September 7, 2016
Miracler
Chris von Sneidern
Location
San Francisco
Welcome to Autumn, Miraclers
Hope your summer vacations were spectacular. Here in SF, we're on about Day 2 of ours (summer, that is) and it's magnificent, if you're not a school kid in Week 3 of the semester, in which case, it sucks.
Today's Miracler
has been with us since Season One, treating us over the last 13 years (yeah!) to a free range of music, from 2014's Mellow Bold Types to 2012's Spanish ABBA mix to 2011's What a Mess: Ordophon-Upon-Avon Archives to 2010's Folk Songs from the Old Kit Bag (a favorite then & now of Your Hostess) and 2008's I'd Rather Be Normal Than Happy not to mention his inaugural power-pop mix from 2003, before there was iTunes and everyone had to burn cd's and mail them in envelopes with stamps on them.
And speaking of Apple products, it's prescient given today's announcement that Mr. von S's cover features a cordfree phone, considering he sent me his mix weeks ago and didn't even mention that. That's just like CvS: ahead of the times but no need to brag about it.
Liner Notes from CvS
In making way for our new vibrant SF surroundings, there is less room for departing technology of hats, obsolete human interaction, and thankfully, emotional discomfort. Even Frankie shown here can text someone to help him feel a little less alone in the wee small hours of the morning.
The future is bright, like Vegas at night, and anything your wildest imagination could dream up has already been invented, just waiting for someone to scale it so we can all have it for $100. I bring you a decidedly short playlist-mixtape-compilation for your delectation. Our hostess asked me to pen a few words, so rather than phone it in, let me think a second:
We start with some instrumentals. I wanted to ease in rather than hit you with a bombastic eclectic little gift. Will there be any affected singing I don’t like on this mix?
Herman’s Hermits into Can- they’re essentially the same song to my ears. One a little closer to the sound of Donovan, but that’s thanks to the great producer Mickey Most. “Just do what we did for Don, and let’s break for lunch.”
I was told yesterday there is a Can documentary out there, featuring Vitamin C? I haven’t seen it, but good for them. I wanted to fit in with the 3mpm group, so I put some Talking Heads in here. A few years ago, I was invited to ride up Mt Tam with Prairie Prince and Jerry Harrison, and I thought, “9 am, that’s kinda early to ride my bike. Besides, what has Jerry Harrison done since the Modern Lovers broke up?” I admit I didn’t understand until recently that he was in TH. Sorry, my bad. More texting.
I like Gabor Szabo, his ratty “gypsy” tone on guitar keeps it safely away from any smooth jazz leanings, although I listen to my fair share of that too. And Bobby Womack is panned to the other side, patiently letting the Hungarian take all the solos. I had intended to put “Azure Blue” on instead; a different album track from High Contrast.
Then I steer my choices decidedly more toward what I think of as an American sound, despite including two English acts. Terry Reid claims that Richie Havens taught him a lot of guitar. The Clash were ga-ga for NYC.
God Bless Mickey Newbury. People say he sounds like he’s trying to sound like someone else. I don’t hear that yet.
cvs
MARCELLA, YOU ARE NEXT!
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13 comments:
OMG A Pair!
I like CVS and I like his mixes, and this one is no different.
An *acoustic* Mac, saving the raspy for a Hungarian with the first name of one of the most famous Hungarians the 70s had ever seen? That is some subtle brilliance and I am digging it! Yes, I can hear "Vibrant", but to me this mix whispers "Sultry". Heavy goosebumps, man.
Like I said, I like CVS, I like his mixes, and let me add: I like his music. And, damn if those liner notes don't make me think that he needs to do a second set on the comedy stage! So many bits in so little space, that's straight gold bouillion there! Good stuff.
I don't need a crystal ball to know that I will be listening to this on repeat.
Between not listening and not remembering it's hard to opinionize. I heard good instrumentals and surprising, good segues, and the Can reminded me of something. I was privy to the setting up of a grand Society celebration, $500 tickets & stuff, & during the discussion, someone nearby says there's a man defecating in her window, and someone nearby says there's a street person going through a bag of trash in her window. And today there was a different Society event, tickets $500 or whatever, and there were poodles as part of the fun, and a man in a suit cleaning their poop off the ground. As for the Modern Lovers, wasn't the other guy in the Cars? What do our phones say?
Thanks for sharing CVS!
Jaco is fascinating, both as a person and a musician. I recommend the documentary on Netflix. This is a great song. I loved the early, bluesy Fleetwood Mac. This is a really good example of that era. What a groovy Herman’s Hermits song. I don’t believe I’ve heard it before. I’m so happy to hear this Can song in the mix. I was turned onto them years ago by a friend in Cincinnati and have been listening with fascination since. Ege Bamyasi is a great record and this is my favorite cut. And then onto my all time favorite Talking Heads song. It took me back to riding around West Lafayette with my buddy Paul in a barely functioning VW Rabbit Diesel with Fear of Music blasting out of the single speaker laying on the dash. God, I loved this song. The Szabo cut is a super smooth groove. Such a nice touch. John Prine is a national treasure. This is such a great song. If anyone hasn’t seen the documentary about the Carter Family called The Winding Stream, Prine absolutely kills it on Bear Creek Blues in the opening credits. Taj Mahal is so good. This song has such a great groove. I still remember buying Combat Rock. My young, punk wanna be brain was so confused by this song, but I couldn’t get enough of it. They were a fascinating band. Having Mickey Newberry as the closing cut is a perfect way to land this mix. Well done, Chris. This is a really good mix.
Artist-wise, this mix contains a slew of old favorites and some of my much-loved and at the same time picks tracks which surprise or prod aging memory. I really like how this seemingly disparate group feels tied together by the bass lines: a burbling jumpiness that drives and/or lopes alongside all the varied stuff to the fore. Great fun!
I love the places CVS takes us to with his mixes ... Specifically, this one seems imbued with earth tones, nature-printed wallpaper, shag carpeting, and lots of people sporting bell bottoms and fearsome facial hair. In other words, perfect for Valencia Street right now.
Good things come to those who procrastinate and I finally got around to your mix the past two days (between baseball playoff games) and I love the mood you create with this Chris, it flows so seamlessly from track to track and the instrumentals set the tone.
The T-Heads song was the only one I was familiar with, which is one reason why I love this group so much — so many great djs afoot. Am I the only person who has never heard of Can? Such a cool tune and for me the John Prine and The Clash cuts are as good as the prodge gets, surprised that I don't have these already in some form. Thanks for a great mix!
Hey there: This mix felt at once like it was all over the place yet unified at the same time. Strong work. I had heard and dug "Albatross" before but didn't realize it was Fleetwood Mac. Kind of reminds me of the beginning of "Sun King." What else? I'm always a sucker for Gabor Szabo; he gets that sunny pop groove but takes it somewhere more sophisticated but not too cerebral. And Terry Reid sounds like a long lost member of Stealers Wheel, which is high praise indeed. Thanks CvS!
Geez, I love that John Prine track: "Well she did what she did, said how was it kid?" There'll never be another like him. Mickey Newbury sure can tell a story and Jaco and Gabor take me to far-off places, man. Thanks CVS!
Nice tunes, hardly any I'd heard before. I listened away from the computer, so I'm not sure who was who as I listened, but it was certainly a super curated hour to clean the house by.
I'm almost embarrassed to say - but will go out on a limb here in the 3MPM Trust Tree - that I was unaware of John Prine. Big awakening here - thank you!
Right at the same time Jaco recorded his solo record he was on Joni Mitchell's "Hejira", which is magic start to finish (her "Mingus" is almost as good a showing for Jaco). If you like the instrumental vibe from the track here, then his work from the same time on Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" will also probably tickle your fancy.
Many thanks for an enjoyable mix!
Really, really, lovely. Thank you. xo, Doug
Oh... and t-i-g-h-t.
Cris! What a languid, woozy, wonderful mix!! Apologies that I'm just now getting around to listening to it....but it's terrific. Lots of great stuff and one of those awesome rare times when pretty much the entire mix was new to me. (Not all the artists, of course....but 7 out of 11 were new!) Thanks for another rad mix. -- Alix
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