Mix CD reviews: Train of Thought

This Christmas, I asked all of my friends to give me mix CDs. I ended up with two; one from Mike called Train of Thought and one from Heather called Pink Thong mix. The latter had a sketch of a women in a pink thong on the cover. Clearly, Heather knows what I like.

Like the title, Train of Thought has the feeling of a long trip, a tour of Mike's musical brain. It starts with some punk ska, descends into a valley of politico-pop, flirts with indie darlings, mixes it up with lo-fi genius, visits the country and ends with some really weird avant-garde stuff.

Here's the breakdown for Train of Thought

Orange Alert - The Briefs
I gotta be honest, I'm not a huge fan of punk or ska, genres that Mike has a huge hard-on for. It's a pretty bombastic opening, and, after a couple of re-listens, it's a pretty decent song.

Vibrator-the Electric
Listen to the beginning closely. What's that? This song is done with dildonics? Yes, it's true, sex toys are making their way back into mainstream music. Not only does the vibrator serve as the beat that powers this fantastic machine of a song, it serves as subject matter. A double whammey. I dig this song, but I'm biased, I recommended it to Mike.

Oh Canada! - Five Iron Frenzy
A ska salute to Canada. Wouldn't it be great if someone used this song to promote to Canada in the USA. Imagine this song set to the imagry of lesbians getting it on. Our women are hot and they can marry. Take take, America!

Star-Spangled Banner - Rivers Cuomo
I never got onto the Weezer train, so honestly, Rivers Cuomo means very little to me. I'm a Canadian too, so I'm not big on the American anthem. Oddly enough, when I listen to the song, I focus on the chords in the background. Sounds like a mix of a mosquito plate and an organ put together. Music that kills insects.

America, Fuck Yeah (Bummer Remix) - Team America
America, Fuck Yeah as a cotemplative ballad. I'll be very disapointed if Trey Parker and Matt Stone don't get one of their songs from Team America for this year's Oscars. There's too much venom and wit in their lyrics to be ignored. But ignored, they will be, as Mick Jager will win for Alfie. Just wait, you'll see.

Kiss Me, Son of God - OKGo
Another odd pick for Mike. Not sure what I think about it.

Kissing the Lipless - The Shins
One of my favourite songs on the CD. The song has a frantic energy, reminding me of makeouts and drive-thrus. I think that it's the sharp chords after the corus. Or maybe it's the sheer simplicity of the music. Highly recommended.

Camaro - Frankie and the BJs
Another fave from mine on the CD. Mike's buddies made it, so don't go looking for it on Kazaa. A nice pastiache of hipster irony and gleeful earnestness. Clever and funny.

Wild Packs of Family Dogs (2004 remaster) - Modest Mouse
A nice little ditty from last year's critical darlings and Calgary fan favourites, Modest Mouse. Not nearly as good as Float On, decent none the less.

Breakfast at Denny's - Combusitble Edison
Martin Denny inspired lounge music. If the title is anything to go by, Breakfast at Denny's should feel like a trip through a jungle on Mars. Retro-futurism and pancakes. An interesting mix.

Bring the Rhino Across - Chris Lawson
My favourite discovery of Mike's next to the Arcade Fire. There's plenty to love in Bring The Rhino Across. There's the over the top use of the synth, the female/male duet near the end, and aself aware examination of the material, to name a few. An incredibly quotable song, one that can be used in casual conversation, if you're bold.

Monkey on Your Back - Clinic
Is it right for me to be reminded of Damon Alburn's involvement with Blur when I listen to this song? Because that's what it does for me.

Hockey Monkey - James Kochalka Superstar
James Kochalka reminds me of Victoria. I remember listening to Monkey versus Robot while high on mushrooms while looking at a pile of oh too bright froot loops that I had thrown across the room. Is Hockey Money as good Monkey Versus Robot? That would be like comparing Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes with the original. One's a satiral examination of man (or monkey) versus machine and the other is the musical version of MVP: Most Valuable Primate. A version of MVP that doesn't suck. No feces throwing or strange monkey backflips in this one.

Hit Me! - The Sounds
Mike says that it's a riot grrl version of 80's girl rock. Who am I to argue? Great garage rock with a twist of funk. You know that it's there. Another gem on the CD.

I've Got It All(Most) - Modest Mouse
Much better than the other Modest Mouse song on the CD due to it's polish and great lyrics. "How can someone so inconsistant mess up so consistantly?" Great quotable stuff.

Hand Springs - The White Stripes
Hard rocking plus the spoken word. It's like rap, but done by whites. Oddly, it reminds me of a car commercial.

GT400 - Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
Another recommendation by myself.

Huun Huur Tu - Tuvan Internationale
Aboriginal throat singning from Australia, I think. Haunting, yet strangely beautiful. It stands out like a sore thumb, but a great song none the less.

Loop de Loop - Ween
Ween's version of a Fred Penner song. It's okay. Surreal.

Pickin' The Chicken - Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant
And then, out of nowhere, Mike throws in some guitar strumming. What the fuck? I guess that it's there so that we're easied into the country stuff. Technically sophiticated.

The Rodeo Song - David Alan Coe
Redneck roadrage, with *gasp* profanity.

Rodeohead - Hard n' Phirm
Remember when some country musicians from Canada redid Pink Floyd's the Wall as a country concept album? Looks like it was more influential than we hoped... and feared. Rodeohead re-imagines Radiohead as hoe-down music. Good country music, but better if you're aware of Radiohead's body of work. Admittedly, I didn't get it at first, but once I noticed the source, I enjoyed it much more.

Wayfaring Stranger - Jack White
Writen by Jack White once he started to fuck Renee Zelwiggerajigger. Jack White, why do you have the blues when you're fornicated with an Academy Award winner? My mind boggles!

Liquor and Whores - Bubbles
A song taken from Canada's answer to the Kids in the Hall, the Trailer Park Boys.

Whisky in the Morning-Buck Cherry
I thought that Check Berry did soul music. This sounds like hardcore rock. Is this song from a strange alternate universe, or am I missing something?

Garage Dayz Night-Beatallica
Everyone loves to mashup the Beatles. Danger Mouse mixed them with Jay Z to make the Grey Album. Some other smuck mixed them with the Beastie Boys to make the vastly inferior Beastles. What do we have here? The Beatles mutated into head banging music? I shouldn't like it, but I do... I do...

Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel - Barenaked Ladies
A couple of years ago, I worked the night shift in the boonies. My job was to chaufer a professional to a gas plant in the middle of nowhere. Our job was to watch water pumps and make sure that they wouldn't freeze. It was tedious, and I killed time having phone sex with Pearl. They played the song on CBC in the morning after a long day's worth of work. Morbid, and clever. One of my favourite Bare Naked Ladies songs.

Diary of an Unborn Child - Li'l Markie
Spooky pro-life song from the POV of an aborted featus. Imagine Alvin from the chipmunks warble "Why did you kill me mommy?" and you get the picture.