"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.