A Baker's Dozen : Volume 1

Here is volume 1 of future "mix CDs" that I plan to post here. Simply 13 tunes that I'm into at the time of posting. This one is quite mellow.

01. Tom Waits - "I'm Still Here". I'm not a huge Waits fan, but the occasional tune really grabs me. This one is great. From 2002's "Alice". (Website / HypeMachine / Purchase).

02. M Ward - "Fuel For Fire". From 2005's "Transistor Radio". (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

03. The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - "Good Kind Of Crazy". I don't know why, but this one reminds me of my friend Kenny Jacobsen. I love the lyrics ("still we all need to be rebels / we don't need to be told / drag our feet 'til we wear out the souls..."). (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

04. Voxtrot - "Mothers Sisters Daughters & Wives". From a forthcoming EP of the same name. Much has been written about these boys from Austin TX. This is my fave by far. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

05. The Diggs - "Everyone's Starting Over". I love the intro lyric ("i don't think you're ugly at all / but you're just tired and it shows"). Great britpop-style tune. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

06. Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - "Don't They Have Payphones Wherever You Were Last Night". Bummed-out bedroom electro tune from the "Etiquette" LP. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

07. Broadcast - "Goodbye Girls". I have a fiendish love for this band, who sound to me like a hip and updated version of Suicide with flat female vocals. This is taken from the "Tender Buttons" LP, which is an incredible slow-growth campaign. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

08. Bjork - "Unravel". I'm not much of a Bjork fan, but I love this song. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

09. Tegan & Sara - "Wake Up Exhausted". I hated this band with I first heard them (and I still don't get "Walking With A Ghost"). This is from the "So Jealous" LP, which I now love. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

10. Page France - "Chariot". A classic slow builder. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

11. The Kooks - "Jackie Big Tits". Strangely titled jangly gem here. Reminds me of the 90s Scottish band Whiteout. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

12. Eef Barzelay - "Ballad Of Bitter Honey". Lead track from ex-Clem Snide mainman's debut solo LP. (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).

13. My Latest Novel - "The Reputation Of Ross Francis". I love the trace of Scottish brogue coming through on this one. Like a prettier version of Arab Strap (plus some melody!). (Website / MySpace / HypeMachine / Purchase).