It is often said that behind every great man there’s a great woman.  John had Yoko, Adam had Eve, and Bill had Monica (insert joke about Bill having Monica).  Likewise, every great music blog needs its own mix series.

Introducing Vinyl & Vodka’s very own Vodkast, a collection of songs compiled by Willis and Dan McGrath that will surely leave you three sheets to the wind (let’s see how long I can run with this alcohol motif…) Every issue will have a different one with a different cover. By the next issue, we will have it up on iTunes so you can subscribe. Download it and plug it into your iTunes and iPod. Listen to it on your way to work, make it your workout song, etc.! This month’s issue features music by Dragonette, Plastiscines, The XX, School of Seven Bells, Total Babe, and more.

1. Freelance Whales – Generator ^ First Floor
2. Dragonette - Pick Up The Phone
3. Wolf Gang – The King And All Of His Men
4. Total Babe – Short Stories
5. Morningbell - Marching Off To War
6. The Basics - With This Ship (Peter Cobbin Mix)
7. Plastiscines – Barcelona
8. New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
9. Bell XI – Rocky Took A Love
10. Israel Darling – Samson The Mason
11. Robert Francis – Junebug
12. The xx – Stars
13. School Of Seven Bells – Half Asleep (Alternate Version)
14. M83 – Kim & Jessie
15. Erik Hassle - Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix)
16. From – Fight for Your Right
17. Fyfe Dangerfield – When You Walk In The Room
18. Jason Mraz – If It Kills Me

Vodkast by vinylandvodka

Download: Vinyl and Vodka – Vodkast 1

Keep on reading for a song-by-song write up of the Vodkast:

1. Freelance Whales - Generator ^ First Floor
I was skeptical when these guys (and girl) started popping up on all the blogs I frequent.  What can I say, the hype beast and I rarely get along (case in point, I don’t really like Animal Collective’s My Girls… “Gasp!!!”).  However, this is totally the exception.  I’m a sucker for banjoes, harmoniums, and ethereal introductions, and lucky for me Freelance Whales rely heavily on all three.  This is one for the year end lists.

2. Dragonette - Pick Up The Phone
Dragonette has always been my favorite indie pop band, and “Pick Up The Phone” tones down the excitement from their previous single “Fixin To Thrill” but still remains Dragonette-cool.

3. Wolf Gang – The King And All Of His Men
It might just be my childhood fixation with Humpty Dumpty speaking, but man I love this song.  It’s quite catchy and could have fit seamlessly on Passion Pit’s debut Manners.  I haven’t heard anything else from Wolf Gang at this point, but I sure as hell look forward to it.

4. Total Babe - Short Stories
I have to admit, I only gave this band a listen because their name intrigued me.  Expecting some bass pounding euro-pop, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard fiddles and folkie vocals. Add them to your list of bands to watch in the upcoming year.

5. Morning Bell - Marching Off To War
This psychedelic-inspired indie pop band have some pretty interesting sounds backed up with screaming ’aaaahs’ from their single “Marching Off To War”.

6. The Basics - With This Ship (Peter Cobbin Mix)
Those of you who’ve heard of Gotye already know 1/3 of this band (those of you who haven’t aren’t living life to its full potential).  Lead singer and percussionist Wally DeBacker is another personal hero of mine and continues to wow with this track.  Only a true musical genius would think to add audio clips of garrrhhing pirates in the middle of a song about sinking ships.

7. Plastiscines - Barcelona
Get up and dance to this anthem by the French rock all-girl band. Who doesn’t like Barcelona?

8. New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
99.9% of the time I would say nothing good has ever come from suicide.  However, in the case of Hitler and New Order (the remains of Joy Division post Ian Curtis’ death) I have to say otherwise.  That sounded a lot less insensitive in my head…  Often regarded as one of New Order’s best singles, this song has become a classic over the last decade and was ranked 201 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

9. Bell XI - Rocky Took A Love
Seeing as how they are one of the biggest bands in Ireland, it’s befuddling (yes, you heard me, befuddling!) to me how this band hasn’t exploded stateside yet.  The lyrics are great, and it’s just so damn catchy! “If there was a god then why is my ass the perfect height for kicking”.

10. Israel Darling - Samson The Mason
Everything in this song is perfect. From the lyrics to the ‘hey heys’ to the band, you just have to put this on repeat.

11. Robert Francis – Junebug
This song was the free single on iTunes a few weeks back and after downloading and loving it upon first listen, I was shocked to see it had been absolutely torn apart by everyone on iTunes.  Then I saw that I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas was still the number one single for the millionth week in a row, and it all made sense… Part Ryan Adams, part Springsteen, with a little Delta Spirit thrown in, Francis shines on this track off his sophomore album Before Nightfall.  If you like this one you’ll like them all.

12. The xx - Stars
The xx exploded in 2009, and they were known for their minimalist sound. “Stars” is one of my favorites from the album, and both of the singers voices sound so beautiful in this.

13. School of Seven Bells – Half Asleep (Alternate version)
A good friend of mine sent this to me.  No explanation necessary, just watch the trippy video.

14. M83 - Kim & Jessie
This song reminds me of Molly Ringwald… probably because it reeks of the 80’s and would fit perfectly in any one of the John Hugh’s classics from that decade.   For this reason, I love this song and so should you.

15. Erik Hassle – Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix)
Remember how shocked you were when you first saw a picture of Rick Astely (I mean come on, who would have guessed a skinny white ginger sang Never Gonna Give You Up)?  Well the same thing happened when I googled Erik Hassle… who strangely looks like Astley… Either way, this song is awesome and constantly stuck in my head.  You’d think after Susan Boyle I’d have learned once and for all to never judge a book by its cover… or in this case a cover by its book?… my head hurts.

16. From - Fight For Your Right
If you’ve never heard of From, you should, because their French cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right” is truly amazing. Trust me.

17. Fyfe Dangerfield - When You Walk In The Room
Fyfe, when you walk in the room, I see things that I do understand. “I want you endlessly, I want you endlessly…”

18. Jason Mraz - If It Kills Me
Classic story.  Friend hopelessly feels for friend.  Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

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Comments ( 3 )

This is a killer mix! Good job. I’m really digging all of these tracks.

siulelbon added these pithy words on Dec 18 09 at 12:51 am

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