Mixtape Mondays - Something for the Graduates

May is a month of pomp & cirmstance, tissues for mom's, and diploma's for sons and daughters.

In honor of that, the staff of aroundthecouch.com brings you this month's mixtape.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Mixtape Mondays - April Showers

April showers both of the indoor and outdoor variety as compiled by the members of ATC.  Enjoy!

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Mixtape Mondays - the Luck of the Irish

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Mixtape Mondays - Disenchanted Love

In honor of Valentine's Day and its often unmet expectations (yes, we have some ex-emo kids on staff), we present to you a mix of disenchanted love.

Special thanks to Howard Han of http://www.fixitinpost.org/ who contributed some song recommendations:

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Songs Included and contributors rationale:

"Denial Revisited" - The Offspring: Im embarrassed to say this, but I listened to the offspring beyond 'keep them separated' and pretty fly for a white guy. For me, this has always been the perfect break up song: two people know that it's over, one of them is walking away but the other just won't let go. In the end, however, he knows that it's over.

"It Ain't Me Babe" - Bob Dylan: The ultimate 'f&#$ you song' for a girl. It says, "you know what, everything you need, i don't have and won't give to you girl."

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" - Joy Division. Title says it all.

"No Children"- Mountain Goats: This song is what I would play if I knew I was getting a divorce.

"Fuck You Lucy"- Atmosphere:  I listened to this song the first I was really heartbroken. For me, it expresses all of the negative/raw emotions associated with breaking up with someone.

"Come Pick Me Up" - Ryan Adams: For me, anti-love songs are about hurtint he other person as much as they've hurt you. This song has a lot of that.

 "Song for the Dumped - ben folds five (Yes we did find a japanese version!)
"Dakota" - Stereophonics
"Dry Your Eyes Mate" - the Streets
"(I Hate) Everything About You" - Three Days Grace 
"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" - Nancy Sinatra 
"Positive Tension" - Bloc Party
"Tiny Vessels" - Death Cab for Cutie
"Kiss Off" - Violent Femmes
"Funeral" - Saves the Day  
"Emily Kane" - Art Brut
"Lost Cause" - Beck
 "Driftwood" - Cursive
"Dickhead" - Kate Nash
"90 Mile Waterwall" - The National
 "Piece of My Heart" - Janis Joplin
"Get Yo Shit" - Black Joe Lewis
"Me/A Man/Then Jim" - Rilo Kiley
"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" - Paul Simon "
"I Should Have Known Better" - She + Him

Mixtape Mondays - Best of 2009

The contributors of ATC thought long and hard. After a few games of darts and rock, paper scissors, we each assembled our lists of best songs of 2009.  Here is the synthesis of those lists.  Enjoy! Other suggestions welcome!

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

If issues here is a link to the playlist - http://www.mixpod.com/playlist/37408181

*****

List of the songs included and occasional rationale as to our thinking:

* Passion Pit - "Folds in your Hands" - Song of the year according to one contributor
* Flight of the Conchords - "Carol Brown" - "obligatory fotc song.  my favorite of last season"
* KiD CuDi - "Simple As "
* Cursive - "From The Hips"  

* Suckers - "It Gets Your Body Movin' (Alternate Version)" 

* Los Campesinos! - "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future"

* Throw Me the Statue - "Hi-Fi Goon" 

* Juelz Santana feat. Yelawolf - "Mixing Up The Medicine (Main)"

* Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "Om Nashi Me"

* A Camp - "Boys Keep Swinging"
* Kirby Krackle - "Ring Capacity"
* Sondre Lerche - "Heartbeat Radio"
* Weezer - "(If You Are Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To"
* MSTRKRFT - "Heartbreaker"
* Parry Gripp - "The Girl at the Videogame Store"
* Royksopp - "The Girl and the Robot"
* Wilco - "You Never Know"
* St. Vincent - "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood"
* The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Young Adult Friction"
* Neko Case - "People Got A Lot Of Nerve"
* The Flaming Lips - "The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine"* Dirty Projector - "Two Doves"
* Dananananaykroyd - "Some Dresses"
* Bill Callahan - "Too Many Birds"
* Andrew Bird - "Masterswarm"

Wanted to include but the program we use has limited reach:

* The Very Best Warm Heart of Africa - "Yalira"
* J.Period & K'NAAN - "Don't Think Twice (Messengers Remix)" 
* Jim Johnston - "Oh Radio"
* The Mountain Goats - "Matthew 25:21"

Mixtape Mondays - A Month of Plenty

When the editors of ATC put the team up to the challenge of creating a mix tape in honor of this month of feasting and harvest, one contributor by far and away had the best set of suggestions.

Therefore, this month's mix tape is brought to you by the letters "L" and "K" as LeKeith solo dj's this month mix which creates a symphonic meal. May your ears devour it.

Your Mix Tape Menu

Food Prep aka Places where there is Food / Drink:
The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket
A - Starbucks

Cock-Tail Hour:
The Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need to be Nicer
The White Stripes - Little Cream Soda
Thin Lizzy or Metallica - Whiskey in the Jar
Great Big Sea - Old Black Rum
The Who - Old Red Wine

Main Course:
The Beets - Killer Tofu (Totally my favorite!)
The Flaming Lips - She Don't Use Jelly
Weezer - Pork and Beans
The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches
B52s - Rock Lobster
Kate Nash - Pumpkin soup
The Ting Tings - Fruit Machine

Dessert or I Thought this was a Food but may have been Mistaken:
Mika - Lollipop
Lazlo Bane - Buttercup
The Foundations - Build me up Buttercup

Post Dining Fun - aka Food as a Euphemism
Warrant - Cherry Pie
Flight of the Conchords - Sugalumps

Mixtape Mondays - Boo

This months theme is to gear you up for the months biggest holiday! We here at ATC are waiting with bated breath for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. Are you?

Rationale behind some of the picks:

Spinal Tap "Stonehenge" - This song always terrifies me.

Nine Inch Nails "The Perfect Drug" - A dark song with a music video that looks like something out of a Edgar Allen Poe poem. A tribute is needed to also mark the end of this long running forefathers of synth in hard rock. Not to mention it is pretty darn catchy.

Tracy Jordan/Morgan "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" - Okay, so the song is not exactly about Halloween, but it's about werewolves and bar mitzvahs, two genuinely scary things. What could be scarier than being an awkward 13 year old boy becoming a man in front of all your family members. Spooky Scary! Boys becoming men, Men becoming wolves!

"Send in the Clowns" - To this day, I am terrified of clowns. ... Get that rubber nose away from me!

Ghetto Boys "My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me" - It's kind of sad how much of America--the pasty white population-- is only familiar with the Ghetto Boys because of Mike Judge's Office Space. No doubt every white crackah in your 'hood was rockin' out to 'Damn it Feels Good To Be a Gangsta' at some point or another. Houston's Ghetto Boys were more prolific than that. Take 1991's "My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me". The song is a narrative of paranoia, depression, and schizophrenia. All 3 Ghetto Boys talk about being pursued, causing them to be violent, uncertain, and above all, scared.

Dead Man's Bones "My Body's a Zombie for You" - It is spooky in the spirit of the times and also a fun ditty that is newly out this fall. Tip of the Hat to NPR's All Songs Considered to letting me know about the song.

"Monster Mash" as covered by the Misfits - A double whammy as far as band as song that are in the spirit of all hallow's eve.

Modest Mouse "Perfect Disguise" - A holiday that reveals in disguise needs at least one song that explicitly talks about it.

"You are the Blood" by Sufjan Stevens - Both epic and eerie, the perfect song to end us with.

There are few obvious ones in there which we are sure you enjoy as well.

Mixtape Mondays - Tailgating Tunes

The rationale behind some of the tunes from our contributors

Garth Brooks "Beer Run" - Because that is needed as a precursor to the tailgate. You have to start there.

Bruce Springsteen "Glory Days" - Football and tailgating are about having a desire to hold on to your youth. This song is about that,too.

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson "Booty Ooty" - We dare you not to have a great time listening to this song.

Devo "Uncontrollable Urge" - One of the few good things to ever come out of Ohio. Mark Mothersbaugh & Co., beer, and barbecue? Admittedly, it's a bizarre combination, but it works well.

Unknown Hinson "Cheeseburger" - There is only one thing that' more American than football and tailgating, and that's Unknown Hinson.

Refused "New Noise" - Off of 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come. The song was featured in Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights--arguably the best football movie ever made (you can quote me on that)--right as the Permian Panthers are walking out to the field for the state championship game. It's a great fit. The first minute of the song rattles and serves as a perfect psych up to releasing your inner beast. The high energy is a consistent high voltage current that should carry you from the tailgate to your seat

NOFX "Beer Bong" - May or may not fit the feel or the rest of the tape, but it's sort of a "why not" pick.

The Mountain Goats "Fall of the High School Running Back" - It's not really an optimistic or early-season type song.

Simon & Garfunkle "Leaves That are Green" - About passage of time, rituals of youth and the sights and sounds of the fall.

Beach Boys "Be True to Your School" - At the core of your tailgate comes this rationale

YPMB "March On Down the Field" - Because you need to be true to your school

Talking Heads "Stay Hungry" - The motto of a griller who has too many burger patties and not enough mouths. Plus is groovey bass line will keep those waiting in line for that burger tapping their toes - thus burning calories for more consumption.

Toni Basil "Hey Mickey" - Dedicated to the cheerleaders out there.

Screaming Trees "All that I Know" - For the game that gets away.

Mixtape Mondays - Summer Driving Tunes

As a new feature to Around the Couch, we introduce to you Mixtape Mondays! On the first monday of every month, ATC will bring to you a sampling of songs. They may revolve around a theme or simply the tastes of one of our contributors. Regardless, enjoy!

This Month's Theme - Songs to listen to when hitting the open road!

August is the month of summer vacations and seeing what this big planet has to offer via the freedom of four wheels and gasoline. We feel these tunes help put your pedal to the metal and soak in the air of the drive.

Some of the rationale for some selections:

* "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth - The slow syrupy dripping intro of the song fits well as an introduction to the album "Daydream Nation" and to any summer drive playlist. The first lazy riffs are the perfect aural accompaniment to pulling off the driveway and the mounting energy of the song is complimentary to speeding through concrete

* "Factory" by Martha Wainwright - This was actually on a summer mix by Q magazine, and it has an oddly appropriate-for-summer feel.

* "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. - There sort of has to be a song by them on there, and there may be a more appropriate one, but this is pretty sing-along-y and we didn't want to just pick "End of the World" based on Tommy Boy.

* "Drive Slow" by Kanye West - Appropriate easy summer feel for some cruising.

* "In a Daydream" by the Freddy Jones Band & "In God's Country" by U2 - Appropriately anthemic and grand when moving through the expanse of the west

* "Saturday Morning" by the Eels - The uptempo beat and optimistic and playful lyrics are just what you need to kick it up a gear and enjoy the ride.