Editorial: The Compilation

Long before iTunes had playlists, some marketing executive at a record company decided to put together a mess of popular singles on one vinyl record and sell it. The idea was a smashing success and the compilation was born. And it has evolved. There are greatest hits ones and collections of the popular songs of the day (Thank you NOW).

Thankfully with the development of the recordable cassette, the major conglomerates lost all control in creating compilations. Now the power of the mix was in the consumer's hand, if he so wished. And the mixtape became the stuff of legend. The tool that kept the party going. The gift that wooed hearts. The coping mechanism for life. Of course the mix has evolved with technology, with MP3s and burners taking mixes to a whole other level. It's even evolved into an accepted marketing process for hip-hop artists.

For those who care about a well-crafted mix, though, it can be serious business. It's easy when the objective is clear cut like "Party Songs" or "Workout Songs", but what about the mixes that are meant to evoke something? If you put the sexually suggestive song too early on the romantic mix, will you put the other person off? Or will ignite them at just the right time? Oh just one example of the dicey business of putting together a mix. I am notoriously anal about them. I usually am never satisfied with the end result but most of my friends come back so I can't be that bad.

Currently, I am in the midst of making a couple of CDs for my cousin's wedding reception. This is hard because there can't be any dancing and the music can't be too "rhythmic." This is what happens when you members of a more conservative sect of Christianity. It makes it much harder. Whereas I would easily place India.Arie or Musiq in the playlist, it's not as easy. At the same time, I don't plan on sacrificing too much of my personality (even though I won't be there) in the mix. Just two songs so far, but I haven't really dedicated myself to it yet. Concurrently I am also putting the finishing touches on a CD for my friend Coffee Bean. This is easier as she can handle contemporary tastes, but hers are peculiar so you have to laser in to some special element of a song to see if it has any appeal for her. Admittedly with her, it's just throw it up and hope it sticks. I probably have a 70% success rate.

I love making them though. I figure its why I have so much music. The same stuff can't be good for too long.

Notes: LSAT Week (This is a long one)

So before I dashed out of South Lancaster, I had the clever idea to make an MP3 CD of music since I find myself out of my mind when I am home. Why? you ask. Well quite simply there is only so much of the internet a boy can take. The TV is off limits cause the parents control both sets. There are books but how long can those last. And remember people, I do everything with music. Clean. Dress. Sleep. All music based.

Anyway, I mashed something up very haphazardly. I put on some new albums that I got. And the Timberlake and Thicke that I've been bumping. Now for the rest I was just gonna put on my most played playlist. However, I forgot that all those songs amount to about 2 gigs of memory. What to do. Well I just threw a playlist Bassline made for himself and a playlist I had just made for Banana.

And the mix has been amazing. One for the reason that it lifted me from post-LSAT blues. And two cause it helped me remember how awesome music is. I curled myself under a blanket with the express premonition to have myself comatose within minutes. Damn music (coupled with this new book, subject of another posting)

Here are a few notes:
Jon B - Lately: Yeah I know for most it's a throwaway track but man that's my guilty pleasure banger. I still don't know too much about what the hell he's saying. I know he's hollering at some old flame but I mean damn.

Beyonce - Suga Mama: First, Ms. Knowles was a co-conspirator in setting back women about 25 years by being a part of "Cater To You." Even I was appalled at the content of that song. Now on her own album, she takes the role of, well the title of the song, "Suga Mama" and compares herself to a Jolly Rancher and promises to buy her beau anything he wants. But damn that funky 70's bassline. So damn danceable (okay I will cut down on the damns from here on out).

Janet Jackson - Do It To Me: Her voice sounds older, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For the first time she almost sounds like she could actually sing. Sounds like the older stateswoman even though the song is interchangeable with every other girl singing.

Busta Rhymes - Yeah it seems Bassline put more than one track on here so I'll give a general summation. Busta is underrated. Busta is nicest on New York style beats (heavy bass, piano, hard snares). Though Dre gave him life, the West Coast thing doesn't work. (Also can Stevie Wonder sound bad on anything? He kills "Been Through The Storm")

Gavin DeGraw - I mean I don't listen to mainstream radio that often but this guy was pretty successful and on the right side of tolerable. What happened to him? Bassline (who just might be white even though he looks like Hershey's Dark Chocolate) put both of his popular tracks on there. And the acoustic version of "Chariot" is great plus there was that first song where he just went on "Idonwannabeanythinotherthanwhati'vebeentrynnabebaby." Sad he disappeared

Jay-Z - Yeah he's just nasty. Over a tennis ball beat. "I just take a pen to the wind" Really there's nothing more to say. Kingdom Come is coming out on what day

LL Cool J - For some reason Bassline put a bunch of tracks by him too. I'm praying this was out of curiosity and not real admiration or else me and Bassline need to have a talk. Anyway, the first song was "Preserve The Sexy" with former Def jam chanteuse Teairra Mari or however you spell it. What. The. Fuck. Like LL really shut it down. Then he has a track with Mary Mary?!?!?!?!? The worst part is that it's almost listenable. If it was a Mary Mary track I'd probably be telling y'all to cop the album. Sadly it's not. And LL really compares his early life to picking cotton. Nigga please.

Maroon 5 - Another one of the white superstars from last year that has disappeared. And I really like them. Best New Artist. I mean I know there's a mini-curse on the winners but I was hoping to have them get at least another album.

Jamiroquai - Drifting Along: You can almost smell the weed from this song. I need to go to Jamaica.

Outkast - Morris Brown: Yeah ummm they're nasty. It's a marching band beat. It's a bloody marching band beat. And I don't know what I like about Big Boi's personal vocalist Scar but I just like his voice. Always been a sucka for a falsetto.

Black Thought - Why do people hate on Black Thought? Am I missing it? They say there's a lack of charisma or personality. Still missing it. I wasn't convinced before and even if I was Game Theory would disprove me. I really don't get it. Humorous. Thoughtful. Verbose. Just nasty.

Mos Def - I somewhat understand why he sings and acts so much. Because spitting fire is just too easy for him. It just is. You can hear how naturally the stuff comes to him. If he did an interview and said "I can live my whole life speaking in rhyme form" I would believe him and it wouldn't be boring either. I'd rather hear Mos spit about his breakfast choices than 90% of the music that is out.

Carl Thomas - Totally poised to be our generation's soul singer. Oh wait he was on Bad Boy. Career over.

R. Kelly - Wonderful: Now technically I should be crediting Ja Rule for this song but I hate him. The only reason I ever endured this song was the seven (7) seconds where Kells is uninterrupted singing the hook. "If it wasn't for the money, cars and movies stars and jewels/And all these things I got/I wonder." And once again I must start my petition that R. Kelly should be singing on everything. Commercials. Navigation system directions. Airplane directions. Every bloody thing he can get his hands on.

Yummy Bingham - Come Get It: A certain someone who will remain nameless surreptitiously blocked my attempts to holla at this young lady when she was only inches away from me and honestly amazed at the musical knowledge I displayed. A vision of beauty with a peculiar voice, she finally got her own deal after background vocals for De La Soul (the first time I heard her) and a failed group (Tha Rayne, yeah that was gonna work). But sadly it seems her career has stalled again. And sadly has Rockwilder's her producer on the track, who not so long ago was the producer du jour (Christina Aguilera Dirrrty anyone?). It's a banger though.

Christina Aguilera - Without You: If I was ever going to make writing music my profession I would aim to write a song like this. Pure beauty. And no one can tell me that Christina's not the best voice we got out there. I know about 15 years ago she would have been lost in the shuffle, but let's appreciate what we have. And she's only like 25 or 6. It's really nice.

I would have had more but I hit a button by mistake and now the thing doesn't recognize the MP3's anymore. But wasn't that enough for a while

Notes: 100/90s #1

So I was idly doing jack nothing so I decided what better time to follow through on a goal I set for myself: this bloody blog.

So finally I pressed play on the 100 Most Famous Songs of the 1990s which will heretofore be referred to as 100/90s cause we will be typing that too many times cause this playlis is over 7 hours and that's not gonna be one setting.

So far I have only listened to the first three songs. But it is indicative of the craziness that was the 90s. Nirvana to Madonna to R. Kelly (inspirational R. Kelly no less). I needed to breathe cause I really wasn't that prepared to go through puberty all over again.

First impressions though: they still made some awesome music.

We'll see how I feel come Macarena time

Notes: Randomly

So I got back to making that rock CD for my kid titled Crazy Loud Commotion (I know I'm gifted in the title realm) and then I realized: I have totally been neglecting my music. I mean I knew it was there. I knew it was good but honestly some of this stuff, though not right up my immediate alley, is just straight up good.

It's been random tracks here or there but so far here is what I've discovered.

Sleater-Kinney: Weird wails from some banshee but oddly cool
Bloc Party: Yeah I'm feeling it
Franz Ferdinand: Heard it before but didn't realize how good it was
LCD Soundsystem: They sound like fun
Pavement: I realize why my former college roommate was so into them

And I anticipate more fun tidbits as the night moves along. That is after LSAT study.