"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.