Mix(tape) It Up for the Holidays: Paul Edition

I have Mix(taped) It Up for the Holidays! As I did last time, I have provided you as best I can with links to the songs. Please do your best to focus on the music and not videos involving morbid middle schoolers or young punks in tight pants wandering the streets of what appears to be California.

1. A song about a year: Holland, 1945 – Neutral Milk Hotel

I thought this would be an appropriate kick-in-the-ear opener to my mixtape. According to my sources, this is a song about the year WWII ended and Anne Frank died. Interestingly, it also sounds very happy.

2. A song about academics: Imitosis – Andrew Bird

Here I go with Andrew Bird again, right? Naturally. I learned more about science from this song than from AP Biology–Bunsen burners, petri dishes, mitosis and osmosis galore! Tell me, doctor, can you quantify the reason why Andrew Bird is so amazing? No, I didn’t think so.

3. A song named after a country: Holland – Sufjan Stevens

Another song about Holland! This one is technically named after Holland, Michigan, but I jump at the chance to place Sufjan on any mixtape. This song brings tears of moist melancholy to my arid hipster eyes that usually remain in a perpetual condescending stare. Marry me, Sufjan?

4. A song about the weather: Pouring Rain – Jeff Pianki

I plan on blogging about this guy shortly seeing as how he amazes me to no end. In a few years, I think we’ll be hearing a lot about him. But remember–you heard it here first. This song is poignant and lovely; I especially like the ending with the harmonics, which, astonishingly enough, reminds me of pouring rain. I couldn’t find a video for this song, but you should be able to find it on the link to his myspace that I provided. I would also recommend checking out his YouTube channel and downloading his demos for free here.

5. A song with an exclamation point in the title (censored titles do not count): O Valencia! – The Decemberists

Another bustlingly happy song about unpleasant things! I suggest if you are squeamish and dislike the sight of blood, or syrup dyed red for that matter, that you stop watching the video around 2:37 and just close your eyes and picture Colin Meloy skipping jubilantly around TV screens in fields of daisies until the song ends.

6. A song about bad habits: The Girl You Lost to Cocaine – Sia

I thought a lot about this one. I considered Needle In the Hay by Elliott Smith, because really, what’s a worse habit than heroin addictions? But I then opted for something more upbeat because that felt out of place. Cocaine addictions that drive your loved ones away sound about as bad, I believe. Sia is also a pretty incredible artist. Check out her solo stuff as well as her work with Zero 7.

7. A song from a movie: Deadweight – Beck

I’ve never seen A Life Less Ordinary, but this is a great song. It’s a mix like a down tempo Beckalicious mix of Tropicalia and New Pollution; it makes me want to go sip pineapple juice on the roof and bask in the sun, although the roof is covered with ice and there is no sun to bask in. The video is pretty typical eccentric and esoteric Beck, albeit a shameless plug for the movie.

8. A song whose title is a question: Are You Leaving? – Kinematic

Ah, my favorite Aussie quartet. I did a piece on these guys a while back because I think they’re awesome and I think you should think so, too. I then branded this song “evocatively gorgeous” and “Beatles-esque” and I stand by that. Again, I couldn’t find a video, so their myspace will have to suffice. While you’re there, please check the rest of their stuff out. These guys deserve their music to get out there; it’s worth listening to.

9. A song you’re embarrassed to own: Father Figure – George Michael

I’m wondering if there’s a song more embarrassing to own? George Michael singing about how he wants to be sacred and naked by your side? George Michael will be your father figure? I mean, really? It’s difficult to beat that in terms of embarrassing anything, let alone music–unless you own the entire Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus catalogue, in which case I ask you leave this site immediately and go check yourself into musical rehab.

10. A song with numbers: B-13 – Jump, Little Children (Live)

One of the greatest bands that is sadly no more. Jay Clifford’s voice sends shivers down my apathetically slouchy hipster spine. Most bands could never hope to produce something so beautiful, let alone replicate that live. RIP, Jump, Little Children. You will never die! I will just keep pressing rewind at the end of my JLC CDs. I miss you.

11. An acoustic song you like: Home In the Woods – Corey Chisel and The Wandering Sons

I cannot tell you how many times I listened to this yesterday. I can’t get enough of that intro (if you happen to pass by an apartment building in Williamsburg and hear someone repeatedly singing “Don’t mess with me, mama, I’m a mighty good man!” that would probably be me) or those harmonies–or, for that matter, the bouncing lumberjack to Corey Chisel’s left. He just lends to that home-in-the-woods feel. I also quite enjoy the banjo–if there’s one thing I’ve learned from Sufjan Stevens, it’s that every song can be made better with a jangly banjo line. It is appropriate that these guys are from Wisconsin, seeing as how I’d like to compare Corey Chisel’s voice to Wisconsin hickory smoked cheese: smooth, but smoky–and deliciously flavorful.

12. A song from a band that has more than 4 words in its name: Underwater (You and Me) – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Let’s pick it up a bit, shall we? Clap Your Hands Say Yeah not only has five words in its name, but the title of this song has four. In Underwater (You and Me), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah spins an unusually coherent tale of aquatic romance and sub-sea-level adventure. Retreat to the bottom of the sea and take a listen.

13. A song from a musical: Tear Me Down – Spoon

I consider this the closer of the tape and the song for the holidays a bonus track of sorts. This one makes me want to dance around the loft in drag like Hedwig and her (his?) Angry Inch. And so what if I do? YOU DON’T KNOW ME, KANSAS CITY! I’m the new Berlin Wall. Try and tear me down.

14. A song for the holidays: O Come O Come Emmanuel – Sufjan Stevens

Since I consider this a bonus track of sorts, I decided it’s okay that I use Sufjan Stevens twice. Actually, I just made up the whole thing about bonus tracks so I could justify my actions. Look down upon me if you must, but O Come on, what couldn’t use just a little more Sufjan? It came down to this and That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! and I really couldn’t decide, so I chose blindly–feel free to do the same between these two. Sufjan Stevens is also notable for eclipsing my love of Andrew Bird. I didn’t think it was possible–but O! It was.

Anyway, that is my contribution to you all. Until the New Year, this is Paul A. Ab-Dul wishing you a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a jubilant Kwanzaa and a jolly, pagan Xmas and Winter Solstice! I’ll be seeing (and judging) you in 2009. Stay hip, children.

Jump Little Hipster Children!

Today I bring to you the mind-blowningly incredible (yet tragically disbanded) South Carolinian alternative rockers Jump, Little Children. It’s funny because if you take the comma out of the band name, they seem to be imperatively encouraging you to sneak up on small children and beat them senseless. Oh, punctuation, where would I be without you? Off jumping little children, I guess. But let’s forget my little grammar lesson–I’ll leave that to Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

Jump, Little Children was formed in 1991 at the North Carolina School of the Arts. They began their career playing Irish folk but soon began incorporating more of an alternative rock/pop sound into their original work. Their work ranges from electric guitar-heavy alternative rock to peacefully acoustic and folksy pop. Whatever the orchestration in the background, lead singer and guitarist Jay Clifford‘s voice drives right through it and is among the purest and most distinct in music today. He never seems over matched by a song or sounds like he’s straining his voice; it is always effortless and beautiful.

On the other hand, when Matthew Bivins takes the lead on vocals, Jump, Little Children‘s sound changes entirely. Often backed by Clifford‘s harmonies or ethereal background vocals, Bivins spins tales slam poetry-style atop the atmospherically appropriate bass and drums. The vignette style lyrics read like scenes of a play and Bivins’ performances of these songs are known to captivate audiences at live shows.

I have two picks for today. One Jump song featuring Clifford and another featuring Bivins.
While there are many Clifford Jump songs I could pick from, my personal favorite is a track off of the 2001 record Vertigo called “Lover’s Greed:“

(Close Your Eyes ran a close second; you can find it here.)

As for a Bivins number, it was difficult to choose. It’s a toss-up between The Singer, Body Parts and Habit. Because this is a great live performance, and because I can’t find The Singer on YouTube, I give you pick #2: Habit.

If you like these, I suggest you check into more Jump, Little Children (official site / myspace). Sadly, the band is on indefinite hiatus after a messy situation with their record label, but they have plenty of music in their repertoire, and it’s all good. Also, they’re all pursuing their own side projects. Jay Clifford‘s new solo CD, Driving Blind, is absolutely incredible. You can check him out at his myspace. I highly recommend his song “Know When to Walk Away“–even if Zach Braff is making the video for it. I hope it’s sooo quirky and hip and underground like Garden State.