Li+

My time will be limited the next few days, so I'm going to go ahead and write my mixplanation. If you haven't received your CD yet, I bid you to refrain from reading the rest of this post until it's in your hands.

Normally I would have considered all of the recipients of the mix, and try to create something that everyone would at least partly enjoy. But for this mix, I just did whatever the heck I wanted to; let your ears be victim to my choices.

The accompanying story you also received is a rough draft of something I wrote the morning of its deadline for my fiction class. There's plenty of room for improvement (i.e. word echoes, character development, editing, etc., etc.) however I didn't want to delay sending the mix out any longer than I had, and yet I still wanted to include the little story, since it seemed to correlate. So I didn't bother revising it before giving it to you.

1. Tokyo Moon -Windmill

If Present Rachel told Past Rachel she was putting this song on a mix -and to be the first song no less -Past Rachel would have thought Present Rachel was crazy. Windmill's vocals seem to be that of "acquired taste," and may cause some to want to listen to someone scratching a chalkboard instead. But Present Rachel just couldn't resist. It's as catchy as a good poop joke, and well, she's 99% sure that he sings her name in the beginning of the chorus. And if there's one thing Past, Present, and Future Rachels can all agree on, it's how they simply cannot resist a good song that has their name in it. (By the way, if his lyrics ever make it out on the internets somewheres, and it turns out he's not singing my name, don't ruin my dream, k? I'd rather keep living the lie.)

2. Take Your Medicine -Cloud Cult

The awesomeness of this song explains itself. Nuff said. Especially in the car. Great in the car.

3. That Summer At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy -The Twilight Sad

Another band with long song titles that aren't actually sung in the song? At least I don't think it's there. But I encourage you to focus on his accent, not on the actual lyrics...you might not like what you find.

4. I'll Kill Her -Soko

Um, yeah.

5. Kids -MGMT

Most definitely in my top five favorite songs of the year. There's this part around 3:17 where the hot synthesizer action transports me into an '80s teen movie, where the Molly Ringwald character has just scored the boy of her dreams, and the world is suddenly perfect. Judd Nelson jumps up in the air with a fist pump. Yeah. Like that.

p.s. I also recommend listening to this one when you're alone late in the night, and you just have to stand up and start doing an interpretive dance. With robotic jazz hands.

6. I Hear Music -Blossom Dearie

I'll never tire of this Blossom. I just had to throw her in.

7. Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider -Of Montreal

The first song that really got me hooked on their new album. Which I can't give enough praise.

8. I've Underestimated My Charm (Again) -Black Kids

I knew you're not doing too well
all the blogs are about you girl

9. Up On Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days -Sunset Rubdown

Perhaps another odd choice. But I beg you to google up the lyrics. This one sounds better in headphones, I feel.

10. Jigsaw Falling Into Place -Radiohead

This piece just seemed to fit. Ooph!

11. Icicle (Live) -Tori Amos

Okay, here's where I have to defend myself. Yes, I can make a compilation without Tori. But I don't know if I really want to, you see. This version especially needs some explanation. The recording is horrible, and if you're not careful, the screaming crowd will hurt your eardrums and your speakerdrums. But hear me out. If you don't like Tori, you'll still have to enjoy the conundrum that happens in the beginning, you just have to! It's hilarious. And if you do like Tori....It's impossible for me to not get chills when I listen to everyone singing along -I don't think in all of Tori history has she ever asked the audience to sing along with her, especially when it's just her and her piano. It's unheard of, but she knew she'd be able to overshadow what happened in the beginning of song by having everyone join in -she's just smart like that. I love it...and her voice is impeccable in this recording. Even with the bad tape. Sometimes I forget how powerful this song is for me -this version helps me remember.

12. Wham City -Dan Deacon

Another rule broken. Put a song that's over eleven minutes long on a mix? Are you crazy? YES, YES I AM. And you'll be needing these, I assure you:

There is a mountain of snow, up past the big glen
We have a castle enclosed, there is a fountain
Out of the fountain flows gold, into a huge hand
That hand is held by a bear who had a sick band

Of ghosts and cats
And pigs and bats
With brooms and bats
And wigs and rats
And play big dogs like queens and kings
And everyone plays drums and sings

About big sharks
Sharp swords
Beast bees
Bead lords
Sweet cakes
Maste lakes

O ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma


You're welcome.

13. Lithium -The Polyphonic Spree

Hear this cover of Nirvana's Lithium in your head when you read the end of my little story. And after the last words written, hear the yeah yeah yeahs screaming inside your brain along with the blank page.

14. Revelations -Yoko Ono & Cat Power

Tender warm and fuzzy.

15. Starálfur -Sigur Rós

Slightly different from the original recording. I don't think there could have been a better ending. You may find a supposed English translation of the lyrics here.