May Mix - Honorable Mention - Boyz II Men - End of the Road

I know I promised this song to a couple people to end the mix, but I like the Sufjan pick better. This song had pretty much left my consciousness until about a couple months ago when it ended a drunken evening at a Hollywood 90's night. So here it is in full video glory for your viewing and listening pleasures. This is quite possibly is 3/4 timing in it's most perfect form.

May Mix - 15. Sufjan Stevens - The Transfiguration

So this is the final song for May, and it comes by way of Mr. Sufjan Stevens. I already had a different song planned for the finale of the mix, but I was listening to Seven Swans yesterday driving home from work (since Sufjan has been in the news lately.) I realized that my favorite song on the album is in 3/4 timing and it just so happens to fit in our slot nicely. "The Transfiguration" is a slow building song that starts off with solo banjo and ends with a plethora of Sufjan instrumentations - the perfect endcap. The mix will be presented in .zip format for easy downloading (I'll provide a link tomorrow once I upload it,) burned CD's for people that prefer a hard copy, and of course cassette tape for those who really mean business. I don't mind mailing a few out, so let me know if you're too lazy to make your own hard copy.

May Mix - 14. Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)

Zach Condon's interesting songwriting contains a handful of songs in unusual time signatures and I picked this one as my favorite in 3/4. "Mount Wroclai" comes from the 2006 release, Gulag Orkestar and displays Zach's ability to play a good number of the instruments on the recording. This song has a nice build to it and I think it works great as a lead in to the last song on the mix - which will be announced tomorrow, completing our month of May. You can hear this song in its entirety at the Beirut MySpace site. If you don't know this band yet, I suggest making yourself familiar because I have a feeling that the next album that they are in the midst of recording is going to own.

May Mix - 13. Rilo Kiley - A Better Son/Daughter

The 13th song for May comes from L.A. band Rilo Kiley's 2002 Saddle Creek release The Execution of All Things. I had a feeling that they had written a couple songs in 3, but I didn't go back and listen to them all, (so thanks Colin.) This is one of the classic RK songs from what has become my favorite album of theirs. Being their only release on Saddle Creek, this one sticks out somewhat from the others because of the production guidance from Mike Mogis. I feel that this album is a little more interesting with arrangements and instrumentation than other Rilo Kiley releases - and I have a good feeling that this is Mogis-influenced. This song has a great moment where the drums come crashing in after a building, yet subdued beginning. These are the moments that Jenny and Blake's songwriting has become known for. Saddle Creek has know claimed over 1/5 of this mix. Only two more songs to go.

May Mix - 11. Kanye West - Spaceship

I had been saving this one for the perfect spot in the mix and I think it's here. Through all my searching for modern pop songs in 3/4, I've found that a) they're kind of rare and b) they're usually slow. So I've been saving this cut from 2004's The College Dropout for a place that could use an energy boost. When I originally got into Kanye this was the first track that jumped out to me from this album. Something about working a shit job, and dreaming about a career in music was particularly appealing to this college sophomore. The beat is great, Kanye's verse is really good, and both GLC and Consequence's verses are both good. This is one of my favorite songs off my favorite record of 2004.

May Mix - 10. The Beatles - You've Got to Hide Your Love Away

I'm not going to claim to be an expert on The Beatles... I know they're the best band of all time, etc. etc. but I've never really gone through a Beatles phase like everyone else. It might be for the same reason my dad never fawned over them - he once told me that he never loved The Beatles "because everyone else did." All of this aside, they do write great songs, and this one off of their 1965 release, Help! is just a damn well written pop song. I'm actually surprised no one else suggested this one. I think that it's a good fit here and packs a catchy punch at the B3 slot.

May Mix - 9. Bright Eyes - We Are Nowhere, and It's Now

With Bright Eyes having so many great songs that are written in 3/4, I had a hard time deciding what song to choose, and what spot in the mix to throw it in - but I have come to a conclusion. "Sunrise, Sunset" was what I originally wanted to include, but I think this one sets a more pleasant mood, and will transition us into the rest of side B more appropriately. "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" comes off of the 2005 release I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and features Emmylou Harris on the album cut. This video comes from Conor and Mike's Austin City Limits performance from a couple years ago.

May Mix - 8. Journey - Open Arms

I had been on the search for an upbeat, energetic song to kick off side B, but this song was brought to my attention and tookover the top B spot. Not only is it an inspiring power ballad, but it clocks in at a tidy 3:18. It's soaring highs and crushing lows are everything that this mixtape club is all about: emoting in under three and half minutes. I'll let this YouTube do the rest of the talking, thanks Jeff!

May Mix - 7. Hank Williams - Alone and Forsaken

The last song on Side A for May comes from Hank himself. This song has been covered a few times, most notably by Emmy Lou Harris on a tribute album and then Neko Case on her Live in Austin record. I really like the original - not just only for its geniune and heartfelt delivery, but also for it's efficient pacing that clocks in at a cool two minutes. Williams had a knack for conveying raw emotion and I think this song is a perfect representation of an entire sub-genre of waltzes - the cowboy ballad.

May Mix - (Honorable Mention) Seal - Kiss From a Rose

Depending on who you talk to, today's song comes from either 1994's Seal or from 1995's Batman Forever Soundtrack. I remember being in 5th grade flexing my music knowledge by proving to people that this song wasn't actually written for Batman. I wasn't sure if I wanted to put this song on the mix because I have a feeling that the kitsch value would eventually wear off. As you all are aware of, there isn't a skip track button on the tape player - hence the Honorable Mention tag. Plus upon doing some research this song is actually in 6/8 time... According to Wiki this song is about cocaine.

May Mix - 6. Minus the Bear - Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse

The sixth song on our mix comes from Minus the Bear's 2002's Highly Refined Pirates. This song is a good example of Minus the Bear's signature sound of staccato guitar licks and quick hi-hat hits. Before seeing them live last week, I had no idea that the lead guitarist utilized the fingertapping technique as much. This was the song that some kid next to us was yelling for all night and they finally played it to end the show. This is the best video I could find regarding audio quality. This is a good spot in the mix for this song leading into the closer for side A.

May Mix - 5. Screaming Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell On You

The sixth entry for our mix comes from the annals of Rock history. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Screaming Jay released this song in 1956. As the legend goes, the song was intended to be a toned down blues ballad, but prior to recording the producer brought in a feast of ribs and booze getting everyone nice and drunk before cutting the song. Hawkins has been quoted as saying he doesn't even remember recording it. "I Put a Spell On You" has been named one of the 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll by the RnR Hall of Fame and I think it fits well coming after the previous Radiohead track.

May Mix - 4. Radiohead - Wolf at the Door

The fourth entry for May's mixtape comes from Radiohead's latest, Hail to the Thief. Not only does it have a similiar arpeggiated organ at the beginning as one of my favorite songs of all time (Funkadelic's Maggotbrain) but it also features a quick lyrical spouting from Thom Yorke that you can't find on many Radiohead songs. This is one of my favorite tracks off of Hail and I think it works really well in livening up our mix at the cleanup spot.

May Mix - 3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Breaking the Girl

The third song from May's Mix comes from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and is one of my favorite songs from childhood. This song amongst some of the others on BSSM displayed a different side of the Peppers and started an evolution of sorts to a more mainstream sound. Songs like this one, I Could Have Lied, and even Under the Bridge were a turning point for the band. As a kid I had no idea what this song was about but I knew I loved that guitar sound. I tried posting the video for this one, but YouTube is being a bitch today. But check out the video, it sucks so bad it's pretty funny.

May Mix - 2. Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 (XO)

When I think of 3/4 timing, this is the song that pops into my head first. One of Elliott's better known tunes, it comes off of XO that eventually went on to sell over 200,000 copies. Elliott wrote a number of waltzes, this being my favorite. I've read that it's written about his mother and upon relistening makes total sense. Anyhow, I think Waltz #2 will fit snugly into the 2 spot on our May mix.

May Mix - 1. Desaparecidos - Manana

The first song comes from Conor Oberst's other band, Desaparecidos. This song is the perfect choice for the number 1 spot - not only does it include a great intro to the theme with Mr. Oberst's brutal countoff, but its high energy kickstarts the mix off quite well. This is off the only full length record that Desaparecidos put out, with lyrical content that was a precursor to Bright Eyes' political leanings. Listen for the killer ride cymbal- bell hits during the second verse. "Water! Water! Water!"