Beware the Savage Jaw of 1984!

A few years ago, I put together a 15-Disc CDR compilation of the 80's. It was a massive and time consuming process, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I had originally intended to post those comps here at Burn and Shine eventually. As you can surmise, I've decided against it-- at least for the time being. Instead, I have decided to start tackling individual years. I'm starting with 1984 for a few reasons.

First, it was the year that I discovered "College" music. I was in tenth grade, and was still very much into heavy metal and it's slightly uglier sister, hair metal. My brother gave me a tape with R.E.M's Murmur on one side and Reckoning on the other. Needless to say, my musical listening habits changed quite drastically. While I can't claim to have heard all of the artists on this compilation as early as 1984 (some of them I didn't hear till much later), I can safely say that tape my brother made, put me on a collision course with most of the artists I've used to represent the year.

Second, 1984 is generally considered a great year among Rock & Roll Historians. As I alluded, College music was in it's heyday. No less than three consensus, classic albums were released on independent labels (I'm thinking of Zen Arcade, Double Nickels and Let it Be and the case could be made for a few others . . .). The mainstream also produced some timeless gems (Purple Rain, 1984, Born in the USA and The Unforgettable Fire spring to mind). While nothing on my compilation could be classified as obscure, I have stayed away from the artists generally considered as mainstream-- though some of the artists did find huge mainstream success later.

Finally, it's been 25 years since these records came out. I might make this an annual tradition in November, as it seems to be a month with few options for themes (you don't really think of music when you think Thanksgiving do you?)-- with apologies to the years 1980-83.

Happy Listening!

1984: We're Behind Schedule

01. Guadalcanal Diary, "Watusi Rodeo" [2:45]
02. The dB's, "Amplifier" [3:11]
03. The Bangles, "Live" [2:36]
04. The Go-Betweens, "Unkind & Unwise" [3:06]
05. The Replacements, "Favorite Thing" [2:20]
06. Lloyd Cole, "Perfect Skin" [3:19]
07. Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit, ""Half a Boy and Half a Man" [2:57]
08. Meat Puppets, "Plateau" [2:22]
09. The Pandoras, "It's About Time" [2:22]
10. The Smiths, "Hand in Glove" [3:23]
11. Talk Talk, "It's My Life" [3:54]
12. Let's Active, "Easy Does" [3:25]
13. The Waterboys, "Somebody Might Wave Back" [2:43]
14. The Cure, "The Empty World" [2:37]
15. Minutemen, "History Lesson Part II" [2:12]
16. Echo & the Bunnymen, "Crystal Days" [2:25]
17. Depeche Mode, "People Are People" [3:46]
18. Hüsker Dü, "Something I Learned Today" [2:03]
19. The Fall, "2 X 4" [3:38]
20. The Church, "Constant in Opal" [3:31]
21. Los Lobos, "Will the Wolf Survive" [3:44]
22. Dumptruck, "How Come?" [4:08]
23. Game Theory, "Nine Lives To Rigel Five" [2:49]
24. The Psychedelic Furs, "Heaven" [3:27]
25. R.E.M., "Letter Never Sent" [3:03]

Total Time: 1:15:31

Download it Here: 1984: We're Behind Schedule

Halloween Music!

I can't believe it's been a year since I started posting these comps! Halloween is upon us, so I thought I'd dish out another platter of Ghoul-ly, Rock & Roll Goodness. I think I've come up with another interesting mix, though it does seem to be a little heavy on the Post-Punks (The Cure, Jazz Butcher, Joy Division, The Gun Club, Pixies, Opal and the Sound all make an appearance here!). What is it about that era and it's fascination with morbid themes?

One song from that era, which unfortunately will probably never make one of my Halloween comps is the supremely fabulous "Bela Legusi's Dead" by Bauhaus. This song still sounds ahead of (and somehow behind?) it's time, and it's even been called "Goth's 'Stairway to Heaven'". It probably won't make one of my comps, because it's nearly 10-minutes long. I have, however, posted it via the Youtube video above (it's not really a video, but it is the original version of the song from 1979).

Just in case you missed it last year, or you're just now stumbling upon this blog: I've re-upped the first volume of Candy Apples & Razor Blades. Feel free to slide on over to the original post if you'd like to download it: October 30, 2008

A few comments about CA&RB Vol. 2. I have three returning players from the first volume: Roky Erickson, The Misfits and Frank Black (though here he's with his band, Pixies). Making his first appearance at Burn and Shine is Warren Zevon. Though I've never been a huge fan, I've always had a soft spot for "Werewolves of London". Instead of using the definitive version, I used an alternate take that can be found on the rarities compilation, Preludes from 2007. I like the Hamlet quote that kicks it off, and I think the creepy background vocals on it are a nice touch. Okay, that's enough blabbing.

Happy Listening!


Candy Apples & Razor Blades Vol. 2: More Music for All Hallow's Eve:

01. "Bo Meets the Monster" by Bo Didley [3:03]
02. "Graveyard Orbit" by Crystal Stilts [3:26]
03. "Devil's Food" by Alice Cooper [3:35]
04. "Happy Nightmare Baby" by Opal [2:57]
05. "The Blood" by The Cure [3:43]
06. "Vampire" by Antsy Pants [1:20]
07. "Dawn of the Dead" by The Weakends [2:14]
08. "Black Candy" by Beat Happening [3:00]
09. "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath [5:18]
10. "Lil' Devil" by The Cult [2:44]
11. "Night of the Vampire" by Roky Erickson [4:19]
12. "Zombie Love" by The Jazz Butcher [3:56]
13. "Nightmares" by Jay Reatard [2:12]
14. "Dead Souls" by Joy Division [4:57]
15. "Ghost on the Highway" by The Gun Club [2:46]
16. "Evil Hearted You" by Pixies [2:37]
17. "Night of the Living Dead" by The Misfits [1:59]
18. "The Devil" by PJ Harvey [2:56]
19. "Pet Sematary" by The Ramones [3:30]
20. "Skeletons" by The Sound [3:27]
21. "Werewolves of London (Alternate Take)" by Warren Zevon [3:38]
22. "Bride of Frankenstein" by Toy Love [2:08]
23. "Zombie Zoo" by Tom Petty [2:56]
24. "Grave Robbers" by Mount Eerie & Julie Doiron [1:47]
25. "Halloween Parade" by Lou Reed [3:33]

Total Time: 1:18:05

Download it here: Candy Apples & Razor Blades Vol. 2: More Music For All Hallow's Eve

Pip Squeak a Go-Go!

Someone just recently turned me on to Pancake Mountain. We don't actually get the show here in Chattanooga, but you can find a ton of stuff on YouTube or on their website: Panckake Mountain. Maria loves music, and I swear she made me watch that "Vowel Movements" video fourteen times in a row. Lucky for her, I love Ian MacKaye. Her favorite part is when the kids are rocking out.

Anywho, seeing that video reminded me that it had been a long time since I put together a kid's music disc. We've got several volumes around the house, and I generally like to pick stuff that adults and kids will enjoy equally. I'm big on bringing them the classics on these discs, but I'm also not afraid to use obscurities. Stuff that's fun to sing or reminds me of my own childhood also usually makes the cut. I think this one turned out pretty nice.

Happy Listening!

Pip Squeak a Go-Go!

01. Jason Ringenberg, "Get Up Up Up!" [1:38]
02. Bill Haley & His Comets, "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock [2:11]
03. Feist, "1 2 3 4" [3:04]
04. Irma Thomas, "Break-A-Way" [2:34]
05. The Cyrkle, "Red Rubber Ball" [2:20]
06. Rick Springfield, "I've Done Everything For You" [2:44]
07. Pure Prairie League, "Amie" [4:22]
08. Joe D. Johnson, "Rattle Snake Daddy" [1:46]
09. Ben E. King, "Stand By Me" [2:58]
10. Traffic, "You Can All Join In" [3:37]
11. Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Cotton Fields" [2:54]
12. Brenton Wood, "Oogum Boogum Song" [2:30]
13. Sweet, "Funny Funny" [2:51]
14. Guided By Voices, "Teenage FBI" [2:54]
15. Talking Heads, "Road To Nowhere" [4:19]
16. Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, "Balloon Man" [3:36]
17. Chris Kenner, "I Like It Like That" [1:58]
18. Chubby Parker, "King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Mi-O" [3:10]
19. The Foundations, "Build Me Up Buttercup" [2:59]
20. Wanda Jackson, "Let's Have a Party" [2:09]
21. Nina Simone, "My Baby Just Cares For Me" [3:03]
22. Dr. John, "Iko Iko" [4:10]
23. The Edsels, "Rama Lama Ding Dong" [2:28]
24. Shirley & Lee, "Let the Good Times Roll" [2:24]
25. Peter, Paul & Mary, "Leavin' On a Jet Plane" [3:27]

Total Time: 1:12:05

Download it here: Pip Squeak a Go-Go!

Workers of the World, UNITE!

Okay, I probably just got this blog placed on the Fox News Watch List for using the Soviet Union's state motto as the title of this entry. But seriously, it's Labor Day Weekend, and I wanted to do a little musical tribute to this Socialist holiday.

Notable first appearances on Burn and Shine include: Rush (still in their Cream phase, before Neil Peart steered them in a more progressive direction), Bobby Dylan, the Minutemen and the Clash. Some returning stars include the Beatles (how else could I have possibly started this compilation?), Elvis Costello and the Kinks (if you haven't already noticed, they are my favorite band).

Happy listening!

Workers of the World, UNITE!

01. The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night” [2:34]
02. They Might Be Giants, “Minimum Wage”[0:47]
03. Rush, “Working Man” [7:11]
04. Tina & Ike Turner, “Proud Mary”[3:33]
05. Bob Dylan, “Maggie’s Farm’ [3:54]
06. The Clash, “Career Opportunities”[1:53]
07. The Kinks, “Get Back in Line” [3:04]
08. Bruce Springsteen, “Factory” [2:20]
09. Modern Lovers, “Government Center” [2:03]
10. Minutemen, “Working Men Are Pissed” [1:19]
11. Daniel Johnson & Jad Fair, “First Day At Work”[3:03]
12. The Isley Brothers, “Work to Do” [3:11]
13. The Rolling Stones, “Luxury” [5:01]
14. Jimmy Reed, “Big Boss Man” [2:50]
15. Billy Bragg, “There is Power in a Union” [2:50]
16. Patty Smith, “Piss Factory” [5:03]
17. The Members, “Goodbye to the Job” [2:25]
18. The Jam, “Just Who is the 5 O’clock Hero” [2:15]
19. Todd Rundgren, “Bang the Drum All Day” [3:39]
20. Waco Brothers, “Plenty Tough and Union Made” [2:50]
21. Dave Edmunds, “Here Comes the Weekend” [1:59]
22. Elvis Costello, “Welcome to the Working Week” [1:23]
23. Uncle Tupelo, “Coalminers” [2:34]
24. Woody Guthrie, “Talking Hard Work” [3:26]
25. John Lennon, “Working Class Hero” [3:51]

Total Time: 1:14:58

Download it here: Workers of the World, UNITE!

My Little Girl Is Turning One!

Happy Birthday Maria Justine! Whew, I can't believe it's been a year already. In light of this momentous occasion, I thought I'd put together a special "Girl" themed comp. Last year after our birth announcements went out, we got a fabulous disc from our good friend Laura (who, by the way, has a most excellent radio show/blog here: Needles + Pins ) titled "Oh, Girl - Welcome MJ!" I can't tell you how many times we listened to it. Even though she snagged many of the best "Girl" songs, I managed to find a few that I thought were pretty good as well. With her permission (fingers crossed!) I would gladly share her compilation here at Burn and Shine. For the time being, you'll just have to whet your appetite with mine.

A couple of quick words about my comp. My last installment featured the first Rolling Stones appearance, and today's playlist features the Who making their first showing on a Burn and Shine compilation. Seriously, I have no idea why it has taken me so long for either of these artists, but I'm sure they will show up again in the future. I actually left off one of my favorite Kinks tracks, "Nothin' in This World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout My Girl", because they have shown up a few times already-- go figure. Finally, I just wanted to be sure that you realize that track #22 is actually by an American band called the Bats which featured Jon Brion-- not to be confused with the fantastic New Zealand combo of the same name, which have not yet been featured on B&S.

Happy Listening!

Girl:

01. Paul Westerberg, “You’re My Girl” [0:28]
02. Television Personalities, “Silly Girl” [2:47]
03. The Dukes of the Stratosphear, “Vanishing Girl” [2:30]
04. The Hollies, “Little Girl” [3:02]
05. Edwyn Collins, “Girl Like You” [3:59]
06. The Who, “Glow Girl” [2:26]
07. The Descendents, “Silly Girl” [2:23]
08. Marshall Crenshaw, “Cynical Girl” [2:37]
09. X, “Poor Girl” [2:54]
10. The Only Ones, “Another Girl, Another Planet” [3:02]
11. Blondie, “Sunday Girl” [3:06]
12. The Shazam, “C’mon Girl” [3:05]
13. The Chords, “Hey Girl” [2:17]
14. Hoodoo Gurus, “My Girl” [2:41]
15. The Ramones, “My-My Kind of Girl” [3:32]
16. The Go-Go’s, “Girl of 100 Lists” [2:21]
17. Primal Scream, “Velocity Girl” [1:23]
18. The Red Button, “Cruel Girl” [2:43]
19. The Smiths, “Girl Afraid” [2:49]
20. Bram Tchaikovsky, “Girl of My Dreams” [4:12]
21. The Left Banke, “Let Go of You Girl” [2:53]
22. The Bats [Boston], “Not My Girl Anymore” [3:21]
23. The Easybeats, “Pretty Girl” [2:16]
24. Terry Reid, “Superlungs My Super Girl” [2:43]
25. Paul McCartney & Wings, “Mama’s Little Girl” [3:42]

Total Time: 1:09:11

Download it here: Girl!

It's Summertime!

As promised, here is another summer (quite literally!) themed playlist. I would like to call your attention to Track #3, by The Rural Alberta Advantage-- a Canadian band on Saddle Creek. Their debut album, Hometowns is quickly becoming my favorite album of 2009, although I understand this has been out for about a year via download websites such as Emusic. Happy listening!

It's Summer!

01. Billy Stewart, "Summertime" [2:43]
02. Buffalo Tom, "Summer" [4:02]
03. The Rural Alberta Advantage, "In the Summertime" [2:37]
04. Fountains of Wayne, "It Must Be Summer" [3:19]
05. Stephin Merritt, "Some Summer Day" [1:46]
06. Lee Hazlewood with Jane Hokum, "Summer Wine" [3:07]
07. Acid House Kings, "I Write Summer Songs for No Reason" [2:55]
08. The Kinks, "Wait Till the Summer Comes Along" [2:08]
09. Hüsker Dü, "Celabrated Summer" [4:03]
10. The Brian Jonestown Massacre, "Let's Pretend It's Summer" [3:37]
11. Wilco, "Summerteeth" [3:23]
12. Chad & Jeremy, "A Summer Song" [2:39]
13. Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues" [2:00]
14. The Decembrists, "Summersong" [3:31]
15. T.Rex, "Celebrate Summer" [2:37]
16. Phil Ochs, "In the Heat of the Summer" [3:10]
17. Belle & Sebastian, "A Summer Wasting" [2:07]
18. Sly & the Family Stone, "Hot Fun in the Summertime" [2:38]
19. Yo La Tengo, "The Summer" [2:39]
20. Pavement, "Summer Babe" [3:17]
21. Pedro the Lion, "Indian Summer" [3:24]
22. Jens Lekman, "A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill" [3:30]
23. The Last, "Every Summer Day" [3:36]
24. The Barracudas, "His Last Summer" [4:09]
25. Kings of Convenience, "Gold in the Air of Summer" [3:34]

Total Time: 1:16:30

Download it Here: It's Summer!

Here Comes the Sun!

Okay folks, sorry I've been away for awhile, but my Spring has been super-busy. I've got some comps up and ready and I'll be posting a few similarly themed playlists over the next few weeks so stay tuned. Just in time for the first day of Summer, this is actually the second volume in my Sun trilogy-- some of you got hard copies of the first volume last year in our now defunct Flavor of the Month Club. It was generally well received, and I had so many other possible songs, I couldn't resist to do another. As usual, a few no-brainers in here and few you might not have heard. Happy listening!

Sun 2:

01. The Pernice Brothers, "Working Girls (Sunlight Serenade)" [3:21]
02. Dinosaur Jr, "Take a Run at the Sun" [3:29]
03. Robert Pollard, "Release the Sunbird" [1:54]
04. The Lucksmiths, "Up With the Sun" [3:04]
05. Dean & Britta, "The Sun is Still Sunny" [4:26]
06. Ragazzi (AKA Geisha), "SPF-100" [2:10]
07. Apollo Ghosts, "Hastings Sunrise" [1:24]
08. The Early Hours, "Sunshine Changes Everything" [3:33]
09. Death Cab for Cutie, "No Sunlight" [2:40]
10. Elf Power, "The Sun is Forever" [4:08]
11. Jonathan Edwards, "Sunshine (Go Away Today)" [2:19]
12. Frank Black, "Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day" [4:12]
13. Gordon Lightfoot, "Sundown" [3:38]
14. X, "Under the Big Black Sun" [3:28]
15. LMNOP, "Forever Through the Sun" [3:13]
16. The Gerbils, "Sunshine Soul" [2:39]
17. The Magnetic Fields, "The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing" [2:46]
18. House of Freaks, "Sun Goes Down" [3:07]
19. The Olivia Tremor Control, "A Sunshine Fix" [2:48]
20. Jason Lytle, "Brand New Sun" [4:38]
21. The Beach Boys, "The Warmth of the Sun" [2:52]
22. Fleshtones, "Let's See the Sun" [2:52]
23. Low, "Sunflower" [4:39]
24. Peter Bruntnell, "Waterloo Sunset" [3:25]
25. The Apples in Stereo, "Sun is Out" [2:30]

Total Time: 1:18:36

Download it here: Sun 2