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SPRING '03 MIX

I haven't posted any of these in a while, so here is the latest, titled "Spring '03 Mix"

Below's a list of songs and artist, plus descriptions of the songs in order to give you a flavor for them. It's a weird mix, I can tell you that. But don't let that stop you from listening; there are some real gems in here.

Spring '03: The Mix

1) Clocks by Coldplay
From A Rush of Blood To The Head
--An unusual song to be such a popular radio single, but nevertheless, Coldplay's "Clocks" seems to have done even better than the first single from this album, "In My Place." I'd like to think it's just the public being smart in picking their music, in this case a soaring and beautiful track of confusion and love.

2) Let's Push Things Forward by The Streets
From Original Pirate Material
--This is a great call to arms for musicians and music buyers. The chorus goes "They say that everything sounds the same/Then you go buy them./There's no excuses my friend./Let's push things forward." Well said, by The Streets, AKA British dork Mike Skinner, white boy rapping over some cool beats about the lazier side of British life. It sounds bizarre, but it's surprisingly accessible.

3) Hallelujah by Ryan Adams
From Demolition
--Here's a beautiful track from Ryan Adams, poster boy for alt-country rocker cool. I guess the guy has a bit of a reputation for being a jerk (Starting feuds with other indie musicians, throwing fans out of concerts for calling him "Bryan Adams") but when he is on his game, like in this song, he's one of the best songwriters out there. "Hallelujah" is one of Adams' more countryish tracks, with a nice harmonica and one of his best vocal parts.

4) Sister Surround by The Soundtrack of our Lives
From Behind The Music
--The Soundtrack of our Lives are another of the Swedish Invasion bands, with a very 60ish sound. If you've caught these guys doing any talk show appearances, more than likely they were playing this song, a bouncy rocker with about a kajillion guitar parts.

5)Miracle by Josh Rouse
From Under The Cold Blue Stars
--I saw this video late night on MTV 2 one weekend. That's all I'd heard about Josh Rouse, and that's all I've seen of him since, but at a going-out-of-business sale I bought his CD for half off, and it was a very pleasant surprise. He's got a very expressive voice, not all that strong, but used to the effect where his pain in singing translates the emotions in his songs. "Miracle" is one of the few upbeat songs on the album; a very pretty love song telling that special someone that the only reason he is still around is thanks to their love.

6)Underneath it All by No Doubt
From Rock Steady
--I was never a big No Doubt fan, but their last album, Rock Steady really struck a chord with me possibly because it was very versatile; it had bits of dance, reggae, punk, ska, and this, a straight-on love ballad. A very pretty song, and also a favorite of Melissa's, which practically guaranteed its inclusion here.

7)Intergalactic by The Beastie Boys
From Hello Nasty
--All of a sudden I'm digging The Beastie Boys. For some reason, the sheer concept of three Jewish dudes rapping - and doing it better than many others - strikes me as absolute genius. So I've been looking into their older songs, and I really enjoy this one. Their pop culture-stuffed lyrics rival another of my old favorites, Barenaked Ladies.

8)Honestly by Zwan
From Mary Star of the Sea
--My favorite radio station right now is G106.3, and this is one of those tracks I found through them. I was never a Smashing Pumpkins fan and I don't own any of their albums (A bit too pretentious for me), but I really enjoy some of the Zwan songs, and this one in particular is just beautiful in its simplicity. And that guitar solo toward the end is totally gear.

9) Guess I'm Doing Fine by Beck
From Sea Change
--People have labeled Beck's "Sea Change" as an extremely depressing album, but while it does have numerous songs that are melancholy in nature, the guitar parts and Beck's simple powerful voice really elevate them to something bigger than just "Sad Bastard Music." "Guess I'm Doing Fine" is the current single, and it's a good choice, though there are half a dozen other songs of equally stellar quality they could have chosen. And it's really fun to play on guitar.

10)Vertigo by The Libertines
From Up The Bracket
--This one sort of defies explanation. These guys are a big deal in Britain, sort of this year's homegrown version of The Strokes. Their music sounds like nothing else I've heard (but I don't hear too much), a little bit punk, a little bit rockabilly, all of it catchy. It's all produced by The Clash's Mick Jones. "Vertigo" is the track that kicks it all of groovy, finger-snapping fashion. One of the more obscure things I've bought lately, but also one of the most rewarding.

11)Check The Meaning by Richard Ashcroft
From Human Conditions
--Ah good old Richard Ashcroft. His first solo album after disbanding The Verve, Alone With Everybody was a great lost disc, and the follow-up is more of the same. "Check The Meaning" is a bit too long (nearly eight minutes!), which has always been Ashcroft's big weakness, but you can't deny that it finds him at the top of his game.

12)Like a Stone by Audioslave
From Audioslave
--I wouldn't have expected to like this disc as much as I do, since I never had a thing for either Rage Against the Machine or Soundgarden. But something in this mix really clicks with me - I'm not a huge fan of hard rock, but when it's done right, like here, I am totally into it. If I had to pick one song to provide the soundtrack for the whole war of late, it'd be this one; the words don't necessarily relate (though they do involve death) but the mood it creates is so utterly sad, it really fits the despair a lot of people have been feeling.

13)Can't Get Up by Supergrass
From Life On Other Planets
--Supergrass' fourth album "Life on Other Planets" really disappointed me when I first listened to it because, at least on the first pass, none of the songs really stuck out. Eventually they ALL wound up tattooing (not to be confused with T.A.T.U.ing) themselves into my brain. "Can't Get Up" is my favorite, mostly cause of the cheeky lyrics.

14)Lonesome Day by Bruce Springsteen
From The Rising
--Just for my brother Doug, who I believe would let Bruce adopt him as a son if he would only offer. It's a good song too.

15) A Little Less Conversation by Elvis Prestley
From The King
--I really loved this song in the movie Ocean's 11 so I was happy to see it (albeit in a remixed form) on that Elvis compilation that came out last year. This track really swings.

16) Blown Away by Steel Train
From For You My Dear
--I know the bassist in this band, but even if I didn't, and randomly heard this track somewhere, I'd really dig it. These guys do mellow heartfelt acoustic rock. Right in my wheelhouse, so to speak. You can hear most of their first EP, For You My Dear, on mp3.com.

17)London Calling by The Clash
From London Calling
--This mix was made right after Joe Strummer tragically passed away at the age of 50 and The Clash were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I firmly believe London Calling is one of the best couple albums of all time, and any of about ten of the tracks are worthy of mix CD status, but you can't got wrong with the mother of them all, the rocking title track. Did you catch Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, and Steve Van Zandt doing a cover of this on The Grammys? Man it was good.