Morning chaps. Working the late shift is all kinds of awesome. Woke up without the usual blind “ah crap I”™m late” panic, managed to grab some breakfast and a coffee (a rarity, let me tell you), had a play with the kitties and listened to some music before coming to work. Bliss. Downside? I”™m stuck here until 7pm tonight. You win some, you lose some.
Anyway, today”™s mix is by the powerhouse that is Rhys Howell (@Ghop56 on Twitter – bully him into posting some more), a guy I”™ve known for many years now. Don”™t let that put you off.
Love you lots and Jelly Tots,
David.
Rhys says:
Good evening all. Being a musical troglodyte compared to most of you, I”™ve started simple and put into my mix the music I”™ve listened to most over the past 6 years. I”™ve only put in one track per artist otherwise it”™d be a very dull list. There are some notable absences. Arcade Fire (The Arcade Fire? Discuss) would have been there if Spotify had it. I”™m pretty sure no one else is going to like them all but also that there will be at least one track on there you do. They may not flow seamlessly but I love them all. Here”™s the listing and below some sort of explanation. And here”™s the link”¦
Track List
- Eels ”“ Hey Man (Now You”™re Really Living)
- Johnny Cash ”“ Solitary Man
- Kanye West ”“ Jesus Walks
- She Wants Revenge ”“ Tear You Apart
- Malcolm Middleton ”“ We”™re All Going To Die
- Sigur Ros ”“ Gobbledigook
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star ”“ Weird Fishes Arpeggi
- The Polyphonic Spree ”“ Light & Day/Reach For The Sun
- The Cinematic Underground ”“ My Dear Self
- Pixies ”“ Where Is My Mind?
- Damien Rice ”“ Cannonball
- Talking Heads ”“ Once In A Lifetime
- Los Campesinos! ”“ You! Me! Dancing!
- Rage Against The Machine ”“ Killing In The Name
- Modest Mouse ”“ The Good Times Are Killing Me
- The Undertones ”“ Teenage Kicks
- Blur ”“ Song 2
- The Killers ”“ Mr. Brightside
- The Knife ”“ Heartbeats
- London Symphony Orchestra ”“ The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, The Bringer Of War
- LCD Soundsystem ”“ All my Friends
- System Of A Down ”“ B.Y.O.B.
- Bloc Party ”“ Flux
- David Bowie ”“ I”™m Afraid Of Americans (V1) (Radio Edit Of Trent Reznor Mix)
- Rob Dougan ”“ Clubbed To Death – Kurayamino Variation
- Antony & The Johnsons ”“ Hope There”™s Someone
- David Gray ”“ Babylon
- London Music Works ”“ 28 Days Later – In The House-In A Heartbeat
- Willy Mason ”“ Oxygen
- The Streets ”“ Don”™t Mug Yourself
- U2 ”“ Beautiful Day
- The Buzzcocks ”“ Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn”™t”™ve)?
There you go and now for my defence.
Eels ”“ Hey Man (Now You”™re Really Living).
I don”™t know about you but the daily grind can really get me down. I love this song for the way in which it reminds me that life is life. There isn”™t a do over option and there”™s no such thing as not really living so enjoy it. That goes for if its kissing a beautiful girl or crying your heart out. These emotional aspects remind you that your living so chin up and keep on going.
Johnny Cash ”“ Solitary Man.
It”™s the man in black which is a great start and also it a great “I”™ve been alone for so long” anthem. Everything in its time and until then me and Johnny will keep singing along.
Kanye West ”“ Jesus Walks
Don”™t really have a story for this one. Just one of the first tracks I bought on itunes so got muchos plays on the system before I had a chance to add more music.
She Wants Revenge ”“ Tear You Apart
This is a bit of a cheat. I actually wanted to put on a mash up of Tear you apart and Love will tear us apart by A + D. (Strongly recommend A + D for some quality mash ups) but quelle surprise Spotify doesn”™t have it. So I went for the lesser known track and bunged it on here.
Malcolm Middleton ”“ We”™re All Going To Die
A failed Christmas number one campaign a few years back brought this to my attention. Its vein of black humour appealed to me as did the tune.
Sigur Ros ”“ Gobbledigook
On my to do list is hearing these guys play in the open air surrounded by snow as the Aurora Borealis lights up the sky. Failing that listening to them on my ipod is pretty good too. This one is up here as I listened to it almost daily for the entire time I worked in a café in Sheffield as I tried to find a better job. It infectious la-la-laing made the tram ride not seem so bad.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star ”“ Weird Fishes Arpeggi
I wanted the original here but again Spotify let me down. No matter. Have a lullaby instead
The Polyphonic Spree ”“ Light & Day/Reach For The Sun
Happy clappy chappies to make you feel good. It makes it seem like the sun is shining even on those days when the clouds are there and its chucking down cats and dogs
The Cinematic Underground ”“ My Dear Self
A haunting melody and lyrics about the necessity for human interaction and companionship. Love how it ties into the down feelings when feeling alone. And on a juvenile level the masturbation joke towards the end is good too.
Pixies ”“ Where Is My Mind?
The closing track to one of the best films ever. A cutting satire on the nature of manhood in the modern world or an excuse for Brad Pitt to punch people in the face? You decide. Would have also loved to have had the “This is your life” track from the soundtrack too. About the fleeting nature of existence and how it all ending. For some reason it cheers me up but doesn”™t motivate me to do much.
Damien Rice ”“ Cannonball
Again no story. I just like it.
Talking Heads ”“ Once In A Lifetime
I remember hearing this at some point as a youngster but for the life of me can”™t remember where. I wasn”™t until about the age of 18 I managed to find out what that part remembered song lurking at the back of my head was and for it to become a fine favourite. Again another song about life and what it chucks at you. Hmm maybe this is a themed list after all.
Los Campesinos! ”“ You! Me! Dancing!
I listened to this album on repeat whilst writing my dissertation. This was great for a break at 3am in a little study room in the library. Put it on, bop about a bit and then go back to staring at a screen not really knowing about what your talking about. Ahh Good times.
Rage Against The Machine ”“ Killing In The Name
Great for angry dancing in the basement at Bradford University. Get all those anti social tendencies out in a safe manner then go back to being a more pleasant human without actually telling people to F. Off.
Modest Mouse ”“ The Good Times Are Killing Me
Let”™s just say that I do have a hedonistic side and leave it at that.
The Undertones ”“ Teenage Kicks
If John Peel(God Bless his soul) rates it then its at least worth a moment of your time. It harks back to teenage years even if your teenage years weren”™t as cool as the song makes them sound, as mine surely weren”™t.
Blur ”“ Song 2
Another good jump around the room song.
The Killers ”“ Mr. Brightside
This is great for belting out on a dancefloor and having a good old sing along to in the car. No deeper reason than that.
The Knife ”“ Heartbeats
I want to say Jose Mourinho released a cover of this a few years back but have a feeling that I”™m slightly confused there [Editor”™s note: It was on the album “The Special One Sings The Blues”, I think – Dave]. As much as I love covers its always good to go back to the original every so often.
London Symphony Orchestra ”“ The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, The Bringer Of War
We can all thank my dad for this choice. He had this on tape back when I was a wee lad and I”™ve loved it ever since. The bombast and driving rhythm behind it are just engrossing and captivating. The whole suite is brilliant but this is my favourite part of it all.
LCD Soundsystem ”“ All my Friends
Another good track to remind you of the good times when you”™re mates are far away.
System Of A Down ”“ B.Y.O.B.
Shouting sing along action again.
Bloc Party ”“ Flux
Again no real story
David Bowie ”“ I”™m Afraid Of Americans (V1) (Radio Edit Of Trent Reznor Mix)
I love the multi layering of the sound in this track and also the idea of Bowie fleeing screaming every time an American pops their head around the door.
Rob Dougan ”“ Clubbed To Death – Kurayamino Variation
You may know this from a little film called “The Matrix” but Rod Dougan”™s whole album is worth checking out.
Antony & The Johnsons ”“ Hope There”™s Someone
Hauntingly beautiful song which builds and builds until it explodes towards the end. I think this is another one from the early days of Itunes and I loved it so much I bought the album too. Album not as good but still worth a listen.
David Gray ”“ Babylon
Not sure why this is here. Still a catchy song
London Music Works ”“ 28 Days Later – In The House-In A Heartbeat
This song does seem to have its own heartbeat and after hearing it in the background of various adverts and trailers I tracked it down and am always willing to be swept away by it.
Willy Mason ”“ Oxygen
A less shouty sing along one here. I want to describe the pum ta pum pum beat as one of the things I like about this but don”™t think that is going to translate. Feel free to ignore that bit.
The Streets ”“ Don”™t Mug Yourself
Another driving beat behind this one. Its got the feeling of hanging out with your mates shooting the breeze and ragging on each other whenever you can.
U2 ”“ Beautiful Day
Another sing along one here which I don”™t associate with the football which is probably just as well.
The Buzzcocks ”“ Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn”™t”™ve)
I know I have. And I”™ll be surprised at anyone who claims differently.