4th annual Songblague mixtape!

Well, this was an eventful year. "Interesting times", as the Chinese curse has it. In many ways, the world seems a more unsettled place — economically, environmentally, and a creeping sense of hopeless national dysfunction in spite of Obama holding the line. And yet (and I hope I'm not tempting fate by saying), it was a pretty good one for me. Generally healthy, domestically happy, with all the gratitude that goes along with that, what fool could complain? Which is a weird place to be for someone in tune with the doom and dread in even the most benign situations.

So here's a year-end 'blague round-up that maybe hits some of the above notes, influenced also by a nagging case of jetleg (still getting my head around literally going back in time via crossing the international date line). At any rate, the flow feels right. Hope you enjoy whatever narrative comes across for you. Maybe even throw it on for a bit at your New Years party. See you on the other side.

Aside
Willie Hutch - I Choose You
Greg Hawkes - Block Party
The Toms - Other Boys Do
Joni Mitchell - Black Crow 
Cass McCombs - You Saved My Life
David Axelrod - The Warning Talk (Part II)
Tangerine Dream - The Dream Is Always The Same 

Beside
Zazou/Bikaye/CY1 - Mangungu
Violens - Der Microarc
Hiss Golden Messenger - Blue Country Mystic
Daniel Johnston - Sorry Entertainer
Andy Statman - My Hollywood Girls
Rodriguez - Street Boy
D Train - You're The One For Me

Seaside
Tone Dogs - Secret Crush
The Cut - Atmospheres
The Smiths with Sandie Shaw - I Don't Owe You Anything  
David Bowie - Velvet Goldmine
Guy Boulanger and Edgar Vercy - Cormoran Blesse   
Der Plan - Space Bob

Decide 
Beach House - Other People
The Move - Omnibus

El Coyote y Su Banda - Arboles de la Barranca 
Nite Jewel - In The Dark
Polmo Popto - Kiss Me Again And Again (Songblague edit)
Toshifumi Hinata - Pentimento
Marvin Gaye - My Love Is Waiting