Winter Mixtape
Some guy on a forum I frequent suggested a competition for the best winter-themed mixtape, so I gave it a go, and figured I'd post the tracklisting (and my reasoning for the choices) here. |
| 1 | | American Steel
Shrapnel
There's something about this song that always makes me think of being in a tiny Irish-style pub around Christmas time, drinking with mates while there's a blizzard going on outside. I dunno, it just sounds wintry to me somehow. |
| 2 | | AFI
A Winter's Tale
Yeah, mostly because of the name. And that it follows on nicely from the previous track. |
| 3 | | Alice in Chains
Heaven Beside You
Mellowing out a bit after the first coupla tracks, the whole "coldest winter chill" line, along with the fact that this is a really great and underrated AiC song, made me want to include it. |
| 4 | | 65daysofstatic
I Swalled Hard, Like I Understood
For the most part, I've tried to stay away from post-rock based stuff (as pretty much any vaguely depressing sounding post-rock instrumental sounds kinda wintry...), but I figured this one HAD to be included, as it's fucking relentlessly bleak... |
| 5 | | Braid
A Dozen Roses
Following on from the sorta downbeat-ness of the previous track, for some reason the sorta icy riffs in this remind me of winter. |
| 6 | | The Lawrence Arms
Faintly Falling Ashes
Possibly the shortest Christmas song ever written, and still really good. And I thought this was a nice contrast to the last couple of tracks, and leads well into... |
| 7 | | Hot Water Music
Seein' Diamonds
I figured the song's title could refer to seeing ice and frost sparkling in the winter sun. It's all about the imagery y'all... |
| 8 | | Bridge and Tunnel
Night Owls
Another one that just sounds kinda wintry to me. |
| 9 | | Banner Pilot
Overwinter
The title pretty much sums it up, and just listening to the lyrics, you're there on the street, steam rising every time you breathe out. |
| 10 | | Amusement Parks on Fire
Blackout
Kinda shoegazy, sorta reminds me of driving on winter nights. |
| 11 | | Faith No More
Stripsearch
If there was some kind of dictionary that had songs instead of definitions, this song would be next to the word "icy." |
| 12 | | The Blueprint
Broadcast
Similarly, there's some real fucking cold about the riffs and the production (huge sounding drums and vocals) makes it sound it's being played in a giant ice-cave. Probably the heaviest song on here, and I think the dark ending to "Stripsearch" leads nicely into this. |
| 13 | | Devin Townsend
Storm
Continuing the slightly metal slant of the previous track, I felt this was appropriate because, what's Winter without a kickass snowstorm, eh? And it's got some nice icy synths in the background. |
| 14 | | Cave In
Down the Drain
Something of a comedown after the metal section before it, this has got the same kind of huge guitars and kinda icy synth parts, but used in a more mellow way. |
| 15 | | Idlewild
Idea Track
Again, just one I threw in because it's a great song (and underrated among the band's back catalog), and it just seems kinda wintry to me. |
| 16 | | Planes Mistaken for Stars
Penitence
This is fucking BLEAK. Sounds like the last words of some guy dying in a snowdrift somewhere. And the spooky multitracked vocals where he sings "Be not afraid" remind me of whistling winds... |
| 17 | | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The Ship Song |
| 18 | | The Dresden Dolls
Backstabber |
| 19 | | Ginger
Holiday
There's something about these kinda piano-led songs that reminds me of Christmas, regardless of lyrical subject matter. Although the Ginger track is about flying abroad for the holiday period, so it's kinda extra relevant. |
| 20 | | Mad Caddies
Drinking for 11
Like the American Steel track at the start of this mix, this is one of those tracks that reminds me of drinking in a pub during winter. Except this one's a bit more depressing. Like when you're the last one in the bar, drowning your sorrows. What?! There's gotta be something on here for those guys who don't have a family to go see at Christmas! Also, I figured it's pretty amazing that a ska/reggae song could remind me of a season other than Summer! |
| 21 | | Attack in Black
Chimes and Church Bells
Again, just a really wintry kinda song. Listen to it, I defy you not to think of a winter's morning when you hear it. |
| 22 | | The Replacements
Answering Machine
Because everyone knows what it feels like to be missing someone, and that especially sucks at Christmas. Also, this is the closer on one of the greatest albums of all time, so I figured it'd be pretty good end to the mix. |
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