March Playlist (plus Brian Wilson)

Pretty heavy on the Britpop this time - be warned! 

1. April Fools - Rufus Wainwright
2. Delirious Love - Neil Diamond and Brian Wilson
3. The One You Can't Have - The Honeys
4. Mine Smell Like Honey - REM
5. Don't Look Back - Teenage Fanclub
6. You Bowed Down - Roger McGuinn
7. Lift Me Up - Jeff Lynne
8. Blame The Machines - Duran Duran
9. Everyone Says 'Hi' - David Bowie
10. Wake Up Boo! - The Boo Radleys
11. Where Did It All Go Wrong? - Oasis
12. You Know My Name - Chris Cornell
13. Silence Is Easy - Starsailor
14. The Maker - Daniel Lanois
15. Opus 40 - Mercury Rev
16. Trains To Brazil - Guillemots
17. Tonight's The Kind Of Night - Noah & The Whale
18. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
19. The Shot's Still Ringing - Embrace
20. Caught By The River - Doves

Bonus Self-Promotion Track: My personal blogging activity will be pretty restricted this week, given all the very exciting things going on with the conference and new website. But if you're absolutely dying for some new material (I pity the fool!), you could do worse than checking out yours truly's recent sermon on the theology of the cross as it plays out in the music and life of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, entitled "You Still Believe In Me." Catch a wave:

February Playlist

1. (It's Good) To Be Free - Oasis
2. Nowhere Man - The Replacements
3. V - Golden Smog
4. Don't Carry It All - The Decemberists
5. Everything Is Free - Gillian Welch
6. Revival - Deerhunter
7. ONE - Yeasayer
8. Behind The Mask - MJ
9. Isolation - Joy Division
10. Car Song - Elastica
11. Everything Will Flow - Suede
12. Someone To Talk With - Mark Olson and The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
13. Up Above My Head - The Jayhawks
14. Campers In Control - The High Llamas
15. Sound Of Free - Dennis Wilson
16. Let It Shine - Brian Wilson
17. Pray For The Many - Roger Joseph Manning Jr.
18. Nothin' Will Ever Change - L.E.O.
19. Chinatown - The Move
20. The Beat Goes On - Beady Eye

Picking up on a theme...?

January Playlist

After a few months off, there's a lot of ground to cover, and this is only a start. A few belated "best of 2010" tracks mixed in: 

1. This Will Be Our Year - The Zombies

2. Radio Tokyo - Puffy AmiYumi

3. Pretty Melody - Butch Walker

4. Too Blue - 7 Worlds Collide  feat. Johnny Marr & Jeff Tweedy

5. Tonight The Streets Are Ours - Richard Hawley

6. Heart In Your Heartbreak - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

7. Jiving Sister Fanny - The Rolling Stones

8. Be What You Are - The Staple Singers

9. It's OK - Cee Lo Green

10. I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem

11. Not In Love - Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith

12. Receptacle For The Respectable - Super Furry Animals

13. This World Needs A Father - Suede

14. I'm The Man Who Murdered Love - XTC

15. Junk Shop Clothes - The Auteurs

16. Believer - Richard Buckner

17. Keeping Me Alive - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

18. For The First Time (In A Long Time) - Kid Rock

19. Cover Your Eyes - Jamey Johnson

20. Back For Good - McAlmont & Butler

My 30th Birthday Playlist

If you, like me, were born in 1981, this is the year of the big 30 for you. (I turned 30 last week.) And if you, like me, have awesome friends, they may have made you a play list of songs from 1981 for your birthday. And gosh darn it, 1981 was a good year. Here's my 30th birthday play list, with a huge thanks to Collin and Candice:

1. Back in Black - AC/DC

2. All Out Of Love - Air Supply

3. 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

4. I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross & The Supremes

5. Endless Love - Diana Ross & The Supremes

6. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner

7. Urgent - Foreigner

8. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

9. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

10. Physical - Olivia Newton John

11. Celebration - Kool & The Gang

12. Hit Me With Best Shot - Pat Benatar

13. Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield

14. Don't Stand So Close To Me - Sting & The Police

15. The Best Of Times - Styx

16. Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

17. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - The Righteous Brothers

This Will (Hopefully) Be Our Year: Top Four New Year's Songs

Lest all the anti-New-Years-resolutions sentiment come across as pure party-poopery, I give you four songs in keeping with the holiday, two of which are downright joyful:

1. The best of all-time, without question - sorry, Bono - is The Zombies' "This Will Be Our Year", covered here by The Avett Brothers:



2. I didn't think it was possible, but Slaid Cleaves' prayerful (and considerably more Mbird-friendly) "One Good Year" gives The Zombies a run for their money, sort of the peccator to their justus:



3. Let's face it though - the aforementioned "New Years Day" from U2 is pretty darn great. Great enough, even, to transcend Bono's short-lived blond phase:
[CONTINUE READING]

December Playlist - A (Vegas) Xmas Story

Another guest playlist this month, this time from long-time Mbird friend Taylor Foran. Fully annotated too!

As far as the Incarnation is concerned, I believe firmly in it…Eternity steps into Time, and Time loses itself in Eternity. Hence Jesus, in the eyes of God, a Man, and, in the eyes of men a God. It’s sublimely simple: a transcendental soap opera going on century after century in which there have been endless variations in the script, in the music, in the dialogue, but in which one thing remains constant—the central figure, Jesus. ~Malcolm Muggeridge

Prelude—“For my Lord, for my Lord”

1. Workin’ on a Building..... Blue Ridge Rangers

Chapter One—“‘Nuthin’ & Nobody”

2. Introduction......Tom Lehrer
3. Dreams......The Cranberries
4. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (Live).......Simon & Garfunkel
5. Lobachevscky.......Tom Lehrer
6. This Must Be The Place......Miles Fisher
7. I’ll Do For You Anything You Want Me To........Barry White

Chapter Two—“When I Drink Alone, I Prefer to Be by Myself”

8. I Got It From Agnes.........Tom Lehrer
9. Get a Haircut..........George Thorogood & The Destroyers
10. (Teleological) Barbershop.........Artist Unknown [Headphones and Eyes Shut For Best Effect]
11. I Drink Alone.......George Thorogood & The Destroyers
12. A Vegas Story.......The Lost Dogs

Chapter Three—“Watergate Happened For You”

13. Angels We Have Heard On High.......Sufjan Stevens
14. Christmas Must Be Tonight........The Band
15. Why Are We Here/ Ticket to Heaven.......Tim Keller feat. Dire Straits
16. Weapon of Prayer.........The Notting Hillbillies
17. Wake Me Up On Judgment Day........Steve Winwood

Epilogue—“Sounds Like the Mormon Tubercular Choir”

18. 30,000 Pounds of Bananas (Live).......Harry Chapin

[CONTINUE READING]

5.5. Covers in Remembrance of John Lennon

A couple days late of the 30th anniversary of his death, but with added feeling:

1. Jealous Guy - The Faces. Rockin' Rod and crew proved their impeccable taste in solo-Beatles when they followed up their brilliant cover of "Maybe I'm Amazed" with an equally brilliant version of "Jealous Guy":



2&3. Come Together. One of my least favorite Lennon songs has inexplicably been given the deluxe treatment by not one but three of my heroes. Of special note is the fact that in 1994 it marked Axl's final public appearance before disappearing for six years.



A few years before in the Moonwalker movie, Michael Jackson also paid tribute in a disappointingly faithful but still pretty fun (if completely misread) version:
[CONTINUE READING]

November Playlist

An extended, guest playlist this month, "40 Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs", from Mockingbird's new graphic designer, Stephanie Fishwick (of A Rather Lovely Thing fame)! It's an absolute tour-de-force:

1. I Could Drive Forever—Smog
2. (That’s How You Sing) Amazing Grace—Low
3. Rejoice—Pedro the Lion
4. Rutti—Slowdive
5. Somewhere—Sun Kil Moon
6. Abraham—Sufjan Stevens
7. If Only They Knew—Ester Drang
8. Under the Milky Way—Starflyer 59
9. Faces in Disguise—Sunny Day Real Estate
10. High Rising—Suede
11. This Corrosion—Sisters of Mercy
12. Rise—American Music Club
13. Clean—Depeche Mode
14. This Time of Night—New Order
15. Herculean—The Good, The Bad & The Queen
16. Myrrh—The Church
17. Raise Her Hands—Wovenhand
18. There is a Kingdom—Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
19. My Love Paramour—Cocteau Twins
20. Thursday—Asobe Seksu
21. Send His Love To Me—PJ Harvey
22. You’ll Never Walk Alone—Elvis Presley
23. Look Into Jesus—Larry Norman
24. I Believe in You—Bob Dylan
25. Rationale—Bill Mallonee
26. Into Dust—Mazzy Star
27. Prayer for the Paranoid—Mojave 3
28. Sketch for Dawn 1—The Durutti Column
29. Weightless—Brian Eno with Daniel Lanois
30. Stand on the Word—Joubert Singers
31. Forever Heavy—Black Moth Super Rainbow
32. All Neon Like—Bjørk
33. Nothing Can Stop Us—Saint Etienne
34. We Could Forever—Bonobo
35. Hung Up On A Dream —The Tough Alliance
36. In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country—Boards of Canada
37. Traveling Through a Sea—Grouper
38. Love—The Art of Noise
39. Obsession (live)—Delirious?
40. “40″—U2

Stephanie's work for Mockingbird will make its debut in our year-end appeal letter, going out this week. We could not be more excited about it. To be sure you get a copy, sign up for our mailing list.

October Playlist

1. Slow Emotion Replay - The The

2. Bad Reputation - Freedy Johnston
3. Christ Church Woman - Justin Townes Earle
4. Wax Minute - Michael Nesmith
5. Hard Enough - Brandon Flowers
6. I Shall Call Her Mary - Montage
7. Angela Surf City - The Walkmen
8. Tragic Girl - Weezer
9. Buttercups - Fran Healy
10. In Christ There Is No East Or West - Mavis Staples
11. The Ghost of Rockwood - Belle & Sebastian
12. Follow The Plan - Colin Hare
13. Jug of Water - Honeybus
14. I Walked - Sufjan Stevens
15. Space Captain - Joe Cocker and the Shelter People
16. Roll Away Your Stone - Mumford & Sons
17. Tower of Song - Leonard Cohen & U2
18. Temporary - Slaid Cleaves

(September Playlist)

1. Bob Lind (The Only Way Is Down) - Pulp
2. What A Day (For A Night) - Paul Westerberg
3. What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me) - Rod Stewart
4. Pride (Won't Get Us Where We're Going) - Thad Cockrell
5. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - Elvis Presley
6. Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.) - Glen Campbell
7. (Do I Figure) In Your Life? - Honeybus
8. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) - The Beach Boys
9. Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon) - The Mamas & Papas
10. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) - David Ruffin
11. Here It Comes (Here I Go) - Jerri Bo Keno & Phil Spector
12. Nobody Love You (When You're Down And Out) - John Lennon
13. Ballad Of Mott The Hoople (March 26, 1972 - Zurich) - Mott The Hoople
14. (As Long As I Can) Get You When I Want You - Ike & Tina Turner
15. The Other End (Of The Telescope) - 'til Tuesday
16. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) - Pet Shop Boys
17. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - Genesis
18. Stay (Faraway, So Close) - U2
19. (I Don't Know Why Sometimes) I Get Frightened - Split Enz
20. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) - The Rolling Stones
21. King Harvest (Has Surely Come) - The Band
22. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Bob Dylan



p.s. What are your favorite parenthetical songs?

Another Summer Ends: ITunesU Playlist

It has been a while since I've updated our ITunesU Mockingsyllabus, so consider this some last-minute beach listening pleasure for all of you who are looking for a way to pass the time putting the finishing touches on your tan. For all of you who want to broaden the repertoire of your innocuous Cocktail banter by adding "relative successes of the Vietnam War" to Original Sin, Law/Gospel and the bound will, this collection is for you.

1. History of the International System: James Sheehan, Stanford
In our polarized world of sound-bite partisanship, it is instructive and humbling to actually learn about how complicated and difficult the modern political system has become. This class will make you think twice (or for the first time) the next time you read Nicholas Kristof or Glen Beck.

2. Reading the Decalogue: Wheaton
God knows that this will not be the last word on His (in)famous 10, but this collection of differing interpretations of the 10 Commandments within different theological systems is required listening for anyone who is interested in the way the concept of the Law has been utilized in theology throughout history. Of particular interest to us are the lectures on Luther, Calvin, Lancelot Andrewes and Barth. On the whole, and for what it's worth, it confirmed my suspicions of Calvin, further confused me about Barth, deepened my appreciation of Luther and gave creedence to the argument that "morality" is the real (and unfortunate) Anglican heritage. Listen to it and see what you think!


3. Aesthetics: Jeffrey Wattles, Kent State University
From Plato to Derrida, this class helps illustrate that there is neither a spoon nor a line between the questions raised by theology and philosophy.


4. Christ and Human Thought: Cornelius van Til, Westminster Theological Seminary
This is an example of the way the word "theologian" used to be synonymous with "polymath." The audio is a little weak, but this is well worth the effort.

5. Worldview Everlasting: Revd. Jonathan Fisk
Ever been embarassed by your inability to explain the theological and pastoral significance of the Genus Maiestaticum? If so, there is good news: you no longer have to live in fear or shame. While not technically an offering from ITUnesU--yet--Rev. Fisk (whom some of you may have met at the recent Mockingbird conference) has a 10 minute video podcast that will make all of your wildest dreams come true.

Well, that's about it. I would love to hear of any classes you all have found helpful and/or interesting. Day-by-day, you too can atone for the time you spent perfecting your foosball goalie shot (see below) instead of applying yourself to more "traditional" educational opportunities.

August Playlist

Extra-cool, as promised:

1. Jump They Say - David Bowie
2. Freedom - George Michael
3. I Can't Let Maggie Go - Honeybus
4. Your Own Back Yard - Dion
5. You Are Not Alone - Mavis Staples
6. The End Of The World Is Bigger Than Love - Jens Lekman
7. Do You Love Me? - Guster
8. When A Man Needs A Woman - The Beach Boys
9. Wishing You Were Here - Chicago
10. Go Away Boy - The Pearlfishers
11. A Vegas Story - The Lost Dogs
12. Did Trouble Me - Tom Jones
13. Chief Of Police In Chicago - Doug Burr
14. Ballad Of Carol Lynn - Whiskeytown
15. Joey's Arm - Sons Of Bill
16. Rapture - Pedro The Lion
17. City With No Children - Arcade Fire
18. Do The Bartman - The Simpsons w/Michael Jackson



Bonus Track: Creepy or inspired? or both? A prize for the best caption...

July Playlist

A bit more current than I prefer, but nonetheless pretty darn summer-lovin':

1. Flipside - The Sountrack Of Our Lives
2. Ain't That Enough - Teenage Fanclub
3. Baby You're Blind - God Help The Girl
4. Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare - Matt & Kim
5. Doctor My Eyes - Jackson 5
6. How Long - Honeybus
7. Walls (Circus) - Tom Petty and Lindsey Buckingham
8. Ballad of a Well-Known Gun - Elton John
9. You Got To Die - Mark Miller
10. Let Go - Frou Frou
11. Born Again - RPA & The United Nations of Sound
12. Lovefool - The Morning Benders
13. Mirror Ball - Jay Bennett
14. Marley Purt Drive - Bee Gees
15. The Mermaid Parade - Phosphorescent
16. Statue of Jesus - The Gear Daddies
17. Arkansas - Damien Jurado
18. The State I Am In - Belle & Sebastian

Belated June (Summer Reading) Playlist

1. Soulful Old Man Sunshine - The Beach Boys
2. Take A Run At The Sun - Dinosaur Jr
3. It's Summertime - The Flaming Lips
4. Shooting Star - The Mamas & The Papas
5. Walking In The Sun - The Zombies
6. Catch The Sun - Doves
7. Summer Song (Wishing You Were Here) - Slade
8. Almost Summer - Celebration (feat. Mike Love and Brian Wilson)
9. Everyday I Write The Book (live) - Elvis Costello
10. When I Write The Book - Nick Lowe
11. The Book I Write - Spoon
12. Wrapped Up In Books - Belle & Sebastian
13. The Lost Art Of Conversation - The Divine Comedy
14. My Back Pages - The Byrds
15. Turn The Page (live) - Bob Seger
16. Catcher In The Rye - Guns N Roses

What are YOU reading this summer?!

Thurs Morning Torch N Roll: The Latter Day Ballads of Elvis Costello (plus Burt Bacharach)

Few people are willing to swallow the whole loaf when it comes to Elvis Costello. The man has simply had too many distinct phases, stylistic shifts, etc. If you like his early 'revenge and guilt' output, you might have a hard time appreciating his classical forays. Or you dig the blue-eyed soul of Get Happy!, but his 80s chamber- and synth-pop leaves you flat. Or you love his Americana experiments but the organ-heavy amphetamined This Year's Model is too jarring or cynical or samey for your tastes. Or maybe his singer-for-hire soundtrack work this past decade casts a pall on everything post-1982. You get the idea. The guy is restless, a real musical chameleon as they say. Of course, his diehard fans would claim that that is a huge part of his appeal; regardless of the backing group, Elvis is always Elvis. His take on life and relationships is always witty and urbane, and those melodies, even when 'over-written' (a frequent criticism), tend to burrow down into your subconscious.

I find that the main persisting misconception about Elvis Costello is that he is a rocker and not a balladeer. Or at least, that it's an either/or situation, and if not, then that's somehow evidence of a lack of integrity. He is both. True, the ballads can get a little boring, esp when he overdoes the vibrato, but if you are interested in his latter-day work (90s and 00s), that is where the majority of the gems are to be found. In fact, I would argue that his last truly great record was Painted From Memory, the one that he made with Burt Bacharach in 1998, and the highwater mark of that album is the stunning ballad "God Give Me Strength." Elvis has rarely dealt with religion in an non-ironic or non-satirical mode, so the track comes as a bit of a sucker punch. But musical prayer-songs simply don't get any more profound: Elvis confesses not only his inability to get over a lover's rebuff, he prays that his rival would suffer, acknowledging the 'boundness' of his emotions with every note. The song is a cry-for-help of the most honest and articulate kind:
[CONTINUE READING]

Belated May Playlist

For the bbq after the pool party...

1. Leaving Here - The Who
2. Safe European Home - The Clash
3. Walls Come Tumbling Down - The Style Council
4. Escape From New York - Chris Mills
5. New Test Leper - R.E.M.
6. A New England - Billy Bragg
7. You Were Right - Badly Drawn Boy
8. Falling - McAlmont & Butler
9. Factory - Band Of Horses
10. It's A Sin When You Love Somebody - Glen Campbell
11. Malachi Star - Curt Boettcher
12. (Drawing) Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals
13. Tell 'Em - Sleigh Bells
14. Forever and Ever, Amen - The Drums
15. Metropolis - The Church
16. Run Wild - New Order

STOP MAKING SENSE PLAYLIST

 Same as it ever was...

1. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)- Speaking in Tongues
2. Houses in Motion- Remain in Light
3. (Nothing But) Flowers- Naked
4. And She Was- Little Creatures
5. Swamp- Stop Making Sense (Live)
6. Wild, Wild Life –True Stories
7. Girlfriend Is Better- Speaking in Tongues
8. People Like Us- True Stories
9. Papa Legba- True Stories
10. Road to Nowhere –Little Creatures

Mockingbird's Poolside Pop Mix

Here's a mix of jams to enjoy while you sit by the pool this summer.

1. D Pulse - Velocity of Love
2. Wave Machines - Keep the Lights On
3. Sare Havlicek - White Russian (Lazy Summer)
4. Phoenix - Holdin' On Together
5. Al Usher - Lullaby for Robert
6. Woolfy - Odyssey
7. Bell X1 - Flame (Chicken Lips remix)
8. Fujiya & Miyagi - Collarbone
9. New Young Pony Club - Talking, Talking
10. Love International - Airport of Love
11. Air - Surfing on a Rocket
12. Vastkustska Ryggdunkarsallskapet - Don't Dub Around Here No More
13. Plastilina Mosh - Barretta '89
14. Jolly Music/Erlend Oye - Radio Jolly/Prego Amore (Acapella)
15. Ahmed Fakroun - Yo Son (Prince Language edit)
16. Parallel Dance Ensemble - Turtle Pizza (Yam Who rework)
17. Mike Francis - Survivor

April Playlist

A little bit of Brit-pop + a little bit of country = a lot of awesome:

1. Human Wheels - John Mellencamp
2. None Of Us Are Free - Solomon Burke
3. Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat) - Bob Dylan
4. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water - Elvis Presley
5. Men With Broken Hearts - Hank Williams
6. One Good Year - Slaid Cleaves
7. Dishes - Pulp
8. That's Me Trying - William Shatner with Ben Folds and Aimee Mann
9. All Men Are Liars - Nick Lowe
10. If You Would Lord, Send A Boat - Chris Knight
11. Rockin' Chair - Oasis
12. Medicine Hat - Son Volt
13. Lightning Blue Eyes - Secret Machines
14. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) - Florence + The Machine
15. Friday Mourning - Morrissey
16. Loving The Alien - Velvet Revolver

March Playlist

1. Rainmaker - Sparklehorse

2. Animal Farm - The Kinks

3. Maybe I'm Amazed - The Faces

4. If You Don't Come Back - Elvis Presley

5. Voices - Phantogram

6. Tightrope - Yeasayer

7. O, Dana - Big Star

8. Lawyers, Guns and Money - Warren Zevon

9. Mixed Emotions - The Rolling Stones

10. Stay Together - Suede

11. Don't Blame Your Daughter (Diamonds) - The Cardigans

12. Lonesome Blues - Shooter Jennings

13. Love Is All I Am - Dawes

14. BK Baby - Ben Kweller

15. Wandering - Ben Folds

16. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke

17. I Wouldn't Ever Change A Thing - Rod Stewart

18. Shelter - The XX

Bonus Track: