The esteemed @Perlalaloca is carrying out a long term scheme on Twitter called #TheMixtapeProject where each week a different individual contributes a playlist on Spotify like an old fashioned compilation tape – an imaginary C90 of music for someone else to listen to. This playlist will go public on Sunday nights, shared by Tracy and others, and folks can listen to it and comment on what they enjoyed and didn’t enjoy.
And I’m contributing the playlist for week 5.
But you know me, I like the sound of my own words and have too much to say for myself, so I offered to write some sleeve notes for this playlist, partly to explain my choices and partly as something to do which may well kickstart my writing after a fallow period.
So here we go....
Side one (yes it’s meant to be a proper compilation tape with two sides)
“Fanfare” – Eric Matthews (from “It’s heavy in here” LP, 1995)
Every mix should start with a fanfare of trumpets, and what better way than this? Eric Matthews appeared in the mid 90s, firstly as part of Cardinal with Richard Davies, and then solo – this was his first solo single, issued by Sub Pop in 1995. I think my 7” was on clear vinyl. Eric’s second album “The lateness of the hour” is end to end brilliant, and is well worth checking out.
“Count it up” – Field Music (from “Open here” LP, 2018)
I’ve only heard one Field Music album before their new one, but “Open here” is great and is highly recommended. Under normal circumstances I would include the closing song which I had on repeat recently and which moved me to tears, but this is just an instant pop song, but with a lot of bite in the lyrics department.
“Remove for improvement” – Colin Newman (From “Not to” album, 1982)
Of course Colin Newman is the lead singer in Wire, but it was good to see his early 80s solo material reissued last year, and getting a lot of love too. There’s plenty of Wire offcuts on these albums, and “Remove for improvement” is one such song, rehearsed in 1979 but not recorded properly at the time. It’s one of the highlights of Newman's career, a song which sounds so simple but builds with more interlocking guitar parts as it progresses.
“My denial in Argyle” – Woodpigeon (from “Die Stadt Musikaten”, 2011)
Isn’t it great when you walk into a record shop, hear them playing a great song and walk up to the counter and say “I want to buy what’s playing”. That was how I discovered Woodpigeon, in Diverse Records in Newport, Summer ’09. That song was “Cities of weather”, from their second album, but this is from their third album a year or so later. Why? Why not. It’s a great song and is about as rocking as they get.
“Goodbye it’s 1987” - Microdisney (from “The clock comes down the stairs” LP, 1985)
I’m not one for band reunions, but Microdisney reforming to play “The clock comes down the stairs” is good news. It’s an album which hasn’t aged a jot, it seems the mid 80s world of Tory ruination is just as relevant in 2018 – who’d have thought it? “Let’s tax the wages of sin” indeed. I could have picked any song from the album but this fits nicely with the next song.
“Suspicious Minds” – Elvis Presley (from “From Elvis in Memphis” album, 1969)
When I was young my three major musical loves were The Beatles, Elvis Presley and the Wombles. There was a time all three acts were on this playlist. Why is this here? Because it’s Elvis at his very best. One of my first memories of this song is seeing a promo film for it involving Elvis in prison. On the other hand, there is no promo film for this song. So I probably dreamt it. Just ignore me, ok?
“Stained glass” - Real Estate (from “In mind” LP, 2017)
I came to Real Estate via Rob’s Alphabet Of Indie, which goes to show I do listen to everything suggested. That was “Had to hear”, and not long after that they issued their most recent album “In mind” and I listened to little else for about a month. It’s just perfect guitar pop, and the songs are mostly hopefully treaties on love and belonging. And to those people who say there’s no such thing as perfect pop, it’s all subjective.
“Off your face” – My Bloody Valentine (from “Glider” EP, 1990)
As I’ve said many times, an album of MBV songs which sounds like this would shit all over “Loveless”. There’s so much going on here. Those swooping guitars! The bass which is all over the place! The words! The chaos of guitars fighting in the background. And once the singing stops it just keeps on fucking going and those swooping guitars play in the air like courting doves. Sublime.
“King’s Lead Hat” - Brian Eno (from “Before and after science”, 1977)
Jesus, I’ve been listening to this song for 35 years now and I still get something new from it. Eno does punk as a tribute to Talking Heads, and it makes no sense but works anyway. How have I never noticed how the bass is slightly late to every bar?
“Now is now” – Band Of Susans (from “Now!” mini LP, 1992)
As I write this sleeve note I’m also writing a Toppermost on Band Of Susans, how they were brilliant, how they should be revered alongside Sonic Youth and other Blast First bands for their carefully built wall of guitars, but nobody noticed them then and even less so now. Hell, I missed them at the time, what do I know? And also what I’m saying is that underneath the wall of guitar noise they could write great melodies and songs too. Which is why this is here. I always wanted my band to cover this song, I reckon we could have done it proud.
“She floated away” – Husker Du (from “Warehouse : Songs and Stories” LP, 1987)
I’m not the sort of person to say “go read my blog” but frankly the best way to understand how important “Warehouse” is to me is to read my blog post on Goldfish about it. Also, the bottom end of this sucks in relation to the previous songs, someone somewhere must be remastering the Husker Du catalogue to give it some balls. “A man has two reasons for things that he does, the first one is pride and the second one is love” True, that.
Side two
“Tilting at windmills” – The Field Mice (from “For keeps” LP, 1991)
If side one was fast and (relatively) happy, side two is slower and more melancholy. Which is a good place to bring in the Field Mice, who really are one of the most important bands ever for me. This isn’t one of their lyrical odes of loves lost and won and misunderstood, this is an atmospheric instrumental which fits perfectly for the purpose. Dreamy.
“High flying bird” – Moose (from “...XYZ” LP, 1992)
From the “Be my baby” drumbeat onwards, this is sublime. A hazy shade of autumn, so many memories here, I may just end up saying nothing useful about side two because it’s songs with memories and prickling eyes and ice shivers down the spine.
“Transistor” - Kraftwerk (from “Radio Activity” LP, 1975)
A short and bittersweet interlude. Crossing the Severn Bridge at night, after a long journey from France, dozing off but nearly home and happy and sad too that it’s all over. I was 14, ok? Not falling asleep at the wheel....
“I believe in you” – Talk Talk (from “Spirit of Eden”, 1988)
Late night buses, later nights alone in bed, headphones on, picking up the details, working out what the hell was going on with this album. So human, some mistakes are meant to be recorded. And then the choir comes in like sunlight through stained glass and illuminates the emotions.
“I feel like going home” - Yo La Tengo (from “I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass” LP, 2006)
Standing outside a call centre at 9pm and walking around in a teary eyed daze. Thinking I was right when I was utterly wrong. And that chord change on the word "alone".. “Running from the voices filling up my brain”.
“Luftschloss” – Eno / Moebius / Roedelius (from “After the heat” LP, 1978)
Cutting a hedge on a stepladder and almost falling off when this came on. Thank God I don’t have to do that any more.
“I was just dreaming” – The Orchids (b side to “Tharmaturgy” single, 1992)
“Do you know what I mean?” she whispered to me.... in the right / wrong mood this is the greatest song in the world. The Orchids are one of the greatest bands in the world. Every line strikes a chord with me. “And you know she almost smiled?”
“Country rain” - Slowdive (from “In mind” EP, 1993)
I sometimes feel that I romanticise the past too much, but bloody hell the 1992 to 1994 period of my life was filled with wonderful music and crushing on completely the wrong person(s) in such a devoted way that the two things are completely entwined. “And I wish you were mine”.
“All that love and maths can do” - The Durutti Column (b side to “Tomorrow” single, 1986)
One of my three favourite pieces of music ever. 21st March 1986. Still clear in my head every time I hear the song. Tears? Oh hell yes. Every time.
“Between two points” – The Montgolfier Brothers (from “Seventeen stars” LP, 2000)
Your guardian angel gives up the ghost.
“The great dominions” – The Teardrop Explodes (from “Wilder” LP, 1981)
One of the greatest album closers ever, from one of the greatest albums ever. And I guess a bit of hope after so much despair in the past. Sorry if I’ve gone on a bit and it’s not made sense. It’s just what music does to me, I can’t express myself very well under normal circumstances (partly my ASD and partly just me but mostly it's the ASD) so I get emotions and emotional through music, it’s why music means so much to me, a way to unlock emotions, a way forward to understanding other people, and maybe making a little bit of sense of my world. Music is important. I hope it is to you too. These are some of my favourite songs, I hope you have enjoyed them, even if you don’t have the memories I have. Thank you for listening and thank you to Tracy for asking me to do this and thank you for indulging me. Thank you and God bless.
