Mad World Mix Tape

At Christmas time, all our hearts seem to open a little bit wider. Unfortunately, our musical minds close proportionally. We want to hear all those holiday songs that remind us of the yesteryears of our youth. Tell me Santa Claus is coming to town. Ask me if they know it’s Christmas at all. Plead for me to come home. Take me to Sarajevo on Christmas eve. Photo: Chris Palmer, Flickr (CC by 2.0) It doesn’t even matter so much who’s singing it.   This year’s America’s got Voice winner? Sure. Forgotten 80’s metal band covering Bing Crosby?  A ll over it. Country dudes you wouldn’t be caught dead listening to the rest of the year? Why not. We’re all a bunch of cover band fans this time of year. However, spare me your originals. I got shopping to do. And Christmas Story marathons to watch. I don’t have the mental energy or heart hard disk space for anything new. And for God’s sake, don’t be a downer. Nostalgic? OK. Wistful? Feeling ya. Cynical? Stuff it, Mr. thinkier than

With all due respect to love, heartbreak kicks its ass when it comes to penning tunes. And while inner peace and contentedness is all fine and good, its musical oeuvre pales in comparison to that of disappointment and self-loathing.   Alas, not everyone has the chromosomal make-up to be a successful self-loather. Fiona Apple has got it. So does Roger Waters. Jared Leto (30TM) too. Up with People ? Not so much. Which may you leave you wondering: "do I have what it takes to be a self-loather?" Well, as a public service, we at MWMT have developed a simple, less than ten minute, self-diagnostic tool to assess your level of self-loathing.  It consists solely of listening to Cloud Nothing's "Wasted Days". Image:  Benjamin Chun, Flickr  (CC-by NA 2.0) If within two minutes you're ready to move on from what you perceive to be self-indulgent overwrought dreck... Sorry, but you are undoubtedly destined to while away your likely many remaining days in

Photo: Leyla.a, Flickr (CC by-SA 2.0) www.hotbachleorette.com Nobody sings in their car anymore.  And when was that last time you sat in traffic behind a car that was literally shaking from a driver gyrating to a song that spoke to his or her soul? I bet it’s been a while. What does this say about us? We can talk about the limitations of a young generation hooked on Ritalin and living in a virtual world where “lol” is ubiquitous but actually laughing out loud is rare. But maybe the problem is the music.  There’s some nice musicianship out there these days. Some unique sounds and catchy melodies are coming from a wide variety of bands and singer/song-writers. And lyrics are less ridiculous than at any point in recent history.  But there is a distinct lack of umph.  I sometimes question whether anyone even aspires to move you to move and sing in spite of your tone-deafness and general awkwardness.  Which leads me, at long last, to today’s Mad World Mix Tape Track; She Sheila by t