We’re back from another vacation! This time we rented a car and drove up the New England coast.

We first stopped in New Haven briefly to scope the Yale campus. Then to Cape Cod, which was picturesque and Provencetown was super charming and refreshing. We then trekked up to Boston—the wife’s never been. We had fun covering most of the city in 3 days. They really have it figured out there. We then said farewell and headed out through the Berkshires and down into the Catskill mountains. We stayed in a tiny, quaint cottage in Phoenicia. Mostly, we spent our days listening to the creek flow behind us. We spent a day in Woodstock getting our hippy on and then did some hiking through the Kaaterskill Falls and down the Esopus River. At the end of the trip, we were reluctant to come back. It definitely got us thinking of how nice the country life is outside the city.

The mix captures the usual for our travels. Songs we hear on the local college stations, at record shops, restaurants, or shops. I threw in a couple in the mix that cover the places we visited. Another mix that will crystalize the trip in my mind. Hopefully it transports you away as well. Enjoy!

Bri

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Welcome to the new Mixblog! I’m happy with the new facelift. The bones of the site are still here. There are 2 ways of surfing through it, via the Feed or through the Index view that features the entire back catalogue. Also, there will be cycling links at the top such as Favorites, Guest Mixes, or the current seasonal mixes. Keep an eye out for other themes that may pop up on the navigation bar.

As for the new mix, I just got back from vacationing in DC and Virginia with my wife and dogs. The mix is specific to songs we heard on our travels as well as songs that I felt are in the spirit of where we traveled to. DC is such a beautiful town. We also ventured into the Appalachian Mountains in Shenandoah and the George Washington State Park.

I have more mixes on the way that are in spirit with the style of mixes everyone is used to as well as some more conceptual mixes on the horizon that I am eager to share.

Please follow me on Twitter and send me your thoughts on the new site and I am always open to the challenge of your ideas on mixes.

Thanks for your patience, enjoy the new site and new mix!
Brian

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I recently travelled to Mexico City to speak at OFFF MX with Carly Addy of The Mill London. We spoke in front of 1500 or so people, no biggie. We talked about delusional optimism, winning, losing, success and failure.

I also had the privilege of exploring Mexico City for a couple of days with my wife and our private guide, Jorge. He opened us up to all of the Aztec culture. We explored the beautiful Coyocan. The ancient Teotihuacan pyramids. The surprising Xochimilco, a city built around canals. I learned more about Mexican culture in 2 days than I have in my entire life. It was truly amazing. Most of all, the people of Mexico City were incredibly hospitable. Everyone was friendly and eager to show us a good time.

This mix is inspired by our travels. It captures a blend of Mexican and American sounds. Mariachi with rock, surf, and country. Enjoy!

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I was looking at the photography of the amazing Danny Lyon and I thought, what would a Danny Lyon photo sound like. To me, his music bears an old struggling soul yet with an edge. It’s raw, it’s unpolished, and it’s dirty but beautiful.

The two photos of Danny Lyons I chose are empty, and quiet, to frame a lost New York of another era. It’s the New York encapsulated in my mind from growing up, watching films from the 70s and 80s shot in New York. If you can, check out his book The Destruction of Lower Manhattan that originally sold for $1. Its now out of print and sells for much more, but definitely casts a somber light on NYC as it was going through an urban renewal in the late 60s.

As for the music, I chose a mix of rock, hip hop, soul, and blues, with a tinge of afro funk. I refrained from using anything from the era of the photographs as the music itself pays homage to that lost era. Each artist in this mix obviously is influenced from the greats such as James Brown, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, and Marvin Gaye. Enjoy!

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Nimefurahi is Swahili for “I’m Happy.” And I’m happy to bring this bright, eclectic mix of African and African inspired music. Artists like Paul Simon and Vampire Weekend have found a muse in the music of Africa. The beats are infectious, the melodies are optimistic, and the vocals soulful. Enjoy!

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