Jess Drives to California to Get Her Stuff Back

Disc One
1) Townes Van Zandt - Where I Lead Me
2) Victoria George - Don't Worry 'Bout Breakin' My Heart
3) Loudon Wainwright III - The Swimming Song
4) Loudon Wainwright III - New Paint
5) Beth Orton - Comfort of Strangers
6) Patti Smith - Because the Night
7) Nickel Creek - Jealous of the Moon
8) Jeff Tweedy - Be Not So Fearful
9) Bonnie Raitt - I Ain't Blue
10) Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home
11) Canned Heat - On the Road Again
12) Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Express Yourself
13) Koko Taylor - Voodoo Woman
14) Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin'
15) Jamie Lidell - Multiply
16) The Guess Who - American Woman
17) Kathleen Edwards - Away
18) Josh Ritter - Girl in the War
19) Leonard Cohen - The Guests
20) John Prine - Jesus, The Missing Years

Disc Two
1) Tom Petty - It'll All Work Out
2) Patty Griffin - When It Don't Come Easy Live on KCRW
3) Brian Kennedy And Juliet Turner - I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You
4) Rilo Kiley - Go Ahead
5) Paul Westerberg - Only Lie Worth Telling
6) Nina Simone - I Shall Be Released
7) Rachael Yamagata - The Reason Why
8) Tim Hardin - Reason to Believe
9) Tegan and Sara - Not Tonight
10) Bonnie Raitt - Since I Fell For You
11) Neil Young - Don't Let It Bring You Down
12) Edgar Winter - Dying to Live
13) Billy Joel - Vienna
14) Jeff Buckley - Satisfied Mind
15) Elton John - Ballad of a Well-Known Gun
16) The Hollies - Jesus Was a Crossmaker
17) Townes Van Zandt - Dead Flowers
18) Tom Waits - Hold On
19) Steve Goodman - A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request

There's something to be said for musicians. We admire them largely for what it is they can do that we can't. The same goes for athletes... and actors for that matter.

Either way, I've just reread this entire blog, and a lot of who I am is in there. I'm not sure what my taste in music says about me, but I could definitely tell you who or what I was thinking about when each mix was being made. I could have an hour-long discourse on why I chose to name a mix made in April "Yeah." Ok, that's a gross exaggeration, but this page is filled with stories. I hope my use of music to tell my stories has allowed you the freedom to invent them for yourself, and, perhaps, craft stories of your own.

But back to musicians for a second. Being somewhat musically inclined, I do enjoy picking up a guitar now and then and figuring out a song or two. Most of those who know me well know that I barely have the attention span to make it to the bridge, let alone the second verse at times, and you also know that while I enjoy picking, and I probably sound better when I pick, I prefer to strum ... as hard as humanly possible - and no one likes that.

This morning, as I was reading the past posts, I put together a collection of songs that I like to play. Besides sharing a midtempo drive, a fair share of cheese, and a lot of love, I wonder what these songs say about me. What do you think?

1) Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
2) Bob Schneider - Big Blue Sea
3) Josh Ritter - California
4) Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
5) John Prine - Angel from Montgomery
6) The Allman Brothers Band - Melissa
7) The Beatles - Hide Your Love Away
8) Fastball - Out of My Head (Live & Acoustic)
9) Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now
10) The Jayhawks - Save It for a Rainy Day
11) Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
12) The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes
13) James Taylor - Handy Man
14) Townes Van Zandt - Flyin' Shoes
15) Don Henley - The Heart of the Matter
16) Paul Westerberg - Only Lie Worth Telling
17) Townes Van Zandt - Dead Flowers (Live) - My Favorite Rolling Stones Cover

Workin' My Way to the Weekend

Admittedly this mix starts to sound like soundtrack outtakes from an episode of Ally McBeal, but for my first week back in the pack of the 9 to 5ers seemingly brimming over on the 6 train, I feel justified, Calista Flockheart and all.

1) Jonah Matranga & Frank Turner - A New England
2) Ane Brun - Rubber & Soul (featuring Teitur)
3) The Rolling Stones - Coming Down Again
4) Tapes 'n Tapes - Omaha
5) The Velvet Underground - After Hours
6) Death Cab for Cutie - Your Heart is an Empty Room
7) Serge Gainsbourg - Melodie Nelson
8) Townes Van Zandt - Dollar Bill Blues
9) Jennifer O'Connor - Today
10) Ryan Auffenberg - Under All the Bright Lights
11) Sandi Thom - I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in Her Hair)
12) G Love & Special Sauce - Hot Cookin'
13) Victoria George - Don't Worry Bout Breakin' My Heart
14) Bob Seger - Living Inside My Heart
15) Amos Lee - Shout Out Loud
16) Elvis Costello - Little Boxes
17) Air Traffic - Just Abuse Me
18) Eliot Morris - Balancing the World
19) Inner Circle - Summer Jammin'
20) Terence Trent D'Arby - Wishing Well
21) Eagle Eye Cherry - Falling in Love Again
22) The Incredible Bongo Band - Apache
23) Lee Michaels - Do You Know What I Mean

I hope it's clear where this mix was going. I'm not sure it is, because it's all over the place, as are my influences. I believe the term is shout out, and shout I will. His gym locker was next to mine in seventh grade, and Ryan Auffenberg is getting press for his latest EP. Way to go, buddy! You were the best Eagle Eye Fleagle I've ever seen. Then again, you were the only Eagle Eye Fleagle I've ever seen.

TGIF

I caught Josh Ritter at the South Street Seaport this weekend. Just prior, he performed his first national television spot here:

Pas Simple

see also: simplesinger

A Weak End

This mix, somewhat of an interactive one - see *note below - is meant to commemorate what has been a strange, funky weekend. I think my body was asked to run both an emotional and physical gauntlet. With my first major hangover in some time, a great workout in spite of the sweltering heat, and a rehashing of relationships young and old, male and female, I found myself seeking out some fairly depressing - ok, kind of depressing - music.

1) Tyrone Davis - Turn Back the Hands of Time
2) Van Morrison & The Chieftains - Irish Heartbeat
3) World Party - When You Come Back to Me
4) Neutral Milk Hotel - Oh Comely
5) Simon Joyner - Love is Worth Suffering For
6) Secret Machines - Alone, Jealous, & Stoned
7) Semisonic - Secret Smile
8) Nico - Little Sister
9) James Taylor - Looking for Love on Broadway
10) Elton John - The One
11) Townes Van Zandt - Tecumseh Valley (live at The Old Quarter)
12) World Party - She's the One
13) Lightning Hopkins - Baby Please Don't Go
14) Otis Redding - That's How Strong My Love Is
15) Leonard Cohen - The Traitor
16) Elton John - Border Song
17) Thomas Newman - Finding Nemo Theme
18) Joan Armatrading - The Weakness in Me
19) Irma Thomas - Time is on My Side

Begun last weekend, this mix is entitled "Staying in with Sunburn," but as my burn has faded, my love for this music has not. Aww shucks...

1) Guster - Jesus on the Radio
2) Leo Kottke - The Train and the Gate: From Terry's Movie
3) The Format - Snails
4) The Bees - We'll Go Walking
5) Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw - Move Move Move
6) Lou Johnson - Move and Groove Together
7) London Fog & The Continentals - Easy Mover (featuring Brenda Lee Jones)
8) Death Ships - Sarah
9) Belle & Sebastian - Beautiful
10) Guillemots - My Chosen One Live on the World Cafe
11) Sam Roberts - The Gate
12) M. Ward - Chinese Translation
13) Kathryn Williams - In a Broken Dream
14) Irma Thomas - Anyone Who Knows What Love Is
15) India.Arie - The Heart of the Matter
16) Sheryl Crow - You Can Close Your Eyes
17) Devotchka - Til the End of Time
18) More Animals of the Arctic - Tom's Death
19) Tanya Tucker - Would You Lay with Me (in a Field of Stone)
20) Greg Laswell - Sing, Theresa Says
21) Leo Kottke - The Credits: Out-Takes from Terry's Movie
22) Cassettes Won't Listen - The Sidewalk Cruise