Springtime Mixtape: The First Ten Songs (Rough Draft)
The Aislers Set – “Chicago New York”
I used to be weirdly hostile toward this band, but now I recognize 2000’s The Last Match as one of the great forgotten Slumberland albums. They don’t always sound this much like Belle & Sebastian, I promise, but this could be one of Stuart Murdoch‘s early modest triumphs.
Veronica Falls – “Stephen”
“Carry me to the fountain of you”? I’m not sure if that’s the line (I hope it is!), but I’m certain about its killer of a followup—“I’ll go anywhere if anywhere’s with you“—on this, the B-Side of the Century.
R.E.M. – “Every Day Is Yours To Win”
Yes, fellows, tell me more about the road ahead of me, especially if you continue to present it so undeniably.
The Geraldine Fibbers – “Swim Back To Me”
Somehow I never thought of them in the context of Pavement, back when we were listening to both bands simultaneously. This is their “Type Slowly,” but I might also opt for “Seven Or In 10” (their “Unfair”), or album-opener “California Tuffy,” which makes its approach toward a big sound in the accidentally deliberate fashion of “Silent Kid.”
Pale Saints – “Babymaker”
And now for some warm, bubbling, murmurous melody, both old…
Minks – “Kusmi”
…and new.
Julianna Barwick – “Vow”
The entirety of R.E.M.‘s Automatic for the People lives somewhere inside this song. But, then, everything seems to exist in songs as quiet and controlled as those of Julianna Barwick.
Weekend – “Youth Haunts”
And now we slowly ascend…
Suede – “The Wild Ones”
…toward…
Patrick Wolf – “The City”
…this!
