Rain Falls Like Mercy

Rain Falls Like Mercy by Jake Todd, 2011

I read this book in a week in August 2015.

This book was an interesting crime mystery novel that takes place during World War II that focuses on the emotional lives of the characters while they experience the historical events that shape their destinies. It's about the violence of crime and the violence of war and the investigation of a young girl's murder that is overwhelmed by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The book had a very gripping narrative style and sometimes got into some grisly detail.

At the time I read this book I didn't realize that it was the third book of a trilogy about a particular family. It didn't really make a difference to me to enjoy this book as a standalone novel but perhaps there was some background information that may have been helpful but I would not have known as I was reading the book. Perhaps I will look up the earlier novels.

Hot Fun In The Summertime - Backyard Wedding Party - Hour 3

The third hour has moved to the beer garden after gathering for the ceremony. The BBQ dinnner is scheduled for about an hour later so there is plenty of time for a happy hour.

1. The Eagles - One Of These Nights
2. Sly & The Family Stone - Hot Fun In The Summertime
3. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Jamming
4. Ray Charles - What'd I Say Parts 1 & 2
5. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
6. Tom Jones - She's A Lady
7. The Allman Brothers Band - Melissa
8. Grateful Dead - Sugar Magnolia
9. Gipsy Kings - Bamboleo
10. Calexico - Epic
11. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
12. Vampire Weekend - Step
13. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
14. Hozier - Take Me To Church
15. Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why
16. Bon Iver - For Emma
17. Wilco - You And I

Sea of Love - Backyard Wedding Party - Hour 2

The second hour includes the wedding ceremony music. Early in this mix the guest took their seats and awaited the arrival of the bride. The wedding party entered the ceremony area to The Drifter's This Magic Moment. The bride walked down "the aisle" to Cat Power's version of Sea of Love. They walked from the ceremony to David Bowie's Heroes. The ceremony songs were selected by Sean and Ashley. The crowd greeted the couple and moved to the beer garden to the music on the second half of this set.

1. T. Rex - Hot Love
2. Paul McCartney - Every Night
3. The Delfonics - La-La Means I Love You
4. The Flamingoes - I Only Have Eyes For You
5. R.E.M. - At My Most Beautiful
6. Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
7. The Drifters - This Magic Moment
8. Cat Power - Sea Of Love
9. David Bowie - Heroes
10. The Ronettes - Be My Baby
11. Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman
12. The Jackson 5 - I'll Be There
13. The Dells - Oh What A Night
14. Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place
15. The Beach Boys - I Can Hear Music
16. Elton John - Tiny Dancer

Having A Party - Backyard Wedding Party - Hour 1

This is the first hour of music that was played at Sean and Ashley's picnic wedding last Saturday. Early in the wedding planning process they decided to use a sound system playing an iPod playlist and they asked me to provide the music. I initially put together a group of mixes and posted them online where they could listen to them. I spent several weeks playing around and tweaking the playlist. I've deleted those mixes and will be putting up the music that was actually played at the wedding.

We had two sets of speakers. One set focused the music toward the tent and the dance area and the second set which had a separate volume control was facing the improvised beer garden area.

This is the music that was playing as the guests were arriving. Most people at this time were hanging out in the beer garden where there was a beer trailer with multiple taps and another area with tables of wine.

This party goes on for over 9 hours and here is the start. Here is how it went.

1. Grateful Dead - Uncle John's Band
2. Led Zeppelin - Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
3. The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice
4. Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is
5. Stevie Wonder - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
6. The Supremes - I Hear A Symphony
7. Sam Cooke - Having A Party
8. The Ramsey Lewis Trio - The 'In' Crowd
9. Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
10. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Hey Tonight
11. The Clash - Brand New Cadillac
12. The La's - There She Goes
13. Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl
14. My Morning Jacket - One Big Holiday
15. Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
16. Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
17. Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere

Of Time and Rivers Flowing - Porch Sittin'

A mix from 2003 that was a collection of cover songs as part of my porch sittin' series. A covers mix will also keep the conversation going on the porch while sippin' some brews.

This was also originally made right after Joe Strummer died.

1. Richie Havens - Of Time And Rivers Flowing (Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger, 1998)  
2. Son Volt - Open All Night (Badlands: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, 2000)  
3. Peter Case & Dave Alvin - Monday Morning Blues (Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt, 2001)  
4. The Band - Atlantic City (Jericho, 1993)
5. Mary Black - I Misunderstood (The Best of Mary Black, Vol. 2, 2001) 
6. Alejandro Escovedo - Lock, Stock And Teardrops (Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings, 2003)  
7. Jonathan Richman - Stop Your Sobbing (This Is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies, 2002)  
8. Cornershop - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (When I Was Born for the 7th Time, 1997) 
9. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Over The Rainbow (Alone in Iz World, 2001) 
10. Steve Earle & Emmy Lou Harris - Rivers Of Babylon (Train a Comin', 1995) 
11. Emmylou Harris - The Boxer (Roses In The Snow, 1980)
12. Nanci Griffith & John Prine - The Streets Of Baltimore (Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful), 1998) 
13. Lucinda Williams & David Crosby - Return Of The Grievous Angel (Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons, 1999)  
14. Graham Parker - The Rose Of England (Labour of Love: The Music of Nick Lowe, 2001)  
15. Dusty Springfield - Tupelo Honey (Cameo, 1973)
16. The Beatles - Word Of Love (Beatles For Sale, 1964) 
17. Chris Isaak - Only The Lonely (Baja Sessions, 1996) 
18. Johnny Cash - Heart Of Gold (Unearthed, 2003) 
19. Joe Strummer - Redemption Song (Streetcore, 2003) 

Timestretched - Songs 2001

A third selection of songs from albums from my collection released in 2001. This set is more on the folky, country, Americana side along with some indie rock.

Pic is The Walkabouts.






All albums released in 2001.

1. The Divine Comedy - Timestretched (Regeneration)
2. Gillian Welch - Revelator (Time: The Revelator)
3. Bjork - Pagan Poetry (Vespertine)
4. R.E.M. - She Just Wants To Be (Reveal)
5. John Hiatt - I'll Never Get Over You (The Tiki Bar Is Open)
6. Ryan Adams - Nobody Girl (Gold)
7. Lucinda Williams - Blue (Essence)
8. Travis - Sing (The Invisible Band)
9. The Del McCoury Band - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (Del And The Boys)
10. Bonnie Prince Billy - Ease On Down The Road (Ease On Down The Road)
11. Hem - When I Was Drinking (Rabbit Songs)
12. Low - Kind Of Girl (Things We Lost In The Fire)
13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - As I Sat Sadly By Her Side (No More Shall We Part)
14. The Walkabouts - Fallen Down Moon (Ended Up A Stranger)

The Day of Battle - Rick Atkinson

Rick Atkinson's The Day of Battle was one of the best military histories I've ever read and I've read quite a few. This is the second volume in his Liberation Trilogy. I read the book in the series, The Army at Dawn, last year.

The thing I liked about both books is that they were exciting to read and felt like novels. Of course I knew how they ended but the story was fascinating and I was constantly learning new things about how America fought World War II against the Germans. I had also previously read and throughly enjoyed Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War that he wrote in 1994.

Atkinson does some amazing research and you can tell he has read many histories, letters, diaries, memoirs, and battle reports. His descriptions become very personal from the point of view of the participants as he skillfully weaves the story of the Allied invasion of Sicely and Italy. He spends a considerable amount of time describing the indicisions, the confusion and the miscalculations. You really get a sense that the generals are learning as they go along and you also get a feeling for the hearts and minds of the common soldiers, their hardships, joys, sorrows, defeats, and victories, . His attention to detail becomes daunting at times.

The first book of the series was also one of my favorite war history book. It read like a novel and was a real page turner. I really had not known much about the US Army invasion and campaign in North Africa. I was probably more aware of the British fighting the Germans in that area at that time. I hadn't thought about how green and untested the American soldiers were at the beginning of World War II. They really had to learn as they went along and they had to have some terrible losses and bitter defeats as they learned how to fight.  It was horrible on-the-training but they eventually fought on to victory. They also had to learn how to supply themsleves. Atkinson pays considerable attention to the logistical details of the campaigns in both North Africa and Italy and provides insight into that particular nightmare.

I am looking foward to reading the third and final volume later this summer while on vacation.

I'll Come Running - Eno Cycle

Here is the 6th mix of all things Eno. The Eno Cycle continues to show Brian Eno as an artist, producer, writer, collaborator, etc.






pic - Eno with Roxy Music

1. Brian Eno - I'll Come Running (Another Green World, 1975)
2. 801 - T.N.K. (801 Live, 1976)
3. Talking Heads - Memories Can't Wait (Fear Of Music, 1979)
4. David Bowie - Always Crashing The Same Car (Low, 1977)
5. Spacehog - One Of These Days (The Chinese Album, 1998)
6. John Cale - Gun (Fear, 1974)
7. Teenage Jesus & The Jerks - I Woke Up Dreaming (No New York, 1978)
8. Roxy Music - Re-Make/Re-Model (Roxy Music, 1972)
9. U2 - The Fly (Achtung Baby, 1991)
10. Eno & Hyde - Lilac (High Life, 2014)
11. Paul Simon - Outrageous (Surprise, 2006)
12. James - Say Something (Laid, 1993)
13. Anna Calvi - Suzanne and I (Anna Calvi, 2011)
14. Coldplay - Hurst Like Heaven (Mylo Xyloto, 2011)
15. Dido - Grafton Street (Safe Trip Home, 2008)

On This Useless Night - Songs 1990

Another mix of songs from albums released in 1990. More of an Americana feel although the mix starts off with a couple of Canadian bands. Goes into some power pop, country rock and early indie before closing out with some classic shoegazing.

In 1990 I was really into many of these bands. In particular Blue Rodeo, The Northern Pikes, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Indigo Girls and the Cowboy Junkies were getting a lot of play. A couple of new bands that impressed me a lot were The La's and The House of Love. I gradually grew to like the Posies. I was always looking forward to a new Robyn Hitchcock record.

I would discover The Rembrandts a few years later and go back and get this album. The same with The Chills and Yo La Tengo. I liked Mazzy Star as I had been following David Roback's earlier bands Opal and the Rain Parade but it would be their follow album to this one that would make them one of my all time favorite bands. I would discover Galaxie 500 many years later. I had heard of this band but never really listened to them. I stared listening to them a few years ago and went back and collected all their albums.

Pic is Galaxie 500

1. Blue Rodeo - What Am I Doing Here (Casino)
2. The Northern Pikes - Dream Away (Snow In June)
3. The Posies - Golden Blunders (Dear 23)
4. Uncle Tupelo - Screen Door (No Depression)
5. Steve Earle - The Other Kind (The Hard Way)
6. Rosanne Cash - What We Really Want (Interiors)
7. Indigo Girls - 1 2 3 (Nomads Indians Saints)
8. The Chills - Heavenly Pop Hit (Submarine Bells)
9. The Rembrandts - Everyday People (The Rembrandts)
10. The La's - Son Of A Gun (The La's)
11. Robyn Hitchcock - Queen Elvis (Eye)
12. Cowboy Junkies - Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning (Caution Horses)
13. Yo La Tengo - You Tore Me Down (Fakebook)
14. The House Of Love - Crush Me (The House Of Love)
15. Mazzy Star - Blue Flower (She Hangs Brightly)
16. Galaxie 500 - Listen, The Snow Is Falling (This Is Our Music)

Yesterday's World - Songs 2001

A second selection of songs from albums from my collection released in 2001. Starts out with some neo-psychedelic fun before getting into some indie rock.


Pic is Super Furry Animals

1. Circulatory System - Yesterday's World (Circulatory System)
2. Super Furry Animals - (Drawing) Rings Around The World (Rings Around The World)
3. Built To Spill - In Your Mind (Ancient Melodies Of The Future)
4. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Sailor (Bravery, Repitition and Noise)
5. Mercury Rev - Tides Of The Moon (All Is Dream)
6. Pulp - Sunrise (We Love Life)
7. The Beta Band - Human Being (Hot Shots II)
8. David Byrne - Like Humans Do (Look Into The Eyeball)
9. R.E.M. - Imitation Of Life (Reveal)
10. Sparklehorse - Gold Day (It's A Wonderful Life)
11. Radiohead - Knives Out (Amnesiac)
12. Spiritualized - Do It All Over Again (Let It Come Down)
13. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Mind The Gap (Behind The Music)
14. The White Stripes - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground (White Blood Cells)
15. The Strokes - Soma (Is This It?)
16. Gorillaz - Tomorrow Comes Today (Gorillaz)