Wednesday, September 14, 2005
The Bitter Buffalo Radio Mix, Volume One (Director's Cut Expanded Edition)
This the tracklist from the (fictional for now) Bitter Buffalo Radio Show. Discs should be in the mail to certified Bitter Buffalo CD Club members by the end of the week.
One
Modest Mouse - Heart Cooks Brain
Still the best thing Modest Mouse has ever recorded, and (of course) the inspiration for the Bitter Buffalo theme, outlook, etc. It also employs turntable scratching as well as any non-hip hop song I can think of. Lyrically, it’s enigmatic yet evocative: “My brain’s a cliff and my heart’s a bitter buffalo.” I don’t have the slightest what the hell that means, but it’s fucking poetic.
Two
The Flaming Lips - This Here Giraffe
Catches The Flaming Lips in their mid-90’s transitional stage, between the psychedelic freak-out rock band they started out as to the more wistful psychedelic freak-out soft rock band they are today. “Giraffe” is here because I bought Void (the recently released Flaming Lips DVD video collection, remixed in 5.1 surround sound – highly recommended) and was charmed to discover it’s the only clip not directed by longtime Lips collaborator Bradley Beasley. In fact, it’s directed by the young ingénue and occasional object of my, ahem, godfatherly affections, Sofia Coppola. Sweet.
Three
The Magnetic Fields - Long Vermont Roads
Yeah, yeah, I know: music doesn’t get a whole lot gayer than The Magnetic Fields. But, dude, listen to this fucking song! “Your eyes are the Mesa Verde, big and brown and far away… and your eyes are Kansas City, in Kansas and in misery” is an incredibly thoughtful and wonderfully inspired lyric (even if it was written by a guy, about another guy). Add those cheesy ‘80’s synths and you have a pop gem that’s better than anything Bronski Beat ever wrote (yeah, “Smalltown Boy” comes close, but this is still better).
Four
Manitoba - Jacknuggeted
It knocked me off my feet when I first heard it, and it still sends chills up my spine. It’s structured a bit like a Chemical Brothers tune: building up on repetitive loops (“Under. Over. Again.”), then suddenly kicking into a completely different sonic space. I have a soft spot for the well-employed handclap (see also, and especially, Broken Social Scene’s “Stars and Sons”), and this cut employs handclaps like Wal-Mart employs old people and retards. Too bad Snaith can’t call himself Manitoba anymore, but if that asshole Handsome Dick wants to call himself Manitoba, let him. Caribou works fine for me.
Five
Saint Etienne - Like A Motorway
Saint Etienne is a guilty pleasure. But what’s the point of assembling a mix like this one if you can’t indulge in a little self-love now and again (heh, I wrote “point”)? I like Saint Etienne. Is that so wrong? In the right environment (“Motorway’s” the perfect example of the right environment, with its propulsively dorky early-90’s beat), Sarah Cracknell’s voice coos and purrs and invites me over to her pad so she can feed me grapes and barleywine through a twisty straw. What? You don’t hear that? You must be deaf.
Six
Constantines - Young Lions
This one’s here because I’m betting most of you have never heard it (I said most of you!), and because your life will be marginally better now that you’ve been exposed to yet another truly great rock song.
Seven
Clearlake - Can't Feel A Thing
Ditto for Clearlake. Except in their case, “truly great British rock song.”
Eight
The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society
“Picture Book’s” been done to death in the brilliant, Gondry-esque HP color printer ads – so I couldn’t in good conscience include it here. “Village Green” is lyrically superior anyway, full of juicy fodder for appreciative English majors and casual linguists alike. And it's catchy. Bonus!
Nine
Go! Team - This Power Is On
Just to show you how thoroughly my grand ambitions fell apart for this project… after rejecting so many wonderful BBCDC theme ideas for any number of reasons, I wound up on a Saturday morning (last Saturday, specifically) standing in front of my CD collection, staring. Then I started a mad grabbing frenzy, pulling down about 60 CDs to whittle songs for inclusion on this CD. I piled the discs in front of my CD player downstairs and poured myself a cup of coffee. Moments later, I found a compilation CD that was a throw-in bonus from my last order at Insound sitting on a shelf, out of Logan’s reach. I hadn’t listened to it yet, and in fact forgot I even had it. As I wasn’t yet quite caffeinated enough to tackle the task of culling songs for this set, I threw it in the CD player. This Go! Team track was the first track on the disc. That was the first time I had ever heard it. Two hours later, it was on this mix.
Ten
Lyrics Born & The Poets of Rhythm - I Changed My Mind
I had this CD for four years before I figured out Quannum is the name of a label, and not the name of some hip hop collective. The confusion started with M2, which attributed the artist for the animated clip of this song as “Quannum, ft. Lyrics Born” back in the days when they actually played videos (but that’s another rant). The producers of Entourage used it in a recent episode, so I made a mental note to include it here. And I’m glad I did.
Eleven
Broken Social Scene - Stars and Sons
I just love this song. Maybe it’s the handclaps. Maybe it’s the New Order-like bassline. Proabably it’s both. You Forgot It In People was my favorite CD of 2003, and it’s held up exceptionally well – I still listen to it about once a week. And when I listen to “Stars And Sons” while driving, I risk both life and limb by taking my hands off the steering wheel and clapping along. God, I am a dork.
Twelve
Earlimart - The Hidden Track
Earlier this year (using a pseudonym here, for privacy reasons) “Guillaume Delacroix” (he who still refuses to post even the slightest comment to this blog but who is a confirmed serial lurker here nonetheless) visited Raleigh from Chicago -- which naturally meant we had to go on a CD shopping spree. Concentrating very carefully on the task at hand, we separated once inside the store and spent about an hour by ourselves picking out CDs. I had Logan with me, so I had to check out a few minutes early and change a diaper or something. By the time we had a chance to compare our shopping bags, we were well on our way home. In our bags were all the things we had been discussing with each other for months – and each of us had purchased a copy of this Earlimart CD. Which is funny because for all the time we spend jawing back and forth about music we love, neither of us had ever mentioned to the other anything about Earlimart. Great minds, great minds…
Thirteen
Built To Spill - The Plan
“The Plan” always turns me into an air guitarist. Like many other songs that do that to me, “The Plan” has a distinctive stuttering guitar sound that makes me believe I can accurately and dramatically mimic the way the instrument is played. What’s pathetic is I have no idea how to even hold a guitar properly, let alone play one convincingly. Like I said: I am such a dork.
Fourteen
Black Mountain - Druganaut
In reviewing my favorite CDs of 2005, this Black Mountain CD already winds up securely in the Top 5. Which is surprising, because I had never heard even a note of it when I picked up the CD last time I was in Denver (in early July), and because they opened for Coldplay (whom I saw last weekend, but that’s another story altogether) on the first leg of their North American tour. Five seconds with this song will explain why Black Mountain / Coldplay is one of the oddest tour pairings since Hendrix / The Monkees. Special note to Patrick: if you dig the Black Sabbath “influence” (others might call it “homage,” still others “outright mimicry”) here enough to consider buying the CD (and that’s probably the biggest reason I put it here), I suggest you listen to a few other tracks before you make up your mind.
Fifteen
Dressy Bessy - I Saw Cinnamon
I like the Denver Broncos, the Colorado Avalanche, even (in theory, anyway) the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Rockies. I like Fat Tire (even though it doesn’t taste quite the same as it did ten years ago) and “the Yellow Hammer:” Coors Original (even though the cans I get here in NC are brewed in, I think, Virginia). I'm pretty sure Connie Willis is a genius, and Dan Simmons showed me he could be one, too (Hyperion rocked, but the horror stuff doesn’t quite do it for me). I may live in NC, but my heart will always be in CO. Accordingly, I like 16 Horsepower, Matson Jones, The Apples In Stereo, and Dressy Bessy. Hell, I think I’d like Dressy Bessy if they were from fucking Fayetteville. That’s how good they are.
Sixteen
Smoking Popes - I Need You Around
A crazy song that arrived on a CMJ back in July of 1995, “I Need You Around” still ranks as my favorite CMJ song from an artist whose CD I never wound up purchasing. Classic.
Seventeen
Blondie - I'm Gonna Love You Too
Blondie is currently undervalued. If their music were stocks, and if I were a financial advisor, I’d recommend you “Buy.” It’s only a matter of time before the newest crop of indie scenesters rediscovers the Blondie oeuvre and incorporates the band’s knack for writing great hooks and Debbie Harry’s sleazy disco coke-dusted sexiness into one package. You can say the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have tried, but Karen O’s image is too calculated, and their songs too avant-garde to pull it off convincingly. The real test will be whether the band can rip off a 50’s-style throwback like this one without sounding the least bit cheesy. That’s the mark of genius.
Eighteen
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away
I love this record, I really do. This cut reminds me of Radiohead’s “Stop Whispering,” but I am not the least bit annoyed that it sounds maybe a bit too much like Radiohead’s “Stop Whispering.” Because, now that I think about it, “Stop Whispering” could just as easily have found itself on this mix. I just love that song.
Nineteen
James - Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)
This studio version of the song was originally included on a CD that was never even released in the US. That’s a shame, because it’s as good a song as James ever released. And I’m betting you never heard it. Then again, I’m betting you didn’t buy the James stuff that was available in the US, and you probably wouldn’t have bought this either. At least imports don’t find their way into the indignity of used CD bins as readily as domestic releases do.
Twenty
Laurie Anderson - Let X = X
I have been meaning to put this cut on a mix CD for years, but always forget for some reason. Not this time. I love the melody at the end (and was thrilled to hear it aped on a Spiritualized CD a few years back). But my favorite part is when she deadpans, ”oh boy… right again” after correctly guessing what some random guy does for a living. Some people derive great pleasure out of life’s littlest victories. I derive sarcasm. And for me, I guess, sarcasm is pleasure.
One
Modest Mouse - Heart Cooks Brain
Still the best thing Modest Mouse has ever recorded, and (of course) the inspiration for the Bitter Buffalo theme, outlook, etc. It also employs turntable scratching as well as any non-hip hop song I can think of. Lyrically, it’s enigmatic yet evocative: “My brain’s a cliff and my heart’s a bitter buffalo.” I don’t have the slightest what the hell that means, but it’s fucking poetic.
Two
The Flaming Lips - This Here Giraffe
Catches The Flaming Lips in their mid-90’s transitional stage, between the psychedelic freak-out rock band they started out as to the more wistful psychedelic freak-out soft rock band they are today. “Giraffe” is here because I bought Void (the recently released Flaming Lips DVD video collection, remixed in 5.1 surround sound – highly recommended) and was charmed to discover it’s the only clip not directed by longtime Lips collaborator Bradley Beasley. In fact, it’s directed by the young ingénue and occasional object of my, ahem, godfatherly affections, Sofia Coppola. Sweet.
Three
The Magnetic Fields - Long Vermont Roads
Yeah, yeah, I know: music doesn’t get a whole lot gayer than The Magnetic Fields. But, dude, listen to this fucking song! “Your eyes are the Mesa Verde, big and brown and far away… and your eyes are Kansas City, in Kansas and in misery” is an incredibly thoughtful and wonderfully inspired lyric (even if it was written by a guy, about another guy). Add those cheesy ‘80’s synths and you have a pop gem that’s better than anything Bronski Beat ever wrote (yeah, “Smalltown Boy” comes close, but this is still better).
Four
Manitoba - Jacknuggeted
It knocked me off my feet when I first heard it, and it still sends chills up my spine. It’s structured a bit like a Chemical Brothers tune: building up on repetitive loops (“Under. Over. Again.”), then suddenly kicking into a completely different sonic space. I have a soft spot for the well-employed handclap (see also, and especially, Broken Social Scene’s “Stars and Sons”), and this cut employs handclaps like Wal-Mart employs old people and retards. Too bad Snaith can’t call himself Manitoba anymore, but if that asshole Handsome Dick wants to call himself Manitoba, let him. Caribou works fine for me.
Five
Saint Etienne - Like A Motorway
Saint Etienne is a guilty pleasure. But what’s the point of assembling a mix like this one if you can’t indulge in a little self-love now and again (heh, I wrote “point”)? I like Saint Etienne. Is that so wrong? In the right environment (“Motorway’s” the perfect example of the right environment, with its propulsively dorky early-90’s beat), Sarah Cracknell’s voice coos and purrs and invites me over to her pad so she can feed me grapes and barleywine through a twisty straw. What? You don’t hear that? You must be deaf.
Six
Constantines - Young Lions
This one’s here because I’m betting most of you have never heard it (I said most of you!), and because your life will be marginally better now that you’ve been exposed to yet another truly great rock song.
Seven
Clearlake - Can't Feel A Thing
Ditto for Clearlake. Except in their case, “truly great British rock song.”
Eight
The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society
“Picture Book’s” been done to death in the brilliant, Gondry-esque HP color printer ads – so I couldn’t in good conscience include it here. “Village Green” is lyrically superior anyway, full of juicy fodder for appreciative English majors and casual linguists alike. And it's catchy. Bonus!
Nine
Go! Team - This Power Is On
Just to show you how thoroughly my grand ambitions fell apart for this project… after rejecting so many wonderful BBCDC theme ideas for any number of reasons, I wound up on a Saturday morning (last Saturday, specifically) standing in front of my CD collection, staring. Then I started a mad grabbing frenzy, pulling down about 60 CDs to whittle songs for inclusion on this CD. I piled the discs in front of my CD player downstairs and poured myself a cup of coffee. Moments later, I found a compilation CD that was a throw-in bonus from my last order at Insound sitting on a shelf, out of Logan’s reach. I hadn’t listened to it yet, and in fact forgot I even had it. As I wasn’t yet quite caffeinated enough to tackle the task of culling songs for this set, I threw it in the CD player. This Go! Team track was the first track on the disc. That was the first time I had ever heard it. Two hours later, it was on this mix.
Ten
Lyrics Born & The Poets of Rhythm - I Changed My Mind
I had this CD for four years before I figured out Quannum is the name of a label, and not the name of some hip hop collective. The confusion started with M2, which attributed the artist for the animated clip of this song as “Quannum, ft. Lyrics Born” back in the days when they actually played videos (but that’s another rant). The producers of Entourage used it in a recent episode, so I made a mental note to include it here. And I’m glad I did.
Eleven
Broken Social Scene - Stars and Sons
I just love this song. Maybe it’s the handclaps. Maybe it’s the New Order-like bassline. Proabably it’s both. You Forgot It In People was my favorite CD of 2003, and it’s held up exceptionally well – I still listen to it about once a week. And when I listen to “Stars And Sons” while driving, I risk both life and limb by taking my hands off the steering wheel and clapping along. God, I am a dork.
Twelve
Earlimart - The Hidden Track
Earlier this year (using a pseudonym here, for privacy reasons) “Guillaume Delacroix” (he who still refuses to post even the slightest comment to this blog but who is a confirmed serial lurker here nonetheless) visited Raleigh from Chicago -- which naturally meant we had to go on a CD shopping spree. Concentrating very carefully on the task at hand, we separated once inside the store and spent about an hour by ourselves picking out CDs. I had Logan with me, so I had to check out a few minutes early and change a diaper or something. By the time we had a chance to compare our shopping bags, we were well on our way home. In our bags were all the things we had been discussing with each other for months – and each of us had purchased a copy of this Earlimart CD. Which is funny because for all the time we spend jawing back and forth about music we love, neither of us had ever mentioned to the other anything about Earlimart. Great minds, great minds…
Thirteen
Built To Spill - The Plan
“The Plan” always turns me into an air guitarist. Like many other songs that do that to me, “The Plan” has a distinctive stuttering guitar sound that makes me believe I can accurately and dramatically mimic the way the instrument is played. What’s pathetic is I have no idea how to even hold a guitar properly, let alone play one convincingly. Like I said: I am such a dork.
Fourteen
Black Mountain - Druganaut
In reviewing my favorite CDs of 2005, this Black Mountain CD already winds up securely in the Top 5. Which is surprising, because I had never heard even a note of it when I picked up the CD last time I was in Denver (in early July), and because they opened for Coldplay (whom I saw last weekend, but that’s another story altogether) on the first leg of their North American tour. Five seconds with this song will explain why Black Mountain / Coldplay is one of the oddest tour pairings since Hendrix / The Monkees. Special note to Patrick: if you dig the Black Sabbath “influence” (others might call it “homage,” still others “outright mimicry”) here enough to consider buying the CD (and that’s probably the biggest reason I put it here), I suggest you listen to a few other tracks before you make up your mind.
Fifteen
Dressy Bessy - I Saw Cinnamon
I like the Denver Broncos, the Colorado Avalanche, even (in theory, anyway) the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Rockies. I like Fat Tire (even though it doesn’t taste quite the same as it did ten years ago) and “the Yellow Hammer:” Coors Original (even though the cans I get here in NC are brewed in, I think, Virginia). I'm pretty sure Connie Willis is a genius, and Dan Simmons showed me he could be one, too (Hyperion rocked, but the horror stuff doesn’t quite do it for me). I may live in NC, but my heart will always be in CO. Accordingly, I like 16 Horsepower, Matson Jones, The Apples In Stereo, and Dressy Bessy. Hell, I think I’d like Dressy Bessy if they were from fucking Fayetteville. That’s how good they are.
Sixteen
Smoking Popes - I Need You Around
A crazy song that arrived on a CMJ back in July of 1995, “I Need You Around” still ranks as my favorite CMJ song from an artist whose CD I never wound up purchasing. Classic.
Seventeen
Blondie - I'm Gonna Love You Too
Blondie is currently undervalued. If their music were stocks, and if I were a financial advisor, I’d recommend you “Buy.” It’s only a matter of time before the newest crop of indie scenesters rediscovers the Blondie oeuvre and incorporates the band’s knack for writing great hooks and Debbie Harry’s sleazy disco coke-dusted sexiness into one package. You can say the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have tried, but Karen O’s image is too calculated, and their songs too avant-garde to pull it off convincingly. The real test will be whether the band can rip off a 50’s-style throwback like this one without sounding the least bit cheesy. That’s the mark of genius.
Eighteen
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away
I love this record, I really do. This cut reminds me of Radiohead’s “Stop Whispering,” but I am not the least bit annoyed that it sounds maybe a bit too much like Radiohead’s “Stop Whispering.” Because, now that I think about it, “Stop Whispering” could just as easily have found itself on this mix. I just love that song.
Nineteen
James - Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)
This studio version of the song was originally included on a CD that was never even released in the US. That’s a shame, because it’s as good a song as James ever released. And I’m betting you never heard it. Then again, I’m betting you didn’t buy the James stuff that was available in the US, and you probably wouldn’t have bought this either. At least imports don’t find their way into the indignity of used CD bins as readily as domestic releases do.
Twenty
Laurie Anderson - Let X = X
I have been meaning to put this cut on a mix CD for years, but always forget for some reason. Not this time. I love the melody at the end (and was thrilled to hear it aped on a Spiritualized CD a few years back). But my favorite part is when she deadpans, ”oh boy… right again” after correctly guessing what some random guy does for a living. Some people derive great pleasure out of life’s littlest victories. I derive sarcasm. And for me, I guess, sarcasm is pleasure.
posted by Bill Purdy, 12:34 PM
1 Buffaloes were bitter enough to post comments:
Here's my best Collin impression:
One: I've really only heard "Float On" last year (too many times I might add). Here's hoping, like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's, the rest of their music is different.
Two: Sofia is a groovy chick
Three: Is it nearly as gay as "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand?
Four: I LOVE songs that give you chills! "Dear God" by XTC does it for me every time.
Five: I think Kirsten Hersh does the same to me!
Six: YAY - new Purdy stuff!
Seven: YAY - new British Purdy stuff!
Eight: Pulling the Kinks out of yer ass - nice!
Nine: Love when a song grabs you that fast!
Ten: You should link here to that rant - it's a good one!
Eleven: Didja ever notice how cool the hand claps are on Sleater-Kinney tunes?
Twelve: TIME OUT - how jealous is Cross right now? HEHE!
Thirteen: I've seen you do air guitar, and sing to me at the top of your lungs while drunk off yer ass. Should be an interesting weekend!
Fourteen: Thanks for the words or caution.
Fifteen: I saw DB on Conan and I wasn't completely blown away like I had hoped to be. Do they deserve the hype?
Sixteen: I remember!
Seventeen: Honestly one of my favorite Blondie songs - almost made it on to Girls Scream!
Eighteen: There is an AM station out here that actually played this band just after you went off to me about them. Not bad!
Nineteen: KT is a big James fan.
Twenty: She's always been an artist I wanted to get into but never did. Thanks for adding it.
I can't wait - seriously!
One: I've really only heard "Float On" last year (too many times I might add). Here's hoping, like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's, the rest of their music is different.
Two: Sofia is a groovy chick
Three: Is it nearly as gay as "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand?
Four: I LOVE songs that give you chills! "Dear God" by XTC does it for me every time.
Five: I think Kirsten Hersh does the same to me!
Six: YAY - new Purdy stuff!
Seven: YAY - new British Purdy stuff!
Eight: Pulling the Kinks out of yer ass - nice!
Nine: Love when a song grabs you that fast!
Ten: You should link here to that rant - it's a good one!
Eleven: Didja ever notice how cool the hand claps are on Sleater-Kinney tunes?
Twelve: TIME OUT - how jealous is Cross right now? HEHE!
Thirteen: I've seen you do air guitar, and sing to me at the top of your lungs while drunk off yer ass. Should be an interesting weekend!
Fourteen: Thanks for the words or caution.
Fifteen: I saw DB on Conan and I wasn't completely blown away like I had hoped to be. Do they deserve the hype?
Sixteen: I remember!
Seventeen: Honestly one of my favorite Blondie songs - almost made it on to Girls Scream!
Eighteen: There is an AM station out here that actually played this band just after you went off to me about them. Not bad!
Nineteen: KT is a big James fan.
Twenty: She's always been an artist I wanted to get into but never did. Thanks for adding it.
I can't wait - seriously!