20 songs by the Diamond Dogs

There's just no getting around it, the Diamond Dogs sound like they should have emerged out of the 70s. But hey, at least they cherry-picked the greatest parts of that maligned decade. This band takes the sloppy, booze-fueled, wounded soul of the Faces and pairs it with their own healthy obsession with the Stones of Exile On Main Street. Punked-up Chuck Berry riffs, raspy vocals, honking sax, gospel-style back-up singers, and lyrics straight out of an ESL rhyming dictionary - they're all piled on top of each other in the true spirit of '70s excess. The result is the kind of good time rock 'n' roll that sounds like it should have always existed (even though it really didn't until these guys came along). It's a stroke of minor genius, a testament to the transcendental power of 3 chords and a bad attitude, and exactly the sound any worthwhile weekend needs. This mix is compiled chronologically, and it includes a few songs from two of lead vocalist Sulo's solo albums.

20 songs by the Diamond Dogs

1. Lovestoned Again
2. Honked!
3. Black As Sin
4. Bite Off
5. Every Little Crack
6. Passing Through My Heart
7. From Now On
8. I'll Drink To Ya
9. Lift It Up
10. Gotta Be Gone (It's Alright)
11. Scunthorpe Avenue
12. Yours Sincerely
13. You've Got A Song To Sing
14. Generation Upstart
15. Down In The Alley Again
16. I Love You Baby, Sing Me A Song
17. Soul Folks
18. Make It All Up To You
19. Cold Blue Summer
20. Chimes Of Love

#1 - 3 from Honked! (1994)
#4 from Among The Non Believers ep (2000)
#5 from Too Much Is Always Better Than Not Enough (2002)
#6 from Shortplayer ep (2002)
#7,8 from That's The Juice I'm On compilation (2003)
#9,10 from Black River Road (2004)
#11 from Atlantic Crossover split with Jeff Dahl (2004)
#12,13 from Sulo's Just Another Guy Tryin' (2005)
#14,15 from Up The Rock (2006)
#16, 17 from Sulo's Hear Me Out (2008)
#18 - 20 from It's Most Likely (2008)

Covers Project Vol. IV

Another collection of cover versions. A lotta rock and power pop, salted with a few choice change-ups.

Songs From Under the Floorboards

1. The Films Blitzkrieg Bop (Ramones)
2. Mick Medew & the Rumours Another Girl, Another Planet (The Only Ones)
3. Luke Doucet & White Falcon The Lovecats (The Cure)
4. The Backsliders Keep A-Knockin' (Little Richard)
5. The Jayhawks Bad Time (Grand Funk)
6. The Hold Steady Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (Bob Dylan)
7. Gigolo Aunts Why Can't This Be Love (Van Halen)
8. Jason Falkner Song From Under The Floorboards (Magazine)
9. Silver Sun Art School (The Jam)
10. The Donnas Roll On Down The Highway (Bachman Turner Overdrive)
11. Bazooka Jones Sugar Sugar (The Archies)
12. Willie Nile Police On My Back (Eddy Grant, by way of the Clash)
13. Sour Jazz Messin' With The Kid (The Saints)
14. Cobra Verde Rock 'n' Roll Queen (Mott the Hoople)
15. Dipsomaniacs A Million Miles Away (The Plimsouls)
16. The Dream Syndicate Let It Rain (Eric Clapton)
17. The Cribs Bastards of Young (The Replacements)
18. Bobby Bare Jr. Sister Golden Hair (America)
19. The Grays Outdoor Miner (Wire)
20. Fetchin' Bones Super Freak (Rick James)
21. The Replacements Gudbye T' Jane (Slade)
22. Rich Hope & His Evil Doers Stray Cat Blues (Rolling Stones)

Hello My Name Is Mix

Sometimes, you do things just because you can. And as unlikely as it may seem, every song is a keeper.

Hello My Name Is...

1. Dan Bern Tiger Woods
2. Vic Goddard Johnny Thunders
3. The Leaving Trains Bob Hope
4. You Am I Doug Sahm
5. The Dexateens Neil Armstrong
6. Young Fresh Fellows Amy Grant
7. Veal Judy Garland
8. New Cassettes Huey Lewis
9. The Chevelles Angelina Jolie
10. The Blondes Suzi Quatro
11. The Bis-Quits Yo Yo Ma
12. Ze Malibu Kids Fiona Apple
13. The Beards T.S. Eliot
14. The Gay Robert Smith
15. Jerry Jerry & the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra Jimmy Reeves
16. Paul Melancon Jeff Lynne
17. The Replacements Alex Chilton
18. Thelonious Monster Michael Jordan
19. Ass Ponys Donald Sutherland
20. Hadacol Gerald Ford
21. Bottle Rockets Nancy Sinatra
22. Forgotten Rebels Rona Barrett
23. The Dirtbombs Tina Louise
24. Action Swingers Courtney Love

Best of '09 (Vol. II)

Another mix of some faves from '09. A bit louder and more energetic than the previous volume, but still nothing that'll peel the paint off walls.

Let's Jump Around Some

1. The XX VCR
2. Cornershop Who Fingered Rock 'n' Roll?
3. Lucero The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo
4. Cheap Trick Sick Man Of Europe
5. The Films Holiday
6. Rancid Last One To Die
7. The Aggrolites It's Time To Go
8. Robyn Hitchcock Saturday Groovers
9. The Dead Trees Shelter
10. The Fate Lions Ride The Artifact
11. The Weight Had It Made
12. Deadstring Brothers The River Song
13. Reigning Sound Call Me
14. The Greatest Hits Electric Blanket Boogie
15. The Shazam Hey Mom, I Got The Bomb
16. Radio Faces Coffee Cup
17. Bazooka Jones You Suck
18. The Beat Strings My Medicine
19. Rich Hope Let's Jump Around Some
20. Cracker Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey
21. Brendan Benson Don't Wanna Talk
22. Bad Veins Gold And Warm

Spoon - B-Sides and Rarities

For my money, one of the best bands of the past decade. Deceptively simple, incredibly melodic, hook-filled, groove-based, and cool as fuck. Their detractors sniff that they're just straightforward rock. They're wrong. And they're right. And they're missing the point entirely. There's something much deeper going on than just catchy songs - and, anyway, when did catchy songs become a point of embarrassment?

This compilation collects 22 non-album cuts. It's not comprehensive; there's plenty of odds 'n' ends left off. But all of it is high sound quality and, at the very least, filled with interesting additions to the Spoon catalogue.

Spoon - B-Sides & Rarities

1. Got Nuffin
2. Revenge!
3. Stroke Their Brains
4. My First Time, Vol. 3 (Light Version)
5. Carryout Kids
6. Well-Alright
7. Monkey Feelings
8. It Took A Rumor To Make Me Wonder, Now I'm Convinced I'm Going Under
9. I Turn My Camera On (John McEntire remix)
10. Sunday Morning, Wednesday Night
11. I Could Be Underground
12. The Underdog (demo)
13. Deep Clean
14. Bring It On Home To Me
15. The Book I Write
16. Shake It Off
17. Irrigation Man
18. If You Say So
19. You Get Yours
20. Let The Distance Keep Us Together
21. Is This The Last Time
22. In The Right Place, The Right Time

#1,3 - from Got Nuffin single
#2, 11 - from 30 Gallon Tank +3 ep
#4 - from My First Time, Vol. 3 ep
#5 - from Gimme Fiction bonus disc
#6 - from Dark Was The Night compilation
#7, 8 - from Sister Jack UK single
#9,10 - from Sister Jack US single
#12 - from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga bonus 7"
#13 - I-Tunes exclusive
#14 - Sam Cooke cover, from B-Sides And Demos
#15 - from Stranger Than Fiction OST
#16 - from Anything You Want single
#17, 18 - from If You Say So Motherfucker compilation
#19, 20 - from Home, Vol. 4 ep
#21,22 - from Stay Don't Go single

Don't Call Me Honey

Not exactly a collection of 60s girl groups, but more a comp of female-led songs that mine the sound of that particular era. There's something from every decade since the 50s here, including the relatively well-known rockabilly vixen Wanda Jackson as well as forgotten treasures like Billie Davis and the totally untamed Tammy St. John. Genya Ravan appears twice, once on the lead-off track from her gritty '78 masterwork Urban Desire and before that as leader of Goldie & The Gingerbreads (one of the first ever all-girl hard R&B bands). The Prissteens show up twice as well (sort of), once as themselves and once as Purple Wizard. Also lots of stuff from the punk/new wave era (Pearl Harbor, Holly & the Italians, Ellen Foley, Pretenders, Josie Cotton, Catholic Girls, Rachel Sweet, and Lost Durangos). The more modern era is represented by the likes of Ruby Ann, Raveonettes, the Pipettes, Amy Faris, and the Detroit Cobras. And even if you're sick of Amy Winehouse give her a fresh listen in this context - the woman definitely delivers.

DON'T CALL ME HONEY

1. Pretenders Stop Your Sobbing
2. Catholic Girls Boys Can Cry
3. The Angels Get Away From Me
4. Goldie & The Gingerbreads V.I.P.
5. Ruby Ann Don't Call Me Honey
6. Purple Wizard I'm Gonna Get You Yet
7. Ellen Foley What'sa Matter Baby?
8. Holly & The Italians Tell That Girl To Shut Up
9. Genya Ravan Jerry's Pigeons
10. Tammy St. John Boys
11. Pearl Harbor & The Explosions Everybody's Boring But My Baby
12. Maria McKee I'm Gonna Soothe You
13. Patti Scialfa Baby Don't
14. The Prissteens Scandal, Controversy, and Romance
15. Rachel Sweet B-A-B-Y
16. Lost Durangos Evil Town
17. Billie Davis & The Leroys Whatcha Gonna Do?
18. Amy Farris Anyway
19. The Raveonettes Ode To L.A.
20. Ronnie Spector All I Want
21. Amy Winehouse Me And Mr. Jones
22. The Pipettes Pull Shapes
23. Shelby Lynne Your Lies
24. Josie Cotton Jimmy Loves Maryanne
25. Wanda Jackson Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad
26. Detroit Cobras Bye Bye Baby

RE-UP: Power Lounging Vol. II

Not sure why this one disappeared.

A second volume in the power lounger series. Power lounging means hanging around in the sun with a serious commitment to wasting time, preferably while on the drink. This mix is fringely mongerous with a slightly time-warped 50s sock hop mentality (and one old 60s chestnut for good measure).

A Sack of Monkeys - Power Lounging Vol. 2

1. Roman Candle Why Modern Radio Is A-OK
2. Wilco Sunny Feeling
3. Noisettes Never Forget You
4. Vetiver More Than This
5. Tim Armstrong Take This City
6. John Fred Judy In Disguise
7. Genya Ravan Stubborn Kind Of Girl
8. Herman Brood & His Wild Romance Hit
9. The Hellcats Don't Fight It
10. Albert Hammond Jr. Miss Myrtle
11. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Soft Shock
12. Baby Shakes Come On Babe
13. Brownsville Station Let Your Yeah Be Yeah
14. The Fondas Might As Well Go
15. Cracker Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out With Me
16. The Kilians Said & Done
17. The Damwell Betters Subway
18. The Weight Closer Than A Friend
19. Robbers On High Street You Don't Stand A Chance
20. The Iguanas If You Should Ever Fall On Hard Times
21. Four Hours Sleep w/ Paul Kelly If I Had My Way