Favorites of 2015

Here's my year end wrap up and here's my podcast for my favorite tracks of the year:

Favorites of 2015 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

~Austin

Favorites of 2014

Hey there—

Nope, not dead (sorry to disappoint to those fearsome few).  Just took a long break.  In case you were wondering what I've been doing (you probably haven't, but I'm going to tell you anyway), I was trying to complete fifty two recorded songs in fifty two weeks over on my Bandcamp page.  Well, I was successful.  Here are the results, should you choose to subject yourself to such a thing as me making music.

Back to the point at hand: as I do always around this season, I've compiled and uploaded a podcast of my favorite music released this year.  The tracklist is as follows:

The mix is available to stream here or from the widget below.

Favorites of 2014 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

A few words to be said, rankings, and just an all around better text wrap-up can be found here.

Please enjoy.

 What's New? and general blog activeness will be making a return in the new year.

~Austin

New podcast: The Crowd pleaser: a jazz mix

All songs that have been sampled, some obvious picks, some not so obvious; all cookers though.

Crowd pleaser by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Enjoy.

~Austin

New podcast: American new wave!

This one's been bouncing around in my head for a while. . .

American new wave by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Enjoy.

~Austin

New podcast: Folk rock!

Mandolins and minor chords. . . it must be a folk rock mix!

Folk rock mix summer 2014 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Enjoy.

~Austin

New podcast: jazz tunes for summer!

Over two hours worth, pure mellow vibes all the way through. . .

Summer jazz 2014 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

See ya 'round.

~Austin

New podcast: 60's pop!

Lots of David Axelrod-affiliated stuff and just fun tunes. Tried to go for some obvious names, but less obvious picks in addition to some obscurities. Some lite-psych sounds, but mostly on the pop side of things. About half of it is sourced from vinyl, so prepare for some warmth and crackling.

Tracklist:

01 Moorpark Intersection - I Think I'll Go Out and Find Me A Flower
02 The Remains - Don't Look Back
03 The Byrds - Why
04 The Electric Prunes - Wind-Up Toys
05 The Lemon Pipers - Ask Me if I Care
06 Chad + Jeremy - Rest in Peace
07 Hardwater - City Sidewalks
08 Peppermint Trolley Co. - Trust
09 Twinn Connexion - Turn Down Day
10 The Turtles - You Showed Me
11 The Cyrkle - The Words
12 The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
13 Donovan - Get Thy Bearings
14 The Common People - I Have Been Alone
15 David Bowie - Conversation Piece
16 Buffalo Springfield - Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing
17 People - I Love You
18 Grateful Dead - Morning Dew

Enjoy!

60's pop by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Favorites of 2013

Here's a mix that contains all my most favorite music released in the twelve months since I did my last mix of a similar nature.  This has been one of the best years for new music in quite some time.

Favs of 13 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

1)  King Krule — Easy Easy
2)  My Bloody Valentine — she found now
3)  The Ocean Blue — Sad Night, Where is Morning?
4)  ChameleonsVox — Heaven
5)  The Appleseed Cast — Cathedral Rings
6)  Atoms for Peace — Before Your Very Eyes. . .
7)  Sigur Rós — Ísjaki
8)  Juana Molina — El Oso de la Guarda
9)  King Krule — Foreign 2
10)  Kitchens of Distinction — Photographing Rain
11)  Sam Prekop — Pavillion 15
12)  The Ocean Blue — Fast Forward Reverse (prelude)
13)  The Ocean Blue — Fast Forward Reverse
14)  My Bloody Valentine — new you
15)  Travis — Reminder
16)  Andrew Bird — Pulaski at Night
17)  Mazzy Star — California
18)  William Tyler — Country of Illusion
19)  Shuggie Otis —Black Belt Sheriff
20)  King Krule — The Krockadile
21)  William Tyler — The World Set Free

 If you're goin' through hell, we just keep goin'.

~Austin

A Solbakken starter mix.

I was going to try and do an "In a Nutshell" post for Solbakken, but it would have been a difficult read for pretty much anyone except its author.  All five star ratings and impenetrable tangents of adjectives trying to convey just what it is that I love about them so dearly.  So, here, I will try to put the aborted "In a Nutshell" in its own nutshell: they are dark, noisy, sometimes too slow to bare, catchy, complicated, heartfelt, sometimes too fast to bare, passionate and they sing about isolated, yet inexplicably human things.  They are one of the most perfect bands to listen to in winter (maybe because their music is so warm, humane and coldly comforting — I don't know, honestly).  I have discussed them and my history with them here and here and now that I've finally reacquired their full catalogue (for a second time!), I've decided to ditch the words and let the music do the talking.  One of the best bands ever.  Just wish more people knew who they were.  In an effort to spread the word, here's my own version of the Best of Solbakken.

Tracklist:

Stream:

Solbakken by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Download.

Solbakken has been dormant (and presumably broken up) for almost a decade now. I've only been able to keep up with guitarist Empee Holwerda's post-Solbakken band Kanipchen-Fit (and it's very good, very Solbakken-ish). Their albums are exceedingly difficult to find, so this mix was partially made to provide a listening party for those who are unable to obtain them.

Enjoy. I certainly do.

~Austin

New podcast: fall new wave mix.

Fall new wave 2013 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Enjoy.

Unstable, but okay. Getting there.

~Austin

New podcast: . . .these days. . .

It looks like this:

Or this:

It sounds like this:

. . .these days. . . by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

It's meant for this:

Enjoy.

~Austin

Spring Podcast

A new mix.  Happy to be sad/sad to be happy.  Whatever.  Slow and acoustic-y.

 

Spring 2013 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

The Turn of the Screw (conclusion)
Pink Floyd — Grantchester Meadows
Mark Burgess + Yves Altana — Hollin High
Morrissey — I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
The Durutti Column — Please Let Me Sleep
Leo Kottke — Tiny Island
Kristin Hersh — Gazebo Tree
David J — Crocodile Tears and the Velvet Cosh (Revisited)
Bob Dylan — Girl From the North Country
Dick Gaughan — Both Sides the Tweed
Fleet Foxes — Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Björk — Desired Constellation
David Crosby — Where Will I Be?
PJ Harvey — Sweeter Than Anything
Fotheringay — Nothing More
Aztec Two-Step — Cockroach Cacaphony
America — Donkey Jaw
The Pentangle — Child of the Winter
John Martyn — Call Me Crazy
Neil Young — Will to Love
The Appleseed Cast — Silas' Knife
Van Morrison — Snow in San Anselmo
The Finn Brothers — Only Talking Sense
David Sylvian — A Fire in the Forest
Nick Drake — From the Morning

Unimpressed at this point.

~A

What's New?: 12.24.2012 and Favorites of 2012

Wrapping up the loose ends of this year's releases and the year as a whole. . .

Carla Morrison — Déjenme Llorar (2012)

This is a good example of how something can get by on purely the vibe of the music.  My Spanish is embarrassing, at best.  And yet, I can feel what Carla Morrison is singing about.  I've been a passing fan the last couple years, but Déjenme Llorar seems like the perfect jumping in point.  There's a dream poppy, yet organic quality to her music that just resonates with me these days.  Songs like 'Duele' and the title track ("let me cry") have a happily mournful aspect to them that just shines.  Not to mention that, musically speaking, I can't really draw any immediate comparisons.  The presentation is very sparse (a full drum kit is only used on a handful of the songs) and semi-reverby, yet throw in Carla's sporadic spaghetti western electric guitar riffs, occasional group harmonies and a deliciously winning jangly undertone and things just turn into one of the best albums of the year.  And that voice! — quickly becoming one of my favorites.  Wonderful to see such a deserving and amazing talent get a bigger recognition for what is her (so far) best work.

Benjamin Gibbard — Former Lives (2012)

I balked on this one, much the same way I did with Codes and Keys.  And considering that album has just gotten better with age, I should have known better.  Ben has been with me for most of my mature life, so I can't reasonably see him letting me down this far into the game.  And, well, as the second guy from Death Cab to go formally solo, he's got Chris Walla beat after the first proper song.  Make no mistakes, slow strummy thoughtful tunes that explore characters like 'Dream Song' dominate here, but the song is just that: slow strummy and thoughtful.  Gloriously so, as it may be.  I dunno.  I'm a big fan and all, but even so, this feels like an album that was very meaningful to its creator.  As the listener, I can't not feel that.  There is a definite Americana/Roots Rock slant to the material, so tunes like the folk rocky 'Lily' or the Neil Young-aping 'Broken Yolk in Western Sky' only seem to up the intimate ante.  The one curve ball arrives in the faux-mariachi sendup 'Something's Rattling' and it's darn good.  It all ends with one of his by now predictably stunning acoustic ballads.  This one is called 'I'm Building A Fire' and it belongs right there with 'A Lack of Color' and 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark' in the man's cannon of heartbreakingly beautiful love songs.  None too shabby.  For the most part, it's excellent guitar pop from one of the style's best contemporary interpreters.  Not ever going to second guess him again.  I promise. 

Which, after wrapping all that up, brings us to the fact that it's the end of another year.  And it's time for me to be a nerd again.  Not going to babble on and on.  So, just like last year, I've made a mix.  This year was about great musicians doing as much as possible, so there are some repeats of names on this one.  Still pretty much a wonderland of good stuff.  Again, a good chunk of it is proudly sourced from vinyl, it was done in one take and I've really put some thought into the sequencing.  Please enjoy. 

Favs of 12 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

01)  Sigur Rós — Rembihnútur
02)  Tonality*Star — Heart + Soul
03)  The Sea + Cake — Harps
04)  Poor Moon — People In Her Mind
05)  Carla Morrison — Eres Tú
06)  King Krule — Rock Bottom
07)  Ben Gibbard — Bigger Than Love
08)  WU LYF — Triumph
09)  Andrew Bird — Desperation Breeds. . . Polynation
10)  Tonality*Star — I Fell in Love
11)  The Sea and Cake — Harbor Bridges
12)  Robin Pecknold —  Olivia, In a Separate Bed
13)  Carla Morrison — Maleza
14)  Poor Moon — Come Home
15)  King Krule — Octopus
16)  Fiona Apple — Anything We Want
17)  Andrew Bird — Orpheo
18)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~Austin

A Fall Mix for Angel.

New season, new mix.

Fall mix for angel by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Enjoy.

~Austin

Book review: Return from the Stars by Stanislaw Lem

I jump at any Lem I see in the used bookstores.  This was not one I was familiar with, so I took advantage of its availability a couple months ago.

There it sat, on my shelf, ever since this past week.

Reading through it in a few marathon sessions (it's an uncharacteristically light and easy breeze of a read for a Lem novel), I'm mad at myself for waiting so long.

If you know Lem's more serious dramatic works, you will be familiar with the regretful outsider protagonist.  The one that, on top of being completely displaced in a nearly alien world and all of its uncomfortably unfamiliar things and practices, has another world of personal regret and conflict to reconcile with.  Hal Bregg, a near-Superman from the past, must make sense of the doomed space travel mission he has returned to Earth from, but first, he must make peace with a world that "betrizates" itself in order to dull the senses and make people immune from aggressive thoughts and urges.  Robots do everything else.  Cities are built in stacked levels, for which each level has an imaginary sky projected on a huge television screen on the floor of the next level up.  Space travel and research for lifeforms outside of of Earth have now been deemed obsolete and primitive.

This all confronts a man who is physically 30 years old, but technically 140.  He has the guilt of possibly the responsibility of the death of crew members on his conscience.  He has no immediate family.  He is completely isolated and unique (in a now socially awkward way).

Amongst his wanderings back on Earth, Hal is introduced to a shocking new way of life that seems pleasant on the surface, but in actuality, only raises more unrest in a mind that has the remembrance and knowledge that his has.  In typical Lem fashion, you, as the reader, are immediately catapulted into this unfamiliar world, without explanation.  Dialogue is fractured and many things are left open and unexplained.  The feeling of being absolutely lost and engulfed in this magnificent future of mystery and trippy landscapes is imposed immediately on the reader and it's certainly not by accident that there are no shortage of typical Lem-isms — that is, made up words to signify new technology that is commonplace in this future, but that seems completely alien to a contemporary reader.  The numerous ideas and things tossed out at random as ho-hum technologies in the time that this story takes place —the type that would be completely revolutionary if they were to actually materialize— are too many to count.  A short example: optons.  They are essentially an electronic tablet, not that different from a Kindle or an iPad, in which books or other information can be loaded onto for reference later on (Return from the Stars was first published in 1961).

As with all of Lem's works, satirical or serious, this one envelopes the reader in another world entirely.  That this book takes a less "heady" approach (though no less trippy, as the many city scenes from before Hal leaves for Clavestra illustrate), and instead aims for a more emotional landscape is where it wins.  Lem has always been capable of tugging at the deep thinker's heartstrings —Solaris, amidst pages upon pages of nearly incomprehensible technobabble, still somehow manages to be deeply resonating and emotive— but Return is just a master toying with his craft.  That he leaves out no minutiae —I don't think there's a meal that's not accounted for, nor how many words were actually uttered during its discourse— and yet, still manages an emotional finale unmatched in any of the other works of his I've read. . . well, that's pretty impressive.

There's plenty of action, too.  Though, most of it occurs through flashbacks.  Really though, it's the emotional core and how, in the final act, there is not a single mention of any piece of futuristic technology that pushes this one over the top.

In the middle of all this is a world gone mad with betrization.  So much commentary on how people don't truly understand their own impulses and desires before acting on them.  The betrizated society comes into question very early on in the story.  The logistics as to how  real any person walking around actually is if they've been treated to essentially not act like themselves are weighed right up front.  Very loaded.  Typical Lem.

A singular experience and one of his very best works, I'd say.

————————————————————————

Such an inspiring and wonderful work, in fact, that I've been moved to create another podcast containing songs that I feel conjure up moods that this story evokes.  No title for this one, just pure feeling.  Enjoy.

Mix inspired by return from the stars by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

1)  Brian Eno — 'A Clearing' (1982)
2)  Human League — 'The Path of Least Resistance' (1979)
3)  Red Sparowes — 'A Message of Avarice Rained Down and Carried Us Away to False Dreams of Endless Riches' (2006)
4)  Cocteau Twins — 'Lazy Calm' (1986)
5)  The Durutti Column — 'Falling' (2001)
6)  The Reegs — 'The Nasty Side' (1993)
7)  DJ Shadow — 'Blood on the Motorway' (2002)
8)  Slowdive — 'Changes' (1994)
9)  Sam Prekop — 'November September' (2010)
10)  Eberhard Weber — 'T on a White Horse' (1977)
11)  Kraftwerk — 'Ananas Symphonie' (1975)
12)  Tangerine Dream — 'Invisible Limits' (1976)
13)  Harmonia — 'Almost' (1976)
14)  William Ackerman — 'The Search for the Turtle's Navel' (1977)
15)  Trembling Blue Stars — 'Branches' (2005)
16)  Brian Eno — 'Always Returning' (1983)
17)  Sigur Rós — 'Varðeldur' (2012)
18)  David Sylvian — 'Darkest Dreaming' (1999)

~Austin

A synth-pop mix for summer.

Not sure why, but I always feel like dated synth sounds and shamelessly poppy tunes accompany hot weather really well.  Here's a mix to enhance hot days and long sunsets.  I've subtitled this mix "I'm tired of crying on the stairs." 

Synth pop summer mix by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

1)  Simple Minds — 'Someone Somewhere in Summertime' (extended mix) (1982)
2)  Depeche Mode — 'New Life' (1981)
3)  The The — 'That Was the Day' (1983)
4)  Tears for Fears — 'Pale Shelter' (1983)
5)  Tones on Tail — 'Performance' (1984)
6)  Pet Shop Boys — 'Love Comes Quickly' (extended mix) (1986)
7)  The Blue Nile — 'The Downtown Lights' (1989)
8)  The Horrors — 'You Said' (2011)
9)  The Wake — 'Talk About the Past' (Kid Jensen Session) (1984)
10)  The Human League — 'Seconds' (1981)
11)  For Against — 'Amen Yves (White Circles)' (1984)
12)  Kate Bush — 'Experiment IV' (extended mix) (1985)
13)  Future Conditional feat. Bob Wratten — 'We Don't Just Disappear' (2007)
14)  New Order — 'Vanishing Point' (1989)
15)  Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — 'Sacred Heart' (1981)
16)  David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto — 'Forbidden Colours' (1983)
17)  Gary Numan — 'Cry, the Clock Said' (1981)
18)  The Postal Service — 'Sleeping In' (2003)

Enjoy.

~Austin

Favorites of 2011

Breaking from my usual format, instead of blabbering on (yet again) about how much I liked the music released this past year, I am simply going to let the music speak for itself.  Here are my favorite songs from my favorite albums of the year, sequenced in a way that you may find rewarding to listen to, if you should choose to do so.  Most of the songs are proudly sourced from vinyl, so headphone listening is encouraged.  It's ninety minutes long, so please allow yourself some free time to fully embrace it.

Favorites of 2011 by Austintayeshus on Mixcloud

Tracklist:
01 Jónsi — Why Not?
02 Kate Bush — Snowed in at Wheeler Street
03 Thurston Moore — Space
04 The Appleseed Cast — Middle States
05 The Sea and Cake — Inn Keeping
06 The Horrors — Endless Blue
07 Death Cab for Cutie — Doors Unlocked and Open
08 To My: Long Lost Love — If You Say So
09 PJ Harvey — In the Dark Places
10 The Feelies — Bluer Skies
11 Gavin Friday — The Sun and the Moon and the Stars
12 Radiohead — Separator
13 King Krule — The Noose of Jah City
14 The Beach Boys — Look (Song for Children)/Child is Father of the Man/Surf's Up
15 Fleet Foxes — Grown Ocean
16 David Sylvian — A Certain Slant of Light
17 Sigur Rós — Lúppulagið

I am participating this year in the St. Baldrick's fundraiser.  Go here to donate.  And yes, I'm serious: if I raise $500, the beard is coming off too.  Otherwise, it's staying and I will be an unsightly bald man with an inexplicable beard.

~Austin

Post-Punk Summer (original 2008 mix)

I did this mix three years ago in the midst of horrible wildfires burning all around Reno. Surround by grey smoke, orange sunlight and 90 degree temperatures, I thought these songs accompanied the atmosphere pretty well.

Enjoy.

01 Joy Division — Transmission (John Peel Session) (1979)
02 Throwing Muses — And a She Wolf After the War (Doghouse Cassette demo) (1985)
03 The Sound — Hothouse (John Peel Session) (1981)
04 Modern English — The Prize (1982)
05 The Comsat Angels — Independence Day (1980)
06 Translator — Nothing is Saving Me (1982)
07 For Against — Shine (1986)
08 Tones on Tail — Burning Skies (1983)
09 The Chameleons — Swampthing (live) (1987)
10 Sonic Youth — I Dreamed I Dream (1982)
11 The Psychedelic Furs — All of this and Nothing (1981)
12 The Cure — A Chain of Flowers (1987)
13 The Go-Betweens — Twin Layers of Lightning (1986)
14 The Durutti Column — Bordeaux (1983)
15 The Jesus and Mary Chain — On the Wall (demo) (1987)

Flash player embeds are now blocked, but you can hear the mix directly here.

~Austin

Repetitive Grooves and Ambient Moods

a/k/a Slow down and dream on

Twenty five songs and nearly two hours of things I find pretty and fun and happy and relaxing.

1) R.E.M. — 'Airportman' (1998)
2) The American Analog Set — 'Born on the Cusp' (2005)
3) Red House Painters — 'Mistress' (1993)
4) Kitchens of Distinction — 'Under the Sky, Inside the Sea' (1990)
5) Midsummer — 'Tempests' (2002)
6) The Cure — 'Uyea Sound' (1992)
7) The Ocean Blue — 'Falling Through the Ice' (1991)
8) Dream Academy — 'In Places on the Run' (1985)
9) The Appleseed Cast — 'Take' (2001)
10) The Wake — 'Send Them Away' (1985)
11) Sigur Rós — 'Von' (1997)
12) Death Cab for Cutie — 'Stability' (2002)
13) Codeine — 'D' (1990)
14) The Coctails — 'Circles' (1994)
15) Nightmares on Wax — 'Morse' (2000)
16) The Durutti Column — 'Future Perfect' (1996)
17) Tracey Thorn — 'Small Town Girl' (1982)
18) Slowdive — 'In Mind' (1994)
19) Coastal — 'Her Refelction in Chrome' (2000)
20) Slovenly — 'Myer's Dark' (1987)
21) The Sea and Cake — 'Pages' (2008)
22) Sonic Youth — 'Pink Steam' (2006)
23) The Chameleons — 'I'll Remember' (1986)
24) Björk — 'Headphones (0 Remix)'
25) David Sylvian — 'Darkest Dreaming' (1999)

Flash player embeds are now blocked, but can hear the mix directly here.

~Austin

D-I-V-O-R-C-E

New podcast.

Songs that have helped me (and still are helping me) cope with my divorce.

01 Everything But the Girl — I Don't Want to Talk About It (1988)
02 Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues (2011)
03 Mark Burgess — Happy New Life (1994)
04 Beulah — Landslide Baby (2003)
05 Doves — There Goes the Fear (2002)
06 Stephen Fretwell — Dead (2007)
07 Sigur Rós — Gobbledigook (2008)
08 The Comsat Angels — (Do the) Empty House (1982)
09 Portishead — The Rip (2008)
10 Radiohead — Lotus Flower (2011)
11 Travis — Selfish Jean (2007)
12 Kitchens of Distinction — The 1001st Fault (1989)
13 The Sound — You've Got A Way (1987)
14 Orchestral Maneouvres in the Dark — Of All the Things We've Made (John Peel Session, 1983)
15 Dumptruck — Island (1987)
16 Archer Prewitt — The Race (2002)
17 The Cure — Treasure (1996)
18 Crowded House — Private Universe (demo, 1992)
19 Neil Young — See the Sky About to Rain (live, 1971)
20 Trembling Blue Stars — Farewell to Forever (1998)

Flash player is now blocked, but you can hear the mix directly here.

~Austin

PS — Still not the proper return of RC. You will know when it happens. I promise it will be soon.