Clapham Commons Clock

In all honesty, the first two days there were a wash. I lazed around the apartment of the lovely friend who was letting me crash at his place being jet lagged, and then working on the edits to a few chapters of my (still forthcoming, not for another year so don’t get excited) book that were due before I left London. Some homemade Italian food was consumed, some music was listened to, some truly terrible French vodka was drunk against all good sense. My friend’s crash pad is in south London, below the Thames, however so I got my bearings in a circular walk around Clapham Common when the thinking involved with editing got to be too much and my brain felt like it might explode.

Friday the 17th was the first real day of London exploring an I opted for a walking tour of East London. It started in the banking district and went through the Spitalfield Market, which had several amazing things I wanted to buy including several pieces of French vinyl. I was well behaved due to limited finances and suitcase space, however, at some point a nice spinach and feta pie in that old fattening British style. From there the walk proceeded down Brick Lane and through little India and Shoreditch, which is more interesting at night when the hipsters come out but it was nice to get the feel of a place I’d only seen from the tube stop to the Old Blue Last before. We did stop into Rough Trade East, whose vinyl was appropriately scoured and discussed at fairly decent length. Then we dropped in on the Whitechapel Gallery to catch an exhibition of works by Alice Neel. This followed by a short stroll through Whitechapel and then the first in a nice series of bus rides down high streets, specifically Kennington with a nod to Brixton (which I was told, repeatedly, is where David Bowie originated from). The evening was low key, consisting of Spanish tapas and a drink in a local pub. If you walked around all day you’d be lazy too, okay?

Abbey Road gates

Saturday brought one hell of a trip around the city, starting with a trip to Abbey Road Studios. No, there was no photo of the little crosswalk of fame but I did snap this one of the graffiti decorating the walls outside the studio. People wrote some of the funniest, sweetest, most perverted things. The best part, however, was when to small kids who obviously lived in the neighborhood walked by and one said to the other, “Do they repaint that every month?” The reply was an exasperated, “They repaint that every week!” From there I took a walk up to the Little Venice canals and up away to Notting Hill and the Portabello Road market. The best encounter there was an older man selling a limited Elvis Presley plaque from a U.S. show in the ’50s, with the contract, a ticket, a show poster, and other memorabilia. After a short walk we dropped into the original Rough Trade (what, I’m a completist) to see a bit of a random in-store performance by a singer/songerwriter girl from L.A. (who was awful). After all that walking I needed a pub, so one was produced a few doors down in which a time out was taken to drink Irish pear cider and figure out what to do that night. This is where things go ridic. So we go to Camden to hear the dudes from Foals DJ (allegedly). First I force a stop at a random Cuban restaurant because I reached the point of ZOMG MUST EAT. Then we end up accidentally seeing Minnaars, who are not Foals but whose singer looks exactly like the guy from Foals, and some other band (who were awful and so will remain unnamed). Then there was some dancing, some trying to pick up gay boys, some falling down and sleeping.

Sunday was a sleep late, wow so that’s hangover great! sort of morning. I went to the Natural History Museum, because if you know me at all you know I need to go to the natural history museum in every city I go to. This was done, however via a bus through Chelsea which was a really lovely ride. After looking at dinosaur bones and space rocks there was pizza. Then I took care of the blisters on my toes.

London rooftops all actually have Mary Poppins chim-chimenies.

On Monday I took off to visit the Tate Modern first thing, at the crack of afternoon. Appropriate time was spent rhapsodizing on their abstract impressionism, while the surrealists were appropriately sniffed down my nose at. From there I went to the Victoria & Albert, whose Grace Kelly exhibit was annoyingly full, but whose collection of jewelry made up for it. So many rings I need to own. Then I had a spot of tea and that evening went to meet a friend from NYC who forsook the US in favor of London a few years ago. OMG YES at the Thai place she took me to. Delicious.

And then I came back home, which took over 24 hours of travel. I listened to lots of Bob Dylan and Rolling Stones on the way, because it just felt right.

Thanks to everyone who gave me tips and ideas of things to do — there were at least five that I really wanted to get to and didn’t. One of them was probably yours.

With the announcement of Apple’s iPad, however, I am engaged. So authors, agents, editors, publicists and all people in the publishing industry I’d like to offer you some words of advice, practical advice and guesses at how this will effect books in The Future. Just so you don’t think I’m a kook, I’ve been working in the music industry since 1998, where I started as an intern at MTV and my local radio station. At the same time my college job was as a network expert (basically helping kids who were too dumb to get their own computers on the university network). I watched the growth of file sharing and Napster very closely, right up in my face at my own school. I eventually got a job at MTV where, among MAAAAANY other things I worked on the launch of their digital music service URGE and as part of their eventual partnership with Rhapsody America. I have been there, done that for where you are now, publishing industry. Additionally, I’ve been paying you close attention because I’ve written my own book proposal for a music-themed non-fiction work and you can talk to my agent if you want to know about it (or buy it).

The first thing I’m going to tell you, publishing industry, is you better hire some apps developers right now and stop trying to sell eBooks as just PDF scans of the book. The iPad is so enhanced and connected, your book format needs to evolve with it. Here are some examples of what I’m talking about:

• In my own book I mention the titles of songs several times and multiple artists are discussed. In my dream world, I’d like my eBook to link out to the artists and the songs to link to Apple’s Lala service so you can listen to the song while reading what I wrote about it. The emotional impact of my book would be through the roof!
• It is really expensive to include photos and illustrations in your real world book, am I right? They cost a ton to print on that special paper. You know what isn’t expensive at all? An enahanced eBook version of your tomb with artwork. You can, as a matter of fact, put in as much artwork as you like (save coypright issues). Elizabeth Wurtzel’s memoirs from the early ’90s will be re-readable with her photos! Twilight was long but I would buy an eBook copy for some film tie-in photos or original illustrations of what Edward looked like. TEAM EDWARD!
• Footnotes, podcasts, other books, links to magazines and newspapers — all of these can be instantly accessible in my book on the iPad. I can not only tell you about the music & the brain podcast that influenced my train of thought in a chapter, but link you to download it yourself in iTunesU. You can practically live inside my head with an enhanced eBook.
• Your eBook can work to help publicize you as an author. You know how the back jacket (or maybe the intro if you snuck it in) says where you write? Maybe the name of your blog or your email if you’re that kind? Your eBook on a iPad should actually be include the web-accessible ways you’d like to be reached! Your website, your Twitter, your…whatever you got.

Ok, so now that we’re all actually thinking of making our electronic book reading experience an interactive, full experience where we do more than just read the book — let’s talk about your future, publishing industry.

It is way past time to get worried about book pirates. Start thinking now about how you’re going to give away a tiny piece of your books to abate the rapid copyright infringement and illegal file trading.

Personally, if I get a book deal, I want to give away a chapter. And I’d love to partner with a band or record label who are giving away an MP3 from an artist. As a new author that’s a huge potential promotional tool that will work even with suckers who are rocking a Kindle.

Asking someone to commit to your 65,000 words seems like a lot. Hooking them with your 5,000 word teaser that they can pass on to friends and then getting them to buy your book just might be your big break.

As you’ll see, I’m not a huge traditional Christmas song person. I like my ’80s versions of songs and updated classics. Also I’m not big into depressing Christmas fare – I prefer the fun tracks. So these are my ten favorite Christmas songs this year.

Click on the song title to stream it on Lala, if you don’t already know what it sounds like.

10. Loretta Lynn “To Heck With Ole Santa Claus”

I’m surprised by the number of people who don’t know the genius of Loretta Lynn’s countrified new Christmas classic. Maybe it’s just because I grew up in Texas where we stack hay bales up next to the mistletoe but I do love a good country fried Xmas song or two.

9. The Kinks “Father Christmas”

Leave it to the Kinks to write a danceable song about a department store Santa who gets his ass kicked by some brats. Possibly one of the “punkest” holiday songs ever, I say even topping the Ramones “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight).”

8. James Brown “Santa Claus Go Straight To the Ghetto”

No funk soul Christmas is complete without The Godfather. It almost makes me wish he’d do a Christmas version of “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” about how it’s Santa, Santa, Santa’s world.

7. AU “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”

Absolutely the most psychedelic take on a Christmas classic you are likely to hear. This song was recorded for a benefit album for Amnesty International last Christmas, so if you buy it you can own something amazing and do contribute to something wonderful.

6. Bruce Springsteen “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”

The best part of this song is how Springsteen cracks up at the end. Well that and that it is a high energy Christmas ROCK.

5. Wham! “Last Christmas”

Ok, if I am going to endorse any sad bastard holiday songs this is THE ONE. It’s so over the top cheesy and a holiday essential.

4. Vince Guaraldi “Christmas Time Is Here”

It’s Christmas, Charlie Brown! Guaraldi’s composition has far surpassed its origins in the wonderful Charlie Brown specials to be used in two Wes Anderson movies, “Cast Away” and “Good Morning, Vietnam” among many others. The song has become an iconic holiday theme.

3. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan “Baby It’s Cold Outside”

Winner for best holiday song that is in no way actually about the holidays! This song has won an Academy Award and been recorded by dozens of people to great success. Some people prefer the Dean Martin version or the version from “Elf.” They’re crazy, this is the best version.

2. Paul McCartney “Wonderful Christmastime”

Man this is a cheesy song and I love it to pieces. I’m such a sucker for the synths in this song – so different from the sleigh bells feel of most holiday songs. No one who has covered this song has even come close to capturing the magic.

1. The Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping”

I know this is my favorite holiday song because it makes me dance in my car when it comes on. I so enjoy singing along, especially to the super cheesy lyrics. I keep waiting for something like the narrative of this song to happen to me on Christmas. What, it could happen.

I’m obsessed with Nite Jewel.

There are very few people who present their music as actual art – let alone accompanied by any sort of 3D visual art, outside of pop artists with lofty ideals and a lighting director and DJ culture. You’ve got The Knife, sometimes Of Montreal and after that I want to say Daft Punk but please refer to the previously mentioned DJ culture. There are certainly precious few lo-fi artists dipping their toes in that pond. That’s why I’m so glad when an artist like Ramona Gonzalez comes along.She’s inspired by weird stuff I’ve never even heard of but you bet your ass I’ll be Googling, like Tom Reccion, UK group Woo and Sensations Fix.

I want to know all about her world after listening to her Good Evening CD.What I most want to know is how someone has the balls to cover a Roxy Music song and actually do it better than Roxy Music. I mean, you don’t one up Bryan Ferry. Not that she meant to, like all covers it’s an homage to something she loves but my damn. It’s so good. Watch this lo-fi even further stripped down version of the song from ZDB and just try to tell me you aren’t mesmerized.

You totally want to go see her live now, don’t you? Me too. I can’t believe I’ve been in love with this album and haven’t gone to see this live show yet. I hereby resolve to stop being a hermit briefly enough to go to a Nite Jewel song.Thank you for reading about my obsession. In exchange for your time I offer you this free and legal download to take with you when you go on your way.

Download: Nite Jewel “Weak For Me”

In honor of the late, always great director John Hughes we at The Playlist put together a collection for you of his greatest movie music moments from some of his greatest ’80s teen movies. For a lot of us John Hughes in the ’80s was the expression of the lives we wished we lived or the kind of teenager we hoped to grow up to be. He was a great aspirational filmmaker who tapped into the pulse of a generation. He was also a musical savant, personally picking many of the songs that would appear in his films. He was very into exploring British music that hadn’t made it to America yet and gave some of the first mainstream credence to then-unknown bands from the Dream Academy to The Vapors to the Psychedelic Furs. It was also nice that for Hughes, teen films didn’t just mean teen boy films and we were able to see some relatively rich females on the screen and hey, he gave us Molly Ringwald.

“Sixteen Candles” (1984)

There are myriad great music moments in Hughes’ first teen comedy, from The Specials’ blaring “Little Bitch” as Jake Ryan’s (Michael Schoeffling) party spirals out of control to the gym slow dance while Spandau Ballet’s “True” plays in the background. The pivotal song, however, is paired with the final scene and blazed in the minds of millions of girls who’ve dreamed of their unforgettable crush for decades. That would be the Thompson Twins “If You Were Here” which comes in as Ryan picks up Samantha (Molly Ringwald) at her sister’s wedding to surprise her with a birthday cake. There is no erasing that song’s connection to a romantic moment.

Thompson Twins – “If You Were Here” in “Sixteen Candles”

“The Breakfast Club” (1985)

This movie turned out to be much more than just a teen drama. “The Breakfast Club” was a micro reflection on society, stereotyping and the lovely little boxes we all find ourselves trapped in. There was not a ton of pop music in the movie — because most of it is driven to Ira Newborn’s awesome synth-y score — but again Hughes did manage to score it with a breakout hit. Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” was a theme song for the movie that went on to become a cultural sensation in the mid ’80s.

“Weird Science” (1985)

John Hughes’ oddball male teen fantasy film marked the first, but not last, time Hughes would use a title track to score a film. He’d worked with Los Angeles based band Oingo Boingo, as led by future Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman, on soundtracks before but this time he asked them to compose a song specifically for his movie, which became the theme. Interestingly, the band rushed this song out as they were appearing as the house band in the Rodney Dangerfield flick “Back To School” at the same time, as well as composing “Dead Man’s Party” for the Dangerfield movie, but naturally the John Hughes movie brought them more fame in the end. Let’s also not forget the winning and celebratory use of General Public’s “Tenderness,” when the boys win the hearts of the girls. Also Ira Newborn, who basically composed the score to all of Hughes film’s did some great work in this one.

However, the key ace-in-the-hole deep cut is the instrumental synth-doo-wop song, “Weird Romance,” where Wyatt (whatever did become of Ilan Mitchell-Smith?) makes out with his new paramour Hilly (Judie Aronson) and god, that song is so romantic and tops, seriously.

Oingo Boingo – “Weird Science”

“Pretty In Pink” (1986)

Picking the one song that stands out in “Pretty In Pink” is a toss up — you’ve got the title track from the Psychedelic Furs and the prom scene featuring Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark’s “If You Leave.” The soundtrack was absolutely replete with great songs — you had L.A.’s The Rave-Ups as the house band, The Smiths’ “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” scoring Duckie’s (John Cryer’s) saddest moment and the amazing Otis Redding scorcher, “Try A Little Tenderness” sing-a-long scene. We guess we’ll give the musical moment to the prom scene, though, since this is a teen romance and nothing is more game changing than Andie (Ringwald) choosing sensitive minor-douchebag Blaine (Andrew McCarthy) over Duckie. [ed. still upset to this day and not getting over it anytime soon]

OMD’s “If You Leave” playing in the final scene in the film which segues into the Psychedelic Furs’ titular song.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)

Hughes incorporated some not only classic songs into the “Ferris Bueller” soundtrack — from The Flowerpot Men’s “Beat City” (the montage when they drive around Chicago) to Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen” — but boasted some indelible and unimpeachable movie/music moments to illustrate the most sophisticated teenage mind the world had ever seen in one Ferris Bueller (has Matthew Broderick ever been so perfect?). The stand-out track and perhaps most obvious song from the film, was Yello’s “Oh Yeah” which became an unlikely radio and MTV staple as soon as this movie was released, but nothing touches one of the greatest, most joyous and electric movie music moments where Ferris does karaoke to The Beatles’ “Twist & Shout.” That scene never ceases to put a huuuge smile on our face and a shiver up our spine.

However, if we’re going to pick a song near and dear to our heart, that’s probably one of the most beautiful, and heartfelt moment in a John Hughes film ever, we’d have to go with the instrumental version of The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” as covered by the Dream Academy while the trio of Ferris, Sloan (Mia Sara) and Cameron (Alan Ruck) meditatively contemplate their lives within the halls of the Art Institute of Chicago. It’s a scene that’s always moved us and perhaps a fitting ending to this tribute. This song breaks our heart. Rest easy, John Hughes.

I touched on other topics, but one of the most interesting was comparing these three teen movies. I selected “Valley Girl” and “Romeo + Juliet” specifically to compare musically to “Twilight” because all three are, at their core, in debt to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for their plot. Additionally all three have had wildly successful soundtracks that accompanied the very successful movies. So how does the “Twilight” soundtrack stack up to these other teen movie soundtracks? Personally, I think it is the weakest of the bunch.  “Valley Girl” shoved Modern English’s “I Melt With You” into the collective consciousness of the world. “Romeo + Juliet” made a hit of The Cardigans “Lovefool.” “Twilight” has yet to break a new artist like the other two movies. I do hold out hope it will move in that direction with the second Twilight movie “New Moon.” I’d like to see a song (or several) become inextricably associated with the Twilight series in the minds of the general public and not just TwiHards. To me that is the sign of a very powerful soundtrack that has been wisely chosen and marketed.

Also, in my own personal opinion, the songs on the “Twilight” soundtrack as a whole are not as compelling as the other two movies I compared it to. “Valley Girl” is very focused musically, enlisting L.A. bands and a few cool British bands of the time into a very specific music soundtrack. You get the sense that the people putting it together and selecting music for that film were consciously attempting to be cool and credible. “Romeo + Juliet” is less concerned with credibility, but also operates in a narrow parameter where pop music scores specific moments in the movie and everything is very, very current. “Twilight” seems to have a broader focus musically. The music in the film is largely hidden in the background and unrecognizable, even at pivotal moments. There is nothing wrong with that at all, but it lends itself to a soundtrack with somewhat improbable artists like Collective Soul (who we haven’t really heard from since the late ’90s), Perry Farrell (a panel favorite to pick on as the out of place track on this soundtrack) and Linkin Park (who especially strike me as an odd choice for such a female driven movie – why is there not an aggressive female voice here instead?).

At any rate, those are just my impressions and musings. If you’d like you can listen to the alternative TwiVerse soundtracks Marah, Angela and I created for “Twilight” on imeem.

Also, I have to talk a little about the Masquerade Ball that closed the conference. It got me thinking about a “Twilight and the Media” panel we’d attended the day before when someone brought up how mainstream media marginalizes things women fetishize, like Twilight, but will embrace boy fetishes like “Star Wars.” It is true, to a degree, that womens’ interest items like Twilight are treated as second class, but it’s also difficult not to laugh at the sort of cult behavior it inspires, like this masquerade ball. I mean, it was thousands of women dressed in ballgowns and masks with nary a man in sight. Ok, I saw 4 men. I found it amusing in the same way I’d find dudes dressed up like Star Wars characters and hanging out together funny. It is in no way a lesser funny.

If you think you are unable to appreciate the movie “Twilight” please allow me to point you to the Riff Tracks version. It is an additional commentary track in MP3 form written and performed by the people who brought you Mystery Science Theater 3000 and it makes the movie SO SO SO much more hilarious. I cannot recommend this enough, especially if you think you’d hate “Twilight” or if you watched it and thought it was an unintentionally hilarious B-movie.

Their debut album, The Invisible, is like a jazz/electro/political mixture of  dance floor awesome. It was produced by the venerable electronic artist Matthew Herbert and released on his, hmmm I guess you could call it a label collective, Accidental Records in the UK this past March. Now, Accidental have some sort of relationship to Rough Trade as they’ve released Micachu & the Shapes also. So I was trying to convince Rough Trade/Beggars/4AD to release this album in the U.S. months ago, but alas they still have no plans to do so. Even though The Invisible was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize!

There’s a bit of critical controversy because everyone and their mother insists on comparing the Invisible to TV on the Radio. This has quickly turned into a question of if the comparison has to do more with their singer being black than the band actually sounding like TVOTR. Personally, I think it sounds more like they were influenced by Radiohead with a dash of Prince (and when someone pointed out that singer Dave Okumu had a sort of Seal-esque voice I couldn’t argue). Certain songs have a tinge of TVOTR’s instrumentalism but the album overall doesn’t have that certain Dave Sitek production touch that would make it definitively alike – it’s actually more polished and further out there with the musical flourishes than Sitek typically goes. Thematically, I can see the TVOTR comparisons. Both bands sing about political, obtuse things inside pretty, compelling song structures.

Don’t just take my word for it, watch their excellent video for the single “London Girl” below and visit their excellent blog.

Before we start, let me say for the record that I think the Jonas Brothers are fine. I don’t hate them but I don’t love them. They are not, however, credible artists.

If you look only at the early careers of Jonas and the Beatles, on paper the two groups have a lot in common: both teeny-bopper bands who get dismissed by music snobs as a fad; both write or co-write their own songs which are largely simplistic pop affairs about puppy love; both rejected by record labels (Beatles – every single label in England, Jonas – Columbia Records signed and then dropped before the found their Disney home at Hollywood), both saw a great surge in popularity via appearances in movies and TV shows. The primary difference between early Beatles and the Jonas Brothers so far, as far as I can tell, is the desire to change the world.

The Beatles, even in their earliest and seemingly least offensive songs, were being subversive. John Lennon told journalists early in their career that they were singing about sex and that all their fans knew it. The Jonas Brothers, in comparison, wear promise rings to symbolize their intention to wait until marriage to have sex and have never indicated that their puppy love songs have any sort of raunchy subtext implied. Early in their career The Beatles were taking speed, out partying every night, getting girlfriends preggers (John’s early marriage, Paul’s girlfriend’s early miscarriage which he was reportedly relieved by) and meeting Bob Dylan who introduced them to pot and helped them move beyond writing teeny bopper songs.

While the Jonas Brothers have had their share of PG-rated, US Weekly-endorsed scandals (Miley’s shower photos that may have involved Nick! Joe’s text message break-up with Taylor Swift!), they have yet to express any desire to actually stand for anything except perhaps diabetes awareness and that is mainly because songwriter/lead Jonas brother Nick was diagnosed with the disease. The early Beatles were selling themselves with a winking irony and a desire to start a cultural revolution, but the Jonas Brothers seem to want to distance themselves from any sort of scandal and would never tell a reporter anything that wasn’t sanctioned by their manager/dad, record company publicist and probably Jesus Christ himself. That is nothing like The Beatles, who would once cause mass burnings of their records when noted smart ass John Lennon proclaimed them to be bigger than Jesus. Those Jonases write fine pop songs but until someone either whips out a sitar, expresses an agenda that deviates from societal norms or starts inspiring other bands to imitate them it is nothing more than pop music as usual. Until people of all ages consider the Jonas Brothers songwriting part of the cultural cannon they’ll never be the sort of landmark, beloved band who could start Beatlemania.

The Beatles had sex and drugs going for them and that made their songs rock ‘n roll. I’d really like Nick Jonas to take a cue from Elvis Costello, one of his favorite songwriters, and get subversive already.

1) How did this album come out in 2007 and the first I heard of it wasn’t until the end of 2008, and then it took me until 2009 to fully obsess?

2) How is her label, Range Life Records, affiliated with Saddle Creek?

3) How in the world did the girl from The Anniversary (who I also had a song obsession problem with at one time, btw) go from emo-esque to blue eyed soul? Fascinating.

On my fifth day I took the very round about way from Palm Springs to L.A. with a circular detour through Joshua Tree National Park. However, before leaving Palm Springs I lounged around my hotel…and lounged…and lounged. There were some water problems the night before and in the morning their credit card machine wasn’t working so, in exchange for paying cash I got a nice discount and a robe. Yay! Seriously, if you go to Palm Springs do stay at the Del Marcos. It’s adorable.

My GPS took me an entirely differnt route off of I-10 to Joshua Tree – some back road way to the Twentynine Palms Highway. It was pretty and I got a good look at the windmill farms. Have a photo. During this drive I was listening to Alex’s playlist which injected a much needed soulful touch. Two notes: I have been entirely unable to account for the Alicia Keys song and I cannot believe you gave me a ten minute version of “Mustang Sally” (I made it through 8 minutes).

Everything was beautiful and strange and instead of trying to explain it to you I will just post a photo. Not one person recommended I listen to U2′s Joshua Tree album for this drive but two (Anne! Alex!) suggested Gram Parsons and one (Josh L!) left me a Fbook comment about it after the fact. As such I put together a little Gram Parsons playlist from those recommendations and it was perfect.

When I left the park and headed back towards L.A., I put on a mix I’d made myself to pshych me up for all the ch-ch-changes. I’d stopped feeling nervous and started feeling just plain excited/elated circa the Coachella Valley so happiness abounded. I was especially stoked on Highway 60, which were some of the most scenic drives I’ve ever seen – really, could have been straight out of New Zealand.

Finally, years later, I actually reached L.A. and put on Jay B’s playlist to help me not be lost. Very ecclectic, very pefect for driving in L.A.

So, as a footnote, you’ll all be glad to know I reached my friend Russ’s house with only a few minor fuck ups and I found an apartment on Saturday morning! I did not come here to play around – I move in on Wednesday and it’s lovely.

Thanks for all the mixes! Read the list for this trip after the jump.

Alex Gets All Soulful

• Alicia Keys “Teenage Love Affair”
• Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band “Express Yourself”
• Jay Mitchell “Mustang Sally”
• Girma Beyene “Set Alamenem”
• Stevie Nicks “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (I was totally obsessed with this song in Texas and we need to make a pact that if we’re ever in the same city again we’ll go karaoke and do this)
• Stevie Wonder “Send Me Some Lovin’”
• Kurt Vile “Freeway”
• Mittens on Strings “Big Brother”
• Los Lobos “I Got Loaded”
• Alton Ellis “Land of Loving”
• Arthur Russell “Don’t Forget About Me”
• The Wave Pictures “Spare Afternoons”
• Buck Owns “Close Up the Honky Tonks” (great)

Courtney’s Ch-Ch-Changes (and various songs she just likes dammit)

• David Bowie “Changes”
• CSS “Move”
• Wilco “Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway (Again)”
• Linda Ronstadt “Different Drum”
• The Velvet Underground “Beginning to See the Light”
• Pavement “Your Time to Change”
• The Lovin’ Spoonful “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?”
• Spoon “Small Stakes”
• Emiliana Torrini “Big Jumps”
• Luna “California (All the Way)”
• Nick Drake “Northern Sky”
• Centro-matic “For New Starts”
• John Lennon “(Just Like) Starting Over”
• PJ Harvey “Good Fortune”
• The Autumn Defense “The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)”
• Beirut “Scenic World”
• Cat Power “Free”
• The Band “The Weight”
• Johnny Cash “If We Never Meet This Side of Heaven”
• Maps “To the Sky”
• R.E.M. “How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us”
• The Flaming Lips “Race for the Prize”
• Wilco “Jesus, Etc”
• The Allman Brothers Band “It’s Not My Cross to Bear”
• My Morning Jacket “I’m Amazed”
• Sly & the Family Stone “Everybody is a Star”
• The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun”
• Thao & the Get Down, Stay Down “Big Kid Table”
• The Replacements “Hold My Life” (BTW my friend Russ lives next door to Tommy Stinson, who I haven’t celeb sighted yet but I hope…)
• Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers “California Desert Party”
• R.E.M. “Feeling Gravity’s Pull”
• The Thermals “Returning to the Fold”
• Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
• St. Vincent “What Me Worry”

Jay B plist

• Led Zeppelin “Bron-Yr-Aur”
• The Cult “Wild Flower”
• Reverend Horton Heat “That’s Showbiz” (painfully true)
• Cycle Sluts from Hell “Bloodlust”
• Carpenters “Top of the World”
• The Black Crowes “Wiser Time”
• Gary Numan “Cars”
• Stone Temple Pilots “Hello It’s Late” (this song was much better than I thought it was going to be, well played)
• Mr. Bungle “The Air Confitioned Nightmare”
• The White Stripes “Conquest”
• Liz Phair “Wind and the Mountain”
• Faith No More “Easy”
• Chet Atkins “Armen’s Theme”

Ending note for Josh L: your California songs are being put to use as I drive around L.A., completely and hopelessly lost. You’re the soundtrack to my paranoia.

I drove out on the 10 listening to a mix I made myself with The Magnetic Fields as the jumping off point. City traffic makes me tense.

When I was about clear of Tucson I put on Roger’s driving mix. Very witty. And in regard to the Art Brut song I’d like to request that no one from England move here to find Morrissey.

Then it was all drive, drive, drive – flat, flat, flat – dull, dull, dull until Phoenix. I stopped at a place I found randomly on my GPS called Claim Jumper because it was such a ridic name. I had the glazed walnut & asian pear salad and it was ever so yummy. This also may have been the first vegetables I’ve eaten on this trip. Mmm lettuce.

Then it was drive, drive, drive – la, la, la for another million miles or so. There were hills. I listened to another one of my own mixes that was Motown/Soul/Girl Groups/Bacharach and then Sam P’s excellent mix with songs I haven’t even thought about in five years. It was lovely.

When I got to the border of Cali they were pulling everyone over to ask if we were bringing produce into the state. That was an interesting question.

More amazing revelations after the jump, including the days playlists and…oh yeah the earthquake.

And then! Finally! Picturesque views off the side of a mountain! Near Joshua Tree and the Coachella Valley.

And then! I got to my hotel in Palm Springs, the lovely Del Marcos, and promptly decided not to ever leave. It’s a nice slice of the early 1950s right up against the side of a giant mountain. I sat outside for a long time with my feet in the saltwater pool, a drink in my hand and listened to music while looking at the stars – in January. There are a lot of reasons I’m going ot miss New York but that last sentence is full of reasons I won’t.

I had dinner at a place called The Vineyard Tuscan Grill that was just across the street and it was very yummy but I couldn’t help overhearing the party next to me, who were seated when I was finishing, as they placed their drink orders. They, like everyone in Palm Springs, were clearly retired and the man started conversing with the waiter about the vodka they had on hand. The waiter told him Svetka was a great Sweedish brand (no) and the man told the waiter he really likes Skyy (no). Then his wife ordered a Jaeger with sugar free Red Bull and I had to physically stop myself from laughing. You can buy a lot of things but…

Oh yeah and there was an earthquake! I was sitting by the pool when it happened and it was kind of like for one moment someone just shook everything. Then it was like nothing happened – except the hotel manager was freaking out totally while I tried not to giggle. I guess it was a 5.somethingorother, who cares. I can totally handle earthquakes. Bring it, L.A. Bring it.

The Sun Goes Down And…

• The Magnetic Fields “The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing”
• Ted Leo & the Pharmacists “The Angels’ Share”
• Neutral Milk Hotel “Naomi”
• Wilco “Summer Teeth”
• Built to Spill “Time Trap”
• Kings of Convenience “Winning A Battle, Losing the War”
• Beck “Beautiful Way” (what a great driving song)
• The Shins “Your Algebra”
• Stars “Reunion”
• Feist “Now At Last”
• TV on the Radio “Tonight”

Roger’s playlist

• Plastilina Mosh “Toll Free”
• Club 8 “Whatever You Want” (really liked this one, very Saint Etienne-ish)
• Department of Eagles “No One Does It”
• Murder Mystery “Love Astronaut”
• Oliver Future “Happiness Machine”
• Art Brut “Moving to L.A.” (god I hope not)
• Jim Noir “Don’t You Worry”
• Sondre Lerche “The Tape”
• Benjy Ferree “Hollywood Sign” (nice)
• The Cure “Mint Car” (kind of a stretch but I do like the song)
• Vampire Weekend “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance (Chromeo remix)” (jesus this is just horrible)
• Pop Levi “Dita Dimone”
• Eulogies “Two Can Play”
• Jay Reatard “I Know A Place”
• The Thrills “One Horse Town”
• Sunny Day Sets Fire “End of the Road” (I have got to get this album)
• Those Dancing Days “Home Sweet Home”
• Octoberman “Run From Safety”
• Eels “Woman Driving, Man Sleeping”
• The Rumble Strips “Girls and Boys In Love”
• Sam Roberts “Them Kids”
• The Replacements “Kiss Me on the Bus”
• The Broken West “Brass Ring”
• The King of France “Watch Out for the Man”
• Be Your Own Pet “Becky” (love)
• Novillero “A Little Tradition”
• Ben Kweller “Commerce, TX”
• The Animals “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” (very nice)
• Koufax “Any Moment Now”
• Sunfold “Between the Worlds”

My Motown Hybrid Mix

• Kim Weston & Marvin Gaye “It Takes Two”
• The Supremes “The Happening”
• Brenda Holloway “Every Little Bit Hurts (Del-Fi version)”
• PP Arnold “The First Cut Is the Deepest”
• Martha Reeves & the Vandelles “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”
• Dusty Springfield “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself”
• Doris Troy “Just One Look”
• The Ikettes “I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)”
• Dionne Warwick “Don’t Make Me Over”
• Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There”
• Stevie Wonder “You’ve Got It Bad Girl”
• The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (what a great singalong song)
• Diana Ross & the Supremes “Come See About Me”
• The Marvelettes “I’ll Keep Holding On”

Sam P’s playlist

• The Get Up Kids “Mass Pike” (srsly I haven’t listened to this in almost a decade but many did I sing along loud)
• Alice Russell “Hurry On Now”
• Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (someone had to!)
• Massive Attack “Unfinished Symphony”
• Q-Tip “Move”
• Say Anything “Woe”
• Jim Ward “On My Way Back Home Again”
• Rachel Platten “Honey Bees” (very pretty)
• Dixie Chicks “Goodbye Earl”
• Vanessa Paradis “Just As Long As You Are There”
• Esperanza Spalding “Precious”
• Mansions “The Worst Part”
• Jason Anderson “Movin’ To the City” (rad)
• Quincy Coleman “Don’t Go Away”
• Cariad Harmon “Rolling”
• Tokyo Police Club “Your English Is Good”
• Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” (one of my all time favorite songs)
• Jamie Lidell “Little Bit of Feel Good”
• Nicole Atkins “Brooklyn’s On Fire”

After this I put on The Beatles Rubber Soul and Let It Be and the began obsessively listening to “Dig A Pony.” Seriously, probs played it 10 times in a row.

Follow my route today.

So I peaced out of Marfa really early today. And by really early I mean 9AM. It was COLD! 34 degrees – but the weather report on TV predicted El Paso would hit 60 today so I didn’t wear total winter clothes. So there’s a tiny, tiny town of just over 200 people west of Marfa called Valentine, TX. I drove through it on my way to El Paso and it creeped me out. It looked like a deserted place – weird houses built of stone and adobe, the only gas station was closed down and there was a cafe that looked like no one had ever dusted it so you couldn’t see in the windows – oh and I saw exactly ZERO people and passed ZERO cars driving by it. The place reminded me of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” If anyone ever asks me about a rural setting for a creepy horror movie I am recommending Valentine.

Shortly after that I passed the famous Prada Marfa. That cheered me back up. During all of this I was listening to PP’s playlist, detailed below. Many good remixes to be had and I feel we should pause a moment to discuss her Soulwax Dub remix of Hot Chip. This goes back to a fight James Montgomery and I keep having about Girl Talk. I am a Soulwax fan, but I think Girl Talk can suck it – not to say that Girl Talk’s remixes aren’t ingenius in themselves, because they are, but the lifestyle that surrounds his live shows are so crass and annoying. Soulwax, in their heyday, were never crass and didn’t attract a bunch of loafer college students. Go Team Soulwax.

Here’s a left/right shot of a mountain on one side and some pecan trees (I think) on the left. The scenery was kind of weird around here. To follow when PPPlist was done, I put on part of an ’80s mix I had in my iPod.

Then blah blah blah nothing nothing boring landscape, man is El Paso ugly. However, at this point I put on Josh Rosey’s playlist and it was perfect! FYI, you’ve always been Josh Rosey in my cell phone since we met. I found the whole playlist to be thoughtful, subtle and tres Southwestern without overkill. The Death Cab song also made me tear up a little. Stop tugging on my heartstrings.

More after the jump, including hot burrito #1 and the day’s playlist.

La la la te di until Las Cruces where I found the cheapest gas I expect to come across on this trip – $1.33 for premium! There were cars lined up at the pumps so I’m guessing it was the cheapest gas in town. Lucky me! Once I filled up I finished up Josh Rosey’s mix and then called Adam F on the cell to talk about business matters (and ask him what time it was in NYC so I could figure out what time zone I was in) but the reception kept dropping out.

So, I gave up and put on Kris C’s driving playlist, which he told me were songs for sun and warmer weather and right he was. It was up to 60 in Demmings, NM by then and I actually turned the A/C on for a minute.

During Kris C’s playlist I passed into Arizona. Mostly El Paso to just past the border of Arizona was flat, dull and ugly. But in Arizona there were mountains again! Here’s a shot of driving right up on a mountain that kinda freaked me out.

Kris C ended his mix with “California Stars” and it made me feel so excited about CA that I thought I’d start listening to some of the nearly 4 hours of Cali songs Josh L sent me – so I listened to two of them and immediately was completely depressed. Maybe you should drop me an email and help sort through to the cheerful ones, punk.

After that didn’t work out so great I just wafted around and played various stuff off my iPod, including selections from the Rolling Stones Let It Bleed while I got stuck behind a train.

My motel, La Siesta, was remarkably adorable and I recommend you all stay there. The people were friendly and helpful when I couldn’t get the Internet to work ONCE AGAIN. I am Internet cursed. Then I went to a placed called Rosa’s Mexican for dinner, because it was nearby and recommended on The Internet. Well, it was homemade Mexcian food. By that I mean it was food I could have made in my own home. Not impressed, but here’s what my burrito et al looked like for those with curious minds. Hey and when I was leaving six Tucson cop cars pulled up to eat there. Half the Tucson police force can’t be wrong…right?

If you’re wondering about the magazines, yes I was reading Astronomy. Did you know one of the top five astronomy stories for the year was that they discovered exactly what makes the northern & southern lights happen? Want to know about it? Too bad, I’m not blogging it until this road trip is done (and Miguel, you’ll be the first to get an email re: my next liberal arts education blog).

PPPlist

• Tegan  & Sara “When You Were Mine”
• Joanna Newsom “The Book of Right On (Pocketknife’s Scowling Owl remix)”
• Stricken City “Tak o Tak”
• Riskay “Smell Yo Dick” (oh, you’ve got jokes huh?)
• Hot Chip “Ready for the Floor (Soulwax Dub)”
• Destiny’s Child “Independent Women”
• BRAT Productions “Easy Heaven (The Cure vs. The Commodores)”
• Annie “I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me (Get Shakes remix)”
• VA “De Conversa Em Conversa”
• Datarock “I Used To Dance with My Daddy”
• Dsico “Love Will Freak Us”
• Howard Jones “Like To Get To Know You Well”
• Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget About Me”
• Dscio does The Donnas “Take It Off (f/ Ruth Wilson)”
• Hot Chip “Over and Over (Maurice Fulton remix)”
• Sparks “I Wish I Looked A Little Better”
• Decemberists “Los Angeles, I’m Yours”
• Adam Ant “Wonderful”
• Coldcut “Autumn Leaves”
• BLUE BOY “Remember Me”
• Death Cab for Cutie “You Can Do Better Than Me”
• Jesus & Mary Chain “Head On”
• Depeche Mode “Behind the Wheel”

An ’80s Break

• Tears for Fears “Mad World”
• Echo & the Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar”
• Talk Talk “It’s My Life”
• The English Beat “Save it for Later”
• The Cure “In Between Days”
• Soft Cell “Tainted Love”
• Billy Idol “Eyes Without A Face” (this is a great road song)
• The Psychedelic Furs “The Ghost in You”
• Roxy Music “More Than This”

Josh Rosey

• Pasty Montana and the Prairie Ramblers “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart”
• Otis Redding “A Change Is Gonna Come”
• James Brown “Maybe the Last Time”
• Iggy Pop “The Passenger”
• Little Willie John “My Love Is”
• The Original Sins “Big Soul”
• Neil Young “For the Turnstiles”
• Rocky Votolato “Postcard from Kentucky”
• Lefty Frizzell “The Long Black Veil”
• Hank Williams “Ramblin’ Man”
• WIllie Nelson “I Never Cared for You”
• Los Lobos “Kiki and the Lavender Moon”
• Alejandro Escovedo “Helpless”
• Modest Mouse “Sleepwalking”
• Tom Waits “The Pontiac”
• The Breeders “Drivin’ On 9″
• Neutral Milk Hotel “King of Carrot Flowers Part 1″
• Pedro the Lion “Big Trucks”
• Hutch and Kathy “Half These Tears”
• The Long Winters “Blue Diamonds”
• The American Analog Set “The Only One”
• Wire “Lowdown”
• Viva Voce “Alive With Pleasure”
• The Who “The Seeker” (this made me lol)
• Big Star “Way Out West”
• Talking Heads “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” (did you know this is one of my favorite songs of all time?)
• Sondre Lerche “Things You Call Fate”
• Death Cab for Cutie “Passenger Seat”
• Gillian Welch “Relevator”
• Al Green “Jesus Is Waiting”
• Massive Attack “Teardrop”

Kris C Driving Songs

• Bedhead “Felo de Se”
• Felt “Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow”
• David Bowie “Fill Your Heart”
• Ra Ra Riot “Each Year (RAC Mix)”
• XTC “It’s Nearly Africa”
• Arab Strap “Hey!Fever”
• Clearlake “It’s Getting Late Outside”
• Antena “Seaside Weekend”
• Hood “still rain fell”
• Nelson Angelo E Joyce “Sete Cahorros”
• The Ocean Blue “Vanity Fair”
• Dream Syndicate “Tell Me When It’s Over”
• Josh Rouse “Winter in the Hamptons”
• The House of Love “Shine On”
• Common Sense “Voices Inside My Head”
• The Avalanches “Electricity”
• Jonathan*Fire*Eater “When the Curtain Calls for You”
• The Feelies “Let’s Go”
• Fanfarlo “You are one of the few outsiders who really understands us” (is this a hint, Kris?)
• The Band “I Shall Be Released”
• Little Joy “The Next Time Around”
• Billy Brag & Wilco “California Stars” (perfect ender)

A faltering trip down Josh L’s Cali Songs

• Neko Case “In California”
• The Fall “L.A.”

Jami Recommends Joni

• Joni Mitchell “Urge for Going”
• Joni Mitchell “Woodstock”
• Joni Mitchell “California”
• Joni Mitchell “You Turn Me On I’m A Radio”

Sunset Songs of My Own Selection

• New Pornographers “Challengers”
• Bon Iver “Skinny Love”
• Neutral Milk Hotel “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”
• Radiohead “Faust Arp”
• Silversun Pickups “Three Seed”
• The Shins “Sea Legs”
• The National “Start A War”
• Pinback “Good to Sea” (shout out to Sara!)
• Tokyo Police Club “Nature of the Experiment”
• Beck “Gamma Ray”
• Iron & Wine “Boy with a Coin”
• Death Cab for Cutie “Cath (accoustic)”
• Feist “Limit to Your Love”
• The Cure “Strange Attraction”
• The Replacements “I Will Dare”
• Department of Eagles “No One Does It”
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “Breakdown”

The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed

I started off on Tuesday with no idea of what the landscape for the day would look like exactly, never having seen it firsthand myself, but encouraged by the amazing blue sky checkered with gray clouds.  I snapped a photo, again unsafely while driving, for your enjoyment of the electric blueness of it.

Follow my route today.

I put on Catonia’s playlist and ended up listening to it all day – over 70 songs! There was much singing along.

So, I didn’t know there was anywhere in the U.S. where the posted speed limit was 80 MPH but around Junction, TX (I think) when the hill country gives way to plateaus and the trees and bushes become notably shorter and more scrubby, the speed limit jacked up to 80.

Then, somewhere around Sonora, TX I saw the first state highway sign warning of cross winds. I thought that was interesting…until an 18 wheeler nearly drove me off the road some 40 miles later because of strong cross winds. I fought with the steering wheel all day. BTW @ Alex – Sonora is full of caverns and it made me think of that weird scary movie you recommended with spelunking and vampires. It was set in Texas, right?

I stopped in Fort Stockton with little more than gas fumes left, got out to fill up and was immediately smacked in the face by a giant wind (and some sand). We’re talking blow your skirt up, layer your scalp with dirt, rearrange everything about you wind. It was bracing, you could say.

More after the jump, including today’s playlist.

Then I turned onto highway 69 to go to Marfa – this is one of the roads James Dean was fond of speeding down when they shot “Giant” here. It is beautiful. Then eventually you come to highway 90, then Alpine and Sul Ross University (which I had forgotten even existed until I saw some signs for it) and then Marfa.

Marfa was, in a word, boring. I was super tired and didn’t do much except take a nap and then take another nap. However, my hotel room was pretty fantastic. It reminded me of modern Europen hotels. Here’s a picture. Functional minimalism would be the description. I had to walk across the street to the office because the Internet would not work, no matter what. Wireless, ethernet, none of these. THE WIND BLEW IT OUT! It reminded me of last summer in the Italian country side, when the Internet would randomly go down for hours in the afternoon and there was nothing you could do but wait until everyone went back to work after siesta.

Marfa is a small town of just over 2K people so it’s very “a lot goes on but nothing happens.” I drove around downtown after dark though and it looks neat – but everything was well closed by about 6PM.

• Franz Ferdinand “All My Friends”
• Estelle f/ Kanye West “American Boy”
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “American Girl”
• Broken Social Scene “Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl
• Albert Hammond Jr. “101″
• The Dandy Warhols “Boys Better”
• The Police “Can’t Stand Losing You”
• Gary Numan “Cars”
• Foals “Cassius”
• The Beastie Boys “Ch-Check It Out (Just Blaze Remix)”
• Spiritualized “Come Together”
• Jesus & Mary Chain “Cracking Up”
• Justice “D.A.N.C.E.”
• Le Tigre “Deceptacon”
• MGMT “Electric Feel”
• The Rolling Stones “Emotional Rescue”
• Gorillaz “Feel Good Inc.”
• Kanye West “Flashing Lights”
• Modest Mouse “Float On”
• Late of the PIer “Focker”
• The Kills “Fried My Little Brains”
• Duran Duran “Girls On Film” (18 wheeler alert!)
• Klaxons “Golden Skans”
• Wu-Tang Clan “Gravel Pit”
• Cold War Kids “Hang Me Up to Dry”
• Pixies “Here Comes Your Man”
• The Good, The Bad & The Queen “History Song”
• Siouxsie & the Banshees “Hong Kong Gargen”
• Tom Vek “I Ain’t Saying My Goodynes (Phones 12″ Vers)
• Arctic Monkeys “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”
• Gang of Four “I Love A Man in Uniform”
• The Stone Roses “I Wanna Be Adored” (memories of Hi-Fi)
• Catherine Wheel “I Want to Touch You”
• The The “Infected”
• Feist “Inside and Out”
• Pavement “Kennel District”
• Santogold “Lights Out”
• The Clash “London Calling”
• Queens of the Stone Age “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret”
• Guided by Voices “Motor Away” (is this my theme song?)
• Santogold, Julian Casablancas & Pharrell “My Drive Thru”
• The Cardigans “My Favourite Game”
• The Stooges “No Fun”
• Jonathan*Fire*Eater “No Love Like That”
• Blondie “One Way or Another”
• Mark Ronson f/ Ghostface, Nate Dogg & Trife “Ooh Wee”
• M.I.A. “Paper Planes (remix f/ Bun B & Rich Boy)”
• Bloc Party “The Prayer”
• The Walkmen “The Rat”
• Hot Chip “Ready for the Floor”
• New Order “Regret”
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club “Rifles”
• Primal Scream “Rocks”
• DFA1979 “Romantic Rights”
• Kings of Leon “Sex on Fire” (I have to admit this is a good driving song)
• The Virgins “She’s Expensive”
• Wolf Parade “Shine A Light”
• The Avalanches “Since I Left You”
• The Twilight Singers “So Tight”
• The Beastie Boys “So Whatcha Want”
• Primal Scream “Some Velvet Morning” (great song)
• The Afghan Whigs “Somethin’ Hot”
• The Gossip “Standing in the Way of Control”
• Mark Ronson “Stop Me”
• The Postal Service “Such Great Heights” (also a great driving song, in a totally different way)
• Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out”
• T. Rex “Telegram Sam”
• The Smiths “This Charming Man”
• MGMT “Time to Pretend”
• The Clash “Train in Vain”
• Mark Ronson “Valerie”
• My Bloody Valentine “When You Sleep”
• TV on the Radio “Wolf Like Me”