The Just Because Mix

April 23, 2006... I hope I don't jinx myself by saying this, but it looks like my three-years-plus oddyssey of living out of a suitcase is drawing to close. I am scheduled to move into a place of my own, and to be reunited with my record player, on May 6. I hope to gain regular access to a computer on which I actually have administrative privileges soon thereafter.

In the spirit of celebration, I am introducing a new feature here at Afterbirth, "The Just Because Mix."

I walk around most days with a song on my mind. I have no control over what song it is. It just ... appears ... and stays until another song takes its place. It could be the most insipid pile of shiite I've ever heard, but there it is, on my mind.

With the "Just Because Mix," I'm gonna bundle a week or two's worth of those songs together and post 'em, with a minimum amount of commentary, for your enjoyment. So, without further ado, here's some of what's been on my mind lately...

The Wildhearts - Vanilla Radio

Cheap Trick - Oh Caroline

Cheap Trick - Oh, Candy

Material - Cosmic Slop

Art Brut - Stand Down

As should be clear from the Wildhearts and Cheap Trick songs, I've been in a bit of a power-pop mood these past two weeks. Still, listen closely to the lyrics on that second Cheap Trick song, "Oh, Candy." Thematically, it's not your typical pop song, is it?

In a similar, dark vein, check out the lyrics on "Cosmic Slop," a song about growing up poor. A Funkadelic joint covered here by a loose conglomeration of musicians that includes former members of Funkadelic, "Cosmic Slop" is in WMA format because that's all I can do at the moment. (Likewise with the Art Brut track.)

Amidst all the sunny, piss-taking on Art Brut's debut, an album that includes hilarious songs about forming a band, and "considering a move to L.A.," there's this odd, sombre number named "Stand Down." Now, Eddie Argos doesn't come right out and say it in the song, but I can't help but think that he's trying to send a message to Tony Blair, urging him to admit that he's made a mistake by sending British troops into Iraq and stand down. Anyway, that's how I hear it...

Art Brut put on a terrific show, by the way. It doesn't hurt to have Gareth Keenan as your rhythm guitarist.

Thanks to Jim at Vinyl Mine, whose "Coffee and Cigarettes Mixes" are part of the inspiration for this post.

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