Mailbox Mixtape #2

Well, lo and behold, another mixtape. I'm looking back to the last tape received (June 2010) and you see how I figured this blog was done. Can't say as I wasn't disappointed. Can't say as I'm not excited. Here's to hoping this isn't the last we get until summer.

Tape is non-descript. No markings. No track listing. No packaging. All mystery. Dig it.

Track 1/Side 1
Know this song. Like this song. If I was going to use George Harrison, I'd have gone with something else, but this is good. Harrison's tribute to Lennon; "All Those Years Ago." Not sure what album this is off of, but it is crazy 80's. Early 80's.

Harrison is such a good songwriter. I don't listen to him enough. That said, like all the Beatles, his work seems to suffer the further he gets from being a Beatle. All Things Must Pass (1970) is his best work. Ten years later I grow less interested. Although, I really liked the Cloud Nine album in...what...1988?

Actually, I don't like this as much as I thought. Musically, this is as corny as anything Harrison ever mocked McCartney for writing. In fact, I'm gonna say George was writing this around the same time that Paul was in the studio with Stevie singing "Ebony and Ivory." I wouldn't argue for one song over the other in terms of corniest song by a former Beatle. So we're off to a "meh" start. Probably shouldn't say that or I guarantee it'll be another six months between mailbox mixes. Let's unpause and see what's next.

Track 2/Side 1
On the other hand, I absolutely LOVE this song. Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years." Man, Paul Simon was so amazing for so long and certainly when he was recording this. I guess you could argue that this also has it's cheesy elements, but I'm not complaining. Really love this song. This whole album, really. This song always makes me think of Dan Folgelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne," though this is a better song. I love those "what might have been" reminisces. I love that his "I just smiled" feels like he's doing her a favor. Sad song. Nice choice. By the way, are you doing an "all the/ose years" thing? I don't see how you couldn't be. Although, I also don't see how you found an hour's worth of "all these years" songs. Let's see.

Track 3/Side 1
"Holding Back The Years." So, I was a third right. This is a "years" mix. OK. That's not uber interesting, but not a bad way to begin a new year on an old blog. This song is not as bad as some think, but certainly suffers from overexposure. This song is borderline "Lady In Red" as far as songs that I can't seem to hate (due mostly to nostalgia), but also can't seem to appreciate by virtue of the fact that they feel more like part of the ether than actual songs. It's like appreciating wallpaper as art. All in all, I like this song better than the first one (though not by much) and much less than the second. I can only hope this is a "hit and miss" years mix and that the next song will be more promising.

Track 4/Side 1
Lots of buzzy violins. First song I haven't recognized right away. Buzz stops. Harp starts? Something stringed. Wait...I know this song. Oh. Nice.

OK, this song wasn't a hit as far as any charts go, but it is certainly a hit with me. Elton John's "Sixty Years On." Good stuff. Speaking of great songs off of great albums. Elton John's "I hope I die before I get old."

Everybody raves about Tumbleweed Connection and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (two of my favorites), but you don't hear this one talked about as much. And yet it has "Your Song" and "Border Song" and lesser known classics like this one and "Take Me To The Pilot." This is his self-titled album, by the way. Check it out.

Hadn't remembered all the breaks for strings on this. Wish this was a little more stripped down. Elton makes this choice of orchestration more often than I'd like. I'd like to hear EJ revisit some of his songs with just him and a piano. And as his younger self. That said, this is still a great song. Nice choice.

Track 5/Side 1
You broke out of the hit/miss/hit pattern. Good for you. OK, this is early Leonard Cohen which means I'm gonna dig it. I vaguely recognize this, but can't recall the title. I like it though.

That's the second time he's sang the words "last year's man" so, given the theme we have going, I'm going with that as the title.

Wikipedia has nothing on "Last Year's Man." Will Google it.

Google confirms "Last Year's Man" as being off of Songs of Love and Hate which means I shouldn't have had to look. You got me mixer. You got me good. It's been too long since I listened to this album.

I really prefer this era of Leonard Cohen. I guess most people do. Wouldn't it have been great to hear him sing "Hallelujah" during this era? I like the low voice casiotone accompanied stuff too. But this is my favorite.

This album makes me think of my friend Andy. I feel like he really loves this album in particular. I'll have to remember to ask him.

Man, this song is great. "And Bethlehem inflamed us both like the shy one at some orgy." Old Testament and sad sex. That's Leonard Cohen.

"Some women wait for Jesus and some women wait for Cain." Elvis Costello should cover this song.

Great song. Thanks mixer. This has given me an album to revisit and a reminder of how great Leonard Cohen is. Next song.

Track 6/Side 1
"One Hundred Years From Now." Gram Parsons and The Byrds. Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Mixer, you know the way to my heart. The year thing isn't even that distracting; this is just an excellent mix of songs. Wish You'd left out the Harrison and Simply Red.

McGuinn does this on the album, so this must be some bootleg or added track or something. The "1-2" count at the beginning says this is a rehearsal take.

I prefer Parsons on this song. I prefer Parsons to McGuinn generally. I like Parsons' version of "The Christian Life" better too. McGuinn sings it snarky and Parsons sincere.

Good call on choosing this version of this song. Well played.

Track 7/Side 1
Not sure what this song is. Sounds weird. Is this Queen? Sounds like Queen doing...no. Wait. Here's guitar and drums and...that's Mick Jagger and this is "2000 Light Years From Home." Not one of my favorite Stones tunes. Mostly because of the special effects sounds behind the music. They were going for psychedelic, but it just comes off silly. What album is this off of?

Their Satanic Majesties Request. Again, not one of my favorites. The only song I really love off of this album is "She's A Rainbow." Oh well, can't win 'em all. Moving on.

Oh. That's side one. OK, side two, here we come.

Track 1/Side 2
I do not know this song. I do not recognize the singer. I like it though. Reminds me of Darden Smith. Is this Darden Smith?

Man, this is really nice. Kind of Nick Drakey, though this isn't as whispery a vocalist as Nick Drake.

Who is this? No clues from any obvious chorus. AGH! I like this a lot. And you're not making it easy.

Shinsy, Drakey, folky, alty. Seriously, you readers will want to check this out.

OK, that's the second time he's said "holding back the year." I'm going with that. Pause to google.

I get Simply Red's "Holding Back The Years" (they know you so well, mixer) and Lou Barlow's "Holding Back The Year." Click to hear sample...

This is Lou Barlow's "Holding Back The Year." I like this. I may have to check this album out. How recent is this? I assume it's post-Sebadoh. Unpause as search continues.

Album is called Emoh. Came out in 2005. Will check it out. Thanks mixer. Next song.

Track 2/Side 2
Whistling. Ukulele. I recognize this song off a mix my friend Summer made me. Lots of fun. Can't remember who this is. "Fun, fun, fun...when we were drinking...fun, fun, fun...when we were drunk..."

I like the guy/girl back and forth on this. I just like this song. Can't place a title. Lots of "fun, fun, fun" and "love, love, love" no "year, year, year."

Take it back. They are now saying "five years time" on repeat. More whistling. Pause to research.

Noah and the Whale. Yeah. I like this a lot. These guys are fun. Won't change your life, but this would be a nice band to have a first date to.

Have they ever had a song in a Zooey Deschanel film? Because they should. Still paused. Will check.

Can't find anything. But this song makes me think of Zooey Deschanel. If you like Zooey, Belle & Sebastian, or holding hands, you will like this song.

Unpause. Oh. It's done.

Track 3/Side 2
Piano. Drums. Chunky guitar.

Oh! I would not have known this song a week ago and then heard it in Bird's Barbershop and filed away the lyric "I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me" and googled it at home and it's The Mountain Goats and, believe it or not, I bought this album yesterday.

The album is The Sunset Tree and the song is called "This Year" and it's excellent. This is a song of hope hard won, a song of survival (see previous lyric), a song of struggle. Great lyrics. Great tune. Great bridge. Great hook to the chorus. Just. So. Great.

Love this towards the end "there will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year." Way to tie hope to something epic and endless. Nice.

Should have sent this a week ago, mixer. You could have been the one to introduce me to one of my new favorite songs. Happy coincidence, either way.

Track 4/Side 2
This is The Walkmen. I know this from another "friend Summer" mix. Summer, did you send me this mix? The "year" theme doesn't seem like you, but many of the choices do. Summer actually just made me a Walkmen mix, which I look forward to getting. Summer, is this a teaser?

Anyway, this song is fantastic. My request of a Walkmen mix has much to do with wondering if the Walkmen are always this good. Because this is great. This is why U2 fans loved U2 in 1982. This is October.

Man, I cannot wait to get that Walkmen mix. I hope it's all at least half this good.

Track 5/Side 2
Ha! Speaking of U2. I guess on a "years" mix "New Year's Day" was a sort of obvious choice, especially after "The New Year." That said, you'll get no complaints from me. I will always love this song. Bonus points for putting two bands together as if you knew I'd do the same.

I doubt I have to say much about this song except to say that you haters out there are inexplicable to me. Take whatever pretension you attach to Bono out of it. These guys were amazing 20 years ago even if you don't think (like I do) that they still are. This song is....wow.

Seriously haters, go buy the War album, forget it's Bono and the Edge and just take in how perfect it is.

OK, I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the rest of this. Thanks mixer.

Track 6/Side 2
Don't recognize this song.

Recognize this voice. This is Eddie Vedder. This is Pearl Jam after I stopped liking Pearl Jam. That said, this isn't bad. This also isn't great. This is certainly no Vs. This is sort of why I stopped buying Pearl Jam albums.

Yeah, this is sort of adult contemporary Pearl Jam. No clue from the lyrics what "year" this is.

This sounds like something off Yield. This sounds like "Given To Fly" rehashed. Still no clue what it is.

"And wherever you've gone and wherever we might go it don't seem fair that they just disappear"

Pause to look up lyric.

This is "Light Years" off of Binaural. Which, Wikipedia tells me, is the album that followed Yield. Not even kind of surprising. Not loving this choice, mixer. Especially given how good this side B is.

The music almost feels like Tenacious D's "Wonderboy."

OK, Eddie, let's wrap it up.

Track 7/Side 2
I like this. Is this Stevie Wonder? No, this is...who is this?

They keep saying "golden years." Am assuming this is the title.

This is Bowie. I don't listen to a lot of post-Ziggy Bowie, so I can't name this. I really like it though. Maybe I should listen to more post-Ziggy Bowie. Good stuff.

Pause to research.

"Golden Years" is off of Station To Station. Not familiar with this album at all. Will have to check it out. This track is great. Like, great great.

I had always heard this album was more Kraftwerky (no thanks), but this sounds like it could have been on Young Americans. Is the entire album like this?

Song is wrapping up. Thanks for the Bowie. Thanks for the mix. Thanks for reminding me to listen to Songs of Love and Hate more often and more closely, and for giving me a reason to try Station To Station. Thanks for keeping the blog going. Thought the "year" thing would be distracting, but this was a good mix.

Seriously. Thanks.