The 10 Track Mixtape Thread (Song Lists Without Links Will Be Deleted)

[cardboard adolescent]

Probably not as good as my original version, but whatever:

Playlist

1. Polvo - Thermal Treasure

This song is unlike anything I have ever heard. The first time I listened to it, I remember being completely blown away. It's a song that generates very divided opinions, about half my friends love it, the other half hate it. Personally, I have listened to it and the rest of the album so many times since I got it that it's nothing short of a miracle that I'm not bored of it yet. Why is it that some songs after listening to you get bored from after a week and others you can listen to for the rest of your life and never stop being captivated by? I'd say it has something to do with predictability. Thermal Treasure sounds unlike anything I've ever heard before. The chords and notes being played have never before been heard by human ears. Even when you know every single one by heart, each is still unique and surprising. And it sounds great--weird, but great.

2. My Bloody Valentine - I Only Said

Possibly the greatest pop song ever written--except it's not really a pop song, seeing as how it's covered in sheets of distortion and feedback. From the delicate beauty of the melody to the dreamy, hypnotic vocals, this song comes as close to perfect as anything I've ever heard. It might not hit you the first time you listen to it. However, in the context of the album (Loveless), it probably will stand out. By the third listen or so, however, this had grown on me so much to the point where I consider it to be nothing short of angelic.

3. The Doors - Hyacinth House

I don't really see how anyone could not love this song. Put simply, it's beautiful.

4. Thinking Fellers Union Local #282 - Flames Up / Cup of Dreams

Flames Up is the sort of song that you might listen to once and not really notice, and then when you're being a bit more attentative the second listen will completely blow your mind. It's an instrumental, and it showcases everything that is great about the Thinking Fellers. From the very onset you're a bit confused as to what it is you're listening to. Violin, drums and bass. No musical genre quite describes what the hell this is. Then, when the guitar really kicks in you're left reeling as it suddenly turns into a surf song, of all things. But it is still unlike anything else resembling surf music. Seriously, they make Agent Orange seem derivative. Fierce eclecticism? Check. Mindblowlingly original? Check. Awesome? You ****ing know it.

And then there's Cup of Dreams, which presents beauty in juxtaposition, an eerie sort of beauty that perhaps appeals only to the few.

Let's soak our toes in champagne,
let's dance on a lonely street
Let's kick up a cloud of dust and
shake our heads to a fancy beat
Let's squish the life out of everything
and cheer through a swanky ghost
Let's bathe in a cup of dreams
and share in a saucy toast

Is that nonsense? Forboding? Amusing? Or simply pretty words to go with a pretty melody?
Who knows, who cares, it works.

5. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Frownland

I don't think anything can prepare you for Trout Mask Replica. When you listen to it for the first time, this is the first song you'll hear, and you won't know what the hell to think. The drums and guitar play in sync for about twelve seconds, albeit in different time signatures, and then they're completely detached. The guitarist is just furiously plucking strings and the drummer starts banging everything he can find in front of him. And the Captain? His singing is all over the place. Apparently they recorded the whole thing with him singing to the studio reverbations instead of using headphones, which caused everything to be off. As far as I'm concerned, it would have been more or less impossible to sing to the music because it was all over the place. You might not appreciate this song right away. But listen to it again. Be open-minded. If you're like me, it will grow on you. Some say that this is free jazz played by rock instruments. I think not even Coltrane would know what the hell to do with it.

6. Big Black - Kerosene

This song, to put it bluntly, is ****ing awesome. The music is a clear demonstration of what you can do with just a guitar, bass, and drum machine. Like PiL, it focuses only on the extremes, get the bass doing the low frequencies and have the guitar tearing up the high screeching frequencies. If I had been around in 1980, this would have sounded pretty goddamn revolutionary, the closest thing probably being Throbbing Gristle. The music, with the lyrics, builds up throughout the song and finally climaxes at the end. So that's half of it. Then there's the lyrics themselves. They tell the dark tale of small-town life, and the frustration and bleak despair that go with it. As the frustration with existence builds up and up, it finally culminates to a fiery finish. Self-immolation. Cold, mechanical, disturbing, noisy, abrasive--these are all adjectives that can be applied. Wonderful.

7. Slint - Good Morning Captain

It's pretty easy to see why someone would love this song. The whole thing builds up like "Kerosene" for seven minutes until coming to perhaps the most powerful closing I have ever heard.

8. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing

This song always reminded me of Poe, for some reason. I'm not sure where the connection came from, but I always imagined that the house being referenced was the same as in the House of Usher. And as far as this album goes, it is very reminescent of Poe. It's just as dark and troubling, and just as challenging. Like Poe's short stories, the entire album works to generate a singularity of tone, and this song is the centerpiece. It's eerie and somewhat frightening; it sounds like a low-key Bauhaus song that's been chewed up and regurgitated. This is true gothic music, this isn't creeps wearing bondage, this is the soundtrack to Poe's nightmares.

9. Ornette Coleman - Lonely Woman

When I was trying to get into jazz, the second album I downloaded was Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz To Come. The first was Ascension by Coltrane, and I didn't like it too much. When I put on Shape of Jazz To Come, on the other hand, this was the first song I heard and I had already fallen in love. The melody is beautiful and the rhythm section is absolutely great, and even when it goes into free improv it stays captivating and non-abrasive. To put it simply, this is the song that got me into jazz. And it's probably still my favorite jazz song.

10. Husker Du - Chartered Trips

Last time I did this, I wrote up a whole diatribe about emo and how this was more emotional than any emo song I had ever heard and reasons supporting it, but I'm too lazy and apathetic to do that again, so just imagine I told you all about why this is one of the most emotionally powerful songs you'll ever hear and go listen to it.

[Sparky]

hmm interesting list cardboard, downloading now.

[sleepy jack]

Urban:

1. Hawkwind - You Shouldn't Do That
What band DOESNT piss over Zeppelin from a great height? This does sound like perfect car chase music, its not really my thing. I like how it sounds, its like idontknow I can't explain it but it fits to like an old 70s action movie? Thats what it reminds me of anyway.

2. The Fall - Reformation
First fall song i've ever heard, here we go. This reminds me of Wiree, which I kind of expected. The music is kind of addictive, the bass part especially.

3. Stereolab - Ping Pong
The vocals sort of reminded me of Nico, but good this song is fun. My favorite so far.

4. Frank Zappa - Willie The Pimp
I don't really like Zappa but that some srrs shredding.

5. Nation Of Ulysses - Spectra Sonic Sound
=)))

6. Sister Vanilla - Jamcolas
This is a pretty fun song, its good.

7. Los Campesinos - You Throw Parties, We Throw Knives
Its your party ill die if I want to, haha. I love this song its really really fun.

8. Graham Coxon - That's When I Reach For My Revolver
This song kind of reminds me of the Clash, its good.

9. The Birthday Party - Mr Clarinet
Its alright, not my thing I don't like the vocals.

10. Sly & The Family Stone - Stand
Its defiantly uplifting, not my thing either though.



I'll try and do the others tonight/tomorrow.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by Crowquill

Urban:

9. The Birthday Party - Mr Clarinet
Its alright, not my thing I don't like the vocals.



I'll try and do the others tonight/tomorrow.

Nick Caves vocals pwn =0

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

Yeah but to be fair this was before he could sing

[Sparky]

^i thought he sounded okay on tracks like "nick the stripper" and "sonnys burning"

but on the live stuff i have, yeah i can see what you and ethan are saying.

[cardboard adolescent]

His vocals were better before he could sing.

[cardboard adolescent]

I figured I'd try doing one with songs you guys were less likely to have heard:

Playlist: hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=9NKQ35DX

1. The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name

As soon as it starts you know that this amphetamine-fueled screechfest isn't your typical Velvet Underground song. When the actual lyrics start, it reverts to a song back in the White Light vein, but then fuck! Lou Reed feels his mind split open and the guitar goes WILD! The rhythm section drives along as the guitar screams like a wounded animal pumping pain and pleasure into our brain. Then back to more traditional section, even some catchy back-up vocals... MIND SPLIT OPEN OH SHIT NOISE SOLO NOISE SOLO screech screech dddooodoloodoo some slight changes in the rhythm section as the guitar keeps going at it for about two minutes and there you have it. Next on the album is Sister Ray, which is, in its own way, beautiful, and that represents Side B of White Light/White Heat. Where the hell could they go from there? The second half of their second album was basically the most abrasive thing ever to be unleashed unto audiences up to that point. I refuse to listen to their next two albums because there's no way they could possibly top it, and it would just dissapoint.

2. The Mekons - Like Spoons No More / Where Were You

Jagged and fracture guitar line, driving rhythm, Wire-esque refrain... basically what we have in Like Spoons No More are the makings for a perfect post-punk song. And it is. It ranks up there with the best of Wire, The Fall, Gang of Four etc. Short and sweet, it'll give you your fix. Where Were You is only really included as a reference for the next song, but it's still an absolutely amazing song. That you should listen to again and again and love.

3. Boredoms - 7 (Boriginal)

So how does this song relate to Where Were You by The Mekons? Well, it's a cover! That's right, a twenty-one minute cover of a song that's barely two and a half minutes. And by a notorious noise-rock band, no less. So what are you to expect? A twenty-minute punk epic? Hardly. This is deconstructionism at its finest, this is tearing apart a song verse by verse and turning it into a swirling, noisy, and half-insane krautrock opus. Only the Japanese could pull off something this crazy this well.

4. Railroad Jerk - Bang the Drum

Minimalist bass, drum, and guitar, half-spoken vocals, heavy blues and garage influences... No, it's not the White Stripes, it's better. It's Railroad Jerk, and they're not some lame rip-off band this shit was recorded in 95. Seriously, this is a great song that beats anything I've heard from the Stripes though they're probably the easiest point of comparison. Also think: slightly less noisy version of Jon Spencer.

5. The Ex - Enough is Enough

Noisy, dark, harsh, bleak in terms of music and lyrics. In my opinion, it gets really good when the violin kicks in full force. But a great, interesting listen throughout. Typical of The Ex.

6. This Heat - SPQR

If, while you're listening to this, you think to yourself Hmmm... this sounds like something a bunch of British guys would record in an abandoned meat locker with crappy recording tools, I'd accuse you of being a psychic, because you'd be absolutely right. Recorded in 1981, this has to be commended for sounding like nothing else at the time. And I'm having some trouble thinking of anything since to compare this to. The guitar is minimalist to an extreme, switching between strumming the shit out of two chords, and the song is mostly pulled along by the drums and the vocals. And what the hell about the lyrics?

Amo amas amat amamis amatis amant
We are all romans unconscious collective
We are all romans we live to regret it
We are all romans and we know all
About straight roads
Every straight road leads home,
Home to rome
2 + 2 = 4
4 + 4 = 8
We organise via property as power
Slavehood and freedom imperial purple
Pax romana!
Suckled by a she wolf,
We turn against our brother
Bella bella bella bellorum bellis bellis
Veni vidi vici I came I saw I conquered

You tell me what that means, because I have no idea. But it's pretty creepy. I guess those are the kinds of thoughts that go through your head in an abandoned meat locker.

7. Crass - Bata Motel

This is the greatest pissed-off feminist song I've ever heard. I mean, I tend to stay away from pissed off feminist music after I listened to L7, but seriously, this is pretty fucking awesome. The vocal delivery is absolutely delightful, and the screeching guitar and quick drums make this a lot of fun to listen to. And the lyrics are really fuckinging clever. And usually I don't like clever, because it tends to be stupid. But this is good clever. Seriously. Good shit.

8. AMM - Musette

I'm not really sure where to start with this song. Some might argue that this isn't really music, but then, what the fuck do they know? For me, listening to this is an experience. Because you're not hearing any of the traditional sounds you associate with "music" your mind struggles to find something to latch on to. But you're probably listening to it too closely. If you let it slip into your subconcious, as background noise, I find it becomes a sort of soundscape, forming images and feelings in your mind much less concrete than normal "music." And that's probably one of the more pretentious things I've ever written, but this is pretty pretentious music, so there you go.

9. John Fahey - Blind Joe Death, Pt. 1

Like Nick Drake without the vocals and better. Folk guitar++
It's part one of the album because my download is a recording off LP, and thus is just four tracks each consisting of several songs instead of however many tracks there should be. Sorry.

10. The Red Krayola - Save the House

This was recorded one year before Trout Mask Replica blew minds all over the world (probably not) but it approaches the same level of fucked-up-ness. This is a slightly restrained Beefheart, but just as enjoyable and odd. Listen to it once, and bask in its weird glory. Then listen to it again and pretend the piano is an electric guitar, and the vocals are being yelled. And there's the first punk song ever, congratulations.

[Merkaba]

I'm downloading Urbans, then I'll probably hit up CA's second one because I want to hear some Railroad Jerk and I'm intringed by This Heat. Right-track, your link isn't working for me, no matter, I'll track down as many of the songs as I can individually.

1. Yawning Man - Split Tooth Thunder

Reminds me of Riders on the Storm by the Doors, you know, that 'horse ride across the arabian sands' kind of imagery imagery. It's certainly a little faster than RotS, but this is because the horsies are galloping. The instruments are clean i.e no distortion, and the guitar has this echoing fade about it, as if it's twanging off in several different directions. Their entire album is quite beautiful like this.

2. Sleep - The Druid

Probably one of my favourite pieces of metal ever. It's mainly instrumental, though there are a few lines in there at the start. Mainly what I love about this is the sheer jam it has going for it. It starts off with a rather sinister riff, the bass then starts coming from one end of the railway track and guitar thunders from the other. The drums egging both freight trains on. Then it all goes quiet, a skittish bass line pops up and Sleep takes off in a whole different direction. As far as music and metal goes, this is awesome, I love it very much.

3. Human Instinct - Stoned Guitar

Another instrumental, played by a New Zealand 70's band. The start is creepy, then playful, then downright classy. I'd advise a low volume on your speakers while the guitar self rights itself at the start however, not that it ever gets any quieter at any other stage! After the long but unforced intro, H-I break into an awesome jam. I'm quite proud of this band, they were probably high on something at the time but hey, it's a Hendrix toned good going romp, sit back and enjoy the ride.

4. Kyuss - 50 Million Year Trip

Another classy jam. More a journey than a song. When I listen to this I think I'm on some outback highway in America on a harley, the stars are out and I'm going at speed. Then at about 3 minutes into the song everything changes tack. It's pegged back a notch and it's layed you down on something comfortable and your clearing off up into the night sky full of puffy white clouds, you're comfortably numb.

5. Place of Skulls - Lookin' For A Reason

This song sounds like something Metallica had constructed a couple of times before. It's a heavy metal song (Black Sabbath like) in essencse and I didn't really pay mind to it much until I heard their guitarist wailing away for about 2 minutes, it was an awesome piece. The band goes quiet and lets the 6-string take the limelight, it's very much a Kirk Hammet moment but it's no wankery, it's playing to the music that is this track, and it makes a not overly special song very cool indeed.

6. Sgt. Sunshine - Vega

A band of today, these guys are just like Colour Haze in terms of genre, even Yawning Man in some respects. Awesome jamming qualities with that slightly distorted fuzz sound, Vega is 7 minutes in length and is a progressive space jam with many choice sounds happening throughout. It is nothing new in terms of sound, but it is still awesomely creative. It opens it's doors and welcomes you in, then about 4 minutes later it springs into life. Throughout the 7 minutes several different jams will operate, each one is awesome, you tend to forget what was happening 2 minutes ago but then as soon as you begin to have a think about it a different jam will derail your train of thought and bring you back to what's happening now.

7. Tool - Merkaba

Nigh on 10 minutes of ambience and haunting sound effects, goddamn windchimes creeping up behind you and oddly gripping drums leading you into the jaws of an elusive hunter, like some horror movie. The odd piano key comes in and jabs at you with that well known horror movie style beat too. It's all awesome, but what I really love about this is the climax it builds. Wait until you hear the mystical ramblings along the lines of "our body is light" at about 5 minutes, thats where your climb up the mountain begins. From there it's a great ride. Tool performed this track live, and it was put on their box set disc, Salival, I've never heard anything like it before, still love it.

8. Boris - Pseudo Bread

Holy shit. I said that the first time I heard this. Holy shit, thats what I still say now. These 3(?) Japs blow the arse off of almost everyone when it comes to noise. Boris have got a few sounds going for them, one is the sound thats heavier than a tablespoon of Black-Hole space matter, another is this one here. Pseudo Bread is intense and quick. The vocals are clean but they climb when the band climbs, it's like Boris are working as some sort of sick sound unit but at the same time they're trying to out do each other. This gave my ears blisters. It's a terrifying piece of screeching guitar and thundering everything else.

9. Fatso Jetson - Pleasure Bent

A welcome song after that bloody Boris, I bet?
I like these guys a lot, they go about their work with energy and they've definitely got that "I love my job" vibe about them. Pleasure Bent is an awesome sunny Saturday afternoon, have your mates over for a barbecue and chill out with a cold beer. In fact most of their songs do that for me, but this is the one I picked.

10. Colour Haze - Ozean

Probably one of the greatest European bands of their time, that is, of today. These guys are amazing in pretty much every facet of their work, and most of their compositions come under the 'beautifully crafted' category. I thought I'd finish my 10 the same way I started, with a song relaxed and harmonious in it's approach and rather wavey in it's sound. Colour Haze usually have lyrics, and usually get a sweet jam going, but Ozean is different. It's most definitely an eye-shutter that politely asks to wash over you. A very rewarding song when you don't try to pull it to pieces.

I'll chuck a link up when I can.

[MURDER JUNKIE]

Originally Posted by right-track

I'd liked to have seen Urbans/adidasss's/Big3's/Merk's/MJ's/swims/mikey's ...all the regulars.
This has the chance to run and run, with an unlimited collection of 10 choices, uploaded and complete with a written background as to the reason for choosing them.
I've saved the previous 10's to separate playlists on my media player and read what the others have written while listening and it gave me more of an idea to that persons tastes than any post ever could.
There's been a few pleasant surprises among some of those tracks I've heard, enough to make me want to follow up and hear more from that artist.

Get to work you lazy bastards!

All right, I'll try to put something together