When We Were In Love
At one point in time I was completely infatuated with every song linked up below. The kind of obsession that begs for repeated repeated repeated listens. That's not the only thing they have in common. In recent years, every one of these artists (who have been a main course of my music diet) released records that i just can't connect with. I'll elaborate on each track.
Riding / Palace Brothers1993
This song won me over to WIll Oldham completely. I first heard There is No-One What Will Take Care of You in the winter of 1996 during a record buying trip to Minneapolis. My friend James Guthrie bought this record and Arise Therefore - when we listened to it i couldn't believe what i was hearing. Will's last couple of projects - the "best of" thing, the upcoming "live" deal, "superwolf"... they're just not as compelling to me as earlier work. I've not written him off. Will - i'm happy to wait - please take your time and release something really good, will you?
The Biggest Lie / Elliott Smith1997
Saw Elliott in Iowa City with Greg Peterson right after Either/Or was released. It was a really magical show. I must've played this record (ST) over a hundred times in my dorm room. Elliott started losing me with the pop production that started after Either/Or. Bummer.
Forcefield / Beck1994
One Foot in The Grave urged me to take folk music seriously during a time of my life when i was still listening to Tool and Alice In Chains. This song and the record as a whole were a soundtrack to countless drives and bike rides. Where has this Beck gone? I was halfway liking Sea Change but i'm completely missing the point now.
Violence / Low1995
I never thought i'd get tired of Low. I have. There's just so much you can do with this aesthetic and still be the same band. Wow, what a run. This song is so silky and rich. Aaaaahhhh....
Sporting Life / The Sea And Cake1997
The Fawn was a soundtrack for a whole summer of card games. I still get shivers when i hear this opening notes to this track. While Sam Prekop's most recent Who's Your New Professor is incredible, The Sea And Cake lost momentum.
The Taut And Tame / Tortoise1996
Driving, painting, walking, thinking, cooking. This song is good for everything. Tortoise, I love you. I kept waiting for this band to let me down and it finally happened with It's All Around You. Their last show at Lounge Axe was one of the most exciting things i've ever seen.
Daved And Awake / Aerial M1997
David Pajo's Aerial M turned Papa M, is everything i wanted from music from 1997-2000. I was doing a lot of painting at that time, and this type of music formed a timeless vortex for me to work through the night without realizing it. My dub of this from Greg got flipped and re-flipped in the deck so many times that it wore out. I enjoyed Whatever Mortal - so it's not the singing that's put him out with me - just a nagging feeling that he has a real sense of self-importance that's seeping into the music.
The Seasons Reverse / Gastr Del Sol1998
I'm calling this one David Grubbs. I've listened to this a million times. I still love it. David, why can't you wow me a bit and do something different nowadays? P.S. I still love you.
June 18, 1976 / Pedro The Lion2000
I love the sound of this tune - the production, the lyrics, vocals... everything about it. It shimmers. I've still got hope for his return to something less... boring. David, why you so depressed and aloof?
Lioness / Songs: Ohia / The Lioness2000
Jason Molina has always been a bit hit-and-miss for me, but there was a period of time when his music was consistently engaging. This record is dark and lovely. However, Jason seems to suffer from the self-importance syndrome that has gotten to many of the singer-songwriters in this list. Last two records... Boring. Sorry, Jason - it's true.
Roll / Richard Buckner1997
When i first saw him at Schubas, i was glad to finally know that i'm not the only rabid Richard Buckner fan. There are a whole lot of them. Unfortunately, none of my friends share my great love for his country style. Devotion + Doubt and Since were sooooooo good to me, but it's been a downhill ride from there. Dents and Shells isn't BAD, i just don't ever feel like listening to it.
Hollywood / Simon Joyner1995
Omaha's Finest. Nobody can make music this gutteral forever, we all get old. It's not your fault, Simon.
Hope you enjoy these as much as i do.
Riding / Palace Brothers
This song won me over to WIll Oldham completely. I first heard There is No-One What Will Take Care of You in the winter of 1996 during a record buying trip to Minneapolis. My friend James Guthrie bought this record and Arise Therefore - when we listened to it i couldn't believe what i was hearing. Will's last couple of projects - the "best of" thing, the upcoming "live" deal, "superwolf"... they're just not as compelling to me as earlier work. I've not written him off. Will - i'm happy to wait - please take your time and release something really good, will you?
The Biggest Lie / Elliott Smith
Saw Elliott in Iowa City with Greg Peterson right after Either/Or was released. It was a really magical show. I must've played this record (ST) over a hundred times in my dorm room. Elliott started losing me with the pop production that started after Either/Or. Bummer.
Forcefield / Beck
One Foot in The Grave urged me to take folk music seriously during a time of my life when i was still listening to Tool and Alice In Chains. This song and the record as a whole were a soundtrack to countless drives and bike rides. Where has this Beck gone? I was halfway liking Sea Change but i'm completely missing the point now.
Violence / Low
I never thought i'd get tired of Low. I have. There's just so much you can do with this aesthetic and still be the same band. Wow, what a run. This song is so silky and rich. Aaaaahhhh....
Sporting Life / The Sea And Cake
The Fawn was a soundtrack for a whole summer of card games. I still get shivers when i hear this opening notes to this track. While Sam Prekop's most recent Who's Your New Professor is incredible, The Sea And Cake lost momentum.
The Taut And Tame / Tortoise
Driving, painting, walking, thinking, cooking. This song is good for everything. Tortoise, I love you. I kept waiting for this band to let me down and it finally happened with It's All Around You. Their last show at Lounge Axe was one of the most exciting things i've ever seen.
Daved And Awake / Aerial M
David Pajo's Aerial M turned Papa M, is everything i wanted from music from 1997-2000. I was doing a lot of painting at that time, and this type of music formed a timeless vortex for me to work through the night without realizing it. My dub of this from Greg got flipped and re-flipped in the deck so many times that it wore out. I enjoyed Whatever Mortal - so it's not the singing that's put him out with me - just a nagging feeling that he has a real sense of self-importance that's seeping into the music.
The Seasons Reverse / Gastr Del Sol
I'm calling this one David Grubbs. I've listened to this a million times. I still love it. David, why can't you wow me a bit and do something different nowadays? P.S. I still love you.
June 18, 1976 / Pedro The Lion
I love the sound of this tune - the production, the lyrics, vocals... everything about it. It shimmers. I've still got hope for his return to something less... boring. David, why you so depressed and aloof?
Lioness / Songs: Ohia / The Lioness
Jason Molina has always been a bit hit-and-miss for me, but there was a period of time when his music was consistently engaging. This record is dark and lovely. However, Jason seems to suffer from the self-importance syndrome that has gotten to many of the singer-songwriters in this list. Last two records... Boring. Sorry, Jason - it's true.
Roll / Richard Buckner
When i first saw him at Schubas, i was glad to finally know that i'm not the only rabid Richard Buckner fan. There are a whole lot of them. Unfortunately, none of my friends share my great love for his country style. Devotion + Doubt and Since were sooooooo good to me, but it's been a downhill ride from there. Dents and Shells isn't BAD, i just don't ever feel like listening to it.
Hollywood / Simon Joyner
Omaha's Finest. Nobody can make music this gutteral forever, we all get old. It's not your fault, Simon.
Hope you enjoy these as much as i do.
Labels: mixtape
posted by ben at
11/10/2005
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