A Mix That You Can Give Your Dad

Last week was my dad's birthday. He came all the way up to Seattle for the first time ever to visit. I was sort of surprised at how laid back and open minded he was about everything from eating seaweed to going to The Little Red Hen to catch a cover band to watching a live in in studio performance from Publish The Quest. I shouldn't have been shocked- I mean, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. So by the end of his trip when he asked me for some music for the 36 hour train ride back to Los Angeles, I was more than happy to oblige. I grabbed an old iPod and filled all 8 gigs. Here's a mix that you can give to your dad.

A Mix You Can Give Your Dad from julieta.renteria on 8tracks Radio.

Take Another Little Piece of My Heart

Back in April my partner and I took a trip to LA. We had rented a car but didn't have any cd's. While at Target picking up beach towels we decided to look through the bargain bins and it was there that we found Janis Joplin greatest hits comp. I've been listening to that comp a lot recently and it seems Ms. Joplin's expressive vocal stylings have permeated my soul. It's all I want to hear. Listen to my Janis Joplin inspired playlist, if you feel the same way too.

Take Another Little Piece of My Heart from julieta.renteria on 8tracks Radio.

Seattle Summertime: Concerts at the Mural with Chastity Belt, Deep Sea Diver and Cloud Cult

Friday night was round two of the annual Concerts at the Mural series, put on by KEXP and the Seattle Center. The show was a great mix of orchestral pop, wavy punk, and dream rock.

The evening opened with Chastity Belt, a fun, young band that started in Walla Walla when Julia Shapiro (guitar, vocals), Lydia Lund (guitar), Annie Truscott (bass), and Gretchen Grimm (drums) met in college. The girls have great chemistry and Julia's voice is powerful but light. They play sunny party rock about some of the less than subtle aspects of femininity. Chastity Belt's most recent album is called No Regerts (yes, you read that right). Check out their live in studio performance on KEXP's Audioasis. 

Deep Sea Diver is one of Seattle's local gems. Jessica Dobson has supported such artists as Beck and the Shins, but now is working on her own songs with such talented musicians as Peter Mansen and John Raines.  Dobson's deep, soulful voice coupled with sparkling guitar riffs and steady, melodic bass lines  really got the crowd moving with favorites from Deep Sea Diver's most recent album, History Speaks, and a sneak preview of unreleased tracks.

Cloud Cult has been playing together since 1995, when Craig Minowa asked a group of musicians to help him record some sings he wrote. Over time the band grew to a small orchestra of rotating musicians including french horn, violin and cello, and even a live painter. Aside from music, the band's main focus is raising awareness of environmental issues. Minowa started a non-profit, eco-friendly record label called  on his farm in Minnesota, and the band has toured in a van covered in solar panels. Cloud Cult performs with a joy that permeates the crowd, and really made this edition of Concerts at the Mural a memorable night.

Lovers of fist-shaking, hair-mussing rock'n'roll should mark your calendars for this weeks' series featuring Mudhoney, Grizzled Mighty, and Dude York. Old timers needn't worry, it's a family friendly show- the music starts at 5:30pm and ends by 8:00pm so you can put the kids to bed or move on to the next party. Best of all, it's free! Did I mention beer gardens?

(photo credit Brittany Bollay)

Happy late birthday MCA and Elliott Smith!!

Here is this weeks playlist.  It's a little longer than the others, but there were two big birthdays, and a lot of music that I just had to listen to.  Most of the groups also have history of members being in other bands before, or after the band that I used.  So there will be info on that with the songs.
 

Happy bday mix from thedudebl on 8tracks Radio.

1. Needle In the Hay - Elliott Smith
2. Skull - Sebadoh
3. Go for a Walk - The Hoot Hoots
4. Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961) - The Weakerthans
5. Enchanted Thoughtfist [Enchanted Al Remix] - Jello Biafra and the Melvins
6. Plague - Crystal Castles
7. Video Games - Lana Del Rey
8. Underneath It All - Money Mark
9. Gravel Pit - Wu-Tang
10. God Hates a Coward - Tomahawk
11. Pushing Onlys - Woods
12. Bodhistattva Vow - Beastie Boys
13. Transitions - Beastie Boys