Bonus Disk Tracks

So those of you that sent me CDs or "follow" me on my blog are getting a Bonus! Disk! this month as a treat for being such active participants. I organized the CD by the people who sent them to me. I pride myself on having eclectic friends and this amazing mix proves it! I took one track from each album sent my way (with a few exceptions due to size/length restrictions).

I will list the friend, track choice, and other recommendations I have from the artist.

If you missed out on this and want to get in, send me a CD! I will make another bonus disk when I have received enough music from you, the studio audience.

Artist - Track Title - Album Title

MEG ANTHONY (DUNN)
1. Terry Riley - Music for the Gift (Part 1) - Music for the Gift
- Starts like jazz, finishes like modern minimalism.
- Also try his Concerto for 2 Pianos and 5 Tape Recorders
2. Moondog - Bumbo - Viking of 6th Ave.
3. Moondog - Be A Hobo - Viking of 6th Ave.
- Moondog was a blind composer who purposely lived on the streets of New York. He chose to dress as what he imagined to be the Viking God, Thor, earning him the nickname The Viking of 6th Ave. Somehow, he became friends with Bernstein, Toscanini, Benny Goodman, and Charlie Parker. Much of his music is influenced by street sounds and Native music.
4. Florence Foster Jenkins - Die Fle by Johann Strauss, Jr. - The Glory (????) of the Human
- FFJ was probably the worst singer ever. However, her over-the-top personality made her a celebrity in her time. Her shows sold out every night and she even sang to a packed house at Carnegie Hall.
5. Sparklehorse ft. Nina Persson - The Man Who Played God - Dark Night of the Soul
- The most straightforward of artists Meg sent to me, Sparklehorse's new album features a guest singer on every track. Definitely alternative and at times dark, it has a sound all its own.
6. Zdzislav Piernik - Vox - My CD
- Modern tuba player ready to light your ears on fire with brass glory!

Note: Meg also sent me an album of Delia Derbyshire's Inventions for Radio - Dreams. One of the pioneers of electronic music, Delia interviewed people on their dreams and spliced together the interviews over a concrete, ambient soundscape. Barely music, it is at times ethereal and creepy and inspiring. The tracks were too long to add to this Mix, but I highly recommend at least a quick listen to some of this. My favorite (and the least creepy) is number five Colours, but Running and Falling are also really good. This is what you get when you cross a musician with a mathematician.

HOLLY DOW
7. Kirk Franklin - Jesus You Are - UW-EC Gospel Choir-Style Music
- Holly leads the UW-Eau Claire Gospel choir, so she sent me an entire gospel CD. This song exemplifies gospel to me. I saw him live in Knoxville, TN about 7 years ago.
- Also check out: Kirk Franklin - He Reigns (Medley)
Tye Tibbett - I Want It All Back
8. Winter Wonderland - John Legend - The "I-Hope-You-Get-This-Before-Christmas" Mix
- I also got a Xmas mix from Holly just after Christmas...A soulful version of this song that barely eeked out "One More Sleep Till Christmas" from the Muppet Christmas Carol and the Vince Guaraldi Trio's "Skating."

JON "CHIP" VANOSS
9. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Worlds Apart - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead Sampler
- I have never been that into Prog Rock, so Chip decided to see if he could find some I liked. AYWKUBTTOD is definitely one of the more marketable prog rock bands and this song stood out on the sampler pack he sent me.
- Also try: "Will You Smile Again For Me"
10. Phobophobe - The Race - The Race
- Another prog rock band that Chip sent my way. The album does flow really well as a whole album instead of individual tracks, which is why the first song and title track was the only one I could really pull from the album. A little more mellow and moody, for sure, but not bad at all!
- S.O.S. is another great track from this album.

CHELSEA ROCHELLE
11. mewithoutYou - Timothy Hay - It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright!
- A band with Christian undertones who has a complete wordsmith frontman. With that name, I expected them to be more punk, but what I got was even better.
- Also give a listen to: "The Fox, The Crow, and the Cookie" and "A Stick, A Carrot, and String"
12. Floating Action - Unrobbed - Floating Action
- Featured on the July Mix, Chelsea loved "50 Lashes" and bought the album. Sounding like the drumset is in the other room, I love the stripped-down, lo-fi sound. If you liked "50 Lashes," you'll like this.
- For your listening pleasure: "Marie Claire" and "Don't Stop Loving Me Now"
13. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You - Middle Cyclone
- I gave this album a listen to months ago because Neko Case's face was EVERYWHERE. I didn't like it that much, but gave it another listen for Chelc and definitely liked it more. Not much more, but a little. Maybe I need another listen...
14. Pete Yorn - For Nancy - Music For The Morning After
- Such sweet melodies, I tell ya brother! Please listen to this whole album. Please.
- "Murray", "Closet", and the hidden track "A Girl Like You" are amazing.

ANDREW BLUMENTHAL
15. Guy Davis - The Chocolate Man - Skunkmello
- A modern-day bluesman practicing his craft. Awesome stuff!
- Check out: "Natural Born Eas'man"
16. Guy Davis - Uncle Tom's Dead - Legacy
- Give a listen to the immortal "See See Rider"

JACKIE BORDAK
17. Iyaz - Replay - Fall 09
- I don't care what ya'll say...I love this song. Infectiously catchy, this song will make me dance anytime, anywhere. This is Jackie's album of random tunes she'd been listening to last fall.
- See also: OneRepublic - All the Right Moves
18. Heidi Happy - O-O-Oh - Europe Extrav!
- Jackie went to Europe this past summer and brought back some of her favorites from across the pond. This is a very nice song.
- I also really enjoyed the 2 Frank Turner songs (he's been on previous Mixes) "Thatcher Fucked the Kids" and "Heartless Bastard Motherfucker"
19. Wir Sind Helden - Ist Das So? - Good Germans
- Another mix of music from Europe, though this is exclusively from Germany.
- Clueso - "Mitnehm"
- Roger Cicero - "Murphys Gesetz"

TIM DRIES
20. Gil Scot-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Zach's New Mix
- A nice mix described accurately by Tim as sort of depressing up front, but a party starts somewhere in the middle and you forget all your troubles by the end. This is an effing great number!
- Leonard Cohen - Alexandra Leaving
21. Beck - Guess I'm Doing Fine - Zach's Mix
- You don't often think of Beck with an acoustic guitar, but he sure knows his way around it. Tim sent me this mix of mostly heartache songs a while back. It has some cool originals and covers by the likes of M. Ward and Sufjan Stevens as well as George Harrison doing his solo thing.
- Kings of Leon - Cold Desert
- George Harrison - Wah Wah
22. The Beatles - For No One - Zach's New Mix
- I had room at the end for one final track and I gave it to *GASP* The Beatles. I like this one...add it to the list.

Thanks again everybody! It means a lot to me! Can't wait to hear what else you got!

January 2010: The First Playlist of the New Year!

Hey Team! I just want to be the first to apologize for the tardiness of this Mix. I got a late start due to my brother sticking around till the 8th. That's not an excuse though. Mixes went in the mail today and should reach everyone by the end of the week...I hope. They better!

This mix is extremely eclectic. It features some definitely weird music (even by my standards), but the tunes got stuck in my head and I hope they get stuck in yours. It also has quite a few bands many of you have probably heard of. I bet you might even hear one or more of these songs on the radio someday! In any case, it was very, very hard to cut some some songs, which will be featured on the Winter Honorable Mentions CD next month. Which is a good reminder! To get that special edition 2-disc set, I need something from you! A letter, a postcard, a CD...something! As always, please leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the comment section! I look forward to hearing how you like the music.

Without further ado, I present your track list:

1. Animal Collective - What Would I Want? Sky
2. Colour - Unicorns
3. Dear Reader - The Same
4. Wakey!Wakey! - Clinton St. Girl
5. Spoon - Written in Reverse
6. Cold War Kids - Audience
7. Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak - Prizefight
8. Paramore - Looking Up
9. Portgal. the Man - Guns and Dogs
10. Final Fantasy - Lewis Takes Action
11. Clare and The Reasons - That's All
12. Swimming in Speakers - In Knowing
13. Porishead - Chase the Tear
14. Darwin Deez - Bad Day
15. Shout Out Louds - Walls
16. Cage the Elephant - Soil To The Sun
17. Throw Me the Statue - Noises
18. Lady of the Sunshine - Daisy Chain
19. Freelance Whales - Starring
20. Sea Wolf - The Garden That You Planted
21. Said the Whale - Holly, Ontario

Zach's Notes:
1. Seems like everyone who thinks they have indie cred has fallen in love with Animal Collective this past year. This is the first song by them I've actually liked. Though I did enjoy the Taken By Trees cover of My Girls (on the Autumn Honorable Mentions CD).
3. Gorgeous!
5. I bought the new Spoon album last week and it is a great addition for anyone who likes Spoon. This is the only song that is "radio friendly."
6. Nick introduced me to these guys a while ago and here is a single off their upcoming album. Very good stuff!
7. Probably my first hip-hop track in a long time, if ever. Not because I don't like hip-hop, there's just less independent hip-hop happening where I am looking.
8. I know, I know...Paramore. How can you not like this song though? Very autobiographical.
10. Like a symphony and indie rock had a baby...
11. This song made it on the Mix for the tuba part, though it is certainly a solid Genesis cover.
12. I love her voice...there's just something about it.
15. Shout Out Louds are a band I fell for a few years ago thanks to their "Our Ill Wills" album. Apparently, it was pretty divergent from their previous stuff and this track makes me think they are staying in that vein for a while. I'm excited to hear more!
16. A B-side to their singles "Back Against the Wall" and "No Rest for the Wicked"
17. TMTS! I really love these guys...as a band.
19. Freelance Whales makes the mix again! The banjo really gets me going.

Business Time

So having not posted in a while, I have lots of updates. Most circle around me knocking out a pretty sweet looking portfolio, applying for jobs till my eyes fall out and hands cramp up, and trying to stay on top of my New Year's Resolutions of exercising in some fashion and practicing an instrument everyday (guitar no longer counts). I feel like these past few weeks have just blurred together, but I am ready to tackle 2010 all the more. This post I am going to keep really brief and post stories as we go.

In news most related to viewers like you, the January mix is indeed completed and will be mailed out Monday! I'll be posting the tracks shortly! Also, for those of you who have participated in my experiment by sending a CD or by "following" me on my blog (not quite sure what that means though), you will be receiving a bonus CD filled to the brim with the best songs people have sent me since August. To get in on this, simply send me some MUSIC! Also, I'm going to need material to fill the next viewer's choice CD, so get cracking! I've heard reports Nick Smith is working on a Grizzly Bear album and Tim Dries is hoping to find more Beatles songs I like. I'll take anything and everything and I'll ship it right back out!

So, with that in mind, keep checking back here often as I hope to post every couple of days or so!

The Aughts Are Over!

That's the name I will be giving to the previous decade. Anyone else with me?

It's been a while since my last post because the holiday season was just phenomenally busy. The highlights are as follows:

My parents are WAY too good to me. I got so many nice things for Christmas including a trumpet, a flute, some cool clothes, a Thermarest, and 6 months of Netflix. Not to mention an MENC membership for the year and the sweetest lunchbox ever!

The Christmas party was at my parent's house which was great! I hate HATE traveling on Christmas. We ate, drank, sang, and were pretty merry. Of course there was also the traditional family drama, but, as always, we made it through.

My personal Christmas party turned out well, though attendance was a little low. Regardless, it was so nice to sit and relax with some of my best friends. No worries, no time constraints, just catching up and laughing.

Tim and I began our Lake Michigan circle tour the next day with stops in Milwaukee, Marquette, Langing, Brighton, Saginaw, and Mayville. We saw the Warhol exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum (I absolutely love his Marilyns), finally saw ChelC, played in the snow with the original Susan Boyle, enjoyed the company of Chip, had homemade french toast from Meg, were entertained by the Smiths, saw Ruskus in a speedo, and danced our goofy asses off at Chip's beautiful wedding. We left Monday afternoon and returned Saturday evening. What an adventure!

Immediately following this adventure, my brother came out to Colorado with me. The drive back was without incident (thank heavens) and we did the best we could to enjoy the splendor that is Colorado. We did the Coors Brewery tour (and the tasting room at the end), toured town, took snowboarding lessons in Winter Park, saw some family, and took a few hikes. He says he had a good time, so it must have been good. We were slightly hindered by me getting food poisoning (a record 7 voms in one night) and a rush-hour blizzard returning from the mountains, but in true Ziegler form, we overcame!

I didn't take one single picture over break... I just never think to grab my camera. So, if you are reading this and have some pictures from the adventures, send them my way! Also, I will post a link to Chip's wedding pictures when they are uploaded to their website.

This is going to be all for now because I hate extremely long posts. In the upcoming days I will talk more about the immediate future, life, music, and anything else I feel is pertinent. It is MY blog after all!

Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you soon!