Bro, I made you a mixtape for the bustrip to the swamp

As I rode the bus down to Corkscrew Swamp for a college field trip, I imagined I was making a playlist for my class peers. Decked out in their backwards caps and Reef sandals, I tried to decide what my ipod had to offer them - what would they appreciate?

At 7:45AM the busload needed a load of uptempo jams, some old standbys. We needed Bruce Springsteen. We needed folk and pop, some grimey vocals, and complex drum fills.

I was also inspired by the ruggedness of my surroundings. I saw a gator.

This playlist is for the gator. And for you.



Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
We Are Not the Football Team - Minus the Bear
Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen
No More Sorry Songs - Greenland is Melting
Boomboxes and Dictionaries - The Gaslight Anthem
Manhattan - Kings of Leon
Track 2 - Let's Go Exploring!
The Entertainer - Billy Joel
Heaven - Health
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues - The Gaslight Anthem
Chelsea (This Year's Model) - Elvis Costello
No Place Like You - Small Brown Bike
Do Better - Say Anything
Last Caress - The Misfits
Bus Song - Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

Download "Bro, I made you a mixtape" and it will be like you were there with me this morning.

Benefit For Haiti With Surfer Blood

This is pretty straight forward. Some of the best South Florida bands playing at one venue to support a really epic and awesome cause. I'll be there in full swing. If you don't know of any of these bands they are all really good.

Surfer Blood has been making all kinds of head way and have pretty much by now toured all over the place.

I'm not too familiar with John Ralston, but one listen to the tracks on his page and I'm pretty excited to hear him live.

Sweet Bronco is going to be awesome, and I'm actually pretty excited to see them.

Kill Now?! is probably one of my favorite bands right now. It's my buddy Oz's band and I swear if they don't play Fest this year I'm going to throw a beer bottle at a carney.

Anyway be there, and enjoy this remix I found of Surfer Blood's single, "Swim."

Surfer Blood - Swim (Alpaca Remix by Allen Blickle of Baroness)

The Return of Jeff Mangum

My week has been pretty amazing, and it keeps getting better. Today I happen to have watched a cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "Two Headed Boy" by local band turned prepubescent superstars, Surfer Blood and thought, what is Jeff Mangum up to this days. Turns out today was my lucky day! For only a few hours ago was news posted on Strangeglue that Jeff Mangum would be releasing one track. Sadly (but not sad) it's a cover he's putting out for a friends, (Chris Knox, of the Tall Dwarfs), charity album Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox. It's a cover of the Tall Dwarfs song called, "Sign The Dotted Line." Just hearing Mangum's voice again is just comforting to the soul. If you wish to purchase the album to support the cause head over to Merge Records website for a digital copy. If you want the physical you are going to have to wait till February!

Could you make it 'Choi' tea?... Ghost of a 7 Inch

Download the free split from Gettysburg and Jason Choi and listen to it before bed and when you wake up. Let it turn down your covers and bring you tea with lemon. A fifteen minute address fit for your daily routine.

Ghost of a 7 inch FREE DOWNLOAD



John Ross and Jason Choi coordinate themes and affections; ghosts and acoustic guitars.

Upon first listens of Jason Choi, I fall for his clarity and rhythm. Though a well matched split, he provides a fantastic contrast to Ross as the vocal delivery and structure are quite different. Two songs leave me unsatisfied and I can't wait to hear more from Jason.

I have always loved the song "Living With Ghosts" by Gettysburg and I had the pleasure of seeing it performed in Tallahassee, Florida last year. Sometimes I find myself lost in his murmur but always tune in to the lyric, "...in the land where I first fell in love with a girl/with hair so dark it blacked out all the sun. I drained her blood in the bathtub/I pulled out all her teeth/I cut off her hands and feet, they never positively I.D.ed/ her naked decomposed body." From the gore 'Ghosts' expands with a faint beat and piano and you have to hear it.