Mix CD Trade - Tracy Burke

At the Swans show last week, Tracy surprised me with a mix cd. I spent the next two days listening to it non-stop and she gets a solid 8 on a 10 point scale. This was the completion of our deal in which she received an Elbow live disc and a mix cd that to be honest - needed a lot more art work and time - but Travis helped me out with the art aspect.

This is what Tracy gave me:
Veruca Salt - "All Mine" - a solid offering from this band that is refreshing and almost is infectious as "Seether".
Thomas Winter & Bogue - "French Love" - this was completely new to me, but I enjoyed it. A French Nick Cave singing rockabilly.
Roland Orzabal - "Day By Day By Day By Day By Day" - everything slows down on this track. He has an amazing voice, and it reminded me of something - it was familiar - but I still can't place it. Musically - there is a recent Peter Gabriel element.
Massive Attack - "Pray For Rain" - this is from their new album, and when I bought this album I was convinced it was Peter Gabriel. This is my favorite track on "Heglioland" as well as this disc. I sing this song daily.
M. Craft - "Sweets" - okay, this is where the Peter Gabriel similarities get a little too numerous. Good song and the female accompanyment is refreshing - but I was hoping for some energy at this point.
Gay Dad - "Different Kind Of Blue" - another new band for me - but they seem a little too inspired by early Radiohead. Good song - but a little uninspiring.
French Kicks - "Oh Fine" - cool song - keeping in the U.K. pop-sound vein. This sort of reminded me of Plant's "Now And Zen" or the Honeydripper's lp.
Emiliana Torrini - "Fingertips" - completely unknown to me - but Bjork influenced and similar vocal style a la "Debut". Totally dug it!
Elbow - "Suffer" - sorry Tracy - didn't like this one. Was rather flat.
Editors - "Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool (Radio Edit)" - I like the Editors, they create infectious songs and this is no exception. Rythmically pulse driven, and Gabriel-esque vocals and quirky lyrics make this song #2 for me on this disc.
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - "Just War, Metronomy - The Look" - I honestly don't like either of these bands individually, or collectively apparently. If I had something sharp to shove into the cd player at the point that Sparklehorse took the reigns - I may have destroyed the radio or electrocuted myself. Okay - it's not that bad - it's decent song - just a little irritating for me personally.
Broken Bells - "The Ghost Inside" - they are taking quite a hold on the music scene right now, aren't they? There's nothing wrong with that - they are quite a good band. Unique - perhaps vocally - but beyond that, it's not outside the box of old hat. Good song and fits perfectly in this compilation.
Bloc Party - "She's Hearing Voices" - this is one of those hot/cold bands. Tracy picked well, this song is on - and it's energy is a nice pick me up. The song sort of has a Hives quality.
Bad Livers - "Dancing Days" - comes at you completely from left field with rapid banjo and hee haw vocals. I sort of wish it didn't. He says "it's allright", but really - it's not.

So, all in all - a very cohesive disc up until the end - but it's okay to throw a curve ball at the end. What did Tracy get from me? Well, I can't recall the order but these were the tracks:
Basement Jaxx - Cish Cash
Blancmange - I Can't Explain
Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80's
Chemical Brothers (feat. Ali Love) - Do It Again
Cranes - Shining Road
Crystal Stilits - Sycamore Tree
Daucus Karota - Father Of Temptation ... you know Rozz had to be on there somewhere!
Jaill - The Stroller
Miike Snow - Animal
Munchausen By Proxy - Keystar
Naked Ape - Fashion Freak
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
Shriekback - Flowers Of Angst
The Creatures - Speeding
The Dead Weather - Gasoline
The December Sound - Kill Me (Before I Kill You)
The Faint - Paranoiattack
The Last Shadow Puppets - Gas Dance
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

Disc Exchange- "Ralph's Stupid Crap"

Ralph and I exchanged our discs today. Not sure what he's going to think of his, the only comment he had upon receiving it was, "I don't know any of these bands except Muddy Waters." I maybe went to obscure? Hopefully not. All Ralph really knows of my tastes are that I like Gary Numan and don't like Elbow - so I'd say he had the bigger challenge between us. He did however turn out an awesome disc filled with post-punk and new wave gems. I will cherish this for a long time and given that he used an archival 300-year disc, I can rest assured that I can still enjoy it on my deathbed, and my childern, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great... and so on and so forth can do the same.

Here's the setlist for, Ralph's Stupid Crap:
1. Simple Minds - Theme For Great Cities
2. Clearlake - Almost THe Same (Never heard of this band but I loved the song)
3. French Kicks - Oh Fine
4. Killing Joke - Adorations
5. Magazine - Back To Nature
6. Ocean Colour Scene - Up On The Downside (I've tried to get into this band on more than once occasion, and just can't.)
7. XTC - This World Over
8. Sneaker Pimps - Superbug
9. The Chameleons - Swamp Thing
10. The Cinematics - A Strange Education
11. The Jam - Scrape Away
12. Supergrass - Prophet 15
13. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
14. Ultravox - Slow Motion
15. Wire - In Vivo (Under recoginized and under appreciated band!)
16. The Posies - For The Ashes
17. God Is An Astronaut - From Dust To The Beyond