MIXTAPE: DEERHUNTER

Deerhunter's drummer made a playlist for his girlfriend, but gave it to us instead.

If we had to name the most surprising album of 2008, it would probably be Deerhunter’s Microcastle; for a band best known for its noise rock and provocative live shows, it’s almost shock-inducing to hear a song from them that you could hum to or even—gasp!—listen to on the radio.

And maybe that’s the point: Just when you think you’ve got the Georgian band down pat, they throw out another surprise. When we asked drummer Moses Archuleta to put together a playlist for NYLON, we weren’t expecting a cassette format line-up. But that’s what we got. In Moses’ own words:

So, I tried really hard to come up with a mixtape, but to no avail. I'm usually pretty good at it, if I may say so myself. I had all these lofty ideas for different themed playlists (winter weather, van music, industrial, percussion favorites). I love doing it and it's usually so easy. Maybe it was the impending mega-tour or overwhelming indecisiveness or who knows what, but I froze up and was unable to produce anything.

But I'm in DC right now on Election Day and it's raining today and that was actually the jumping point for the last mixtape I put together. So, I leave you with a mixtape I made for my girlfriend a few weeks ago. (Ewwwww gross/Awwwww cute, etc.)

Vague Fall 2008 theme. 60 minute cassette format. Enjoy.

Side A)
Scott Walker - "It's Raining Today"

Dislocation Dance - "Tyrannies Of Fun"

Quickspace - "The Flat Moon Society"

Unwound - "Demons Sing Love Songs"

Crystal Stilts - "Crystal Stilts"

My Bloody Valentine – "Thorn"

The Feelies - "Let's Go"

Billy Bragg & Wilco - "California Stars"

Side B)
Eluvium - "Area 41"

Scott Walker - "Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated To The Neo-Stalinist Regime)"

Faust – "Jennifer"

Elvis Presley - "Blue Moon"

T. Rex - "Mystic Lady"

Electric Light Orchestra - "Livin' Thing"

Love - "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale"

Moondog – "Maybe"

Tom Waits - "Innocent When You Dream (78)"



This story was published on November 11, 2008.