When I was a kid, New York City was not a real place. It was a faraway land filled with Ghostbusters, Pigeon Ladies, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now that I live here, I’m still not sure it’s a real place. Because I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s Never Never Land in real life. Almost no one is over 35 years old and if they are, they’re understood as simply a part of the neighborhood —a fixture, more than an actual human being. Graffiti is everywhere. Pizza is for breakfast. Everyone is still a teenager.
There was probably a whole host of things I could’ve gleamed from that realization, but the only one that stuck with me was how cool it would be if we actually had mod-ed out surfboards that worked on the subway rails. I’d ride one. And I’d listen to this the whole time.
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- Matt
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I was on vacation in Las Vegas this week (don’t act like you didn’t miss me), but the guys still made me do a mix. I mean, let’s face it, mine really are the best. Anyway, I should probably get back to the roulette table because I’m on a real hot streak. Here’s a mix to make you feel like you’re right there beside me.
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- Carlo
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Usually my mixes are just an awesome collection of amazing tunes with a loose theme stringing them together. That’s all well and good, but this week I wanted to push the boundaries just a bit. In doing so, I have created what I believe to be my magnum opus. It is a “concept mix”, which is to say it sets a tone and follows a narrative. Please join me on the journey of the Stranger in a Strange Land.
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- Carlo
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This has been the rainiest summer I can remember in my life. Anyone else? Everyone knows the best time to listen to music is when it’s raining so put THIS on and you’ll have double experience. Songs ABOUT rain: When it Rains!
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- Rob
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Eleven years ago I drove a van. A conversion van. Yeah, I was that guy. It was awesome though. Driving that sucker up and down the endless highways of central Florida at night, cutting through the pine forests and the dried up swamps, with no other cars on the road and miles between any sign of civilization—it was like driving around after the apocalypse. Or at least what I imagined the apocalypse would be like when I was 17. The roads are very long and your mind wanders.
During those drives, I would keep a massive CD booklet (double stuffed, in the hundreds) full of albums that would either dispel or, (usually) further induce this soft sort of madness. These songs are a small dose straight from the 17-year-old version of me, drinking gas station coffee and driving around in pitch black nowhere. Go nuts.
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- Matt
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While there are many amazing aspects to Summer and the scantily clad women that accompany it, we are now at the critical tipping point where the heat has become oppressive and seemingly never ending. Our bones are thoroughly thawed, the joy has faded and now we’re all just sweaty and uncomfortable. You can pretend that tear rolling down your cheek is just another bead of sweat, but the fact of the matter is you’ve got a straight-up case of the Summertime Blues.
Don’t bother trying to fight it. The best thing you can do at this point is fully embrace the hot, sticky misery and ride it out. Turn off the A/C, lay on your futon and slowly drink a warm beer while you listen to this mix.
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- Carlo
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How the heck is your week going? Do you have the urge to punch something? If you feel like letting off a little steam crank up the mix! Maybe you feel great and you wanna clean the apartment with some aggressive energy. That’s ok too. Turn on the Punch Something Mix and just go with it.
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- Rob
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Entourage is starting back up this weekend. It’s the final season, which means that there’s a slight possibility that something might happen in the way of an actual storyline during the course of a season. But I’m not betting on it. And if it doesn’t, well then all right. We all remain as free as ever to vicariously bask in the hot white light of excess and to live, as long as the credit cards will allow, high above our means.
So pop open the most expensive bottle of liquor you’ve got, kick off those socks and drift out to the release and the nothingness that is the summer weekend. Because if Vince Chase and the guys have taught us anything, it’s that you should never stop chasing your dreams —especially if “chasing your dreams” means taking bong rips and waiting for important phone calls.
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- Matt
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You might remember a while back when I interviewed a young lass by the name of Alex Lilly about her band Obi Best. They had just put out their debut album Capades and were touring the United States like bats out of…wherever bats come from. After catching a few of their shows in NYC (which I attended if only to catch a glimpse of Lilly’s statuesque beauty) Alex and I became quite friendly, and I’ve enjoyed following her musical output ever since.
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- Carlo
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Unfortunately, not all of us will be lucky enough to make it to the beach this summer. While others are pouring Panama Jack dark tanning oil onto their supple bathing suit areas, some of us will be stuck in front of the cold glow of the computer screen trying to figure out how to use Google+. It’s a cruel fate, but it doesn’t have to be all bad. With the right tunes, you can be transported from the dank confines of your studio apartment (which you share with the Azerbaijani roommate you found on Craigslist) to a fantastic realm of psuedo summer fun.
Just put on something skimpy, turn off the air conditioner and lay a towel on your desk chair (Yeah, I know, this is also your routine for cranking one out on Redtube). You’re gonna be seeing imaginary, sunburned English tourists in no time.
Too Many Rappers (New Reactionaries Version [feat. Nas]) – Beastie Boys
All Around And Away We Go – Twin Sister
Another Heart Breaks – Electric Light Orchestra
Civilization – Justice
Pool Swimmers – Real Estate
Is Your Love Strong Enough? – Bryan Ferry
(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am – The Living Sisters
White Sky – Vampire Weekend
Bang Bang Bang – Mark Ronson & the Business Intl (feat. Q-Tip & MNDR)
Love On A Real Train – Tangerine Dream
(You can find this playlist on the right column of the site until next Thursday. It will be permanently archived here.)
Try not to freak out when that Azerbaijani dude taps you on the shoulder to ask if he can make some of your Easy Mac.
- Carlo
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