Shuffle 12/26/14

1. Coldplay - "The Scientist"
2. David Ford - "Throwaway"
3. Moby (with Skylar Grey) - "The Last Day"
4. Louis Armstrong - "When It's Sleepy Time Down South"
5. The Builders And The Butchers - "Devil Town"
6. Titus Andronicus - "First Inaugural Address, take two"
7. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - "I'm Broke"
8. Barenaked Ladies - "Adrift"
9. Carina Round - "Weird Dream"
10. Nico Muhly & Sam Amidon - "The Only Tune: III. The Only Tune"

David Ford.
Louis Armstrong.
Carina Round.
Nico Muhly & Sam Amidon.

UPDATE:  On this last listen to the mix, I have to say that the Moby and Barenaked Ladies songs are pretty fucking stellar too. And the Scottish man talking in the Carina Round sound makes me want to move there and marry him.

This is a mix full of beautiful music, but those four tracks are worth everything. A fantastic last mix of the year.

Oh, and the Titus Andronicus track isn't a song, but a monologue that lasts under a minute, and it's not on Spotify. I don't feel like uploading it. It's cool in the flow of this mix, but whatever. All the REST are on Spotify, so just let it play.

iTunes Shuffle 12/19/14

1. Sylvan Esso - "Hey Mami"
2. Rush - "Face Up"
3. Elton John - "You Gotta Love Someone"
4. Butterfly Boucher - "All Of The Things"
5. Bunny's A Swine - "Greetings From The Bottom"
6. Twista ft. Young Buk - "Adrenaline Rush"
7. Steve Moakler - "Run"
8. Hole - "20 Years In The Dakota"
9. Canasta - "I Don't Know Where I Was Going With This"
10. Swimful Buterfly - "Real OG (Lil B Instrumental)"

Hmm. This mix. Weird. Confession time:  I love Rush. And I love cheesy Elton John songs.

Aside from that: Sylvan Esso is a great electro-pop kinda group, Butterfly Boucher is a great singer/songwriter out of Nashville. Let's see, let's see. Bunny's A Swine is a band from western Massachusetts that just intrigued me enough that I downloaded their entire catalog. Twista is rap from the 90's.

I think the highlights here are Steve Moakler and Canasta. First of all, Steve Moakler looks like this:

And his music is nice too.

He also looks like this:

Anyway, he's a Nashville artist too. 

Like I said, Canasta is another highlight. 

Finally, it started electronic with Sylvan Esso and it ends electronic with Swimful Buterfly, the end.

iTunes Shuffle 12/12/14

1. Dido - "Take My Hand"
2. Anathallo - "All The First Pages"
3. Trainwreck Riders - "Chug Along"
4. The Clash - "Career Opportunities"
5. Emily Elbert - "Keep On Pushing" (Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions cover)
6. Crushed Out - "Weigh You Down"
7. Ewert and the Two Dragons - "Good Man Down"
8. The Beatles - "Polythene Pam"
9. Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet - "Ballet Class"
10. Phish - "Wolfman's Brother"

Dido's first record was actually really good. That's all I'm saying about that. Anathallo is a very, very good Christian band, sort of in the way that Sufjan Stevens is a very, very good Christian artist. That's to say, it does not matter that they are a Christian band, the music stands on its own. Trainwreck Riders follow with their thing that simultaneously sounds like alt-country and like Modest Mouse.

Other highlights include Emily Elbert's cover of the Curtis Mayfield/The Impressions song. Good shit. Also good shit is Ewert and the Two Dragons, an indie rock band from Estonia.

Late Beatles, some jazz and some goddamned Phish, the end.

iTunes Shuffle 12/5/14

1. The Revivalists - "Common Cents"
2. Jason Mraz - "The Freedom Song" (Luc & The Lovingtons cover)
3. Tori Amos - "Jackie's Strength" (Gold Dust orchestral version)
4. Blitzen Trapper - "American Goldwing"
5. Battles ft. Matias Aguayo - "Ice Cream"
6. Curtis Mayfield - "Power To The People"
7. Ice-T - "New Jack Hustler (Ninio's Theme)"
8. Lily & Madeleine - "In The Middle"
9. The Salvation Alley String Band - "Pretty Paper" (Roy Orbison/Willie Nelson cover)
10. Tom Jones - "It's Not Unusual"

So, it's the holidays now. Huh. Onto the mix, as usual?

We start with one of New Orleans's best current bands, The Revivalists. Jason Mraz is one of my favorite humans alive, and assuming I get married, he will be on my celebrity list (you know, the one where if you get to sleep with that celebrity, your marriage vows don't matter and you can't get in trouble). The New Orleans trend continues in The Freedom Song, which was written in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Another underlying trend here is that a few of these songs are relevant to the Ferguson situation, continuing my belief that, sometimes, my iTunes is a sentient being.

Onto the orchestral version of one of Tori Amos's most beautiful songs, "Jackie's Strength." It's been a while since she's shown up here.

Other highlights: Blitzen Trapper is always good southern country rock fun. The Curtis Mayfield is another song that seems particularly relevant at the moment and makes an interesting juxtaposition with the Ice-T just after.

Lily & Madeleine are a really special folk duo, two sisters, on Sufjan Stevens's label.

Finally, my iTunes seems to know it's the first week of the Christmas season, so we have a cover of the Roy Orbison song, "Pretty Paper." Willie Nelson wrote it in 1963 but didn't release his own version until 1979.

And finally, my mom says I'm not supposed to listen to Tom Jones.

The sorta charmingly out of tune Christmas song first, then the Spotify list:

iTunes Shuffle 11/28/14

1. Lyle Lovett - "Church"
2. The Postelles - "California Sun" (Joe Jones cover)
3. Local Natives - "Cubism Dream"
4. Carla Bruni - "Quelqu'un m'a dit"
5. Alberta Cross - "Wasteland"
6. White Fence - "It Will Never Be"
7. Daddy Mack Blues Band with special guest Billy Gibson - "Black Magic Woman" (Fleetwood Mac cover)
8. Julianna Barwick - "Prizewinning" (Prince Rama remix)
9. Chikita Violenta - "Tired"
10. Prince - "When Doves Cry" (Finnebassen remix)

Oh, Lyle Lovett. He always makes me happy. Pretty appropriate song for Thanksgiving week, since it's about eating. The Postelles remind us that, while all the other parts of the country suck right now due to winter, California is still warm and great. Indie rock whatever from Local Natives (it's good! It's just That Sound) and then the former First Lady of France.

Etc. Alberta Cross is big indie rock, White Fence is psychedelic garage rock, Daddy Mack Blues Band is a blues band. And yes, that song is more closely associated with Santana, but his version was a cover of the original Fleetwood Mac.

Finishes up with vocal ambient work from Julianna Barwick, Mexican indie rock from Chikita Violenta and a Prince remix. The end.

iTunes Shuffle 11/21/14

1. Deaf Club - "Forest / Shore"
2. Mumford & Sons - "Where Are You Now"
3. Christopher Paul Stelling - "The Ocean Stole My Love Away"
4. Catfish Haven - "Another Late Night"
5. Beulah - "Disco: The Secretaries Blues"
6. Matthew Perryman Jones - "Save You" (acoustic)
7. Baby Teeth - "The Rules"
8. Carmen Twillie & Lebo M. - "Circle Of Life" (from The Lion King original soundtrack)
9. Bob Dylan - "Positively 4th Street"
10. Girl Talk - "Oh No"

Wow, Deaf Club! Wow!

Okay, moving on. There's a melancholy theme of lost love and contemplation in the first few songs. Appropriate for the season. Christopher Paul Stelling is an amazing, amazing songwriter. File under: "If you like Josh Ritter." Same goes for Matthew Perryman Jones, who just writes beautiful songs and sings like a hot boy who writes beautiful songs and sings.

Also, There is Lion King on this mix, which is uh-mazing.

Then Bob Dylan and the fantastic first track from Girl Talk's All Day, rounding out a great mix.




Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street (Greatest Hits, 1967) from Leonardo Pittamiglio on Vimeo.

iTunes Shuffle 11/14/14

1. Whysowhite - "Get Busy"
2. Dvorak:  Waltz, Op. 54, No. 1 (Budapest Strings)
3. Katie Herzig - "Maybe"
4. Fred Astaire - "The Way You Look Tonight"
5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "FFunny FFrends"
6. Frank Sinatra - "I Wished On The Moon"
7. De La Soul ft. Mos Def - "Big Brother Beat"
8. Sam Bush - "Big Mon" (live) (bluegrass classic, made popular by Bill Monroe)
9. Cities Aviv - "Forever"
10. Cameron McGill & What Army - "Low Ways"

The accident of this mix is that, very often, even though it's a random shuffle, the first song ends up being something that really gets you moving. This week it's funk. A little Dvorak this time, a couple standards...I swear, these days, the two main things I want in my life are old standards and hip-hop. There must be something in the water. There's hip-hop in this mix too, of course. And bluegrass.

Finally, Cameron McGill is quite a revelation. Thank god I indiscriminately download every Daytrotter session ever.

iTunes Shuffle 11/7/14

1. The Rosebuds - "Get Up Get Out"
2. The Go! Team ft. Dominique Young Unique - "Voice Yr Choice"
3. M83 - "Too Late"
4. Toro Y Moi - "Talamak"
5. Sondre Lerche - "Dead Passengers"
6. The Saints Of Sorrow - "We Carry On"
7. Katy Perry - "Pearl"
8. State Lines - "Cave In"
9. Schubert: Nachtgesang Im Walde (Leipzig Radio Chorus)
10. Burnt Ones - "Come Back Home"

I like the Rosebuds song, but the Go! Team with Dominique Young Unique is what really gets this mix going. Something about Dominique Young Unique just makes me really, really happy. The M83 song is beautiful. They are a national treasure (for France). Toro Y Moi keeps that electronic vibe going.

Then into singer/songwriter mode with Sondre Lerche, an artist who has always existed sort of at the periphery of my listening. Never spent too much time with him, though I've always had a bit of his music around. "Dead Passengers" is QUITE good.

Etc. And Katy Perry. And Schubert. It's always eclectic.

iTunes Shuffle 10/31/14

1. Stereo MC's - "Connected"
2. Bonnie Raitt - "Not Cause I Wanted To"
3. Drake - "Houstatlantavegas"
4. Broken Bells - "The High Road"
5. Tori Amos - "My Favorite Things" (live Manchester Apollo, Manchester, UK 6/5/05)(Rodgers & Hammerstein, orig. from The Sound Of Music, debuted on Broadway by Mary Martin & Patricia Neway, in film by Julie Andrews)
6. Widespread Panic - "And It Stoned Me" (Van Morrison cover)
7. Cuckoo Chaos - "Jesus Flag American Fish"
8. Afternoon Naps - "Argyle Spring"
9. Active Child - "Johnny Belinda"
10. Eleanor Friedberger - "Early Earthquake"

Well, "Connected" sure is a fun way to start a mix you listen to every morning for a week. Lots of other great music in this set too.

Bonnie Raitt's "Not Cause I Wanted To" is from Slipstream, one of her finest records in years. She is such a special artist. I always love Drake, and I do not care what other people think about it. Tori makes something wonderful out of "My Favorite Things," which I always viewed as a throwaway song. Then again, I really am not a fan of The Sound Of Music. Give me The King & I any way. #gaycardrenewedagain #yulbrynner

I'm liking Cuckoo Chaos more and more. Their song titles are ridiculous ("Slut Barf" appeared here recently), but they remind me a bit of Vampire Weekend. Active Child is also becoming a fast favorite of mine. Their song "High Priestess" appeared here recently as well. Finally, of course, Eleanor Friedberger is a genius.

Enjoy! Everything's on Spotify this week.

iTunes Shuffle 10/24/14

1. Janis Joplin - "Summertime" (George & Ira Gershwin, orig. from Porgy and Bess. First recording sung by Abbie Mitchell, film version sung by Loulie Jean Norman. Also made famous by Billie Holiday.)
2. Arthur Alligood - "Why'd You Let Me Go Cold?"
3. GRMLN - "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance" (Vampire Weekend cover)
4. The Rural Alberta Advantage - "Frank, AB"
5. Judy Garland - "The Man That Got Away" (Harold Arlen & Ira Gershwin, from A Star Is Born)
6. Combustible Edison - "Hallway Ted" (from Four Rooms)
7. Chopin: Nocturne No. 20 in C-Sharp Minor (Posthumous)(Evelyne Dubourg, piano)
8. FOKN Bois - "Thank God We're Not A Nigerians"
9. Paul Thorn - "You're Not The Only One"
10. Phantogram - "When I'm Small"

Standards involving a Gershwin featuring heavily here. Big fan. And Judy Garland's "The Man That Got Away" is one of the most impressive things she ever did. #gaycardrenewed

Other thoughts:

1. GRMLN's Vampire Weekend cover is just lovely.
2. Chopin is always welcome.
3. Following Chopin with a Ghanaian duo which describes its genre as "gospel porn rap" is even more welcome.
4. That Ghanaian gospel porn rap? I am a lily-white American and I have no knowledge of intra-African rivalries, but high quality talkin' shit transcends all national barriers. Shit-talking about soccer:

"You barely qualify
But then you get stuck
President Goodluck
But you still suck."

That's grade-A talkin' shit right there.

5. Phantogram is so awesome.

Two songs not on Spotify this week. You need to listen to the GRMLN one. The Combustible Edison one is just a 30 second jazz interlude from an old soundtrack and it's not on YouTube either. I don't feel like uploading it.

Enjoy!

iTunes Shuffle 10/17/14

1. Kurt Vile - "Jesus Fever"
2. Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea - "You Come To Me"
3. Adventure - "Smoke And Mirrors"
4. Lockah - "Sly Winking Usury"
5. The Spring Standards - "Reply"
6. Amy LaVere - "We Went Sailing"
7. Anenon - "Shifts"
8. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Over And Over Again (Lost And Found)"
9. Panda Bear - "You Can Count On Me"
10. Manic Street Preachers - "This Joke Sport Severed"

A mix that starts with Kurt Vile is already on the right track. Nicole Atkins rocks hard. Other highlights are The Spring Standards, Manic Street Preachers and the Panda Bear song, which is incredible and has appeared on this mix before. Oh, and there's a good bit of dancy electronic music in here if you like that sort of thing, including this Lockah track, which is not on Spotify.

iTunes Shuffle 10/10/14

1. Diplo & Blaqstarr - "Get Off" (DJ Rob 3 Remix)
2. Arcade Fire - "Wasted Hours"
3. Active Child - "High Priestess" (CFCF Remix)
4. Incubus - "Vitamin"
5. Kate Bush - "This Woman's Work"
6. Something Corporate - "Me And The Moon"
7. Bill Evans Trio - "Detour Ahead" (Take 1)
8. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "The Beach Song"
9. Bleached - "Dazed"
10. Ben Taylor & Carly Simon - "After It's Over" (orig. Benjamin Taylor)

Carly Simon singing backup on her son's song. That's a level of cool neither you nor I will ever attain.

Diplo & Blaqstarr get things off to a fun start. The Active Child song is absolutely beautiful, and of course, the Kate Bush is one of the finest, most beautiful songs ever written. Then piano-driven rock from Something Corporate, followed by phenomenal jazz from the Bill Evans Trio. I need more jazz in my life. And other things. Solid mix.
Two of them are not on Spotify this week, but they're two of the best songs, so don't be lazy.

iTunes Shuffle 10/3/14

1. Cryptacize - "Tail And Mane"
2. Kool Music - "The Secret Of The Ooze"
3. Cuckoo Chaos - "Slut Barf"
4. Bach: Cantata #21, BWV 21, "Ich Hatte Viel Bekümmernis" - Sinfonia (Theatre Of Early Music, Daniel Taylor, conductor)
5. Aimee Mann - "Little Tornado"
6. Smashing Pumpkins - "Rocket"
7. Amanda Jo Williams - "Light On"
8. Fort Atlantic - "The Wrecking Ball"
9. Cains & Abels - "Never Be Alone"
10. Featureless Ghost - "Flash"

Some great names here and yes, I am aware that a song called "Slut Barf" is next to a Bach sinfonia. Such is my music collection. And it's a catchy fucking song. Also, Cryptacize, while it sounds like it would be some metal band, is not. Also jaunty.

Otherwise, any mix with Aimee Mann is a good mix. Fort Atlantic is one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. Their music is just lovely.

All on Spotify this week:

iTunes Shuffle 9/26/14

1. Sebadoh - "Rebound"
2. Alison Krauss and Union Station - "Bonita And Bill Butler"
3. A.Dd+ - "Can't Come Down"
4. David Wilcox - "Fearless Love"
5. Frightened Rabbit - "Backyard Skulls"
6. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - "We Are Rockstars"
7. Garth Brooks - "Rodeo"
8. Annuals - "Around Your Neck"
9. Robin Pecknold - "Where Is My Wild Rose?" (Chris Thompson cover)
10. Tori Amos - "Raining Blood" (Slayer cover)

I enjoy these mixes more and more every week. I love, love, love the first two songs. And then straight into hip-hop with A.Dd+. Of course, David Wilcox is one of my all time favorite artists. He is just a brilliant, brilliant man that far too few people have heard. The Robin Pecknold is a beautiful cover of a beautiful song. The Tori Amos is a dark, weird Slayer cover that, somehow, exists. If you've never heard it, listen to the original first and then see what Tori did with it.

And of course, I'm not ashamed to admit I love me some Garth Brooks. Of course, his music isn't streaming anywhere online, because, for somebody who requires cowriters for pretty much every song he releases, Garth is astonishingly prideful and shortsighted when it comes to digital distribution of his music. He doesn't want it online because his albums are apparently such masterpieces, woven together lovingly like tapestries, that they must be consumed whole. I find it funny because Garth Brooks, songwriting genius that he believes himself to be, is like this, but somehow Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen manage to be okay with their fans listening to their music however they choose. Real songwriters understand that once you write a song, or a record, that that's the beginning of a conversation with the people who are listening. Great songwriters, when asked what a song is about, respond, "what does it mean to you?" Because that's how art works.

But not for Garth. We're not getting his great artistic point unless we listen to "Papa Loved Mama" directly followed by a mediocre Billy Joel cover.

#rantover

Enjoy the music. The YouTube video below actually is Garth's recording of "Rodeo," but it's apparently managed to slip by his people because it also has other sounds in it. It'll get taken down eventually.

iTunes Shuffle 9/19/14

1. Kristoffer Ragnstam - "Sorry For Being The Man Of 1000 Questions"
2. Amos Lee - "Colors"
3. Radiohead - "All I Need"
4. Matthew Mayfield - "Cold Winds"
5. Miike Snow - "Paddling Out" (Jacques lu Cont remix)
6. Banjo Or Freakout - "Mr. No"
7. Fountains Of Wayne - "Richie And Ruben"
8. Pink Floyd - "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives"
9. Sans Gras - "Easy On Me"
10. Kurt Vile - "Society Is My Friend"

Even with 30,000 songs in your iTunes and counting, sometimes repeats happen. The Kurt Vile song was on this shuffle two weeks ago. Fine, we'll live with it for another week. The Kristoffer Ragnstam and Radiohead songs have also appeared in earlier shuffles.

Regardless, OOH, this mix is good. Amos Lee sets the tone, and Radiohead picks it up with a song of desperate longing. "All I Need" would have really resonated with me a couple years ago. It still does, but now more in an "Oh, I remember what that's like" kind of way. The incredible, incredible Matthew Mayfield song continues the same vibe. One of the best songs I've heard this year. Then things pick up a bit with Miike Snow, followed by the epic, huge Banjo Or Freakout song.

Etc. Just listen.

iTunes Shuffle 9/12/14

1. Wilco - "Born Alone"
2. Letting Up Despite Great Faults - "Teenage Tide"
3. Rllrbll - "Coffee With Donnie"
4. Bobby Bare Jr. "But I Do"
5. Olive - "You're Not Alone"
6. The Wedding Present - "Brassneck"
7. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
8. The Buzzcocks - "Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?)"
9. Rhye - "Open"
10. Maserati - "Synchronicity IV"

Here's a weird mix fer ya. Hope you like British post-punk from the 80's, and also Destiny's child. I really love the Bobby Bare Jr., the Wilco and the Rhye.

And hurray, they're all on Spotify so you just can let it play.

iTunes Shuffle 9/5/14

1. Tarrega: Mazurka No. 1 in G Minor: Adelita (Rita Honti, classical guitar)
2. The Boxer Rebellion - "Keep Moving"
3. Garrison Starr - "In The Silence"
4. Primitive Radio Gods - "Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand"
5. Matt Pond - "Pillar Of Salt"
6. Jeff Buckley - "What Will You Say" (live Theatre de Fourvière, Lyon, France, July 4, 1995)
7. Kurt Vile - "Society Is My Friend"
8. Blues Traveler - "Fallible"
9. Wilco - "One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)"
10. Guided By Voices - "The Unsinkable Fats Domino"

Quite a mix. Comes in quietly with a classical guitar solo, but the Boxer Rebellion song is epic and beautiful. Brand new music from Garrison Starr follows (one of my favorite people -- period) and then the classic from Primitive Radio Gods. Matt Pond, Jeff Buckley, Kurt Vile = three of the best songwriters I can think of. Another visit to my teenage years with Blues Traveler, one of my favorites from Wilco, and we end with Guided By Voices.

Yeah, this is an incredibly solid mix, something I really enjoyed listening to every morning this week.

The Matt Pond song is not on Spotify, but do not be lazy. It's absolutely incredible. A retelling of the story of Lot's wife, from her perspective.

iTunes Shuffle 8/29/14

1. Joyce Cobb - "Memphis In June" (Hoagy Carmichael cover, also made famous by Nina Simone)
2. Bee Gees - "How Deep Is Your Love"
3. Aquanote - "True Love"
4. Jolie Holland - "Palmyra"
5. Halls - "White Chalk"
6. Larkin Grimm - "Mina Minou"
7. Beastie Boys feat. Lee "Scratch" Perry - "Dr. Lee, PhD"
8. Dashboard Confessional - "Tall Green Grass" (Cory Branan cover)
9. The Chieftains with The Rankins - "Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór"
10. Destroyer - "Leave Me Alone" (New Order cover)

Eclectic! We start with Memphis' own Joyce Cobb singing "Memphis In June," which was originally written and performed by Hoagy Carmichael. Nina Simone also did her part to make it famous. I do love my hometown, and this August feels more like June than August anyway, so it's appropriate.

I have to admit, I do love the Bee Gees song.

Jolie Holland, as always, is brilliant, and I'm a sucker for a New Orleans-themed song. "I'll dance at your funeral if you dance at mine..."

The Halls song is incredibly beautiful (seriously -- it's got a fucking choir), but my favorite discovery here is the Cory Branan song, done brilliantly by Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba on his solo covers record, and done here. In fact, I've become obsessed with Chris's version and the original this week. The video is just Chris, since, even though it was done for the band's Daytrotter session, it's really just Chris.

Oh, and Destroyer does a great New Order cover.

A few of them in Youtube form, and then the Spotify playlist.

iTunes Shuffle 8/22/14

1. Divine Fits - "My Love Is Real"
2. Black Milk - "Sunday's Best"
3. Black Milk - "Monday's Worst"
4. The Boxing Lesson - "Muerta"
5. Björk - "Ambergris March"
6. Patrick Watson - "Words In The Fire"
7. Bay City Rollers - "Saturday Night"
8. Josh Ritter - "Wildfires"
9. Gnonnas Pédro - "Yiri Yiri Boum"
10. The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"
11. Alberta Cross - "Broken Side Of Time"

Here's an eclectic mix. Indie rock, hip-hop, psychedelic rock, Beninese music ("Yiri Yiri Boum" will be in your head all day, and that's not a bad thing), an instrumental from Björk...it's all there. The Patrick Watson song is quite beautiful. You might end up singing the soul riff from "Monday's Worst" all day, as well.

Of course, Josh Ritter is one of the most brilliant songwriters alive. I can listen to him for days on end.

Playing the part of the fish out of water, of course, is Bay City Rollers. What?

Overall, I really like this mix, and hurray, they're all on Spotify.

iTunes Shuffle 8/15/14

1. Easter Island - "Independence"
2. Kopecky Family Band - "Heartbeat"
3. Toro y Moi - "Before I'm Done"
4. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - "Seven-Mile Island"
5. David Wilcox - "Dangerous"
6. Dinah Washington - "Rich Man's Blues"
7. Caribou - "Desiree"
8. Marc Anthony - "You Sang To Me"
9. Chromeo - "Grow Up"
10. Andrew Bird - "Fiery Crash"

This is a fabulous mix that actually flows really well. How did that Marc Anthony song get in my music collection, though? Fish out of water. Oh, I see, I have the Runaway Bride soundtrack. That is why.

Highlights:

Easter Island. Angelic male voices always get me.
Toro y Moi.
Jason Isbell. Always, Jason Isbell.
I've been listening to David Wilcox since high school, but only now in my 30's do I feel like I'm really getting him. He's a treasure.
It doesn't get better than Dinah Washington.
Caribou.
And of course, Andrew Bird, one of the finest artists of our time.

And hurray, they're all on Spotify this week.

iTunes Shuffle 8/8/14

1. Fiona Apple - "O' Sailor"
2. El-P feat. Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (of The Mars Volta) - "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"
3. Muse - "Guiding Light"
4. Cedar & Boyer - "A Created Thing"
5. Tom Waits - "Dead And Lovely"
6. Michael Nyman - "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (from the original score to The Piano)
7. Raphael Saadiq - "Radio"
8. Kermit The Frog - "The Rainbow Connection"
9. Jason Boesel - "I Got The Reason #1"
10. Au Revoir Simone - "Take Me As I Am"

Highlights:

Fiona.
El-P with the guys from the Mars Volta. Incredible hip-hop.
Muse. I don't usually give that much of a shit about Muse, but this song is awesome.
Cedar & Boyer. Husband and wife duo that makes lovely music. The guy sounds a bit like the Band Of Horses frontman. It's not on the playlist, but totally worth listening to.
Tom Waits, because Tom Waits.
Kermit. I can't believe I've never thought of covering that song before.
Jason Boesel.

iTunes Shuffle 8/1/14

1. Deer Tick - "Ashamed"
2. Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Bible Days"
3. Telekinesis - "I Cannot Love You"
4. Grieg:  Lyric Pieces, Book 5, Op. 54: No. 4, Notturno (pianist: Jenö Jando)
5. Brahms:  Serenade No. 2 In A Major, Op. 16 - Scherzo. Vivace (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra)
6. Vivaldi: Violin Concerto In E, RV 271, "L'Amoroso" - 1. Allegro (Elizabeth Blumenstock: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra)
7. Codeine - "Pickup Song"
8. Ballboy - "I Wonder If You're Drunk Enough To Sleep With Me Tonight"
9. BLK JKS - "Kwa Nqingetje"
10. Britney Spears - "Born To Make You Happy"

I don't think I've ever gotten three classical selections in one mix, much less three in a row. I love it. But let's launch with one of the best Deer Tick songs ever.

"I am the boy your mother wanted you to meet
But I am broken and torn..."

Also, Jessica Lea Mayfield is such a rare gem, I don't know why I don't listen to her more.

"Get thee behind me, Jesus
I've given up on you."

The Codeine song is particularly awesome, as well. The lyrics:

"Don't remember your kiss
Can't remember what I miss

Thought you were blind, I held your hand
Guess I still don't understand

Wish I'd never seen your face."

Yeah, this mix rules. And then it ends with Britney Spears.

And hurray, they're all on Spotify this week, so just let it play. Off to see Tori Amos live for the umpteenth time, but first time in 11 years, which is insane.

iTunes Shuffle 7/25/14

1. A.A. Bondy - "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing"
2. The Gaslight Anthem - "45"
3. Hole - "Phonebill Song"
4. Green Day - "Haushinka"
5. Aly Tadros - "Swingset"
6. Massive Attack vs. Burial (feat. Hope Sandoval) - "Four Walls"
7. Deana Carter - "How Do I Get There"
8. David Wilcox - "How Did You Find Me Here"
9. Big Tree - "The Concurrence Of All Things"
10. Chromeo - "Bonafied Lovin'" (Yuksek remix)

A.A. Bondy is wonderful, and so is the Gaslight Anthem. The Aly Tadros song is beautiful. But the highlights here are Massive Attack vs. Burial -- all eleven minutes -- and David Wilcox's song, which never fails to make me a bit misty.

iTunes Shuffle 7/18/14

1. Toro y Moi - "Saturday Love" (Cherrelle & Alexander O'Neal cover)
2. P!nk - "Fuckin' Perfect"
3. Robyn - "Just Another Girlfriend"
4. The Rapture - "House Of Jealous Lovers"
5. Moby - "Bodyrock"
6. David Mead - "Little Sister"
7. Inlets - "You Are An Effigy"
8. Tata & Salam Band - "San-Chaba"
9. Cate Le Bon - "Ploughing Out (Pts. 1 and 2)"
10. Autolux - "Supertoys"

Weird mix. It's all dancy and pop for the first five songs, then takes a total turn. The Inlets song is beautiful, Tata & Salam Band are Gambian music from the 90's, and Cate Le Bon, as always, is super cool.

iTunes Shuffle 7/11/14

1. Das Racist - "You Can Sell Anything"
2. Kate Bush - "Heads We're Dancing"
3. Tori Amos - "Flavor"
4. Markéta Irglová - "We Are Good"
5. Murder By Death - "Lost River"
6. Derek Webb - "Around Every Corner" (acoustic version)
7. The Wedding Present - "Dare"
8. The Go-Betweens - "Cattle And Cane"
9. Wolf Gang - "Pyramid Song" (Radiohead cover)
10. Family Lumber - "No Worries"

The most important thing to know is that the Murder By Death song is one of the best things I've heard in a year. Listen to it. Now. Kate Bush and Tori, always great. Also, Wolf Gang's Radiohead cover is stellar. Short Spotify list this time, because apparently some of this stuff is kind of obscure or something.

iTunes Shuffle 7/4/14

1. Born Gold - "Eat Sun, Son"
2. Adam Pascal - "Pity The Child #1" (from Chess In Concert: Live From The Royal Albert Hall)
3. The Hollywood Kills - "Idiot's Guide To Desertion"
4. Fred Astaire - "The Way You Look Tonight"
5. Fiona Apple - "Anything We Want"
6. Tori Amos - "Thank You" (Led Zeppelin cover)
7. The Decemberists - "My Mother Was A Chinese Trapeze Artist" (orig. recorded by Tarkio, Colin Meloy's first band)
8. Tori Amos - "Bells For Her" (live from To Venus And Back)
9. Alec Ounsworth - "That Is Not My Home (After Bruegel)"
10. Elliott Smith - "Cupid's Trick"

Another great week of music. Just listen.

For once, they're all available on Spotify.

iTunes Shuffle 6/27/14

1. Cocteau Twins - "Sugar Hiccup" (BBC Sessions)
2. ABBA - "Lay All Your Love On Me"
3. Björk - "Immature" (Homogenic Live)
4. Lulu Gainsbourg - "Ballade de Melody Nelson" (Serge Gainsbourg cover)
5. Tori Amos - "iieee"
6. The Tallest Man On Earth - "To Just Grow Away"
7. Paul Weller - "Moonshine"
8. The Pack A.D. - "Sirens"
9. Club 8 - "Dancing With The Mentally Ill"
10. TV Girl - "Benny And The Jetts"

Cocteau Twins, Björk and Tori all in the same mix? Works for me. Also wonderful are The Tallest Man On Earth and TV Girl.

iTunes Shuffle 6/20/14

1. Laura Gibson - "La Grande"
2. Elvis Presley - "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
3. Kasey Anderson - "For Anyone"
4. Beirut - "East Harlem"
5. Firekites - "Paris"
6. Aesop Rock - "Ready Aim Shoot" (orig. Rob Sonic)
7. American Princes - "Real Love"
8. Poliça - "Chain My Name"
9. Daphne Willis - "Slow Down"]
10. The Crystal Method - "The Winner"

Laura Gibson and Daphne Willis are major highlights here. Actually, as usual, a really great mix overall.

iTunes Shuffle 6/13/14

1. John Denver - "Poems, Prayers And Promises"
2. "Nobody's Side" (from the original Broadway cast recording of Chess, sung by Judy Kuhn)
3. Ty Dolla $ign (Feat. YG & DJ Mustard) - "Dolla $ign"
4. Ty Dolla $ign (Feat. Young Jeezy) - "My Cabana" (remix)
5. Beastie Boys - "Freaky Hijiki"
6. Apollo Sunshine - "Better Change Your Mind" (William Onyeabor cover)
7. Big Joe Williams - "Baby Please Don't Go"
8. Sébastien Tellier - "Fingers Of Steel" (Hypnolove Remix)
9. Teedra Moses - "R U 4 Real" (Freestyle)
10. Leftover Salmon - "Baby Hold On"
11. Cadence Weapon - "Real Estate"
12. Cadence Weapon - "Getting Dumb"

If you want a mix that shows how eclectic my music library is, this is it. From the old country of John Denver, to one of the best songs ever written for Broadway, then straight into Ty Dolla $ign. And so on.

Twelve songs this week because the Ty Dolla $ign and the Cadence Weapon are both two tracks in one.

iTunes Shuffle 6/6/14

1. Led Zeppelin - "Bron-Yr-Aur"
2. Glen Phillips - "I Still Love You"
3. Jack White - "Love Interruption"
4. Cowboy Junkies - "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" (Bob Dylan cover)
5. Cate Le Bon - "Fold The Cloth"
6. Prairie Empire - "Snow"
7. Bombadil - "Avery"
8. tUnE-yArDs + Angélique Kidjo + Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson + Akua Naru - "Lady" (Fela Kuti cover)
9. Allison Moorer - "Getting Somewhere"
10. Liars - "Octagon"

The instrumental Led Zeppelin starts this mix beautifully. From there, the songs are remarkably thematic, from Glen Phillips to Prairie Empire. In fact, the Glen Phillips, Jack White and Cowboy Junkies make for quite a trilogy. Bombadil follows with another beautiful instrumental piece. The mix flows. I listen.

iTunes Shuffle 5/30/14

1. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Everything With You"
2. Amy Grant - "That's What Love Is For"
3. Christina Aguilera - "Cruz"
4. Woods - "Skull"
5. Puro Instinct - "Lost At Sea"
6. Common Loon - "Automatic Skin"
7. Pictureplane - "Beyond Fantasy"
8. The Knife - "Pass This On"
9. Children Of The Night - "Manischewitz"
10. Graham Colton - "1981" (live)

Yeah, that is Amy Grant coming directly after The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Such is my music collection. And oh, The Knife. The Pictureplane song, which heavily samples Baby D's "Let Me Be Your Fantasy," but sped up, is ridiculously good. Finally, the Graham Colton might make ya weep.

iTunes Shuffle 5/23/14

1. Nurses - "Caterpillar Playground"
2. Chelsea Wolfe - "Feral Love"
3. Ari Hest - "Something To Look Forward To"
4. Miguel Migs feat. Lisa Shaw - "Lose Control"
5. Sarah McLachlan - "Vox"
6. The Dead Trees - "D.R.C. 1991"
7. Dengue Fever - "Cement Slippers"
8. Neon Trees - "Everybody Talks"
9. Lichens - "Bune"
10. Van Morrison - "Brown Eyed Girl"

Chelsea Wolfe, Chelsea Wolfe, Chelsea Wolfe. That is all. Oh, and the Ari Hest made me misty.

iTunes Shuffle 5/16/14

1. Wilco - "The Late Greats"
2. Foals - "This Orient"
3. Howlin' Rain - "Dancers At The End Of Time"
4. A B & The Sea - "In And Out"
5. Natalie Merchant - "Life Is Sweet"
6. The Boxing Lesson - "Age Of Consent" (New Order cover)
7. Tool - "Parabol"
8. Tori Amos - "Humpty Dumpty"
9. Danielson - "Grow Up"

There are only nine songs this week, because occasionally I find something in my ridiculously large music collection that's so horrendous that I can't bear to have it taking up space on my hard drive. So, it got deleted, both from my library and from this list. The rest is pretty great, especially Wilco, Foals, The Boxing Lesson and of course the old school Tori Amos, which provides an interesting counterpoint to her new record, out this week.

iTunes Shuffle 5/9/14

1. Grace Jones - "Williams' Blood" (Aeroplane remix)
2. Coldplay - "Hurts Like Heaven"
3. Blitzen Trapper - "Sleepytime In The Western World"
4. Juana Molina - "Bicho Auto"
5. Moonface with Siinai - "Teary Eyes And Bloody Lips"
6. Robin Pecknold ft. Ed Droste - "I'm Losing Myself"
7. Waterdeep - "We Already Got It"
8. Corinne Bailey Rae - "I Would Like To Call It Beauty"
9. Basia Bulat - "Touch The Hem Of His Garment" (Sam Cooke cover)
10. Phantogram - "Celebrating Nothing"

What an incredible mix. The Grace Jones has given me encouragement this week. I don't know the exact corollary in my life, but the story of the song "Williams' Blood" makes sense to me. It's not on Spotify, but it's worth listening to about a million times. The Coldplay song -- and I'm not usually that enthusiastic about Coldplay -- is incredibly relatable for me as well. The Blitzen Trapper quite frankly feels like my life right now.Juana Molina is an Argentinian artist who sounds like a mix between Björk and Beth Orton. "Teary eyes and bloody lips make you look like Stevie Nicks." Enough said. Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) and Ed Droste (Grizzly Bear) together is a bit breathtaking.

I could go on. This mix is phenomenal. The only song I can take or leave is the Waterdeep. Every other song is just stellar.

iTunes Shuffle 5/2/14

1. Yo La Tengo - "I Feel Like Going Home"
2. Ancient Mariner - "Acedia"
3. The Roadside Graves - "Tuff Hair"
4. Antenna Shoes - "T New"
5. Cave Painting - "Leaf"
6. Haley Bonar - "Anyway, Rattlesnake"
7. Mos Def - "Quiet Dog"
8. Usher feat. Rick Ross - "Lemme See"
9. Brendan Benson - "Sucked Out" (Superdrag cover)
10. The Life And Times - "Day Eight"

Start to finish, this mix is STELLAR. Things not to miss under any circumstances:  Yo La Tengo, Ancient Mariner, Antenna Shoes, Cave Painting, Haley Bonar. Yes, there are that many high points.

iTunes Shuffle 4/25/14

1. Illinois - "Hang On"
2. Andrew Bird - "After Dinner Jam"
3. Wreckless Eric - "(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World"
4. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "Fiya Wata"
5. Big K.R.I.T. - "4EvaNaDay" (Theme)
6. Cameron Hull - "Bobby Pins" (live @ Daytrotter)
7. Alex Body - "The Light In The Mirror"
8. Weekend - "Teal Kia" (demo)
9. The Supremes - "You Can't Hurry Love"
10. Danielson - "People's Partay"

What a weird mix. The anchors are Wreckless Eric and The Supremes. And the Andrew Bird is good if you want to meditate for a few minutes.

iTunes Shuffle 4/18/14

1. Tori Amos - "Cloud On My Tongue" (live in Denver)
2. The Lightning Seeds - "Love Explosion"
3. The Black Keys feat. RZA - "The Baddest Man Alive"
4. The Fresh & Onlys - "Presence Of Mind"
5. Lorde - "Royals"
6. Tori Amos - "The Pool"
7. The Band Of Heathens - "Enough"
8. Carrie Rodriguez & Ben Kyle - "Your Lonely Heart"
9. Throw Me The Statue - "Lolita"
10. The Chemical Brothers - "Galaxy Bounce"

When I hit shuffle last week and saw that this week's mix would start with "Cloud On My Tongue," I knew I was in for a weird week, and it delivered. Other highlights include the second Tori song and the Carrie Rodriguez/Ben Kyle duet. Perfection.

iTunes Shuffle 4/11/14

1. DJ Quik - "Killer Dope"
2. David Mead - "Touch Of Mascara"
3. Howling Boil - "Brighton, 1983"
4. Dispatch - "Bullet Holes" (live)
5. Paul Banks - "The Base"
6. Cocteau Twins - "Cicely"
7. Jason Lytle - "Yours Truly, The Commuter"
8. Shackleton - "Deadman" (King Midas Sound Death Dub)
9. Suede - "Animal Nitrate"
10. The Shins - "Simple Song"

Weird, wonderful mix. The Paul Banks, Cocteau Twins, Jason Lytle trilogy makes the entire thing worth it. The Shins finish it wonderfully. Also, other songs.

iTunes Shuffle 4/4/14

1. Metric - "Monster Hospital"
2. Beck - "The Golden Age"
3. The Mynabirds - "Radiator Sister"
4. Cocteau Twins - "Dear Heart" (BBC Sessions)
5. The Veils - "Bloom"
6. Siegel-Schwall Band - "I Think It Was The Wine" (live)
7. Cocteau Twins - "When Mama Was Moth"
8. The Doors - "The End"
9. The Band Of Heathens - "I Ain't Running"
10. The Rosebuds - "No Ordinary Love" (Sade cover)

Cocteau Twins twice in one mix? I'll take it. The Rosebuds cover of Sade's great "No Ordinary Love" is stellar. And for pure, raw emotion, the selection from The Doors is one of my favorites. Another great week of music.

The Rosebuds is the only one not on Spotify, but don't miss it.

iTunes Shuffle 3/28/14

1. Dean Blunt - "Six"
2. The New Pornographers - "Go Places"
3. Tori Amos - "Leather"
4. Downcity Armory - "Cease The Wheels"
5. Katie Herzig - "Sadie's Song"
6. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "Janglin'"
7. Annuals - "Hot Night Hounds"
8. The Black Angels - "Bad Vibrations"
9. Vitalic - "La Rock 01"
10. José James - "Desire"

This mix has been very appropriate for my week. The Dean Blunt song isn't on Spotify, but it really should be listened to first (just below in Youtube form) to get the feeling for how this mix begins and what I've been listening to every morning this week. Launching into New Pornographers and Tori from there? Yes. Katie Herzig makes an appearance, the Annuals song is as lovely as all their music is, and the José James is some of the most gorgeous, sexy jazz I've heard in years.

iTunes Shuffle 3/21/14

1. Speedy Ortiz - "No Below"
2. Weekend - "Teal Kia" (demo)
3. Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials - "Natural Man"
4. Patty Griffin feat. Emmylou Harris - "Little Fire"
5. B.G. feat. Big Tymers & Hot Boys - "Bling Bling"
6. Jeff Buckley - "Jewel Box"
7. Sarah Vaughan - "Lover Man" (Jazzelicious Remix) (orig. Billie Holiday)
8. Big Star - "September Gurls"
9. Girls - "Heartbreaker"
10. Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather - "Stop Me" (The Smiths cover)

A nice eclectic mix that I ended up liking a lot more than I did when I first hit "shuffle." Speedy Ortiz may become one of my new favorite bands, as they sounds like Liz Phair and Pavement had a baby. The Weekend demo is just big and chaotic and pretty. Patty Griffin, Jeff Buckley and Big Star all are among my desert island artists, so those were welcome. And other things. What's not available on Spotify just below, then the playlist after that.

iTunes Shuffle 3/14/14

1. Sam Amidon - "Bright Sunny South" (trad., reworked by Sam Amidon)
2. Ben Folds Five - "Jackson Cannery"
3. Lady Gaga - "Scheiße"
4. Björk - "Verandi"
5. Deerhunter - "Microcastle"
6. Do Make Say Think - "Chinatown"
7. Bloodkin - "Drive Home September"
8. Robert Belfour - "Treat Me Right"
9. The Deep Dark Woods - "The Place I Left Behind"
10. Radical Face - "All Is Well (Goodbye, Goodbye)"

Lovely mix, start to finish. Highlights: Sam Amidon, Björk, The Deep Dark Woods, Radical Face. And of course, I always love Ben Folds.

iTunes Shuffle 3/7/14

1. Natural Child - "Ain't Gonna Stop"
2. Bruce Springsteen - "We Take Care Of Our Own"
3. Jimi Hendrix - "Angel"
4. Tori Amos - piano improvisation (childhood recording)
5. Pedro The Lion - "Almost There"
6. Future Of Forestry - "What Child Is This" (trad.)
7. Real Estate - "Black Lake"
8. Strand Of Oaks - "Kill Dragon"
9. Joy Division - "Twenty Four Hours"
10. Grinderman - "Mickey Mouse And The Goodbye Man"

One of my favorite random shuffles in a long time. Natural Child is good old Southern rock out of Nashville. That leads to one of Springsteen's newer classics and perhaps the most beautiful thing Jimi Hendrix ever did. Suddenly we have a minute of Tori playing piano when she was a teenager, because I'm a superfan, then a lovely one from Pedro The Lion. At that point, we pause for a Christmas song, and yes, it's March, but don't skip it, because it's a fantastic cover. Then Real Estate and Strand Of Oaks, both beautiful and putting Joy Division next to Nick Cave's Grinderman at the end is poetic. Start to finish, 37 minutes of wonderful music.

iTunes Shuffle 2/28/14

1. Christina Aguilera - "Fighter"
2. Low - "Sleep At The Bottom"
3. The Depreciation Guild - "Trace"
4. Cowboy Junkies - "Decoration Day" (John Lee Hooker cover)
5. Chandeliers - "Multiplicity"
6. Leftover Salmon - "Ain't Gonna Work" (trad.)
7. Zero 7 - "Everything Up (Zizou)" (Mock n Toof Remix)
8. John Rutter: Requiem: "Out From The Deep" (The Cambridge Singers, dir. John Rutter)
9. Bob Dylan - "Visions Of Johanna"
10. The Mynabirds - "Disaster"

Hm. From the bombastic "I'ma Kick Your Ass" pop of Christina Aguilera to the subdued, tense sounds of Low. Love it. One of Dylan's best and a truly phenomenal song from The Mynabirds finish the mix. Lots of great stuff in between.

iTunes Shuffle 2/21/14

1. Ellie Goulding - "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)"
2. Ty Segall - "Buick Mackane" (T. Rex cover)
3. Common Mama - "Possibly Mine"
4. Tool - "Mantra"
5. Tame Impala - "Endors Toi"
6. Shackleton - "Deadman" (King Midas Sound Death Dub)
7. Escondido - "Cold October"
8. Turbo Fruits - "Keepin' On"
9. Rllrbll - "Coffee With Donnie
10. Tori Amos - "Toast" (live Los Angeles)

So here is some music. The Ellie Goulding has been a good way to start the day this week. Ty Segall is great garage rock. The Common Mama is beautiful. The Tool song is apparently Maynard squeezing his cat gently and recording the sounds. Etc. I think my favorite thing here is the Rllrbll song, or maybe the Tori.

iTunes Shuffle 2/14/14

1. Spandau Ballet - "True"
2. Markéta Irglová - "Fantasy Man" (live) (orig. The Swell Season, of which Markéta is one half)
3. Van Morrison - "And It Stoned Me"
4. Ava Luna - "Wrenning Day"
5. Shearwater - "South Col"
6. De La Soul - "Plug Tunin'"
7. Princeton - "Sylvie"
8. Joshua James - "Magazine"
9. Clare and the Reasons - "The Lake"
10. RxRy - "Tide Pool (lo/hi)"

Starting off with "True" seems appropriate for Valentine's Day, I suppose. Two songs on this list have automatically been added to my playlist of the best songs I've ever heard -- the Ava Luna and the Clare and the Reasons. The Markéta Irglová song is lovely, and the rest is good too, ending with the 7 minute noise session of RxRy.

iTunes Shuffle 2/7/14

1. Oberhofer - "Away Frm U"
2. Bend Sinister - "Hot Blooded Man"
3. Carolina Chocolate Drops - "Starry Crown" (trad.)
4. Cage The Elephant - "Lotus"
5. Sinéad O'Connor - "Rivers Of Babylon" (The Melodians cover)
6. Sebadoh - "Gimme Indie Rock"
7. Yo La Tengo - "Return To Hot Chicken"
8. Shout Out Out Out Out - "Never The Same Way Twice"
9. Brandi Carlile - "If There Was No You"
10. Darker My Love - "Maple Day Getaway"

This mix rules. I'm particularly partial to Oberhofer, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cage The Elephant, Sinéad and Brandi. And this time it's all on Spotify, so you can just let it play. Go!

iTunes Shuffle 1/31/14

1. Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union"
2. Blood Orange - "S'Cooled"
3. Rush - "Closer To The Heart" (live)
4. The Get Up Kids - "Sharin' Stone" (Vitreous Humor cover)
5. The Dead Trees - "Loretta"
6. Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon & Cappadonna - "Fish"
7. Times New Viking - "Ever Falling In Love"
8. Jeremih - "Girls Go Wild" (orig. 50 Cent ft. Jeremih)
9. Dr. Dog - "What A Fool"
10. The Sadies - "Another Year Again"

Notes:

I love that Titus Andronicus song, and the way they pull in Springsteen is brilliant. Blood Orange = Dev Hynes = Lightspeed Champion. Because people need three names. Lots of good rock 'n' roll in this mix, from Rush to the lo-fi Times New Viking. And of course, there is also Ghostface Killah and Jeremih, which are nice for holiday parties.

This is a weird mix, the more I think about it.

iTunes Shuffle 1/24/14

1. Fauré: Sanctus (from Requiem) (The Cambridge Singers, dir. John Rutter)
2. Danielle Ate The Sandwich - "Faith In A Man"
3. Joker feat. Jessie Ware - "The Vision (Let Me Breathe)"
4. Peaking Lights - "Cosmick Dub"
5. Miles Davis - "John McLaughlin"
6. Rodrigo y Gabriela - "Buster Voodoo"
7. Tricky - "Aftermath"
8. Churches - "Husk"
9. Ne-Yo - "Sign Me Up"
10. Mikal Cronin - "Apathy"

This mix leans heavily toward the instrumental - slash - experimental. The "Santcus" from Fauré's Requiem starts it off beautifully. The Joker/Jessie Ware song is anthemic and huge, and then the segment from Peaking Lights to Tricky seems designed to facilitate a trance. A lovely trance. Spotify playlist at the bottom, whatever else isn't available there in other formats.

iTunes Shuffle 1/17/14

1. Sean Hayes - "A Thousand Tiny Pieces"
2. Ben Kweller - "Gossip"
3. Björk - "Possibly Maybe"
4. The Depreciation Guild - "Dream About Me"
5. Matthew Perryman Jones - "O, Theo"
6. The Beatles - "Revolution 1"
7. Janet Jackson - "Trust A Try"
8. Smith Westerns - "End Of The Night"
9. Channel Cairo - "A Year"
10. Björk - "Frosti"

The highlights, hands down, are The Depreciation Guild and Matthew Perryman Jones. Sean Hayes is just great folk music. Björk is Björk. And the Janet Jackson song is so great, I can't believe it wasn't a single.

Everything is on the Spotify playlist this time, except for The Beatles, because I guess they're not on Spotify.

iTunes Shuffle 1/10/14

1. Weezer - "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To"
2. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - "Planet Rock" (12" version)
3. Hercules And Love Affair ft. Antony - "Raise Me Up"
4. MGMT - "Congratulations"
5. Said The Whale - "Emerald Lake, AB"
6. Submotion Orchestra - "Blind Spot"
7. Chelsea Crowell - "Never Been One To Pray"
8. Kristoffer Ragnstam - "Sorry For Being The Man Of 1000 Questions"
9. Diamond Rings - "You Oughta Know"
10. Jacques Greene - "Sorted"

This mix is SO fun. The Said The Whale, Submotion Orchestra and Diamond Rings songs are worthy of becoming your all time favorites. Chelsea Crowell, Kristoffer Ragnstam and Jacques Greene in YouTube form, then a Spotify playlist for the rest:

iTunes Shuffle 1/3/14

1. Best Coast - "Up All Night"
2. Arthur Alligood - "One Silver Needle" (DT)
3. ESG - "Moody"
4. Peter Wolf Crier - "Down Down Down"
5. Tony Bennett - "A Foggy Day" (orig. Fred Astaire, made popular by Frank Sinatra)
6. Dizzee Rascal - "Fix Up, Look Sharp"
7. The Revivalists - "When I Die"
8. Graham Colton - "Hold On To My Heart" (live at Eddie's Attic)
9. Tori Amos - "Fire Eater's Wife/Beauty Queen" (demo)
10. Barenaked Ladies - "Shoe Box"

Lovely mix to start the new year, and for once, all are available on the Spotify! Highlights: Best Coast, Arthur Alligood, Peter Wolf Crier, Tony Bennett, The Revivalists, and especially Graham Colton.