Click here to view the embedded video.William Shatner- Rocket Man

Elton John Goes Twang:

1. Rod Stewart- Country Comfort
2. Pollution- Ballad of a Well-Known Gun
3. Tina Turner and Ike- Philadelphia Freedom
4. Bettye Lavette & Drive-By Truckers- Talking Old Soldiers
5. Aretha Franklin- Border Song (Holy Moses)
6. The Who- Saturday Night Alight
7. Ryan Adams- Tiny Dancer
8. My Morning Jacket- Rocket Man
9. Jeff Buckley- We All Fall In Love Sometimes/ Curtains
10. Tortoise & Bonnie “Prince” Billy- Daniel
Bonus Track: Spooky Tooth- Son Of Your Father

Elton John, Lana Hamilton, wife of actor George Hamilton and Rod Stewart arrive at New York’s Studio 54 on July 11, 1978

Tina Turner, Elton John, Ann Margret, John Entwistle, Keith Moon & Pete Townshend, NYC, 1975

Elton John and John Lennon

Elton John and John Lennon

It’s the brilliant new dating (and friends-seeking) website that matches you up based on your music taste (as imported from your Last.fm profile or from bands that you have individually listed). Never again will you have to suffer through a date with someone who counts the latest releases from Celine Dion and Enrique Iglesias among their desert island discs.  A really helpful tool if you ask me (my ‘Friends’  profile is here…say hi!). Without futher ado, I give you Alex and Simon’s mixtape, after the jump.

Tastebuds.fm’s Songs To Wake Up To

I guess this list was inspired by that feeling you get when you first wake up and there’s that residual feeling from your dream sequences, and in many cases you may even have a song stuck in your head. Well I thought it’d be pretty neat to have one of these 12 songs in your head, that or at least playing these songs just as you have awoken to begin your day in such a positive way.

1. Beirut – The Shrew
Gotta love Beirut’s attempt at making a Mariachi-esque sound.  He really nails it with this song on March of the Zapotec. The horn eruptions on this track are astounding and as usual Zach Condon delivers a stunning display of his vocals. The humdrum of the brass brings together Beirut’s classic gypsy-style orkestra stylings but this time with a Mexican ‘charro’ feel.

2. Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t Be Found
Swedish folk artist Tallest Man on Earth delivers such a refreshing folk sound just with his trusty guitar. When he sings, it almost feels as if his lyrics have such legitimacy to them almost to the point that they could be tall tales of yonder. His unique nasal twang would easily lead you to assume he is not Swedish and of the dust bowl era.

3. Zooey Deschanel – Sugartown (Nancy Sinatra Cover)
Everyone loves Zooey, everyone. This girl is ‘so hot right now’, to quote Mugatu from Zoolander. Her whimsical voice is like the call of the sirens, luring everyone towards her fervent clutches. This Nancy Sinatra cover was also performed briefly by her character Summer Finn at a karaoke club [in 300 Days of Summer], and since watching I made a point of making it a quintessential morning song.

4. Sufjan Stevens – Chicago
What ever happened to his plan to make an album for every state of America? Ahh well you are forgiven Sufjan, thanks mostly to your amazing album Illinoise and of course with its magnificent centrepiece track “Chicago”; such a joyous track that I find so phenomenal. Stevens has the ability to evoke such a smorgasbord of feelings with this standout track.

5. Wilco – I’m the Man Who Loves You
I love it when a band can make a depressing song upbeat and lively, now that’s entertaining. This song clearly highlights the frustration of being in love with someone; such an expressive track, I like to think this track covers a guy trying to simplify the woes of his present relationship and make reconciliation with his love. I just really enjoy the arrangements and instrumentation in this album.

6. Fleet Foxes – Ragged Wood
Gotta love the Whoooaaaa-ohhhhhhhhhhhh-ohhhhhhhh at the beginning of this track, one of the many phonetic sounds that I like to associate with awakening and or some kind of rising. This song is just truly amazing. No one can deny the beautiful harmonies that the Fleet Foxes can create. This song is the the best evidence of their ability to tell a story with their music by essentially splitting the song into two exclusive parts that conveniently fit thematically with each other.

7. Calexico – Inspicion
Only found out recently this was a break up song, I guess the fact that it was in Spanish ultimately prevented me from knowing of the message in this song without translating it or asking someone. Despite the message being about getting over your first love,  I cant help but want to tango or something to this song. Alright I know this song is ALSO Mariachi-esque but hey, this was the mood I was in the week I compiled this mix-tape. Also who wouldn’t want to wake up to this song.

8. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – Big Guns
This woman has an amazing voice, the former child actor…yes she was in that movie with Fred Savage that was made ultimately to promote Super Mario 3 on Super Nintendo,  made an album with Texan gospel singers the Watson Twins that I immediately fell in love with, oh and her looks didn’t have anything to do with it cough cough. This treasured songbird can really strike a nerve inside you, the whole album including this track just resonates such a soothing effect. Got to love the way she delivers each song with such heart and a twinkle in her eye. Not to mention the cooling southern belle harmonies of the Watson Twins.

9. The Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
For some reason this song reminds me of a sunrise, someone viewing a sunrise from a window sill. I remember the first time my friend showed me Funeral by Arcade Fire, I was like ‘What is This?!?!?!’ , this song truly reminds me of GOOD MORNINGS.

10. Kings of Leon – California Waiting (Studio Version)
Love this song, such a summer classic that just makes you want to go surfing and have bonfires on the beach Daniel Larusso style.Now I don’t want to step on any toes here but this song came out when I actually gave a crap about Kings of Leon, let’s just say that I didn’t really bother to listen to their other tracks after the 2nd album, but hey that’s me. Nevertheless their first 2 albums were some of the best albums I listened to growing up and I hold such early morning good time memories to this great track.

11. Iron and Wine – Tree by the River
Such an uplifting song, gotta love Iron and Wine’s lo-fi Americana sound on this album. The surface meaning of the track is clear, a past love in which he lost touch with. This song definitely merits large amounts of repeated listens.

12. Rilo Kiley – Go Ahead
Ahh we find ourselves coming back to Jenny Lewis, this time with her band Rilo Kiley. Although this track is quite minimal as it just features her voice and an acoustic guitar, unusual for this indie rock outfit. This song is like a gentle push out the door if you ask me, a reassuring nudge in some kind of direction saying ‘you can do it!’ haha. Oh Jenny Lewis.

1. “For Better, For Worse” -Old Man Markely
2. “Gone Gone Gone”-Nikki Lane
3. “A Love Song From Miguel”-David Serby
4. “Postcards” -The Sadies
5. “Strange Street”-Broken Numbers Band
6. “Drunk Flowers”–Eastside Hayride
7. “Hey Lowdown”-Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
8. “Lancaster Stomp”-Olentangy John
9. “No One To Drink With”–Mike Stinson
10. “Rain Rollin”–Eilen Jewell
11. “Rolling Green Hills”–Brennen Leigh
12. “Poor Black Mattie”–Restavrant

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Every year, we release a special Valentine’s mixtape called Music For The Morning After that is inspired by our favorite part of the holiday.  No,  it’s not the flowers, boxes of chocolate or candlelight dinners that gets us. It’s waking up with your loved one the morning after — without any of the pressure of V-DAY looming overhead. This year, we decided to shake things up a bit and ask some of our favorite bands to record a brand new track or cover exclusively for the mixtape (and with just a handful of days to do it!). Of course, they came through and we are very happy to present their brilliant bedroom recordings that were made exclusively for you,  our wonderful readers.  From all of us here at When You Awake, we hope you have a wonderful day (and morning after) filled with love.  If you missed the previous year’s mixes, be sure to check out Music For The Morning After: Volumes One,  Two and Three. Mixtape cover by Patrick Gerrity.

Music For The Morning After: 2011

1. Shakey Graves- Chinatown
2. Leslie Stevens and the Badgers- Someday Soon (Ian Tyson cover)
3. The Morning Pages- Here By The River
4. The Smart Brothers- My Girl
5. William Tyler and Alexis Powell- Wish It Had Been A Dream (Louvin Brothers cover)
6. Hi Ho Silver Oh- It’s You I Like (Mister Rogers cover)
7. Strand of Oaks- This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads cover)
8. Roadside Graves- This Morning
9. Hor$eplay (feat. Amanda Jo Williams)- Baby Baby Love Love
10. The Driftwood Singers- When The Roses Bloom in Dixieland (Carter Family cover)

Bonus Tracks (updated February 15th):
1. He’s My Brother She’s My Sister- Wake Your Heart
2. Tommy Santee Klaws- Violent Son
3. Olentangy John- Long Low House
4. Zachary Lupetin (of Dustbowl Revival)- Be My Girl

Oliver, the man behind one of our favorite UK-based music blogs The 405, has given us his “Twelve Songs I Would Put On Cassette If a) I Had a Cassette Player and b) I Had the Time”. The mix features tunes by Megafaun, Tallest Man on Earth, AA Bondy and more. In addition to just being an awesome blog, The 405 is currently compiling a really interesting resource for bands called The Band Guide. The object of the guide is to provide aid and information to unsigned bands: from tips on getting folks to listen to your music to a list of contact emails for friendly bloggers and music venues. It’s definitely a space worth keeping an eye on, and even submitting your input to, as it progresses. And now back to the matter at hand. Without any further ado, we are very pleased to present to you Oliver’s mixtape. Check it out after the jump!

Oliver’s Twelve Songs I Would Put On Cassette If a) I Had a Cassette Player and b) I Had the Time:

Back in my day a mixtape was what the shy boys/girls put together when they liked someone. The music was supposed to be a way of communicating some idea to that person, without actually saying it to them face-to-face and let’s face it, nothing says I love you like sixty minutes (that’s all we had to play with back then) worth of carefully chosen music.

I used to spend a lot of time thinking about exactly what sort of ‘ride’ I wanted to take the person on when they listened to the mixtape. I even plotted out graphs (true story), which is probably why I spent most of teenage years single, with only a record collection and my other mixtape making friends as company.

For as long as I can remember, which happens to be three years, I’ve been in love. It also happens to be the same amount of time my website has been running too and thus my mixtape making motivation has shifted from ‘I really hope my mixtape making skills will make you fall in love with me’ to ‘Check these fine bunch of musicians out’. So Consider this mixtape as a combination of the two. I hope you check out these bands/artists and love them as much as I do.

1. Why?- The Blackest Purse
2. Megafaun- Worried Mind
3. Maps and Atlases- Pigeon
4. 6 Day Riot- I Am You, You Are Me
5. Keaton Henson- Sarah Minor
6. Fool’s Gold- Nadine
7. Beach House- Better Times
8. The Tallest Man On Earth- Thousand Ways
9. Avi Buffalo- Can’t I Know?
10. My First Tooth- Silent Spring
11. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Back in the Saddle
12. AA Bondy- Mightiest of Guns

After the holiday celebrations have come and gone, the dreary January doldrums set in. It’s cold outside, no one ventures out, and we are left at home with nothing but a record player and the memories of our old loves and lost romances to keep us company. So check out this mix, pull out that box of tissues and let it all out. George Jones, Hank Williams and I will be here to hold your hand.

I Still Miss Someone:

1. The Everly Brothers- Oh So Many Years
2. Willie Nelson- She’s Still Gone
3. Loretta Lynn- Miss Being Mrs.
4. Trio- Those Memories of You
5. George Jones- She Thinks I Still Care
6. Bill Monroe- Sitting Alone In The Moonlight
7. Hank WIlliams- I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)
8. Johnny Cash- I Still Miss Someone
9. Stanley Brothers- Life Of Sorrow
10. Bill Monroe- Memories Of You

A Christmas gift from us to you! Enjoy a handful of classic country tunes by the likes of Loretta Lynn and George Jones, plus newer tracks from The Felice Brothers, Laura Gibson and even a Norwegian Christmas tune by The Kings of Convenience thrown in for good measure. Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas and wonderful New Years!

O Christmas, Where Art Thou

1. Loretta Lynn- White Christmas
2. Johnny Cash- Silent Night
3. Kitty Wells- Blue Christmas
4. George Jones and Tammy Wynette- Mr & Mrs Santa Claus
5. Roger Miller- Old Toy Trains
6. Laura Gibson- It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
7. Kings of Convenience- Deilig Er Jorden
8. Every Brothers- The First Noel
9. John Prine- Christmas in Prison
10. The Felice Brothers-Murder By Mistletoe

Eric Steuer of the hip hop/electronic duo Meanest Man Contest (who also counts being the Creative Director of Creative Commons and a writer for Wired Magazine among his list of daily tasks) and I have put together a brand new mixtape for you. As a follow-up to Eric’s Other Countries mixtape, which came out in February and featured foreign language covers of country classics like “Stand By Your Man,” “A Boy Named Sue” and “Harper Valley PTA,” we are very pleased to present Fuego d’Amor. The mix features our favorite American and British musicians singing their tunes in foreign languages. The Rolling Stones singing in Italian? The Beach Boys in German? Harry Nilsson in Spanish? Why yes, and we have it all for you after the jump. Any good ones we missed? Let us know in the comments. Photo by Gita Kurnia, BY-NC.

Fuego d’Amor: A When You Awake Mixtape

1. Con Le Mie Lacrime (As Tears Go By in Italian) - The Rolling Stones
2.  Warten Und Hoffen (Wishin’ and Hopin’ in German) - Dusty Springfield
3.  Regardez Par Des Fenetres (Look Through Any Window in French) - The Hollies
4.  Jennifer Juniper (in Italian) - Donovan
5.  Nuits D’Eté (Summer Nights in French) - Marianne Faithfull
6.  Ganz Allein (In My Room in German) - The Beach Boys
7.  Green Circles (in Italian)- Small Faces
8.  Verzeih My Love (Goodbye My Love in German) – The Searchers
9.  Oui Tu Es Mon Ami (Sweet City Woman in French) - Stampeders
10. Goodbye Tony (You Don’t Own Me in German) - Lesley Gore
11.  Fuego d’Amor (Ring of Fire in Spanish)- Johnny Cash
12.  Santa Doming (in Japanese)- Wanda Jackson
13.  Chi Sei Tu (Ceilings No. 2 in Italian)- Honeybus
14.  Little Girl In The 4th Row (in Italian)- Paul Revere & The Raiders
15.  Si No Estas Tu (Without You in Spanish)- Nilsson
16.  Geh Raus (Get Back in German) - The Beatles

This latest When You Awake mixtape is dedicated to the great state of Texas in honor of my trip to Austin this afternoon for SXSW. With the exception of Mr. Bobby Bare (an Ohioan by birth), this mix features some of my favorite sons (and daughter) of the Lone Star State playing their very distinctive brand of Texas-fried rock and roll. Part Two, with Freddy Fender, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Ernest Tubb, Roky Erickson and more will be coming soon. Oh, and in the words of my favorite tv show Friday Night Lights, “Texas Forever”! Mixtape is after the jump.

T For Texas: A When You Awake Mixtape:

1. Bobby Bare- Goin’ Back To Texas (One More Horses Ass)
2. Waylon Jennings- I’m A Ramblin’ Man
3. Willie Nelson- Whiskey River
4. Buck Owens- Foolin’ Around
5. Amos Milburn- Chicken Shack Boogie
6. Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs- Wooly Bully
7. Roy Head- Treat Her Right
8. Bobby Fuller Four- I Fought The Law
9. Buddy Holly- Oh Boy!
10. Texas Tornadoes- Who Were You Thinking Of?
11. George Jones (with George Pitney)- I’ve Got Five Dollars And It’s Saturday Night
12. Roger Miller- Chug-A-Lug
13. Roy Orbison- Dream Baby
14. Lydia Mendoza- Mal Hombre

Justin Gage, the man behind Aquarium Drunkard and Autumn Tone Records, has made a mixtape for us! I am very pleased to present Midnight Radio: “Twelve tracks inspired by driving through the New Mexico desert after midnight on a surreal, starless night. Clocking in at just over thirty minutes the following tracks, mostly vinyl rips, should complement any weird, late-night dance party, séance, etc… Very hoodoo.” Needless to say (this is Justin we are talking about after all), it’s an incredible mix that features tunes by John D. Loundermilk, Screaming Lord Sutch, Elder Charles D. Beck and many more. In addition to Aquarium Drunkard and Autumn Tone, Gage also hosts a weekly, two hour radio show on Fridays on SIRIUS/XM satellite radio’s XMU (channel 26), and XM radio (channel 43). Noon-2pm EST. I highly recommend tuning in to his show and making Aquarium Drunkard a daily read. Check out the mixtape and details on his SXSW parties after the jump.

Aquarium Drunkard’s Midnight Radio:

1. Cat – Do The Watusi
2. Screaming Lord Sutch – Flashing Light
3. Bob Vidone & The Rhythm Rockers – Weird
4. Blenders – Don’t Fuck Around With Love
5. Sunday Servants – Who Do You Love
6. Vichan Maneechot – Dance, Dance, Dance
7. Tommy James & The Shondells – Hanky Panky
8. Bob Azam & His Orchestra – The Last Time
9. Robb London – Gloria
10. John D. Loundermilk – Goin’ To Hell On A Sled
11. Elder Charles D. Beck – Rock & Roll Sermon
12. Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers – Emulsified

Justin’s Events at SXSW:

During SXSW Music:
Thursday, March 18th at Lamberts from noon-5:30 (free, no badge needed) with:
Warpaint
Love Language
Growlers
Henry Clay People
Futurebirds
Blair
Happy Hollows
Roadside Graves

During SXSW Film
Saturday, March 13th at Red Eyed Fly – night party (no badge needed) with:
The Strange Boys
Harlem
Blair