Artist	Song
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion	Do You Wanna Get Heavy?
N.E.R.D.	Baby Doll
Hood	They Removed All Trace That Anything Had Ever
Animals That Swim	Roy
Animals That Swim	Vic
Mercury Program	There Are Thousands Sleeping In Peace
Hood	I Can't Find My Brittle Youth
The Long Winters	Give Me A Moment
The Long Winters	Car Parts
Jim O'Rourke	Memory Lame
Solex	Good Comrades Go To Heaven
Silver Jews	Tennessee
Life Without Buildings	Envoys
Life Without Buildings	Let's Get Out
Solex	Low Kick and Hard Bop
N.E.R.D.	Stay Together
The Long Winters	Mimi
Graham Parker & the Rumour	I Want You Back

Comment:

The comp starts out with an innocent Zappa-like buildup to a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion rock-out and then collapses into a soul-filled doo-wop chorus asking over and over the age old question "Do you wanna get heavy?" which then segues into The Neptunes production team (aka N.E.R.D.) channeling some funky old rockin' R&B into a plead for "my baby doll" not to go because "I just met you". And then Hood takes over with a swarm of skittering clicks mixed over a solid drum foundation and towed along by a mournful cello and jangly guitars with vocals split between Chris Hood and a loop by Dose-One. Next up is the Animals That Swim with a clever Smiths-like imaginary chance encounter with Roy Orbison performing in a greasy dive (that's right son I should've been bigger than Elvis / I sing like a bird write my own words / missed my chance cos I'ws too damn ugly) and then followed by a short song with some observations while waiting for a bus that concludes with an errant request for Surfin' USA. The Mercury Program follows with a tasteful instrumental ride into Tortoise-like post-rock territory and then it's back to Hood for another song before the first encounter with The Long Winters debut album featuring John Roderick and a bunch of his indie rock friends from Death Cab For Cutie, Built To Spill, Posies, Sunny Day Real Estate and Fountains of Wayne. This one is kinda sad and slow but moves into a very nice storm of guitars in the second half before closing with a lovely, unadorned piano against a slightly askew sonic background that brings Sparklehorse to mind. Jim O'Rourke follows with the fittingly titled "Memory Lame" which is a biting, sardonic dismissal dressed up in a lush and beautifully crafted pop song full of lyrics like "Looking at you / Reminds me of looking at the sun / And how the blind are so damned lucky". Next is Dutch record shop owner turned sampler crazed avant garde songstress Elisabeth Esselink in her performing guise as Solex and one of the poppier songs from her last album. Dave Berman follows with one of my favorites from his latest Silver Jews offering, joined by Cassie Merrett for a wonderful female counterpoint in the chorus. Words to describe the next couple songs from Life Without Buildings are kind of elusive for me. The music is very reminiscent of The Feelies take on the Velvet Underground, but the vocals are from another universe. Fragmented, repetitive and delivered in a stream of consciousness style, but one of the most interesting and infectious female vocalists I have heard in ages. I have no idea what others will think, though :-) Another gem from Solex is next , this one the opening title track from the latest "Low Kick and Hard Bop" with blues harmonica and pounding drums driving this storm of shifting rhythms and sonic detours to it's rap centerpiece. Another slice of Sly Stone via Prince via P.M Dawn from N.E.R.D. follows before turning it over to the Trail of Dead for a gentle buildup to a sonic barrage before closing with a beautful tear-jerker form The Long Winters that's a little reminiscent of Low. And that's it (although it may have a bonus track at the end :-)).

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