gaporter
Well-Known Member
I think it's a Sandlot reference
Mixtape Madness
- Thread starter Woob_woob
- Start date
I deserve that. But I'm not leaving.
It's ok we have a replacement mix loaded and ready to go. Here's a mix from @Aron
Here you go. I'm super wordy, but, I think hearing why people picked songs is an interesting part of this deal. I hope others do too. My picks seem to be a little more mainstream, but I think it works pretty well overall.
When it comes to music, I’m a compiler. Always have been. Mix tapes, Mix CDs, playlists…those have always been my calling cards. When I got my first CD burner back in the day, I started making artist best-ofs and anthologies, as well as mix comps that incorporated the phrase Digital Wax into various witty and/or pop culturally relevant titles. Just seemed like a fun thing to do at the time, and then it sorta stuck.
Anyway, here is what I came up with for my first Digital Wax entry for Mixtape Madness. I wanted to highlight songs from different eras, and try to patch them together into a cohesive thing. Many of these artists (and some of these songs) are probably familiar to a lot of you, but hopefully I’ve put these tunes together in a way that they can be heard in a different light than you might be used to.
1) ‘You’re Really Something Sadie’ – The Impressions
I thought the horns that kick off this track would be a great way to start this playlist. I shared this tune before in one of the threads on the old forum. A lesser known Impressions tune off of their last album with Curtis Mayfield. This shares the sonic vibe he would pick up with on his first solo record. I first heard this on the Saturday night radio show they run every weekend on KUTX, and it immediately became a favorite.
2) ‘Stoned Love – Single Version’ – The Supremes
Staying in the year 1970 here with the first post-Diana Ross Supremes offering, and keeping with the soul pop vibe. Honestly, when I first heard this song, I didn’t know that it wasn’t Diana Ross singing lead. This song has a pretty positive message that is still very relevant today, and you still hear that familiar Motown sound coming through pretty clear. I actually prefer this single version to the one on the album. The intro on this one just sounds cooler to me.
3) ‘La ritournelle (Mr. Dan’s Magic Wand Mix)’ – Sébastien Tellier
Shifting away from the straight up soul of the early 70’s, into a more modern electronic pop arena with this one. I first heard this song while streaming Lauren Laverne’s xfm radio show from London while at work years ago. It was a drive time broadcast in the UK that I treated as my morning show. I loved that show because Lauren has really good taste in music. They played pretty much the same songs every day the same way commercial radio stations here do, but she was able to sneak in some of her favorites through the bits she did. I thought this was a really cool song when she was playing it regularly, and I still do. This “Magic Wand Mix” is the one she played, and it remains my favorite version. A more modern tune, but still kind of has a 70’s soul vibe running through it, which makes it a good bridge tune.
4) ‘Wow And Flutter’ – Stereolab
Keeping the French pop thing going here with Stereolab. There are a couple of different versions of this tune out there, but I opted to go with the album version off of “Mars Audiac Quintet”. Just a really cool song overall, and one that caught my ear right away when I first heard it on their best of comp years back. I’ve only recently gone back and listened to their individual releases to prepare myself for seeing them live later this year, and now I’m kicking myself for not having done that sooner. They have some really great albums that are perfect to listen to while at work.
5) ‘Shangri La’ – Martina Topley-Bird
Most people know Martina Topley-Bird from her work on Tricky’s best albums, or from her terrific debut record “Quixotic”. I also really like her second album, the Danger Mouse produced “The Blue God”, and this track is a major reason why. Topley-Bird’s lazy, jazzy drawl is a good fit with Danger Mouse’s retro production style. The whole record is worth a listen.
6) ‘The Adjustor’ – The Octopus Project
Going back a few years for this one to one of The Octopus Project’s earliest records. This is back when almost all of their tunes were strictly instrumentals. This song is a real treat to see performed live. It’s also a really good driving song. It has been fun to watch this band grow. Pretty much everything they do is DIY, and they have made a pretty natural move to working on film soundtracks. Watching Yvonne Lambert play the Theremin live is highly recommended if you ever get the chance. Another thing about this track that I always liked is that the bassline reminds me of something Peter Hook would lay down.
7) ‘Unlimited Capacity For Love’ – Grace Jones
I knew I wanted to include this song, but it was the hardest one to find the right place for. I finally decided this was the best spot, drafting off of the electronic sounds from The Octopus Project. Admittedly, I was rather late to the Grace Jones party, but I’m really glad that I decided to join in. As a kid, frankly, she scared the crap out of me, mostly because of her film roles. I didn’t even take the fact that she played music seriously. It wasn’t until 5 years or so ago that I decided to pick up her “Island Life” comp after reading a glowing review of a deluxe reissue of “Nightclubbing”. I was blown away by how cool her mix of sounds was, and how great her voice actually sounded. This is from her “Living My Life” album. I really like her vocal performance here. Sure the production is straight up 80’s, but I feel like the song holds up well. Even has a rather Kraftwerk synth solo in it.
8) ‘Communion’ – Maximum Balloon (Feat. Karen O)
This track wound up on quite a few mix CDs and playlists around the time that Maximum Balloon album came out. That was a pretty cool project from Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio with some solid guest stars. The best of the bunch for me was this vocal appearance from Karen O. Very disco vibe here, which is why this follows the Grace Jones tune.
9) ‘Same’ – Bayonne
Local musician Roger Sellers released “Drastic Measures” earlier this year, and it is still pretty high in my list of top 10 albums for the year. This release is his second album under his electronic/ambient music moniker Bayonne. Both records are great in my book, but I think this latest one has more warmth than the first. I really enjoyed watching him perform these songs at his record release show. Watching him sing while playing keyboard, guitar, and drums…then looping it all into these cohesive pop songs on the fly was impressive to me. I know he’s not the only one out there doing that sort of thing, but his songs just really work well for me. Another record that is good to listen to while working. Very relaxing.
10) ‘In Tune’ – Moving Panoramas
The same day the Bayonne record was released, Moving Panoramas put out “In Two”, which currently sits atop my year-end best album list. I’ve been going on and on about this album for months now, so this pick is probably a surprise to no one. Another case where it is the second album from a local artist that, to my ears, improves upon a really great debut record. I can’t recall an album I’ve loved and listened to as much from start to finish as “In Two”. The back half, which wraps with this track, is just ridiculously good. I’m a sucker for dream pop/shoegaze, which is the band’s base sound, but then they added in some additional steel guitar on this record which sort of raises the bar that much higher for me. A Texas twist on a familiar sound. This song has a cool Cure-like guitar line that I particularly enjoy. It also has vocal harmonies from Matthew Caws from Nada Surf, which was an interesting surprise.
11) ‘Fallen’ – Midcentury
Back in February, I went to the record release show for Moving Panoramas’ new album, and the middle act on that bill was a local band I had never heard of called Midcentury. I didn’t have any expectations going into their set, but I wound up really liking what I heard. Their debut album from last year is called “Modern Nostalgia”, and that title pretty much nails their sound. They lean heavy into schmaltzy 80’s pop territory, complete with sax solos, but for me at least, they manage to produce satisfying results. They are a very good live act. The lead singer has one of the better voices in town, although this song may not be the best representation of it. Sounds a bit more droning on this one than some of the others. Not sure how this one will go over, but, hopefully some of you will enjoy it.
12) ‘Smooth Operator’ – Sade
So, this is how I go about my mixes…I like to build these little song bridges where possible. Moving Panoramas into Midcentury (who I saw open for Moving Panormas) into Sade. The connection on those last two, outside of 80’s sounding production techniques? Well, the first thing I ever heard from Midcentury was them playing a snippet of a cover of ‘Smooth Operator’ to finish their soundcheck. It sounded amazing, and it has had me revisiting a lot of Sade’s tunes and albums ever since. I purchased the Midcentury CD (no vinyl available) through Bandcamp and mentioned in the comments that I thought that snippet of ‘Smooth Operator’ sounded great. Fast forward to their recent single release show about a month ago, and, what do you know, they played the ‘Smooth Operator’ cover in full. Nothing beats the original though. What else can you really say about this song? It has held up way better than many other 80’s tunes. Still a super sexy track.
13) ‘Lady Stardust’ – David Bowie
Earlier this year, KUTX did a David Bowie tribute on a Friday around the time of his birthday. They played a lot of deep cuts, rarities, covers, favorites and weird interpretations from other countries. It was a lot of fun to listen to. One of the tracks they played was a by a group that had put the original Bowie vocal from ‘Lady Stardust’ over a reggae dub music bed. I thought it sounded fantastic, and it sent me back to listen to the original version. For a guy like Bowie, who had so many great songs, it is easy for some songs to get lost in the shuffle, even when they appear on classic albums. That was the case for me with this song. You never see ‘Lady Stardust’ on any of the numerous Bowie comps that get released, but man, what an awesome song. I’m so glad that I was pushed to rediscover it. That’s one of the things I love about music…you have discovery of the new stuff, but then you can also rediscover old stuff all the time. Bowie really goes all out with his vocal here, and, although it is more slow dance soul than funky soul, it is a bit of a precursor to the “Young Americans” period he would enter a few years later.
14) ‘Looking For My Baby’ – Laurel Aitken
Years ago I purchased a CD called “Laurel Aitken…The Pioneer Of Jamaican Music”. It had neat, retro style cover art, and referenced “Ska, Mento, R’N’B and Calypso” from the 50’s and 60’s. That was all I needed to know. It’s a really cool comp, but some of those early recordings sound pretty crude. Still, you hear a lot of soul coming thorough on most of the tracks. Aitken went on to collaborate with the Skatalites, and continued to record into the late 90’s. This track is my favorite that appeared on that original comp I bought. Kind of a spooky sounding ska number that seems like it would have worked well in some late 60’s arthouse flick.
15) ‘Baltimore’ – Nina Simone
The late 70’s was not a great period of time for Nina Simone, and, word has it that she wasn’t terribly fond of the material she recorded for the “Baltimore” album. Still, I think this is a really funky track. Her vocal is subdued, but it works with the music. I was surprised to learn that this was a Randy Newman song. Kind of a downer track lyrically to wrap things up with, but it does have a great reggae groove to it.
This track wound up on quite a few mix CDs and playlists around the time that Maximum Balloon album came out. That was a pretty cool project from Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio with some solid guest stars. The best of the bunch for me was this vocal appearance from Karen O. Very disco vibe here, which is why this follows the Grace Jones tune.
9) ‘Same’ – Bayonne
Local musician Roger Sellers released “Drastic Measures” earlier this year, and it is still pretty high in my list of top 10 albums for the year. This release is his second album under his electronic/ambient music moniker Bayonne. Both records are great in my book, but I think this latest one has more warmth than the first. I really enjoyed watching him perform these songs at his record release show. Watching him sing while playing keyboard, guitar, and drums…then looping it all into these cohesive pop songs on the fly was impressive to me. I know he’s not the only one out there doing that sort of thing, but his songs just really work well for me. Another record that is good to listen to while working. Very relaxing.
10) ‘In Tune’ – Moving Panoramas
The same day the Bayonne record was released, Moving Panoramas put out “In Two”, which currently sits atop my year-end best album list. I’ve been going on and on about this album for months now, so this pick is probably a surprise to no one. Another case where it is the second album from a local artist that, to my ears, improves upon a really great debut record. I can’t recall an album I’ve loved and listened to as much from start to finish as “In Two”. The back half, which wraps with this track, is just ridiculously good. I’m a sucker for dream pop/shoegaze, which is the band’s base sound, but then they added in some additional steel guitar on this record which sort of raises the bar that much higher for me. A Texas twist on a familiar sound. This song has a cool Cure-like guitar line that I particularly enjoy. It also has vocal harmonies from Matthew Caws from Nada Surf, which was an interesting surprise.
11) ‘Fallen’ – Midcentury
Back in February, I went to the record release show for Moving Panoramas’ new album, and the middle act on that bill was a local band I had never heard of called Midcentury. I didn’t have any expectations going into their set, but I wound up really liking what I heard. Their debut album from last year is called “Modern Nostalgia”, and that title pretty much nails their sound. They lean heavy into schmaltzy 80’s pop territory, complete with sax solos, but for me at least, they manage to produce satisfying results. They are a very good live act. The lead singer has one of the better voices in town, although this song may not be the best representation of it. Sounds a bit more droning on this one than some of the others. Not sure how this one will go over, but, hopefully some of you will enjoy it.
12) ‘Smooth Operator’ – Sade
So, this is how I go about my mixes…I like to build these little song bridges where possible. Moving Panoramas into Midcentury (who I saw open for Moving Panormas) into Sade. The connection on those last two, outside of 80’s sounding production techniques? Well, the first thing I ever heard from Midcentury was them playing a snippet of a cover of ‘Smooth Operator’ to finish their soundcheck. It sounded amazing, and it has had me revisiting a lot of Sade’s tunes and albums ever since. I purchased the Midcentury CD (no vinyl available) through Bandcamp and mentioned in the comments that I thought that snippet of ‘Smooth Operator’ sounded great. Fast forward to their recent single release show about a month ago, and, what do you know, they played the ‘Smooth Operator’ cover in full. Nothing beats the original though. What else can you really say about this song? It has held up way better than many other 80’s tunes. Still a super sexy track.
13) ‘Lady Stardust’ – David Bowie
Earlier this year, KUTX did a David Bowie tribute on a Friday around the time of his birthday. They played a lot of deep cuts, rarities, covers, favorites and weird interpretations from other countries. It was a lot of fun to listen to. One of the tracks they played was a by a group that had put the original Bowie vocal from ‘Lady Stardust’ over a reggae dub music bed. I thought it sounded fantastic, and it sent me back to listen to the original version. For a guy like Bowie, who had so many great songs, it is easy for some songs to get lost in the shuffle, even when they appear on classic albums. That was the case for me with this song. You never see ‘Lady Stardust’ on any of the numerous Bowie comps that get released, but man, what an awesome song. I’m so glad that I was pushed to rediscover it. That’s one of the things I love about music…you have discovery of the new stuff, but then you can also rediscover old stuff all the time. Bowie really goes all out with his vocal here, and, although it is more slow dance soul than funky soul, it is a bit of a precursor to the “Young Americans” period he would enter a few years later.
14) ‘Looking For My Baby’ – Laurel Aitken
Years ago I purchased a CD called “Laurel Aitken…The Pioneer Of Jamaican Music”. It had neat, retro style cover art, and referenced “Ska, Mento, R’N’B and Calypso” from the 50’s and 60’s. That was all I needed to know. It’s a really cool comp, but some of those early recordings sound pretty crude. Still, you hear a lot of soul coming thorough on most of the tracks. Aitken went on to collaborate with the Skatalites, and continued to record into the late 90’s. This track is my favorite that appeared on that original comp I bought. Kind of a spooky sounding ska number that seems like it would have worked well in some late 60’s arthouse flick.
15) ‘Baltimore’ – Nina Simone
The late 70’s was not a great period of time for Nina Simone, and, word has it that she wasn’t terribly fond of the material she recorded for the “Baltimore” album. Still, I think this is a really funky track. Her vocal is subdued, but it works with the music. I was surprised to learn that this was a Randy Newman song. Kind of a downer track lyrically to wrap things up with, but it does have a great reggae groove to it.
Aron
Well-Known Member
Thanks for posting it @Woob_woob! Do you have other backups at this point? I've got a couple of other playlists that are partially put together, but I can finish one of them off if we are flying without a net right now.
Aron
Well-Known Member
OK. You're lying. This is Diana.
And if you're not lying, holy crap. This sounds just like Diana.
Currently we are out of backups. I'll gladly accept backups from you or anyone else that wants to submit one.
Aron
Well-Known Member
@Teeeee Not her. Always thought that was one of her last hits with them, but she was already gone.
Also, just for the record, I put this together towards the end of May. I had no idea at the time that the current occupier of the White House was going to verbally insult the city of Baltimore. So, the appearance of the song 'Baltimore', which depicts hard times in that city in the 70's, is just a pure, dumb, coincidence.
.....she's waving
Who is it?
Sebastien Tellier is an artist I always really enjoy when I hear. I need to get into him more than just casually hearing him.
Stereolab is
always and forever.
Aron
Well-Known Member
Who is it?
Sebastien Tellier is an artist I always really enjoy when I hear. I need to get into him more than just casually hearing him.
Stereolab is
Jean Terrell is the vocalist on 'Stoned Love'. Another fun thing that I read, which really put my mind at ease, was that the song was supposed to be called 'Stone Love'. There was a mixup and labels were printed with the "d" on the end to make it 'Stoned Love'. I always heard her singing 'Stone Love', and could never figure out why it was called 'Stoned Love', as that title has different connotations. Apparently some radio stations at the time wouldn't play it because of the officially released title. Must have been crazy expensive, or too time consuming, to simply re-do the labels at the time.
Do you want next week or should we keep moving on down the list?
Sorry, I didn't realize it was due Monday because I have reading comprehension issues. Mine is ready, I can go next week.
Aron
Well-Known Member
Jesus, I hope my playlist didn't kill this thread. Got awful quiet this week.