Farrell’s summer mix

Hey y’all, I meant to post a Spring-is-here mix a couple months ago. But you know, life and stuff and stuff. And more stuff. But finally. Tonight. Here! Two mixes!! It had to be two. Cause it’s a half year’s worth of music and a lot of time has passed since Winter’s mix. I listen to a lot of music. And I’ve cherry-picked the very best of it for you. But I’ve got this problem. It’s with that cherry-picking concept. The idea of sharing songs that I really loved. Making a mix. I don’t know, it’s just it feels less and less urgent and important. Cause don’t we all kinda already know what kind of songs we like? How often do we want to hear someone else’s favorite songs? Not too often I assume? Unless maybe we’re hanging out somewhere with them, in their kitchen or their dance floor or we’re driving or something or other. And probably only then, if we trust the person’s got reliably good taste. And that they’re exposed to a lot of music. Hmm, well, maybe then I guess. Yeah, I’d totally want to hear their favorite song, yes. But mostly maybe I’m just kinda having doubts about this whole enterprise. Of making mixes. I’m wondering if I’m gonna pack in this old habit at some point soon. But for now. You’re in luck: My favorite most kitchen-played, NY street-vetted, turnpike-approved kick-ass songs of the last few months. Enjoy!

Summer 2014: Songs for mellow nights from seroquel on 8tracks Radio.

Download here

“Philadelphia Raga” Peter Matthew Bauer
“A Midsummer Evening” Yann Tiersen
“Moving to the Left” Woods
“Take and Send” Char2d2
“Aveu” Valentin Strip
“High & Wild” Angel Olsen
“Brother” Mac Demarco
“SOS in Bel Air (Ariel Pink’s Krystal Bamboo Remix)” Phoenix
“Time” Richard Hell & The Voidoids
“At Fault” spazzkid
“Cool Runnings” Tashaki Miyaki
“Summertime Pop” Plastic Flowers
“April’s Song” Real Estate
“Lonely Richard” Amen Dunes
“Blue Moon” Beck
“Passing Out Pieces” Mac Demarco

Summer 2014: songs for when you need dopamine rushes from seroquel on 8tracks Radio.

Download here

“Little Moments” Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
“Ease Up” 3108
“Golden” Brett
“Lights” Yann Tiersen
“Eurydice” The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
“Shudder to think” Tegan and Sara
“Something that feels Bad is something that feels Good” Haunted Hearts
“Reconstruction” Small Black
“Closer (Weird Together Remix)” Thief
“Summertime Pop” Plastic Flowers
“Jagwar Ma” Jono Ma
“I am Warm & Powerful” Someone Still Loves you Boris Yeltsin
“Forgiven/Forgotten” Angel Olsen
“Camp Out (RAC Remix) An Horse
“Take a Look Around” The 2 Bears
“Red Lights” Tiesto
“For You” Gold Bears
“Seasons (Waiting on You)” Future Islands

A few quick comments:

First, it isn’t really fair or fitting that I’m the guy on this blog who is posting the Richard Hell song. We all know that someone great among us has written an entire 33 1/3 book about Television’s Marquee Moon. (Fuck, props again, Bryan.) But I knew he was never gonna ever post this song here, even after he played it at NY record club a few months ago. I went home and replayed the song and it just got totally unexpectedly under my skin. I’d never really heard Richard Hell’s post-Television stuff. But this song’s great. As Bryan put it, this is the best one. I don’t doubt it.

Second, the sequencing. I didn’t really try to create a guided experience here. I simply put the tracks in the order that they came into my life–the most recent (four days ago) to the oldest (six months ago). I kinda feel bad that the second mix, the high-energy mix, is a bit tricky to play at a dance party or any party really. There are certainly a half dozen danceable songs. But they’re separated by some really old-school guitar throttlers and weirdo indie pop songs. Those transitions might be a bit jarring at a party. Or anywhere. But a sense of exhilaration is what’s sorta consistent I think. It’s what I hoped for. Download the mixes and you can edit to whatever suits your needs. God knows I’d download this thing. Streaming has formidable limits still. (Tim, I’m fighting the trend! Downloads live on brother!)

Finally, a general comment about nostalgia and sadness and this adorable blog of ours. I miss how much TGW used to be a daily (hourly?!) part of my life. It’s hard to watch this slow-motion ghost-towning happen. What a town. I think often of y’all. This place will always remain a vital and joyful chapter of my life. As long as Dave is still bartending, I’ll stop by the saloon every so often. Love this place. And all of you who came here. Cheers!

xoxoxoxoxox!!!!! times forever!!!!

5 responses to “Farrell’s summer mix”

  1. Bryan says:

    Super quick comments now, more later:

    1) Please don’t ever stop making and exchanging mixes.
    2) Thanks for the download links: We’ll be taking these in the car with us on a weekend roadtrip retreat starting today!
    3) I’ll keep refreshing the TGW page on a near-daily basis in hopes of finding a mix here — or a new post from friends — and if they only come a couple times a season that’s fine by me. But I, too, share your sense of loss. The problem is we don’t all congregate anywhere else in social media land, and we don’t really congregate as much in person either, so the two losses seem to go hand in hand. Still, there are reasons to keep this site alive, including my desire to hear you ramble a little about your mixes, which I don’t get when I just follow you on 8tracks.
    4) I’ve already been listening to these for a few days since I do follow you on 8tracks, and they’re great! I’ll say more about them later I promise.

  2. Trixie says:

    Stop making mixes?!! No no that’s not a good idea… Not a good idea at all.
    Love these, as you already know.
    Xoxo

  3. LP says:

    Yep, I miss it too. TGW is 8 years old now, and 2006 seems simultaneously a freaking long time ago and yet somehow not that long. But wow, what an eventful 8 years for our little community. Love to you all! I will keep posting periodically, whenever the mood strikes.

  4. Dave says:

    Thanks for the mixes, Farrell! When we play music in our house, half the time when someone asks “What is this? It’s good,” the answer is that it’s one of your mixes, or another mix from someone else here.

    I’ve been meaning to post more here too. I think my writing-intensive job sort of saps my extracurricular writing energy. But I promise I have not stopped posting entirely.

    My jam lately has been SH 272, which has not yet sounded this good when we sing it in Berkeley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWQQhwB9k5A

    Oh, and Neil Diamond, “Classics: The Early Years.”

  5. T-Mo says:

    Farrell! Thanks for these mixes. I will do my best to listen soon.

    As to TGW, well, I miss it, too, but sort of in the way I miss biting into an ice cream sandwich on a summer afternoon when I was 4 and just got out of the community swimming pool. I could try to re-create the experience, but it would never be the same. I loved those times with all y’all, fussing and fighting and funning here. And I love the times I get to have with all y’all now when I see you. (With the occasional check-in here.) I think we all have a post or two in us, but sharing them just seems less pressing than it did a few years ago.

    XO to everybody!