the Steve Mix 2008-2009
At this point I've mailed out or handed out almost all of the copies of the Steve Mix for 2008-2009 (although if you haven't gotten one yet and would still like one, let me know). so at this point I can safely reveal not only the contents of my mix but also my reasoning behind many of the choices.
1-Phantom Planet’s “Raise the Dead”
I rediscovered Phantom Planet this year after I had been a huge fan of their first album but not so of anything they’d done since. This song is here because the first time I heard it I thought it was a fantastic intro song. A great song about pulling yourself up from the depths, which sometimes seems impossible. Very uplifting.
2-“Meantime” by The Futureheads
One of the five songs I saw this band play at an HMV on Oxford Street in London, so this song is in honor of that trip. But I don’t want to give the wrong impression, especially to David, who I took the trip to go and see. The message of this song is about meaningless conversation with someone who is unfunny and a bit thick… so please don’t think the message of the song is directed towards you AT ALL, David! :)
(That's a common theme of this mix, by the way, me choosing songs that I really hope no one reads into the meaning of them too much. I swear all the songs later in the mix that have references to infidelity are just a coincidence and do NOT mean anything!)
3-“After Hours” by We Are Scientists
Most of the songs on this CD are here because I like the sound of the song, pure and simple, but this one goes a bit deeper than that. One, it was played on trailers for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which is where I first fell for the song. But second, the lyrics make me think of nights out drinking and playing trivia with my brother and the Edwardsville crew because it’s about not wanting the fun times to end.
4-Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire”
Love Kings of Leon, as evidenced by their inclusion on the 2004-2005 Steve Mix and last year’s too. Love their newest CD released in 2008, love this song from it. And it's a song about sex, so who doesn't love that? :)
5-“February Air” by Lights
Heard this song for the first time on an Old Navy commercial. Good stuff. As a bit of a stretch, I also chose this song because I broke my arm in February and couldn’t fully wear a coat at the time, so my arms frequently did get cold in February air. ;)
6-“I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You” by Black Kids
You cannot help but dance to this song, I challenge you. I feel that way so much that I requested it be played at Marc and Nikki’s wedding reception, so this song will always remind me of that night.
7-Mates of State’s “My Only Offer”
Heard this song on a local college radio station, dug it a lot, checked out the album, loved it. Almost went with a different song from their album instead, but they’re all really upbeat and fun like this one. Highly recommended.
8-Thao’s “Bag of Hammers”
Saw Thao at The Hotel Café Tour (one of many artists I fell for there, as you’ll see) and really dug her, and then after a bit she played this song, which I realized I’d heard before on the aforementioned college radio station. It’s now being used in a commercial for Clorox disinfectant wipes, I think.
9-The Break and Repair Method’s “This City is Bound to Do Us In”
This band opened up for Matt Nathanson when I saw him at Pops back in November, and I really dug them. Apparently the dude who fronts this band is actually a member of Matchbox 20.
10-“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” by She and Him
A song off of one of my two favorite CDs of 2008. Just a fun song all around.
11-“A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend
A song off of the other of my two favorite CDs of 2008. I also saw them play at the Pageant in September, which is why I justified putting them on this year’s mix even though they were on last year’s without putting out a new CD, unlike Kings of Leon above.
12-Death Cab for Cutie’s “No Sunlight”
Really the only standout song on DC4C’s newest album (who last appeared on my 2006-2007 mix) and I love the idea of a song with such a pessimistic point of view having such an upbeat and happy mood to it
13-“My Year in Lists” by Los Campesinos
Was supposed to see them in concert this year but it was during February when my arm was broken. I also like the lyrics being about someone who is not resistant to the idea of change but doesn’t like the circumstances of the changes he’s being asked to undergo.
14-“On The Edge of a Cliff” by The Streets
I love the Streets, who were on my 2004-2005 mix. I love their new album, I love the sentiment of this song from it, which is about how much of a gift life is
15-Meiko’s “Boys with Girlfriends”
Fell for Meiko at Hotel Café Tour at the aforementioned show at the Duck Room. Dunno why I chose this song over “How Lucky We Are” which Marc and Nikki almost danced to at their wedding... maybe just because it's more upbeat.
16-Greg Laswell’s “How The Day Sounds”
He opened for Ingrid Michaelson at the Pageant last summer and I thought he was great. This is one of his more upbeat songs.
17-“Bottle It Up” by Sara Bareilles
My favorite Sara B song, mostly because she looks gorgeous in the video. :) Went to see her in October at the Pageant and she was gorgeous there too. I felt ok about putting her on the mix both last year and this year with a song from the same album since I went to that concert.
18-Jaymay’s “Gray or Blue”
Hey look! Another Hotel Café Tour artist! A nice little love song, this one.
19-Lily Allen’s “Who’d Have Known”
Lily was on the 2006-2007 mix. She had a new CD out this year, and this is one of my faves from it, pure and simple.
20-“All This Beauty” by The Weepies
Love the Weepies who appeared on last year’s mix but this is from a new album so it’s ok. And the second I heard this, I knew it would be the song to end my mix this year. Perfect to complete the album by coming full circle with another very uplifting song ending the CD just as it began.
Hope you all liked the mix. Let me know your thoughts on it please or if you want to know more about any of my selections. And again, if you haven't gotten a copy of it yet but want one, please let me know.
1-Phantom Planet’s “Raise the Dead”
I rediscovered Phantom Planet this year after I had been a huge fan of their first album but not so of anything they’d done since. This song is here because the first time I heard it I thought it was a fantastic intro song. A great song about pulling yourself up from the depths, which sometimes seems impossible. Very uplifting.
2-“Meantime” by The Futureheads
One of the five songs I saw this band play at an HMV on Oxford Street in London, so this song is in honor of that trip. But I don’t want to give the wrong impression, especially to David, who I took the trip to go and see. The message of this song is about meaningless conversation with someone who is unfunny and a bit thick… so please don’t think the message of the song is directed towards you AT ALL, David! :)
(That's a common theme of this mix, by the way, me choosing songs that I really hope no one reads into the meaning of them too much. I swear all the songs later in the mix that have references to infidelity are just a coincidence and do NOT mean anything!)
3-“After Hours” by We Are Scientists
Most of the songs on this CD are here because I like the sound of the song, pure and simple, but this one goes a bit deeper than that. One, it was played on trailers for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which is where I first fell for the song. But second, the lyrics make me think of nights out drinking and playing trivia with my brother and the Edwardsville crew because it’s about not wanting the fun times to end.
4-Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire”
Love Kings of Leon, as evidenced by their inclusion on the 2004-2005 Steve Mix and last year’s too. Love their newest CD released in 2008, love this song from it. And it's a song about sex, so who doesn't love that? :)
5-“February Air” by Lights
Heard this song for the first time on an Old Navy commercial. Good stuff. As a bit of a stretch, I also chose this song because I broke my arm in February and couldn’t fully wear a coat at the time, so my arms frequently did get cold in February air. ;)
6-“I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You” by Black Kids
You cannot help but dance to this song, I challenge you. I feel that way so much that I requested it be played at Marc and Nikki’s wedding reception, so this song will always remind me of that night.
7-Mates of State’s “My Only Offer”
Heard this song on a local college radio station, dug it a lot, checked out the album, loved it. Almost went with a different song from their album instead, but they’re all really upbeat and fun like this one. Highly recommended.
8-Thao’s “Bag of Hammers”
Saw Thao at The Hotel Café Tour (one of many artists I fell for there, as you’ll see) and really dug her, and then after a bit she played this song, which I realized I’d heard before on the aforementioned college radio station. It’s now being used in a commercial for Clorox disinfectant wipes, I think.
9-The Break and Repair Method’s “This City is Bound to Do Us In”
This band opened up for Matt Nathanson when I saw him at Pops back in November, and I really dug them. Apparently the dude who fronts this band is actually a member of Matchbox 20.
10-“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” by She and Him
A song off of one of my two favorite CDs of 2008. Just a fun song all around.
11-“A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend
A song off of the other of my two favorite CDs of 2008. I also saw them play at the Pageant in September, which is why I justified putting them on this year’s mix even though they were on last year’s without putting out a new CD, unlike Kings of Leon above.
12-Death Cab for Cutie’s “No Sunlight”
Really the only standout song on DC4C’s newest album (who last appeared on my 2006-2007 mix) and I love the idea of a song with such a pessimistic point of view having such an upbeat and happy mood to it
13-“My Year in Lists” by Los Campesinos
Was supposed to see them in concert this year but it was during February when my arm was broken. I also like the lyrics being about someone who is not resistant to the idea of change but doesn’t like the circumstances of the changes he’s being asked to undergo.
14-“On The Edge of a Cliff” by The Streets
I love the Streets, who were on my 2004-2005 mix. I love their new album, I love the sentiment of this song from it, which is about how much of a gift life is
15-Meiko’s “Boys with Girlfriends”
Fell for Meiko at Hotel Café Tour at the aforementioned show at the Duck Room. Dunno why I chose this song over “How Lucky We Are” which Marc and Nikki almost danced to at their wedding... maybe just because it's more upbeat.
16-Greg Laswell’s “How The Day Sounds”
He opened for Ingrid Michaelson at the Pageant last summer and I thought he was great. This is one of his more upbeat songs.
17-“Bottle It Up” by Sara Bareilles
My favorite Sara B song, mostly because she looks gorgeous in the video. :) Went to see her in October at the Pageant and she was gorgeous there too. I felt ok about putting her on the mix both last year and this year with a song from the same album since I went to that concert.
18-Jaymay’s “Gray or Blue”
Hey look! Another Hotel Café Tour artist! A nice little love song, this one.
19-Lily Allen’s “Who’d Have Known”
Lily was on the 2006-2007 mix. She had a new CD out this year, and this is one of my faves from it, pure and simple.
20-“All This Beauty” by The Weepies
Love the Weepies who appeared on last year’s mix but this is from a new album so it’s ok. And the second I heard this, I knew it would be the song to end my mix this year. Perfect to complete the album by coming full circle with another very uplifting song ending the CD just as it began.
Hope you all liked the mix. Let me know your thoughts on it please or if you want to know more about any of my selections. And again, if you haven't gotten a copy of it yet but want one, please let me know.