Mix CD #20 - Trip To Mars

Hello!

Welcome to the first proper blog of 2017! Also welcome to the 20th mix too. You're probably getting sick of them by now but I'm still having fun so I'm afraid there's still plenty more to come. Ignore at your peril/leisure.

 As is the norm, Trip To Mars features songs that I've wanted to include just because I like them a lot. Some have cropped up on shuffle, some are from albums I've been listening to and others on mixes I've made for myself to listen to in the car. There's a wide mix of stuff on offer so, hopefully, you'll find something you like in there.

I've settled on the final tracklisting for the next two mixes so it's just a matter of typing them up. Both are themed and I'm looking forward to sharing them. I'm not online too much in the next week or so but once I'm back you can expect the next blog in a fortnight or so.

Cheers,
Luke

You can download Trip To Mars HERE and perhaps read my usual rambling about each song below

Track Listing
Gigantor - Trip To Mars
Moby - My Love Will Never Die
Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors - Freak Flag
Chvrches - Bow Down
Strange Fruit - All Over The World
The Bastard Suns - We'd Go For Broke (But We're Already There)
Graf Orlock - The Dream Left Behind
Clowns For Progress - Inundated Man
Britny Fox - Angel In My Heart
Suicidal Tendencies - One Finger Salute
Frankie & The Heartstrings - Think Yourself Lucky
Machine Head - Wolves
Jidenna - Long Live The Chief
Nick Helm - Don't Fall In Love With Me
Von Hertzen Brothers - Coming Home
The Wannadies - Let Go Oh Oh
Cinderella - The Road's Still Long
Nirvana - Blandest
Terrorvision - Pushover
They Might Be Giants - Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love



Gigantor - Trip To Mars
Taken from the 2005 album G7!

I'm not sure how I first got into this German Melodic Punk band; I think I must have just bought one of their CD's (probably Back To The Rockets!!!) on a whim. Anyway, they're enjoyable enough and all of their albums are decent. The last was in 2007 or so and I dunno what happened to them after that.

Moby - My Love Will Never Die
Taken from the 1996 album Animal Rights

You all know Moby as a Techno/Trance/Electronica/DJ etc but in 1996 he released a weird Industrial Punk album that nobody liked. Apart from me apparently. In fact, it's the only album of his I still bother listening to. There are some great songs on it and it's surprisingly raw and aggressive in places.

Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors - Freak Flag
Taken from the 2015 album Hell Of A Day

Ryan Hamilton is another musician that I've only discovered due to them supporting Ginger Wildheart at some point. I didn't get to see any of the Ginger/Ryan shows because of life but a lot of people who had done were saying good things so's I investigated and those good things proved to be true! Hell Of  A Day is Ryan's debut and is full of cheerfully morose Indie Rock with witty lyrics and infectious choruses. A second album, The Devil's In The Details is out soon

Chvrches - Bow Down
Taken from the 2015 album Every Open Eye

I've seen the name Chvrches around for a while now but not really paid them any attention, figuring for just another dull Electro Indie type band that are knocking around these days. Then I saw live on The Graham Norton Show of all places and really liked the song they did. I've investigated further and both of their albums are great. It's upbeat Electropop that's well written and vocalist Lauren Mayberry sings with just a hint of a Scottish accent that's endearing. I also discovered that Iain Cook of the band used to be in Scottish Post-Rock/Progressive Rock band Aereogramme who were excellent.
The song I've included, Bow Down, sounds like it was lifted straight from the soundtrack of a classic 80's movie like The Breakfast Club or The Goonies etc

Strange Fruit - All Over The World
Taken from the 1998 album Still Crazy

Still Crazy was a movie, released in 1998, that told the tale of an old 70's Rock band called Strange Fruit who jump on the Reunion wagon. It starred some recognisable faces such as Bill Nighy, Billy Connolly, Jimmy Nail, Stephen Rea and Timothy Spall. It was a decent movie, a bit daft in places but the music was excellent (if you like 70's Classic Rock) Also, it turns out that Bill Nighy has a fantastic Rock voice. When they play this song live in the movie there's a cool little breakdown halfway through but in this studio version, it's much more muted and easily missed. Shame.


The Bastard Suns - We'd Go For Broke (But We're Already There)
Taken from the 2008 album Here Come The Suns

The Bastards Suns are a Punk band from Atlanta, Georgia who mix their Punk with both Ska and Irish Folk. They've got a couple of albums that are worth a listen. This song is a good mix of all three, it's a full pelt charge through about being Punk and 'on the road' and all that sort of thing.

Graf Orlock - The Dream Left Behind
Taken from the 2007 Album Destination Time: Tomorrow

This Grindcore band from LA are a weird one. Their songs heavily feature samples from movies and the lyrics of each song are quotes from the corresponding movie. The Dream Left Behind is based around Jurassic Park, for example. I love the final closing segment that slows down the pace and samples the theme tune of the film. 

Clowns For Progress - Inundated Man
Taken from the 1997 album Progress

Clowns For Progress are a Melodic Punk band that released a couple of albums in the 90's. The first was patchy but the second, this one, was a classic. It's a shame they never did anything else. This song is my favourite on Progress, It's actually probably one of my all time favourite songs generally. I've listened to it hundreds of times over the last 20 years and never got tired of it. The verses are almost spoken word and it regards not spending your life worrying about material things and enjoying what time you have.

Britny Fox - Angel In My Heart
Taken from the 1989 album Boys In Heat

When guitarist Michael Kelly Smith and drummer Tony Destra left the Glam Metal band Cinderella they met up with 'Dizzy' Dean Davidson and formed Britny Fox, who sounded uncannily like Cinderella. The Glam Metal thing isn't a look that's aged well and Britny Fox were very very Glam. It's easy to mock that photo but they did have a few solid tunes, like this one for example which is about seeing a pretty girl in a bar and chatting her up. Possibly unsuccessfully. but then, what can you expect with a line like "Don't go, you're the angel in my heart"?

Suicidal Tendencies - One Finger Salute
Taken from the 2016 album World Gone Mad

The last few ST albums have been mostly disappointing and the last, 13, was the worst of the bunch. The band sounded tired and half-arsed. The songs didn't sound finished and none really stood out. World Gone Mad then, is a massive improvement and the best album they've done for years. They've toned down the Funk influence and concentrated on the Thrashcore they've long been famous for. I hope they keep it up cos World Gone Mad is really good.

Frankie & The Heartstrings - Think Yourself Lucky
Taken from the 2015 album Decency

I've only recently found out about this album. I really liked their first two, thought it had been a while since the last one, The Days Run Away, and thought I'd see when the next one was due. Turns out it came out over a year ago and I completely missed it. It's as good as the previous two, Think Yourself Lucky is one of the singles from it and it's what I'm been mumbling to myself all week. It's a perfect slice of, slightly twee, uplifting Indie Pop with a ridiculously catchy chorus

Machine Head - Wolves
Taken from the 2007 album The Blackening

Wolves has been cropping in shuffle a few times and it's a massive track that powers on relentlessly; the furious Thrash riffs mean it doesn't feel like a nine-minute long song. It's definitely one of their heavier songs. To me, The Blackening is one of their most recent albums but when I checked it's from 2007. I can't believe it's been out that long, I feel sad and very old.

Jidenna - Long Live The Chief
Taken from the upcoming album Long Live The Chief

If you've been watching Luke Cage on Netflix (or through other, more cost effective, means) you'll know that the bad people seem to congregate in a night club. Every episode sees a different R&B artist performing on stage. Whilst it's not generally my kind of music, I thought it was a cool idea. I did enjoy this song though. In the episode it's just Jidenna performing alone on stage, it's a soundcheck too so there's nobody else in the club either. It works well in the scene and it's a bitter, sardonic slice of Hip Hop that's pretty interesting.

Nick Helm - Don't Fall In Love With Me
Taken from the 2013 album Hot n' Heavy

Nick is an Actor/Comedian/Singer/Etc that's currently starring in the excellent Uncle on t'BBC. You can must watch a clip HERE. I can't remember if this song is in the programme or not but it's been cropping up on shuffle a lot, much like Machine Head above, and I thought it'd fit nice on a mix and blow me if it doesn't.

Von Hertzen Brothers - Coming Home
Taken from the 2013 album Nine Lives

This Finnish Prog Rock band are three brothers, Kie, Mikko and Jonne. I'll let you figure out what their surname is. This is yet another song that's been cropping up a lot lately and it I love it. Parts of it are almost Sisters Of Mercy and the chorus is pure Pop Rock. It's dead toe-tappy and memorable.

The Wannadies - Let Go Oh Oh
Taken from the 1995 single You And Me Song

The fact that people only know this Swedish band from that one song is a massive shame. All of their albums are chock full of charming, sparkly Indie Rock, much like this B-side of their big hit. They haven't released anything since Before & After in 2002 but there are persisting rumours of a new album at some point.

Cinderella - The Road's Still Long
Taken from the 1994 album Still Climbing

Cinderella appearing on the same mix as Britny Fox is just an odd coincidence but it's good to highlight the differences between two related, and initially very similar, bands.  Whereas Britny stayed firmly entrenched in Glam Metal, Cinderella experimented first with Blues and then with Country. Their final album, Still Climbing, was an amalgamation of all three. This song is a semi-acoustic, Country-tinged Rock song about always having something to learn, no matter how old you are.

Nirvana - Blandest
Taken from the 1988 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studio, Seattle.

This is an early song by a band you might have heard of. It's unfinished, roughly recorded and fairly raw. There's a cool repetitive, droning riff that runs through it there's an awkward charm to it. It'd have been a pretty good song if it had been properly finished. As it is, it's an interesting curio I guess.

Terrorvision - Pushover
Taken from the 2011 album Super Delux

Bouncy Pop Rockers, Terrorvision may have been at the height of their success but they possibly released their best album several years after they split up. Super Delux was released following a reunion and is a surprisingly strong album, I guess it's a return to form considering how average Good To Go was. This track, in particular, is a highlight for me. It's a mid-paced love song with a huge chorus that refuses to leave your head. Look out for the little bit about Madonna too. I like that bit.

They Might Be Giants - Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love
Taken from the 1990 album Flood

I can't believe I haven't included this song before given that it's the song I named the blog after. I guess the 20th mix is enough of a milestone to include it on. I figured it summed up what I'm trying to do with the blog or something. 
The song itself is an odd little tune, based around a haunting little electronic glockenspiel tune. Flood was a hugely influential album to me. At the time I was a 16-year-old Metalhead that refused to listen to anything else. This album, shortly followed by Tori Amos's Little Earthquakes taught me other musics can be worthwhile too.