Memorial day mix

Hope you're all enjoying the sun and grilling out and cracking a cold one before it gets dark this holiday Monday. (Unless you're from some other country, in which case, too bad, back to work.) To celebrate, I've put together a new mix which is about one-quarter country, one-quarter string-enhanced experimental pop and ...a bunch of other stuff.

Enjoy. Download here.



“In the Pines” Jack Rose with D. Charles Speer and the Helix. Another really great record from the late Jack Rose, this one a four-song collaboration with very country offshoot of the No Neck Blues Band (which has to rank as one of my most interesting, least comfortable interviewees ever). They toured together in 2008 and apparently spent most of the time in the van listening to Link Wray’s Three Track Shack sessions, from which this song was borrowed.

“Count the Days 1-2-3-4-5-6-7” Stephanie Finch and the Company Men. Nice little goofiness to this country rock ditty. BTW, Stephanie Finch’s band includes her partner Chuck Prophet and Kelley Stoltz, who is a particular favorite of mine.

“The Mermaid Parade” Phophorescent. Maybe Matt Houck’s best song ever, look for an interview someday at PopMatters.

“The Snowhen of Austerlitz” Rasputina. Very odd, cello-powered, folk goth from a woman who has played cello for all kinds of unlikely people, including Kurt Cobain. Here starts the string-obsessed portion of the mix.

“Kolnidur” Jonsi. Beautiful electro-space pop from the Sigur Ros frontman.

“What’s Out There” Nina Nastasia. What’s out there is this track, one of the wildest and most amazing from the new Nina Nastasia album, Outlaster which is out on FatCat later this month. Thanks Michael!

“Kansas City” Damien Jurado. The spookiest, most beautiful cut off of Damien Jurado’s new album St. Bartlett.

“Shock and Awe” Teenage Fanclub. Pretty sure this is a Gerard Love song, for those of you who keep track.

“Blood Dries Darker” Woods. Holy crap, did Woods take things up a step on their latest, At Echo Lake.

“When Amber Melts. The Art Museums. In addition to fronting Woods, Jeremy Earl runs the Woodsist label, which puts out all kinds of great lo-fi, low-key psychedelia, including this Skygreen Leopards offshoot.

“See Waves” Nice Nice. Portland-based, pound and chant free-formery, which might remind you of the Boredoms a bit. I’m pretty sure I reviewed this band’s first CDR while at Splendid, but damned if I can find it. They’re on Warp now.

“Boogaloo” Mulatu Astatke. Love this guy. Know nothing about him. Except he’s Ethiopian. And he plays jazz cut with African rhythms and funk and all the stuff I like.

“Living in Color” Frightened Rabbit. One of my favorite songs so far this year. (Though my absolute favorite is the Soft Pack’s “Pull Out.”)