Flatbasset-October '10

I'm a couple of days late. I had this playlist all ready to go on the 1st and then got caught up in an epic weekend. I'm back at it now, though. This is one of the better playlists I've put together, so click it, type the numbers, slap it on your iPod and go take in Minnesota's most beautiful time of year.

Flatbasset-October '10

I'll bet you thought I forgot about this one, huh?

01. Central Services – What Would God Do?

Central Services was an NYC-based collaboration between El-P (beats) & the late Camu Tao (vocals). Sadly, Camu died last year just before his solo debut came out.

As you can kind of tell from this track (and can certainly tell from the whole Forever Frozen In Television Time EP), Camu was essentially TV On The Radio before TV On The Radio. The beats are menacing (I mean, it is EL-P), but Camu’s weird, abstract harmonies deserve the credit for making these songs. I downloaded it for free at the Strange Famous Records website. You should too.

02. School Of Seven Bells – Heart Is Strange

School Of Seven Bells is made up of the guy who left The Secret Machines (and, fortunately, all their prog-rock pomposity) and a pair of twin girl singers.

I put this one on the mix because my dude J-Bird and I went and caught their show down at 7^th St. just a couple of days before I put the mix together. I really want to like this band more, but, even after the live show, I find them firmly entrenched as a “shuffle” band. Each song on both of their albums stands up on its own, but taken as a whole it all kinda blends together. This song is the perfect example. The harmonies are great, it has a good melody, the guitar & drum machine are a nice canvas, but I never get the sense that anyone is letting go, y’know? As a whole, the albums feel like they were constructed just a little too well, with every mistake (if that’s what you call them, I call them personality) airbrushed away.

03. Descendents – When I Get Old

This song came out in 1996, when I was a 14 year old just getting into punk rock. I’m now twice that age and rediscovering punk rock. I now know what it’ll be like when I get old.

Sidenote: I will always kiss my girlfriend and try to grab her ass.

04. Big Boi – Shine Blockas (w/Gucci Mane)

I don’t even know what to say about this song. It’s probably my favorite song of 2010. The beat shines so hard, Big Boi crushes it, and Gucci perfectly delivers the hook. No song will change your mood from angry to awesome as fast as this one.

Sidenote: Gucci has now appeared on as many Flatbasset mixes as Morrissey. Take that for what you will.

05. New Century Masters – Gentry Pines

Favorite Minnesota Current Song Of The Day from September. New Century Masters sounds like the name of some kind of long lost pop band from the 60’s (the type of shit my girl Inga would dig out of the vinyl bin for $1.79). Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised when their sound actually matched their name. Hook, hook, keyboard, chorus, do-do-do… and back again. You all know I’m guilty of loving a good hook and this (and the Jukebox The Ghost song at the end) are more exhibits to add to the collection.

06. Phatnumber – Don’t Get Weary

Phatnumber is actually a friend of mine. He’s a producer that was born in Sota, lived in Arizona for a bit, and has been back in the TC for quite a while now. Due to his incredibly good nature, he passed along a disc full of his beats for me to vibe with. Let me tell you, “Don’t Get Weary” is just the tip of the iceberg. Perfect music for rolling down Lyndale in September with the windows down and the stereo up.

Sidenote: Be sure to grab this mp3 if you’re digging it, because it might be a minute before this shit gets out to the general public.

07. R.E.M. – Imitation Of Life

You know how sometimes you’ll go on kicks for a couple of weeks where some artist just sounds awesome? And then a couple more weeks will pass and you’ll wonder what you were on? R.E.M. is that band for me. A couple of times a year I really, really love this band. The rest of the year they just annoy me.

However, “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” “(Don’t To Back To) Rockville,” & “Imitation Of Life” always sound awesome to me. Pretty much all of R.E.M.’s post-2000 material gets torn up by critics. They’re mostly right, as the whole albums are pretty dull. But taken as a stand alone single this is a sugar rush.

08. Kanye West – Power (Remix) (w/Jay-Z)

At this point, you all probably just expect Kanye West on the mixes. I probably shouldn’t even try to explain it anymore. Jay’s verse ain’t so hot, but the track makes up for it in its last third when Yeezy freaks the fuck out over Funkmaster Flex’s beat. Love it or hate it, man. I can’t sell it any better than Kanye himself.

09. Lifter Puller – I Like The Lights

This one is a Twin Cities classic. Half Dead & Dynamite is not my favorite thing that Lifter Puller ever did, but some nights I’m convinced it’s the greatest rock ‘n roll album ever recorded.

10. The Queers – Punk Rock Girls

Remember what I said earlier about rediscovering punk rock? Case. In. Point.

Sidenote: I still wish they could all be punk rock girls.

11. Young Jeezy – My President (w/Nas)

"Woke up this morning, headache just pound, pay all these damn bills, feed all this damn hound..."

12. Interpol – Try It On

Have you noticed how each of Interpol’s records, when compared with its predecessor, is good but not quite as good. Interpol isn’t quite as good as Our Love To Admire. OLTA isn’t quite as good as Antics. And Antics isn’t quite as good as Turn On The Bright Lights. When you have a couple of years between records, you’re mostly just excited for a new Interpol record. However, have you tried comparing Interpol to TOTBL? Good god! These dudes have really fallen off.

13. Ratatat – Fix Up (w/Dizzee Rascal)

First of all, if you have a friend who doesn’t like Ratatat, you should be immediately suspicious of them.

Second, I love British hip-hop.

Dear Ratatat, please remix more British hip-hop.

14. Jukebox The Ghost – Empire

British pop music is more addictive than caffeine & PCP combined...

15. Atmosphere – The Loser Wins

I’m sure you know I don’t particularly enjoy saying this, but Atmosphere’s new To All My Friends/Blood Makes The Blade Holy album is pretty awful. I understood having a live band on tour (especially when Nate the guitar player has turned up on a bunch of tracks already), but this record sounds dangerously close to Ben Harper territory. Was Ant even around for this album? I remember going to bat for that song “Guarantees” a while back when someone said it sounded like Jack Johnson. After hearing this latest album, I feel like I didn’t have a leg to stand on.

I put this track on here because it speaks to me personally. I’ve always tried to keep an open mind when I meet new people. I’ve tried to find common ground and build friendships with people for years now. Over the last year however, I’ve watched some of my post-NYC friendships come and go amid all kinds of bad circumstances. Cynical though it may be, I’ve learned that I really do need to get better at choosing friends.