June 2011 Mixtape: Take On Me Vol. 2

I haven't heard from too many people about my mixtapes, or more specifically the mixtape I made back in September of last year. It was my imaginary soundtrack to the first Take On Me manga. It's a really, REALLY DIRTY manga about the sexual relationship between two young adults, one of which is a very sheepish young man while the other is a very tall, very quiet young lady. The young lady is very dominant and their relationship is predominantly sexual, with her in control of pretty much every decision made. While this might sound like the fantasy of many men, in reality much of the story is about the young man, Tomonari, being in shock and not knowing how to react, all the while not wanting to stop having no clue what to do, and it becomes more and more complicated as friends are tossed around like sex toys and they have similar reactions. As dirty as everything is, you can't just call this pornography because there is a story and you start to care about the characters and their plights, so I was thoroughly pleased to find there was a second volume written, although I had no idea where else they could take the story. I guess that was a positive for the creators also as the story became weirder, dirtier and more emotional, actually dealing with love for the young lady, Hikaru, and her trying to find if she can have both the sex and the love she desires. It's terribly complicated, but it's also well written and will stick with you. I'm not providing links because I'm sure you can purchase copies of each volume if you look around, not to mention I'm sure you'll find rips if you look for those too. That said, I thought it would be cool to make another imaginary soundtrack for the second volume, so here it is with a track by track breakdown what it's for. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!


The Unheard Music - June 2011 Mixtape: Take On Me Vol. 2

01 Jenny and Johnny - While Men Are Dreaming
A morning meeting with Hikaru and her sister Kai is interrupted by a man attacking a young woman, to which Hikaru reacts and not knocks the man out. The young woman comes over to thank Hikaru, only to reveal that the young woman is really Tomonari/Tsuda in drag, running from his twin cousins.

02 School Of Seven Bells - Limb By Limb
Enatsu, Hikaru's rival, attacks her after she has passed out, taking advantage of her violently, although is completely backfires as Hikaru is delirious and thinks it's Tomonari/Tsuda trying to please her.

03 Elton Motello - Jet Boy Jet Girl
The theme song for the perverted twin cousins, this is first heard when Kai wakes up to find them making breakfast and screwing. They're crossdressing boys who love girls and love looking like girls. They're very kinky and have no problem pleasing each other if no one else is around to please them.

04 The Rapture - I Need Your Love
Hikaru wanders in a daze, craving Tomonari/Tsuda but not knowing how to handle her feelings for him, all before passing out.

05 Natural Calamity - In The Wee Wee Time (feat. Kool Keith)
Enatsu is attacked by a F*&KING PIECE OF $H!T, all the while she tries to call for her boyfriend, Tatsukawa, to save her. He finally comes through and beats the $%!T out of the rapist.

06 Max Tundra - Children At Play
This is the soundtrack to the entire first chapter where we find Tomonari/Tsuda being chased by his cousins. They catch up to him and meet Hikaru and Kai, falling instantly in love with Kai and convincing her to come with them to a love hotel where they F*&K the living $*!T out of her, much to her delight.

07 J. Rocc - Chasing The Sun (Remix)
The final sex scene, as Hikaru and Tomonari/Tsuda begin expressing their true feelings for each other and make love in the rain.

08 Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights (The Phones Lovers Remix)
After Hikaru saves Tomonari/Tsuda from the man in the park, she begins to take play with him in public as he is still dressed in drag, all resulting in a previously unknown fantasy of hers coming to the surface.

09 PTP - Rubber Glove Seduction
The theme for the entire thing, nasty and sexy but not sure what the hell is going on.

10 Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi
Kai's theme after discovering her true, dirty self. This plays when she goes to see Tomonari/Tsuda at the garden and screws him to open up communication about his true feelings for Hikaru and how he better treat her right.

11 Scarlett Johansson - I Wish I Was In New Orleans
Tomonari/Tsdua is in a class with Hikaru, trying to follow the teacher's instructions, when he blurts out his true feelings for Hikaru. Understandably, everyone is shocked.

12 My Bloody Valentine - 2 (Edit)
The sex scene at the festival, where Hikaru realizes her feelings of love for Tomonari/Tsuda.

13 The Concretes - Chico (Avalanches' Wernham Hogg Remix)
After the final sex scene, while Hikaru and Tomonari/Tsuda talk about their love and feelings for each other.

14 School Of Seven Bells - Face To Face On High Places
The continuation of the final sex scene as Hikaru and Tomonari/Tsuda's actions rise to a fevered intensity.

15 Pizzicato Five - Icecream Meltin' Mellow (Marin Mix 1)
At the festival, before Hikaru tries to get Tomonari/Tsuda to screw her.


PS - In case anyone is wondering why I keep noting Tomonari and Tsuda with a slash, they're the same character, but he was referred to as Tomonari in the first volume and Tsuda in the second. I believe it's the Japanese way of calling someone by a more appropriate name depending on your relationship status with them, though I could be wrong about that.

for the funk of it

So I was listening to Steinski's appearance on WFMU's Coffee Break For Heroes and Villains from a few years ago the other day and was blown away by how much good stuff was on there that I hadn't heard prior, so I hunted down some of those tracks and made a quick mix with some other goodies I've been listening to. There is some good stuff here so I wanted to share the wealth. You can check out the original program here, and trust me, it's worth the three hours of your time! THANKS CRAIG!!! Enjoy and have a good weekend!


for the funk of it

01 Amy Winehouse - Monkey Man
Amy's cover of Toots & The Maytals. This is so good! I wish she'd get herself straight and record another album. Back To Black was so good! Of course, there is always Sharon Jones, but still, it would be nice to see Amy back in action.

02 Tony! Toni! Toné! - Feels Good (Ben Liebrand House Mix)
Cheesy and dated, but still kinda fun. Got this on the b-side of a cassette single back in the day for a really lame Christmas record. I'll post said lame Christmas record eventually for laughs, but it really is awful.

03 Mary J. Blige - Be Without You (A. Brucker & Sinden Remix)
Did this get an official release? I can't find it anywhere for purchase. This is an incredible remix that flips the sorrowful mood of the original and makes it intense and driven.

04 Funk Factory - Rien Ne Va Plus
The main sample source for the Beastie's Car Thief. Excellent!

05 Interpol - Evil (Steinski Remix)
This was played on the aforementioned show with Steinski and is probably the only place this has ever been played as it remains unreleased. Not classic Steinski by any means but good and worth having.

06 Robbie B & Jazzy Jay - Rock The Go Go (Original Version)
This was also played on the aforementioned show with Steinski. There was a reissue of this track in remixed form on Schooly D's label back in the day, but I've never heard that version. This, the original version released, is pretty damn great so I have no idea what could have been added. Eventually I'll get around to checking that Schooly D remix out.

07 Jamie Lidell - Big Drift (Krikor 1982 Remix)
This was recently given away by Jamie via e-mail. Apparently he's giving away a total of five remixes of tracks from his last album, Compass. The first one, a remix by Beck of Completely Exposed, is surprisingly weak, though Krikor's remix of Big Drift is rather great! You should definitely sign-up for those remixes, all of which are free and will only cost you an e-mail address. You can do so via the widget below.

08 Fantasy Three - It's Your Rock (Instrumental)
Another track I first heard on Coffee Break with Steinski, this dates back to 1983 and was produced by Master OC. It kinda sounds dated but it also sounds like it's still from the future, and that is simply awesome!

09 Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug (Aphrodite)
This was issued as a promo-only remix on a triple vinyl promotional edition of the Perfect Drug remixes. I've only got two of the 12"s so my dream of compiling an un-segued version of that release is on hold, but this is from the one that really counts. As the title suggests, this remix is by jungle-aficionado, Aphrodite. It's pretty good, but it's also clear why this is the one that didn't make the CD.

10 Coldcut - More Beats + Pieces (DJ Lord Fader Turntable Mix)
This also got played on the show with Steinski, though I'd heard this before as it appears on Coldcut's Let Us Replay album/comp. Incredible scratch and cut-up remix!

11 Lightnin' Rod - Doriella Du Fontaine (feat. Jimi Hendrix & Buddy Miles)
Once again, this was played on the show with Steinski. I may have to post Lightnin' Rod's Hustler's Convention eventually, though I have to make sure it's out of print first. That said, I'll have to find out what led to this rather incredible collaboration! As you can probably guess, Jimi and Buddy handle the music while Rod tells the tale.

12 J. Rocc - Chasing The Sun (Remix)
This remix appears on one of the Mystery Discs that are included with copies of J. Rocc's Some Cold Rock Stuf. If you haven't got a copy yet, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU??? One of the best albums of the year!



13 The Ink Spots - If I Didn't Care
My reference point for this is the original trailer for Blade Runner, as it was supposed to appear in the film but was dropped due to licensing issues. Classic.

14 Wall Of Voodoo - There's Nothing On This Side
Taken from the flipside of the 12" for Wall Of Voodoo's Mexican Radio, this is a noise/tape/weirdness experiment that I don't believe ever appeared on one of their records. Strange as hell and totally not essential, but I love it anyways. I got this as a kid and always wondered, are they saying there is nothing on this side of the record, or nothing on this side of existence? A sign my brain was already tormented. My mother HATED the cover of this single, with a bunch of doll heads stuck on poles like voodoo dolls. If she had it her way, I'd only listen to Bruce Springsteen. No offense mom, but I know the music I listened to freaked you out back in the day.

Early Nineties Nightmares, Part 3: Zach Morris Meltdown

Time for another round of Early Nineties Nightmares, though there are a few exceptions in this collection. As always, the nightmares part of the title is more for humor's sake as I really like the majority of these songs. Let me know what you think.


Early Nineties Nightmares, Part 3: Zach Morris Meltdown


01 Bingoboys feat. Princessa - How To Dance (Extended Radio Version)
Anyone else remember this song being EVERYWHERE? The rap and everything is catchy enough, but my favorite part of it had to be the instructional record samples. Their album, of course, sucked, but what would you expect from some serious one-hit-wonders?



02 Tara Kemp - Hold You Tight
Everyone thought she was going to be the next big thing, and for some reason I HATED this song. In retrospect it's actually really good, and the follow-up, Piece Of My Heart, is pretty good too, as is the album, but you can't have much of a career if you're one-dimensional and no one is trying to update your image. Not necessarily fair, but honest.

03 Janet Jackson - Miss You Much (Mama Mix)
The first exception, this was released in 1989, but I heard this everywhere for the next few years so, in my opinion, it counts. This remix extends the hell out of the song and uses lots of studio outtakes of Janet having fun. Her moaning like a puppy is adorably weird. My woman HATES this remix but loves the song, whereas I both love the song and the remix, preferring this version over the album mix.

04 Boogie Down Productions - You Must Learn (Live From The Caucus Mountains Remix)
Exception two, also released in '89, but I heard this one for a long time afterwards and it's unforgettable so it's here.

05 Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush (New York City Club Version)
When Rush came out I complained that it was too skeletal sounding, although I liked it and the album, The Globe, is great. I think I heard this remix in So I Married An Axe Murderer which is the soundtrack I got this from, and this mix is great! All the positive elements of the original are intact while giving it a new groove with lots of bounce. Wicked track!

06 DNA feat. Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner (12" A)
Ah, who can forget the diner? As the title suggests, this is the extended version of DNA's remix of Miss Vega's sublime vocal. I might eventually have to post the compilation this track inspired, Tom's Album, which features Nikki D's Daddy's Little Girl and a bizarre take on the original acapella by Bingo Hand Job, better known as R.E.M. with Billy Bragg.

07 3rd Bass - Gladiator (Easy Mo Bee Remix)
What the hell happened to Easy Mo Bee? What happened to Pete Nice after his recent legal wranglings? Why was the final original 3rd Bass song relegated to single-only status? Why wasn't there some kind of 3rd Bass comp released by Def Jam to cover their two albums and the breakup records? Damn, this is a great track, weird backwards loops and everything. 3rd Bass are sadly slept-on in the annals of history. They were so good I can forgive them for their hating on the Beasties like the ignorant children of Russell Simmons they were being. No diss on Russell "Rush", just saying.

08 Living Color - Love Rears Its Ugly Head
Damn, this is a great song! Not a dance or hip-hop song, something more like a funk metal groove, but so full of soul! Living Color were hit or miss, but this was a direct hit. Too bad on the greatest hits comp they only include the remix of this. The video for this was great too.



09 MC Luscious - Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend (Radio Mix)
I can't believe this even made it to radio, what with the MJ samples, but it made it, and there was even an x-rated version that goes exactly where you would expect it. I guess this would fit into the Miami Bass scene alongside 2 Live Crew and other groups from that era.

10 Kyper - Tic Tac Toe
Yeah, this one again. I LOVE this track! I tweeked the compression a bit to make it a bit louder without brickwalling the track, so hopefully everyone is happy with it. Again, a great example of a sample that would never get cleared nowadays without a HUGE amount of money being ponied up in advance. Still amazed this came out on a major label with that Yes sample intact.

11 Corina - Temptation (New School Freestyle)
12 Lisette Melendez - Together Forever (New School Freestyle)
I heard both of these on Open House Party a few times too many in the early nineties, and on some very special occasions they got beat-matched together, which added to the confusion as to where each track began and ended. Well, the reason for that confusion, I later found, was because Carlos "After Dark" Berrios couldn't help but use a variation of the beat for each track. I can't blame him because both tracks are great, though my preference rests with Corina's Temptation. Play that record and tell me you're not smitten! As for Together Forever, expect a similar reaction.

13 20 Fingers feat. Gilette - Short Dick Man (Club Mix)
I HATE THIS SONG! It's here because it's of the era and it's annoyingly catchy. It's also the only track here with truly explicit lyrics. I warned you.

14 K.M.C. Kru - The Devil Came Up To Michigan
Am I the only one that remembers this track? A hip-hop update of The Devil Went Down To Georgia, it features the devil and young DJ having a scratch showdown. Kinda ridiculous but also fun. I really wanted to include the Cleveland variation which was done for one of the local radio stations, but I can't remember which one or find the track so the Kru's original version will have to do.

15 Shabba Ranks feat. Maxi Priest - Housecall (12" Remix)
The remix of this got all the play back in the day, but the 12" version took it to a whole other level with the crazy synths. Credit goes to David Morales for the killer remix. As for Shabba, no diss but I'm so glad I didn't hear much more from him. He was more annoying than entertaining, at least to my ears. When In Living Color did the Mr. Ugly Man sketch that hit dead center! That reminds me, anyone ever seen the video for Trailer Load A Girls? I'd post it but I can't seem to find it anywhere. It's frickin' nuts!

April 2011 Mixtape: Mix For Lucky

This is a break-up mix that I made for someone that doesn't know me but I felt bad about the end of their relationship. They work and live in a field that is not generally accepted by the public and because of that they may be looked at as someone that isn't deserving of love. That's wrong. While I don't know the person in question, they seem to be legitimately good natured and are deserving of love as much as anyone else. So I wanted to make them a break-up/fuck you mix, though who knows if they'll ever hear it or not. Anyway, I think people here will enjoy it, and if you REALLY wanna know the details and who this mix is for you can drop me a line and I'll tell you about it. That said, IT'S NOT ME! Still happily taken by the missus despite the fact I'm an annoyingly obsessive geek that certainly frustrates her to no end, though something tells me she might actually like that about me. Eight years together and she hasn't tried to change me yet, that has to count for something, right? And none of her attempts to take my life have been successful which either means she really loves me or she's lousy with a knife.


The Unheard Music - April 2011 Mixtape: Mix For Lucky

01 Alpha - Over
02 New Order - Blue Monday
03 X - Your Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not
04 The Staple Singers - Slippery People (Club Mix)
05 Lil Wayne - Show 'Em What You Got
06 Jolly Music - Talco Uno (feat. Erlend Øye)
07 Ween - A Tear For Eddie
08 Glassjaw - Ape Dos Mil
09 Diamanda Galás with John Paul Jones - Do You Take This Man?
10 Aimee Mann - Amateur
11 Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own (Al Usher Remix)
12 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - I Hope You're Happy Now
13 The Wrens - They'll Need A Crane
14 Baby Huey & The Babysitters - California Dreamin'
15 Soft Cell - Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go? (12" Version)

March 2011 Mixtape: Summer Night Dreams

Ever find yourself longing for a long lost time, only to wonder if it ever really existed?

Around 1996 I was driving a silver-primer painted 1977 Buick Le Sabre, a car older than myself, and blowing almost all of my summer paychecks on gasoline. I complain about gas now, but when you had an hour drive one way to your job and an hour the other and it required almost an entire tank of gas each way, that was a hard job and a giant waste of my paycheck. My mother would ask me to contribute to the family's bills but I had a hard time giving up my paycheck when at least 75% of it went to driving expenses. I could be stupid though, finding several hours between my morning and evening shifts to drive home, sleep for a few hours and then drive back, whereas it was summer and there was an empty school parking lot in a good neighborhood not far away that I could read, listen to music or nap in. Nevertheless, it did afford me a lot of time to perform one my most consistent activities, record shopping, and there was a great indie store named Quonset Hut nearby where I could still buy current releases on cassette and also get CDs and vinyl at great prices. All of the Quonset Huts are now gone, bar one that is pretty much a head shop and sells nothing musically related, but between there, the Record Exchanges throughout the Cleveland area and other indie stores, I bought a lot of great music that summer. I found myself listening to Tricky's Maxinquaye a lot and grabbed Nearly God as soon as it became available, but that year I found a record that really changed my perspective on music, Throbbing Pouch by Wagon Christ aka Luke Vibert. What a trippy record, conjuring visions of darkness and the unknown, all the while remaining wonderfully mellow. I'm not a pot smoker but, if I was, that album would have been my soundtrack. I also found a promo cassette of Everything But The Girl's Walking Wounded which is an immensely beautiful album that, while essentially completely different from the Wagon Christ album, had a similarly dark vibe running throughout. I would drive home around 11pm on the dark Cleveland highways listening to Tracey Thorn singing Walking Wounded or Single, having my heart ripped out every time, or vibing to Throbbing Pouch from start to finish because I didn't want to miss a moment of it. For me, this was the beginning of a regular hunt for midnight music, as I sometimes called it, and I later made a mixtape named 3am Eternal (I'm sure you get the reference) that stayed in my car forever.

Lately, I've been thinking about those warm summer nights, though it's funny how time blurs things. I feel like I lived through those records, but I'm not sure how accurate that statement is. When I look back I remember a lot of other music that had nothing to do with that world, a lot of experiences that were simply awful, and I have to wonder if I'm wearing rose-tinted glasses or not. The love of the music hasn't changed though, and I still find myself attracted to those summer grooves, and they were the inspiration for the mix this month. There are some tracks I thought about including that I've had here before so I passed on them, but I'm going to at least mention them. I hope you find this as enjoyable as I do.


The Unheard Music - March 2011 Mixtape: Summer Night Dreams

01 Still Going - Still Going Theme
Piano house returns! What a wonderful summer record, perfect for driving during a sunset.

02 Beck - Where It's At (Make Out City)
The Dust Brothers do a simple, more party oriented remix of Beck's re-breakthrough single.

03 Common Factor - Horizons
I first heard this on the Planet E Geology compilation. What a great track! Planet E, in general, is an amazing label and the first Geology compilation is essential house music.

04 DJ Shadow - Changeling
Endtroducing... is essential ephemera, though I always remember this track as sticking out. It's just so dreamy. Mutual Slump, on the other hand, doesn't get a lot of mention but is funky like nobody's business!

05 Q-Tip - That's Sexy (feat. Andre 3000)
This is an unreleased cut from an early version of Q-Tip's The Renaissance, back when it was named Live At The Renaissance and scheduled for release on Dreamworks. I'd much rather had an instrumental version of this one as Tip's flow takes away from the romanticism, but it's still a great track.

06 Massive Attack - Exchange
I don't fully understand why everyone was so "on" about Massive Attack's Mezzanine. It's a really depressing record. This is a beautiful track though and I always found myself skipping to it or the reprisal at the end of the album. Don't get me wrong though, I do love some Massive Attack, though I've always been more into Blue Lines or Protection, and the No Protection dub remix album is incredible!

07 Luke Vibert - Get Your Head Down
Wagon Christ's true identity, Luke brings hip-hop funk mixed with easy listening chill. An ex-girlfriend bought me a Ninja Tune comp with this track on it. This might sound cruel but that's the only good thing I want to remember about dating her.

08 3rd Bass - Gladiator (Easy Mo Bee Remix Instrumental)
I remember finding a lot of Easy Mo Bee productions that had a wonderful groove about them, but all I can seem to recall now is Craig Mack's Flava In Ya Ear and this. Maybe he didn't have that many incredible tracks. Anyone wanna refresh my memory?

09 Quasimoto - MHBs (Instrumental)
I played this to my girlfriend recently and initially she was loving it, until the lyrics kicked in! Beautiful groove.

10 The Pointer Sisters - How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick On The Side)
Never heard it on the radio and didn't hear it until listening to a Pointer Sisters compilation, though this would be in regular rotation if I had my own radio station. What a funky groove!

11 De La Soul - Breakadawn
This is an incredible track, though I'm glad De La never tried to make a career out of tracks like this or Ring, Ring, Ring. They're great on their own and don't need to be replicated, although I'm not sure how many people would want them to be. Still, you can't help but think of some after dark fun when you hear this.

12 Tigercity - Let Her Go
How did these guys perfectly capture the eighties in a record from only a few years ago? Their full-length, Ancient Lover, was a minor let down, but the EP before it, 2007's Pretend Not To Love, from which this is taken, is utterly perfect. It is available for purchase on iTunes and is worth the entire $5.94 they're asking.

13 The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By (Instrumental Edit)
I chopped a small portion from this so the mix would be under eighty minutes and burnable to a CD. Please forgive me!

14 Everything But The Girl - Good Cop Bad Cop
Shiv, the manager of the music department at WFAL, didn't see eye to eye with me, though that was really all my fault as I was young, cocky and thought I knew everything. He was much more informed than I was and I'm glad I eventually got smart enough to apologize and he was cool enough to accept it. This was one of the first tracks we agreed on, as he loved it just as much as I did. Tracey Thorn has such a sexy voice, though it's not the type of voice most people probably swoon over when they first hear it. This was one of those tracks I listened to on those summer nights while driving home, hoping to meet a girl who would make out with me while listening to Wagon Christ or Nine Inch Nails. That girl was a year or two off, but it was worth the wait. It's funny in retrospect, everyone always says they want to meet someone to make out with, but how long do you actually spend making out with them before you're trying to get their clothes off and put more than just your tongues together?

15 Amon Tobin - Nova
Oooh! Wouldn't have expected such a make-out classic on an album full of breaks and beats like Amon Tobin's Permutation, but I guess that's the secret. Amon knows just as much about rocking a party or wrecking your speakers as he does about sensuality and smooth grooves that set the mood! Bebel Gilberto later added vocals to this track and released it as Samba da Benção on her Tanto Tempo album. That's some make-out music, for certain, though the original instrumental is just as essential. Put this on at home around that certain someone and see what they say. Or do!



BONUS: Summer Night Dream Outtakes
These are tracks I considered for the mixtape but decided to leave off. They're in the main archive so you don't have to download this seperately. Enjoy!

01 Janet Jackson - When I Think Of You (David Morales House Mix '95 UK 7" Edit)
02 The Pharcyde - 4 Better Or 4 Worse (Instrumental)
03 Lucky Pierre - Cool Summer Night
04 The Herbaliser - The Blend (feat. What What aka Jean Grae) (Peanut Butter Blend by Peanut Butter Wolf)
05 Everything But The Girl - Walking Wounded

February 2011 Mixtape: Happy Valentine's Day

I don't take most holidays very seriously, Valentine's Day included, but romantic or lovey music is a different thing entirely. I'd made my share of romantic mixtapes in my youth though I always thought things of private importance or inside jokes were more important than "boot knocking" anthems. That said, hitting me over the head with songs of general romance does nothing for me. People tell me that Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On is a touchingly beautiful song, whereas I think The Beatles In My Life is a hundred times more potent than anything Ms. Dion could ever fathom. My Bloody Valentine's Loveless has always been an easy pick for an evening of canoodling although I also consider Team Sleep's unreleased first album on that level too. Then there is the first Interpol album which is surprisingly erotic. Of course, my girlfriends haven't necessarily agreed with my musical choices. One girl I dated insisted on playing an infinite loop of Sarah McLachlan's cover of I Only Want To Be With You while we made out, and it couldn't have been a bigger turn off. Why was it so hard to find a girl who appreciated making out to Nine Inch Nails records? My brother, on the other hand, swears by heavy metal as the greatest make-out or sex music, mentioning Metallica's Ride The Lightning and Slayer's debut album as favorites. Those would never be my choices but I can appreciate that perspective. What do you, my fair readers, consider good mood making music?

This month's mix is a light collaboration between myself and my girlfriend. I asked her for input and she named six or seven songs to counter my choices. Most of these are songs she and I enjoy and consider "our songs", and some are definitely cheesy or inside jokes. Regardless, those songs are special to us and I'll denote their inclusion here. It should also be noted that this isn't a strictly romantic mix, it's more about songs that deal with love, relationships, rough spots, sex, etc. as opposed to a collection of songs to get it on to. This is an everyday mixtape, suitable for just about any occasion and free of naughty words, although not of naughty content. I guess this is about as safe as anything you might hear on traditional radio. Happy Valentine's Day!


February 2011 Mixtape: Happy Valentine's Day

01 Ramones - She's The One
I put this on a mixtape I made for my girlfriend and she didn't like it, although I always think of this song when I think of her. My love for her is happy and joyful, and that's what this song is.

02 Meja - How Crazy Are You?
This is officially "our song". I first heard it in my otaku days upon seeing the trailer for Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball and fell in love with the song. I eventually hunted down a copy of the US release, hoping that the rest of Meja's oeuvre would be just as inviting. She's actually rather good, just EXTREMELY SUGARY. Wow, her music is intensely SWEET. That's not a bad thing, it's just hard to handle in such large doses, whereas this song is sweet but I never felt as though I were drowning in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory while listening to it.

03 Adina Howard - Freak Like Me (Radio Version)
She and I both think this song is hilariously great! I don't think there is anything about it that makes me wanna get freaky but you'd never see me change the channel if it came on. Unfortunately for Ms. Howard, this song raised the bar so high that she could never match it's freakiness. Alas, even a song with a title as suggestive as T-Shirt and My Panties is simply not enough.

04 Sade - Kiss Of Life
She says she always thinks of me when she hears this song. She also mentioned that early in our relationship she also thought of me when she heard Alicia Keys' Fallin', though that doesn't happen any more. Thank heavens for that!

05 Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love?
In turn, I always think of her when I hear this. I was overjoyed when she mentioned that she loved this song when it came on in a mix I had made her.

06 The Beatles - Oh, Darling!
She told me this was one of her "fuck you, I'll survive!" songs from when she was in college, long before we'd met. I totally get that. If only McCartney sounded this desperate and charged more often.

07 Johnny Gill - Rub You The Right Way (Extended Hype! feat. CL Smooth)
Another one of her choices, she's loved this song since hearing it during her high-school days. I grabbed the original version and she told me it was the wrong one, she wanted the faster one. A rare occasion in which she picked the remix over the original.

08 Me'shell Ndegeocello - Mary Magdalene
The first time I heard this I was blown away. Me'shell is simply on another level. I played this to my girl who was totally feeling it until she asked me who Me'shell was singing to. I told her it was a woman and that killed the mood for her. Hey, it's a beautiful song regardless and it's just as potent as Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On if not more so, but I guess I understand why that information might not leave everyone turned on. Oh well, this song is pure heat as far as I'm concerned!

09 The Emotions - Best Of My Love
This will be played at our reception. Happy, loving music!

10 De La Soul - Eye Know
A LONG time ago I was having a conversation with a friend about hip-hop that dealt directly with love. I couldn't think of anything and immediately dismissed LL Cool J's I Need Love for being cheesy. The comeback was Eye Know, and they were totally right. That said, LL's I Need Love isn't that bad, the lyrics are actually really touching, it's just that the beat hasn't aged all that well.

11 John Coltrane - My Favorite Things
Miles' Kind Of Blue is an awesome make-out record but this is a study of utter joy. Bliss on so many levels. Not so much for being romantic as much as being happy, enjoying the moment with someone special.

12 Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book
Elvis IS king! Essentially eighties yet totally timeless, this songs always works. He also wrote one of my favorite break-up songs, I Hope You're Happy Now. That would be a good theme for a mixtape, the break-up tape!

13 TLC - Red Light Special
Another of her choices, and a damn good one! I love the line about taking the southern route. You can't not get a little hot listening to this song!

14 Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover
This is one of "our songs", although I was always more into it for the beat. The whole thing just worked so well. Despite my girl being turned off by Me'shell Ndegeocello's ode to her woman, we both believe this is a love song from a woman to a woman and she thinks it's totally hot. This is definitely not a love making song, it's meant for something steamier!

I just noticed how many exclamation marks I've left throughout these descriptions. It's terribly excessive! Look, I did it again!

15 Beck - Debra
Totally not serious, but that's what great about it. "I wanna get with you, and your sister, I think her name's Debra." Awesome! Bring a fresh pack of gum when you pick her up in your Hyundai at JC Penney's and set the night on fire!

16 John Lennon - Grow Old With Me
Let's be serious for a moment. Say what you will about Yoko Ono, John clearly loved her with all his heart. This is such an immensely beautiful song. I remember reading this was one of the last songs he wrote before his death and it's clearly a home demo. It doesn't need any further embellishments, it's perfect as it is.

January 2011 Mixtape: play the game

It was recently suggested that I try making a mix similar to what people do on SoundCloud, where you can stream that mix at any time. I thought this was a good idea, but I was disappointed to find that SoundCloud's free package only covers two hours of uploaded content, so while I'm giving this a try, I'm not guaranteeing any future SoundCloud mixes and will still be making them available for download here. That said, this mix is also an experiment because it's one track and I'm not giving out the track list up front. There are tracks here that I'm sure most people will recognize but I thought it might be fun if I posted the mix as is and asked people to figure out which track is which without the list. I'll post the list at some point in the near future but let's give this a shot and see what happens. The SoundCloud stream is below, from which you can download the mix, but there is also a link for a higher quality MP3 version below the stream. Let me know what you think!



The Unheard Music - January 2011 Mixtape: play the game (V0 MP3 Version)


And while I've got your attention, a few other things. The next Prince Homemade Deluxe Edition will probably be 1999 and should show up in about two weeks. I'm making covers for all of the releases and I'll eventually post them all together so you can grab them at your convenience. TONS MORE to come and there will be an announcement soon regarding a project I'm planning.

Finally, here is a bonus track not on the mixtape for all to check out, but I'm not gonna say who this is either, so guess and let me know. If no one says who it is before I post the mixtape track list I'll announce it then. Be forewarned, this track could give some people a seizure!

mystery track 1-12-11

where my freakin' goats at?: The December 2010 Mixtape

I've been in a solid relationship for almost eight years now, but because her family and mine live in different areas and everyone expects us at certain familial events, most major holidays are split trips. Usually I drop her off and head for my clan, usually about an hour away, either listening to a mix I made for the trip or to Billy Joel records as his music has always been an important part of my family's history. On the way home I listen to the mix again or something I haven't heard yet. Last Christmas I drove to my future in-law's listening to Brand New's Daisy, surely about as non-holiday a music pick as you can get, but it was invigorating, especially when you don't expect that blast of vitriol and you're a little tired.

Anyway, I had been planning to do a mixtape for this month but didn't know what to focus it on. I started going through some of my favorite records that came out this year and found that whatever I was coming up with would be what I would probably be listening to on my drive, so this month's mixtape is for anyone that needs something good to listen to on a long Christmas Eve or Christmas car ride. This mix isn't really suitable for playing if kids are in the car, but otherwise I'm sure you'll find it entertaining. And if you're on a really long drive, may I suggest you check out my September mixtape, my imaginary soundtrack to a very dirty manga comic. That mixtape isn't terribly dirty, unlike the source material that inspired it's creation, although there is some fowl language that would likely be inappropriate around children.

This is gonna be my last post before Christmas. I'll be back next week and I've got at least one more surprise up my sleeve before the new year. I hope everyone out there, regardless of what you do or don't celebrate, has a wonderful time and stays safe and healthy. If you're doing a lot of driving, please be careful and watch the other drivers. Don't get too ripped on egg nog or whatever your drink of choice is, I want you to keep visiting me here and I'm sure your family and friends don't want disappearing anytime soon!

Peace, love and happiness to all!


Dave3 aka The Unheard
The Unheard Music


The Unheard Music December 2010 Mixtape: Closing Of The Year

November 2010 Mixtape: Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

So the dirty version of Kanye West's new album finally leaked and it's amazing! I know, everyone is shocked that I like Kanye, but why is that so strange? I love all kinds of music, after all, that's what this site is more or less based on. Anyway, what is really interesting about all this is that the Kanye online fanbase has been hogwild with a number theories about the album's initial leak at the beginning of the week. That initial leak was a clean edit of the album, and there was a lot of speculation that it wasn't the finished version of the album because one curse was still audible, although that happens in clean edits all the time. The other thing a lot of people are going to start saying is that the clean edit isn't final because the mix is slightly different from the dirty version of the album, but that's nothing shocking because a lot of clean edits are made from new mixes leaving those versions notably different and unique. The craziest thing people are saying is that Kanye leaked the clean version himself, supposedly explaining why he didn't freak out about it. Why should he freak out? Who buys clean edits? Will the leak really affect his sales? Do leaks REALLY affect sales? Why stream albums for free in good quality when it's not terribly difficult to rip those streams? Despite the general claim that leaks hurt record sales, which I'm certain holds some water, the leak of good music often boosts interest in the album and makes people want to pony up their hard earned money for the finished product, especially when the finished product features as many bonus tracks and ridiculous features as the Kanye album will, none of which are featured in any version of the album that has leaked. So why is a leak bad? If your album doesn't leak three or four months prior to release why worry? Most major releases leak a week or two ahead of release, that is unless they're self-released, so what's the big deal.

Anyway, in Kanye's defense, as much of a loose cannon as he seems to be sometimes, I still say the guy is mourning the loss of his mother and the end of his last meaningful relationship, a topic that comes up throughout the album. Sometimes I'm more convinced that the guy is a PR genius and much of his so-called craziness is simply crafty marketing. He may be out there, but I have to give the guy a lot of credit and I'm always fascinated to see what his next move is. The new album is, in my humble opinion, one of the best hip-hop albums in the last ten years. You could even call it progressive hip-hop. If you're remotely interested, it's totally worth checking out, but that's just my two cents.

Anyway, I started making this mixtape last week, wanting to make a goofy, seventies and eighties mix. Every version really sucked and felt wrong, so I stuck it on the back burner, but while looking for a CD with some rare remixes and b-sides (Ken Andrews' Soluble Words single as ON. Sorry, didn't find it yet.) I started looking through a pile of discs that I've had set aside for a while for potential posts. There was a lot of really good stuff in there I hadn't listened to in a while so I made a quick mix for myself. I liked it so much I adapted it and turned it into this month's mix. In fact, I had so many additional tracks left over that I couldn't fit in an eighty minute mix that I included some of them as an additional download for anyone interested. So, I hope you enjoy this month's mix, although there might be another one shared before the end of the month, although that one is special for different reasons.


November 2010 Mixtape: Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

01 INTRO
This snippet is from a film named Hot Tomorrows. Props to MySpleen.

02 Meices - Wow
I heard this sometime in the mid-nineties and thought this rocked so hard! I bought the album but was sadly underwhelmed. This track still rocks though. Love the horns.

03 Meja - How Crazy Are You?
This is kind of me and my girlfriend's song. I found out about it by seeing the trailer for Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. I finally found a copy of the US release of Meja's album with this song, only to find that it was SO BRIGHT AND POPPY it was almost unbearable! It's not at all bad, but it's WAY TOO BRIGHT! Still though, this song is amazing! This is probably the theme song in the anime version of my life.

04 Dana Bryant - Wishing From The Top
I heard this while djing in college and was thoroughly transfixed. Dana Bryant is a stunning beauty with the voice of an old soul singer, but she doesn't sing, she's more or less a spoken word performance artist, and her sole album, for which this is title cut, is absolutely insane. I'm probably going to have to post it here eventually because I've never run into anyone who remembers it or has heard it. This track is co-written by Speech of Arrested Development fame.

05 S.A. Smash - The Harvest
From the unreleased, second S.A. Smash album, this El-P produced banger only saw release on a 2005 Def Jux comp meant to tease listeners about forthcoming releases. This makes me miss Camu Tao even more. R.I.P. Camu.

06 Howlin' Maggie - Alcohol
Howlin' Maggie were Harold Chichester's band. They're from Columbus, Ohio and Chichester was also a founding member of The Twilight Singers. This is from their 96 album, Honeysuckle Strange. Great, slept on rock from a crazy dude from Ohio.

07 Jill Jones - The Ground You Walk On
This was produced by Nile Rodgers and appeared on the Earth Girls Are Easy soundtrack, and yes, it is the same Jill Jones so many of you know and love from Prince's circle of ex-friends. Not nearly as incredible as anything she did with Prince, but still a great tune. So nice to hear Jill just singing beautifully.

08 Space Monkeys - Sugar Cane
I used to work as a customer service rep for May Company and later also as a fraud analyst for them too. I saw the video for this song on MTV and had to go running to buy it after one of my first paychecks. The album was a bit disappointing, but it's gotten better with age. This song is still bouncy as hell. I remember the video as being very cool, and while I don't know if it still lives up to it's hype, it's probably worth looking up on youtube.

09 Marley Marl - Marley Marl Scratch (feat. MC Shan)
Awesome track! I got this off egotrip's The Big Playback comp and it's been a favorite ever since. Shan's flow is classic old school. LOVIN' IT!

10 Esthero - Breath From Another (Orpheus Floating Mix by Charlie Clouser)
Esthero's first album, Breath From Another, is ridiculously good, but the two singles they released, the title cut and Heaven Sent, were my least two favorite tracks on the album. They never did much to Heaven Sent to improve it, at least in my opinion, but they got Charlie Clouser or White Zombie and Nine Inch Nails fame and DJ Krust from the Reprazent crew to provide great mixes for Breath. This mix is a stomper and it's a long one too. Clouser always turns in a good production. I've gotta check out his work with Snake River Conspiracy eventually.

11 Boom Boom Satellites - 4 A Moment Of Silence
BBS were hyped as the Japanese masters of drum n' bass, but hype was the operative word. Don't get me wrong, they're good at what they do, but they're more about bass heavy club tracks rather than jungle beats. This was a bonus track on their US album, Out Loud, along with another track that was better than just about anything else on the CD.

12 David Arnold - Nobody Does It Better (feat. Aimee Mann)
David Arnold produced a crazy compilation of James Bond song covers with a bunch of his famous friends including the Propellerheads (anyone remember them?), Iggy Pop, Pulp and a bunch of other folks including the wonderful Aimee Mann! She and Jon Brion both contribute to this psych-tinged cover and it's simply wonderful. I knew a guy who was furious that I said this was better than the Carly Simon version. Maybe I'm wrong, as the Carly version is great, but I adore this rendition.

13 STS9 - Better Day/Trinocular (STSDevine Remix by Richard Devine)
Richard Devine is getting married this weekend! Congratulations Richard! I don't know what you'll be playing at your reception, but I'm assuming it won't be this, although it's a beautiful remix. Again, this would be part of the soundtrack to the anime version of my life. This is music to relax and dream to.

14 Ingrid Chavez - Hippy Blood (Funky House Edit by Paisley Park)
Miss David Sylvian is also a member of Prince's circle of ex-friends, and this is from her thoroughly under-promoted album on Prince's old label, Paisley Park. This remix is credited to Paisley Park which is generally a euphemism for Prince, although I don't believe he was necessarily responsible for this mix. Keith Cohen maybe? I don't know, but listen to it and you'll know what I'm talking about. I'll have to post Ingrid's album eventually, although it's got a lot less to do with Prince than most might think.

15 Daphne & Celeste - U.G.L.Y.
This is a candidate for stupidest song ever. This was on the soundtrack for Bring It On, certainly a reason to expect anything other than greatness, but this is amazing for so many reasons, the most important being how incredibly stupid it is. SO STUPID!!!!!

16 Mousse T. vs. Hot 'N' Juicy - Horny
This is a runner up for stupidest song ever. I knew a girl who had spent the summer in the UK in the mid-nineties who insisted this song was a huge hit. Maybe? Probably? Whatever, it's insane.

17 Two Nice Girls - Cotton Crown
I don't know much about Two Nice Girls other than they were four lesbian women (as opposed to lesbian men?) that made country-twinged music. This is from an EP of theirs named Like A Version and five of it's six songs are covers. I will have to post it here eventually because it's a great record. This cover of Sonic Youth is absolutely wonderful!

18 Ultimate Force - I'm Not Playing
Another track from the amazing egotrip compilation mentioned earlier. Last night I wrote that I'd tell the story behind it later, and that's what I'm about to do, quoting directly from the liner notes to egotrip's The Big Playback, but first let me note that this track was also used in Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow's original Brainfreeze mix. And on with the quote:

"Comprised of vocalist Master Rob and DJ Diamond D, the Bronx duo Ultimate Force signed to Jazzy Jay's Strong City label and released it's only single, I'm Not Playing, in 1989. Though the track's blistering guitar licks (culled from Albert King's Cold Feet) provoked immediate headnodding responses upon its release, the group's debut did not arrive without some complication. Diamond's partner had adopted the emcee name Master Rob regardless of the fact that the better known Master Rob (of old school legends the Fantastic Five) was still very much on the scene in the Bronx and, in fact, signed to Strong City as well! A Jazzy Jay-mediated meeting of the Robs was set up and it was eventually somehow decided that the two would both remain Masters of their respective domains. For Ultimate Force, however, Strong City's failure to withstand some commercial bricks doomed its future. The pair split, but Diamond wound up shining when he began working more closely with some fellow Forest Projects-raised friends, Lord Finesse and Showbiz, and let his fingers do the Diggin' In The Crates."

All credit for those details goes to "Chairman" Jefferson Mao of egotrip!

19 OUTRO
This is the first minute or so of an insane video I saw the other day. If you wanna see it, go here. I'm assuming this guy is for real, although who the hell knows these days.


Stupid Bonus Tracks

01 Boom Boom Satellites - Oneness
I was so pumped about this track for a long time. IT'S SO FRICKIN' LOUD!

02 Jungle Brothers - 718 KIT
From the soundtrack to Livin' Large. Remember that movie? Neither do I. By the way, I got a funny e-mail the other day from a guy threatening to leak Crazy Wisdom Masters. The only thing I could say was "uh, I'm not in the band, but you probably shouldn't leak it".

03 Karyn White - Romantic (Single Mix)
Ms. White was married to Terry Lewis of Flyte Tyme productions and The Time. Sometimes it seems like I can never avoid a Prince connection.

04 Esthero - Breath From Another (DJ Krush Sitting On Chrome Mix)
Krush's mix is ten minutes long and incredibly dark. AWESOME!!!

05 Boom Boom Satellites - Dub Me Crazy Ver. 02
More BBS. This track is very heavy. Go ahead, play this in your card at loud volume. I DARE YOU!



By the way, the photo in this post is from my college photography days when I used an actual, non-digital camera! Every once in a while I find a pile of crappy photos in a box and am astounded by how totally awful or bizarre they are. I call this one, PORTRAIT OF THE BLOGGER AS A YOUNG AND NAIVE FRAUD ANALYST. That photo, and by that I mean the whole image, is about twelve or thirteen years old now. Everyone always said I looked so young. I hated it, but at least I had more hair on my head then.

October 2010 Mixtape: DO I HAVE TO WORK AT WALMART?

About two weeks ago I lost the job I've been doing for most of the last eight years. I knew trouble was brewing but I really didn't think I would be considered the responsible party for the events in question. Out of the blue I get a list of complaints with my name highlighted, although upon further inspection it turns out I'm not the main reason for the complaints, and when I am involved it's primarily one person who I didn't get along with and attempted to avoid in the first place. Overall, I'm thinking that if I talk to my boss, someone I've known and respected and considered a friend, that everything is going to be alright, but he doesn't talk to me, he just fires me. Through the grapevine I heard that this was just business and that he wanted to make things right, but when he finally calls he complains that my version of the events doesn't match what he's heard, and all I can say to that is do you want my story or not? He knows what happened, and he decided to remove me to save his company's position, which I fully understand, but he did it in the worst way possible. To make matters worse yet, when we finally met he told me in a rather roundabout way that he thought I was cheating him and he didn't care about me any longer. Almost eight years and this is the way it ends, after a fantastic history with practically no issues whatsoever, and when complaints come up and I'm not even the reason for the complaints I'm fired because my name appeared in close proximity. It makes one feel pretty faithless.

All of this said, I'm not out of faith and totally believe in myself, but I can't say that I'm fully over feeling upset. My girlfriend initially thought I must have royally screwed up and couldn't accept it, but after learning the facts she's fully on my side, although she really always was, as are the rest of my family and friends, so I've still got my support system. What's crazy is looking for a new job. I've filled out applications online but I'm surprised to see most businesses don't even accept paper copies any longer. It's taking a rough and soulless part of the process and making it worse. I've got management experience, great customer service abilities, I'm very good with technology and have worked in fields where I've handled merchandise and money safely and regularly without shrinkage, but trying to fill all of this into a cookie cutter digital application feels impossible. Data will get in, but will it be interpreted correctly? Will the minutiae of my experience be read for as dynamic as it really is? Will my unique and useful traits be visible to those who should see them? DO I HAVE A CHANCE?

So, last night, after much prodding from my girlfriend as well as some friends and family and filling out applications all over the place, I went online and applied to Walmart, assuming there is a good chance I could find employment there. I've been largely skeptical about applying to Walmart despite knowing they have a high hire rate, mostly because I doubt I'll be working in a position that I feel I'd be suited to (raging ego trip right there!) and everyone knows how "interesting" the Walmart clientele can be. Don't get me wrong, most average people shopping at Walmart are perfectly fine, but I'm sure you've all seen a few subhumans lurking the isles from time to time. If you stuck me in the entertainment and electronics section I'd shine but how likely would it be that I would be so lucky? In an organization that big I'm sure I'd end up stocking the freezers. I'd even be happy standing at the customer service desk and answering questions, no matter what they are, as I've basically been doing that in one way or another for years, but sincerely, what are my chances?

So far, the only nibbles I've gotten was an e-mail from AFLAC, offering what sounded like an office position, only to find out they wanted me to get my insurance license and sell their product on the road, and Family Video, with whom I had a great interview about a possible managerial position but there were no openings locally at the time, and having just moved I can't pack up and go to Alabama. I've had friends ask me why I can't write for a living and my answer is I honestly don't know how to get started in that field or whom I should talk to. My girlfriend said "if only I got paid for my website", to which I could only respond "if only". So the quest continues. Don't worry, just in case you might be, I'm sure I'll find a new position shortly and everything will be just fine, and more so, I don't want to sound hopeless, it's just hard to put an amazing spin on such a murky situation.

Anyway, for my own entertainment, I made this months mixtape a soundtrack to my dilemma. I hope you find it entertaining as there is some really good stuff on it, much of which really gets me moving. Thanks for letting me bitch and moan a little. Enjoy!


The Unheard Music - October 2010 Mixtape: DO I HAVE TO WORK AT WALMART?

01 David Bowie - Beauty and The Beast
The sound of a drunken Bowie getting it together. I always think of it as the theme to someone getting back on their feet.

02 The Bird and The Bee - Heard It On The Radio
Missing my job, for which all jobs are relationships. Also realizing it might not have been as good as I always thought is was.

03 Television - Little Johnny Jewel
Verlaine's guitar is so out there. This makes me think of punk rock as jazz. Abstract tunes always seem to lock my mind into place so I can get heavy thinking done.

04 No Age - Glitter (Long Version)
A few weeks ago I was driving around to this summer jam feeling like it would keep summer from ever ending. It kinda works. The extended feedback loops at the end are just dreamy.

05 Junior Senior - Shake Your Coconuts (DFA Remix)
This feels like it's mining the same area as No Age's Glitter. The cheesy nature of the original version is ditched for what is basically LCD Soundsystem making a bunch of noise and having a funky party in a loft somewhere in New York. Love the guitar feedback. It's like James Murphy, who I'm assuming is playing guitar here, doesn't even care about playing notes, just making some wild textures.

06 Astrud Gilberto - Once I Loved
Again, loss of job, loss of security, feeling of betrayal. Beautiful song from the beautiful Ms. Gilberto.

07 Lowell George - 20 Million Things
Sometimes it feels like I can do anything anyone needs, but other times I feel like I can't get anywhere myself. I guess that's what this song is kind of about, but it's what I get out of it.

08 Devo - S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)
Who hasn't been here? Terror, paranoia, gloom and misery? This song sums up all those feelings perfectly. I don't feel this way often, but when I have this is the soundtrack.

09 Fripp & Eno - Later On
This is Eno's remix of Swastika Girls from he and Fripp's No Pussyfooting. It was only released as the b-side to Eno's Seven Deadly Finns single. The day I got fired I must have played No Pussyfooting three or four times. It totally kept me grounded and calm. Love that album and love this track.

10 Los Saicos - Demolición
Rom turned me on to these guys recently. Actually, he called while I was at my first interview with Family Video and my interviewer had to attend to some things so she told me I could return my call if I wanted to. He compared them to Iggy and The Stooges, which I don't really agree with, but they've got the punk attitude and garage rock rawness down perfect. These guys are from Peru and are something of a best kept secret. I might do a post about them in the near future but I believe their discography is now available legally here in the US so I won't be posting it for download if that's the case. Otherwise, this is fueling my engine.

11 Me'Shell Ndegéocello - If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)
Trust me, I CANNOT relate to this song, but I love the F@#K YOU attitude of it! When you get knocked down sometimes you need to do more than just get back up. You need to put a little swagger back in your step. This is overflowing with swagger and it's funky as hell, so it's been on my mind. And anyway, Me'Shell is seriously badass!

12 Jeff Simmons - I'm In The Music Business
While I've never done a porn shoot and am certain I never will, I understand the misery Mr. Simmons is conveying. That said, it's not like a song like this could really help the financial prospects of an ex-Mother Of Invention. Not saying it isn't a good song as it is, and I love the humor of it and everything from it's parent album, Lucille Has Messed Up My Mind, but one listen and you'll understand that there couldn't have been, or at least shouldn't have been, any illusions of a blockbuster hit record.

13 Adrian Belew - Naive Guitar
A beautiful, mournful melody. For the bummier moments, although I loved this piece before my current predicament was even a possibility.

14 Dizzy Gillespie - Manteca
How can you not get up and dance to this? How can you not be filled with exuberant joy when this comes on? Dizzy was/is the man! Afro Cuban jazz forever!

15 Brian Eno - King's Lead Hat
Just in case you didn't know, King's Lead Hat is an anagram for Talking Heads, the band Eno had just decided to produce when he wrote this song. Not really about anything, it's simply filled with frantic energy and makes me wanna move. Not dance, not party, but make things happen. LIKE GETTING A JOB.

16 Deftones - Rocket Skates (M83 Remix)
Rocket Skates? Really? Well, it's still a good Deftones song and a fine remix from M83. For some reason this was making me think of the Inception soundtrack last night.

17 Nine Inch Nails - Theme For Tetsuo The Bullet Man
Bold, heavy, noisy, all together maddening. This makes me wanna rip my skin off and use it like a weapon. Sounds like a sick video game, or a really sick Robbie Williams video.

18 Liz Phair - In Love With Yourself
One of Liz's Girly-Sound demos, this is an honest reminder not to kiss your own ass. Generally I'm very serious about not believing my own hype, but sometimes you've gotta remind yourself not to let your head get too big.


PS - The Prince post, which has been happening on Mondays for a while, will either be tomorrow or Wednesday. I've got a ton of really cool stuff ready to be shared that might get in the way of his purpleness, but don't worry, I won't forget.

PS2 - Hopefully no one working at Walmart will take offense to this post. Not trying to knock you guys. And to anyone that wants to complain that I shouldn't be working at Walmart, a job is a job guys. Would you rather not be able to pay your bills? Anyway, they have to hire me first, but I'd work there. That is unless someone wants to pay me 30k a year to write for their publication. I'd always take more than 30k but that would certainly pay my bills. So, who wants to hire me to write stuff for them? PLEASE?

PS3 - That part where I mentioned how if only I got paid for running this site, don't worry, I'm not going to start putting ads or anything up here. I don't believe in doing that and while I'd love to get paid for doing something I love, I don't run this place to get paid, I run it to share information, be it music, musical, historical, visual or what not. Though again, someone wanna pay me to do this thing I love?