If I had to name a totem animal for myself it would be the wolf. I've always felt an affinity towards them. I love that they are one of the most adaptable animals, able to live in a variety of climates, and survive and adapt to weather change. They are often in the distance, observing their surroundings, and use them to make swift and conclusive action. I love that they are family animals, working together as a pack to take down animals three times their size, yet they work equally well alone. I've felt I've been in lone wolf mode for awhile now, so I decided to make this mix.
I made it with driving alone at night in mind. Whether you're missing your loved one, looking for a loved one, or just breaking away from the pack. Along with topical variety, it flows form Indie Rock>Alt. Rock>Electronica>Soul>Alt. Rock> Country. It also happens to contain songs that can all be found on iTunes. So if you really like it, or want to check out certain songs you can do that here. Enjoy!
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Lone Wolf Mix
- "Middle Distance Runner" ~ Sea Wolf
- "All the Wine" ~ The National
- "On Call" ~ Kings of Leon
- "Maybe Tomorrow" ~ Stereophonics
- "So Here We Are" ~ Bloc Party
- "Fight Test" ~ The Flaming Lips
- "Brian and Robert" ~ Phish
- "Beast of Burden" ~ The Rolling Stones
- "Wishlist" ~Pearl Jam
- "One" ~ U2
- "Roads" ~ Portishead
- "One of These Mornings" ~ Moby
- "Mirrorball" ~ Everything But The Girl
- "Maybe" ~ Janis Joplin
- "9 Crimes" ~ Damien Rice
- "Set Fire to the Third Bar" ~ Snow Patrol & Martha Wainwright
- "Let Me Touch You for Awhile" ~ Alison Krauss & Union Station
- "Wagon Wheel" ~ Old Crow Medicine Show
- "Radio Song" ~ The Felice Brothers
- "Wicked Twisted Road" ~ Reckless Kelly
- "Amarillo by Morning" ~ George Strait
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"Middle Distance Runner" - What better way to start a wolf album than with Sea Wolf? I found out about these guys last year at the Sunset Junction Street Fair in Silverlake. They don't have too much out right now, but what they do have is great. Like this song. It's got a great driving beat, juxtaposed with soft and melancholy voice. I think it's about a man singing to his lover, but is said because of his inability to fully commit.
"All the Wine" ~ Another great band I highly recommend. A beautiful mix of Leonard Cohen's smoky voice and amazing alt. rock backing. This is a song about one of those nights where you feel invincible, like the whole world is at your feet. The lyrics are a bit, interesting, but the song's great.
"On Call" ~ Easily up there on my favorite bands list. Check them out if you've never heard of them. And do yourself a treat and see them live, they're in-@#@-credible. This song is about devotion. That crazy mindless, do-anything devotion towards someone.
"Maybe Tomorrow" ~ A beautiful driving song with amazing harmonizing vocals throughout. A song on being down, feeling low, but knowing it's all going to get better. Maybe not today, but maybe tomorrow...
"So Here We Are Now" ~ With dream-like guitar riffs this song tells the tale of a love found, then lost. It speaks of how flighting love can be, and how difficult it is to truly grasp it.
"Fight Test" ~ I first found this one on XM radio. I liked the catchy beat, but after looking up the song I was shocked to find how deep it actually it (especially from a band that I had always connected with that silly song from my childhood "She Don't Use Jelly"). It's a playful song about that constant struggle of regret we deal with. It's about all of those fights we gave up on, and regret standing up for.
"Brian and Robert" ~ I love this song. First found it from the "Bittersweet Motel" movie. It puts me in an amazing relaxed place whenever I hear it.
"Beast of Burden" ~ Who doesn't love this song? And who can't relate? Mick Jagger has never sounded smoother. A great song about the toil of trying to love someone "who is just not into you."
"Wishlist" ~ Another XM find. It also led me to discover the album Yield, which was a great find. Being that I love metaphors, I love the lyrics of this song. So beautiful. "I wish I was a sailor, with someone who waited for me..."
"One" ~ You can set your iTunes to display how many times you've played a song. I've played this song 132 times, and that's only through iTunes. I first discovered it on a mix tape a friend in middle school gave me, and I haven't stopped listening to it since. If I died today this song might be played at my funeral. I think you get the point by now. An incredible song, with incredible lyrics, and incredible soul. I rarely ever put this song on mixes because of its significance to me, but this is one of them.
"Roads" ~ This is a page from my middle school days. I was fighting with your typical teenage depression, and somehow listening to Portishead helped me survive. I think listening to sad music when you're sad helps you realize you're not the only one with those feelings. To me listening to Gwen's voice quivering on the verge of tears is a beautiful and consoling experience. A beautifully tragic song about the worst feelings of loneliness.
"One Of These Mornings" ~ A song about the desire to leave, most likely a relationship. I love the way Moby mixes so many different musical elements, the driving drum machine, the smoky blues voice, the symphonic vocals. A very empowering song.
"Mirrorball" ~ Yes, the 1990's "Everything But the Girl" of Missing fame. It was a completely guilty iTunes purchase about two months ago, but I was pleasantly surprised how great they are, and how they've held up against the years. I think of them as a pioneer to "Zero 7" and "Air". Sure their synthy electronic sounds are a little dated sounding, but Tracy Thorne's voice is incredible. Don't knock it til you've listened. A great song about reflection and nostalgia.
"Maybe" ~ Janis may be a rock Goddess, but I think her better work came from this album and her work in soul. This song breaks my heart every time I hear it. An incredible song about longing. Listen to it, you'll find yourself swaying.
"9 Crimes" ~ While I don't ever ever ever condone cheating, this song is still beautiful. A song about the awful feeling when you find yourself longing over another outside of a relationship. It transcendentally portrays the feeling through haunting vocals, aching keys, and powerful cello chords.
"Set the Fire to the Third Bar" ~ A duo of duets. Not a fan of "Snow Patrol", but Martha Wainwright makes everything better. Two voices sing in unison to a brilliant crescendo then back down. A song about the sadness felt from distance between two lovers.
"Let Me Touch You for Awhile" ~ It's too bad country is not more popular, for too many people are missing out from Alison Krauss's talents. An incredible fiddle player, a gorgeous voice, and a stone cold stunner to boot. I recommend this whole album for some good live cuts of her work. A song about two lonely souls seeking company in a dark bar.
"Wagon Wheel" ~ Obsessed would be a healthy word for how I feel about this song. I discovered it on a mixed CD my friend left at my place (yes I will assimilate all CDs you leave at my place into my iTunes library). An incredible song about someone hitch-hiking to find his lover miles away. A song of desire, longing, and perseverance for love. Check it out.
"Radio Song" ~ I've already given the accolades for this band, so I'll skip introductions. This song is about true love. Finding that one person you want to hold onto and never let go. I still don't think enough songs use the accordion.
"Wicked Twisted Road" ~ An incredible song about the pains and loses in the war of love. The lyrics are incredible, comparing love to a "wicked twisted road," "a fearless driving rain," "a castle in the sky," and "a wild sinful night," which of course are all incredibly accurate. I just love this song.
"Amarillo by Morning" ~ Could there be a lonelier genre than Country? I don't know too many. I first found this song in Santa Fe, which felt so apropos. A classic country ballad about the lonely trail.
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