used one of my own pictures for a cover. I filtered the hell out of it, however. The photo wraps around to the tracklisting, which is nice. I drew the little circles to make up the Off Season "typeface" myself, using Gil Sans as a guide. The type is supposed to evoke a busted light-bulb sign on the boardwalk. I'm very pleased with this one.

"Miss Nelson" and "Viola Swamp"

Double disk set!
October 2005
for: nudgewinkgirl

MISS NELSON
1. Vacation - Go Gos
2. Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire
3. Legal Man - Belle and Sebastian
4. Ooh Child - Beth Orton
5. Things Are What You Make Of Them - Bishop Allen
6. Paul Simon - The Russian Futurists
7. Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
8. Hey Man (Now You're Really Living) - Eels
9. Greatest You Can Find - Keren Ann
10. My Coco - Stellastarr
11. Deadbeat Club - The B-52s
12. What I'm Trying to Say - Stars
13. Honey Babe - Magic Car
14. Mushaboom - Feist
15. Tonight's the Night - The Shirelles
16. Perfect World - Liz Phair
17. Nothin' Shakin' - Linda Gail Lewis
18. You Are The Everything - R.E.M.
19. Willow - The Field Mice
20. Dansez-vous - Pink Martini
21. Hey Jude - The Beatles

VIOLA SWAMP
1. Date with the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Feel Good Inc.- Gorillaz
3. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding? - Elvis Costello
4. Coin-Operated Boy - Dresden Dolls
5. Gimme Some Salt - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
6. Have Mercy - Loretta Lynn
7. One Way or Another - Blondie
8. Dance Me In - Sons & Daughters
9. Rusty Cage - Johnny Cash
10. Evil - Interpol
11. A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley
12. The Good Ones - The Kills
13. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine - Patti Page
14. Fix Up, Look Sharp - Dizzee Rascal
15. Down by the Water - PJ Harvey
16. Janie Jones - The Clash
17. I Want More - Can
18. Ray of Light - Madonna
19. Can't Let Go - Lucinda Williams
20. Little Babies - Sleater-Kinney
21. The Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes
22. In the Dark - Nina Simone
23. Slippery People (live) - Talking Heads

Comments on the mix: The inspiration for this mix is the children's book "Miss Nelson is Missing!" It's a school story about an angelic teacher (Miss Nelson) and her monstrous substitute (Viola Swamp). Years ago, my friend A. (a teacher) and I were talking about this book and how she had to play both roles in the classroom. It seemed a good idea for a mix tape and so I made her one. Flash forward to 2005, where my Mix Club research revealed that nudgewinkgirl was a teacher. I decided to revive the idea (with completely different songs). Instead of two sides (which admittedly works better), there are two disks. Miss Nelson is sweet. Viola Swamp is cunning and brutal. Of course, somewhere in the mix-making process, I realized that "Miss Nelson is Missing!" might not be nearly as well known in the UK as it is in the US. And that ... turned out to be the case. Ah well. It's still a good idea.

"The Fall"

September 2005
for: cowfields

1. Scarecrow - Beck
2. The Same Boy You've Always Known - The White Stripes
3. Details of the War - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
4. Bells - Electrelane
5. No, Not Now - Hot Hot Heat
6. An Earlier Autumn - The Field Mice
7. Damage - Yo La Tengo
8. Wanderlust - The Delays
9. Little Black Ache - Bishop Allen
10. TV Movie - Pulp
11. Monsters - Sons and Daughters
12. Sweetest Decline - Beth Orton
13. Motor Away - Guided By Voices
14. Ugly Love - Eels
15. Rebound - Charlie Rich
16. The View - Modest Mouse
17. Digital - Joy Division
18. Shame - PJ Harvey
19. Let it Die - Feist
20. My Man's Gone Now - Nina Simone
21. Untitled - Stellastarr
22. These Seven Notes - The Russian Futurists
23. Ticket Man - The Kills

Comments on the mix: First mix sent to the UK! Aside from that milestone... Let me just say that I conceived this blog as just a place to post my mixes with my own comments. The original comments (from the mixees) can all be found at FTOTZ. However, when dealing with someone like cowfields, I feel the need to make an exception. cowfields hasn't kept up with the Club, unfortunately, but his comments on tracklistings were consistently lengthy, well thought out, and very opinionated. That might have made me a little nervous about making his mix, but the results were extremely rewarding. I wish more people commented like this. (My own mix comments tend to be stuff like "Awesome" and "Love it!" It's kind of pathetic.)

[Note: In the Club, bolding a song on a tracklisting is the most common way to indicate your favorites. Although there are often declarations of "Consider the whole thing bolded!" or "I'm not really in a bolding mood."]

cowfields' Comments
Posted on: September 18, 2005 09:08 am

Here is my wonderful mix from Cassie. I really enjoyed this. It flowed well as a set of songs, they worked together and complimented each other - and that's an artform in itself. Again, my feedback goes on a bit, but it was written as I listened. Just indulge me for a few moments, folks...

"THE FALL"
.01 Scarecrow - Beck
Not bad, but I really don't see the Beck appeal, it's something that everyone loves but it's just lost on me
.02 The Same Boy You've Always Known - The White Stripes
I already own this so it feels funny bolding it, but I've fallen out of love with the stripes but this is still really rather good, and reminded me why I liked them in the first place. So I think you've caused me a bit of a revival and a desire to revisit them.
.03 Details of the War - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Spookily you added this when someone else I know was trying to introduce me to them, so I've briefly heard the album. I'm liking it a lot, I like the slightly wailing voice, and how it builds. Beautiful
.04 Bells - Electrelane
Almost a not bold, the vocals put me off slightly, but I love the almost hypnotic rhythm. Towards the end, the manic one-chord repetition reminds me a lot of Stereolab which can only be a good thing in my book. Almost hypnotic, had my head bobbing
.05 No, Not Now - Hot Hot Heat
Not totally bad but it's got a hard job living up to what's just come before.
.06 An Earlier Autumn - The Field Mice
Almost a bold, I quite enjoyed this but I don't think it really stuck with me.
.07 Damage - Yo La Tengo
bold, but again, feels cheating when you already own it. I love this and didn't even realize I was singing the "aahaaa ahh aaa" along with it. I love "I can feel the heart beating as one" it's a perfect album. One thing to say, is this fitted the moment on the mix well. Like I say, a flowing mix is an artform and I really enjoyed the moment this was a welcome addition.
.08 Wanderlust - The Delays
Ooh steel drums! You know people don't use steel drums in pop and rock as much as you'd think, because they have such an enchanting sound. I think they (or whatever sounds like steel drums) make this song really work and give it a real sense of place. Dare I say it without the steel drums it'd sound a bit MOR but on a sunday afternoon it's working quite nicely. Makes me think of Cocteau Twins actually
.09 Little Black Ache - Bishop Allen
Ooh this came out of nowhere compared to the last one, don't have much to say for this one.
.10 Tv Movie - Pulp
It's almost not a bold simply because this makes me think of "the fall of pulp" (but then that's fitting with the theme, right? This is Hardcore had quite a few rubbish songs amongst a few good ones. This wasn't bad, but when you think of the sheer work of art and perfection that was "His n Hers" it takes it down a peg. Pulp raised their own bar too high with His N Hers, and Different Class was still good, but the album that followed was certainly not "hardcore" and don't even get me started on "we love life". This is more a bold for a band than the song, then
.11 Monsters - Sons and Daughters
Not sure what I think of this. Half of me loves it and the other half is getting annoyed. Can't decide which half is winning the fight. I want to hear more by them; when the song gets going it's quite good but the verse grates a little. Plus it feels like they've nicked the melody from loads of other places
.12 Sweetest Decline - Beth Orton
I was going to bold it but I've bolded a few already and think that a few bolds are yet to come, so I'll hold this to higher standards. It's nice to hear some more from Beth Orton though because I've only heard a couple of songs. Maybe I should try out an album. Care to recommend one to start with? I don't know if I'll be into it but I don't know till I try, of course
.13 Motor Away - Guided By Voices
Another band I want to hear more of, I've heard this on Alien Lanes which is a funny old album. Some moments that go on too long, and some moments that are so painfully short but so good you wish you had more, and sounds like it had a recording budget of tuppence. Anyway, this was one of the good moments on the album. It has a raw instant feel to the way it sounds and a tight melody, so it's a bold.
.14 Ugly Love - Eels
I like the eels and have a couple of albums but not this song, which was very nice. Not much else to say, it's just a nice song. He has a distinctive unmistakable voice, which always helps. Good lyrics, too.
.15 Rebound - Charlie Rich
I just don't have much like this so it's bold because it's nice to hear stuff that I might have been missing and just doesn't get played to me
.16 The View - Modest Mouse
Oh another bold and I know the Joy Division track is a bold already. Plus PJ and Nina are yet to come, and chances of them being bolded: High. I think I have heard the name but not the band, so it's always useful putting a sound to the name. I like the production and arrangement, just the right amount of synth. I'll be checking out more I think
.17 Digital - Joy Division
Somehow this is one of my favourite Joy Division songs, I think it's just the way Ian Curtis builds up aggression, you can really 'feel' that almost epileptic dance that he did through this music, more than the other songs. It's a good song to clear your head of shit with
.18 Shame - PJ Harvey
I told you it'd be bold. I don't really listen to enough PJ Harvey even though I think my sister has pretty much all of her albums now. But it's really really good, she's got her own sound, and she's a bit scary looking.
.19 Let it Die - Feist
I tried to be harsh because there's been a few bolds and not bold this, but really it's got its hooks in. Barbed ones that won't come out. It's piqued my interest and I want to hear more by whoever this "Fiest" is. Lovely use of instruments, doesn't outstay its welcome, one of my favourites on the CD
.20 My Man's Gone Now - Nina Simone
Bolded before I even heard it. Recently went from only ever hearing the songs that get used on car adverts and the like, from falling in love with a greatest hits CD. This wasn't on it, so it's very welcome, because I feel like my experience of her music is only just getting started. Maaan it's great. It's her voice. You can really believe whatever she sings about because of the way she sings it. How could anyone not bold this?
.21 Untitled - Stellastarr
By this time you've set a high standard for my response to these songs so as a result this isn't getting a bold. I think the spacey sounds in the intro are nice, so much so I was almost disappointed when the guy started singing, but I might be being a bit hard on him there.
.22 These Seven Notes - The Russian Futurists
Heh, well it's sort of interesting but I didn't really like this. It's like a bad dream. Like going to a children's theme park when off your tits on every drug you could get your hands on.
.23 Ticket Man - The Kills
I'm guessing the extreme echoey-distortion was intentional because it's so very very bad. I'm not sure why they chose to do this to the song, it feels like there's a decent song underneath it but that distortion is so nasty it ruins it. Seems like a real shame, they went out of their way to ruin it.

So there we have it. Apologies for going on as per usual, but maybe you're getting used to it by now. Many many thanks to Cassie because I had a lot of fun listening and there are some acts I want more more more of, so thumbs up.

Comments on the comments! I definitely had some ringers here: Yo La Tengo, Joy Division, Pulp (although I hadn't realized that post-"Different Class" Pulp was not OK). Nina Simone I generally consider a Club-wide ringer. I was pleased that my prediction that cowfields would like Electrelane because he like Stereolab played out. I also had a few stretches: Charlie Rich was a surprise hit but The Russian Futurists crashed and burned. I think the problems on "Ticket Man" might have been the result of actual problems with the CD. This was the first mix I made after switching over to OSX and burning my mixes in iTunes. I think the mix was a little too long and that created weird issues on the last track. (I've learned from this mistake). But perhaps not. Lastly, I am a little disappointed that my favorite Beth Orton song evah, "Sweetest Decline," didn't get its sweet reward, a bolding.

"Yard Sale"

August 2005
for: lazyflood

1. Medicine - Sons and Daughters
2. Over and Over Again (Lost & Found) - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3. Femme Fatale - Velvet Underground
4. My Doorbell - The White Stripes
5. So Nice (Summer Somba) - Bebel Gilberto
6. Tennessee Stud - Johnny Cash
7. Shiny Cattle - Magic Car
8. Sittin' Here - Dizzee Rascal
9. Jonathan David - Belle and Sebastian
10. Kids with Guns - Gorillaz
11. Real, Real - Nina Simone
12. Mushaboom - Feist
13. Got the Time - Joe Jackson
14. Joy - Lucinda Williams
15. Paul Simon - The Russian Futurists
16. Ol' 55 - Tom Waits
17. Red Hot - Billy Emerson
18. Everyday I Love You Less and Less - Kaiser Chiefs
19. Dansez-Vous - Pink Martini
20. The Body Says No - The New Pornographers
21. Reunion - Stars
22. Go It Alone - Beck
23. September's Not So Far Away - The Field Mice

Comments on the mix: After several months of doing "themes" I needed the relief of a catchall mix. And I really like the name Yard Sale. This is a pretty good snapshot of what I was listening to at the time, with a few holes plugged up with songs chosen for lazyflood in particular.

Comments on the cover: I altered the type in Quark and I think it's a nice abstraction of a "corroded" look. The "tag" contains the month and year.

"Lost in the Forest"

July 2005
for: *

1. This Modern Love - Bloc Party
2. Letter From An Occupant - The New Pornographers
3. C'mon Billy - PJ Harvey
4. Vicious World - Rufus Wainwright
5. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - The Beatles
6. Secret Heart - Feist
7. Never Mind - The Replacements
8. El Manana - Gorillaz
9. Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths
10. Rodeo Town - The Kills
11. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
12. Live As You Dream - Beth Orton
13. Jealousy - Liz Phair
14. Creep - Radiohead
15. Maybe Not - Cat Power
16. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
17. Forever For Her (Is Over For Me) - White Stripes
18. Do I Move You? - Nina Simone
19. Like A Friend - Pulp
20. Marx and Engels - Belle and Sebastian

Comments on the trade: *I know exactly who I originally sent this mix to. Someone who never even posted to say they received it. That has happened to me THREE TIMES in the Club and it never ceases to suck. However, I sent the mix out again to my next round mixee, the charming lazyflood (along with a new mix for him) and he was good enough to post the tracklisting. He was very nice and complimentary about the whole situation, so I'll always have a soft spot for him. Thanks lazyflood!

Comments on the mix: The title comes from the opening track, Bloc Party's "This Modern Love," a song I was quite enamored with at the time. I decided to take the "Lost in the Forest" metaphor along to include other songs about people "lost in relationships." Uh, yeah. Pretty broad and yet I'm still not sure if all these songs really fit that theme (I don't know what the hell "El Manana" is about, for example). That said, I think this is a strong collection of (admittedly well known) songs.

"Picnic"

June 2005
for: velocity girl

1. Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap
2. Brazilian Girls - Don't Stop
3. The Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
4. Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)
5. Sleeper - What Do I Do Now?
6. Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This?
7. Bloc Party - Banquet
8. Nina Simone - Buck
9. Blondie - The Tide Is High
10. Stars - What I'm Trying to Say
11. The Flaming Lips - Buggin'
12. Robbers on High Street - The Price and Style
13. Pulp - Sorted for E's and Wizz
14. Idlewild - American English
15. Talking Heads - And She Was
16. Hot Hot Heat - No, Not Now
17. Bishop Allen - Charm School
18. Venus Hum - Soul Sloshing
19. U2 - Sweetest Thing
20. Sly and the Family Stone - Everyday People
21. Liz Phair - Polyester Bride
22. The Delays - On

Comments on the mix: This is the first of the Summer Mixes I've done (I made another one, called "Sunburn" in 2006 and I'm planning another for June 2007). For me, a summer mix is just a generally upbeat and fun group of songs. There were also some choices here that I made specifically for (what I perceived to be) velocity girl's taste. I like the idea of doing a sequence of summer mixes just because it keeps me from repeating songs (always a danger with me!). This summer, I might send my mixee all three! That will depend on if I think they'll like 'em.

Comments on the cover: You probably can't tell at this size, but there are ants! That is probably the end of inspiration for this cover.

"House and Home"

June 2005
for: velocity girl

1. Dolly Parton - Joshua
2. LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk is Playing at my House
3. New Order - Temptation
4. Eddie Money & Ronnie Spector - Take Me Home Tonight
5. Blur - Country House
6. Lucinda Williams - Lake Charles
7. The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba
8. Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
9. Luna - Still at Home
10. PJ Harvey - A Place Called Home
11. The Weakerthans - Letter of Resignation
12. Talking Heads - Burning Down the House
13. Madness - Our House
14. Beth Orton - Carmella
15. Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien
16. They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your Soul
17. Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God
18. Franz Ferdinand - Come on Home
19. R.E.M. - You are the Everything
20. Loretta Lynn - This Old House

Comments on the mix: One of the reasons that velocity girl got two separate mixes this month was that this one, being "word-themed" was largely planned ahead of time and not specifically geared to her tastes. Looking back on this mix, I am once again struck by my choices, because now I could easily fill an entire mix with songs containing "House" and "Home" in the titles. This mix also uses songs with those words in the lyrics. But what I think is important is that none of these songs (with the possible exception of the Franz Ferdinand) were chosen just for the word. These are all songs that I really like (and many of which I have used in many mixes). Otherwise? I still really love the transition from Dolly Parton to LCD Soundsystem.

Comments on the cover: C'mon, this is a cute cover! Stock photography strikes again!

"Boats Against The Current"

First round on the FTOTZ boards
March/April 2005
for: isyche

1. Nico - These Days
2. Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer
3. Dream Academy - Life in a Northern Town
4. Stars - Reunion
5. PJ Harvey - You Said Something
6. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
7. Johnny Cash - Hurt
8. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)
9. The Shins - New Slang
10. Rufus Wainwright - 11:11
11. Loretta Lynn - Miss Being Mrs.
12. Pulp - Disco 2000
13. Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
14. The Delays - Long Time Coming
15. Bishop Allen - Ghosts Are Good Company
16. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
17. Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
18. The Beatles - Penny Lane
19. Stellastarr - Untitled
20. White Stripes - We're Going to Be Friends
21. Tom Waits - Martha

Notes on the mix: This is probably the first truly "themed" mix I ever made. I had the idea floating around for a while: a mix of songs that are, in some way, fixated on the past. Some of the selections here fit that concept better than others, but it was a legitimate attempt. This is also the rare mix that I put together before I was assigned my mixee. But as it turned out, isyche seemed to have the appropriate tastes. Some of my choices seem a bit dated now (and I can think of several newer songs to swap them out with) but this mix is also notable for including a lot of my big time favorite songs (like 3, 5, 6, 12 and 13). The Bishop Allen song I've used just an embarrassing number of times on the Club. It's versatile!

Notes on the cover: I like the way I used stock art in a non-obvious way, but my favorite thing about this cover is the way it wraps over to the tracklisting. The title of the mix comes from "The Great Gatsby." The full quote also wraps to the tracklisting side. I'm not a big fan of the book, but that famous, lovely quote perfectly captures what I was trying to do on the mix.

"Greater New York"

Here's my very first mix for the Mix Club!
February 2005
for: Diddydeezie

1. Interpol - Evil
2. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
3. Blondie - Heart of Glass
3. Bishop Allen - Ghosts are Good Company
4. Enon - Natural Disasters
5. Stellastarr - My Coco
6. They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in your Soul
7. The Fiery Furnaces - Straight Street
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date with the Night
9. Yo La Tengo - Damage
10. Bruce Springsteen - 10th Avenue Freeze-Out
11. The Strokes - Is This It
12. Talking Heads - And She Was
13. PJ Harvey - You Said Something
14. Elliot Smith - Needle in the Hay
15. Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
16. Madonna - Into the Groove
17. The Velvet Underground - All Tomorrow’s Parties
18. The Ramones - Judy is a Punk
19. Rufus Wainwright - Vicious World
20. Billie Holiday - Don’t Explain
21. Luna - Buffalo Boots

Notes on the mix: My first round with the Club was the very last round on the old Fametracker boards. I was assigned another newbie, Diddydeezie, who turned out to be from Norway. Without much to go on, I decided to play on our geographical difference and put together a mix of artists with a New York association. It's funny looking at this list now, because if I remade the mix today I would probably use very different artists. I could probably put something together now with only acts from Brooklyn. That's how much my music collection has taken off in the last couple years! The best thing about this mix is how I sent it off with a note apologizing for the lack of rap on it, and it prompted Diddydeezie to send me a three-disk set titled "Greater New York Rap." From Norway!!! Honestly, that remains the coolest thing that has ever happened to me on the Club.

Notes on the cover: I've got deep love for this cover. It's the rare case when I started off with a really great piece of art: a (scan of a) painting by Nicholas Evans-Cato, a Brooklyn artist. It says "New York" without being obvious or tacky about it. The yellow text is meant to evoke taxis.

27 Mixes and Counting...

I have suddenly become enamored of the idea of posting all my mixes for the FTOTZ Mix Club somewhere on the internet. Somehow a blog seemed the easiest way. That said, I've never blogged before. Um, watch this space!