#0103 – Run ’93

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Fall of 1993. I was beginning my second year at my third university, living at home, working for minimum wage at a used CD shop, driving my beat-to-hell 1984 black Ford Thunderbird. No girlfriend, my buddy Adam’s old driver’s license so I had a fake ID and I was living the high life.
This is what I was listening to on some AM station in Milwaukee back then. Maybe it was WLZR-AM?
  1. Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Iron Lion Zion” – 06:12
  2. Belly – “Feed the Tree” – 03:19
  3. Smashing Pumpkins – “Disarm” – 02:56
  4. Pearl Jam – “Rearviewmirror” – 04:34
  5. The Cranberries – “Dreams” – 04:23
  6. Radiohead – “Stop Whispering” – 05:07
  7. Pet Shop Boys – “Can You Forgive Her?” – 03:44
  8. Prince – “17 Days” – 05:14
  9. Big Country – “The One I Love” – 04:55
  10. Jellyfish – “The Ghost At Number One” – 03:25
  11. The Breeders – “Cannonball” – 03:23
  12. Dinosaur Jr. – “Start Choppin” – 05:20
  13. Tears for Fears – “Break It Down Again” – 04:11
  14. Ub40 – “Higher Ground” – 03:43
  15. Stereo MC’s – “Connected” – 04:28
  16. A Tribe Called Quest – “Electric Relaxation” – 03:11
  17. American Music Club – “Over and Done” – 03:01
  18. U2 – “The First Time” – 03:22
  19. Crowded House – “Pineapple Head” – 03:27

#0082 – Spring Broke

I know it’s about time for Spring Break, and we’re all pretty strapped for the cash. Even with that situation, I’m all good. I hope you are, too!

midget_broken_valve_spring

There’s no voiceover on this mix.  In fact, I really didn’t have a theme for this mix until it came to me.  These are just some tunes I’ve been rolling with for the past couple of weeks.  Then last night and again this morning, it became clear.  These songs are all about some state of dysfunction.  Broken people, broken promises, broken thoughts, broken dreams… pretty much everything but the last song which is so sweet but so earnest that it almost balances out the hour-plus of dystopian irony that precedes it.

Even the theme is kinda stretching it with the awesome power of Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” which would be a great anthem to start pretty much any lovely day in Spring.  Closing it out with Fleet Foxes, you’d almost never guess the theme except for the dark but catchy tunes that lay betwixt them (yes, I used “betwixt”).

Steady yourself from being hamstrung by the theme of the mix.  It’s frankly just a good mix of tunes and interesting side note: I had this mix brewing for the last month or so, but as it turns out, many of these artists are rumored to be taking the stage at Lollapalooza this year (Tool, Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, Jane’s Addiction).  That’d be pretty sweet if I called it in this mix.  Guess we’ll find out in a few months — it would be incredibly sweet to see Arcade Fire and Morrissey, but I’ve heard no rumors about either.  Still, one hopes.

I know it’s about time for Spring Break, and we’re all pretty strapped for the cash.  Even with that situation, I’m all good.  I hope you are, too!

  1. The Arcade Fire – Wake Up
  2. Morrissey – Something is Squeezing My Skull
  3. Depeche Mode – World In My Eyes
  4. Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
  5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – We Call Upon the Author
  6. Jane’s Addiction – Standing in the Shower
  7. Pearl Jam – Glorified G
  8. Ra Ra Riot – Dying is Fine
  9. David Bowie – Queen Bitch
  10. Book of Love – I Touch Roses
  11. Franz Ferdinand – Lucid Dreams
  12. Spacious Thoughts – N.A.S.A. (featuring Tom Waits and Kool Keith)
  13. Beastie Boys – Root Down
  14. Tool – Vicarious
  15. The Cramps – Garbageman
  16. I’ll Take Care of It – Sleep Out
  17. Sleep When I’m Dead – The Cure
  18. Fleet Foxes – Ragged Wood

#0048 – File under: Milko

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Aaron Oh, Milko… this is your mix. You up and quit your job without any thought to the consequences. That is such a boss move and, as Pantera might put it, a Vulgar Display O’ Power. I will take the opportunity here to make fun of you, but realize these two things: it is done out of true love and respect for you are my friend, and you are Angelo’s favorite cousin, which makes you protected in my book; and, in all seriousness, I envy the stones you got. You laid down the gauntlet. I tip my hat to you.

  1. Pearl Jam – Life Wasted
  2. Neil Diamond – Forever In Blue Jeans
  3. Liam Finn – Wise Men
  4. Gnarls Barkley – Run
  5. Kanye West – Spaceship
  6. Rob Thomas – Lonely No More
  7. Phil Collins – I Don’t Care Anymore
  8. Billy Joel – Baby Grand
  9. Lupe Fiasco – Gotta Eat
  10. Cake – Opera Singer
  11. Shakespear’s Sister – I Don’t Care
  12. RJD2 – Ghostwriter
  13. Zeke – Downpayment Blues
  14. System of a Down – F**k the System

#0029 – File under: 2007

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The last mix of 2007 goes out as this podcast began — no interruptions, no interludes and no explanations. You get a solid two-hour mix of the best music that came out this year.

And what made it the best? You told me it was the best. Your emails, IMs, replies on Pownce, phone calls and conversations in passing. There are a couple of additions based on personal picks. Overall though, this is a mix I hope you’ll enjoy into the next year.

  1. Earth Intruders (Extended Mark) [Spike] [Stent Mix] – Bjork
  2. The Robots (Die Roboter) – Bacalao
  3. Don’t Go – Starting Rock
  4. Flashing Lights – Kanye West
  5. Boyz – M.I.A.
  6. D.A.N.C.E. – Justice
  7. The Salmon Dance – Chemical Brothers
  8. Rehab – Amy Winehouse
  9. Proper Education – Eric Prydz
  10. Up All Night – El-P
  11. Sunday Bloody Sunday – Saul Williams
  12. Iron Bars – Stephen Marley
  13. Down at McDonaldz – Electric Six
  14. Lazy Eye (Jason Bentley Remix) – Silversun Pickups
  15. You Got It All… Wrong – The Hives
  16. Through the Fire and Flames – Dragonforce
  17. Bodysnatchers – Radiohead
  18. The General Specific – Band of Horses
  19. All the Old Showstoppers – The New Pornographers
  20. Turn Me Around – Mavis Staples
  21. Keep the Car Running – Arcade Fire
  22. The Underdog – Spoon
  23. Young Folks – Peter Bjorn and John
  24. Ruby – Kaiser Chiefs
  25. Rollin’ – The High Llamas
  26. New Shoes – Paolo Nutini
  27. Love, Reign O’er Me – Pearl Jam
  28. Cocobelle – Moonbabies
  29. Pour le Monde – Crowded House
  30. Either Way – Wilco

*bonus: Same Old Lang Syne – Dan Fogelberg (in rememberence….)

#0027 – File under: Generation Xmas

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Happy Holiday Season to you, regardless of your affinity or affiliation.  This mix contains holiday-themed tunes by MXPX, The Ramones, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Elvis Presley, Barenaked Ladies, Nerf Herder, The Eels, South Park, Clarence Carter, Otis Redding, MC Chris, Run-DMC, Bing Crosby, Fall Out Boy, No Doubt, The Walkmen, Dylan Thomas, David Bowie, The Pogues and Wham!

#0018 – File under: Breakup

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This week’s mix comes from a tender spot as two longtime friends seem to be drifting apart and my heart and thoughts go out to both of them. I think they could use a good cry, so if they’re listening, I hope this brings them to the same table so they can work out what’s going down. And since I’m feeling all emo, I’ll share some favorite cry-it-out tunes from O.A.R., Jude Cole, Indigo Girls, Genesis, Hüsker Du, Pearl Jam, Coldplay, Crowded House, Del Amitri, Thomas Dolby, The Verve, Aimee Mann, Imogen Heap and Elliott Smith. Listen and make sure you give (and get) a hug.

#0006 – File under: Domesticity

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We’re back to being connected, so you get a dose of easy like Sunday morning with some help from The Aquabats, Cornershop, Beatfanatic and Thievery Corporation, David Byrne, Jamiroquai, the Red Elvises, Fine Young Cannibals, The Smiths, The Finn Brothers, Van Morrison, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gordon Lightfoot, The Replacements, Pearl Jam and Three Dog Night. Enjoy that second cup of coffee, kids.

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