Monthly Mixtapes

I still believe in the mixtape. It can be romantic, autobiographical, funny, a way of expressing your self through words you dare not say to someone in fear of their thoughts and, most of all, it is a way to showcase some of your musical interests to a new friend or lover. Mixtapes are special in the sense that people take time to carefully pick out songs to describe themselves and for that person to then hand you the tape is a wonderful thing. I have handed mixtapes over to countless people (mainly girls) and have crafted setlists for what i would give people if i were to make them tapes (once again, girls). Hell, I have quite a few of them that friends have made for me that I still listen to (everything ranging from the Beatles to Screamin' Jay Hawkins). With that said, here is this month's mixtape. I've posting these for a while under my other Myspace alias but from here on, they have a new home.



Give Me A Reason To Love You.
Side A
1) Porchrail by Jenny Owen Youngs (Batten The Hatches, 2007)
2) Pretty Bird by Jenny Lewis (Acid Tongue, 2008)
3) What's A Girl To Do by Bat For Lashes (Fur And Gold, 2007)
4) Pump Up The Bass by Bumblebeez (Prince Umberto And The Sister Of Ill, 2007)
5) Drunken Butterfly by Sonic Youth (Dirty, 1992)
6) Punk Broke (My Heart) by L7 (Off The Wagon B-Side, 1997)
7) Birthday Cake by Cibo Matto (Viva! La Woman, 1996)
8) Love's A Mystery by Pretenders (Break Up The Concrete, 2008)
9) Wild Hope by Mandy Moore (Wild Hope, 2007)
10) Taste You by Auf der Maur (Auf der Maur, 2004)
11) Bastardo by Charlotte Hatherley (Grey Will Fade, 2004)

Side B
12) Heaven Sinner by Nikka Costa (Like A Feather B-Side, 2001)
13) I Find It Hard To Say (Rebel) by Lauryn Hill (MTV Unplugged 2.0, 2002)
14) Bang Your Head by Milla (The Divine Comedy, 1994)
15) Real Life by Nellie McKay (Pretty Little Head, 2006)
16) Blacked Out And Blue by Cake Like (Goodbye, So What?, 1999)
17) Over And Over by Rachael Yamagata (Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart, 2008)
18) Funny Time Of Year by Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man (Out Of Season, 2003)
19) Michael Jordan by that dog. (Totally Crushed Out!, 1995)

No Heart? No Runaways? What kind of woman based compilation is this? True, it is a compilation involving women and it is National Women's History Month but instead of getting the usual trailblazers (Chrissie Hynde of Pretenders and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth aside), I went with awesome songs by awesome female artists, mostly current which doesn't say much about my ears I guess. The only interesting omission is the lack of a PJ Harvey song. Although I love the woman to death, I used one of her songs on the last compilation so I made room for other artists. Intead of going with her main project, Portishead, I chose a song from the lesser known project of Beth Gibbons because the album showcases more of Gibbons' songwriting. The two strangest inclusions (in my mind anyway) are Mandy Moore and Milla (as in Milla Jovovich of The Fifth Element, Resident Evil and oft-forgotten classic, Kuffs). Personally, I think Mandy Moore is coming into her own as a songwriter and vocalist. Co-written with The Weepies, Wild Hope is a excellent example of her coming into her voice and maturity. As for Milla, The Divine Comedy is hands down, one of the most forgotten albums of the 90's. A perfect album of pop, Ukranian folk sounds and instruments and heavy Kate Bush influences, every track is a gem. Definitely, a must have album despite it being recorded by a teenage model. All in all, it's a great compilation and will hopefully introduce you to a crop of great voices from some great women including a track from one of the best albums of last year, Break Up The Concrete by Pretenders.

Some more of my mixes for your enjoyment:
Something In Your Eyes That Says
Smash Your Radio With A Spoon
New Faces, Familiar Feelings
Midwestern New Wave Dances
Lips To Cut Through The Silence
Hello...I've Waited Here For You


If you haven't checked out the excellent book above, Rob Sheffield's Love Is A Mix Tape: Life And Loss, One Song At A Time, you have been wasting time. It's a beautifully funny and tragic memoir about about finding love, losing love and dealing with all the times before, in between and after.