Mix Tape – July 23rd, 2020

Hey folks!

Sorry about last week, some fishing got in the way of my typing! It’s didn’t get in the way of my listening though, so I’ve got a few new tracks for you to check out! I went all the way back to the ’90’s for these gems, so hopefully there’s a few you know and a few you don’t!

I’ve also created a Spotify playlist embedded below that will have each track added to it weekly, so you can subscribe and follow along. So, with that said, let’s get to it!

Black Gold – Soul Asylum

Soul Asylum were a band that never really peaked. They had massive success with their song Runaway Train, and frontman David Pirner was often spoken of in the same terms as Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz (But that may have had more to do with their shared hairstyles). Either way, the lead track off of their Grave Dancers Union always struck me as a quintessential grunge classic. Today, it’d be called rock/pop or something but in the 90’s, the greasier you were, the grungier you were and Soul Asylum ticked both boxes.

Changes – 2Pac

Straight up, I was never a huge fan of 2Pac. However, the influence that his life and death had on hip-hop and pop culture in the 1990’s cannot be overstated. In death he became a mythical figure, but on wax he was a poet. This track (complete with The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby sample) carries with it many messages that in hindsight were way ahead of their time. Changes could be released today and most of the issues it addresses would still need fixing.

Back To The Motor League- Propaghandi

If you don’t know Propaghandi, then hold onto your butts. Their hyper-political relentless brand of Punk Rock shaped a good chunk of my worldview in the 1990’s. This track off their masterpiece album Today’s Empires Tomorrow’s Ashes was a regular banger in my car, and the T-shirt bearing the album art was a regular adornment on my torso. They have developed into even better musicians and songwriters over the years without losing one bit of their edge. Check out the album Victory Lap to see what I mean.

Paranoid Android – Radiohead

As a band, Radiohead are a riddle wrapped in an enigma and deep-fried in chaos. They 1997 album OK Computer was not just a record, but a piece of art. With every track they painted a new mood, dabbled in electronica and different musical styles, all while sounding cohesive and emotional. Paranoid Android does what only Bohemian Rhapsody had managed to do before it, making it a mishmash of sounds, styles and moods that are all radically different, but somehow fit. This track would definitely be on my Desert Island mix.

Quality Control – Jurassic 5

To end things on a more mellow note, Jurassic 5 were one of my favourite hip-hop groups of the 1990s. They had all the classic hip-hop elements that recalled groups like De La Soul. Laid back, funky, smartly written, Quality Control has it all. It showcases the group’s talents and sounds great coming out of a porch boom box or blasted ion a slow-cruising car stereo. Plus, the video is super silly which I can always get behind.

There you have it! If you want to follow along, you can check out The Mixtape’s playlist on Spotify (below). I’ll be updating it with five good ones every week!

If there’s someone you think people should be listening to, or just a catchy jam that’s in your ears this week, post it in the comments and share the magic with your fellow readers!

Until next time,

-moss