March 29, 2013
Miracler
Charlie Rock
Location
Chicago
I'm a bad Hostess.
I was on vacation much of this week, gnawin' on Q & slaw in Austin (not to be confused with SxSW y'all) and returned late Wednesday night, hence the promise last week that this week's mix would go up on Thursday.
However, I landed at SFO with two work insta-deadlines today which took me away from my Hostessing yesterday. And yet (here's the bad part): I spent much of yesterday listening to this mix over and over. OVER and OVER. I totally bogarted the mix. Sorry, dudes. But for what it's worth, it's really tasty.
Today's sophomore mix comes from a sophomore (or thereabouts) in college whom we hazed last year with some of these 20 comments from his freshman mix:
Dude's name is Charlie ROCK. How rad is that?! How could this *not* be a terrific mix? Blimey. People, we are saved: here's proof that there's hope in the next generation. What a refreshing blast! Man, that was a total earwash of yummy distortion and raw drums, just the kind of fuzziness the doctor ordered. The young whipper snapper's got some good tunes! Liars. Ty Segall. Action. Woods. Good stuff. Welcome to the group. You didn't steal all this music, did you? Just kidding...just being topical. Loving your mix, Charlie, and I'm only halfway through. Tennis and Ducktails were the immediate standouts to me, but I'm sure there will be many more. Thanks!! Great mix with lots of personal faves. Sweltering hot day today, smog hanging over the city. It finally thundered just before sunset and when the rain cleared the sky was neon brilliant startling purplefuschiapinkred. And this was the perfect soundtrack for that kind of day. Thanks Charles. Like the twists and turns of this mix. Feeling the Fuzz. And several Bands new to me. Really like the Woods cut, and the Men sounds like something from a band of Keith Richards love children. And nice to hear something from the Sonics. It all works real well!! Thanks so much, Charlie. This entire mix is right up my alley, and I had never heard of the majority of these artists. What a treat. That wipers track really hits it. Some tracks have more fuzz, tho, it's true. Thanks! Tas-tee! Love that Ducktails number. Plus, huge ups for 'Psycho' which took me right back to my insanely dosed summer of '85 for a few unguarded moments. Awesome! Great mix of old and new. Fuzz is my friend. I love how this mix really flows so very well! I have been purposely holding off on commenting, the way I usually do not, cause I really wanted to let it soak in a bit. But I couldn't wait any longer. I love Tennis, Wipers, Male Bonding, and Woods. I think I only knew 4 of these bands Charlie, and I did not know you were into the Sonics. I love how well Psycho is right in the middle! What an exceptional mix Char! Love it! xo Thanks for the dose, Mr Rock. Standout track is Ty Segall. News to me. Thanks for not bogarting those tunes, my friend. Tennis — yes. Mind Spiders — yes. Liars — yes. Ducktails —yes, a great tune even though they have the goofiest band name. Male Bonding — yes. I like Fuzz. I have to admit that my jazzedness on looking over the track listing was tempered somewhat by my being jealous that someone else was smart enough to put Mind Spiders on a mix before I did. First track and what would have been the second side of the LP release are all going in the favorites bin. Thanks, Rock. The Sonics—was just blasting "Strychnine" in the car this afternoon. Fantastic. Family Portrait—Love the idea of a band forming to open for another band. And love this mix. Thanks, Charlie.
Today's mix brings another eclectic bunch of crushworthy hits. In my words. In CR's word:
The Mystic Boardwalk
This mix is centered upon an idea, a blur of images of ages past and present. It takes the colloquial connotations of a boardwalk—its dangers, its anonymity, the buzz it can instill in a heart—and more importantly, how these images can progress over the frame of day/night, smoothly or abruptly. I chose the songs based upon these specifications, and not because the content of the song (title, lyrics, etc) was related to a boardwalk. Some choices are arguably over-the-top, but the choices were fairly subjective, and may not reveal why they relate at first (or at all maybe?). It cuts through numerous genres, too, which is actually meant to add to the cohesion of the mix. Blah, I digress—what is an interpretation if I attempt to create the bounds for you? Enjoy.
PS: As it turns out, this mix also provides the coincidence that after several year absences, the Soft Boys and Daniel Johnston both make two reappearances only a few weeks apart.
1. A Day of Pilgrimage – Aki Onda
2. Sí Corazon – Loz Zafiros
3. Earth Angel – Clinic
4. Old Pervert – The Soft Boys
5. Sweet Heart – Daniel Johnston
6. Stoned and Starving – Parquet Courts
7. Will We Be Scared? – Thee Oh Sees
8. Shrink Wrap – This Heat
9. FOREIGN – TONY FERRARI
10. '2' – Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland
11. Universe – High Places
12. Elizabeth’s Theme – Dirty Beaches
13. Lenox Avenue Blues (Church Organ Blues) – Fats Waller
14. Can’t Get Loose – The Skunks
Mix is UP. Same password—check your inbox. To comment on this mix, click on the 'Comment' button below the post and write something. If you don't have/want to use your Google etc. accounts, just type your name in the "Name" box and you are done. See you back here or on our members-only Facebook page soon. XOK
18 comments:
Yowza! This Heat makes a surprising appearance. Very much liked the Soft Boys and Thee Oh Sees tracks, but the Parquet Squares is a fuckin jam! Really, really digging it-- off to Permanent tomorrow to see if they've got it in stock. The Fats Waller is weirder than I remember him getting, and the Skunks are bunches of good old fun. Thanks!
Parquet Courts of course.... Oy!
Well, I had the pleasure of seeing C. Rock yesterday and raved about this mix in person, but I will add to these comments by saying that I love the Mystic Boardwalk concept and yes, it does come off very very well!
Starting off with "A Day of Pilgrimage" and leading us through the ins and outs of angels and perverts...they are all there: the main reason for going to the boardwalk. Ultimately, shit gets real and that's when Parquet Courts comes in. Trying times indeed. I like going out on Lenox Avenue Blues... this song is a thing of beauty!
The Skunks let us know that we made it home ok, tomorrow is likely to be a normalish day.
I still need more time to soak this mix in, sometimes on that mystic boardwalk you don't always get the chance to view things with such clarity, but you can remember the vibes.
I like the way this devolves into sparkly-around-the-edges lysergic amorphousness. Reminded me of an altered afternoon on a Rogers Park beach, listening to out-of-context conversational snippets as people walked by. Like my brother, I was stricken by Parquet Courts, and was also mighty pleased by Clinic's appearance, and the High Places track. Another winner from Mr. Rock!
Fuzz was one of the curveball highlights from last season, so I am approaching this new mix with high hopes. Always a bit scary when none of your frames of reference are available, and there is a metaphysical component to get your head round. But that does mean 14 new names - any of which could be the star of 2013. The highlight on a first listen was the Las Zafiros track. Cheers Charlie for making us think!
Paul Rhodes
Each week I'm even more delighted to be part of the Prodge. And this mix is certainly no exception. I was taken from the start. A Day Of Pilgrimage is a fantastic track and totally new to me. I'm a long time fan of Clinic so there was no doubt that I would love this track. Daniel Johnston is just magical. Again, if you haven't seen the documentary about him, it's a must-see. Thee Oh Sees are endlessly fascinating to me. What a great track. This is where I would like to take a minute to acknowledge the absolute genius of This Heat. The record that they released for The Peel Sessions is underrated and unbelievable. What a great band. And one that I totally missed during the time they were releasing music. Following Fats Waller with The Skunks was perfect. Well done, Charlie, well done.
Charlie, last year your Fuzz mix won my, until now, unspoken award for most-artists-in-one-mix-I've-never-heard-of-but-now-must-track-down-and-own-everything-they've-made, so I have been waiting with bated breath for your follow-up. And you do not disappoint. This mix just flows around me, and these songs have a way of picking me up to float in the air for a bit before setting me back gently on the, er, boardwalk. Well, except for the Parquet Courts and the Skunks--those just rock almighty. Thanks for all of the above.
I enjoyed the thematic cohesiveness of this mix -- what a cool idea. Stand-out tracks for me were from Los Zafiros, Clinic and Parquet Courts. I loved hearing more Daniel Johnston as well.
I second Fritz's "Yowza!" Love love love Parquet Courts. New band for me. Fantastic. Big fan of Clinic, The Oh Sees, Hype Williams, Soft Boys. Toni Ferrari reminds me of Cut Chemist – really liked that track. High Places and Dirty Beaches cuts were great – also new bands for me. So much great stuff! David Lynch used that Fats Waller track in Eraserhead, yeah? (Housekeeping note: it's LOS, not LAZ Zafiros, tireless hostess.) And I shall withhold my long-held opinion of Daniel Johnston, as I wish to avoid harshing everyone's mellow. Thanks, Charlie!
Great overall mix. Top would be Parquet Courts. Stoned and Starving has a great rhythm and a catchy garage band sound. Lots of charm. Thee Oh See sounds like an acid house trip. Loads of delicious reverb. Toni Ferrari a trip-hop reconstitution of Gotan Project. I like! Universe is a delightful song with bubbly orchestration. Thanks for sharing.
I love it all, but the weirdness that begins with "FOREIGN" and carries through "Lennox Avenue Blues" takes me to a land I've never visited before. I feel like I'm lying in bed on a hot summer night and music from the midway in Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes," has drifted over the fields and in through my bedroom window. It is haunting and beautiful and melancholy and makes me ache for some long lost part of myself.
I'll second Jeffrey's faves. A great spacey expanse of musical texture. It trances me out. I've written a lot of copy to that section. Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland is an especial fave. The other standout, as others have said, is Parquet Courts. I'm hearing a lot of Lou Reed and Velvet Underground in that track. Plus, the sentiment is damn near universal, isn't it? And Parquet is a weird word when you look at it.
Wow, cool drifty stuff. Even the up part of the up-and-down of this mix feels a bit dreamlike to me. Many thanks.
Some great mood swings in here. Really digging the mysterious sounds of Thee Oh Sees, Dean Blunt and Dirty Beaches. And like a lot of fellow Prodgers, I love the Parquet Courts. That rubbery rhythm guitar and Krieger-like lead guitar. Nice stuff, Charlie.
By the way, I went on an hour long dig for Dirty Beaches info and music after hearing "Elizabeth's Theme". So many different styles. One of my favorite new artists. Thanks for the introduction!
Oh hey Charlie Rock (I think I need to steal your last name....)
What a groovy ass mix. I can tell you that with the exception of Fats Waller, I haven't heard of ANY of these dudes (ladies, bands etc). but I've listened to it twice in a row. It's all kinda moody and mysterious. Liking Parquet Courts and that 4-in-a-row of Toni Ferrari, Dean Blunt, High Places and Dirty Beaches. I'll have to explore these further.....on a misty day strolling the boardwalk.
I've been loving this strange winding journey of a mix. It seems to compliment many moods. Los Zafiros are a wonderful find. (3mpm-inspired purchase) as is that dreamy Clinic track. Great stuff Charlie, thanks!
The best thing about this mix is that your fealty to a concept is really borne out throughout. For me, the final track seals the deal beautifully. I'll be playing that one for a long time. Even the cover captures the mood of an inviting (yet potentially threatening) mix of dark pleasures. Thanks for this, and sorry I'm so dilatory in delivering my appreciation. Great stuff Mr. Rock!
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