SCD Mixtape 19: "Livin' Just Enough for the City..." (Cities and Urban Life)

[Trollheart]

Okay and we are off again! This time the theme comes from Lisnaholic and is centred around cities and urban life. So there should be a wealth of songs to pick from, anything from "Raintown" and "You Belong to the City" to "Going Underground" and ""We Built this City", as well as artists like Little Big Town, New York Dolls and Chicago. Unfortunately, since they were featured last time, no City Boy tracks please. I know, I know! But try to contain your disappointment.

You can start sending tracks in now (to me, as always, not to Lisnaholic) and I'll put the mixtape together once I have everyone's contribution.

Note: If anyone new wants to join, you're welcome, but please make yourself known. Similarly, if, like Buckeye Randy last time, you can't or don't want to take part, let me know so that we're not left waiting around for you.

Okay then, all together now... "Ooh city streets, the stories that they tell! Ooh city streets, they can be Heaven, they can be -" No? Carole King? Nobody knows -? Ah I give up!

[Buckeye Randy]

no City Boy tracks please. I know, I know! But try to contain your disappointment.

Thank goodness we have a Keith Urban in the world.

[Cyber Solutions]

looking for songs now

[Trollheart]

Thank goodness we have a Keith Urban in the world.

Yeah, I really enjoyed him as Judge Dredd.
Oh wait: that was KARL Urban.

[Trollheart]

Okay people I have three one submissions I'm waiting on:

Mr Mindy Shhon
Punished Venom Lexi
and, weirdest of all, the man whose mixtape theme it is,
Lisnaholic.

If you guyses could gets me yours submissionese real quicks like, I can puts the tapes together today. If not, its will haves to waits tills I'm overs in Berlin tomorrows.

[Psy-Fi]

If you guyses could gets me yours submissionese real quicks like, I can puts the tapes together today. If not, its will haves to waits tills I'm overs in Berlin tomorrows.

Watch your step over there...

Berlin residents furious about the road salt ban, which turns pavements into 'dangerous' ice rinks

[Lisnaholic]

^ Haha! Yes, enjoy your trip, but don't trip and fall !

(Just sent in my mixtape track, btw.)

[Trollheart]

Thanks guys. She already fell and hurt her knee last week, so we'll be careful. But if nothing else, it will be hilarious if I fall (shades of a turtle on its back)... 

[Cyber Solutions]

Sent the song

[Hope]

[Cyber Solutions]

Excited for this playlist lol

[Trollheart]

SCD Mixtape 19

Title: "Livin' Just Enough for the City..."

Theme: Cities and urban life

Theme suggested by: Lisnaholic

Pop the key in the ignition, check the rear-view, press down on the pedal and away we go with our nineteenth mixtape, and as everyone is taking part this time, it's our biggest ever, with eleven tracks to hear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk6014HuxcE&list=PLkFFNTflRaurAXUDhdQrD7n3kcuXYdlmg&index=1

1. Empire State of Mind By Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys (Suggested by Tristan_geoff)
2. Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer By Morphine (Suggested by Violet)
3. The City Never Sleeps at Night By Nancy Sinatra (Suggested by Psy-Fi)
4. Cities in Dust By Siouxsie and the Banshees (Suggested by TheBig3)
5. Low Rent Paradise By The Owners (Suggested by Buckeye Randy)
6, Istanbul (Not Constantinople) By They Might Be Giants (Suggested by Innerspaceboy)
7. Ghost City By Thomas Azier (Suggested by amishfurniture)
8. City Sickness by Tindersticks (Suggested by Lisnaholic)
9 Cities on Flame with Rock'n'Roll by Blue Oyster Cult (Suggested by Punished Venom Lexi)
10. Summer in the City by The Lovin' Spoonful (Suggested by Mr. Mindy Shhon)
11. Heartbeat City by The Cars (Suggested by Trollheart)

[Cyber Solutions]

 

[Buckeye Randy]

In general, we try to avoid well-known songs, as the idea here is to hear new stuff, music we may not have heard before. So try to be a little obscure, or even a lot if you wish. Doesn't mean you can't post a hit single or classic track, but don't expect it to garner much debate if you do.

[innerspaceboy]

1. Empire State of Mind By Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys (Suggested by Tristan_geoff)

I recall hearing the chorus years back but have never heard Jay-Z before. (The closest I came was Jaydiohead.) Funky riddims and smooth flow. I dig it!

2. Top Floor, Bottom Buzzer By Morphine (Suggested by Violet)

Morphine's 1992 LP, Good was on endless repeat on my CD player in high school. This single was new to me but continues their tried and true formula of minimal dark crime jazz. It's great to hear them again and inspired me to dig out the old LP. Thanks!

3. The City Never Sleeps at Night By Nancy Sinatra (Suggested by Psy-Fi)

Who can contest classic sunshine pop? Whimsical and uplifting.

4. Cities in Dust By Siouxsie and the Banshees (Suggested by TheBig3)

Ethereal wave is a beloved genre of mine, but one I seriously need to explore in greater depth. I found them by way of Harold Budd's collaboration with Cocteau Twins. "Cities" is dark, mysterious, cold, and melancholic. The perfect sound for a misty rainy night.

5. Low Rent Paradise By The Owners (Suggested by Buckeye Randy)

I was amazed to learn that this was released in 2022. The vocals, instrumentation, and mastering technique genuinely captures the sound of an earlier generation. Fun!

6, Istanbul (Not Constantinople) By They Might Be Giants (Suggested by Innerspaceboy)

This episode of Tiny Toons is one of my most cherished childhood memories. I have the VHS and DVD of their collected videos. (Fans will remember "Particle Man" from the same episode.) It conjures sentimental dreams of a more innocent time of my life.

7. Ghost City By Thomas Azier (Suggested by amishfurniture)

German electropop. Nocturnal synthwave is atmospheric and forever immersed in 80s nostalgia. And there's nothing wrong with that!

8. City Sickness by Tindersticks (Suggested by Lisnaholic)

Lush, mellow chamber pop. The vocal crooning sweeps the listener away to sombre reveries. I would enjoy more of this.

9 Cities on Flame with Rock'n'Roll by Blue Oyster Cult (Suggested by Punished Venom Lexi)

Occult psych rock is something I never really got into. (Space rock is my most familiar neighbor.) It's got a good groove and I didn't feel the need to skip ahead. The keyboard solo was a treat!

10. Summer in the City by The Lovin' Spoonful (Suggested by Mr. Mindy Shhon)

More sunshine pop! And I love that keyboard riff! Despite it being a song everyone knows through cultural osmosis it was still a delight to revisit actively.

11. Heartbeat City by The Cars (Suggested by Trollheart)

And we close with another new wave classic. I have this on wax but confess I've never given it a spin. I may just have to remedy that in the weeks ahead. Great driving music. <3

Thanks, everyone!