So it's winter and I'm (finally) back in Portland and I'm wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I mean, yes, I miss my family, pretty much all of my friends are out of town and I still don't have a job. (I'm pretty sore about that last one in particular. I'm trying, I swear). But I'm taking the time to re-prioritize and organize. So what if "re-prioritizing" sometimes takes the form of catching up on "Friday Night Lights?" I think of it as motivational meditation...Clear eyes, full heart right?
(Trust that I was rolling my eyes and heckling myself as I typed that).
Anyway, as part of keeping myself
I struggled with whether I wanted to make this a definitive Christmas mix or an enjoyable playlist with holiday(ish) undertones. I suppose I settled somewhere in the middle. In any matter, I would like to make a note that I labored over the track order of this playlist. Seriously. I shuffled between songs and ideas, themes and genres, it was quite a task. So, (I ask of no one in particular because no one reads this blog other than myself, months later), please respect the track order. At least for the first listen through. At least once, just play it through unshuffled. Have it on in the background while you're doing other things so that if there's a song you don't think you're liking, you can tune it out by busying yourself. Pretty please.
The playlist takes its own progression from high to low, (hopefully), naturally. I started to assemble it around three songs that I knew I wanted in the mix for sure and then tried to bridge the gaps between style and sound with other songs.
The first track that I had my heart set on was DJ Zebra's mashup of Yael Naim, Otis Redding and Lou Reed. I just thought there was something so delightful and heartwarming about the track. It's familiar and completely new at the same time.
Yael Naim's "New Soul" is probably most recognized by the Macbook Air ad dropped early last year. I will admit, I was instantly addicted to the song once I heard it, but I guess that's the point, isn't it?
But anyway, DJ Zebra's mashup really does a fantastic job on giving the track a new perspective. Lou Reed's "A Walk on the Wild Side" lends its light guitar riff and luscious bass to give a nice depth to the song that, upon re-listening to the original Yael Naim single, I yearned for. Then the pieces of Otis Redding's "My Girl" slip in and, well isn't that wonderful? It's sudden and uplifting and so charming. I'm smitten, really.
The second track that I knew just had to be part of the equation was "Last Christmas" done by the cast of Glee. My reasons are two-fold:
- One: I feel that any rendition of "Last Christmas" is kind of obligatory when it comes to the holiday season. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, this goddamn song is everywhere. Good Charlotte did a cover of it, for crying out loud!
- Two: Glee is kind of obligatory when it comes to my existence. Before the creation of Glee, I was essentially a figment of society's collective imagination. It's a metaphysical conundrum. Actually, to be specific, it's scientifically referred to as the "Glitter Pony Conundrum."
- Bonus Reason Three: Kara told me to use it in a playlist and she's a genius.
The third track that I needed in the mix was anything by Chet Baker. I started listening to him over the summer and fell in love with his rendition of "It's Always You." I told myself, once the winter season hits, I will do nothing but snuggle up in a blanket and listen to this track. Unfortunately I didn't quite like the way "It's Always You" worked with the mix but I thought "But Not for Me" played well in succession to Rachel Z's cover of "Tonight, Tonight." In the end, it worked out perfectly. The song has this kind of playful and jolly tempo, but really it's about being a chump for love and ending up alone...True holiday spirit!
Anyway, Here's the full tracklist with the link on the bottom. God, I wrote a lot more than I was expecting to but oh well, it will probably be another year before I write again.
01. Passion Pit - "Cuddle Fuddle"
02. DJ Zebra - "New Walk on the Soul Side (Yael Naim vs Otis Redding vs Lou Reed)"
03. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)"
04. Cast of Glee - "Last Christmas"
05. Handsome Boy Modeling School ft. Jack Johnson - "Breakdown"
06. Matt Sharp and Maya Rudolph - "Not Tonight (Tegan and Sara Cover)"
07. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Blue Turning Grey"
08. Nick Drake - "Which Will"
09. Landon Pigg - "Coffee Shop"
10. Eliza Lumley - "How to Disappear Completely (Radiohead Cover)"
11. Nick Drake - "Horn"
12. William Fitzsimmons - "Hold on With My Open Hands"
13. Fink - "This is the Thing"
14. Rachel Z - "Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)"
15. Chet Baker - "But Not For Me"
16. Judy Garland - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Download Link Here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SHT0ZNXZ
p.s. Yes, I know track 9 is that song from that fucking Zales commercial...And that Landon Pigg was Ellen Page's (ultimately disappointing) love interest in Whip It!, but it fit well and it makes me think of the holidays so shut it up.
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