Sorry I'm so late with November's Flatbasset Mix and with my countdown of my favorite 250 songs of the 2000's. I've been living like the bastard child of Karen O and Eddie Argos for the last couple of weeks. But, I'm here and it's now, stretch out and enjoy.
Flatbasset-November '09
01. The Get Up Kids - Mass Pike
If you’ve been regularly downloading my playlists, you know it’s no secret that I have a real soft spot for that late 90’s-early 00’s emo. The Get Up Kids are a prime example of everything that was good about emo before it really mainstreamed (that’s right, I make up verbs) a couple of years later. When you break down a song like “Mass Pike” down, it’s just a pop song about being on the road and missing your girl. Obviously, these are not subjects that only inhabit the world of emo. I mean, we’ve all been there, y’know?
02. Cee-Lo - One For The Road
There’s a great line in this one where Cee-Lo claims, “If I only had 16 more bars to live, I’d get high and hopefully OD on an alternative.” This song perfectly lays the groundwork for what Cee-Lo was about to do, which, as we all know, was Gnarls Barkley.
Props to Phil for passing this one along to me.
03. Lucero - The Devil And Maggie Chascarillo
Tied for my favorite non-Minnesotan song on October’s batch of Current Songs Of The Day. I had heard some Lucero before I heard this song and it was pretty raw stuff. Thanks to the horns and keyboards, this song has that southern swagger that seemed to be missing. Plus, that chorus is a fucking killer.
04. Unicorn Dream Attack - Alone
I caught The Current while I was at work the other day and they were playing their favorite 8-bit songs. You know, songs built around old Nintendo noises and such. I was a little underwhelmed by this phenomena when it came about a few years back, but I had forgotten how great this song is. What a lovely little love song.
05. Rage Against The Machine - Sleep Now In The Fire
Speaking of songs I forgot I like. By no means am I a hardcore Rage fan. I’m barely a fan at all. But every now and then they catch a groove and I’m reminded that this whole rap-rock thing had potential once. Can you believe it’s been ten years since this record came out? Goddamn I’m getting old.
06. John Vanderslice - Fetal Horses
Does anybody who reads this no anything about John Vanderslice? Over the years I’ve ended up with a few of his songs and they are all brilliant little pop gems. For some reason this sounds to me like a super-poppy Ted Leo. Anyone else hear that or am I losing it?
07. Golden Silvers - True No. 9 Blues
The other half of the tie for favorite non-Minnesotan song. Mikko Koivu's theme song when Steph signed with Tampa Bay. Kids, this is how you rip off the 80’s. Please take note.
08. Operation Ivy - Sound System
I can’t hear this song without wanting to get up and skank. Makes me feel like I’m 15 years old again.
09. Brother Ali - The Freshest Kids (w/Toki Wright & Evidence)
That’s right, I put Brother Ali on the mix two months in a row. I think he might be the first artist to be able to put that on his resume (and he should, I’ve put some good stuff on these). Besides, who puts together a theme song for their own tour? I bet this one killed at every date of that Fresh Air Tour.
10. Lower 48 - Miles From Minnesota
My favorite Minnesotan song of The Current this month. While I can’t relate to a desire to leave Minnesota, it does have a charming little melody and a sweet story of the little things that are great about being a couple (“We’ve got everywhere to go, but you should sleep, I’ll see you in the morning). Awww…
11. The Rentals - Please Let That Be You
Return Of The Rentals stands up better than almost every other Alternative Nation album from the 90’s (no offense, that dog). Who would have thought that when Matt Sharp left Weezer that his bands debut album would have more staying power than anything Weezer did after he left?
12. Soul Position - Mic Control
You know, I didn’t really like Blueprint this first time I heard him. It always seemed like he wasn’t quite on the beat. After seeing him a few time and listening to Unlimited a dozen times I figured out how he was rolling. RJ and Al are certainly onto something.
13. The Rolling Stones - Play With Fire
I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson’s films (as are most twenty-somethings with, um, “hipster-ish leanings"). He always uses music so well in his films, even if he has some trouble getting his head out of the 60’s. This one is brilliantly deployed in The Darjeeling Limited. Definitely a soundtrack worth checking out.
14. Deltron 3030 - Madness
This album is about 5 songs too long, but damn if Del doesn’t have a flow that sounds great in my car. It seems like everyone who works with Dan The Automater only works with him once. I’m not exactly sure why that is. That tempo change hook is a stroke of genius.
15. Motion City Soundtrack - Can’t Finish What You Started
I must be the oldest Motion City Soundtrack fan in the world by at least 5 years. Their hooks are so good though. If you ever see me flying down 94 bobbing my head side to side like a 15 year old girl who just discovered pop music, you should assume I’m listening to Motion City.
16. Belle & Sebastian - Stay Loose
The last song off of Dear Catastrophe Waitress finds Stuart Murdoch and the band (Collective? Loose Association Of Well Dressed Scots?) doing their best Talking Heads impression. They pull if off a lot better than a lot of these new bands whose sole goal seems to be a credible Talking Heads impression. Well played, lads.
