thoughts on making a mix CD
Crafting a mix CD is so much fun but you have to be careful. Too many depressing songs or unpleasant lyrics could make it look like you’re going to cut your wrists or someone else’s throat. Sickeningly-sweet and obsessive love songs are somehow even worse.
I like to juggle the loud and quiet songs for a sense of dynamic. People who clump have no sense of mix CD artistry. Super popular bands that everyone has heard of must be sensibly interwoven with obscure bands that nobody knows about… and when you opt for above-mentioned super popular bands, the slightly better but under-appreciated album track is a more tasteful and unique than the obvious hit single.
It’s good to open someone’s eyes to something new without cramming abject oddity down their throat at too fast a pace. Catchy, listenable songs with a strong melodic vocal hook and/or foot-tapping rhythm section are always perfect, in any context, but go ahead and choose songs that meet that criteria while still adding a strange flavor… overdriven bass or hand-claps or idiosyncratic keyboard riffs can “weird” up a song without taking you out of a good pop tune.
You must, MUST, abandon your inner indie snob’s condescension toward cheesy music while still retaining his trained ear. If you fear looking like a dork, you will pass up a lot of worthwhile mix CD fodder. If you lose your taste, you will include a lot of bullshit. Don’t do either one.
Punk rock with attitude that isn’t TOO abrasive, indie rock with intelligence and wit that isn’t TOO insular, Britpop with humor that isn’t TOO culturally exclusive, and garage rock that’s brash and cocky and isn’t TOO childish are the absolute perfect mix CD choices and I’m not just saying that because they’re my favorite styles (although they are). Metal doesn’t belong on a mix CD unless you’re an adolescent boy making a mix CD for the dude you get high and play World of Warcraft with. Multi-chapter prog rock epics don’t belong on a mix CD unless you hate the person you’re making it for.
A good mix CD is produced by someone who would, in fact, recognize a good tune if it jumped up and bit him/her in the scrot/snatch but doesn’t particularly care to show off his/her mix CD prowess as much as just communicating awesome music. The creator of the mix CD should be invisible and let the music speak for itself, all the while having been enhanced by its carefully selected place in the playlist.
Don’t laugh at this post. This is IMPORTANT stuff and you know it.
Wow. I never put much thought into making a mix CD. I’ll take this into consideration next time :D
