#10 Jays Christmas present

[Jay]

well due to popular demand or Trav asking me as it's otherwise known I have uploaded another mix!!

Might be a few things that people have already heard but I thought what the hell and just tried to make a good listen for people.

It is mainly Guitars I am afraid James but you might fins a couple of songs you like

I have tried to do something totally different to my last couple of mixes this one has been given the title...

No Electronics, No Hip Hop and at least ONE song Mark will like

so here it...is

The Tracklist is...

1 Editors - Smokers outside the Hospital Doors

Not a massive fan of Editors but I love this particular song

2 Born Ruffians - Humming Bird

A little bit quirky, a little bit weird but I love it!!!

3 The Helio Sequence - Keep your eyes ahead

one of the new generation of Sub Pop Bands a little bit psychedelic with a good chorus and a good tune

4 Sugar - Your favorite thing

American alternative music would be very very different if Husker Du and Bob Mould never existed this is a tune from his band Sugar

5 The Weakerthans - Civil Twilight

Now I KNOW Mark will like this one!!

6 The Uglysuit - Chicago

Some random American band I downloaded from emusic totally unoffensive but has a good tune

7 The Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman

The Soft Bulletin was a new perfect album as far as I am concerned and this is a brilliant song from the album

8 Manchester Orchestra - Wolves at Night

Can't remember if I put this on my very first mix or not but stuck it on anyway

9 Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

I am just starting to listen to these a little bit quirky American indie music

10 TV on the Radio - Family Tree

I thought this album was crap when I first listened to it now I think it's amazing!!!

11 Q and Not U - And the Washington Monument

Dischord Records band again a bit weird multi layered noise really with a bit of a tune I like it anyway!!!

12 The French - The Stars, The Moon, The Sun and the Clouds

for The benefit of The People Hero as he might well be the only one that likes this!! a bit lo fi, a bit quirky but with a great chorus

13 Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

it's all about the vocal harmonies and I just love this song.

14 Bon Iver - Skinny Love

a great album from 2008 as raw and natural as it is possible to get without playing the songs yourself but some great great songs and this is one of them.

15 The Beat Band - Needles in my eyes

On the First 3eps The Beta band showed signs that they had a really amazing record on the way I don't think they ever reached their potential but I just love this song.

16 Fink - Little Blue Mailbox

I just love the last Fink album it's just a perfect down tempo chilled out album with a bit of a edge.

17 John Matthias - Stockwell Road

From the same side of the road as Fink downtempo just a great great song a a good last song

[Trav Le Bleu]

well due to popular demand or Trav asking me as it's otherwise known I have uploaded another mix!!

Might be a few things that people have already heard

I am both popular AND demanding!

And yes, some stuff I've heard - but from the stuff I know it's all top notch! (Waiting for Superman is one of my favourite Flaming Lips tunes, just got the Okkervill River album of eMusic and is impressed, plus Sugar, Bon Iver and my personal favourite band of the year Fleet Foxes - I'm amazed that they are no ones "Album of the Year", at least not in any music mags I checked.)

[Daggers]

Sugar

[Jay]

I am both popular AND demanding!

And yes, some stuff I've heard - but from the stuff I know it's all top notch! (Waiting for Superman is one of my favourite Flaming Lips tunes, just got the Okkervill River album of eMusic and is impressed, plus Sugar, Bon Iver and my personal favourite band of the year Fleet Foxes - I'm amazed that they are no ones "Album of the Year", at least not in any music mags I checked.)

maybe you should change mags then because in Mojo Magazine Fleet Foxes was album of the year and Bon Iver was number 4 I hope you have a listen to this and let me know about some of the stuff you haven't heard seems like you may well the only one who is interested and maybe Daggers by the looks of it

Sugar

Bob Mould is a genius so important and so overlooked imo in terms of American alternative music some of Husker Dus songs were amazing in particular don't want to know if you are lonely and could you be the one

[Trav Le Bleu]

One of the greatest albums ever!

[Daggers]

One of the greatest albums ever!

Prefer this

[Trav Le Bleu]

Prefer this

Now you see I have Beaster too, but don't like it half as much. Then I found out something interesting. Beaster is basically the songs that Bob Mould left off Copper Blue. Fact!

[AoWW]

Ok, so I'm finally getting round to doing some reviews.

1 Editors - Smokers outside the Hospital Doors

Never got into the Editors really. Nothing offensive about this song – just didn’t do anything to grab my attention.

2 Born Ruffians - Humming Bird

Ooh, bizarre... makes me want to start being irritating with some chopsticks. Like it though.

3 The Helio Sequence - Keep your eyes ahead

S’ok – promising start but I then kinda lost interest. Perhaps I’m just not focussed enough to be doing this reviewing today – if that proves to be the case... apologies, Jay. Reminds me of one of those well-known 80s bands – but quite which one is eluding me!

4 Sugar - Your favorite thing

Hmmm – better. I quite like. Maybe... perhaps.

5 The Weakerthans - Civil Twilight

Lost on me, I’m afraid.

6 The Uglysuit - Chicago

Nothing too wrong with it, I guess. But seems scarily middle of the road.

7 The Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman

Now this is more like it. Depth but with rawness and a certain fragility.

8 Manchester Orchestra - Wolves at Night

Angst-y. Again, I’m left feeling I’ve missed the point.

9 Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

I actually really like this on first listen. Has a real sense of pace and drive. Potential to irritate me a little after a while, but for now I’ll hang on to it and hope that the love doesn’t turn to hate.

10 TV on the Radio - Family Tree

Very mellow and floaty. I could happily fall asleep to this (in a good way!). Me likes.

11 Q and Not U - And the Washington Monument

Eclectic, jumbled. Slightly unconvinced whether it works but will merit another listen for interest’s sake if nothing else.

12 The French - The Stars, The Moon, The Sun and the Clouds

Ahhh, The French. TPH and I are probably the only ones on here who appreciate a bit of Hefner. Bless him, he’s tried to switch me onto The French before. This is pretty much what I’d expect... I like this... and the whole ‘sky’ sentiment appeals.

13 Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

I’ve (as I suspected from the start with this band) come to the conclusion that I really can’t stand them. Everyone told me I’d love them.... I bought the album... I listened and tried to find whatever I was missing... I listened again... saccharine, I though... but persevered... I tried when I was in a happier mood... still made me want to puke... I flung the CD case across the room and felt a little better... I gave the album away and felt cleansed. This hasn’t convinced me I was wrong to do so.

14 Bon Iver - Skinny Love

Niceeeeeeeeee.

15 The Beat Band - Needles in my eyes

Interesting... lovely. Never heard of them before.

16 Fink - Little Blue Mailbox

Chilled out. This is far more my style than some of the earlier stuff on the mix. I’ll be investigating ‘Fink’ in more detail.

17 John Matthias - Stockwell Road

Mellow, horizontally laid-back , raw – perhaps, dare I say it, a little dull.

To be honest, I was probably not in the best mood to be doing this review and giving it my full attention. A few gems though - many tracks that just passed me by but that might have had more impact on another day - and a few that were never gonna float my boat. An interesting mix though, Jay, and well put together as always.

[Jay]

Review...

Thanks for the review I have always said from these things that if you can take away 2 or 3 things that you will look into further then it's job done and it looks like it's job done on this one.

I try to make these mixes flow and sometimes you have put tracks in that you are not sure about

It should be The Beta Band by the way i missed off the A so you might have heard of them

The Beta Band split up years ago Steve Mason the lead singer now has an electo solo project called Black Affair which sounds more 80's than you could ever imagine but I kind of like it though.

[The People's Hero]

I'm only just downloading this (for the second time) but I reckon I'll love it.

I love the Weakerthans, the French, the Beta Band and the Flaming Lips.

One of my mates was raving about the Helio Sequence (who I'd never heard of but have now seen reference to about four times in the past few weeks - are they new?) in the pub a few nights ago - so I'm looking frowards to giving that a listen.

Oh and on the topic of the Black Affair stuff - I've heard bits and pieces and some of it is really good. Has anyone managed to get hold of an album? I've just got the odd mp3 track or possibly just heard it somewhere (myspace) - I'm not sure.

I've anyone can upload some Black Affair stuff, I'd be all over that.

[James.]

I'm only just downloading this (for the second time) but I reckon I'll love it.

I love the Weakerthans, the French, the Beta Band and the Flaming Lips.

One of my mates was raving about the Helio Sequence (who I'd never heard of but have now seen reference to about four times in the past few weeks - are they new?) in the pub a few nights ago - so I'm looking frowards to giving that a listen.

Oh and on the topic of the Black Affair stuff - I've heard bits and pieces and some of it is really good. Has anyone managed to get hold of an album? I've just got the odd mp3 track or possibly just heard it somewhere (myspace) - I'm not sure.

I've anyone can upload some Black Affair stuff, I'd be all over that.

If you like Beta Band try Brothers in Sound - Family is for Sharing. I reckon it'll be right up your tree.

[The People's Hero]

If you like Beta Band try Brothers in Sound - Family is for Sharing. I reckon it'll be right up your tree.

Right you are boss. I'll hunt some down.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Now I know you meant The Beta Band then there's yet another band I was familiar with - they also do great videos!

Nuuuuurse!!

[Jay]

I'm only just downloading this (for the second time) but I reckon I'll love it.

I love the Weakerthans, the French, the Beta Band and the Flaming Lips.

One of my mates was raving about the Helio Sequence (who I'd never heard of but have now seen reference to about four times in the past few weeks - are they new?) in the pub a few nights ago - so I'm looking frowards to giving that a listen.

Oh and on the topic of the Black Affair stuff - I've heard bits and pieces and some of it is really good. Has anyone managed to get hold of an album? I've just got the odd mp3 track or possibly just heard it somewhere (myspace) - I'm not sure.

I've anyone can upload some Black Affair stuff, I'd be all over that.

you should know really but I do have a copy of the Black Affair Album will see what I can do

[The People's Hero]

I've just read up on the Helio Sequence - they're not even new.. bizarre to have suddenly had a few people mention them to me, when I'd not heard of them in all the years they've been going.

[Trav Le Bleu]

I shall review this before the weekend - the fact that I have quite a few of the tracks already has probably thrown me but still it cannot be denied, I have been remiss!

[Trav Le Bleu]

Listening to this just now and enjoying lots first time round

[Trav Le Bleu]

Finally, the review...

Actually, I've listened to this lots, thanks Jay.

1 Editors - Smokers outside the Hospital Doors

I quite like the Editors, I got their first album, but this song is good without really moving on from what came before. I find it worringly mainstream leaning.

2 Born Ruffians - Humming Bird

I don't get these "lads down the pub" bands. I use that phrase cos that's what it sound like, just some mates messing at being a band in their local.

3 The Helio Sequence - Keep your eyes ahead

I LOVE THIS! It's got very early Cure-like guitars. In fact it reminds me of that whole early 80's psycho-goth thing that was The Cure, Psychodelic Furs, Killing Joke. Great stuff... moar pls!

4 Sugar - Your favorite thing

I know Sugar already, though I've never had this one. It seems I need some more Sugar daddy! (You see what I did there? )

5 The Weakerthans - Civil Twilight

A lovely piece of American that puts me in mind of Grandaddy. Yet another band that needs checking out... where's my Emusic saved list?

6 The Uglysuit - Chicago

Some random American band I downloaded from emusic totally unoffensive (What Jay said, but can't see me looking these guys up.)

7 The Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman

My favourite track from one of my favourite albums!

8 Manchester Orchestra - Wolves at Night

This is okay, it might even be good. I think I need to hear more to decide, but not sure I can (what with so much other stuff to chase up already)

9 Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

I got this off Emusic just before you posted this mix - great song. If you like Fleet Foxes, Midlake, Lambchop, then you'll like this - I did!

10 TV on the Radio - Family Tree

This is a real grower. I love the orchestral arrangement on this.

11 Q and Not U - And the Washington Monument

This is another I'm not sure of. I used to listn to a lot of stuff like this when I was younger, really dischordant stuff. Jury's out.

12 The French - The Stars, The Moon, The Sun and the Clouds

Nice and smooth, it's almost down and dirty! Another grower!

13 Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

Yes it is all about the harmonies (and so much better live!) Beautiful - but I knew that already!

14 Bon Iver - Skinny Love

Yet another beautiful song that I was already familiar with.

15 The Beat Band - Needles in my eyes

Beta Band are (were?) awesome - wish I'd seen them live. I don't have this, but my bro does and I've heard it there.

16 Fink - Little Blue Mailbox

I like the change of tempo at the end and the outro - nice!

17 John Matthias - Stockwell Road

When I came across this I though "Oh no! Not a road song!" For some reason songs about roads seem to be especially cloyingly nostalgic or twee. I had listened to it a few times before I realised it's about the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. Not a bad little tune.

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In all one of my favourite mixes yet! Thanks Jay and sorry it took so long to review!