On the Bus Ride Home From Great America

On the Bus Ride Home From Great America by Dj Ulsan on Mixcloud

Wymond Miles -- Pale Moon

Kinda the only song on the album, but I like the Echo vibe. 

Dream Syndicate -- Tell Me When it's Over

One of those bands I wrote off as a kid and never picked up again...surely because I didn't like the cover or name or whatever. Origins are from Davis, where I went to school, so it's too bad I didn't give it more of a chance at the time. Better late than never. Good DL not found here here.

39 Clocks -- Heat of Violence

Two German herrs mixing Lou Reed and Wire and ending at the same place Pavement did 10 years before Pavement did. Yes please.

Sudden Sway -- Don't Go

Only discovered Sudden six or so months ago and have listened to the entire catalog off and on since then. Have wanted to do a full mix like the Felt comp, but then my iPhone was damaged and it set me back. Now I'm thinking of doing a Blur one, which should please absolutely no one who reads this site.

Cleaners From Venus -- Winter in the Country

Of the many sides of Cleaners From Venus this one sounds like Joe Jackson to me. What a great record this is.

Jumpstreet -- Just a Waste of Time

Obscure 80s AOR band from Minnesota. Part Steely Dan, part Mike and the Mechanics. The solo was why I couldn't resist putting it on here.

Work of Fiction -- Hard to Find
Clambake -- Waste of Time

Two from an essential blogcomp from one of my go to sources. Work of Fiction is a fantastic 80s synth OMD/Depeche Mode lost classic, whereas Clambake is a Skinny Puppy redo. Funny to think of a group of guys coming up with the name Clambake. Bet they thought they were pretty hard back then. Are probably tax accountants with families now, but that's ok.

The Wake -- Melancholy Man

Another band I kind of missed on when I was heavy into this sort of music, but glad I'm taking the time to listen now.

DIIV -- Doused

Have to think these guys are influenced by most of my favorite bands. Well, except The Wake, who I was late on. See above. Will consider going to see these guys if they make it to Japan.

FZ13 -- Like a Chain

Punk/goth informed by Loop? Not sure. Sisters of Mercy for sure. Manhattan Beach, 1988. Wonder what that was like. Good for them for doing their thing. I bet highlights included playing some dingy clubs in LA and smoking a lot of weed.

MBV -- I Believe

Neat article in Grantland calling Loveless the greatest album of our time. I like people saying shit like that.

Lemonade -- Ice Water

One of my favorite albums this year. Reminds me of the 80s R&B I spent a lot of time listening to as a kid -- New Edition et al.

Caprice -- 100%

Some 80s R&B I didn't hear at the time, but is very good.

Marta Acuna -- Dance Dance Dance

Get up and dance please...don't say no.

Sonny & The Sunsets -- Pretend That You Love Me

I know this guy is from SF, and I always kind of hope the name is for the Sunset District. I can imagine stoner cowboys smoking a lot of cigs in the Sunset District and I really like that sort of vibe. To me, that's what San Francisco will always represent.

Beachwood Sparks -- Leave That Light On

Glad these guys are still capable of putting out a fantastic album. Sorry I passed around a rumor you were doing speed when you played at the record store I was working at.

Wrote a Letter to Myself

Wrote a Letter to Myself by Dj Ulsan on Mixcloud

1. SELA. -- Lucoutu

Somehow this song made me feel nostalgic the first time I heard it. From That's Deck. Going to guess this is a jazz sample with a few scratchy beats inserted behind it, but it's very soothing.

2. The Cuts -- Lemonade

I saw The Cuts sometime in the mid 2000s at a bar in El Cerito. I liked it at the time, but unfortunately never thought much about it until I ran into this song on a mix I can't seem to find now. The Cuts sound like three of my all time faves rolled into one -- Big Star, Television, and Love. Seem very overlooked to me.

3. Metro -- Flame

The all time most popular western rock band in Korea that isn't the Beatles? Queen, which I've never cared for. Blame it on Wayne's World. Yet, here's a band arriving at many of the name conclusions at the end of the 70s, and I like it quite a bit. There's more early 70s Bowie glam here, and a touch of soft rock.

4. TOPS -- Turn Your Love Around

5. The Price is Right Theme Slowed 800%

Something tells me DCookStaVideo on YouTube wasn't quite aware he was creating something so fantastic. Did you know Bob Barker is an official member of the Sioux tribe?

6. Part Time -- Visions of the Future

New 7" by the aforementioned....

7. КАРАОКЕ - Седая ночь

A random Russian karaoke video I ripped the music from. The video is very much like those that come up in Korean singing rooms, so this gives me a feeling of both nostalgia and something sleezy, though not really together.

8. Frankie Rose -- Know Me (Le Chev Mix)

Haven't seen this mix on many blogs I'd expect to, but it's got a nice and light springtime feel to it I think.

9. Clark Datchler -- Things Can't Get Any Worse

I'm not big on laughin' at 80s shit, but don't miss the cover on this one. Looks like he pulled up a carpet and made a suit out of it. The lyrics in this "pop" song are so misguided...things bounce along the order of having a bad day "when your life is on the way down/Monday mornings every night/," but then starts throwing out lines about suicide. Heard later this guy is from Johnny Hates Jazz.

10. Vicious Pink -- Take Me Now

Another funny cover. I like to imagine the woman singing it to the little guy.

11. Mac Demarco -- Me and Jon Hanging On

Around the time I got this Demarco EP I met up with my friend Jon in Incheon for a night. He and I seem to be going down different roads in life, and sometimes I worry we won't make it to the other side as buds. But after hanging in Incheon I was reminded of what a great friend he is. Hanging on.

12. David Westlake -- Talk Like That

One of the few Creation Records I never came into contact during my life. Former lead singer of The Servants . Very good EP.

13. The Bongos -- Zebra Club

I keep reading The Bongos were popular on MTV when it first launched. Seems hard to believe in listening to this, but MTV is very different now. Plus my family lived in the country and didn't get MTV until it had been out several years.

14.The Passage -- Drug Face

A recent find I'm sticking on at the last second because I wanted something a little jarring toward the end.

15. Crawl Away Machine -- Maps of Asia Good tune that reminds me a little of bands like The Alarm, who were very popular in my neck of the woods in the 80s. It's also fitting because I live in Asia.

16. C.B. Victoria -- Dawning Day Actually had to rip this from YouTube because I had trouble finding it anywhere. It's sentimental, quite soft rock, and also...very Canadian.

Feltbruary

Feltbruary by Dj Ulsan on Mixcloud

I told a friend I'd make him a Felt compilation. It would be hard for me to just pick a handful of my favorite Felt songs, so I set about reviewing the band's catalogue for the entire month of February. These aren't the "best" Felt songs, just the ones that seemed to fit this time around.

Emma, Staring at the Cathode Rays Too

Emma, Staring at the Cathode Rays too by Dj Ulsan on Mixcloud

When I was a hipster in New York I used to sit on my fire escape, smoke cigarettes and stare out the back window of my Brooklyn apartment. I had a smattering of vinyl at the time, including every Randy Newman record I owned. 1. Win -- Hollywood Baby Too

I vaguely remember seeing this single when I worked at a record store in Berkeley. I don't think I ever heard it until it came up on a guest DJ appearance on Jarvis Cocker's BBC show by Lawrence of Felt. Unfortunately the show has been taken down by the BBC. They only keep them live for seven days. Why would they do that?

2. Arlo Guthrie -- Valley to Pray

Interviewed Van Dyke Parks once. He was playing a show in S.F. At the show I went up to meet him and he signed an 8x10 for me. It said "thanks for the interview...and for being so undemanding!" I took that as kind of a jab.

3. Frankie Rose -- Pair of Wings
4. Nite Jewel -- Autograph

A couple of the better albums of the year me thinks.

5. Bad Slorp -- 555-9333

6. The Darkside -- Spend Some Time

One of my favorite albums as a kid. After I downloaded this I was thinking I probably like The Darkside better than anything Spacemen 3 ever did.

7. Beach Fossils -- Lessons

8. Soviets -- Soviets

9. Apologies For Innocence -- Across the Wire (Extended)

10. The McTells -- Right Way Round
11. Clag -- Harry

I used to fantasize about living in the UK during the 80s when bands like The McTells were coming out and common place. In reality, they were probably fantasizing about what it'd be like to be a band in the Bay Area in California.

12. The Jacktars -- Matter to Make

Terrific Orange Juice-esque track here.

13. French Films -- The Great Wave of Light

Kind of a guilty pleasure, this one. What a name. Sounds like Crystal Stilts, which won't net anyone many hipster points by now I guess. Great tune tho.

14. The Umbrella -- Make Hell (For the Beautiful People)

This song is so over the top it's nearly bad. But it's not.

15. Strum Urd Drang -- t.i.t.s.

16. Alien City -- Staring at the Cathode Rays

Also quite over the top. Some guy in Seattle doing his best David Bowie impression. This says he was institutionalized at some point (an original of this record goes for $100???). I love 80s songs about the dangers of TV. People were really afraid TV was taking over our lives back then. In Asia, people seem to willingly accept this.