MICK’S TAPE | Volume 2

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For his second installment, Mick takes us to the coziest corners of lo-fi outer space with Don’t Dream It’s Over. Our journey begins by the sea, with the Athens-based indie group Elf Power. Complete with the sound of actual waves crashing and a few dissonant clarinets, this song may weed out the weak. But those who journey on with Mick will enjoy the spoils of Elephant 6 and some of the other really cool stuff that was happening in the 90s… besides Nirvana. Like the head-bopping acoustic anthem from Jeff Mangum, “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1″. And songs from two of Dean Wareham’s dream-pop bands, Luna and the earlier Galaxie 500. (Never heard of this guy before — now totally hooked. Really digging the steel guitar on Teenage Lightning…) Also “True Love Will Find You In the End” by Daniel Johnston, which I believe is one of the most beautiful things ever recorded. And the super-chill jam, “Hit the Ground Running” from Smog (a favorite new discovery of this mix). So there’s lots of 90s, but several other stops along the way… If you’re a fan of Raising Sand, you’ll recognize (and delight) in the original version of “Fortune Teller”, recorded by Benny Spellman in 1962. And if you like Mazzy Star, you’ll love this year’s track 17 from Young Prisms. The real ringer of this mix, though, is the title track from Crowded House. When taken out of a terrible “best-of-the-eighties” compilation and listened to in a context like this, the integrity of that song really shines. Dreamy whammy bar and all. And in case you’re still in orbit, the gorgeously atmospheric last track from Icelandic post-rock group, Sigur Ros, will certainly send you floating into a dark and beautiful infinity.

1. Green Sea Days // Elf Power // The Winter is Coming, 2000
2. Wishing Well // Peter Daltrey & The Asteroid No. 4  // The Journey, 2012
3. My Flying Saucer // Billy Brag & Wilco // Mermaid Avenue, Vol. II, 2000
4. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 // Neutral Milk Hotel // In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, 1998
5. Wires // The Moles // Untune the Sky, 1991
6. Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) // The Swingin’ Medallions // (single), 1996
7. Fortune Teller // Benny Spellman // (single, b-side), 1962
8. The Man in Me // Bob Dylan // New Morning, 1970
9. Hit the Ground Running // Smog // Knock Knock, 1999
10. Teenage Lightning // Luna // Close Cover Before Striking, 2002
11. Cruel to Be Kind // Nick Lowe // Labour of Love, 1979
12. I Get Wild/Wild Gravity // Talking Heads // Speaking in Tongues, 1983
13. Isn’t It a Pity // Galaxie 500 // On Fire, 1989
14. No Expectations // The Rolling Stones // Beggars Banquet, 1968
15. Fire Lake // Bob Seger // Nine Tonight, 1981
16. True Love Will Find You in the End // Daniel Johnston // 1990, 1990
17. Four Hours (Away) // Young Prisms // In Between, 2012
18. Kiss Me Like You Mean It // The Magnetic Fields // 69 Love Songs, 1999
19. Judy and the Dream of Horses // Belle & Sebastian // The BBC Sessions, 2008
20. Don’t Dream it’s Over // Crowded House // Crowded House, 1986
21. Svefn-g-englar // Sigur Ros // Agaetis Byrjun, 1999

Thanks, Mick. Catch you on the flip side.

*album art features Beth Hoeckel collage, “Snooze”