Some weeks these mixes just grow naturally from a single seed. Other times it feels like multiple puzzles were jumbled into the box. This mix certainly hews to the latter meme, though perhaps September can spawn one more monster before passing the baton.

Something I Couldn't Overlook

The XX – Originally I expected a full-on male/female indie dance record in true DFA/LCD copycat style, instead the beats are buried beneath silence as the two leads play meet coy for most of the disc, only occasionally stumblin’ in to something resembling a rhythm.

Zeep – I’ve gone from never hearing a cover of “Ghost Town” to stumbling across two in a few short months. This is by far the more original take of the two (first was a note-for-noter by The Aggrolites), a Brazilian influenced bossa nova swipe that’s not as interesting as the description promises.

Sally Shapiro – Sweden means superbly produced pop music to my candy coated ears, and Sally adds the extra sheen of disco dance with a 400 grit. She’s the type of girl you always thought was excessively friendly but never in the least considered dateable because that concept just didn’t apply.

Cobra Killer – Unlike these two ladies who are seemingly buying the drinks to seduce your alcohol addled morals with their potent garage raunch cum carefully crafted workouts that finds energy in all the right places.

Streightangular – Couldn’t quite get a grip on this band’s release as I flipped through genre exercise after genre exercise, only the low budget production values held consistent court. Of course that meant I was always one song away from finally finding filler from that one genre I needed.

Drummer – As a concept forming a band from four drummers seems awfully wasteful considering the premium placed on their talents. I bet it was all influenced by their girlfriends who were frankly sick and tired of bulky equipment hogging the hatch of the Civic, and especially being the last ones to leave load-out.

Orphins – Is it a punk band playing tropical or a world music devotee trying to rock it up a bunch? Or maybe the Navy steel drum band cutting loose during a paying gig at the Miller Beer factory (an actual experience of mine, mind you)? Whatever the genesis, don’t expect this tune to accuracy reflect any other slice of sonic output from this outfit’s garage.

Jupiter One – The rarest of instances in my mixes, the best track has been saved to last. Perhaps it’s because as I type this I still can’t come up with the final solution on the most compelling track from this power pop band who seems to take inspiration from 70’s era corporation construction methods for hit-making city dwellers.


And for you banjo lovers out there:

Theme Mix: Banjo

No not-so-secretly embedded Richard Hawley tracks this time friends, though with his new release hitting the US shelves tomorrow odds are 1 in 6 that you might find him here next week. For some that’s akin to playing a game of roulette by yourself, a game that eventually you’re born to lose.

Tearing Up At 40s Love Songs

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir – If you find your memories of prime 90s Pulp are still juicy well this Choir would like you to get on board. They don’t disguise their intentions at all, from the telegraphed lyrics to the gasping vocals to the desperate situations set to catchy yet maudlin music.

Mark Mallman – This Minnesota viking sets his own musical course by slavishly following the footsteps of mid-American 80s mainstream rock (WMMR anyone?), at least until you start listening to the lyrics and begin wondering how much of his life’s course has been dedicated to self-sabotage.

Jay Reatard – Jay tries to play the slavish garage rock devotee card in his press clippings but he’s far too dedicated musically to compromise his chances of making a living at his muse. No need to worry friend, as long as you continue to tip your hat to 80’s Southern power pop there will be a devoted core following you to the implosion.

Plasticines – They’re French! They’re Female! They’re Legal! I would add They’re Good* but I suppose anyone sold by the combination of the first three exclamations doesn’t really need the fourth since that information is completely superfluous. *BTW – their first album was better …

The Hidden Cameras – One of these one per bands that challenges you to sift through the rubble on a quest to find the one insanely catchy song they program per disc, forgetting that this whole downloading thing can get you a Hidden Cameras greatest moments ep in about six clicks.

Robert Pollard – Now this man certainly knows what to do with a dedicated fanbase - continue pushing product and projects until even the most amorously amused adherents find a fickle bone in their buttocks and move along to the likes of the bands above this line.

David Bazan – Just because his lineage suggests simple joyously mopey moments doesn’t mean he will completely forsake an authentically inspired rock song or two on this new solo disc.

The Grates – Once again the final track is programmed with a band that has a female form whom I appreciate and wish to gaze upon longing, and therefore will get to google image while doing this ‘research.’ Truthfully I only need to cast a glance toward a poster in the basement of walker to be reminded of her most admirable talent.

Fire up the ghost machine and lay back in a wood-paneled room cuz we’re going for a ride through a bookish quadrant of your musical memory. Music you’re supposed to say you get because you’re supposed to get it and god help us cuz we just might not be lying and actually do get it. That’s why you smoke clove cigarettes under the covers.

Grocery Stores In The Middle Of The Night

The Twilight Sad – Call it turnips since I like the texture, but I’m not sure about the taste. A sprawling accent addled tune carries the emotion with little to lyrically earn it unless you can decipher his aural hieroglyphics.

The National – A song from the Mark Mulcahy tribute to his now-passed wife finds the Brookyln cum Cincinnati troubadors foraging for sadness and light in a Polaris tune with all the appropriateness of drinking after the wake.

Mason Jennings – If you have a list of “what’s wrong with Richmond Fontaine” it might be worthwhile to apply those reasons to Mason Jennings as well. However, I think it’s the most vicious song on the disc, a gut-punch of scrappled memories from a leftover teenage experience complete with an unrelated chorus that only seems to make more sense as the song winds through the senseless events of a life set to random play.

Yo La Tengo – There’s maybe 3-4 YLT songs on their new record, the rest will make you appreciate the delicate retro-soul touches of Belle & Sebastian. I don’t blame them for attempting to worship their heroes of a past age, but it seems like a bit of a struggle to work up the energy for something that should be organic and fun. Like conception-oriented sex I suppose (I wouldn’t know).

Soulsavers – Here it is, the Richard Hawley track from the new Soulsavers release. Especially selected for those of you (like myself) who had no interest in this superstar laden project beyond his whiskey aged vocals. And as you fatalistically expected, it doesn’t really live up to those reduced expectations.

Dappled Cities – I won’t throw stones by calling this an elegantly overproduced impenetrable chocolate fortress, instead I’ll force a compliment by saying you’ll enjoy the overindulgence. Not as fun as their previous effort yet it finds a leaden charm of its own.

Sian Alice Group – The most cohesive song on the disc plays leadoff track, though as I cycle my way through the intended running order perhaps the skeletal song 7 would have been a better pick. Too late note, we’ll take the traditional path through moody meadow.

Nocturnes – Somehow the caboose on these trains always turns out to be a song I reserved for future listens yet somehow didn’t get around to enjoying for two months. Is it guilt that got me to program this unfocused tune? Or the excuse to grab another glimpse and make an informed hot-or-not decision on the singer? For everyone’s sake I’ll say it’s the guitar – I liked the guitar.

Haven’t focused on synthetic dance beats in awhile so here’s to emptying the reserve of hedonistic expression.

Honey Dipped Tennis Player

Simian Mobile Disco – While there’s nothing here as clever as “Hustler” from their prior effort, it’s still enjoyable. That enjoyment factor is largely based on who they’ve selected as the vocalist for a particular track (in this case Chris Keating from Yeasayer) or who they namedrop (in this case Mama Cass and Peter Tosh). Still, providing Jamie Lidell another avenue for his artistic output does hint at a lack of judgment.

Dyko – If mid-period Sisters of Mercy were sung in German. Or perhaps Lords of the New Church. Anyone remotely familiar with that brand of late 80’s goth (the clothes and attitude and basslines) will find this slightly nostalgic, as they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Unless you’re on Metropolis.

Prodigy – A little late on this one, sorry chaps. So speaking of digging for gold, The Prodigy wander back to Out Of Space style manic cod reggae, which I thought was a Faint cover based on the title. Perhaps it’s just a tip o’ the hat, or slight misdirection. Either way, for those with a fondness for manic sped-up repetitive Jamaican samples it’s like mac and cheese.

Felix Da Housecat – So, to go for overt Prince namedrop or harmless S&M reference? They’re both contained within the new Felix album, which seems to base each track on some concept Felix finds humorous then drives it to dust by exploring little beyond the obvious.

Amanda Blank – Finally, a track that might hold up to multiple spins! Ok, I haven’t exactly raised expectations here and certainly Amanda Blank is anything but life changing, but slather on that Dr. Pepper lip gloss and pucker up for a candy kiss.

Streetlab – Every week we get at least one release like this: 1) Blank Slimline Case (problem: can’t read the spine), 2) Song titles only written on disc (problem: tough to figure out what song you’re playing w/o ejecting the disc) 3) White sticker label on name-brand CD-R (problem: trayless professional CD players won’t accept, or even worse won’t reject it). Despite those 3 strikes I still listened (and enjoyed).

Black Mold - One wouldn’t associate Chad VanGaalen with a funk/electronic influenced instrumental side project, but here it is.

Sweet Trip – We’ll leave the kids hanging out in the corner watching all the action unfold for the all-important final selection, a smooth pop track that recalls Swedish dance pop more than any of the electro predecessors available on this mix. Not much of a hurdle mind you …

Shouldn’t take long to dispatch these eight tracks into your collective memory banks, hopefully they stick around slightly longer than their collective slight running time(s).

Underwater Calling

Lhasa De Sela – Superbly thrilled to discover this smoky thrill amongst the callow AAA chaff in our new release bin, her voice has a knowing weariness with a smooth bite not unlike well-aged liquor complete with those all-important younger years spent fermenting in a wooden container. Possible EOY Top 10?

Meg Baird – From a new Judee Sill tribute compilation that steps above the banality of such efforts. We’ve all heard source material of this quality butchered before, but a handful of contributions from Ms. Sill’s all-too-small canon create delightful surprises, especially this horn-laden take on an early tune.

Yim Yames – Speaking of covers, here comes a My Morning Jacket member doffing his metaphoric cap to the most effective member of the Beatles with some simple basement takes of expected and unexpected selections.

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions – Anyone hoping for a Mazzy Star redux will be just as sorely disappointed with this 2nd attempt at creating smoke before fire. I won’t excoriate her for an unwillingness to revise the gothy shoegaze meme, but I will excoriate her for the lack of anything interesting whatsoever …

Amy Millan – More effective is this Stars’ 2nd go around, which accentuates the down home vibe of her first effort with a more atmospheric vibe that slightly increases the venn diagram intersection between her solo and band careers. Those hoping for Elevator Love Letter Pt. 2 will still be left wanting, just not as much so.

Desolation Wilderness – Clientele Lite effort on the K label should hold over those of us anticipating the new record for another month, complete with foggy forest atmosphere and reverb’d vocals. OK so it doesn’t have the stunning guitar, but who else north of Nick Saloman does?

Travis Caudle – Reaching back to the nostalgia of melancholy commercial pop of the late 80’s/early 90’s, this gentlemen effectively washes his genes with wistful guitars and gruff but lovable vocals in hopes of getting the rise out of a listener or two.

Division Day – Saving that finish him blow for the anchor selection, these gents have tied a rope around their waist and are now searching for life inside your pancreas. While things are murky down there not all hope is lost for treasure can be found almost anywhere you look when you mic the drums way up front.

Hello hello hi to you and y’all from sampler central as we roll out anther octofecta of mildly interesting tunes for those who don’t cotton to name brands

Scan The Skies

Fool’s Gold – Soooo … remember last week when I namedropped the Talking Heads album Naked? Just pretend you did. Well, the real Nothing But Flowers moment rises here with this LA area side project that pays homage to cod African world music with this sinuous selection.

Taken By Trees – Never really liked the voice of the lead singer of the Concretes, so transitioning it into a less poppy more moody atmosphere doesn’t sound like a recipe for addiction does it? Nah not really, though occasionally she skips out on the moody murk and finds a rhythm or two to proffer.

Early Day Miners – Quite simply the friendliest Early Day Miners record ever. Much like a terrier leaping at the door for your attention as opposed to the shy basset hound style of their previous efforts, this album wants to be liked Liked LIKED!!! It’ll make you wonder if their bunker of Quaaludes suddenly ran dry. Or perhaps we can blame it on a woman …

Dodos – Last year’s favorite fractured fairy tale felt no need for consistency in tone or execution, this year’s model flies the friendly skies with consistency as its hallmark. Not too shabby, but the highs and lows have been counterbalanced into a pleasant pop pot pie. Better than Modest Mouse if you really needed to ask.

Nurses – OTOH, here’s the uneven release of the bunch aiming for an earlier generation of indie movie engorgers complete with awkward stares and meet cute memes. Feels like a demo that tentatively fleshed itself out at about 3am with an energy drink infusion, can’t fault them for needing some extra liquid to wet the whistle.

Apricot Rail – This group is more Australia than trout for the song title of the week winner. Otherwise it refutes its expeditious intentions with a sly lazy soundtrack feel more worthy of Temporary Residence than Flying Nun … or uh should that be Candle? Don’t want to offend nobody down there?

Wye Oak – Izzit we or why before the oak? Regardless they’re at least more proficient than She & Him and probably a damn sight cuter too if they wouldn’t wear such baggy clothes and show some skin. Actually the guy looks like the tech manager at my office but at least the girl has the good sense to hang out at skee ball parlors and such.

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Their cover album exercises are rife with extremely clever choices and consequently doomed by mildly disappointing execution. Case in point, this largely unheralded genius slice of power pop surges in its original Todd Rundgren form, and therefore just about any cover version simply can’t match its infectious verve. But extra points for trying …