Mixtape 19: Early October 2005

1. Serena Maneesh – Drain Cosmetics
2. Pavement – Date with Ikea
3. Devendra Banhart – I Do Dig a Certain Girl
4. Wolf Parade – Shine a Light
5. Frances – It
6. Why? – Early Whitney
7. Sonic Youth – Dirty Boots
8. Sole – Theme
9. Rogue Wave – 10:1
10. Belle and Sebastian – Another Sunny Day

* * * * *

I like Brighten the Corners best. Slanted and Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain have their moments (which I realize is quite the understatement--just go with me), as do Wowee Zowee and Terror Twilight (less of an understatement), but this one has got everything you could ever want from a band like Pavement. Every conceivable facet of the band's music is covered in these 12 songs. Plus, it's just really, really good. I came to Pavement late in the game, by way of Spoon. I myself don't lend much credence to the "Spoon stole Pavement's sound" camp, mostly because they didn't. There are, however, exceptions. "Date with Ikea" sounds quite a bit like the band's "Anything You Want" off Girls Can Tell. Ain't no denying it. It doesn't really diminish either song's effect, though.
Devendra Banhart's first single off Cripple Crow, "I Feel Just Like a Child," might be one of the worst songs of the year. If there was ever an argument against freak-folk, this is it. Animal Collective may drop the occasionally flat couplet, but I've never heard anything quite like "From being my daddy's sperm to being packed in an urn / I'm a child." That's why I wasn't too psyched about Cripple Crow's release, not, that is, until I previewed this track. "I Do Dig a Certain Girl" is all shiny "Blue Moon" doowop disguised as rainy Nick Drake folk, closer to Elvis than to Joanna Newsom. I love my 50s and 60s throwback tracks (more on that in December), especially when they come out of the clear blue sky like this.
"Early Whitney" is probably the Why? track that I'll be giving to neophytes. It's certainly more complex and less immediately poppy than anything off of the Sanddollars EP or Elephant Eyelash, but it's still got an instant classic melody and Yoni's trademarked wordplay and lyrical prowess (although I suppose "Don't encourage the wind / the candles will retire" is kind of unfortunate).
"Another Sunny Day" was originally a leaked live version, but I've decided to replace it with the album version, since it's, as far as I am concerned, a future classic. Belle and Sebastian simply can't stop, won't stop writing their little magic melodies. I can't believe they didn't rip this song off of someone else. They're unstoppable.