1. Waterfall - James
2. Wake up - Arcade Fire
Continuing on from last week's exercise in mixed tape science, the second song I've chosen is one that represents a number of different objectives in my playlist. First, however, take a listen if you haven't heard this one before.
If it sounds kind of familiar, it's probably because you've come across a movie trailer that's had a viral presence. This one specifically:
Although I'm familiar with Arcade Fire's Neon Bible (liked it enough to have a t-shirt of theirs, and oh by the way, very cool album website - weird too), I'd never heard of this song before. But needless to say, the trailer rocked and the song choice, in particular, feels inspired.
Anyway, staying on my attempt to make a perfect mix (and in my case using only songs that are pretty new to me), I'm going to use this one because of the following reasons.
1. The song is still pretty fast tempo (in line with the previous song)
2. Go Canada go! Woo hoo!
3. Unlike the last song which was pretty much major chords all the way, this one switches it up a bit with minor chord use - nice change from before, even though the song still sounds quite sunny at times.
4. Arcade Fire is one of those bands with a lot of street cred these days. Yes, this is pretentious, but when the quality is there to back it up, then I'm of the opinion that it works.
5. The song is just plain awesome.
I might add, I am keen to check out the movie version of the song which sounds a little different (a bit more uptempo, with sound acoustic sounding guitars in the mix).
Over to you... (p.s. just disagreeing with me isn't going to cut it here - this is where you build upon your own song one, or suggest the first two songs in your perfect mix). And yes, I did attempt to go over the science of the perfect mix - check that out here (with song number one)
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Ah was waiting for this.
1. Girl (Beck) - my suggestion from last week
2. My Apartment (Ben Kweller) - still radio friendly (studio version is more rocking!)
Adding on (and inspired by the 'Canadian Content' goal)...
1) 'The Great Defector' by Bell X1.
2) 'Weighty Ghost' by Wintersleep
That Wintersleep track always gives me goosebumps. Then again, so does that Arcade Fire one!
1. Island in the Sun (weezer) *
2. I don't feel like dancing (scissor sisters)- catchy just like crack, maybe just as bad after a while.
Here's a song-compilation idea of my own. Two people (A and B) contribute tracks in turn. A starts by ripping a track and sending it to B. B listens to it, and responds by sending A another track which, in B's subjective opinion, has some commonality with the track selected by A and would flow on nicely from it in an album. A reciprocates likewise. Iterate. Stop when you have enough songs to fill an album (twelve tracks, six each).
I have tried this a couple of times, but some real life circumstance always interrupts before we get anywhere near the end of the imaginary album.
Your song for last week was "Waterfall" by James. Had you started that track in the album compilation game I described above, I would respond with "Ha'Kirkas He'gia" ("The Circus Has Come"), a song with Hebrew lyrics from the album "Ubeyneihem" ("In Between") by Meir Banai. (I know virtually no Hebrew, but I have a translation of the lyrics thanks to a Hebrew-speaking friend of mine.)
Your song for this week is "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire. Had you started with that track (for a completely different imaginary album), I would respond with the song "And As For You" from the album "Here I Stand" by Oysterband.
Should you (the blogger) wish to hear these tracks, you may contact me privately. Am willing to share but not in public.
Oops - I think maybe too many links in my first attempt to post.
Here is my expanded list (my #2 also inspired by Canadian Content).
#1 - 'The Great Defector' by Bell X1.
#2 - 'Weighty Ghost' by Wintersleep.