Christmas Must Be Tonight - Xmas Night

The Christmas Eve mix continues with Part 4.

1. Booker T. & The MGs - Winter Wonderland
2. The Band - Christmas Must Be Tonight
3. Tracy Chapman - O Holy Night
4. T-Bone Burnette - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. Patti Smith - We Three Kings
6. Shirley Horn - Winter Wonderland (Christian Prommer Remix)
7. Billie Holiday - I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Yesking Remix)
8. Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
9. The Beach Boys - (I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
10. Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run
11. Elvis Presley - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
12. She & Him - Little Saint Nick
13. The Ventures - Sleigh Ride
14. Albert King - Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'
15. James Brown - Soulful Christmas
16. Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz, It's Christmas
17. Charles Brown - Merry Christmas Baby
18. The Carpenters - Sleigh Ride
19. The Temptations - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
20. The Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
21. Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
22. Willie Nile - We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Christmas Time This Year - Xmas Night

Christmas Time This Year - More of that long night of Christmas music.

1. John Lennon - Happy Xmas
2. She & Him - Christmas Day
3. John Prine - Christmas In Prison
4. Shawn Colvin - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. Rosanne Cash - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
6. Over The Rhine - Darlin' (Christmas Is Coming)
7. Anton Barbeau - Xmas Song
8. Ry Cooder - Christmas Time This Year
9. Hayes Carll - Grateful For Christmas
10. Sufjan Stevens - O Holy Night
11. Bob Dylan - The First Noel
12. Judy Collins - Angels In The Snow
13. Nina Simone - I Am Blessed
14. The Walkabouts - Christmas Valley
15. Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
16. The Dirtbombs - My Last Christmas
17. Eels - Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas
18. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Linus & Lucy
19. Miles Davis - Blue Xmas
20. Jimmy Smith - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
21. Count Basie & His Orchestra - Chilly Winds Don't Blow (Fink Remix)

Christmas Time Is Here - Xmas Night

The third hour of Christmas Eve. Probably dinner time. There are a lot of new favorites on this set and a couple of old ones from the 80's too.

1. Au Revoir Simone - Christmas Time Is Here
2. Cocteau Twins - Winter Wonderland
3. The Polyphonic Spree - Do You Hear What I Hear?
4. The Civil Wars - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
5. Bosque Brown - Silent Night
6. Low - Little Drummer Boy
7. The Raveonettes - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
8. Parenthetical Girls - Festive Friends (Forever)
9. My Morning Jacket - Santa Claus Is Back In Town
10. Los Lonely Boys - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
11. Fiona Apple - Frosty The Snowman
12. The Carpenters - Merry Christmas Darling
13. Aretha Franklin - O Christmas Tree
14. Tift Merritt - I'll Be Home For Christmas
15. Johnny Cash - Blue Christmas
16. Rufus Wainwright & Sharon Van Etten - Baby, It's Cold Outside
17. Pretenders - 2000 Miles
18. The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York
19. Punch Brothers - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
20. Andrew Bird - Auld Lang Syne

 

All I Want For Christmas - Xmas Night

All I Want For Christmas - Xmas Mix 2

The Christmas Eve party continues with lots of favorites, new and old. The Sufjan Stevens two Christmas albums are outstanding and last year I played them both during Christmas day.

1. Vince Guaraldi Trio - The Christmas Song
2. Aretha Franklin - Winter Wonderland
3. The Crystals - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
4. The Beach Boys - The Man With All The Toys
5. Rufus Thomas - I'll Be You Santa Baby
6. Ella Fitzgerald - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
7. Laura Nyro - Let It Be Me/The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Empty Fire)
8. Stevie Wonder - Someday At Christmas
9. The Cathedral Brass - Joy To The World (Mocean Worker Remix)
10. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
11. Smashing Pumpkins - Christmastime
12. Harry Simone Chorale - The Little Drummer Boy
13. Sufjan Stevens - Joy To The World
14. Bob Dylan - Do You Hear What I Hear?
15. Art Garfunkel - O Come All Ye Faithful
16. Bing Crosby - Silent Night
17. Isaac Hayes - The Mistletoe and Me
18. The Miracles - White Christmas
19. CeeLo Green - Please Come Home For Christmas
20. Elvis Presley - I'll Be Home For Christmas
21. Willie Nelson - Blue Christmas
22. Joss Stone - All I Want For Christmas

Merry Christmas Baby - Xmas Night

Merry Christmas Baby - Christmas Mix Pt. 1

This is the first hour of the soundtrack to Christmas Eve in our house. A collection of holiday tunes that are soulful, traditional, quirky, swinging, rockin', solemn and fun that plays for hours.

1. Booker T. & The MGs - Jingle Bells
2. The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride
3. Sufjan Stevens - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmastime Is Here
5. Mel Torme - The Christmas Song (Sonny J Remix)
6. CeeLo Green - All I Want For Christmas
7. James Brown - Merry Christmas, I Love You
8. Elvis Presley - White Christmas
9. Dean Martin - Jingle Bells (Dan The Automator Remix)
10. Nat "King" Cole - Holy Night
11. Judy Collins - I'll Be Home For Christmas
12. The Funk Brothers - Winter Wonderland
13. The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick
14. She & Him - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
15. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song
16. Bob Dylan - Here Comes Santa Claus
17. Johnny Cash - The Little Drummer Boy
18. The Thorns - Silent Night
19. Otis Redding - Merry Christmas Baby
20. Eleanor Friedberger - Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
21. Hall & Oates - Jingle Bell Rock
22. The Mavericks - Blue Christmas
23. The Carpenters - Do You Hear What I Hear
24. The Ventures - Jingle Bells

  

Watching TV 1965

Here is a page from a television guide printed in 1965. I was 14 in 1965 and watching a lot of these shows.

It was hard to watch the shows you wanted with a big family. My parents, six kids and two great-grandparents. I think they were probably out of the house and in the nursing home around that time but in the previous years certainly had an impact as to what was on TV like watching Lawrence Welk and Ed Sullivan.

It was also around this time we got our first color TV and also a second television set in my parents room. That was a big improvement. So the shows I watched?

• Saturday - Flipper, I Dream of Jeanie, Get Smart and Gunsmoke if I didn't like what was on Saturday Night at the Movies.
• Sunday - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The FBI and Bonanza
• Monday - not a big night for me. Maybe 12 O'Clock High
• Tuesday - Combat, McHale's Navy, The Fugitive
• Wednesday - Lost in Space, Beverly Hillbillies, Dick Van Dyke, I Spy
• Thursday - The Munsters, Gilligan's Island, My Three Sons, Bewitched
• Friday - Wild Wild West, Addams Family, Gomer Pyle, Smothers Brothers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

That would be ideal if i was around but there was always negotiations with other in the family. For instance Betsy always wanted to watch doctor shows. In a couple of years I would hardly watch any television for many years afterwards.

Let The Day Begin - Songs 2013

Let The Day Begin - Songs 2013 Pt. 7. The series continues with a set of rockers that include some more old friends.










Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Let The Day Begin (Specter At The Feast)
The Strokes - All The Time (Comedown Machine)
Superchunk - Overflows (I Hate Music)
Pearl Jam - Getaway (Lightening Bolt)
Wire - Magic Bullet (Change Becomes Us)
Primal Scream - Elimination Blues (More Light)
Iggy & The Stooges - Dying Breed (Ready To Die)
David Bowie - The Next Day (The Next Day)
Of Montreal - Hegira Emigre (Lousy With Sylvianbriar)
Paul McCartney - Save Us (New)
Jonathan Wilson - Future Vision (Fanfare)
Arctic Monkeys - Snap Out Of It (AM)
Splashh - So Young (Comfort)
Beach Fossils - Generational Synthetic (Clash The Truth)
Mikal Cronin - Weight (MCII)
Arcade Fire - Joan of Arc (Reflektor)
Robyn Hitchcock - Strawberries Dress (Love From London)
The Flaming Lips - Peace Sword [Open Your Heart] (Peace Sword)

One More Time - Songs 2013

The spacey freak folk electonica shoegazing psychedelic jams for a cold winter evening from a previous mix in the series continues one more time. Lots of old friends back for this one; Yo La Tengo, Thurston Moore, Thom Yorke, Low, David Lynch, Johnny Marr and Robyn Hitchcock. I'm especially happy to have a new Mazzy Star album around.


All albums released in 2013

Psychic Ills - One More Time (One Track Mind)
Suuns - Edie's Dream (Images du Futur)
Mazzy Star - In The Kingdom (Seasons Of Your Day)
Califone - Frosted Tips (Stiches)
Deerhunter - T.H.M (Monomania)
Yo La Tengo - Ohm (Fade)
Atoms For Peace - Before Your Very Eyes (Amok)
David Lynch - Star Dream Girl (The Big Dream)
Daughn Gibson - Phantom Rider (Me Moan)
Chelsea Light Moving - Groovy & Linda (Chelsea Light Moving)
Low - Just Make It Stop (The Invisible Way)
The National - Don't Swallow The Cap (Trouble Will Find Me)
Johnny Marr - Upstarts (The Messenger)
Robyn Hitchcock - End of Time (Love From London)

It's A Long Time Coming - Songs 2013

A collection of songs from albums released this year that I've been enjoying. The Eighties are alive and well and this particular set focuses more on the keyboards then so many other of my mixes of the music from 2013.  Even the guitar bands here have that 80's sound.





Au Revoir Simone - More Than (Move In Spectrums)
Depeche Mode - Should Be Higher (Delta Machine)
Lovers - Oh Yeah (A Friend In The World)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - If You Didn't See Me [Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor] (The Speed of Things)
Islands - Winged Beat Drums (Ski Mask)
Foxygen - Shuggie (We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic)
Frankie Rose - Sweet Dreams (Herein Wild)
Editors - The Weight (The Weight Of Your Thoughts)
Franz Ferdinand - Stand On The Horizon (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action)
St. Lucia - Elevate (When The Night)
Daft Punk - Instant Crush (Random Access Memories)
Arcade Fire - We Exist (Reflektor)
Minor Alps - I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands (Get There)
Vampire Weekend - Step (Modern Vampires of the City)

Take Me To The Mountain - Songs 2013

Some more spacey freak folk electonica shoegazing psychedelic jams for a cold winter evening.

1. Great Peacock - Take Me To The Mountain (Great Peacock)
2. Radar Brothers - Disappearer (Eight)
3. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - From The Sun (II)
4. The Sudden Death of Stars - Supernovae (Getting Up, Going Down)
5. Follakzoid - Trees (II)
6. Chelsea Wolfe - The Warden (Pain Is Beauty)
7. The National - Demons (Trouble Will Find Me)
8. Smith Western - 3am Spiritual (Soft Will)
9. Blouse - No Shelter (Imperium)
10. Nightlands - So Far So Long (Oak Island)
11. Jonathan Rado - Seven Horses (Law and Order)
12. Dog Bite - Forever, Until (Velvet Changes)
13. Numbers and Letters - Wading (Guns Under Water)
14. Sigur Ros - Yfirboro (Kveilkur)

So Far From Here - Songs 2013

The folk, country and Americana of the previous two mixes in this series of songs from my favorite albums released in 2013 now definitely move into the indie freak folk weirdness, droning electronica and shoegaze jams.







Tunng - So Far From Here (Turbines)
Akron/Family - Until The Morning (Sub Verses)
Wooden Wand - Supermoon [The Sounding Line] (Blood Oaths Of The New Blues)
Mark Lanegan - Mescalito (Black Pudding)
Lightning Dust - Mirror (Fantasy)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We No Who U R (Push The Sky Away)
Moby & Damien Jurado - Almost Home (Innocents)
Night Beds - 22 (Country Sleep)
Daughter - Tomorrow (If You Leave)
Cloud Cult - It's Your Decision (Love)
The Love Language - Golden Age (Ruby Red)
The Stargazer Lillies - We Are The Dreamers (We Are The Dreamers)
The Besnard Lakes - People Of The Sticks (Until In Excess, Imperceptable UFO)
The Deep Dark Woods - Miles and Miles (Jubilee)

At The Edge Of The World - Songs 2013

The mix of folk, country and Americana songs from some of my favorite albums released this year continues but a little more indie folk weirdness thrown in.








Over The Rhine - Meet Me At The Edge Of The World (Meet Me At The Edge Of The World)
Patty Griffin - Ohio (American Kid)
Cass McCombs - Brighter! (Big Wheel and Others)
Mount Moriah - Bright Lights (Miracle Temple)
Will Courtney - A Century Behind (A Century Behind)
Deadstring Brothers - Cannery Row (Cannery Row)
Houndmouth - Long As You're At Home (From The Hills Below)
The Civil Wars - Dust To Dust (The Civil Wars)
Half Moon Run - Full Circle (Dark Eyes)
Moor Hound - Holiday (Stifled Spirit)
Richard Buckner - Surrounded (Surrounded)
Phosphorescent - Song For Zula (Muchacho)
Junip - Walking Lightly (Junip)
Califone - Stiches (Stiches)
Still Corners - The Trip (Stange Pleasures)
Sarah Jarosz - Over The Edge (Build Me Up From Bones)

Another Story - Songs 2013

Another Story - Songs 2013 Pt. 1

This is my first mix collection of songs from some of my favorite albums released in 2013. Mostly Americana, country and folk rock this time around. The new band I'm excited about on this mix is The Shouting Matches.

Photo: The Head and The Heart in concert.



The Head and The Heart - Another Story (Let's Be Still)
Mikal Cronin - Peace of Mind (MCII)
Will Courtney - There's No Answer (A Century Behind)
Jason Isbell - Traveling Alone (Southeastern)
Willie Sugarcapps - Colorado (Willie Sugarcapps)
Steve Earle - Burning It Down (The Low Highway)
The Wood Brothers - Neon Tombstone (The Muse)
The Shouting Matches - Avery Hill (Grownass Man)
Futurebirds - Serial Bowls (Baba Yaga)
Hollis Brown - Gypsy Black Cat (Ride On The Train)
Water Liars - Sucker (Wyoming)
The Civil Wars - From This Valley (The Civil Wars)
Amos Lee - Stranger (Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song)
Steve Martin & Edie Bricknell - When You Get To Asheville (Love Has Come For You)
Son Volt - Hearts and Minds (Honky Tonk)
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion - Sleep On It (Wassaic Way)

100 Objects

A History of the World in 100 Objects; From the Handaxe to the Credit Card by Neil MacGregor, 2010

Read in November 2013

This was a wonderful book with a unique perspective on our world from the director of the British Museum. I enjoyed every page. It is a history of humanity told through the things that people have made over the centuries. It is a history of invention and innovation and relates everything to the larger story of mankind. Lots of great photographs too.

11/11/13

A Political Conversation

The other day I had a long discussion about the government shutdown with a self-described “Tea Party Patriot” who insisted the current problems would be solved by term limits. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as I asked how long Cruz has been in Congress. I soon discovered he had absolutely no understanding of the concept of gerrymandering. He also insisted that the Affordable Care Act was not valid because Republicans didn’t vote for it even though it passed both Houses of Congress, signed into law by the President, vetted by the Supreme Court and then argued over endlessly throughout a presidential campaign. Maybe the folks who have been spending a lot of money on making it harder for people to vote should focus their efforts on basic civics and the need to educate people on how our democracy works.

The other person started the political conversation and thought he was picking on me. I see him all the time and we usually don’t talk politics. He is very good in his area of expertise which obviously is not civics, democratic values, American history, or compassion for others. The use of the word “patriot” is odd for an anti-government party with members calling for secession and whose actions in Congress are getting perilously close to the definition of sedition. IMHO

Strange Bird

 

Strange Bird by Anna Jansson, 2006

Read in October 2013

A wonderfully suspenseful scientific thriller and murder mystery about a bird flu pandemic creating chaos and panic in Sweden. It was the seventh book in a series about police detective Maria Wern and the first to be translated and published in the US.

There was a good group of well developed characters and a very credible but terrifying story of a pandemic where everybody is getting sick and dying.

I've been reading and enjoying some of the many Scandinavian crime noir novels. I hear this one has been made into a TV series too.

Equilateral

Equilateral by Ken Kalfus, 2013

Read in September 2013

This was a wonderfully well written strange novel about a British scientist in turn of the century Egypt tries to create a massive astronomical device capable of signals to Mars where he is attempting to contact highly evolved aliens that he says he has proof exits there. This book also reads as a comedy full of sly humor and vivid imagination with comments on colonization, empire and "the other". I found it very entertaining and absorbing.

It's written as a historical documentary about an event that never happened and the women involved with this scientist. 

Brew Bash

Wonderful night with Sean at the Buffalo Brew Bash (VIP Ticket Father's Day Gift) . Favorite... Captain Lawrence Rosso e Morrone. Who would have thought. I usually don't like sour ales but this was amazing.

Beach Boys Box

Back from happy hour and a plate of "fiery fish tacos" I'm listening to this new amazing six disc Beach Boys collection while sipping some Oktoberfest brews and loading up my iPod... this is perfect pop. A lot of this I've never heard before but everything sounds incredible. All these surf and baroque/psychedelic gems. Let's do it again.

Made in California by The Beach Boys

6 CD box set

released 2013

In The Past - Decade 2

Another mix from the Second Decade of rock (approximately 1965 to 1975).

Lots of folky sitars too.

1. The Chocolate Watch Band - In The Past (The Inner Mystique,1968)
2. People - I Love You (I Love You, 1968)
3. Jefferson Airplane - High Flying Bird (Takes Off, 1966)
4. Pentangle - Once I Had A Sweetheart (Basket of Light, 1969)
5. Tim Buckley - I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain (Goodbye and Hello, 1967)
6. Donovan - Superlungs My Supergirl (Barajagal, 1969)
7. The Incredible String Band - Three Is A Green Crown (The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, 1968)
8. String Driven Thing - Easy To Be Free (String Driven Thing, 1972)
9. Gene Clark - Strength of Strings (No Other, 1974)
10. David Crosby - Laughing (If I Could Only Remember My Name, 1971)
11. The Doors - Waiting For The Sun (Morrison Hotel, 1970)
12. Syd Barrett - No Good Trying (The Madcap Laughs, 1970)
13. The Hollies - Would You Believe (Butterfly, 1967)
14. Bob Dylan - It's All Over Now,  Baby Blue (Bringing It All Home, 1965)
15. Beau Brummels - I Need You (The Beau Brummels Vol. 2, 1965)
16. The Byrds - Have You Seen Her Face (Younger Than Yesterday, 1966)

Higher - Sly Box

I couldn't stop listening to this all day... an amazing new box set that's a wonderful mix of rarities, hits, alternate versions and live tracks that goes on for hours.

Higher - Sly & The Family Stone

4 CD box set

released 2013

On The Turquoise Trail

Part of our week long vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

View over the ghostly town of Cerrillos on the Turquoise Trail, NM

Godless Accumuation - Orgone Bliss

The orgone accumulator is running amok again. This is Part 3. A collection of shoegaze and neo-psychedelic songs.

1. The Dandy Warhols - Godless (Tales From Urban Bohemia, 2000)
2. The Essex Green - Sixties (Everything is Green, 1999)
3. Ambulance LTD - Stay Tuned (LP, 2004)
4. The Beta Band - Assessment (Heroes To Zeroes, 2004)
5. The Durutti Column - In Memory of Anthony (Love In The Time Of Recession, 2009)
6. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - When Jokers Attack (And This Is Our Music, 2003)
7. Davie Bowie - Slow Burn (Heathen, 2002)
8. Julian Cope - Safesurfer (Peggy Suicide, 1991)
9. Spiritualized - Electricity (Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, 1999)
10. The Quarter After - One Trip Later (The Quarter After, 2005)
11. Darker My Love - 18th Street Shuffle (Alive As You Are, 2010)
12. Galaxie 500 - Listen, The Snow Is Falling (This Is Our Music, 1990)
13. Ride - Vapour Trail (Nowhere, 1990)
14. Sun Dial - Nova (Acid Yantra, 1995)
15. The Warlocks - Baby Blue (The Phoenix Album, 2002)

Orgone Mind and Soul - Orgone Bliss

Orgone Mind and Soul - Orgone Bliss

The orgone accumulater has zapped my mind right to my psychedelic soul. Dreaming weird rock covers, bad trips and cosmic funky music turning me on.

A fun mix to put together. Jimi Hendrix photo.

1. The Temptations - Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind (Psychedelic Shack, 1970)
2. Rotary Connection - Tales of Brave Ulysses (Songs, 1969)
3. Terry Reid - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (Bang Bang You're Terry Reid, 1968)
4. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - Season of the Witch (Jools, 1967)
5. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Still Raining, Still Dreaming (Electric Ladyland, 1968)
6. John McLaughlin - Marbles (Devotion, 1970)
7. Bo Diddley - Bad Trip (Drive By Bo Diddley: Tales From The Funk Dimension 1970-1973, 2004)
8. Fugi - Mary Don't Take Me On No Bad Trip (In Yo Face!: The Roots of Funk Vol. 1/2, 1994)
9. Edwin Starr - Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On (The Very Best of Edwin Starr, 1998)
10. James Brown - I Got Ants In My Pants (Star Time, 1991)
11. Parliament - Mothership Connection (Star Child) (Mothership Connection, 1975)
12. Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop (Hardcore Jollies, 1976)
13. Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Volunteered Slavery (Volunteered Slavery, 1969)
14. The Headhunters - God Made Me Funky (Survival of the Fittest, 1975) 
    

Bridge of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, 2007

Read this is June 2013

It was wonderful discovering the works of Richard Russo back in the 1990's and I've been reading his books ever since. I missed this one initially and waited a few years before I read it. This was another interesting story centered in upstate New York. 

I completely enjoyed it.

Night Sway - Late Night

Time to get back to posting more mixes. This is the latest in my late night series.



Spiritualized performing in the photo. 

1. Spiritualized - Sway (Complete Works, Vol. 1, 2003)
2. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (Funeral , 2004)
3. St. Vincent  - The Strangers (Actor, 2009)
4. Modest Mouse - Float On (Good News For People Who Love Bad News, 2004)
5. Radiohead - Optimistic (Kid A, 2000)
6. Fields - Songs For The Fields (Everything Last Winter, 2007)
7. The Besnard Lakes - Disaster (The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse, 2007)
8. Damien Jurado - Cloudy Shoes (Saint Bartlett, 2010)
9. Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why (Fleet Foxes, 2008)
10. Yo La Tengo - Today Is The Day (Summer Sun, 2003)
11. Galaxie 400 - Blue Thunder (On Fire, 1989)
12. Here We Go Magic - Alone But Moving (A Different Ship, 2012)
13. Beach House - The Hours (Bloom, 2012)
14. Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others (Veckatimest, 2009)
15. R.E.M. - Imitation of Life (Reveal, 2001) 
16. Beck - Guess I'm Doin' Fine (Sea Change, 2002)

Masters of War - Protest Songs

Masters of War... the second in my new war and peace series of mixes marking the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War. A mix of old and new songs.

1. Bob Dylan - Masters of War (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, 1963)
2. Phil Ochs - I Ain't Marching Anymore (I Ain't Marching Anymore, 1965)
3. The Clash - The Call Up (Sandinista!, 1980)
4. Patti Smith - People Have The Power (Dream of Life, 1988)
5. Steve Earle & Sheryl Crow - Time Has Come Today (Sidetracks, 2002)
6. Martin & Neil - Tear Down The Walls (Tear Down The Walls, 1964)
7. Leonard Cohen - Democracy (The Future, 1992)
8. Bright Eyes - When The President Talks To God (Motion Sickness, 2007)
9. Billy Bragg - Price of Oil (Peace Not War, 2003)
10. Ani DiFranco - Millenium Theater (Repreve, 2006)
11. The Wrights - Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning (Songs of America, 2007)
12. Bruce Springsteen - Empty Sky (The Rising, 2002)
13. Lucy Kaplansky - Line In The Sand (The Red Thread, 2004)
14. Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice (Taking The Long Way, 2006)
15. Lizzie West & The White Buffalo - 19 Miles To Baghdad (Pledging Allegiance To Myself, 2006)
16. 10,000 Maniacs - My Mother The War (The Wishing Chair, 1985)
17. Yo La Tengo - Nuclear War (Version 2) (Nuclear War, 2002)
18. Nanci Griffith - From A Distance (Lone Star State Of Mind, 1987)

When The War Began - Protest Songs

When The War Began. This is the first in the revised Protest Songs themed series of mixes about war and peace. This is a mostly quiet mix with songs of loss and sadness caused by war but picks up towards the end with some protest rockers before ending with a quiet lament version of the classic "War".

The first few songs describe the personal costs of war and includes the cover of Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding by Robert Wyatt which is considered by many to be the definitive version and an Iron and Wine cover of New Order's Love Vigilantes. Both songs were written about Britain's Falklands War. Chris Whitley does an amazing acoustic cover of The Clash's The Call Up as is the Joan Osborne cover of War.

1. Pearls Before Swine - When The War Began (The Use of Ashes, 1970)
2. Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding (EPs, 1999)
3. Iron and Wine - Love Vigilantes (Around The Well, 2009)
4. Mary Black - My Youngest Son Came Home Today (Collected, 1988)
5. Cat Power - Maybe Not (You Are Free, 2003)
6. Josh Ritter - The Girl In The War (The Animal Years, 2006)
7. Tom Waits - Day After Tomorrow (Real Gone, 2004)
8. Chris Whitley - The Call Up (War Crime Blues, 2004)
9. Christy Moore - The Dying Soldier (Ride On, 1984)
10. M. Ward - Requiem (Post-War, 2006)
11. Steve Earle - Rich Man's War (The Revolution Starts Now, 2004)
12. James McMurtry - Cheney's Toy (Just Us Kids, 2008)
13. Dar Williams - Empire (My Better Self, 2005)
14. James - Hey Ma (Hey Ma, 2008)
15. Neil Young - After The Garden (Living With War, 2006)
16. Richard Thompson - Dad's Gonna Kill Me (Sweet Warrior, 2007)
17. Bruce Springsteen - Last To Die (Magic, 2007)
18. Joan Osborne - War (How Sweet It Is, 2002)

One More Time - Songs 1980

One More Time is another in the Songs of 1980 series. This mix has a few more bands that were coming on my radar for the first time and make their first appearance in this series such as The Human League, The Fall, Bauhaus, and Fad Gadget. The first old time rocker shows up on one of these mixes... Captain Beefheart.

Photo is Joy Division.

1. The Human League - Being Boiled (Travelogue, 1980) 
2. The Fall - Totally Wired (Grotesque, 1980) 
3. Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards (The Correct Use Of Soap, 1980) 
4. The Feelies - Fa-Ce-La (Crazy Rhythms, 1980) 
5. Joy Division - Isolation (Closer, 1980) 
6. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Hot Head (Doc At The Radar Station, 1980) 
7. Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (Remains In Light, 1980) 
8. Bauhaus - In The Flat Field (In The Flat Field, 1980) 
9. Devo - Gates Of Steel (Freedom Of Choice, 1980) 
10. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Happy House (Kaleidoscope, 1980) 
11. Fad Gadget - The Box (Fireside Favorites, 1980) 
12. Swell Maps - Let's Build A Car (Jane From Occupied Europe, 1980) 
13. Echo & The Bunnymen - All That Jazz (Crocodiles, 1980) 
14. The Vapors - Bunkers (New Clear Days, 1980) 
15. Ultravox - All Stood Still (Vienna, 1980) 
16. Killing Joke - Bloodsport (Killing Joke, 1980) 
17. XTC - Living Through Another Cuba (Black Sea, 1980) 
18. The English Beat - Click Click (I Just Can't Stop It, 1980) 
19. 999 - English Wipeout (The Biggest Prize In Sport, 1980) 
20. The Clash - One More Time (Sandinista, 1980)

On My Radio - Songs 1980

On My Radio - The songs of 1980 series continues with this Part 2. More New Wave. There will be at least four more mixes as part of this series.

Photo is The Clash.

1. Roxy Music - Oh Yeah (Flesh + Blood, 1980) 
2. The Clash - Hitsville UK (Sandinista, 1980) 
3. Elvis Costello - Temptation (Get Happy, 1980) 
4. The Selector - On My Radio (Too Much Pressure, 1980) 
5. The Specials - Do Nothing (More Specials, 1980) 
6. Joe Jackson - Pretty Boys (Beat Crazy, 1980) 
7. Fischer-Z - Crazy Girl (Going Deaf For A Living, 1980) 
8. The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me (Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980) 
9. Grace Jones - Breakdown (Warm Leatherette, 1980) 
10. Prince - When You Were Mine (Dirty Mind, 1980) 
11. The Cars - Touch and Go (Panorama, 1980) 
12. Robert Palmer - Johnny and Mary (Clues, 1980) 
13. Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark - Enola Gay (Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark, 1980) 
14. Talking Heads - Houses in Motion (Remains in Light, 1980) 
15. Killing Joke - Change (Killing Joke, 1980) 
16. Peter Gabriel - I Don't Remember (Peter Gabriel, 1980) 
17. Adam & The Ants - Dog Eat Dog (Kings of the Wild Frontier, 1980) 
18. The Ramones - Rock 'N' High School (End Of The Century, 1980) 
19. The Cramps - I'm Cramped (Songs The Lord Taught Us, 1980) 
20. The Jam - That's Entertainment (Sound Affects, 1980)

Come On Down To My Rescue - Songs 1980

Come On Down To My Rescue - Songs 1980 Pt. 1 is the first mix in a series that focuses on the year 1980.

Anyone who was hanging out with us or going to our parties at our apartment on Putnam near Lafayette in 1980 heard much of what is on this mix and the ones that will follow from that year.

Looking back at that time we were moving out of the 70s, through the New Wave and getting our first glimpse of what would be later known as Post-Punk, Alternative Rock. Some albums were released at the very end of 1980 such as the U2 album which really became more of a record that we played a lot in 1981 and then there was the Clash who released London Calling late in 1979. We played that record all through 1980 and then the late 1980 release of Sandinista got played throughout 1981. For these series of mixes based on years I've been using the release date to place them. As with all of these year mixes these are my personal views of the year and not what should be considered the best of the year or the most significant of any given year. These are what I liked about the year.

Photo is Echo & The Bunnymen playing a show in Liverpool in 1980.

1. Echo & The Bunnymen - Rescue (Crocodiles, 1980) 
2. Split Enz - I Got You (True Colours, 1980) 
3. Elvis Costello - Posession (Get Happy, 1980)
4. Rockpile - Teacher Teacher (Seconds of Pleasure, 1980) 
5. John Hiatt - Pink Bedroom (Two Bit Monsters, 1980) 
6. Fischer-Z - So Long (Going Deaf For A Living, 1980) 
7. The Teardrop Explodes - Treason (Kilimanjaro, 1980) 
8. David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes (Scary Monsters, 1980) 
9. The Psychedelic Furs - Sister Europe (The Psychedelic Furs, 1980) 
10. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (Boys Don't Cry, 1980) 
11. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Love Will Tear Us Apart, single, 1980) 
12. The Soft Boys - Kingdom Of Love (Underwater Moonlight, 1980) 
13. The English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom (I Just Can't Stop It, 1980) 
14. Pretenders - Brass In Pocket (Pretenders, 1980) 
15. Siouxsie & The Banshees (Kaleidoscope, 1980) 
16. Cristina - Is That All There Is? (Cristina, 1980) 
17. The Only Ones - Lucinda (Love Becomes A Habit) (Baby's Got A Gun, 1980) 
18. 999 - Stop! Stop! (Biggest Prize In Sport, 1980) 
19. Dirty Looks - Lie To Me (Dirty Looks, 1980) 
20. Pylon - Gravity (Gyrate, 1980) 
21. The Police - Driven To Tears (Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980) 
22. Devo - Girl U Want (Freedom of Choice, 1980) 
23. U2 - I Will Follow (Boy, 1980)

I Got My Mojo Working - Decade 1

They got their mojo working. A collection of early 60s British Invasion bands and some US groups trying to sound British while covering American R&B, soul and blues. It seemed like all the great British bands from the time started out covering American black music. I've selected a sampling here. Some are obscure and others were big hits. It makes for a fun listen.

The list of bands here is a who's who of the first British Invasion and some great American bands too. They took that early American R&B, blues and music and made something different from it. Rock. This is the beginning of that process. I added this to my Happy Hour series of mixes that focus on garage rock.

1. The Zombies - I Got My Mojo Working
2. The Yardbirds - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
3. The Rolling Stones - Can I Get A Witness
4. The Kinks - Dancing In The Street
5. The Who - (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
6. The Beatles - Money
7. Them - Out Of Sight
8. The Spencer Davis Group - I Can't Stand It
9. The Hollies -Lucille
10. The Swinging Blue Jeans - Hippy Hippy Shake
11. Manfred Mann - Do Wah Diddy Diddy
12. The Animals - See See Rider
13. The Pretty Things - Midnight To Six Man
14. The Remains - My Babe
15. Shadows of Knight - Oh Yeah
16. The Rascals - In The Midnight Hour
17. The Vagrants - Respect
18. The Small Faces - Shake
19. The Searchers - I'll Be Doggone
20. The Action - I'll Keep Holding On
21. Dave Clark Five - I Like It Like That
22. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Maybelline
23. The Beach Boys - In The Still Of The Night
24. The Moody Blues - Go Now

Irish Classical Theater and...

Irish Classical Theater was an amazing one man Joyce performance tonight and then we went down the street to check out the new Perfetto that is in the former space occupied by Ya Ya's and the Empire Brew Pub. Very nice. We'll be back. Flurrious was a lot of fun today too. Especially the quidditch games and the heated tent with the taps and the live music.

Rebel Music Dub Magnificent - Reggae Night

Part 4 of this series of reggae mixes explores the deep end of dub. Definitely headphone music.

The photo is Lee "Scratch" Perry from the early days.





Bob Marley - Rebel Music (Ambient Dub Mix)
Burning Spear - Black Wa-Da-Da
Prince Far I - The Right Way
Mad Professor - Beyond The Realms Of Dub
Suns of Arqa - Tabla Scool
Gorillaz Vs. Spacemonkeyz - Dub 09 (Starshine)
Easy Star All Stars - The Great Gig In The Sky
Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bitch Dub
Bill Laswell - Babylon Site
Jah Wobble - Lord Keep Me Dub (Version Number Three)
The Clash - One More Dub
Bad Brains - I & I Survive
Lee "Scratch" Perry - In These Times Dub
Scientist - Blacka Shade Of Dub
King Tubby - Dub Magnificent

Armagideon Time - Reggae Night

Armagideon Time. It's a cold January and the perfect time to put together another mix in my reggae series to get me thinking and feeling of warmer climes.

 The photo is Burning Spear back when it was a trio and not just the man.

1. Dr. Israel - Armagideon Time (Inna City Pressure, 1998)
2. Sizzla - Subterranean Homesick Blues (RAS Reggae Box Set, 2004)
3. Yellowman - Zunguzung (Zimguzunggauguzungguz, 1983)
4. Linton Kwesi Johnson - Want Fi Go Rave (Forces Of Victory, 1979)
5. Peter Broggs - Rastafari Chant Nyahbinghi (Rise & Shine, 1985)
6. Steel Pulse - Chant A Psalm (True Democracy, 1981)
7. Black Uhuru - Darkness / Dubness (Chill Out, 1982)
8. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Crazy Baldheads (Rastaman Vibration, 1976)
9. Augustus Pablo - Chant To King Selassie I (East Of The River Nile, 1977)
10. Burning Spear - Old Marcus Garvey (Marcus Garvey, 1976)
11. Bunny Wailer - Armageddon (Black Heart Man, 1976)
12. The Clash - Justice Tonight / Kick It Over (Black Market Clash, 1980)
13. Toots & The Maytals - Pressure Drop (Funky Kingston, 1975)
14. I Roy - War & Fiction (Hell and Sorrow, 1974)
15. Niney The Observer - Blood & Fire (Observation Station, 1990)
16. The Congos - Neckodeemus (Trojan Upsetter Box 1975-1980, 2002)

When The Lights Went Dim - Late Night

First new mix of the new year. A collection of music from the last decade that just came together in one sitting. A spontaneous mix that felt more like the old days when I worked playing records in the sound booth of bars on that 10pm to 4am shift. Of course the only band here on my playlist back then was XTC.



1.   The Rosebuds - When The Lights Went Dim (Night of the Furies, 2007)
2.   Cloud Cult - Please Remain Calm (The Meaning of 8, 2007)
3.   Jets Overhead - This Way (Bridges, 2006)
4.   Lewis Taylor - Yeah (The Lost Album, 2005)
5.   Black Dub - Last Time (Black Dub, 2010)
6.   Houses - Soak It Up (All Night, 2010)
7.   Field Music - In Context (Tones of Town, 2007)
8.   XTC - I'd Like That (Apple Venus Pt. 1, 1999)
9.   Blur - Coffee & TV (13, 1999)
10. Wilco - Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again) (Summerteeth, 1999)
11. Yo La Tengo - Season Of The Shark (Summer Sun, 2003)
12. Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong (Amnesiac, 2001)
13. The Strokes - Hard To Explain (Is This It, 2001)
14. Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running (Neon Bible, 2007)
15. Metric - Help I'm Alive (Fantasies, 2009)
16. Suckers - Beach Queen (Suckers, 2009)
17. Broken Bells - Vaporize (Broken Bells, 2010)
18. Luke Haines - How Could I Be Wrong (Das Capital, 2003)

Some favorite albums of 2012

Here they are... 60 of my favorite albums for 2012. I followed this with another 60 albums from the year in alphabetical order.

Doing these lists are always an exercise in frustration because it is a moving target. I am very subjective about this and this compiled list would look different on any given day. I know there is a lot more great music either on the bottom of this list or in my collection but not listed at all because I haven't listened to them enough. So much wonderful music takes time and repeated listens to reveal greatness. There is also a lot of music I saw on various end of the year lists that I've acquired recently that will be in high rotation over the coming months and years.

Albums that are compilations, anthologies and reissues are in another list.

So here is the list which really starts out with a nice mellow groove until DIIV and then especially the craziness of Goat.

• Father John Misty - Fear Fun
• Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
• First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
• Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames - New Multitudes
• DIIV - Oshin
• Beachwood Sparks - The Tarnished Gold
• Goat - World Music
• Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur
• Field Report - Field Report
• Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
• Cat Power - Sun
• Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
• Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
• Exitmusic - Passage
• Calexico - Algiers
• Grizzly Bear - Shields
• Tame Impala - Lonerism
• Beach House - Bloom
• Richard Hawley - Standing At The Sky's Edge
• The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Aufheben
• Bob Dylan - Temptest
• Alejandro Escovedo - Big Station
• Grimes - Visions
• Shovel & Rope - O' Be Joyful
• Islands - A Sleep and A Forgetting
• Lower Dens - Nootropics
• Plants and Aninals - The End Of That
• The Stray Birds - The Stray Birds
• The Swans - Seer
• Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellen
• Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
• Animal Collective - Centipede Hz
• Dr. John - Locked Down
• Neil Young - Psychedelic Pill
• Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
• Marissa Nadler - The Sister
• David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant
• Pinback - Information Retrieved
• Black Prairie - A Tear In The Eye Is A Wound In The Heart
• Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
• Gary Clark Jr. - Black and Blu
• Shawn Colvin - All Fall Down
• Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man In The Universe
• Dwight Yoakim - 3 Pears
• Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man
• Mount Eerie - Clear Moon
• Bro. Stephen - Baptist Girls
• Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
• Jack White - Blunderbuss
• Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
• Giant Sand - Tucson
• Paul Weller - Sonik Kicks
• Laura Gibson - La Grande
• Damien Jurado - Maraqopo
• The Lumineers - The Lumineers
• Bob Mould - Silver Age
• Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
• The Shins - Port of Morrow
• Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables
• Various Artists - The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond
• 2:54 - 2:54
• Allah Las - Allah Las
• Joseph Arthur - Redemption City
• The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
• Band of Horses - Mirage Rock
• Ryan Bingham - Tomorrowland
• Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
• Paul Brill - Breezy
• Sera Cahoone - Deer Creek Canyon
• Callers - Reviver
• Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
• Ry Cooder - Election Special
• Crocodiles - Endless Flowers
• Daphni - Jiaolong
• The dBs - Falling Off The Sky
• Iris Dement - Sing The Delta
• Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
• The Dreaming Spires - Brothers in Brooklyn
• Justin Townes Earle - Nothings Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
• Evening Hymns - Spectral Dusk
• Godspeed You Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
• Grand Duchy - Let The People Speak
• Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
• Heartless Bastards - Arrow
• The Helio Sequence - Negotiations
• John Hiatt - Mystic Pinball
• Kelly Hogan - I Like To Keep Myself In Pain
• Hundred Waters - Hundred Waters
• Jamey Johnson - Livin' For A Song
• Lambchop - Mr. M
• Mark Lanegan - Blues Funeral
• Bettye Levette - Thankful n' Thoughtful
• Cate Le Bon - Cyrk
• Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action At A Distance
• Jeff Lynne - Longwave
• Maps & Atlases - Beware and Be Grateful
• Rhett Miller - The Dreamer
• Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale - Buddy & Jim
• Mmoss - Only Children
• Oberhofer - Time Capsules II
• Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
• Opossum - Electric Hawaii
• Peaking Lights - Lucifer
• Chuck Prophet - Temple Beautiful
• Joe Pug - The Great Depiser
• Screaming Females - Ugly
• Sea Wolf - Old World Romance
• Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Here
• Shearwater - Animal Joy
• Sigur Ros - Valtari
• Chris Smither - Hundred Dollar Valentine
• Spirtualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
• Angus Stone - Broken Brights
• Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
• Tindersticks - The Something Rain
• M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion
• Wild Nothing - Nocturne
• Winterpills - All My Lovely Goners
• Wood - Bend Beyond
• Neil Young - Americana

Juliet of the Spirits

While watching Juliet of the Spirits last night I was taken back to some of my early dates with Becky when we would go to Fellini double features at the TLA Cinema on South Street in Philly during the mid 70s. Back in those pre-cable/videos/DVD days checking out classic films was a carefully scheduled event or an at a whim trip downtown to see whatever was playing.

It was nice watching that film again after so many years.

I looked up Fellini directed films on IMDb and saw that I had seen nine of his movies.

Readings 2012 - Nonfiction

I read nine nonfiction books this year which is a little unusual because I try to read one a month. The biography of James Brown was fantastic and I enjoyed the Paul Auster memoir. 

Besides the James Brown bio there were a couple more books about music... The Beatles and Bob Dylan. The weird one was Killing Yourself To Live which was a cross country tour of places were rock stars have died. Of course there were some history books on the list.

• The One: The Life and Music of James Brown - R.J. Smith, 2012
• Winter Journal - Paul Auster, 2012
• In The Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin - Erik Larson, 2011
• The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World - Daniel Yergin, 2011
• Revolver: How The Beatles Reimagined Rock 'n' Roll - Robert Rodriguez, 2012
• Season of the Witch: Enchantment, Terror and Deliverance in the City of Love - David Talbot, 2012
• A Fabulous Kingdom: The Exploration of the Artic - Charles Officer, 2001
• Still On The Road: The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1974-2006 - Clinton Heylin, 2010
• Killing Yourself To Live: 85% of a True Story - Chuck Klosterman, 2005