Mix Tape (ahem) for January 2007

I still call them Mix Tapes in spite of the fact that I haven't owned a device capable of playing such a thing for nigh on a decade now. Still, it has a more pleasantly home-spun quality than Mix CD, or the even more "so bleeding edge technology, it's torn my ears right off" term, "playlist". Anyway after chatting with The Youngest Doddling over cocktails before the new year I realised that I hadn't made a compilation in quite some time so, without further ado, or cover-art, here's a little something for those long, dark January nights, complete with annotations:

"Scalped" - Dick Dale and the Deltones

The king of surf guitar. This is off one of his 1990s albums and is as high octane as anything he's done. If this doesn't raise your pulse-rate you're probably clinically dead.

"Is It My Body?" - Alice Cooper

From Alice's third album and some considerable distance from "Feed My Frankenstein". This, it could be argued, is a good thing.

"Escape From New York (Main Title)" - John Carpenter

Brilliant film, brilliant music. Carpenter's ultra minimal electronica never dates, even if the films do.

"Prescilla" - Bat For Lashes

Best debut album of last year in my book. Loved it and they're great live to boot.

"Serotonin" - Simple Kid

One of the best acts at The Green Man festival and a really lovely second album. Musically and lyrically interesting.

"Paul Simon" - The Russian Futurists

"I Love Rock and Roll" - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Carmen Electra and I are in full agreement on this one. Joan Jett is cool.

"Stoned is the Way of the Walk" - Cypress Hill

"Coast to Coast" - Cut Chemist

"Watch My Moves (Koushik remix)" - Dooley O

"Scent of a Robot" - Pete Miser

Heard this track on the promo reel for the SIGGRAPH festival and went directly to iTunes to get it.

"Your Thing is a Drag" - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

A Lascivious Biddies recommendation that I heartily endorse. This is proper funk.

"Let's Dance" - David Bowie

An 80's classic, a guilty pleasure, and it's got Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar.

"Back in Black" - Hayseed Dixie

The definitive cover version by the definitive cover band.

"My Patch" - Jim Noir

"Hitachi Hard Drive Project" - Noriko

Gizmodo held a competion to make a piece of music from the sounds a dying hard-drive makes. This won; I like it.

"South Wind/Blarney Pilgrim" - John Renbourn and Robin Williamson

The Impenetrable String Tangle. Nuff said.

"Maremaillette" - Hawk And a Hacksaw

Another Green Man favourite of mine.

"All The Pretty Little Horses" - Current 93

The version with Nick Cave on vocals. One of Tinseltroos' favourite bands. I think their music ranges from the unlistenable (as in just plain awful) to the utterly sublime. I'll forgive them the rubbish for tracks like this one.