I think the two greatest discoveries on this mix, and the ones that became the foundation I built around, were the saturday at your place and Ripe songs. The simple, curse-ladened straight forward catchy melody and lyrics of the track, "what am i supposed to do?" are irresistible. Thankfully, the rest of their album, "these things happen" is just as great! As far as Ripe, I briefly mistook them for an old Sub Pop band whose single I had from the late 90s, but it's not them! Totally different band. I was so taken about by the beauty in the lyrics to "Lonely Magician."
So now for your next trick
You'll cut yourself in two
Separate pieces
Then fix yourself with glue
Made from your heartache
I hate to watch as you learn the hard way
This is why I love making and curating these mixes as much as I do. Not just to introduce new music to others, but to find new music for myself too.
We've also got new music from The Smashing Pumpkins (dropping a new surprise rockin' single!), a very welcome return from The Black Heart Procession who hasn't put out new music in YEARS! They'd been on my mind a lot lately because they feature so prominently in the opening of Jeremy Kasten's WIZARD OF GORE remake, and our conversation about that is featured in my new book, Icons Of Fright: 100 Interviews With Legendary Horror Filmmakers!
The track "4U" is from Rona Rapadas, one of my old Amoeba Music co-workers! When I used to fly back into Burbank Airport from a long trip, I'd always spot the Amoeba billboard in the long hall of the airport and Rona was featured so prominently in that ad. It always brought me a bit of comfort seeing her in that and and it made me feel like this crazy city was always welcoming me home! She has a beautiful new EP out called "Our Blood," and that's where that song comes from.
I love that Sub Pop has re-issued and remastered Six Finger Satellite's classic sci-fi punk album "Severe Exposure," because it gives me a chance to feature them on this mix! New songs from Florence + The Machine, Bouncing Souls, Deftones! Thank you, NCIS: TONY & ZIVA for introducing me to the French song "Le bateau coule" by Louane. And bless the YouTube algorithms for bringing me Lavaros' cover of The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony."
A few heavy tunes, including Mudvayne's "Hurt People Hurt People," a title I was so tempted to title this mix with, especially since I posted a random musings video with this idea. But the world is dark enough as it is! That's why I, instead, decided to go with Ninja Sex Party's cover of "The Power Of Love" and paired it with the above photo that Alisa's mom took of the two of us while hiking the Hollywood sign. At the end of the day, love triumphs over all else.
I discovered The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (hell of a long band name!) and used one of their tunes on the last mix, but this time, I'm closing out this mix with their epic "Reject All and Submit." Such a cool band and sound! I say it every time because it's true every time, this is my best mix yet! Enjoy!
2025, Vol. 8: Can You Feel It?
1. Behind The Clock by AFI
2. what am i supposed to do? by saturdays at your place
3. Lonely Magician by Ripe
4. The Power Of Love by Ninja Sex Party
5. United by Bouncing Souls
6. Pretty by NewDad
7. enjoy the ride by almost monday
8. where did you go? by We Came As Romans
9. Hurt People Hurt People by Mudvayne
10. I Am The Dark by Ghosts in the Graveyard
11. Parlour Games by Six Finger Satellite
12. Old Habits by Alan Walker (feat. farruko & Sofia Reyes)
13. Le bateau coule by Louane
14. Chrome Jets by The Smashing Pumpkins
15. Following by The Black Heart Procession
16. Unravelling (Ghost Town Version) by Muse
17. Bitter Sweet Symphony by Lavaros
18. ecdysis by Deftones
19. 4U by Rona Rapadas
20. ORDINARY LOSS by HEALTH
21. Everybody Scream by Florence + The Machine
22. Mind Games (Signals Mix) by Collide
23. Reject All and Submit by The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
