The future is unwritten.

Well it's been an entire month since my last post, but I'm back in the swing of things (hopefully). Let's catch up; we haven't talked in a while. So how about this nice weather in NE Ohio? I've been able to wear shorts and keep the window open these past few days. Even though I'm a little suspicious of its intentions, I think I'll trust it- for now anyway. What have you been up to? Read any good books? I just started Chris Salwicz's Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer last night, and I'm really enjoying it. As you may have gathered from my previous posts, I like Joe alot. If he's not your cup of tea, my apologies, this will be another Strummer-heavy entry, for I have tracked down quite a few gems recently. The first is a semi-reunion with Mick Jones, his Clash bandmate and friend, for The Fire Brigades Union at Acton Town Hall (just one month before his untimely death from a heart attack, December 22, 2002). You can grab it here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/6aqmiarahm2847q/Joe%20Strummer%20%28ft.%20Mick%20Jones%29%20Acton%20Hall%202002.zip

The second gem I found is a duet cover of Bob Marley's Redemption Song Strummer did with Johnny Cash. It seems a fitting tribute to all three. That one is here: http://www.4shared.com/audio/JiglRV8Y/2-12_Redemption_Song__Bob_Marl.html

Well this turned out shorter than I had planned, but the music really speaks for itself. We'll just say I'm easing  back into blogging. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them. It'll give me something to read all week, and maybe even some ideas for future posts.

Oh, and since I've gotten a few requests, all future downloads will be in easy to open .zip format rather than .rar. I'll be throwing up new links for all previous entries very soon.

Well the trees grow, the river flows, and its water will wash away my sin.

Since Spring has decided to give us a little preview (at least here in BG) I've decided to give all of you a little preview too. This week's entry is about only one band and one album. I give you:

Noah and the Whale - The First Days of Spring
http://www.mediafire.com/?tou1jxwqtxi

I was originally planning a mixtape for Spring, but I wasn't sure what to do with this week's entry since Single's Awareness was so recently. Maybe I'll still do a mix, it isn't quite Spring yet. Until then, enjoy this album. It has everything that makes me think Spring- it's a little melancholy, a little slow; like waking from hibernation. It also has two lovely instrumental pieces framing my favorite track, the upbeat and energetic Love of An Orchestra. This really needs to be experienced as a whole, so take some time to sit outside and listen to it. Maybe take a walk and listen to it on your iPod or other choice of portable listening device.

Short entry, short week. Happy Sort of Spring.

Everything dies, baby. That's a fact.

February 14- Valentine's Day Single's Awareness Day. I hope all of you are happily committed to someone else; but if you recently broke up with someone, then do I have some good news for you. We're both single! Now obviously there isn't enough of me to go around, so you'll have to make do with this mixtape of breakup songs (look I even made you a mixtape to show my ever growing love and devotion to you, dear readers). There are two versions because one of the songs is full of rudies.

[LIJ] Mixtape #7- Love Is Jargon
"You cussing at me?" version:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/gk84g130lw3sz55/%5BLIJ%5D%20Mixtape%20%237-%20Love%20Is%20Jargon.rar
"Don't you cuss and point at me" version:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/g26hzsjps144csz/%5BLIJ%5D%20Mixtape%20%237-%20Love%20Is%20Jargon%20Clean.rar

This is like a choose your own adventure mixtape of heartbreak. Follow the story below and enjoy the ride.
Start:
1) Your Love Alone Is Not Enough- Manic Street Preachers
The breakup is coming. Like a sagging roof, you know it will fall, it's just a matter of when. I believe I mentioned this song in a previous post (The Girl Rock Mixtape, under The Cardigans) about how much I like Nina Persson's voice. Well here it is. Not the happiest of songs, but I love the duet.
If the breakup is a good healthy one with no hard feelings go to track 2.
If you're optimistic and feel like you'll be fine relatively soon, go to track 3.
If it's messy, go to track 4.

2)Hurricane J- The Hold Steady
This is the ok breakup song. It's never painless, but Craig Finn seems to have a good reason and hopefully both parties will be fine in a month or so. Congrats! Good End!

3)Feel A Whole Lot Better- Tom Petty
Yeah, you don't need him/her. You'd be better off without them anyway. You're too good for them and if they don't see how awesome you are... Well, choose what happens. You tell em, Tom Petty.
If you're upset, but overall optimistic, proceed to track 5.
If !@%$@#%@%$@#$%%&$^#%@#!, go to track 4. (If you downloaded the clean version, your results may vary)

4)F*** You/Forget You- Cee-Lo Green
Cee-Lo Green is half of Gnarls Barkley, in case his voice sounds familiar. This is (obviously) the angry breakup song. Still, it's fun and upbeat. Good for a laugh(?). Are you bitter about the breakup?
Yes- Go to track 6.
No- Yes you are, go to track 6.

5)Train In Vain- Manic Street Preachers
I know I used this song last week, but it is my favorite Clash song. To keep it fresh though, I used a cover. I do enjoy the Manic Street Preachers... Anyway, you feel pretty good, maybe you'll get over it soon. Congrats, Neutral End.

6)The Calendar Hung Itself- Bright Eyes
I love angry/desperate Connor. It's almost a shame he's mellowed out because this is a great track. Anyway, this is about as angsty as this playlist will get. Sunk into pity and self-loathing yet? Proceed to track 7.

7)Down In the Hole- James Taylor
Oh James, will you never win? Life is tough, the nights are long and cold, and you are now apparently homeless and living in a hole in the ground. If you feel like singing an uplifting ballad about your lost love, go to track 8 (you know deep down that you want to).

8)Since You Been Gone- Rainbow
This song was written by Russ Ballard, guitarist for Argent. I've been trying to track down one of his solo albums, but they're (predictably?) hard to find. Regardless, rock on, forever aloners, rock on.
If you plan to try and call him/her, go to track 9.
If not, but you're still sad and have a British accent, go to track 10.

9)Operator (That's Not the Way it Feels)- Jim Croce
Jim Croce is the master of melancholy songs. If you get the chance, grab Photographs & Memories - His Greatest Hits, a fairly comprehensive collection. Jim's been a favorite of mine since around 8th grade. Some songs just connect with you and never get old. Don't mess around with Jim.
Go to the bonus track.

10)The Scientist- Coldplay
If you're sad and sorry and begging for forgiveness because it was obviously all your fault, you've reached your destination. Bad End.
Continue to the bonus track anyway.

BT) You Can't Always Get What You Want- The Rolling Stones
Because, in the words of the great sage Jagger: "You can't always get what you want; but if you try sometimes, you might find, you'll get what you need."

So, if you got a Bad End or Neutral End, go find some friends and something strong and shout your laments to the moon. Hell, even if you got a Good End, do it anyway. It sounds fun. And remember to be aware of single people today. We can be together alone.

Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer. I think he might have been our only decent teacher.

At the time I am writing this, I have 145.10G of music spanning 27,964 songs, 2,525 artists, and more genres than you can likely imagine. Even trying to group songs into the most general of categories seems like an insurmountable task. I've recently found myself throwing Alternative Rock on anything that takes more than ten seconds to sort and I feel a bit guilty about that. I've also found myself wondering just how specific I need to be- is this Breakcore or Noise Rock? Does anyone else even use these terms? What makes this song Punk and this one Punk? How do I categorize the new Bright Eyes album? He's always been Folk rock (right?) but this is more electronic (isn't it?). If the band is a well known Indie Rock band that recently signed to a major label but didn't change their style, should they still be filed under Indie Rock? Who actually cares? The answer always comes to me from the most unlikely of places; namely the most genre bending artist I can think of. When I find myself in genre trouble, Saint Joe Strummer comes to me speaking words of wisdom: "I'd like you to write 'Punk Rock Warlord' with Warlord being one word." You may or may not be familiar with Joe Strummer depending on your knowledge and interest in late 70s proto-punk bands. He was the lyricist, rhythm guitarist, lead vocalist, and co-founder of the English rock (?) band The Clash. He was also in a number of other groups pre and post-Clash including The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, and The Mescaleros. Throughout his participation in all of these bands, and even within single albums by any one of his bands, he blends genres so seamlessly into an album its as if they didn't exist in the first place. So rather than worry about genres, I put on The Clash or The Mescaleros and make peace with the fact that whatever I label it, it's music that I enjoy. That was yesterday. Today, I have another mixtape for you, dear readers.

St. Joe Strummer of England
http://www.mediafire.com/file/s894logvtr0m6od/%5BLIJ%5D%20Mixtape%20%236-%20St.%20Joe%20Strummer%20of%20England.rar

1) Intro
Just a little spoken word track. I'll let you enjoy this one for yourself.

2) Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The actual first track. I hate using terms like 'entry level' because I feel it gives a off a vibe of pretentiousness that I neither have or condone. For lack of a better word though, this is entry level Clash. You may have heard this song or a cover of it in a movie or on the radio. You may not have known it was a song by The Clash. Either way, it doesn't diminish its worth or quality, you're just more likely to have heard it. And now I vow to never use the term 'entry level' unironically ever again.

3) City of the Dead
City of the Dead is the B-Side to Complete Control, the first single from their self titled album. I found this track a while ago in a compilation of B-sides and unreleased material and it has become one of my favorite Clash songs; mostly for the line "Don't you know where to cop/That's what New York Johnny* said/You should get to know your town/Just like I know mine". Just struck a chord with me. I love Joe's writing.
*This is in reference to The New York Dolls' lead singer and guitarist Johnny Thunders.

4) Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad
This song wins the award for Most-Often-Stuck-In-My-Head-Out-of-Nowhere. I don't know what triggers it, but again and again I'll start humming it and it winds up stuck in my head. Give Em Enough Rope isn't even my favorite Clash album.

5) Coma Girl
This track is from Strummer's post-Clash work with his backing band The Mescaleros. There's something about this song that really gets to me- in a good way. It brings back nostalgic memories of a summer roadtrip that never actually happened. That's just the image I always get in my head. It's one of those songs that just makes me feel good (along with The Violent Femmes' Please Do Not Go, The Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want, The Pillows' Hybrid Rainbow, and several more in case you were wondering). It's definitely my favorite Mescaleros song.

6) Johnny Appleseed
This is another great Mescaleros song. It doesn't capture the same feelings I get from Coma Girl, but it comes close. The two Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros albums I have are great; the third, not so much (But that's just my take on it). All three are pretty different from most of his albums with The Clash; more folk-world-rockabilly sounding. Genres cannot contain this man.

7) Ramshackle Day Parade
Three Mescaleros tracks in a row? It's more likely than you think. Ramshackle Day Parade is a folk-rock ballad with an emphasis on the rock half of the equation. The beginning almost sounds like U2 but it slowly turns into a slow jam folk ballad with a choir in the background that gives it a world music feel.

8) The Card Cheat
This is probably The Clash's most layered song. Some people say its overproduced but I like it. Even if its a little busy in the background, I like the melody and how the piano interlocks with it. This is one of my old favorites from London Calling.

9) Trash City
Trash City is a track by Latino Rockabilly War, a band Strummer was in between The Clash and The Mescaleros. It's Rockabilly, a genre that for all intents and purposes is just punk-folk. Bonus points to Joe for using Kalamazoo in a song more than once.

10) Train In Vain
I'll talk about this more later in the month. Just know that it is my all time favorite Clash song.

11) Midnight Jam
Midnight Jam is another Mescalaros track. well, technically, it's just recordings of Strummer doing introductions to songs on his radio show over a slow jam. I thought it would be a good track to end on.

BT) In the Pouring Rain
Finally, your bonus track for this entry is an otherwise not recorded live track. It has some of my favorite Clash lyrics of all time, though they're hard to pick out in the recording. This one may take a few listens, but they're enjoyable listens so it all works out.

So in the words of the Hold Steady "Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer. I think he might have been our only decent teacher." Don't fear the genres.

For now, whatever, folk the world.

Well since I haven't updated since Christmas (hope you had a nice Christmas by the way) it's about time I get back on track. In the past week I've been listening to alot of folk rock. Like twelve albums. So obviously it's time for a folk rock mix right? Let's get to it then:

[LIJ] Mixtape #5- Folk Everything
http://www.mediafire.com/file/r027229jb99m2c3/%5BLIJ%5D%20Mixtape%20%235-%20Folk%20Everything.rar

I tend to get alot of good folk from the people I know; almost every artist I picked is connected with someone I know. Maybe not really connected, but in my mind they are. The first artist I picked is Talons. He plays quiet melancholy folk. It's a bit like poetry, delicate and sincere. Besides that, I admittedly know very little about the guy except that I've [probably] driven by his house on one of the most convoluted adventures of my life with the friend who introduced me to his music. We drove down Portage Path and it was kind of cool to connect with the music like that. I'd love to see him live sometime. Definitely check this one out. Most of his discography can be downloaded for free here: http://talons.bandcamp.com/
 1)Talons- Instrumental #1
 2)Talons- Goodbye Portage Path

Along with Talons, the same person introduced me to Paul Baribeau. He's much more upbeat than Talons; more happy fun folk. His album of Springsteen covers has gotten mixed reviews from the people I've played it for.
3)Paul Baribeau- I Thought I Could Find You
4)Paul Baribeau- Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen Cover)

This came from a friend I worked with at camp over the summer. He's a great songwriter himself and a better guitar player than I am. Which, admittedly, isn't saying much but still. He played True Love on several occasions and after hearing the original, I thought it'd fit nicely with the other tracks in this mix. You might recognize Devil Town if you listen to Bright Eyes extensively. There's also a documentary about him called The Devil and Daniel Johnston that I've been meaning to watch. If you see it let me know how it is.
5)Daniel Johnston- Devil Town
6)Daniel Johnston- True Love Will Find You In the End

Do you like The Decemberists by any chance? Well if you do, then you'll like this. Before The Decemberists were even a thought, lead singer Colin Meloy was in a band named after a joyous prickly desert plant. That band was:
7)Happy Cactus- Salvation
8)Happy Cactus- How About?

Finally, The Antivillans are a folk rock band fronted by the daughter of the people who own The Happy Badger shop in Bowling Green (your one stop shop for all things free trade). They are, apparently, very good live. I've never seen them live, but based on the album and quality of the Happy Badger itself, I will happily take them at their word.
9)The Antivillans- Emily
10)The Antivillans- So Much For Romance

And since I've done a bonus track on every other mix, here's a song I found a few years back. Some of the tracks on his self titled album have better live recordings, but Two Towns is still the best on the album.
BT)Blind Pilot- Two Towns From Me