ARTIST MIX TAPE: Adam Brock

This Wednesday marks the first installment of our Artist Mix Tape series that’ll last throughout the next few months. Get pumped! On that note, if you’re in a band that’s featured in one of our artist’s mixes, and you’d like your song removed, please email us and we’d be happy to take your track down (I’m lookin at you Sparks, I have a feeling a bunch of these fools are gonna post the shit outta your tracks). 

Please welcome Adam Brock and his eclectic itunes library from which he draws inspiration for his catchy power pop anthem brainchild Borrowed Beams of Light. The Beams recently launched a Kickstarter Video to raise money and take pre-orders for their upcoming yet-to-be-titled CD/LP. Hear a track from the Beams’ split 7” with Invisible Hand here, buy released material from The Beams here, and read more about upcoming shows, projects, and the kickstarter at The Beams’ Website or Band Page.

DOWNLOAD THE MIX HERE. (We Transfer).

1.  Madonna of the Wasps - Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians

Rich Ivey, from F/NF affiliated bands Whatever Brains and Order, posted a Robin Hitchcock song on my Facebook page not long ago, and told me it’d be my new jam.  It was once of his real sparse, solo tunes with just piano and guitar and these weird Syd Baretty vocals, but the hook was undeniable.  Since then, I’ve been into some of his more lush, full band stuff—even the late 80’s kinda cheesy ones like this.

2.  Ball and Chain - XTC

At first it sounds like the riff from “Getting Better” from Sgt. Peppers…but then it becomes it own thing…and by the end its almost as good as “Getting Better” from Sgt. Peppers.

3.  Ex-Con - Smog

Some of my favorite lyrics by Bill Callahan here in this gem from Red Apple Falls.  I feel the same way when I put on a tie.

4.  The Morning Sunshine - Idle Race

Those of you who know me probably know my recent obsession with this band.  Its ELO’s Jeff Lynne’s baroque-psych band from the late 60’s and it’s the shit.  This is one of their more subtle numbers.  Those drums are all Native American and that synthy guy is straight Dr. Dre and then there’s Mr. Hawaiian riff thrown in for good measure.  Killin’ it.

5.  Savage Night at the Opera - Destroyer

I was listening to Destroyer while y’all was a glint in the mailman’s eye.  The new record is as good as it gets.  “Set the loop and then go wild!”

6.  The Way I Feel Inside - The Zombies

I think this is from that Zombie Heaven compilation, though I can’t recall for sure.  Holy crap.  You could spread that voice on your toast.

7.  Five Day Morning - The Clientele

Someone put this on a mix for me a while back and I thought it was some band from the 60’s that I somehow missed when I spent two years scouring the epoch for this sound.  I’ve since been a fan of the band’s whole catalogue, but it doesn’t get any better than this jam, the first of their’s I heard.

8. Come On Sister - Belle and Sebastian

It’s the new joint.  That keyboard is the jam.  Who is that fella?  Mr. Farfisa?  Madame Juno.  Casio??? Anybody know? 

9.  Tinkertoy Tomorrow - Milk ‘n’ Cookies

My buddy Thomas (Order, Invisible Hand) got this jam from some power pop blog…and boy, that’s what it is alright—POWERPOP!!!!   It’s so Quick it’s probably produced by one of those dudes.  Or the dude from Sparks who produced the Quick.  Actually I think somebody told me it was.

10.  Shut Out  - The Walker Brothers

Man this shit is wild.  I’ve actually been really digging the cheesier, avant-garde lounge stylings of earlier Scott Walker (which comes at the end of this mix actually…)  But I’m drawn to that BIZARRE vocal harmony like that dude Yanosh, Sigourney Weaver’s boss in Ghostbusters 2, is drawn to that evil painting of Vlad the Baby Killer or whoever the fuck that was.

11.  The Best of It - Thorinshield

This one of those rare finds my buddy Jason came across when he bought a Lot of records for like 50 bucks…It was 99% trash and then we found this one.  It’s become a favorite late 60’s, Zombies-esque psych R&B jam of mine.  And I’ve only ever seen one other copy of the record in my life.  $50 on the wall of fame at Academy Records in Brooklyn.

12.  As I Recall It - Donovan

Yeah, it’s Donovan.  Deal with it.  And I think this version might be kinda shitty like a bad conversion or something…But that’s cool, cuz chances are your vinyl copy of Hurdy Gurdy man is real beat to shit like everybody elses.  #dollarbin

13.  Academy Fight Song -  Mission Of Burma

This is only on here to win you back after that Walker Bros, Thorinshield, Donovan tangent.  Welcome back.  Oh yeah, here’s some more weird cheesy shit.

14.  Funeral Tango - Scott Walker

Thanks for bearing with me.  Regardless of how you feel about this song, do yourself a favor and watch 30th Century Man…the Scott Walker documentary that came out recently.  It’s on Netflix Instant Watch.  It’s fabulous.  Thanks for listening.