December 12, 2013
Miracler
Van Biesel
Location
Atlanta
This guy!
Yeah, that guy, the guy who made us Wait For It in July '12, and then when we did, you know what you guys said? More on that in a sec.
Before that mix, this guy brought first-time Miracling Star Glenn Campbell to his POP party in August '11's Songs of Exultant Joy, and in January '10, John Denver in The White Mix: Songs for Moving Very Quickly Down a Snowy Mountainside. Now do you remember the surprise we waited for in '12's mix? Well, maybe these comments will jog your memory. If not, perhaps our current password will serve as a clue.
You know those mixes where you read the liner notes and your hands fumble at the keyboard because you can't download fast enough (you mistype the password, curse, curse again at your pathetic download speed because you live in the hood and refuse to support Comcast, etc). Well, this is one of those. I am currently taking a break from said cursing by trying to get my fingers to work right by commenting, but the excitement lingers. Yes, I am Waiting For It. / Thanks for the mix. Can't wait to swim in it. / Brilliant. I love it! I have a secret like/love affair with Supertramp (yes, I said it). Also, one of my favorite New Porns songs.A real electic mix, but damn does it work! Right on! / Absolutely fantastic! A great theme and a perfect execution. Well done, my friend. I'm such a sucker for the opening strains of School. I can't count the number of days I was a passenger in a 67 Nova at Purdue with that blasting out of the speakers. Thank you so much. / I love this original mix VB. I would never ever have turned on that Supertramp song, and I am fully enjoying it. / But loving the bejesus out of most of this stuff. And as a immediate gratification listener, that's saying a bunch. A fun theme, well executed. Thanks! / I've got a soft spot for the 'tramp. Reminds me of grade school. Really dig the Craig Finn song, which is a shocker cuz I don't like the Hold Steady (blaspheme!). And thanks for turning me onto that Nick Cave/Warren Ellis record. / Jet song: If I were in a band, I'd start every song off just like that. 5 seconds in: I was already permanently sold / Supertramp is one of those bands that seems to have gotten better as I grow older (see also: Chicago), so this was a welcome new jam for me. Bleeding Heart Show is where that particular New Pornos album came alive for me - I still get chills during that last bit. The Cave/Ellis track was also a welcome surprise for me - I may have to seek out this album... / And on that note: Why couldn't every history lesson throughout grade school be set to Barry Manilow songs? I'd be so much better at Jeopardy now. / One of those mixes where I looked at the liner notes and thought, "I don't like any of these bands", then I listened to it and thought, "That was really cool, why am I always such a snob". So, um, yeah, thanks for that. / Outwardly I say I hate supertramp, but inwardly I'm humming along. Damn you Supertramp. Nice mix. / Nice! My faves would be The New Pornographers (sing it into the rafters), Nick Cave (beautiful ballad) and Badly Drawn Boy (euphoria in strings). / What a mix. Great idea. I think that like a lot of others the anchor stores for me in this high-end mall were New Pornographers and Roxy Music. Kurt Dahle remains one of my favorite rock drumming clinicians. Re-remembering the awesome wait-for-it-ness of the Manilow track was a treat. Much else new or way-back-catalog for me and not an unliked track in the bunch. I know I'll be going back again and again to the whole-shebang end-to-end mix. Thanks man. / Nice concept for a mix. I love getting turned on to new tunes, and for me Lazy Gun by Jet is a keeper from the get-go. Interesting how Supertramp seems to rub people, one way another. I admit I was totally into them in college, delivering the school paper and getting ink stains all over my hands and arms while cranking Crisis?, What Crisis? / Funniest comments ever. I just scared the neighbors.
What's VB gone and done this week? Liner Notes
This mix is a loose collection of songs about the human struggle to do the right thing while doing the wrong thing instead. Plus one about starting over. Plus a song about a tornado.
Most of these songs speak for themselves, but here is a track list with a few notes:
1. Bright Light Mount Moriah
2. Ditch Digger 16 Horsepower
3. Devils Look Like Angels Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
4. Evil Leaves Black Prairie There is nothing evil about this song (except the leaves, apparently).
5. Flying Houses Scratch Acid Best song about a tornado ever.
6. Year of the Glad Marnie Stern This song does not really fit the theme at all. Yet here it is, smack in the middle.
7. Oh My Lord Steve Mason
8. Trembling Hands The Temper Trap
9. Wisely & Slow The Staves
10. Restoration The Acorn
11. Sway Heartless Bastards
2. Ditch Digger 16 Horsepower
3. Devils Look Like Angels Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
4. Evil Leaves Black Prairie There is nothing evil about this song (except the leaves, apparently).
5. Flying Houses Scratch Acid Best song about a tornado ever.
6. Year of the Glad Marnie Stern This song does not really fit the theme at all. Yet here it is, smack in the middle.
7. Oh My Lord Steve Mason
8. Trembling Hands The Temper Trap
9. Wisely & Slow The Staves
10. Restoration The Acorn
11. Sway Heartless Bastards
Mix is UP. Same password—check your inbox. Make sure you come back and comment! 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
17 comments:
OOOH, is it Christmas already? A Van Biesel mix! Many a VB tune has made it to the oft-most played list on ye olde iTunes, so this is very exciting. Even more exciting is the fact that I have only heard of (note: heard *of*, not heard) one of these artists. So all new territory, but I know I'm in safe hands. As for the theme, I plead the fifth.
A tip of the hat to Van's last mix's inspirational track. That Manilow really stuck around, didn't it?
I have to say I hadn't heard of a single one of these artists....which is always a cool thing! i love making new discoveries. I have to say I was really digging the twangy, whistful tracks (Black Prairie and The Staves) also Heartless Bastards. Thanks so much for the new introductions!
As soon as I saw 16 Horsepower and Scratch Acid on the list, I knew that I’d be in. Ditch Digger is such a great song. It’s such a celebratory sound. The Reverend Peyton is great. I so enjoy the end-of-the-measure beat of this song and what a great voice. Black Prairie is new to me. I like that Americana sound. Scratch Acid is one of my favorite bands of all time. They’ve always sounded like a tornado to me so this song is nearly perfect. I really like the Steve Mason song. I think this is the same guy from The Beta Band. I need to listen to that band again. The Tender Trap has a wonderful, sweeping sound. And now a word about Heartless Bastards. They are old friends from the Cincinnati area. They are not only a great band, but really solid people. This is a great song off an equally great record. If you don’t have a copy of their most recent, Arrow, I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a great rock and roll record. It stays on high rotation in my house. I suggest you get the double vinyl. It sounds fantastic. Thanks Van.
So first of all, I like that this shows up in my file listing as "God vs. Biesel".
To the man who brought forth An Exceptional Yodel, and Crossing the Briney, the latter of which still makes my youngest son dance from the start: Thank you for this latest edition of the B Van B eclectic mix. No one does this like you do. Makes me wonder what all is going on inside and out.
Like everyone else here is saying, most of these artists/ bands are unfamiliar to me, and all of the songs certainly are. After playing this through several times, the stand outs for me are Mount Moriah, 16 Horsepower, The Tender Trap (just lovely) and The Staves. Evil Leaves is also quite special. The deeper message of God vs. Devil seems like something I need to thing about on Dec 31 or Jan 1. It's a heavy concept, Van B. and you don't shy away from the challenge here. Also thank you for the non frothy George Burns cover! Happy Holidays and New year to you and yours!
One overriding theme on this mix seems to be kickass drum sounds. Right outta the gate with the great Mount Moriah track, this recording geek is pleased to hear so many great-sounding kits!
Next, I gotta say that Scratch Acid was a bold choice, and mixed it up nicely, adding some truly unhinged "Yow"-ling to the proceedings. Following it up with that really cool Marnie Stern track was also mighty seamless.
Second listen through involved making note of the names of the artists I particularly dug, and I was pleased to see that Black Prairie was among them, since I hadn't heard them, but knew that Chris Funk was involved (a Decemberist, and also a Little League teammate of mine [and he played baritone sax on my band's first recording way back in 1988]). Always nice to see a local kid make good!
Oh yeah, and Steve Mason - so freaking good! I may lobby my congressmen to pass a law stating that for every three times a classic rock station plays Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright", that they also have to play this jam, as it's in the same vein, but better.
Wow, really enjoyed this mix! Standouts for me were the Mount Moriah tune (the female vocalist sounds quite a bit like Dolly P., and that is never a bad thing), Marnie Stern (new to me -- and what a badass on the guitar), and The Staves (I am sucker for female vocal harmonies, and these were especially well done). As to Marnie Stern in particular, I love that her tune sounded experimental and new but yet melodic and accessible. Great stuff all around -- thanks so much!
I'll kick in yet another vote for Mount Moriah - I'm a sucker for sweet, melodic vocals over a super tight, rockin' band. Not surprised to find out that the Staves are siblings - chilling harmonies in there. Couldn't agree more with Karl - "Oh My Lord" fits into the same genes as "Feelin Alright". The Tender Trap's got a great sound with just a bit of a nod to Ultravox or something. Love it. Nice work Van Man.
Another "Amen" for Mount Moriah. Haven't heard Scratch Acid in a while (ah memories). Added Steve Mason to my wishlist. Heartless Bastards lock it up at the end. Great mix. Thanks bunches!
Mount Moriah's Heather McEntire has Television's "Marquee Moon" and Elenor Friedberger on her 2013 Year End list.
Works for me!
I have to admit this mix had it's ups and downs for me which is not surprising given the title. At times though, there is a nice compass pointing to more great music that I need to explore. Of note, the tracks from Steve Mason, the Acorn and The Heartless Bastards. Thanks for the direction.
And the Mount Moriah love fest continues. As do so many others on this most excellent mix, all of which are new songs and musicians for me. I love a mix that starts and ends with an instantly likable tune. The finale, by Marnie Stern, is probably my favorite cut.
Also digging Ditch Digger (sorry, bad pun) which sound alike it could have been in a Coen Bros film.
Other faves-Steve Mason, Mr. King BiscuitTime, who's song "Walk the Earth" is an all-time favorite, The Tender Trap, with its soaring vocals and martial beat, always a favorite combo in my studio. Lastly, the Staves cut, with the subtle introduction of instruments joining all those beautiful a cappella harmonies. Great stuff .
The Marnie Stern track sounds like Yoko Ono...if Yoko One cared about singing in tune (that is not a slam; Yoko is an artist). I want to hear it the next time I drink cheap wine at a gallery show in the Mission.
I love the stripped-down bookends of Mount Moriah and Heartless Bastards. Also love the uncomfortably long break and heaviness of Flying Houses by the only band I really recognize (and dig) Scratch Acid. Thanks for all the new-to-me-stuff.
Love the concept, failure at redemption, having some experience at same. Like the sweetness that resides in The Acorn and The Staves, and Reverend Paytons Big Damn Band sounds exactly as it should, and I love the Bright Light from Mount Moriah, sounds like what Dolly Parton would sound like with way, way cooler parents. Perfect.
always love hearing the tender trap.
thanks for a bunch of stuff i've never heard before!
nice!
Truly digging this Mix Van B., ever since you put it up.
Played many many times.
Feels right for the new year too.
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