If you've lived in Lawrence for more than just a few months, or have ever seen a show at Liberty Hall or the Bottleneck in the dead of winter, chances are you've stopped over at Java Break for a cup of Joe to keep you warm and caffeinated. What you may not know is that in the days before iPod's were readily available (and discounted for KU students), the Java Break staff would make their own customized playlists (on, like, Winamp or some shit!). Despite the fact that most of the playlists were rarely altered, thus making repeated visits (and there were plenty before I could drink legally) incredibly repetitive, I honestly owe the Java Break staff as much credit for turning me on to some of my favorite artists as anything else. So, in honor of the great music, and because its definitely latte weather, here's a mixtape that I hope will warm you up and make the old Java Break staff proud.
Before I go, I should not that one track is mislabeled. The artist performing the eighth song is actually Hayden, and the song title is "Bad as They Seem." Feel free to share any of your coffee house favorites, or let me know if I forgot anything (I know that there are at least a couple of you reading that have been to the 'ol Java Break once or twice), in the comments section.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mixtape Monday:
Java Rock
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Best Songs From Bad (or Mediocre) Albums - 2007 Edition
For every great album this year has seen there have been even more albums that are mediocre, or just downright terrible. However, a surprising amount of those mediocre or awful releases came equipped with at least one pretty nice track. Because I don't want to tip my/our hats too early and, in a roundabout way, reveal too much about our upcoming Best Albums list, I'm only going to post a few of these "strongest links", and ask that you fill in the rest in the comments section.
Modest Mouse - "Spitting Venom"
(From the We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank LP)
Modest Mouse really jumped the shark with their latest album. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a Modest Mouse supporter, even if I can't stand most of We Were Dead. The cautious optimistic in me remembers that their two previous albums were released on a major label too, and I like those albums just fine. And as I mentioned in my review for this album (one of my first reviews, go me!) there are a few redeeming tracks on here, and "Spitting Venom" is definitely the one that floats above the rest.
Even from the start, with the song's acoustic intro that sounds like "Rock Lobster" meets Angels of Light, you can tell its gonna be a good one. "We were spitting venom at most everyone we know", it begins, something I think all of us could imagine Issac Brock doing in real life. Let's face it, we're all Modest Mouse fans because Issac's the kind of pessimistic jerk we can all relate to, the Bukowski of (not so) Indie Rock. This is no sappy "We've got everything!" bullshit, it's all falling off here, and Issac's the captain trying to weather a storm with too heavy of a load. The song, fittingly enough, transforms itself to reflect the sentiment. The chiming guitars and lost at sea horns give this listener a sinking feeling, literally, and puts me eye to eye with the worms and weird fishes, maybe to swim safely to shore or die alone in the ocean. If the rest of We Were Dead were half as good as this song, it could have made our Top 20 easily.
Interpol - "The Lighthouse"
(From the Our Love to Admire LP)
To be honest, this is a song that I have trouble justifying. I just spent about 20 minutes writing reasons why it is that I like this song, and they were all crap. Pure crap. I was talking out of my ass because I honestly can't think of one single good reason to like this song. I just know that I do.
Devendra Banhart -
"Seahorse"
(From the Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
LP)
Do you think Devendra likes the Doors much? Seriously, this song sounds like it could have been an outtake from L.A. Woman sessions, or maybe he's covering something from American Prayer. Whatever, the song is incredible, even if only while high.
Wilco - "Impossible Germany"
(From the Sky Blue Sky LP)
Like the latest Modest Mouse album, Sky Blue Sky has its share of good tracks. And like Devendra's "Seahorse", "Impossible Germany" has a major Classic Rock vibe going for it. But unlike Sky Blue Sky's weaker songs, it doesn't venture into boring, AOR territory, thanks in no small part Nels Cline's fancy guitar soloing. It's songs like these that make me yearn for another A Ghost is Born, an album that I enjoy immensely.
Like I said earlier, I could go on, but I won't. However, feel free to post any of your favorite songs from albums that you feel are somewhere in the bad/mediocre region in our comments section.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Don't Tell Anyone You Don't Own...
Modest Mouse - This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About
(1996, Up)
"Breakthrough"
One of my husband's coworkers purports to be a big Modest Mouse fan, though in this age of ITunes, his exposure has been limited to "Float On" and "Dashboard." It's for guys like him, if for no other reason, that I'm giving a shoutout to the Mouse's fantastic debut LP.
As Backdrifter noted in his first post, Modest Mouse's music has an energy that is perfect for facilitating inebriation (See: "Breakthrough"), or, as the band's titles often suggest, for driving really long distances. So you're someone with nothing to think about, you say, and all this distance to drive? Well mister/missy, even if you "know your geography pretty damn well," pop some Dramamine and prepare for some road rage.
Although MM's earlier albums are markedly rawer, Long Drive's music still feels lush and scenic. Just listen to the six and a half minute "Lounge" (the first of the track's two incarnations) or "Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset" (Why or why wasn't this the album closer?? Get an editor, Mr. Brock!). Whether you want to feel pretty or cut yourself in true MM style, Long Drive has something for everyone who claims to love the Mouse, but has yet to hear 9/10 of their catalogue.