The Summer EP Mix Tracklisting

OK so here is that tracklisting (see previous post) and what each song means. This is true blogging here, folks, mainly for myself to process the experience.

1. Tegan & Sara, "Take Me Anywhere" -- I have been obsessed with this song for weeks leading up to this recording session, and I played it a number of times on my ipod during the trip. What I love about the songs on "So Jealous" is that they tend to be very simple: a couple vocal parts, light instrumentation, nothing fancy about the production. But within the simplicity of the performances, the strength of the song really comes through. I am trying to take some lessons from these girls while I am in Michigan trying to write similarly brilliant songs (and most likely failing).

2. The Velvet Teen, "Counting Backwards" -- This song came on while I was responding to some emails one night with the ipod on "shuffle", and I was so surprised at how good it was: surprised because this is on an old EP of theirs, written and recorded when Judah, the singer/writer/guitarist/pianist was quite young, I think like late teens, which blows me away. This song is so ahead of it's time -- sounds like something some really good dancy-indie band would release nowadays, but it was 2001, 5 years ago! So good.

3. Phantom Planet, "The Meantime" -- I listened to this song with Crystal Murphy, my new dear friend, as she drove me to the airport (via Highway 1, lunch, etc.) at the end of my visit. This record is much better than most people realize, so dancy and catchy and well-produced (think Pinkerton, lo-fi but ballsy), and great summer music.

4. Brandtson, "Nobody Dances Anymore" -- A video was made for this song that features many of my friends, including Twinsy, and I saw this video a number of times during the trip; it is very funny and awesome, just a bunch of people dancing in the "Green Room" at The Militia Group in Long Beach. Also, it's an awesome song: so fun. They will be here in Grand Rapids on Friday and I am super excited to hang out with them.

5. Satisfaction, "Everything You Don't Want" -- Satisfaction is our producer, Michael Rosas' band; they are phenomenal (go to myspace.com/satisfaction and see why), and the mix needed a song of theirs. This is my current favorite.

6. The Rolling Stones, "Rocks Off" -- I bought "Exile On Main Street" one day while we were tracking vocals, kind of on a whim at Best Buy, and it's a great record. This is the first song, and it got me hooked. Sidenote: it really reminds me of Squad-Five-O, if any of you remember them...

7. Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone (Live in England, 1966)" -- This is from the legendary British tour when Dylan did one set of acoustic songs and then one set of loud, blistering Rock music with the musicians later to be known as The Band. Before the song starts, you can hear someone yelling "Judas!", with Bob simply replying, "I don't believe you," then turning to his band, 'Play f*cking loud!" And that they do. It is such an energetic, well-recorded version of this, one of my all-time favorite songs. And what a rock'n'roll moment that was; I am grateful to have a recorded version to enjoy. Also, I was reading Dylan's new book, "Chronicles", recommended by Jonathan Jones (Waking Ashland), and loving every minute, listening to a LOT of Dylan; it was kind of a Dylan Trip for me. I thought of even putting "Visions of Johanna" at the end of the mix, but decided that would be Dylan overkill, although that might be appropriate, since the trip was pretty much Dylan overkill.

8. Richard Swift, "Looking Back, I Should Have Been Home More" -- I had discovered the depth of quality in this song a few weeks before recording, but I listened to it a fair amount while down there, and furthermore, Richard Swift is from that area, and friends with a few of my friends down there. Also, during the trip, a few of us went to see Fielding play at the Detroit Bar in Newport Beach, which reminded me of the time I saw Richard Swift at the Detroit. Good times...

9. Let Go, "No Drugs, No Alcohol" -- This song sort of stands out on the Let Go album, a decent three-piece pop-rock record. This song is more influenced by the Beach Boys than anything Green Day ever did, however, and has a few moments of genius, my favorite being the three-part vibrato'd out harmony, "yeah!" half-way through the song. Queen, anyone?

10. The Trade Winds, "New York's A Lonely Town" -- This song is on a compilation my parents gave me when I was 7 yrs old called "Surfin' Hits". It was also undoubtedly the theme song of this trip. I had it stuck in my head almost the ENTIRE time I was down there; i would track a guitar part, intent on performance, and as soon as I finished, this song would jump back into my head, and I would find myself humming along. The lyrics are amazing (sort of): the speaker's parents have moved to New York City from Southern California, and he is dismayed to find that no one surfs in NYC, and quote, "No one even cares..." His "woodie" is outside, covered in snow. Personal favorite lyric: "From Central Park to Pasadena's such a long way; I feel so out of it walkin' down Broadway." I want to cover this song at some point; it is total Brian Wilson rip-off, but I love it.

11. Joni Mitchell, "California" -- This one is here partially for obvious reasons, but also because I was able to share this album with a songwriting friend of mine during one of our days off. This song has such a good energy; Joni's voice is ridiculously awesome, and the song really does remind me of my home state.

12. Watashi Wa, "10 Years In Separating States" -- This is easily my favorite song that Seth has ever written, and I think I've heard almost all of his songs at some point. It's slow-building, epic, with great harmonies and great lyrics about moving on, something I was anxious to do while in Southern California (not one of my favorite places...). Sometimes I feel like this song will one day get me through a very rough time. So thank you, Seth. =)