Strange Magic - Songs 1975

Songs 1975. A collection of songs from albums released in 1975.

This is the first mix of the Songs 1975 series and sets the tone for much of the year. There were certainly many great albums released in 1975 but overall I thought it was a weaker year in music. Looking back it feels like a transition year from the highs of the late sixties and early seventies classic rock to the soon to be happening punk, new wave and disco eras. Let's not forget progressive rock too.

This was also a year that I personally spent a lot of time exploring jazz, reggae and blues of many different eras.

All albums released in 1975.

1. The Band - It Makes No Difference (Northern Lights Southern Cross)
2. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue (Blood On The Tracks)
3. Joan Baez - Diamonds And Rust (Diamonds & Rust)
4. Joan Armatrading - Cool Blue Stole My Heart (Back To The Night)
5. Hall & Oates - Camellia (Hall & Oates)
6. Jefferson Starship - Miracles (Red Octopus)
7. Eagles - Take It To The Limit (One Of These Nights)
8. Earth Wind & Fire - Reasons (That's The Way Of The World)
9. Todd Rundgren - Real Man (Initiation)
10. Electric Light Orchestra - Strange Magic (Face The Music)
11. Steely Dan - Everyone's Gone To The Movies (Katy Lied)
12. Bruce Springsteen - Backstreets (Born To Run)
13. Average White Band - If I Ever Lose This Heaven (Cut The Cake)
14. The Bee Gees - Nights On Broadway (Main Course)

Ready To Start - Songs 2010

Songs 2010. The indie rock version.







All albums released in 2010.

1. Arcade Fire - Ready To Start (Suburbs)
2. MGMT - Flash Delirium (Congratulations)
3. Tame Impala - Solitude Is Bliss (InnerSpeaker)
4. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp (Odd Blood)
5. Interpol - Barricade (Interpol)
6. Superchunk - My Gap Feels Weird (Majesty Shredding)
7. Spoon - I Saw The Light (Transference)
8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Bright Lit Blue Skies (Before Today)
9. LCD Sound System -  All I Want (This Is Happening)
10. Caribou - Odessa (Swim)
11. Grimes - Feyd Rautha Dark Heart (Geidi Primes)
12. Of Montreal - Around The Way (False Priest)
13. Vampire Weekend - Horchata (Contra)
14. Wild Nothing - Live In Dreams (Gemini)
15. Gorillaz & Lou Reed - Some Kind Of Nature (Plastic Beach)
16. Dean & Britta - Not A Young Man Anymore (My Robot Friend Remix) (13 Most Beautiful: Songs For Andy Warhol's Screen Tests)
17. Magnetic Fields - You Must Be Out Of Your Mind (Realism)
18. Roky Erickson & Okkervil River - Bring Back The Past (True Love Cast Out All Evil)

Devil's In The Jukebox - Songs 2010

Songs 2010. A look at some of the blues, americana and alt-country indie rock from the year. Lots of old school players, Robert Plant, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Los Lobos, Ray Wylie Hubbard, John Hiatt, Paul Weller, Alejandro Escovedo, along with a bunch of young turks, Jack White, Black Keys, Justin Townes Earle, Allison Moorer, BRMC, Fitz, Ryan Bingham, etc, etc. Makes for a potent brew.

All albums released in 2010.

1. Ray LaMontagne - Devil's In The Jukebox (God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise)
2. The Black Keys - Howlin' For You (Brothers)
3. Robert Plant - Angel Dance (Band Of Joy)
4. Ray Wylie Hubbard - Down Home Country Blues (A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment. Hint: There Is No C)
5. Tom Petty - I Should Have Known It (Mojo)
6. The Dead Weather - I Can't Hear You (Sea Of Cowards)
7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat The Devil's Tattoo (Beat The Devil's Tattoo)
8. Ryan Bingham - Direction Of The Mind (Junky Star)
9. Neil Young - Someone's Gonna Rescue You (Le Noise)
10. The Acorn - I Made The Law (No Ghost)
11. Justin Townes Earle - Ain't Waitin' (Harlem River Blues)
12. Allison Moorer - The Broken Girl (Crows)
13. Fitz & The Tantrums - Breakin' The Chains Of Love (Pickin' Up The Pieces)
14. Paul Weller - No Tears To Cry (Wake Up The Nation)
15. Los Lobos - Burn It Down (Tin Can Trust)
16. Alejandro Escovedo - Tender Heart (Street Songs Of Love)
17. John Hiatt - My Baby (The Open Road)
18. Tift Merritt - Mixtape (See You On The Moon)
19. Nada Surf - Love Goes On (If I Had A Hi-Fi)
20. The Sadies - Another Year Again (Darker Circles)

Play With Fire - Late Night

A new mix in my Late Night series. This is also a set of cover songs. I didn't realize until the mix was mostly completed that there was a focus on female vocals. It just sort of went with the flow. There is also a lot of distorted guitars.

1. Dum Dum Girls - Play With Fire (I Will Be, 2010)
2. Belly - Are You Experienced? (Stone Free: A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix, 2005)
3. The Kills - Dreams (Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac, 2012)
4. Bat For Lashes - A Forest (Perfect As Cats: A Tribute To The Cure, 2008)
5. The Raveonettes - I Wanna Be Adored (Single, 2010)
6. Crocodiles - Groove Is In The Heart / California Girls (Sleep Forever, 2010)
7. David Bowie - God Only Knows (Tonight, 1984)
8. Keren Ann - Life On Mars? (We Were So Turned On: A Tribute To David Bowie, 2010)
9. Aimee Mann - Baby Blue (Come and Get It: A Tribute To Badfinger, 1996)
10. Echo & The Bunnymen - Ticket To Ride (B-Sides and Live: 2001-2005, 2007)
11. The Cure - Young Americans (Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001, 2004)
12. Patti Smith - When Doves Cry (Land: 1975-2001, 2001)
13. Hotrats - Up The Junction (Turn Ons, 2010)
14. Cowboy Junkies - Moonlight Mile (Paint It Black: An Alt Country Tribute To The Rolling Stones, 2011)
15. This Mortal Coil - I Am The Cosmos (Blood, 1991)
16. Low - I'm On Fire (Dead Man's Town: A Tribute To Springsteen's Born In The U.S.A., 2014)

Dreams - On Stage

Another set of live recordings of classic rock as part of my On Stage series. Some fun rocking versions of some classics.



The pic is Elton John in 1973

1. Elton John - Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding (Live At Hammersmith, 1973)
2. The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women (Love You Live, 1977)
3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakeres - Breakdown (The Live Anthology, 2009)
4. Tony Joe White - Poke Salad Annie (Live From Austin, Texas, 2006)
5. Van Morrison - Domino (It's Too Late To Stop Now, 1974)
6. The Who - I Can't Explain (Live At Leeds, 1970)
7. Brian Wilson - The Little Girl I Once Knew (Live At The Roxy, 2005)
8. The Hollies - Look Through Any Window (Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years: Live at Lewisham Odeon, 2011)
9. Love - Alone Again Or (The Forever Changes Concert, 2003)
10. Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down (Live, 2013)
11. The Doobie Brothers - Long Train Runnin' (Farewell Tour, 1978)
12. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Rumours Live, 2013)

The Nightbird - Reflections

Another mix in my Reflections series. More recent songs of life and love. Mostly indie rock.

1. Tyler Ramsey - The Nightbird (The Valley Wind, 2011)
2. The xx - Night Time (xx, 2009)
3. Best Coast - Up All Night (The Only Place, 2012)
4. Deerhunter - Don't Cry (Halcyon Digest, 2010)
5. Beth Orton - Something More Beautiful (Sugaring Season, 2012)
6. Low - Something's Turning Over (C'mon, 2011)
7. Here We Go Magic - Over The Ocean (A Different Ship, 2012)
8. Beach House - On The Sea (Bloom, 2012)
9. Mazzy Star - California (Seasons Of Your Day, 2013)
10. Beck - Turn Away (Morning Phase, 2014)
11. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Lately (Hawk, 2010)
12. Black Mountain - Angels (In The Future, 2008)
13. Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - I'm Falling (Goodnight Oslo, 2009)
14. 2:54 - You're Early (2:54, 2012)
15. Warpaint - Drive (Warpaint, 2014)
16. David Bowie - Where Are We Now? (The Next Day, 2013)