Shannon and the Clams--Sleep Talk

I have no recollection of ever purchasing or downloading this record. It's as if it were sent to my iPhone directly from heaven. I can't figure out where it came from, but it just keeps coming up on shuffle pretty much every day. Each one of these songs comes up I think it's some old Crickets record or a Darlene Love track I overlooked on the Phil Spector box set. Although it's far too stripped down to have anything to do with Phil Spector. Nonetheless, every time this mystery music comes on my phone I am both blown away by and completely confused about what I'm listening to. It even has the vintage production that makes me wonder just exactly when it was recorded. This is just really great garage rock stripped down to drums bass and one guitar with too of the strongest vocalists I have heard in this genre of contemporary garage rock. Half of the vox come from one of Hunx and His Punx's punkettes, Shannon Shaw, the other vocalist Cody Blanchard provides some equally impressive singing and songwriting. This is great beach music just in time for summer. I don't know where it came from or why, but I'm so happy the gods bestowed this gift upon me. Stand out tracks include "You Will Always Bring Me Flowers," "Done with You," "Oh Louie," "Half Rat," and "Sleep Talk."

Try.

Buy.

Across America: 50 Songs about 50 States -- An Aggregatibacter Mixtape

This is a cross-country musical road trip for anyone who wishes they were on the road, but is stuck in front of a computer instead. Or for those lucky people who really are on the road with a iPhone wired up to the car stereo. There are also two talking tracks I couldn't help but add. Track list below.

Alabama-It's Hard to be Humble (When You're from Alabama)-Phosphorescent

Alaska-Anchorage-The Church

Arizona-Yuma-Justin Townes Earle

Arkansas-Arkansas-Damien Jurado

California-California Zephyr-Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar (Lyrics by Jack Kerouac)

Colorado-Denver-Clem Snide

Connecticut-Kylie from Connecticut-Ben Folds

Florida-Florida-Vic Chesnutt

Georgia-West of Rome-Sparklehorse (Vic Chesnutt cover)

Hawaii-Rock-A-Hula Baby-Elvis Presley

Idaho-Idaho-Inara George and Van Dyke Parks

Illinois-The Giant of Illinois-The Handsome Family

Indiana-Indiana-Cymbals Eat Guitars

Iowa-Sioux City-The Jayhawks

Kansas-Kansas City-Wilbert Harrison

Kentucky-Kentucky Bourbon-Murder By Death

Louisiana-Mardi Gras in New Orleans-Professor Longhair

Maine-Maine Island Lovers-Okkervil River

Maryland-Baltimore-The Tamlins

Massachusetts-Girlfriend-The Modern Lovers

Michigan-Motor City is Burning-MC5

Minnesota-News from Central Minnesota-The State

Minnesota-X-Mas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis

Mississippi-Tupelo-Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Missouri-Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey-Little Richard

Montana-The Red Headed Stranger-Willie Nelson

Nebraska-Nebraska-Bruce Springsteen

Nevada-Viva Las Vegas-Dead Kennedys

New Hampshire-New Hampshire-Sonic Youth

New Jersey-Jersey's Where it's At-Belle & Sebastian

New Jersey-A More Perfect Union-Titus Andronicus

New Mexico-Albuquerque-Neil Young

New York-Shattered-The Rolling Stones

North Carolina-Nirvana-Tom Waits (Lyrics by Charles Bukowski)

North Dakota-Hard Travelin'-Woody Guthrie

Ohio-Ohio-Devo

Oklahoma-Oklahoma, USA-The Kinks

Oregon-Portland-The Replacements

Pennsylvania-Allentown-Billy Joel

Rhode Island-RI is Famous for You-Blossom Dearie

South Carolina-Carolina Drama-The Raconteurs

South Dakota-Reno Dakota-The Magnetic Fields

Tennessee-Memphis in June-Nina Simone

Texas-Dallas-Silver Jews

Utah-The History of Utah-Camper Van Beethoven

Vermont-Moonlight in Vermont-Captain Beefheart

Virginia-East Virginia Blues-Gob Iron

Washington-Seattle, Washington-Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

West Virginia-I Wanna Go Back to West Virginia-Spike Jones & His City Slickers

Wisconsin-Wisconsin-Bon Iver

Wyoming-Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans-Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart

Sun-Drenched Weekend -- An Aggregatibacter Mixtape

I really should be sleeping or doing homework, but instead I've wasted the evening making this mix tape. I hope somebody out there enjoys it. Just a few sunny (and not-so-sunny) songs to go with this beautiful weather.

Leave a comment if you like it...or even if you hate it...is there anybody out there?

Tracklist below...

Tracklist:

You Can Never Hold Back Spring-Tom Waits

Lovely Day-Alex Chilton

Fat Old Sun-Pink Floyd

Hello Sunshine-Damien Jurado & Richard Swift

Sun-Donovan

Rainbows-Dennis Wilson

Maui Chimes-Mike Hanapi

Lay Back In The Sun-Spiritualized Electric Mainline

Bustin' Surfboards-The Tornadoes

Surf City (Revisited)-The Black Angels

Tropicalia-Beck

Sad Vacation-Johnny Thunders

The Mermaid Parade-Phosphorescent

Gulf Shores-Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Summersong-Roy Orbison

Deadbeat Summer-Neon Indian

Summertime-Girls

Beach Foam-Future Islands

Sunday Beach Mambo-Charles Iwebue & His Archibogs

Secret Picnic Spot-Beat Happening

Seasonal Delicacies-Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch

Ice Cream Man-The Modern Lovers

Melted-Ty Segall

Kauoha Mai-Sol Hoopi

Blue Corolla-Casiotone For The Painfully Alone

County Fair-Bruce Springsteen

Saints-The Breeders