BigSoccer Mixed CD Project Round 2

[YanksFC]

I have pvan4's July mix, cleverly entitled, "Why are there no maps at the Indiana visitor's center?" The short answer: Because this is a cheap ********ing state. ;)

Seriously, I have yet to listen, but once I do, I'll post a track listing and my thoughts.

Alright, I've made it through all tracks, but I've given a close listen to the first nine, so I'll talk about those first:

1. Ashley MacIsaac - "Wing-Stock"
2. Christy Moore - "City of Chicago"

Starts off with a Celtic/Gaelic flavor. Both tracks -- great stuff. I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me, but I really like this type of music.

3. Pale 3 - "You Can't Find Peace"

Downtempo track. Normally, this is my type of music, but I don't care for the vocals on this track. Perhaps it'll grab a hold of me after more listens.

4. Spiritualized - "Electricity"

This is the kind of song that makes for good driving music.

5. interlude - "It's A Deal, It's A Steal"
6. James Brown - "The Boss"

Man, I've been eyeing the Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels soundtrack for awhile. Now I'm definitely going to have to spring for it. And this is even from the expanded import version. One of the reasons that I haven't bought the CD is that the only version available around here is the truncated American version.

7. U2 - "Night & Day (Steel String Mix)"

A U2 track I've never heard of (and a good one). Where is it from?

8. The Tannahill Weavers - "Jamie Raeburn's Farewell"

Another Celtic track. Good stuff.

9. Willy Porter - "You Stay Here"

Acoustic track that's a little too morose for me.

More later . . . .

[nicodemus]

7. U2 - "Night & Day (Steel String Mix)"

A U2 track I've never heard of (and a good one). Where is it from?



It is a b-side to the single for "One."

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000001G41.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[nicodemus]

Old Crow Medicine Show - "Big Time in the Jungle" Bluegrass ditty. This may be my favorite song on the disc. What album is this from? Is this song representative of the full album?
I think it is quite representative of the album. Most of it is about the pace of that song with three or four slower songs mixed in.

It's on this album:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00019JQHI.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Iron & Wine - "Bird Stealing Bread" Soft, beautiful acoustic tune. This is another one I'm interested in getting. How does this song compare to the rest of the album?
I really like this album. I only got it shortly before I made the mix and I'm still really digging on it. The whole album is slow. All pretty much one guy lo-fi acoustic stuff. "Bird Stealing Bread" is my favorite song from that album, but I really could've picked one at random and done just as well.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006J402.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Album is called The Creek Drank The Cradle

MIDIval PunditZ - "Bhangra Fever" Dub number with eastern musical sounds running through it. This is another one of my favorites from the mix. Cool little tune.
I was a little worried this song might not come across good on its own. The whole album is kind of one big flowing chunk and I'm glad to see you thought this stood well on its own. A really great album by some New Delhi guys.

http://www.sixdegreesrecords.com/travelseries/artists/punditz/images/mpcover.jpg

=====

I kind of screwed up the rest of tracklisting, but you asked about 16 Horsepower. Both of the tracks I put on were taken from the European version of Low Estate. Neither track appear on the American version. The American version does have some good tunes omitted from the Euro version. If you want that version, you can order it from www.amazon.fr If you need help with the French, let me know. Otherwise, get the American version, it'll be good too.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002GP5.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpgAmerican version

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00000IB65.08.LZZZZZZZ.jpgEuropean version.

The song with the slide guitar is "Steam Engine" by My Morning Jacket, a band from Louisville, KY. A great, great album.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000C0FBM.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - "Babe I'm on Fire" I've always heard of and been curious about Nick Cave without having heard them before. Well, this rocker is a great introduction to him. It would be tough to pack more energy into a tune as the Bad Seeds explode behind Cave's rapidfire vocals. Long track too but it doesn't grow old. This track must be a great one to hear live. Another album I'm now interested in. Great closer to the CD. This is definately the most high energy thing on the album. There are a few other high energy tunes like this, but a lot of it is pretty slow. Just so ya know.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007MB8N.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[OBartleby]

Been interested in this for awhile, reading/lurking the previous thread and this one, and just sent a PM to Bishop to sign me up for August. I have an extensive and eclectic collection, so someone is in for a treat. :)

I do have a technical question that I could probably research and find the answer to, but since you folks have been doing this for a while, one of you probably has the answer.

Okay, most CDs are mastered at a similar sound level, but some, however, are recorded/mastered at a lower level, and when I've made mixed CDs in the past for friends, I've always been less than satisfied with hearing the results when one song ends and the next is barely audible, so that you have to turn up the volume, only for the next song to blast your eardrums out.

So, here's my question: what program(s) do you people use to equalize the sound levels of all the tracks on your mix, and does this equalization happen when you rip from CD (assuming you don't have a ton of MP3s you're using to burn) or when you're burning to disc?

For the most part, I use the software that came with my machine, Adaptec Easy CD Creator v.4, but I also have GoldWave (which I only use when I have to trim a song or pull a soundbite from the begining of a track), as well as dB PowerAmp (which I never use simply because I'm not familiar with its functions nor its interface.) So, I may already have the answer on my machine without even knowing it.

Any help is appreciated and will make for a much nicer mixed CD for someone when August comes around.

[YanksFC]

The rest of pvan4's mix:

10. Cowboy Mouth - "So Sad About Me"

One of a slew of live tracks. It's ok. I don't dislike it, but it really doesn't grab me either.

11. Levellers - "Battle of the Beanfield"

This is my favorite track. Sort of punk-pub rock with a fiddle. I'm going to have to look into this band more. Listening to it again as I type this post.

12. Drivin' N' Cryin' - "Toy Never Played With"

Another track that doesn't do a lot for me. It's ok.

13. Live - "Good Pain"

I was really into Live back in the Throwing Copper days. I had that album and Mental Jewelry. "The Beauty of Gray" is one of my favorite songs. Unfortunately, Live happened to be one of my ex-wife's favorite bands (it was the only band we had in common -- she was into bad classic rock like Boston and Bad Company; my idea of fun at the time was Rancid). So after we got divorced, I ditched all of my Live CD's in the post-divorce purge of property that reminded me of her.

Anyway, after listening to the live version of "Good Pain," I'm going to have to pick up those two CD's again. Thanks for throwing in this track.

14., 15., & 16. 16 Horsepower - "American Wheeze," "Black Soul Choir," & "Bad Moon Rising"

I remember seeing this band open for Morphine (I think). I was pretty drunk, so I don't really remember them all that much. After a sober listen, sorry, but they're not really my bag.

17. Michael Stipe & Vic Chestnutt - "Injured Bird"

Beautiful acoustic duet. Seems like a lot of musicians cite Vic Chestnutt as an influence, and I can see why.

18. U2 & Sinead O'Conner - "I'm Not Your Baby"

Sinead has always been one of those artist about whom I think, "Geez, I need to pick up some of her stuff." I really like this track.

19. interlude - "It's Been Emotional"

Is this Big Chris's dialogue? I can't remember.

Thanks for the thoughtful mix, pvan. All in all, good stuff.

[YanksFC]

It is a b-side to the single for "One."

Thanks.

[OBartleby]

12. Drivin' N' Cryin' - "Toy Never Played With"
13. Live - "Good Pain"
18. U2 & Sinead O'Conner - "I'm Not Your Baby"

Wait, I thought there wasn't supposed to be any top 40 in the mix.... what gives?

[YanksFC]

Wait, I thought there wasn't supposed to be any top 40 in the mix.... what gives?

Actually, the rule is no current top twenty songs.

[YanksFC]

So, here's my question: what program(s) do you people use to equalize the sound levels of all the tracks on your mix, and does this equalization happen when you rip from CD (assuming you don't have a ton of MP3s you're using to burn) or when you're burning to disc?

iTunes has a function called Sound Check that will let you do this from what I understand. However, I've never used it.

[nicodemus]

Wait, I thought there wasn't supposed to be any top 40 in the mix.... what gives?
There's no way Drivin' n' Cryin' ever hit top 40...maybe a college top 40, but no way the Billboard top 40.

[nicodemus]

iTunes has a function called Sound Check that will let you do this from what I understand. However, I've never used it.
Yep, it works well for me. It's as simple as checking the box on a menu.

[OBartleby]

Actually, the rule is no current top twenty songs.
Sooooo, when I make my mixed CD, I could put on a track from Fleetwood Mac "Rumours"? Doesn't that go against the spirit of "new/undiscovered" music?

I'm not trying to be a prick here -- believe me when I say I think this is a great thing. But at the same time, when I get a mixed CD in the mail from whomever, I can't imagine I'll be all that excited if I have tracks by U2 or Sinead, both of whom I can't stand. Dig?

[YanksFC]

Sooooo, when I make my mixed tape, I could put on a track from Fleetwood Mac "Rumours"? Doesn't that go against the spirit of "new/undiscovered" music?

I'm not trying to be a prick here -- believe me when I say I think this is a great thing. But at the same time, when I get a mixed CD in the mail from whomever, I can't imagine I'll be all that excited if I have tracks by U2 or Sinead, both of whom I can't stand. Dig?

Something that's undiscovered doesn't necessarily mean it's new. It may be a track by an artist that you know but that you haven't heard. For example, I've put tracks by older artists on the mixes that I've sent to my mix partners; similarly, both of my mix partners have put older tracks on the mixes they've sent to me.

So, if you want to put Fleetwood Mac on your first mix, knock yourself out.

[Unorthodox Yank]

Sooooo, when I make my mixed CD, I could put on a track from Fleetwood Mac "Rumours"? Doesn't that go against the spirit of "new/undiscovered" music?

I'm not trying to be a prick here -- believe me when I say I think this is a great thing. But at the same time, when I get a mixed CD in the mail from whomever, I can't imagine I'll be all that excited if I have tracks by U2 or Sinead, both of whom I can't stand. Dig?


The discovery of music is the reason for this project.

Whether it is a good or bad discovery is up to opinion.

There is no wrong answer.

[OBartleby]

Yep, it works well for me. It's as simple as checking the box on a menu.
iTunes -- never checked it out. I asume it's not FreeWare... (?)

[Unorthodox Yank]

iTunes -- never checked it out. I asume it's not FreeWare... (?)

It's about as free as free can get.


http://www.apple.com/itunes/

[nicodemus]

Sooooo, when I make my mixed CD, I could put on a track from Fleetwood Mac "Rumours"? Doesn't that go against the spirit of "new/undiscovered" music?

I'm not trying to be a prick here -- believe me when I say I think this is a great thing. But at the same time, when I get a mixed CD in the mail from whomever, I can't imagine I'll be all that excited if I have tracks by U2 or Sinead, both of whom I can't stand. Dig?
Well, I think the point is that it isn't like that U2/Sinead song blew up the charts. It was a soundtrack tune and one that probably a bunch of people never heard. I'm a big U2 fan and I wouldn't know the thing if it was playing right now on my own stereo. Nobody's going to like everything they get sent. I know I haven't liked everything I've gotten, nor has anybody like everything I've sent them.

Some people ask in advance if a person has heard the bands they're going to send and I've heard others say they've sent lists to the person about their likes and dislikes. Just do that if there's something you don't like.

[OBartleby]

The discovery of music is the reason for this project.

Whether it is a good or bad discovery is up to opinion.

There is no wrong answer.
Yes, I totally understand the intent, which is why I chose to sign up. But one can turn on the radio and hear Drivin' and Cryin' and Live and U2....

[OBartleby]

It's about as free as free can get.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/
Sweet. I'm there....

[OBartleby]

Some people ask in advance if a person has heard the bands they're going to send and I've heard others say they've sent lists to the person about their likes and dislikes. Just do that if there's something you don't like.
Okay, this sounds very reasonable. I'll drop the issue. :)