MY MIX CD TO THE WORLD

Is up??
What
The Fuck

I've been deep in thought for the past month; trying to come up the mix CD that I will be handing out as a gift to the folks I'll be staying with. At first I was going to make three different CDs: hip hop, indie rock, and roots reggae and give them all a choice; but for real, I know it might be too much hotness for them and they'll have to set out to go buy a new pair of potholders; therefore, I made what I deem to be a fucking bomb ass CD of American-style music.

Of course, of course, the world has gotten smaller and I'm sure many of these cats are already into a lot of cool music. They (like you) may shrug me off like, "Whatever, I listen to Internet radio or read Blender or whatever so I already know what's up with tasteful, independent music, so fuck off, Sonnyred!"

But for real, I'm hitting you all on the heads with this ultimate, seven-layer burrito of below-the-radar tunes. It really took me a long time to decide on what songs to pick; and it took me the better part of three days to determine the order of the songs.

My main goal, as lofty as can be, is to bring refined American (and lesser known international acts) music to the masses and ingrain them with the beauty, tragedy, diversity, art and soulfulness that our people have to offer. People here don't know shit about hip hop, so of course I had to make a push for it.

Before I take you on this journey, please consider a few things:

1. I know I can put bigger bands, but for real, who cares? I'm not trying to put the best of the best; I'm just trying to put songs that I think they may be ready for. For example, I'm not going include TV On the Radio because the average listener may take years to acquire a taste for them, and let's face it, Eastern Europeans' music quotient is so low and undeveloped that they may never grow to like it. And I didn't put in Iron and Wine's "Sodom, South Georgia" because though it's my favorite song, I may be staying with Muslims and I don't want to offend them. So anyway, I want give the people so much enchantment, they'd think I was sticking a Fantasia Mickey Mouse up their ass. But at the same time, I realize I have to ease it in. Meow!

2. The main thing I tried to create here is a mood; just chill and mellow. I didn't want to include bands that are well-known in the international community (Bloc Party, Interpol, other UK bands). I wanted to put in songs that they would never hear if it weren't for me.

3. Please remember my target audience is comprised of mostly women. But because I may also be staying men or couples, I'm not going to make a "baby making mixtape." Besides, with the women, I'd have to get to know them, take an emotional compatibility test with them, meet their parents, and pet their donkeys before I break that physical barrier and try to hold their hand.

4. So as you listen, take note of how I control the mood with the transitions, medley up the genres and leave them, wanting more! "How you feeling, shorty? Ah nah, it ain't even like that. Wow, your shoulders....they're so tense. Let me get that for you. Eww, wee, sooky sooky now."

Now, with that, here's how I'm representing the American music scene:

HI - Psapp Starting off the CD with something a little Latin-esque should buy some instant credibility. Just a nice little ice breaker that's melodic and catchy. Lyrics are rather juvenile but easy to understand.

THE SKIN OF MY COUNTRY YELLOW TEETH - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Tempo speeds up with a more complicated instrumental attack should divert the attention from the fact that music has gotten a lot more complicated and the lyrics have gotten a lot less decipherable. Based on the way the song builds up, by now they should now be engrossed with their naiveté (for lack of a better term) and there should be a call to arms for them to seek out new music.

TRUE AFFECTION - The Blow I put in this song because it's a fucking cute ass song. This should buy me some comfort if the previous song was a little too tumultuous. Super catchy, innocent and sweetly sung. This should lower their guard as they embrace for the next song.

CLOSER - Goapele
Every girl I've ever played this song for loved it. Simple as that. Also a great way to introduce some soul to them.

1NCE AGAIN - A Tribe Called Quest
Though not the most popular song from this well-respected hip hop act (it didn't even make their Anthology CD), it was produced by a hip hop legend (J Dilla) and it reminds of the first time I tried to dance with a girl at a club (and failed miserably).

FLY AWAY - Sa-Ra Creative Partners
With the previous song hyping up the mood, this song will turn up the funk. I really felt this song is the fruit of soul and diversity; and there was no way I was going to throw this song in without having Goapele and Tribe first. It would just been way too funky, like your breath.

MAKE IT WIT CHU - Queens of the Stone Age
This song starts the slow descend into the new foray of mellow songs. I have a feeling that this will be the most popular band on the CD, but more so in a "heard of them but never heard their songs" kind of way. After this, they can go off, buy their CDs and be in for a whopping surprise (download "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" for a taste). Either way, this song gets my nod for Indie Rock Song of 2008; hopefully you can see why.

YOU DON'T LOVE ME (NO NO NO) - Dawn Penn
Not American, but this song continues to thrive in the underground scene (beat was sampled in Visionaries and Haiku D' Etat within the past two years alone). Maybe people heard this song, maybe they haven't, but they should.

SILVER STALLION - Cat Power
There's this rockiness and bluesyness and seducing effect in Chan Marshall's voice. I think this song might be the least deviant out of the bunch, but has a real haunting emptiness. This is perhaps where the meat and potatoes of the conversation will start.

LORO - Pinback
Dude, I put this one in here because I enjoy listening to Pinback after a good surf sesh. I need something for me, too.

BLAH BLAH BLAH - Say Hi to Your Mom
This is one of those bands that the indiest of indie fans will never hear of. The intimate knowledge of this band will make their connection with good American music that much more exclusive.

MUSHABOOM (POSTAL SERVICE REMIX) - Feist
Yes, she's big and famous -- iPod ad, Grammy nomination or whatever. Another conversation piece where I can say, "Hey, I worked at the agency that created those Apple ads." Its electronic sound may breathe a sigh of familiar relief to the underdeveloped, third world taste buds of Eastern European music fans. And though the cool ones probably know and love Feist, I'll bet they never heard the Postal Service remix of her song. "What? Oh yeah, Postal Service...Silverlake...oh it's an area in Los Angeles. What? You spent the entire day at the Wax Museum? Poor thing."

(I said that because Ukrainians are crazy in love with wax museums)

SECTION - The Roots
Now that we're making the way towards the end of the CD, the listener should have complete confidence in my selection and should be completely exposed and susceptible to all types of music now. This is where I push my hip hop agenda even further. Ok, whenever girls (or pussies) get into real hip hop, they always start off with The Roots (or Gay-Z). If they were Americans, I might have put in some Aceyalone (pseudo intellectuals eat that shit up) but I don't think they had ample time to indulge in deep thoughts if they're too busy putting mayo on all their shit.

PURPLE - Crustation
Another neo soul song just because by now they've gotten a fair dose of Black Music and should be intrigued enough to satiate their curiosity for this soulfulness. Maybe by now I convince them of my House Music Exit Strategy.

ROCK MY BOAT - Mai Doi Todd
I wanted to offer something a little more classy and sophisticated and brand new (to me) so I included this Martini drinking song.

SHE SAID - The Pharcyde
The purpose of this song is to show the range of hip hop music. Truly a smooth song with a self-deprecating display of what it's like to be a modern day bachelor.

HAITI - The Arcade Fire
Hopefully by now the listener will be paying closer attention to the songs. Initially, I had this as the opening act; but I was afraid the listener wouldn't be fully concentrated and just be taken away by the melody and not pay attention to the meaningful lyrics. And this is the song that they can always bust out at parties to display their "eclecticism."

DO YOU REMEMBER - Jill Scott
I think everyone should hear Jill Scott's voice at least once before they die. This is one of those songs that only a Black person can justly sing -- Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Michael Jackson....none of them can miracle whip up this song. Listening to this song, right now at 3:45 AM in Ukraine, just makes me want to go home and throw on a nice sweater.

NO FIT STATE - Hot Chip
I wanted to end the CD with another electronic style song. I also ended with this because the ending fucking drags out, but it's also just a pretty cool song that will hopefully leave the listener thirsting for more independent music.

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And hopefully their interest will grow with each listen and they will venture outside of the CD and seek out more independent music. Like, imagine the day that Pinback plays Croatia. For real, I just want to bring financial independence to independent artists. I want good music to get recognized and rewarded so that we can perpetuate the art. And of course, I need to sink my fangs, plant my flag and leave my legacy.

Sonny. Fucking. Red.

Download here:
http://www.box.net/shared/vcjnrhskc4

(Please don't be lazy. You really have to listen to the CD in that order. It's fucking 4:00am now and I'm tired; meet me halfway).