New Mixes

Updated my online collection of home-made cdr mixes. The most recent mix is a collection of synth-based rock, as seen above. This one's cross-faded for maximum effect. Not the sort of thing I listen to all that often, but it worked pretty well. I've been listening a bit to that Postal Service album (2003's Give Up), with Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard on vocals. Probably not something I'd typically choose, and some of the electronica beats are a bit scratchy and harsh for my taste, but the lyrics/vocals are top notch, and the melodies, when they do creep in, are surprisingly effective. And, for some reason, I've been into Kraftwork lately. Again, in small doses.

Also made a few new single-artist mixes, visiting some of the nether regions of my collection. Joe Jackson has never been at the top of my list, but his debut, 1979's Look Sharp, remains one of the greatest documents of new wave/punk-inspired pop, right alongside Elvis Costello's debut, and it holds up remarkably well nearly 20 years later. Never loved any of his later albums nearly as much, and his more mature, jazz-based later work was a lot less meaningful to me than, say, Elvis' comparable developments. Still, makes for a decent career overview, albeit a particularly limited one, as I lean pretty heavily on his first two albums with only a few selected later tracks. Also tossed together an Aimee Mann mix. Not necessarily one of my faves -- when it comes to female singer-songwriters, she's further down the list than my true loves (i.e. Amy Rigby, Barbara Manning, Mary Lou Lord, early Liz Phair, etc.) -- and much of her work is far too straightforward folk-pop, lacking in edge (at least musically). But some of her lyrics are biting and incisive, and she does have a unique vocal sound. Plus, her work on the Magnolia movie soundtrack is top-notch.