Secret Mixtape Review: Mix #16 (10-31) is up!

[stip]

I have a rilo kiley album and one of her solo records. They were okay. A few songs I liked on each (in particular silver linings and see fernando). But I can't help but feel like her songwriting chops are not quite up to the sexy drifter fuck up trying to be learn from her mistakes potential in her voice.

[Lament]

This is not the work of a songwriter whose chops aren't up to snuff. This is the work of a master of her craft.

[bada]

I really liked Mix #1. It has a very laid-back, easy-going breeziness to it but is also pretty soulful and earnest. Goddamn that Band of Horses song is good. And the Shins song really works in context with the other tracks. Good job.

[stip]

This is not the work of a songwriter whose chops aren't up to snuff. This is the work of a master of her craft.

that was pretty good

[Brett]

I generally enjoy this mix more than the previous, although it's still got some "blah" moments for me. Some thoughts as I listen through again:

The opening song is really nice; it's got a great intro and some nice low-key soul. Almost reminds me of

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James Blake

, but I don't think it's him. I cheated on the second song, and Googled the lyrics because Stip's review made me curious.

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Grinderman, eh? Never bothered to check them out, but this tune's cool.

Track three's one of the less interesting parts of the mix. It passes five and a half minutes in length, which is too long for this kind of stuff. It's almost got a bit of a Krautrock feel to it with the insistent, repetitive rhythm.

Track 4 definitely isn't Arcade Fire, but the singer has a similar yelpy David Byrne-esque voice to Win Butler. I want to say I know of this band and have heard them before, but I couldn't tell you who it is. What are you smoking, Stip? How is track five "stoner rock" in any way? Regardless, it's kind of dull, unremarkable stuff to my ears.

Song six, a song about a radar gun. Not really my thing, but it's a kind of amusing throwaway rock tune. I could see Stone Temple Pilots or Queens of the Stone Age doing this, but it's not them. Track seven:

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somebody said this was the Bloodhound Gang, I think, and on a second listen through, I think they're right.

It's another somewhat lighthearted, amusing song. Again, it's not quite my thing, but it's not something I have any urge to turn off, either.

[Brett]

Nah, I don't really like song 8. Parts of it make me think of landfill indie stuff like The Strokes, but this is quite a bit dirtier, with more punk and post-punk influences. Definitely not a fan of the singer, either. The ninth song has a faux blues thing going on that I can't really get behind too strongly, but I can see why this would be enjoyable to someone else. The singer's got a good voice that suits the music to a point, but I feel like something's missing for them to match up completely.

I feel like a broken record as I keep saying this, but, track ten is pretty pleasant; inoffensive, and doesn't really check too many boxes for me, but not terrible. Number eleven: Stip says this is

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Chvrches.

I never had in interest in checking out the hype that these guys generated, and this song isn't changing my mind. It sounds like something that would pop up on the new "Alternative" station we've got in Buffalo; hell, it probably has played them before, for all I know. The '80s vibe is there, but it kinda lacks the fun.

I don't really know how to describe song twelve. It's got some country elements, a bit of blues, some soul; all sort of white-washed a bit for easy consumption. Again, pleasant stuff that I wouldn't be bothered by if it was on the radio, but nothing I would seek out on my own. And then track thirteen follows with same vibe, only slowed down and now pretty damn drunk. And the singer's vocal style supports that theme. I feel like this is where the mix "properly" ends before we get to song fourteen. There seems to be a real denouement of an arc on these last two tracks, but I don't think the rest of the tracklisting quite holds up in the presented order. Perhaps things could have been rearranged a bit to support the concept more?

Anyway, onto the last one!

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Isaac Hayes - "Do Your Thing,"

probably the best song on here, even if it sticks out like a sore thumb, and was included just for laughs. Classic funk that's cool to chill out to.

[Brett]

I'm not sure who made this mix. There were times where I was thinking it was supernintendochalmers with fuzzed-out punkier stuff. But the prevalence of indie-pop in a lot of the mix, especially the last several tracks, makes me think psychobain. I'm probably off on both accounts, so I really have no clue.

[stip]

Brett, 11 isn't Chvuches--at least I don't think it is (I've only heard their one album). But it reminded me of that kind of sound a bit.

[Brett]

Ah, my mistake, then.

[Lament]

I googled who track eleven was after I first heard it because I was so enamored with it. It's

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Owl Eyes

. <3

[Lament]

Alright, my thoughts...

So, I'm gonna start with the home stretch of this mix, because that's where it really hit it's stride for me. Track ten was where the stretch started for me. I tend to gravitate towards female vocalists, so I suppose it's pretty predictable that this is where things took off for me. I enjoy the way this one had a build up that led to a very different payoff than I was expecting. It's almost not even a payoff as it is just a shift in gears. For a while this suffered from being overshadowed by the next track, but once I got into it I found it enjoyable.

I instantly fell in love with track eleven, so much so that I had to know who it was right that moment. I don't think the CHVRCHES comparisons are all that off-base. But yeah, this one was definitely right up my alley. For a while it kind of overshadowed the rest of the mix for me. It's still far and away my favorite song, and I've already started working my way through more of this artists material (thank you, mixmaker #2!).

Track twelve also suffered a bit at first from being next to track eleven, but it's a nice song. I mean, it's not in the same stratosphere as Jenny Lewis, but I could see this being an artist who would have more material I'd enjoy. I like the emotional space it inhabits. It shouldn't work as well after track eleven as it does, but for some reason it doesn't seem jarring at all. The vocalist on track thirteen has an oddly Courtney Love-esque tinge to her voice (though it's obviously not her). It flows nicely from the track before it, and I like the arrangement quite a bit.

Track fourteen is a stone cold classic, and one of the few songs I did know,

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Isaac Hayes' Do Your Thing

. Fucking love this song. I don't think it matters that it doesn't really fit with the run of songs before it. It stands on its own, and I was very happy to see it on here.

The last five songs on this mix really overwhelmed the first nine for me. The first chunk had its highlights though. Track four was

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Red Eyes by The War on Drugs

, which I've been hearing a lot the past few months and have really grown to enjoy. I'm not surprised that it seems to be a favorite of the people who have reviewed the mix so far. The first track struck me as having a Stevie Wonder-esque arrangement, and once it got to “Release your problems” part I was really digging it. A slow burner, but I definitely need to hear more from this artist. Lots of potential here.

The rest of the mix wasn't up to par with the seven songs mentioned above. I definitely hear the BRMC-ness of track two. I wanted to like it more than I did, but in the end it wasn't very memorable for me. Track three was better, but still didn't live up to track one or track four.

Tracks five through nine...were not really my thing.

On the whole, I'm very glad I spent time with this mix. I'm enjoying exploring the artist from track eleven, and plan on looking more into the artist from tracks one, ten, and twelve once things are revealed. The two songs I did know were very welcome. The flow wasn't as cohesive as the first mix (and I really had a hard time with the middle section), but the heights of it were nicely in my wheelhouse.

[stip]

I have to say there were a few songs on this mix I went back to voluntarily, which is maybe the first time I've done this for any of these mixes.

And I'll probably get the album track 4 is from. I'm tempted with 10, 11, and 13 as well.

[stip]

Lament, can we get another one of these for tomorrow? I have 4 hours in the car tomorrow night.

[Heathen]

Lament, can we get another one of these for tomorrow? I have 4 hours in the car tomorrow night.

I have a neurasthenic mix that looks perfect for that kind of setting.

[stip]

I'm still waiting for you to come forward and claim this last mix.

[Heathen]

I feel like I would have done a much better job at making a terrible mix.

[stip]

I heard that song about the radar gun and immediately thought of you. You or Simple Schoolboy but he's never in this forum

[Heathen]

I'm glad I'm an emotionless asshole because otherwise that would have hurt

[Lament]

Lament, can we get another one of these for tomorrow? I have 4 hours in the car tomorrow night.

Mix #3 is going up later today, so you're in luck.

[Lament]

Ok guys, here's RM Secret Mix #3...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6VItz ... sp=sharing

Happy reviewing!

Feel free to keep reviewing/commenting on the first two mixes as well. Mixmaker #2, care to post your tracklisting?