Wednesday, December 09, 2009

advent season: day nine: christmas mixtape

lynsey de paul-sugar me
drugrug- for the rest of your life
jefferson airplane-today
darwin deez-deep sea divers
elton john-benny and the jets
the do-the bridge is broken
the dears- 22: the death of all romance
david bowie-kooks
jefferson airplane-white rabbit

Sometimes I dismiss mix CDs as cliched and pretentious.
But then I give in and embrace the connotations of music snobs, think of High Fidelity, and how much I enjoyed the scene with John Cusack explaining the art of the mixtape. I remember all of the bands and tracks I've come to love after an introduction through a mix. NWA, The Pixies, Elliot Smith, Sebastien Tellier, April March; what if you had never made it onto the playlists my friends so lovingly burnt and passed on? The carefully hand illustrated covers would still lay in a stack in my room but the tracks that turned out to be my favourites would have floated around a musical abyss, unknown until discovery.

I may break the dry spell and make a few mixes again this Christmas and these are some of the tracks I'll be popping on there.

Which tracks are your mixtape essentials?

14 comments:

Annie said...

Elliot Smith always makes it onto my mixtapes as well, along with The Decemberists and The Shins. I love making mixtapes!

Isabel said...

I fucking love the Pixies - they're definitely my favourite band.

_ said...

i definitely made a cd-mix for a friend who lives a few provinces away. i wondered if i could get away with it since it is so horribly cliched, but i feel vindicated if DC tells me it's ok!

Siru said...

I used to have mix tapes for different moods, though it was _years_ ago and the content had lots of Spices girls in it :D. I think songs with memories are the best.

juliet xxx

Carmen said...

right now on the office playlist:

roxy music—love is the drug
stereolab—tempter
giorgio moroder—tears
grace jones—feel up
electrelane—on parade

and harley viera newton's taste in music too:

http://www.modelinia.com/articles/party-beat-harley-viera-newtons-21-candles/2311

<3 modelinia

WendyB said...

I think of an episode on Family Guy where Stewie makes his baby sitter a mix tape and then kills her boyfriend.

This boy needs therapy said...

Elliott smith: angeles
Old canes: both falling bright
animal collective: summertime clothes
bright eyes: first day of my life
Modest mouse: ocean breathes salty
The pixies: debaser
Bon iver: skinny love

and the list goes on and on forever and ever

Irene (capuccinobar) said...

Heeeey Stevie!

How are you? It's been so long since I last wrote you a comment...! But I've been checking your blog anyway these days :) Your Jen Brill post was great, if only i could interview her too...! hahah

Righ now I'm listening Russian red (a spanish indie band that sings in english) and The dead weather: Alice from the kills and john from the white stripes, the perfect combination, hahah

So darrrling hope you are doing well :)


x

Heather Taylor said...

This mixtape is amazing! Pretty much perfect to me.
The essential on my mixtape is "French Movie" by Loner. I've loved that song for years. It just sounds and feels just right.
Love your blog!

xoxo Heather

thevodkaasylum.blogspot.com

Faith said...

cliched i can understand
but...how are they pretentious?
i think they're the best gifts one can give&yeah may or may not introduce new bands but still
the handwritten or illustrated covers
&the idea that someone made a soundtrack just thinking of you is pretty dope

&i love that benny and the jets is up there.
great song.

hippyhippychic said...

the velvet underground - venus is furs.
not very christmassy though...
x

Emma said...

LOVE this idea for christmas!!

Anonymous said...

love it!


xoxo,
F

lekisskiss.blogspot.com <--2 girls bloggin fashion from nyc and chicago!

fadetoblack said...

oh awesome!
great selection!++