What I'm Listening To - Fall 2006

It's now been a full year since the first seasonal compilation CD went out. Since then I've burned 200+ CDRs and almost as many bridges. It's been a weird year, for sure.
Well, it's time to start anew. I figured that the new series deserved a new layout, but I'm keeping the blog liner notes (even though I really don't think anyone reads these damn things).
Onto the CD itself - This one was probably the easiest of the 5 (so far) to throw together, because by the time I started it I knew EXACTLY what tracks I wanted on this thing. There were a few switches/omissions, but those were done mostly to ease the transitions (hey, I'm rhyming!). This disc is SOLID there isn't one song on here that I'm not crazy about. This fucker flows like a river and has more hooks than a slaughter-house. Don't believe me? Just listen to it. Bitch.

Liner Notes:
1) Billy Bragg - A New England
from the 1983 album Life's a Riot
They call Billy Bragg "the one-man Clash". I assume that's because he released a couple of incredible records and then spent the rest of his career crapping out self-indulgent dreck.
This one's off of his first record. It's just him singing and playing a crappy electric guitar. It doesn't get any more simple than this - it also doesn't get any better.
2) Bad Astronaut - 500 Miles
from the 2001 album Acrophobe
I have nothing but great things to say about this band. I've wanted to throw this track on the last few mixes, but haven't been able to find a good place for it... until now.
3) Screeching Weasel - Message in a Beer Bottle
from the 2000 album Teen Punks In Heat
Straight-forward 4/4 rocking goodness off of the final SW album. I've got a message for all of you...
4) Against Me! - Sink, Florida, Sink (Electric)
from the 2004 compilation Rock Against Bush vol. 1
My sentiments exactly.
The fourth song (in a row) that clocks in at under 2:15. It's the old 1-2-3-4 punch. The more stuff I hear from this band, the more I like 'em. This one is an alternate version of one of their earlier tracks.
5) Bad Religion - Los Angeles is Burning
from the 2004 album The Empire Strikes First
...and it could be with a nice southerly wind.
With the Day Fire turning the 'Golden State' into the 'Charred-Ash State' this song was a gimme. This follows the AM! track in my "places I want to go away" series. This catchy-as-hell song is off of BR's newest album.
6) Murder City Devils - Fields of Fire
from the 2000 album In Name and Blood
I'm still bummed-out that these guys aren't around anymore. This track is the last song off of their last studio LP, and it bridges the Bad Religion and Johnny Cash tracks perfectly. How many bands could say that?
7) Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down
from the 2006 album American V - A Hundred Highways
This is the second song off of the new American 5 record. Word is, Cash has a few more posthumous albums in post-production - He spent his last year on Earth in the studio. If this track is any indication, the best work of his career may still be forthcoming
8) Turbonegro - All My Friends Are Dead
from the 2005 album Party Animals
...because God cut 'em down.
This track is fresh off of the latest Turbonegro release, which (apparently) still hasn't been released in the US. At first I hated this record, and wrote a smarmy blog entry about it. The more I listen to it, the more I love it. I hereby rescind my earlier statements - my bad.
9) Ramones - You're Gonna Kill That Girl
from the 1976 album Leave Home
Quick, someone warn Marlo Thomas!
This track is off of one of the greatest albums of all time. If you haven't picked up the Rhino re-issue of this record yet, please do so now (I'll wait). I grabbed this superb track 'cause of its Halloween vibe, plus if I hear (or have to spell) "Pet Sematary" one more time, I'm gonna projectile vomit.
10) Methadones - Ugly Things About You
from the 2002 compilation 1157 Wheeler Avenue
The Methadones just released a superb cover album of 1970's-1980's power-pop hits. I was about to throw one of those tracks on here, but decided (instead) to rescue this unreleased gem from benefit-album obscurity. There'll be plenty of other comps on which those covers will find a home - I promise.
11) Chixdiggit! - I Remember You
from the 2005 album Pink Razors
I swear that I put this freaking song on another mix CD. I went through all of the comps I've made since this album came out - nothing. I probably just missed it, but I really don't care. I could justify putting this track on three more mixes. Don't test me.
12) Valerie Hohn - Lucie est Amoureuse
from the 2004 soundtrack to Shimotsuma Monogatari
Um... Uh... Well, this is a track from a Japanese film sung in French. Blame The Girl - She tracked down a copy of the Kamikaze Girls (Shimotsuma Monogatari) Soundtrack from Japan, and it has been in HEAVY rotation ever since its arrival. I can guarantee that several more tracks from this record will find their way onto forthcoming compilations.
13) Electric Six - Jimmy Carter
from the 2005 album Señor Smoke
If I were any more into this band right now I could taste 'em. Ewww.
I liked their debut album, but kind of thought of them as a one-off schtick band (here's your Rice-a-Roni, thanks for playing). Since seeing them play live and listening to their following 2 records, I've changed my tune - drastically. These guys are the real deal, and I had about 10 of their songs that I wanted to throw on this thing. I settled on this one because any song that can successfully tie together the themes of the Backstreet Boys, maid abuse, electric underwear, the death of Ronald Reagan, and Armageddon deserves to be heard.
14) Jesus and Mary Chain - Drop
from the 1989 album Automatic
I've always had a thing for this song. It stands as a melodic oasis amongst the barrage of sound which is 'Automatic'. This one song added greater dimension to the album. Crazy how that works, huh?
By the way, I'm still way into the Rhino Dual-Disc JAMC surround-sound releases. It's amazing how after listening to something countless times you can still be able to hear it differently, and find a whole new level of appreciation for the album(s).
15) Drag the River - So Long Hoss
from the 2004 EP Hey Buddies...
You all know how I feel about Drag the River - Best country band ever. Not just alt-country; Country - Period. Better than Uncle Tupelo, better than any Bloodshot act, and worlds beyond anything Nashville has shit out over the last few decades. Cash still tops my country pantheon, but (for all intents and purposes) he's a solo act. My only grievance is that the DTR boys have been so busy with this project that Jon hasn't gotten out an Armchair Martian album in awhile. Oh, well.
16) Willie Nelson - Pancho & Lefty
from the 1983 album Pancho & Lefty
What is it with The Man trying to take down the Red-Headed Stranger? Oh yeah; Drugs and taxes. Well, nevermind all that noise, because we love him all-the-more for it. Everyone who reads this should mosey on down to the ol' Amazon music page and wrangle up a couple of his CDs; The man has legal bills to pay, you know.
This song kept getting bumped from the last few mix CDs, but I finally found the perfect place for it. I'm glad I waited.
17) Folk Implosion - One Part Lullaby
from the 1999 album One Part Lullaby
Hey, two title tracks in a row. Now we're rollin'.
This is the song I wanted to stick on the Summer comp, but was talked out of it by The Girl. It's still my favorite track on the record, but is a much better fit here.
18) Tommy February6 - Where are You? "My Hero"
from the 2002 self-titled release Tommy February6
More crazy-ass J-Pop from Tokyo's answer to Avril Lavigne. If I'm listening to this one correctly, it's about her holdin' out for a hero who can protect her from her shadow which (apparently) is fucking terrifying. Um, yeah.
If this track isn't used in one of the Japanese segments on NBC's 'Heroes' I'll be seriously disappointed.
19) Nerf Herder - She‚’s a Sleestak
from the 2000 album How to Meet Girls
I'm not sure about shadows, but Sleestaks are pretty creepy.
Another great song from the herders of nerf. Seriously, I have a huge freakin' back-log of Nerf Herder/Parry Gripp songs looking to find their way onto mix CDs. I'm like the crazy cat lady, but with nerdy pop-punk tracks instead of felines.
20) Mclusky - Whoyouknow
from the 2002 album Mclusky Do Dallas
More full-forward rock from the band that changed the face of Steve Albini produced Scottish indie-rock. Get yourselves some.
21) Dillinger Four - Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair
from the 2004 compilation Rock Against Bush vol. 2
I Googled it so that you wouldn't have to: Sprewells are those fancy-ass spinning rim-jobbers that the ethnic kids love so much.
I'm really getting into this band again. I listened to them a lot back when I had the record store, but hadn't listened to them much since (until recently). Now I can't get enough. This track is an unreleased track from a budget compilation.
22) M.O.T.O. - Primeval
from the 2005 album Raw Power
I walk along through the primeval. 5 words, 3 chords, 1 solo.
That's it, yet those words will borough into your brain and spawn there like mighty earwigs. Good luck getting that out.
23) Misfits - Hybrid Moments
from the 1978 recording Static Age
Oooooo, that song's so spooky I can't believe I got it onto the mix without running away crying (3rd time's a charm).
Halloween without Misfits is like Kandy Korn without the Kandy, and everyone knows that just 'Korn' sucks - Hard.
24) Mike Johnson - A Message to Pretty
from the 1998 album I Feel Alright
Here it is; the last version (of 3) of A Message to Pretty you'll find on my compilations. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the premise has kinda worn thin. I actually had a couple of additional covers, but decided to kill it with this one. For my money, this is the best version out there (including the original). This Mike Johnson cover of M2P is what got me interested in Love (with some help from EdP & the Old Dog).
For those of you not in the know, Mike Johnson replaced Lou Barlow in Dinosaur Jr and played with them from 1989 to 1997. After Dino Jr went tits-up, he came out with a series of excellent solo albums, unlike anything he had done with Dino Jr. Check 'em out if you can.
25) Jason Webley - Southern Cross
from the 2002 album Counterpoint
Just as Fall transitions into the cold still of Winter, this track serves the purpose of winding everything down and moving the compilation toward its inevitable end. It's a slow mournful dirge, a perfect companion for sipping whiskey by the leaf-fire. Then again, any music is good for drinking whiskey by the leaf-fire. I still like this song anyway.
26) Black Heart Procession - Til We Have to Say Goodbye
from the 2000 album 3
I decided back in the Spring that this would be the perfect song to end the Fall '06 WILT CD. I stuck to it, and past me is a fucking genius. Hooray, 'past me'! I hate to end on a down-note, but that's just what Fall does. So there.

That's it, I'm done with those fucking liner notes. Sorry it took 3 days to finish this post, but what do you expect?
Everyone: We expect free shit!
Me: Oh, yeah. I forgot.
Everyone: Well, how do we get it?
Me: You know that.
Everyone: Huh?
Me: Dammit, you should know by now. Shoot an e-mail, with your full mailing info, to dclies(at)gmail.com, and I'll send one out to you. I'm only doing 50 of these, so hop to it.
Everyone: For free?
Me: For free.
Everyone: Free, free? what about shipping?
Me: Yes free; no strings attached.
Everyone: No strings attached? You don't want any money for expenses or anything?
Me: Nope.
Everyone: Nothing?
Me Nope.
Everyone: How about hot dirty sex?
Me: Um... We'll talk.
Everyone: We love you!
Me: And I love you too. *under breath* ... filthy peasants