Trying To Figure Each Other Out

February 28, 2011 Mix

2011-02-28T21:10:00.001-05:00

It's been so long that this mix became a three parter. Next up should be a TTFEOO mix. Enjoy this one for now and please support the bands.

Part I
1 (0:00). Akron/Family - Light Emerges
2 (1:38). Painted Palms - All Of Us
3 (4:39). Miniature Tigers - Bullfighter Jacket
4 (7:54). Ice Cream Shout - Tattooed Tears
5 (12:36). Lord Huron - We Went Wild
6 (17:20). Deerhunter - Helicopter
7 (22:09). Winter Gloves - Strange Love
8 (24:39). Millionyoung - Hammock
9 (27:40). Eric Copeland - Fun Dink Death
10 (31:17). Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross - Blacks
11 (34:28). Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - These New Knights
12 (37:51). Braids - Plath Heart
13 (42:10). Hard Mix - Memories
14 (45:54). Range Rover - Soda
15 (49:00). Living Rooms - Cave In
16 (52:04). Wu Lyf - I Got Dem Wu Wu Busted Teef
17 (55:48). New Animal - Try
18 (60:08). You! - To Disappear
19 (63:02). Weed Diamond - Mint In My Mouth
20 (66:00). Delicate Steve - Butterfly
21 (70:07). Jonquil - I Know I Don't Know

Part II
1 (0:00). Ducktails - Hamilton Road
2 (2:23). Women - Locust Valley
3 (6:38). Bye Bye Blackbird - So Sorry, Girl
4 (8:51). CEO - Come With Me
5 (12:36). Three Mile Pilot - Planets
6 (16:12). Fujiya Miyagi - Ventriloquizzing
7 (20:19). Navajo Bixby - Moonlighting
8 (25:48). Beat Connection - In the Water
9 (30:35). Bear Hands - Belongings
10 (34:33). Beach Fossils - Face It
11 (38:03). Possessed By Paul James - Four Men From the Row
12 (41:12). The War On Drugs - Comin' Through
13 (44:33). Sunsquints - Machu Picchu
14 (47:46). Abe Vigoda - Throwing Shade
15 (51:17). Keith Canisius - First Tambourine Love
16 (57:11). Crystal Castles - Not In Love (ft. Robert Smith)
17 (60:56). Diamond Rings - All Ty Songs
18 (63:38). Spectrals - Peppermint
19 (67:00). Craft Spells - You Should Close The Door
20 (70:09). Southern Shores - Grande Comore
21 (74:15). Magic Man - Nest

Part III
1 (0:00). Buffalo Daughter - A11 A10ne
2 (4:06). The Soft Moon - Parallels
3 (7:10). Young Magic - You With Air
4 (10:34). Tanlines - Real Life
5 (15:11). Panda Bear - Alsatian Darn
6 (19:27). Dirty Gold - California Sunrise
7 (23:16). The Jameses - Rat People
8 (27:40). Small Black - Photojournalist
9 (31:16). Yuni In Taxco - King of Borneo
10 (34:11). Truman Peyote - Magentadoor II
11 (38:05). No Age - Glitter
12 (41:52). Whirl - Leave
13 (46:02). Little Wings - Gold Teeth
14 (49:41). Terror Bird - Married Women
15 (52:06). Tronik Youth - Th?nk
16 (56:52). LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
17 (61:41). The Fresh and Onlys - Waterfall
18 (64:52). Mike Adams At His Honest Weight - Bad Weather
19 (69:56). Velvet Davenport - When You Are Out

July 11, 2010 Mix

2010-07-11T11:32:00.002-04:00

Next installment of the TTFEOO mix series is in the works and will showcase the songs of Slapstick and the offshoot bands that have resulted from this great ska-punk band breaking up in the late 90s. Enjoy these tunes for now, mostly from new bands playing rock, lo-fi, punk, shoe-gaze, new wave, folk, noise, disco or some weird combination of these genres. Support the bands by clicking on the links and purchasing their music and let me know what you think!

Part I
1 (0:00). Oberhofer - I Could Go
2 (4:57). The Thermals - Separate
3 (8:33). Safe - Get Along Good
4 (11:14). Birds & Batteries - Out In The Woods
5 (15:42). Future Islands - Walking Through That Door
6 (20:12). Twin Sister - Lady Daydream
7 (23:14). Beach Fossils - Golden Age
8 (27:15). Pure Ecstasy - Voices
9 (31:44). Gauntlet Hair - I Was Thinking
10 (36:35). Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Menopause Man
11 (39:10). Crystal Castles - Baptism
12 (43:19). Lands & Peoples - In Living Colour
13 (46:49). Neighbors - I'm A Building, I'm On Fire
14 (49:25). Active Child - I'm In Your Church At Night
15 (53:47). Cale Parks - Running Family
16 (58:30). Friendo - Callers
17 (63:05). Small Black - Despicable Dogs
18 (66:54). Vehicle Blues - Changer
19 (69:50). Washed Out - #2
20 (72:39). Male Bonding - Weird Feelings
21 (74:53). Everybody Yay - Listening

Part II
1 (0:00). Blithe Field - Bible School
2 (3:32). Secret Cities - Pink Graffiti Part 1
3 (8:06). Asa Ransom - New Circles
4 (11:46). Washed Hands - I'm Feeling So Great
5 (15:38). Coolrunnings - San Dimas Oasis
6 (18:42). Young Man - Just a Growin'
7 (22:36). Grimes - Rosa
8 (25:50). Liars - Pleasure In Boss
9 (28:45). Wild Nothing - Take Me In
10 (32:09). Baths - Aminals
11 (35:26). Blind Man's Colour - Sleeping Bag
12 (38:37). Fang Island - Daisy
13 (41:54). WU LYF - Heavy Pop
14 (45:17). Slow Animal - Sitting Here
15 (47:54). Open Hand - Honey
16 (51:13). Tame Impala - Jeremy's Storm
17 (55:35). Ancient Crux - In Teen Dreams
18 (58:05). Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars
19 (60:33). Hey Hey My My - Jazzol
20 (63:42). No Kids - At the Grove
21 (69:15). Jeremy Jay - Just Dial My Number
22 (73:24). Cloud Nothings - Even If It Worked Out
23 (76:17). Happy Birthday - Fun

Volume IV: James Ward (Asa Milbankx) and Company

2010-05-11T23:10:00.037-04:00

The latest in the Trying to Figure Each Other Out mix series is finally available for download. This mix explores the musical projects James Ward has been involved with since I met him thirteen years ago waiting in line for a concert on Long Island. Since that night, Jim and a cast of other talented musicians have released several albums and EPs as Sonic Six, Analog Birds and the Latters, and Jim is about to release a solo album operating under the guise Asa Milbankx through the Mount Valley imprint. In addition, I have also been the lucky recipient of hundreds of demos which I have amassed over time, most of which have never been released properly or more accurately, heard by more than a handful of people. This mix is my attempt at collecting the best of the released and unreleased material I have collected as the self-appointed archiver of Jim's music.

What I hope you hear as you move through the tracks on this mix is not only the wide range of sounds that his music has incorporated throughout his progression as a musician, but also the raw honesty that comes through on these tracks. This is especially true of some of the demos, which often were sent to me with caveats like "this is just to give you an idea and is really rough, so don't judge the song yet." In sharing these tracks, which often show the fragility of his creative process or the subtle insecurity of lyrics not yet believed, Jim showed a trust in me that I will always appreciate. This trust has led to an attachment to his songs that I have with no other artist. Unfortunately for Jim, this has also led to a consistent stream of "I liked the demo version better" when the songs were finally released. I don't think Jim ever expected these songs would be distributed to a larger audience, but the privilege I have had is now yours. I hope you enjoy the mix and hear a little of the greatness I hear when I listen to these songs.

Also, I wanted to throw out a special thank you to all of the musicians who have been involved in the writing and recording of these songs, including...Tim McNicholas (Tracks 1, 14, 15 and 24); Bronson Stevic (Tracks 1 and 14); Danny Smith (Tracks 7 and 9); Ryan Weiner (Tracks 22 and 24); Matt McNiff (Track 12 and 16); George Niesuchouski (Tracks 13 and 19); Rob Devlin (Track 20); and Matt Mahone (Track 26).

If you click on certain of the album titles, you can download the album for free, compliments of the bands.

The picture above was an album cover created by Ryan Callis for the unreleased album, We Forgot Our Weapons (which the demos Flc Raga, Luna Mesa, Up in an Oaktree and Through Walls were created in connection with). His work is incredible, so please click on this link and check it out.

Trying To Figure Each Other Out - James Ward and Company

1 (0:00). Analog Birds - Arbiters Grounds (Musique Concrete, 2007)
2 (2:11). James Ward - Angry Sun (Demo, 2006)
3 (4:58). Analog Birds - Symbol Minded (Don't Let It Slow You Down, 2004)
4 (7:59). Sonic Six - Nothing's Wrong (Dumb Angel Demo Tape, 1999)
5 (12:08). Analog Birds - Infidel$$ (Musique Concrete, 2007)
6 (14:17). The Latters - In the Meadow (Simple Shapes+Patters Demos, 2008)
7 (16:51). Analog Birds - Flc Raga (Demo, 2005)
8 (20:18). James Ward - Daybreak (Demo, 2007)
9 (21:02). Analog Birds - Over the Desert (Monkey Knife Fight, 2003)
10 (23:36). Analog Birds - No Salt in the Sea (Monkey Knife Fight, 2003)
11 (26:30). Analog Birds - Green City (Don't Let It Slow You Down, 2004)
12 (30:14). Analog Birds - Luna Mesa (Demo, 2005)
13 (32:15). Analog Birds - Overdone (Removables, 2000)
14 (35:18). Analog Birds - Jingo (Musique Concrete, 2007)
15 (37:57). Analog Birds - Up in an Oaktree (Demos, 2005)
16 (42:27). Analog Birds - Land of the Whales (Out of Sight, 2004)
17 (44:37). James Ward - What's the Mission (Demo, 2006)
18 (46:43). James Ward - Reception (Demo, 2005)
19 (48:40). Sonic Six - Variation 3 (Dumb Angel Demo, 1999)
20 (50:02). Analog Birds - Is it Slowing Down (Don't Let It Slow You Down, 2004)
21 (53:05). Analog Birds - Stroller (Monkey Knife Fight, 2003)
22 (55:49). James Ward - Dawn Project (Demo, 2006)
23 (59:31). Analog Birds - Through Walls (Demo, 2005)
24 (62:40). Analog Birds - Across the Hills (Demo, 2006)
25 (64:50). Analog Birds - Lavish (Removables, 2000)
26 (68:20). Sonic Six - Weatherman (Dumb Angel Demo Tape, 1999)
27 (70:14). James Ward - Star Collector (Demo, 2008)
28 (72:58). The Latters - Somebody Told Me (Simple Shapes+Patters Demos, 2008)
29 (75:34). James Ward - Red Project (Demo, 2006)

March 14, 2010 Mix

2010-03-14T12:56:00.005-04:00

Next installment of the TTFEOO mix series should be coming soon, which will focus on the various projects associated with Jim Ward over time, including Sonic Six, Analog Birds and most recently, the Latters. For now, hopefully these tunes will hold you over. Some great new bands, with some familiar sounds as well. I have included links to help you track down additional tracks and methods of purchase. Please support the artists and enjoy!

Part I
1 (0:00). Bobby Birdman - What You Say
2 (3:05). The Intelligence - Moody Tower
3 (5:17). Surfer Blood - Take It Easy
4 (9:06). Holiday Shores - Days Drag
5 (13:09). Pill Wonder - What We Know
6 (15:57). Rusty Santos - Demon
7 (19:21). Kisses - People Can Do The Most Amazing Things
8 (23:28). Tune-Yards - Want Me To
9 (27:50). Euphone - Friend in Common
10 (31:54). Ugly Cassanova - Ice on the Sheets
11 (38:20). Warpaint - Elephants
12 (42:59). Fredrik - Milo
13 (47:54). Hockey - Too Fake
14 (51:39). Geneva Jacuzzi - Do I Sad?
15 (54:15). Lotus Plaza - Sunday Night
16 (58:50). Frokost - On the Brink
17 (61:45). Xu Xu Fang - Good Things Have Gone Away
18 (65:29). Akron/Family - No Space In This Realm
19 (70:42). Joanna Newsom - 81
20 (74:22). Real Estate - Snow Days

Part II
1 (0:00). Wale - Mirrors
2 (4:14). Systems Officer - East
3 (7:51). Tunng - October
4 (11:28). Vacations - Ewoks in Domes
5 (13:43). LCD Soundsystem - Disco Infiltrator
6 (18:38). Moving Units - The Kids from Orange County
7 (22:44). Panthu Du Prince - Stick To My Side
8 (30:28). Parenthetical Girls - On Death & Endearments
9 (35:03). Hermit Thrushers - Ceci
10 (37:11). Bowerbirds - Chimes
11 (41:16). (The Sounds of) Kaleidescope - Secret Service
12 (45:13). Yeasayer - ONE
13 (50:29). Washed Out - New Theory
14 (53:15). The Mae Shi - Lamb and the Lion
15 (55:38). Ty Segall - Lovely One
16 (58:07). Velvet Davenport - Get Out
17 (60:03). 60 Watt Kid - 2012
18 (64:02). Ryland Bouchard - Good Life #2
19 (67:35). The Art Museums - So Your Baby Doesn't Love...
20 (70:34). Ambulance Ltd - Country Gentleman
21 (74:06). Woods - I'm Not Gone

Volume III: Animal Collective

2010-01-05T00:07:00.005-05:00

Next volume, same concept. This mix takes a look at Animal Collective, a band which has deservingly been thrust into the public spotlight after the release of Merriweather Post Pavillion in early 2009 and which I believe is (and has been) making some of the most interesting music available. Leading up to the release of Merriweather Post Pavillion there have been many others that have been equally deserving of high praise, including releases created by the various side projects of Animal Collective members, including Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Terrestrial Tones and Jane.

My first exposure to the band came in 2003 after the release of Here Comes the Indian. This was the first release I would consider "noise" that drew my interest and has opened many doors to me musically. Despite the fact that Animal Collective has developed into a band that writes what most would consider more traditional songs, the elements that made them great on their first albums, Spirit They're Gone They've Vanished and Danse Manatee, can still be heard throughout. Listening to all of the material created by the members of Animal Collective in a short period of time really shows the common thread and how logical the progression their music has taken over time, despite how much the sound has evolved.

As has been the case with each of the mixes, there is a ton of material and not all songs I wanted to include found their way onto the mix. For example, the track Berserker by Jane shows how beautiful ambient noise music can be. Other noteable tracks absent are Brother Sport, Banshee Beat, Tikwid, Essplode, Chocolate Girl, Leaf House and Graze. In addition, large portions of songs that appear on the mix have been removed, which was necessary but very unfortunate given that some of the most beautiful moments in an Animal Collective song can come at times when the melody has not yet formed, or when the melody is becoming something entirely different. Finally, I have not included any live tracks, which anyone who has seen Animal Collective live can attest to being an entirely different animal and incredible. This video of Winter's Love has always been a personal favorite of mine and shows how amazing their guitar phase was, although it seems that period is long gone.

So check out the mix, listen to the songs in their entirety and get these albums. They are all deserving of your time. As always, I'd love to hear what you think of the tunes.

Trying To Figure Each Other Out - Animal Collective

1 (0:00). Animal Collective - Who Could Win A Rabbit (Sung Tongs, 2004)
2 (1:52). Animal Collective - Water Curses (Water Curses, 2008)
3 (5:00). Animal Collective - Grass (Feels, 2005)
4 (7:55). Panda Bear - Take Pills (Person Pitch, 2003)
5 (10:03). Animal Collective -What Would I Want? Sky (Fall Be Kind, 2009)
6 (16:09). Animal Collective -The Purple Bottle (Feels, 2005)
7 (22:53). Animal Collective - Fireworks (Strawberry Jam, 2007)
8 (29:36). Animal Collective - Native Bells (Here Comes the Indian, 2003)
9 (31:22). Animal Collective - Guys Eyes (Merriweather Post Pavillion, 2009)
10 (33:16). Animal Collective - People (People, 2006)
11 (39:30). Animal Collective - Chores (Strawberry Jam, 2007)
12 (41:37). Animal Collective - My Girls (Merriweather Post Pavillion, 2009)
13 (47:03). Animal Collective - Safer (Peacebone, 2007)
14 (49:35). Animal Collective - For Reverend Green (Strawberry Jam, 2007)
15 (55:56). Animal Collective - Doggy (Campfire Songs, 2003)
16 (59:11). Panda Bear - Bros (Person Pitch, 2007)
17 (65:04). Avey Tare - I'm Your Eagle Kisser (Living Bridge, 2008)
18 (69:04). Avey Tare and Panda Bear - Penny Dreadfulls (Spirit They're Gone They've Vanished, 2000)
19 (75:41). Animal Collective - Slippi (Here Comes the Indian, 2003)
20 (77:43). Animal Collective - Lion in a Coma (Merriweather Post Pavillion, 2009)

Volume II: Tim Kinsella

2009-12-28T13:43:00.014-05:00

As promised, here is the second installment of the Trying to Figure Each Other Out mix series. This mix takes on Tim Kinsella, who is best known for his work with Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc. It spans 6 of the projects he has worked on, but in reality that is pretty inaccurate. As you will hear, there is a lot of variety within the Joan of Arc material. There is a revolving cast of musicians who have made up the band over time, with the sole constant being Tim. Wikipedia has a pretty good entry on the projects he has played with. Generally, the projects came in this order: Cap'n Jazz, Sky Corvair, Joan of Arc, Owls, Friend/Enemy and Make Believe.

I started listening to Tim Kinsella in 1998 when a friend first came to my dorm room with a Joan of Arc CD. My love for Joan of Arc was instaneous and he has been one of my favorite artists ever since. His voice is not good in the traditional sense, his lyrics are often pretentious and heavy handed, and his conceptual "songs" can make you question if you can make it through an entire album. Maybe this is why he is such a polarizing force in indie music circles. Despite these descriptions (and also because of them), Tim's influence on indie music and my musical taste has been significant.

I don't know there is much more to say. I think his music is something people either love or hate. I obviously have made my opinion known and would be interested to hear what you all think.

Trying To Figure Each Other Out (Tim Kinsella)

1 (0:00). Joan of Arc - To've Had Two Of (How Memory Works, 1998)
2 (3:00). Joan of Arc - Just Pack or Unpack (Boo Human, 2008)
3 (5:56). Joan of Arc - The Hands (A Portable Model Of, 1997)
4 (8:32). Joan of Arc - When the Parish School Dismisses (Live in Chicago 1999, 1999)
5 (12:08). Cap'n Jazz - We Are Scientists (Sometimes If You Stand Further Away..., 1993)
6 (15:14). Make Believe - Temping as a Shaman (Make Believe, 2004)
7 (18:29). Joan of Arc - Me (Plural) (Live in Chicago 1999, 1999)
8 (23:28). Joan of Arc - Post Coitus Rock (A Portable Model Of, 1997)
9 (26:45). Joan of Arc - (You) [I] Can Not See (You) [Me] (The Gap, 2000)
10 (29:58). Tim Kinsella - The Singularity Song (Crucifix Swastika, 2005)
11 (32:31). Joan of Arc - Miss Cat Piss and Peppermint (Eventually, All At Once, 2006)
12 (35:44). Cap'n Jazz - Precious (Burritos, Inspiration Point..., 1994)
13 (38:15). Joan of Arc - Sympathy for the Rolling Stones (Live in Chicago 1999, 1999)
14 (43:54). Joan of Arc - Me and America (Or) United Colors of the Gap (The Gap, 2000)
15 (49:04). Make Believe - A Song About Camping (Of Course, 2006)
16 (52:19). The Sky Corvair - Fifth Grade Teacher (Unsafe At Any Speed, 1997)
17 (55:31). Joan of Arc - White Out (How Memory Works, 1998)
18 (59:21). Owls - Everyone is my Friend (Owls, 2001)
19 (62:45). Joan of Arc - Fleshy Jeffrey (Joan of Arc Dick Cheney..., 2004)
20 (66:51). Joan of Arc - As Black Pants Make Cats Hairs Appear (The Gap, 2000)
21 (70:10). Joan of Arc - A Tell-Tale Penis (Boo Human, 2008)
22 (74:00). Joan of Arc - God Bless America (How Memory Works, 1998)
23 (76:23). Tim Kinsella - Pioneering New Emotions (He Sang His Didn't He Danced His Did, 2001)

Volume I: Phil Elvrum

2009-12-28T13:35:00.009-05:00

I saw Mount Eerie a few weeks back and a friend who was with me told me afterwards that he didn't understand what I saw in their music. Trying to defend a musician who has probably been your favorite artist over the last decade or so is very difficult to do, especially given his recent proclivity to make music influenced by black metal. It made me think of why Phil Elvrum, in his projects of the Microphones and Mount Eerie, has so consistently been a mainstay on my stereo. The sound, I think, is completely his own, but beyond that I think his lyrics and voice are the perfect mix of honest, profound and simple. Most if not all people may disagree, but for me, there's no artist that puts all of the elements that make a musician together better than Phil Elvrum.

Phil Elvrum has been a fairly prolific artist over the years. The songs that appear on the mix span 15 albums or singles, which I think show his development as a songwriter over the last decade. Given how many songs he has recorded over time, though, this by no means gives you a full picture. Often, the songs aren't meant to stand alone musically or lyrically, so they can sound awkward or out of place at times on the mix. That's my way of saying, if you enjoy the songs in this form, definitely check out the albums.

Trying To Figure Each Other Out (Phil Elvrum)

1 (0:00). I Want the Wind To Blow (Glow Pt. 2, 2001)
2 (5:33). What? (Lost Wisdom, 2008)
3 (7:35). Antlers (Lanterns/Antlers 7", 2002)
4 (10:04). Mt. Eerie (Mount Eerie, 2003)
5 (13:23). I Hold Nothing (No Flashlight, 2005)
6 (18:22). Sand (It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water, 2000)
7 (20:12). The Moon (Glow Pt. 2, 2001)
8 (25:07). Anacortes Has a Secret Love (Tests, 1998)
9 (28:01). Solar System (Mount Eerie, 2003)
10 (31:35). Wooly Mammoths Absence (7 New Songs, 2004)
11 (36:17). The Glow Pt. 2 (Glow Pt. 2, 2001)
12 (41:15). The Glow (It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water, 2000)
13 (50:19). Who? (Dawn, 2008)
14 (52:23). Heart Lake Rd. (Window, 2000)
15 (55:18). Let's Get Out of the Romance (Singers, 2005)
16 (60:48). I've Climbed Mountains (Little Bird Flies Into a Big Black Cloud, 2002)
17 (63:55). Ocean 1, 2, 3 (Don't Wake Me Up, 1999)
18 (66:32). The Moon (The Moon 7", 2001)
19 (71:44). I Lost My Wind (Moon Moon 7", 1999)
20 (74:11). I Felt My Size (Glow Pt., 2, 2001)
21 (76:13). With My Hands Out (Dawn, 2008)