Traveling Memoirs by Aaron Ford

Over the past few months, I've been traveling for work almost nonstop. In different airports and cities sometimes the song that came on through my headphones suited the moment perfectly - almost too perfectly. Sometimes these moments made me think of a song. I won't describe the moments themselves in complete detail here, but I will tell you what I love about these songs. These songs may not be the stand-out tracks from their respective albums but they definitely evoke the spirit of what this mix is about. This has been a very difficult mix for me to put together and went through several revisions.

These songs may not immediately grab you and they didn't immediately grab me. If you take a minute to spend some time with them, I promise that it will pay off. Here's a link to a full playlist if you want to listen in order.

1.) The New Pornographers - Use It

This song borrows an intro from "Do You Remember Walter" by the Kinks and then riffs on it to create a classic New Pornos power-pop song.

"Two Chicks in the parking lot crack wise on the price of fame

They stood to gain."

I was thinking of this song the entire time I was at CMJ this year. Sometimes the lack of authenticity and real passion is hard to stomach in the "industry." It seemed so hard to find something genuine and many times I had a hard time playing along. Toward the end of CMJ, I found myself choosing to hang out with good friends instead of attend "relevant" parties with business opportunities.

"If there's a choice between chance and flight, choose it tonight."

2.) Throw Me The Statue - Waving at the Shore

"You're in my head. Take me apart."

The album on which this song appears, Creaturesque, is absolutely brilliant and no one realized it. Such is life. The bridge in this song is nearly perfect when that white-soul affect comes through in the vocals and arrangement of this quaint little indie pop song. The impressionistic nature of this song leaves it open to all kinds of interpretation so I'll keep the personal meaning vague here.

3.) Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Glue Girls

What a great band. They are young, but they get it. They definitely have pop chops. This song came on my iPod the other day while I was on my way to a meeting (in the back of a bar at a CMJ showcase) and I thought about the happenings of the previous evening. Sometimes songs really capture life better than anyone could explain it.

4.) XTC - Real by Reel

1979. That is the year this song was released. It basically predicts the total lack of privacy that we all embrace in these times. Someone came up to me when I was in San Francisco I haven't seen in years and knew almost everything about my life. I got a little creeped out, but then I realized that I make so much available via FB, twitter, etc that it shouldn't surprise me that the more voyeuristic among us would have memorized it all. Also you should know that XTC is probably in my top 5 bands of all time.

"Real by Real

Busy little bees recording everything you feel"

5.) Portastatic - Sour Shores

What a gem. Mac from Superchunk and Merge Records' solo material is released under the moniker Portastatic. The song is unbelievable and the arrangements are breathtaking.

"Your Grandfather knew what mattered

Yeah he knew and he left it to you"

I reconnected with someone from my small hometown in Eastern NC on a business trip in October. We reminisced about all of the quirky facets of our town and what it's like working in music and art after an upbringing like that. This song embodies that feeling; not to mention that the song has NC roots (Merge Records/Superchunk/Mac).

"... until the light spills out of the open door

and you feel young again at the offer of a ride

oh yeah, here's your ride"

6.) Marching Band - For Your Love

This was the single off of this Swedish pop group's last album. It is familiar and exotic at the same time. The lyrics fit in well with the overall theme of this mix and the arrangement is superb.

7.) The Seldon Plan - Fire in Day's Field

This is a fantastic song in the vein of some mid 90s college alternative pop and some jangle pop favorites. The band themselves probably wouldn't agree with that characterization. For me, this evokes walking with some new friends in the cold San Francisco morning to a conference secretly basking in in how surreal our lives have become.

8.) Title Tracks - Piles of Paper

Great power pop by John from the bands Q and Not U and Georgie James. To me, this song is about general distrust of acquaintances who are not friends - people that are just always around but no one can vouch for them. Sometimes it can wear you down if you zoom out and overanalyze situations as I have been known to do :)

9.) Albert Hammond Jr - 101

The guitarist from The Strokes first solo album is extremely solid. This song brings brings to mind several classics put into a brilliant amalgamation. Sun-down in San Francisco after a big win...

10.) Jason Falkner - Follow Me

Jason Falkner is a living legend. As a child, he was a classical piano prodigy. Then he found his older sister's punk and new wave collections and the rest is history. Bands Jason has been in: The Three O'Clock (on Prince's label), Jellyfish (with Roger Joseph Manning Jr), The Grays (with Jon Brion), Air, Beck, TV Eyes, and many more. He produced and cowrote Brendan Benson's first two albums. He produced albums from Aimee Mann, Lisa Loeb, Magnet, The Nines, and more. He's played on Paul McCartney albums. He has a series of lullaby versions of Beatles songs that breathtaking called Bedtime with The Beatles. There are two volumes of that. He has four solo albums. This is off of his first one entitled Jason Falkner Presents Author Unknown. I can't say enough good things about what he has managed to do in music over the last 20 years.

This song is equal parts critique of the music industry and advice for those in it. Listen carefully to the lyrics. It's all about authenticity and you'll find that it applies universally.

11.) James Husband - A Grave in The Gravel

James Husband (James Huggins III) is best known for being a multi-instrumentalist in Of Montreal. His solo material was sold on various EPs at Of Montreal shows over the years. Polyvinyl put out a debut LP this year. This was the stand-out song. It's about burying a dead pet in a very unceremonious and haunting manner. However, this applies to several kinds of situations where relationships, businesses, industries, etc can end abruptly end.

This one needs several listens to really get how haunting it is and I bet all of you can draw parallels to situations in your own lives.

12.) It Hugs Back - Work Day

This is simply gorgeous. After a long day, there is nothing like speaking of simple things and relaxing with the people you hold dear. No one noticed how amazing this It Hugs Back from It Hugs Back was and I applaud 4AD for putting it out. If any of you are stressed about anything, I urge you to press that play button up there and clear your mind for a moment.

Traveling Memoirs: