Daily Dischord’s Monday Mixtape 28/02/11
Wow, February is almost over. 2011 has been a crazy year so far, with a lot of new stuff under way here at camp Dischord (not least the new Daily Dischord radio show which goes live TOMORROW at 2pm), so what better way is there to round off the second month of the year and start the springtime vibes with nothing other than a Monday Mixtape!
This week I’ve decided to use a slightly unorthodox theme. That’s right, the last Monday in February will henceforth be known as “The Mixtape Dedicated to Songs With Exclamation Marks in Their Title”.
Wait, what?
That’s right, today’s theme is indeed loud songs with loud titles that contain exclamation points.
Ready?
LET’S DO IT!
Mogwai – Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home
Opening their seminal record Young Team in the ever so slightly ominous fashion that Mogwai fans have become accustomed to over the years, the track starts off with a spoken sample luring you into a false sense of security before getting dirty and vicious on your ass. Some of the sleaziest guitar tones you’re every likely to hear can be found on this track, and is a great way to kick start any day/week/month/life. Mogwai, and particularly Young Team, always had a Kafkaesque vibe, in my opinion. This track does nothing to dispel that notion.
The Beatles – Oh! Darling
Where else would you find Mogwai slammed upside The Beatles? No where, that’s where! Once described by Harrison as being a typical 1950s-60s period song because of it’s chord structure, big Macca tried only one take of this song each day in order to get that raw feeling to his vocals and it paid off. Harrison was right – it certainly is very 60s but that’s not so bad because it’s R&B vibe really gives it an edge. Taken from their best record – Abbey Road – you can imagine Macca banging this out on stage after putting his voice through the wringer all night. Lennon figured he didn’t sing it so well – Lennon was wrong. Now, because it appears to be impossible to get Beatles tracks on Grooveshark, here’s a hand YouTube link to the song.
The Flatliners – July! August! Reno!
I love The Flatliners. Their second record The Great Awake is an absolute barnstromer of an album, and this is a great opener. Apparently the idea for the title of this song came from a homeless gent who screamed at the band one day, and if that’s not a great reason for giving a song a random title then I don’t know what is. This is The Flatliners in top gear – skate punk style guitars, furious drumming and vocals rougher than sandpaper. I bet you’re awake now, aren’t you?
…And So I Watch You From Afar – Clench Fists, Grit Teeth…Go!
The only way is LOUDER, and ASIWYFA have loudness down to an artform. This song is as brash and as heavy as just about anything else on their eponymous LP, starting out with some great Eastern style playing before exploding into house wrecking heaviness. If Mogwai didn’t already blast off the Monday morning cobwebs, you’re probably going to feel pretty refreshed after you hear this hard rocking post-rock monster.
A Wilhelm Scream – We Built This City! (On Debts and Booze)
I used to have this song as my alarm clock, so I did. It bursts into life without warning all blazing guitars, rapid fire drums and Nuno Pereira screaming in your ear. Career Sucide is a record by a band who are on the top of their game operating at the very limits of their technical abilities as AWS juxtapose Iron Maiden and Bad Religion to create seemingly impossible tech/speed punk/metal craziness. The last band I was in played with these guys once (highlight of my life so far) and this most epic of album closers is a tribute to their uncannily tight musicianship. The dual harmonised guitar solo gives me chills every time.
And that’s it! Songs with exclamation points designed to bring in Monday with a bang. I hope you guys enjoyed it and remember to tune into the first EVER Daily Dischord Radio Show at 2pm tomorrow and if you miss it, don’t sweat it, cause it’ll be available as a podcast from that very link.
