We've come down to the wire. It's actually 2 in the morning on Christmas Eve, and if you're anything like me at all, you just sprung into action with an, "OH FUCK!" and a "Why did I wait!?" If you've been paying any attention at all, you should be more than halfway through your mixtape (cd). Or, in reality, you could have just made it in like, 15 minutes. Whatever the case may be, here are my final 6 suggestions for your holiday mixtape (cd).
"Nude" by Radiohead from the album In Rainbows
I just like this song. It's pretty. Also, the album is amazing. The really cool thing about
In Rainbows
was the unprecedented sales plan. If you recall (or if you don't), the band chose to make the album available via its website for whatever fans were willing to pay. While there were certainly those who paid the bare minimum, I read that the average paid price was $6. In the end, the album became available physically, but the idea remained cool. Plus, Radiohead is awesome.
"The Garden" by Mirah from the album Advisory Committee
Mirah is amazing, and not nearly as famous and well-loved as she should be. A mainstay with Washington's K Records, the songstress puts out perfect album after perfect album. This song relates the story of one not understanding what they've done to make their significant other fall out of love with them. A minimal, gritty and lo-fi beat accompanies the tragic lyricism proving that glitzy production isn't always the way to go. Sure, it might make your listener a little bummed, but sad songs are always better. I mean, who likes songs about happy people? We all hate happy people.
"Fireman" by Jawbreaker from the album Dear You
Jawbreaker's seminal album from 1995 took punk music as well as love songs to an interesting place. Instead of songs proclaiming that awful things happened
to
him, singer/writer Blake Shwarzenbach's songs told stories of ruining things for himself. Almost any modern punk or emo band will site Jawbreaker as one of its greatest influences, and for good reason. If you think about how many albums you own that you can listen to front to back, I'm sure you can count them on one hand. “Fireman” touched on the subject of dreams and lost love. More specifically, feeling conflicted about one's ex. Heartbreakingly honest, the dissonant chord structure is inventive and unique, and perfectly fits the dark subject matter. Reissued in 2007,
Dear You
should be in everyone's collection.
"Megan Is My Friend to the Max" by Reggie & The Full Effect from the album Greatest Hits '84-'87
James Dewees of emo band The Get-Up Kids and hardcore band Coalesce is also known as Reggie of the indie-pop “band” Reggie & The Full Effect. Not known for his lyricism (it's honestly quite goofy and elementary), Dewees' albums are so fun and poppy that you don't care what he's singing about. “Megan Is My Friend to the Max” is a snynth-heavy ode to wanting more than just friendship. Revealing these feelings can be hard, as we all know, and it feels good to not be alone.
"Triumph" by The Wu Tang Clan from the album Wu Tang Forever
Seriously...Wu Tang forever. Older Wu Tang is superior in every way, particularly in the beats produced by The Rza. These beats sounded sinister and gritty, which gave the group a rather definitive sound.
Wu Tang Forever
marked the hip-hop juggernaut's final album before enlisting about 6,000 other members, who were never as good as the core members. As side notes, RIP ODB,
Liquid Swords
by The Gza is the best solo offshoot album of any of Wu Tang's members and
How High
starring Method Man was simply not funny.
"Farewell and Goodnight" by Smashing Pumpkins" from the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
It's generally agreed amongst my friends and I that if 5 or 6 songs were removed from this double album, it would be just about the best rock album of the 90s (not including Nevermind by Nirvana, which is more grunge than rock). The song is so good that I don't even care that putting a song titled “Farewell and Goodnight” at the end of a mix is clichéd. A modern (ish) lullaby which gives each member of the band a chance to sing, the melody and simple guitar structure are beautiful as they fade to a reverb-heavy piano piece which, in turn, fades softly and leaves the listener feeling content, well-loved and taken care of. Smashing Pumpkins were one of the greatest bands of all time, and we'd do well to remember that.
Granted, we've all got different tastes in music, and ultimately your mixtape (cd) should be your own. However you choose to do it, just keep in mind that it's fun to make them, and even better to give the gift of music. Happy Christmas everyone.
