Mars

Hi, The point (if there is a point) of this blog is to post liner notes and playlists of mix CDs originating from moi and hopefully fanning out into a chain of mix CDs. If you get a CD from me, make me and a friend one, and email me some liner notes and I'll post them. Then your friend should make you and someone else a mix CD etc etc. Maybe it will work PS If you want to be on my knit list, let me know what you want and I'll see what I can do!

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Peppermint People

Minty made a terrific mix about people. Though I have to say, the lyrics about Mary-Anne are WAY off the mark. And I am very happy that my link for '88 Lines for 44 Women' came from polyamory.org. Though I couldn't find a link for The Gay. Probably because those damn homosexuals have taken over the Internet. I didn't know that Jim Carroll wrote The Basketball Diaries.

I love the Kimya Dawson song, and my son loves the Tenacious D song, but let's face it - this whole mix is awesome. Except maybe for 'Watching Scotty Grow', which is worth it just for the snicker potential of the title.

I do love that Minty has brought back the art of the comment, which I had dropped because my laziness in constructing comments was becoming an obstacle to creating new mix CDs. But luckily there are still those amongst us with industry and wit.

Oh - and by the way - Happy New Year!

Minty's People CD

TrackArtistComments
People Who Died The Jim Carroll BandIsn’t it just like me to start out a mix on an upbeat note? But really, I LOVE this fucking song, and it’s CATHARTIC. Turn it up!!
Joey Nick DrakeUh, speaking of people who died . . . Nick Drake died too. This is a pretty pretty song he wrote about a girl named Joey.
CeciliaSimon & Garfunkel Wait—he’s shagging this girl in his room, and he gets up to go to the can, and when he comes back she’s in his bed with someone else? Dude, that’s pretty fucked up right there.
Donna Hair, Original Broadway Cast I learned more about drugs and sex by listening to the Hair soundtrack album than I learned from my parents.
Jenny Was A Friend Of MineThe Killers My daughter, Teen Girl 2, suggested I add this one, since she knows several Jennys who are friends of mine. Note to the Jennys: aren’t you glad I didn’t put that Tommy Tutone song on here instead?
AlisonElvis Costello If I were on a desert island and this was the only song I had, I think that would be OK. If I were on a desert island with Elvis Costello, that would be even better.
I Want CandyBow Wow Wow My brother is responsible in large part for the development of my musical tastes. He introduced me to Bow Wow Wow in 1981. Thanks, brother, for that—and thanks, Malcolm McLaren, for Bow Wow Wow!
Frank MillsThe LemonheadsWhy yes, it IS another song from the musical Hair. You got a problem with that? I have a thing for junkies like Evan Dando. Remember when he used to wear pajamas all the time? Was that cute, or just pathetic?
Marie ProvostNick Lowe Of all the songs in the world about people getting eaten by their pet dogs, this one is my FAVORITE.
Song For Myla GoldbergThe Decemberists“I know New York, I need New York, I know I need unique New York.” Say that five times fast, Eliza!
Christine SixteenKISSSummer of 1977, before my senior year of high school, my boyfriend and I went ice skating 2 or 3 times a week. They always played this song, and I always skated fast when it came on. Maybe to impress the boyfriend, or maybe to try and get away from the image of Gene Simmons putting that tongue in the mouth of a 16-year-old girl.
MichaelFranz Ferdinand "Michael, you’re dancing like a beautiful dance whore." ’Nuff said.
Tire SwingKimya DawsonIt was this song that gave me the idea for this mix, because it reminded me of the two songs that bookend this collection. I would like to give Kimya Dawson a hug, and some cookies.
KateBen Folds Five Nearly every Ben Folds song contains the name of a person, so it was hard to pick just one. I like this one a lot, and I like that it talks about Chapel Hill, even if it is impossible to stand at the corner of Rosemary and Cameron, since they are parallel to each other.
Dave’s Holiday Patty Larkin Patty Larkin is a folk singer from Boston. I saw her at a club with my brother in 1981, and on her strumming hand she wore a Mickey Mouse puppet. That was funny.
Marlene Todd Rundgren Y’all know that I love me some Todd. This is a pretty one from the album Something/ Anything.
Robert Smith The Gay The Gay is another Canadian supergroup, but they’re no New Pornographers, IMO. I just like how they say “Robert” over and over in the middle of this song.
Walk Away ReneeThe Left Banke Yeah, Renee, just walk away. See if I care. And Renee? Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.
Gretzky RocksThe Pursuit of Happiness It was between this track and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ "Magic Johnson."I think this one’s catchier and more fun. Plus, I hate the Lakers.
NatashaRufus Wainwright One of the first concerts I ever went to was Rufus’s dad, Loudon Wainwright III, opening for Janis Ian. That’s a pretty strange pairing, don’t you think? I still like Loudon, but I ADORE Rufus.
Ana Ng They Might Be Giants Love those geeky Johns.
Lee Tenacious D If you hate Jack Black and/or Tenacious D, fear not—this is only about a minute long.
Mary-AnnAdam RichmanI don’t know much about this guy, but this song’s got a catchy chorus.
Watching Scotty GrowBobby GoldsboroThis may be the most cloying, smarmy, mawkish, hackneyed song ever committed to vinyl. It makes my teeth hurt every time I hear it. Now I share the joy with you! Hey! Get your finger off the “next track” button!!!
88 Lines About 44 WomenThe Nails 80s new wave! Remember this song? Sure you do—from Mazda commercials, if you’re too young to have heard it on the radio.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Mixmas

Minty has made a great mix about people. People who need people. Are the yuckiest people in the world. And I promise I will give her CD due process in my next post, but I also made a CD, and I am a selfish cow. So here it is:

Marianne's Solstice Mix

TrackArtist
You Can Never Hold Back Spring Tom Waits
Island's Gone Bad Shapes And Sizes
Supernatural Car Lover Robert Pollard
SolsticePit Er Pat
Bird Of CuzcoNina Nastasia
Something of an EndMy Brightest Diamond
You Never Got Me RightFrida Hyvönen
Let's Go DrivingBarzin
Oh MandySpinto band
For RealOkkervil River
Pétales Aiment la Saleté The Age Of Rockets
Open Your Arms Editors
The UkraniansVitaminsforyou
Para lá do ParáTom Zé
The Best DaysThe Softies
PushoverThe Long Winters
Gloomy SundayThe Associates
Ghost Of York As Tall As Lions
78% H20 Ani DiFranco
Song No. 6 Ane Brun

Monday, December 25, 2006

What's Your Christmas Menu?

Roast turkey breast, pommes au gratin, roast parsnips, brussels sprouts, bread sauce, gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce

Christmas pudding and rum butter

Chocolate and alcohol as breakfast, appetizer, snacks, palate cleanser etc.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Bottoms Up!

I love these retro towels 'n stuff, especially the 'Bottoms Up' one. So very cute, and a good motto for a girl to have, I think.

Did you have any idea that pot was the biggest cash crop in the US, and that production has increased ten-fold in the last 25 years? That's pretty astonishing. I only know a couple of people who admit to smoking pot; so where are all these potheads?

The arguments my family has are nothing like as rational as the ones described here. Where's the Unconnected Historical Grudge argument? Or the If You Don't Know I'm Not Going To Tell You argument? Or the Tight-Lipped Shoulder Chip argument? Or the You're Just Like Your Grandmother argument (frequently levelled at me)?

I'm going to copy off of Lastewie and steal her meme.

1. Yourself: contented
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): non-existent
3. Your hair: red
4. Your mother: inscrutable
5. Your father: loveable
6. Your favorite item: son
7. Your dream last night: bizarre
8. Your favorite drink: chai
9. Your dream car: new
10. The room you are in: sitting-room
11. Your ex: sick
12. Your fear: loneliness
13. What you want to be in 10 years? busy
14. Who you hung out with last night? crowd
15. What you're not? republican
16. Muffins: homemade
17. One of your wish list items: travel
18. Time: accelerates
19. The last thing you did: pee
20. What you are wearing: skirt
21. Your favorite weather: 75
22. Your favorite book: lots
23. The last thing you ate: clementine
24. Your life: full
25. Your mood: relaxed
26. Your best friend: son
27. What are you thinking about right now? music
28. Your car: dying
29. What are you doing at the moment? listening
30. Your summer: mild
31. Your relationship status: open
32. What is on your TV? crap
33. What is the weather like? beautiful
34. When is the last time you laughed? afternoon

Monday, December 11, 2006

The Book Of Oh Fuck It

I think I need The Book Of No. It has little roleplaying scripts for different situations. I totally love that idea, because I have a small imagination and a weak spine.

James Bond is Lord Asriel in His Dark Materials. I think Daniel Craig is absolutely perfect, but not sure about Nicole Kidman as Lady Wotsit. Actually, I just wanted an excuse to post a picture of Daniel Craig in swim trunks.

I bet he doesn't eat any of that devil food. Which I always thought was chocolate cake. So - something that's feminizing is evil? Apparently, tofu creates homosexuals and fat people and people with breast cancer and leukemia and men with tiny genitals and women with huge wombs. You think we might have noticed this amongst the immense number of people who have eaten tofu for centuries and centuries.

Mykull has made an incredibly awesome mix CD. I defy anyone who has heard it not to like it. I love the Gene track, and sing Fucking Boyfriend under my breath all the time. Which gets a few stares. And Silent Shout is just fabulous. And I love that he always includes at least one Scottish artist. Yay Mykull!

Mykulls Fall Mix

TrackArtist
Silent Shout The Knife
SunshineKeane
DogEl Perro del Mar
Empty Shell Cat Power
Goodnight Jack Saint Etienne
Fucking Boyfriend (Peaches Remix) The Bird and the Bee
JamaisCharlotte Gainsbourg
Save Me, I'm Yours Gene
Bird Girl Antony and the Johnsons
Mad Drums The Delgados
BeautyLadytron
Right Now and Right Here Keren Ann
Lost in Space Luna
You Can't Break a Broken Heart The 6ths

Sunday, December 03, 2006

OK Not So Lazy

Why is Nintendo's new game system called wee? As in 'I really, really want a wee'. Or 'I really like the look of that wee.' Or 'Just look at all the things you can do with a wee.' They could have called it a 'Y' or an 'wai-ee' (like the correct pronunciation of Hawaii), or even a 'whee'.

I suspect I may be welcoming one into my home soon, given the exorbitant amount of Christmas moolah my son seems to have accumulated. He is obsessed with Naruto right now, and wants to maximize the number of delivery devices he has.

Does anyone else think The Crane Wife sounds like Yes in parts? And Pink Floyd in others? Or is it just because I am an old fart? However, that said, I think it is awesome.

I'm making one of my favorite Christmas recipes today for dessert:

Caramelized Oranges

One orange per person
1/4 cup sugar per orange
cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, orangeflower water, Grand Marnier

Cut the peel from the oranges and thinly slice. Place in a pretty bowl. Put the sugar in a heavy bottomed pan and heat on a high heat until it melts and caramelizes (you might have to shake the pan to get it all caramelized). Add about 1/2 cup water for each cup of sugar. The caramel will immediately sizzle and harden into a sugar man o' war, so melt it again over medium heat. Add your flavorings from the list above (any or all, easy on the cloves, they are pretty pungent) and pour over the oranges and let them macerate (snigger) for a good long time. Serve, in an ideal world, with whole milk Greek yoghurt and some home-made cookies.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Lazy

I'm finally catching up on all the media I've acquired through purchase, gift or loan that I've ignored during my parental visit. Love this CD - Jacques Dutronc is hot. I also really love the revolved06 track. And The Sleepy Jackson. And Totom. And while looking for links for this, I found one for a Yoshimi battles Snoop Dogg mashup that particularly intrigues me. These ought to be played on the Minty MP3 Player,easily made from an Altoids tin and some odds and ends that I'm sure you have laying around.

Here's a little intro from Minty, so I don't even have to write most of this post:

"I recently spent a weekend in my old hometown of Sprawling Western Metropolis, where I spent the better part of a day with my old friend S., who had declared it "Minty Von Minterson Day." He made me this mix CD, both to commemorate the occasion and because I always get on his case about him saying he's going to make me mix CDs and never following through. I think he came through in a big way with this one--I love it. There are some great mashups on here, some stuff you haven't heard in decades, and some cool new stuff too. Thanks, friend S.! "

Minty Von Minterson Day Mix

TrackArtist
Ain't Got No - I Got LifeNina Simone
Quand c'est use on le jetteJacques Dutronc
You're The One That I Want In the Next Episode / Grease vs. Dr. Dre and Snoop DoggJohn, Olivia, Snoop and the good Dr.
Secret MeetingThe National
Revolved06Beatles/Genesis
The AveBlue Scholars
Money Is KingBob Gibson
I See Spiders When I Close My EyesBoy Least Likely To
On The Way HomeBuffalo Springfield
Good DancersThe Sleepy Jackson
GirlfriendHarry Nilsson
Bang Bang To The Rock 'n' RollGabin
The Party's Crashing UsOf Montreal
You Were The Last Here TodayTotom
Will It Go Round In CirclesBilly Preston
MercyBlack Rebel Motorcycle Club
Que SeraWax Tailor
Don't SleepThe Sugarplastic
She Goes Out With EveryoneThe Spongetones
Why Do I CryThe Remains
Way To Your HeartPersephone's Bees
Day TripperNancy Sinatra
KicksThe Flamin' Groovies