Tag: music

In 2011 I started creating mix CDs¹, one a year, of songs that resonated with me to share with friends. In January I create an empty playlist and add to it over the course of a year. Then in November I tweak, tune, and adjust it before sharing it with friends.

This year saw new music by Caro Emerald & P!nk (two of my favorite artists), new-to-me music by Meghan Trainor (who quickly became a favorite, although I think it makes me a bad gay to have just now found her), and a slew of oldies that just hit the spot.

Speaking of spot, this year you can listen to the playlist on Spotify. Long live mix tapes mix CDs digital playlists!

1. Exotic Flu – Caro Emerald
2. Brave – Sara Bareilles (this is a repeat from last year for good reason)
3. Big Yellow Taxi – Amy Grant
4. If I had $1,000,000 – Barenaked Ladies
5. Curious Thing – Amy Grant
6. I Just Called To Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder
7. Perfect Picture – Carlos Bertonatti
8. Rather Be – Glee Cast (for Daniel)
9. Whatchugot – Caro Emerald
10. 455 Rocket – Kathy Mattea (for Mr. Moore)
11. Me Too – Meghan Trainor
12. What About Us – P!nk (for all of us being shafted since the election)
13. I Won’t Let You Down – Meghan Trainor
14. I Am Here – P!nk
15. Champagne Problems – Meghan Trainor
16. Once Upon A December – David Newman
17. The Dark – Caro Emerald

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¹ Anyone remember mix tapes? No? Just me? Damn I feel old.

This year saw the end of my 9-month sabbatical, changing jobs to a new company, and then the disaster that was the election. It was also a great year for music with new albums from Norah Jones and Michael Buble.

Throughout the year I throw music, both new and old, into a playlist as the mood strikes me. In November I take a week paring the set down and carefully crafting the order. This year the end of the CD crafted itself.

Thanks to the power of Google, if you subscribe to Google Music service you can listen to it directly.

1. Not Upset – Dario Marianelli
2. One Day I’ll Fly Away – Nicole Kidman
3. Lost – Michael Buble
4. Everything – Michael Buble
5. You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Glee Cast
6. Satellite – Dave Matthews Band
7. Shiftwork – Kenny Chesney
8. I Love A Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbitt
9. Hold On – Wilson Phillips
10. Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
11. Someday – Michael Buble & Meghan Trainor
12. I Believe in You – Michael Buble
13. Hello – Adele
14. Day Breaks – Norah Jones
15. Jean Arrives – Dario Marianelli
16. My Dear Country – Norah Jones
17. Over My Dead Body – Dario Marianelli
18. Brave – Sara Bareilles

Daniel and I have decided that Brave will be our theme song for 2016:

Innocence, your history of silence
Won’t do you any good
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
― Sara Bareilles, Brave

Once again, it’s time for my anachronistic tradition of making a mix CD (which is just one step away from the 80s mix tapes of old). This marks the my 5th year of doing it (see the mix cd tag for the others). Thanks to the power of Google, if you subscribe to Google Music service you can listen to it directly.

This year’s songs are a mix of both newly discovered and rediscovered. The stress leading up to my sabbatical played a role in this year’s selection, as did the relaxation of being on it.

1. Your Song (instrumental) – Craig Armstrong
2. I Just Want To Dance With You – George Straight
3. Girl In A Country Song – Maddie & Tae
4. A Night Like This – Caro Emerald
5. Stickshifts and Safetybelts – Cake
6. The Motown Song – Rod Stewart
7. Morning Train – Sheena Easton
8. My Give A Damn’s Busted – Jo Dee Messina
9. Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck
10. Tears Dry On Their Own – Amy Winehouse
11. Rhythm of My Heart – Rod Stewart
12. Miniature Disasters – KT Tunstall
13. Georgia on My Mind – Michael Buble
14. Quando, Quando, Quando – Michael Buble
15. If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) – Caro Emerald
16. Silent Sea – KT Tunstall
17. Touch Me With Your Love (instrumental) – Beth Orton

Just like 2013, 2012, and 2011, I made a mix CD this year. It didn’t come together near as easily has the past couple of years. And yes, I really do dance to All About That Bass every time it comes on…

1. Ariel Julia – Larry Unger
2. Crusin’ – Gwyneth Paltrow
3. Royals – Walk Off The Earth
4. I’m Your Man – Michael Buble
5. Talk To Me – Keri Noble
6. Better Than One – Wide Awake
7. Tell Me How Long – Caro Emerald
8. All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
9. One Day – Caro Emerald
10. Little Numbers – BOY
11. Brighter Than the Sun – Colbie Caillat
12. Happy – Pharrell Williams
13. I’m Your Man – Wham!
14. Extraordinary Thing – k.d. lang
15. Turning Tables – Adele
16. Soir De Fete – Yann Tiersen

I participated in the annual Holiday CD Exchange Party again this year, just like in 2012 and 2011. Unlike before, I had been adding songs to my in-progress playlist all year long instead of throwing them together at the last minute. Oddly, having to whittle down and order a year’s worth of songs into 80 minutes was harder. Without further ado, here is my 2013 mix CD:

1. Fatima’s Waltz – Justin Roth
2. It’s Another Sunny Day in Minnesota – Marty Winkler
3. Runaround – Coyote Grace
4. Cups – Anna Kendrick
5. xote das meninas – trio la strada
6. Thinking About Tomorrow – Beth Orton
7. One of Those Days – Joshua Radin
8. At Last – Etta James
9. Cowboy – Cross-Eyed Rosie
10. I Want to Hold Your Hand – Glee Cast
11. Coolin’ in the Streets – Andra Day
12. Love Song – Sara Bareilles
13. Riviera Life – Caro Emerald
14. Back It Up – Caro Emerald
15. Red Hands – Walk Off the Earth
16. Emily – Mika
17. Falling – Keri Noble
18. Leona Tuttle – Larry Unger
19. La Valse D’Amelie – Yann Tiersen

If you recognize a song you introduced me to, or that we shared together, it was put there for you.

Sean and Steven’s Fifth Annual Holiday CD Exchange Party was tonight in Denver, and I was unable to attend in person. Like last year they’ve graciously allowed me to participate via proxy which I really appreciate.

It’s an interesting experience for me to sit down and make a mix CD — something I consider a lost art form in today’s a la cart world. I always start with what songs moved me over the past year. Many of which come from one or two sources: new songs I’ve heard or songs that I’ve associated with friends (both new and old). This year was no different. I started out heavily influenced by a very small set of new artists I discovered. But because no one wants to hear a mix CD of just Beth Orton and Pink Martini, I had to diversify the selection a bit.

Over the course of three weeks I threw songs I liked or that spoke to me into a playlist, and then whittled down the several dozen songs to enough for a CD. It was only when I had the final list that I realized they were all about relationships, friendships, and love. So I arranged them into a sort of ballad. Not that this is necessarily my story of 2012, but it’s a story.

1. Incredible Machine – Sugarland
2. Anywhere – Beth Orton
3. Central Reservation – Beth Orton
4. Clementine – Pink Martini
5. Never Meant to Love You – Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
6. Dream A Little Dream Of Me – The Mamas & The Papas
7. Let’s Never Stop Falling In Love – Pink Martini
8. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
9. The Truth About Love – P!nk
10. Hang With Me – Robyn
11. Blow Me (One Last Kiss) – P!nk
12. Walk of Shame – P!nk
13. Singing In the Rain / Umbrella – Glee Cast
14. It Happens – Sugarland
15. Somebody That I Used To Know – Walk Off the Earth
16. Bolero – Steve Sharples

Every song on the list has a meaning to me, although not necessarily what it may appear at face value. Many songs were added because they remind me of an important person in my year — and you know who you are. To those few people: thank you for being a part of my year. I can’t imagine my 2012, and my life, without you.

Every year my friend Sean has a CD exchange party. Attendees create a custom CD of music, makes a few copies, and exchanges it with others. This year I wanted to participate, albeit remotely since the gang is in Denver.

2011 was a tumultuous year for me and I couldn’t have gotten through it without friends and music — although too often the two come together. Many of the songs map to people who’ve helped me make it through the year (mostly) sane. Other songs highlight some of the times I went through. Still others are simply fun. If you see a song here and think of me, then there’s a really good chance I added it because I thought of you.

1. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2. Big Booty – Willie Nelson
3. Raise Your Glass – Pink
4. History Repeating – Propellerheads & Shirley Bassey
5. Dog Days Are Over – Florence and the Machine
6. The Beautiful People – Christina Aguilera (from Burlesque)
7. It Happens – Sugarland
8. Misery – Maroon 5
9. Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall
10. Chasing Pirates – Norah Jones
11. Set Fire To The Rain – Adele
12. No Such Thing – John Mayer
13. Dream A Little Dream Of Me – Michael Buble
14. Glitter in the Air – Pink
15. I’m Movin’ On – Rascal Flatts
16. For Good – Wicked (original cast recording)
17. Bari Improv – Kaki King (from August Rush)