Hello, hello to all our sneaky music fans out there! This episode was recorded on an especially cold and snowy night so be sure to wear a nice warm robe and maybe wrap yourself in a blanket for this chilly, wintery show.
On this episode, Dave and Mary play and discuss the songs from side two of Thomas Callaway’s first mixtape, featuring:
- Sloan – “She Says What She Means” – Navy Blues, 1998
- Pernice Brothers – “Working Girls (Sunlight Shines)” – The World Won’t End, 2001
- The Parade – “Kinda Wasted Without You” – Sunshine Girl: The Complete Recordings, 2008
- Prefab Sprout – “Here on the Erie” – Swoon, 1984
- Beirut – “Santa Fe” – The Rip Tide, 2011
- The Go! Team – “Bottle Rocket” – Lightning, Thunder, Strike, 2004
- Nick Drake – “Hazey Jane II” – Bryter Layter, 1971
- Iron and Wine – “Free Until They Cut Me Down” – Our Endless Numbered Days, 2004
- The Fifth Avenue Band – “Country Time Rhymes” – The Fifth Avenue Band, 1972
- Vic Chestnutt – “Stay Inside” – Silver Lake, 2003
We also featured two songs not on Dave’s mixtape:
- The Parade – “Sunshine Girl” – The Parade: The Compete Recordings, 2008
- Shirley Ellis – “Soul Time” – Northern Soul – Keep The Faith, Vol. 1, 2009
Here is a link to a zip file of Thomas’ first mixtape so you can listen along at home without interruption. We think you’ll get a better sense of the flow and transitions between songs. Enjoy!
Dave misspoke, he meant Malcolm McLaren’s album Duck Rock. Here’s a video for the song “Double Dutch”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
That was the best one yet! Love Sloan always, have seen them many times. I’m surprised the Pernice Brothers song is from 2001, it has more of a late ’80s/90s sound to me but regardless, I love the shimmery sound, the jangly guitars, and love the singer’s voice (it’s still playing in my head as I write this). The Parade: it was fine, a bit too 60s sounding for my taste. Prefab Sprout is a sentimental favourite; loved it, a good, high energy song. Beirut I’m not a big fan of, probably because I heard a lot about them prior to first hearing them (or realizing I was actually listening them on the radio) – I think the big build up resulted in a disappointment I’m still having a hard time getting over, lol. The Go! Team are the best, I loved them live, but on this mixtape they seemed a little out of place? It was a difficult transition for me, anyway. But I do heart that song. ‘Hazey Jane II’ is great, probably my fave Nick Drake song. I don’t think I had heard the Iron and Wine song previously, but I liked it. The Fifth Avenue Band song was likely my least favourite on this side, and the Vic Chestnutt song was one that grew on me. Well done, you two!
As I understand it, the term ‘mondegreen’ for a misheard lyric comes from a line in a traditional Scots ballad: ‘They hae slain the Earl o Moray, and laid him on the green’. Alas, poor Lady Mondegreen. Of course, there may be other theories. Now to the songs…
Sloan – well, the phrase ‘generic dad rock’ is thrown around all too freely these days. Okay, okay, I’m kidding! On first listen, I did find this a bit anonymous and over-produced. After a few more plays, though, it has grown on me and I’m going to check out the album. Can’t say I entirely share your enthusiasm yet, but I want to hear more.
Pernice Brothers – a lot of Beatles, a little Teenage Fanclub, a smidgeon of Oasis (not too much, thankfully) and voila! Very catchy song.
The Parade – I really enjoyed this. Another song that reminded me of other bands – this time the Beach Boys and the Hollies. Nothing wrong with that. Sunshine Girl was pretty good too, verging on parody, but with strong melodic hooks, nice harmonies, and an inventive arrangement. Love those snapping fingers!
Prefab Sprout – that was me shouting ‘Daisy!’ at the phone. We rewatched all of Spaced a few months ago, and it really holds up as a classic comedy. As for the song though… oh, dear lord. Yes, the guitar bit at the end is pretty cool, but I really dislike his singing here, and the lyrics are annoyingly pretentious. This totally disproved my theory about songs sounding better on second or third listen. Every time I played this one, I got madder. Next!
Beirut – loved the simplicity of this. Just four notes repeated, with great instrumentation. Melody is the same as Touch of Grey, by the Grateful Dead, which then got lodged in my head.
Go! Team – fun, fun, fun. Very cool to hear the source of one of the samples too.
Nick Drake – always loved this one. Maybe not my favourite Nick Drake song, but top five. I love Joe Boyd’s production – he always served the song. That was also me shouting ‘Karen Dalton!’ by the way.
Iron and Wine – I liked the home made feel and the instrumental build, but felt the song would have been a lot better shorter. He ran out of road well before the end.
Fifth Avenue Band – yeah, okay…
Vic Chestnutt – this sounded more like a demo than a finished recording, and I liked that aspect a lot. I also thought his vocal was good, and the early line ‘my bedclothes have gone all funky’ was great. Overall, the song was fine, though it’s essentially a retread of Knockin on Heaven’s Door. I think he pretty much acknowledges this by quoting Dylan in the second verse.
Thanks again, Dave and Mary. It feels like the two of you are really hitting your stride now as co-presenters, and these shows just keep getting better. Have a cookie!
Another great podcast. This was one where I liked almost every song. Sloan was great–I’ve heard Dave mention them so often here and on SD, but I never heard of them before, living here in Chicago. Great sound! I Loved Parade– I’d like to find more like this.
Two downers this time– The Nick Drake song was good music, but his voice was very off-putting, and the Bottle Rocket song was horrible–it’s the only time I have fast-forwarded through any part of the Listening Party. Rap and horns–yuck. Sorry.
I have to agree with Mary–nobody who isn’t on a long 5-6 hour road trip is listening to the mixtape in one sitting.
I listen while driving to work, so by the time I have an opportunity to comment (two weeks late!!), I’ve forgotten all the comments I was forming in the car.
Keep it up!!
Danny