Hey, so- it has been a while so if you’re new to the site I’m Johnny Ketchum! I do this thing here where I make mixes and sometimes talk about them, but not always. Anyway it’s been a while* so I’m just gonna go ahead and start this up, cool? cool.
I have a mix for you all! It’s pretty eclectic as it’s just a bunch of stuff I’ve been listening to the last couple months or so or have seen live! So this time we’re gonna break the mix down!
01. Kendrick Lamar – ELEMENT.
When talking to my significant other this morning I was asked “do you think it’s better than ‘To Pimp a Butterfly” to which I replied – “yes”. Let me explain a bit, To Pimp a Butterfly is an amazing record, literally not a bad song on it. To me, and how much I’ve listened to it since it’s release every song is amazing. Fuck that new Drake, DAMN. does something no other rapper could touch, Kendrick keeps his edge while “making it sexy” it’s still all about the issues of growing up in an inner city, but done in a very pop centric way. Triple A plus Kung Fu Kenny.
02. Sean Bonnette – London Dungeons (The Misfits)
Sean Bonnette of AJJ (fka Andrew Jackson Jihad) created a mix of covers to help out his local skate park, that is made up of some of the best songs used in a skate video. Holy shit, you guys don’t understand but having one of my favorite vocalist cover some of my favorite skate video tracks from some of my favorite bands liek oh mai god. I chose this track specifically because it’s from one (I can’t commit) of my all time favorite skate videos, Toy Machine’s Welcome to Hell. Promise, ask anyone I know and they’ll say “yes this was totally one Johnny would not stop watching like a fucking nerd”.
03. Guided By Voices – Cut Out Witch
GBV is a band I always knew I should probably be into, but never really looked into until somewhat recently. As embarrassing as it is to admit with how big of another band coming up on here as I am to not ever be into GBV. I AM A FOOL. Anyways I got really into them, and they have a giant catalog, and I’ve dug into it all. This song and this record is by far my favorite. I’m now seeking it on vinyl bc the cover art is amazing too. check it out if you never had! I promise you won’t be disappointed if you’re a fan of this next band.
04. Joyce Manor – Bride (lka Bride of Ushers)
Joyce Manor has said on at least two occasions that they wouldn’t be who they are if it wasn’t for Guided By Voices. I now know that’s true, and it only makes me love Joyce Manor more. Sure, GBV is still out there making music, but Joyce Manor has won my heart already. I have enough room for both, but Joyce Manor is a absolute favorite band of the last gosh, I’d have to say 10 years! Weird, when I turn 30 we’ll get there. ANYWAY, Joyce Manor also happen to be good friends with AJJ, hey, what a coincident! This next guy could say the same!
05. Jeff Rosenstock – Pash Rash
I had to choose Pash Rash. While I’ve dug more into his discography right now Worry is the soundtrack to my life. Pash Rash reminds me of butt, and that’s all you need to know.
06. Elvis Depressedly – Angel Cum Clean
This song is fantastic, and seeing Mat play it live was great. Last tour I went to of his and Delaney’s was for New Alhambra so it was fun to see them perform again. How Mat describes Angel Cum Clean made me like it more also, since he says it’s an expression like “damn, you’re so clean you’re angel cum clean” which plays two ways if you know Mat and his numerous projects.
07. Mathew Lee Cothran – America Forever
This one is the start of a series of tracks that have a common theme that kind of just express my utter disappointment in everything. Also just another beautiful track by Mat you gotta really check them out if you haven’t ever. You’ve been sleeping too long.
08. Kero Kero Bonito – Waking Up
Hey, look- sure, I like emo, I like hardcore, punk, whatever! I like music, this doesn’t include J-Pop. I was a DDR Freak (.com) after all. KKB is funking fantastic though, she had a show I really wish I had the chance to attend right up the street from me which, is always gonna bum me out.
09. All Get Out – Room To Talk
Ah, another show that was attended by my s/o and I! All Get Out blew me away, prior to the show I hadn’t checked them out so I had no idea what I was in store for, all I knew was that I was going to be seeing the next to bands on this mix next. I kind of like going into shows like that sometimes, it gives you something new to obsess over and become a huge fan of like me..
10. Free Throw – Tongue Tied
Ah yes, the eemest of eems. I fucking love Free Throw, and this is somewhat of a tangent but still kinda fits in but I bought a shirt of theirs from the show I attended and have since lost it and am really heart broken over it. They put on an amazing show, played “the hits” and some new stuff I’m super excited for, and reminded me of why I am the way I am today. That reason is Eminem folks.
11. You Blew It! – Like Myself
The headliner for that night was You Blew It! Which is a pretty big band for me. Seeing them was kind of similar to seeing Weezer. The music and vocals sound so sincere. I also label everything I do as “you blew it!” so, automatically they were a band I was destined to find.
12. Run the Jewels – Call Ticketron
RTJ3 flows a way that kind of threw me off at first. After a first listen I tried playing tracks I liked to Maris only to find, I was one off on every track. I didn’t keep track of the titles on my first listen so it was a bit confusing. I like that though so I of course dug this record and if there was a bad track I couldn’t tell you. I forgot the titles for most of them again.. WINK..
13. & 14. G.L.O.S.S. – Give Violence a Chance & Masculine Artifice
Give Violence a Chance Lyrics: When peace is just another word for death
It’s our turn to give violence a chance!
Killer cops aren’t crooked Soldiers for bastards, they do as they’re told The courts aren’t corrupt Malicious, violent, they maintain control
Fuck the peace keeping fuck the calm The investigation is a fucking con The truth is known beneath the gun Black lives don’t matter in the eyes of the law Dead kids mean nothing to them Left to rot in the street Afforded rights when convenient To protect the elite
Fuck the peace keeping fuck the calm The investigation is a fucking con Beneath the gun, hope is gone Black lives don’t matter in the eyes of the law
Anti-racist doesn’t mean non-racist Justice is a joke, it’s a trap, a fucking farce Your calls for peace are ignorant and basic Self-appointed community leaders Who put you in charge!?
Masculine Artifice Lyrics: Medicalized, under the knife Expected to be grateful Trapped in the lens of the cis-gaze Just another sad transexual!
Masculinity was their artifice, rip it away! Femininity, always the heart of us. Trans girls be free!
I’m not pathetic, I’m not your project I wasn’t put here for you Same bullshit story about my body Media doesn’t have a clue
15. United Nations – Stairway to Mar-A-Lago
Lyrics: HUNGER BELOW US THE HEAVENS ARE DEAD BAFFLING REASON
YOU WANTED CANDOR, NATIVISM, WHITE INDIFFERENCE AND NO SHINING CITY TRAGIC PAPACY DIMWITTED BIGOT MISPLACING SYMPATHIES FROM ON YOUR CROSS TELL THEM WHO MATTERS POLICING CITIES IN RUIN IT BLOWS MY MIND HOW THESE NAZIS TOOK THE STAGE AND PANDERED TO YOUR DEEPEST FEARS DEAD AND COLD THE GIPPER MUST BE ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE SOME HOPED FOR LIGHT MOST CHOSE GOLD LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER DRAGGED BY THE FRINGE YOU ALL LAUGHED UNTIL IT FUCKING HAPPENED NEVER AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN NEVER AGAIN IS HAPPENING AGAIN PERSONA NON GRATA
Look ya’ll, I’m not gonna try and shove my politics down your throat. I just wanna showcase some of the cool tracks that came out due to our current political atmosphere. United Nations has been going at it since 2008 getting into trouble every possible way they could. While the identity of the band members is still pretty unclear all we really can say is Geoff Rickley has brought on some of the best in hardcore/screamo to join in on the fun.
16. Suffix – Bannon’s Fucking Dead
Lyrics: This faith is a social disease. I am having a dilemma with this faceless being.
Nostalgia only goes so far when the proof is no longer existent. There is no substance here, It’s strange vantage point that screams hypocrisy context is everything and i’m not even listening because the goddamn radio’s broken. Please don’t think your belief can be my assessment. I don’t want to fit into those limits; I can’t see it any other way. This is my denouncement nothing can come from nothing and when I’m ready to go, None of this will have mattered.
Suffix is a relatively new one to me and I’m still not fully aware enough to talk much about them. All I know is I like what I’ve heard and they bring me great joy for screamo.
17. KYLE – iSpy
I can’t explain why I like this song so much, I just do. It’s a bit of a weird one for me.
18. Cloud Nothings – Darkened Rings
Okay back to stuff I can talk about. Holy shit have I mentioned to you all how much I love Cloud Nothings? Well, I really love Cloud Nothings. Their latest record is no exception. A bit more pop centric but not missing the fantastic speed of some tracks like this one! I love them sir.
19. The Thermals – I Know the Pattern
Another track I have no explanation for, I loved The Thermals years ago, but just recently started getting into them again. They’re always fun and their first record More Parts Per Million is one to check out
20. Real Estate – Serve the Song
I’m still a sucker for Real Estate, this song is one I really liked from their latest record.. Well, I like it enough to include on this list. I’m sorry I know, it’s a bit boring.. ANYWAY.
21. Ceremony – Into the Wayside Pt 1 / Sick
I’m going to go see Ceremony, and they have been my favorite band for the last few years now. I’ve had chances to see them, been in the same festival, yet I’ve missed them numerous times. NOT THIS TIME! I absolutely love how Ceremony went from what you could consider a hardcore band, to a hardcore punk band, to- I don’t know how to explain it other than, folks their name is Ceremony, the Joy Division feel influence is very apparent. The L Shaped Man is still a favorite record and probably will continue to be for years to come. If you’re going through a heartbreak, I’m telling you play that record, you won’t be disappointed.
22. A Tribe Called Quest – We the People…
Tribe is back and honestly we couldn’t have asked for them back at a better time! I’m super conflicted as I really would love to see Tribe at FYF this year, but I’m unsure if I’ll be attending due to not caring $400 worth for a lot of the other stuff due to either seeing it or just lack of enthusiasm. Either way, “We Got It From Here… Thank You for Your Service” is a fantastic record that is worth picking up if you’re interested in old school hip hop as they didn’t change their style at all so instead of each rapper having their own bar they all off one another which is refreshing to hear.
23. Morrissey – Suedehead
I’m sorry guys, I’m so, so sorry. We let you down, we, we didn’t know! Seriously though I fucking love Morrissey and The Smiths and NO it’s not just because I’m brown- at least, I don’t think it is.
There’s other stuff I’ve been listening to like “Stage Four” by Touche Amore and “A Crow Looked at Me” but to try and find tracks off those records that both deal heavily in death; one of a mother, the other of a wife I couldn’t dare cut those out and place them in a mix. Just know they’re fantastic records that should be listened to, but be aware they both have terribly tragic stories attached to them that are unascapable.
Until next time..
TCG fairy 