Stoner Night Mix [January 2010]

I've recently decided to go back and start posting some old mixes that I've made over the years, both for specific people and otherwise, along with a short write-up reflecting my current thoughts on what past-James might have been thinking/digging when he made said mix.

Let's begin:

Earlier this year, my roommate Jesse asked me to make a mix for him and his new (and now former) boyfriend, Andy, to listen to while indulging in a little smoked cannabis (something Andy was largely unfamiliar with). As a vocal advocate of the ancient tradition of "getting high and listening to rock music", I happily accepted the challenge and went about crafting a suitable stoner night mix. From what I recall, Andy and Jesse enjoyed it immensely. Here's hoping that you will too, even if you don't play in the grass.

For the people who raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of certain songs on my list, please keep in mind that I am very much a lyrics-guy and, as such, I find a revelatory verse to be just as awe-inspiring as any extended jam-band guitar theatrics or murky, oscillating atmospherics. Not that I excluded those, of course, but my mentality here was both to cover all the bases and to make a mix that I personally would love to listen to while high. And, at least in the latter regard, I can claim some measure of success.

Also interesting to note is how the mix is informally separated into two sections: the first half (tracks 1-9) being much darker in key and character then the last half (tracks 10-18), which is much warmer and of a brighter tonality. I'm not certain why I did this, and it certainly isn't totally consistent (no one will argue that "End Of Radio" is a warm song) but there was some deliberate effort on my part to begin in a dark place and move towards the light.

In my own work I strive to mix feelings of dread and tension with those of beauty and hope, and perhaps this mix is something of a reflection of that ideal. Or maybe it was just an accident, a pattern I noticed and expanded on. Who knows.

Either way, I hope that a few of you get some enjoyment out of it (preferably gathered around a bong). Please share it freely.

Here's the track-list:

01. Smog - "Permanent Smile"
02. Talking Heads - "Memories Can't Wait"
03. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - "Lament"
04. Liars - "Broken Witch"
05. Jonny Greenwood - "Eat Him By His Own Light"
06. The Velvet Underground - "The Murder Mystery"
07. The Mountain Goats - "Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace"
08. Joy Division - "The Eternal"
09. Sonic Youth - "Trilogy"
10. Rock Plaza Central - "The Things That Bind You"
11. Fever Ray - "Keep The Streets Empty For Me"
12. Neil Young - "Powderfinger"
13. Shellac - "End Of Radio"
14. Silver Jews - "The Wild Kindness"
15. Radiohead - "Last Flowers"
16. Pavement - "Fin"
17. Bob Dylan - "Not Dark Yet"
18. Pink Floyd - "Dogs"

And here's the download link:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DWO2I3DW

Enjoy.

P.S. If you are lacking in a reliable green energy source, please do not hesitate to contact me.