You could say that New Hampshire quartet Wild Light is well-connected; members of the band go way back with Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, and its ’09 debut Adult Nights (StarTime International) was produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck). But what really counts is that the guys in Wild Light are connected to each other: Vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Seth Pitman and drummer Seth Kasper have been friends since fourth grade, while multi-instrumentalist Tim Kyle and singer/guitarist Jordan Alexander joined forces in high school. It takes old friends to carry the sizeable hooks found on Adult Nights, an unapologetically wide-open American rock album. Wild Light made MAGNET a mix tape while embarking on the last leg of its U.S. tour.
“California On My Mind” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/CaliforniaOnMyMind.mp3
The Stills-Young Band “Long May You Run” (unplugged is better, though original is still fantastic)
Jordan: You can see the sunset over the plantations. You can feel the chilly evening breeze as it climbs on you and whispers as it goes by. If you’ve ever driven far and far, to the widest and deepest and highest parts of the Americas, you taste it. And you hear Neil Young talking to someone gone. “With your chrome heart shining in the sun … ” And then you find out he’s singing to his car. His car that played the Beach Boys back in 1962 as it gave its last pull somewhere south of Winnipeg. “Gettin’ to the surf on time … ”
The Clash “Sean Flynn”
Seth: To me, this is the highest expression of the Clash’s whole Armageddon/jungle war motif, and one of my favorites by them. It really blows me away—a free-jazz song set in the heart of Vietnam. The instrumentation is so thorough that the silence is like the counterpoint to everything else. And Joe Strummer’s voice is so powerful, so bluesy. When he sings the last line, “Each man knows what he’s looking for,” you know we’re all fucked. Combat Rock is one of the weirdest and coolest records ever.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds “Jesus Of The Moon”
Timothy: I’ve been fixating on this song lately, from Nick & The Seeds’ most recent record. I’m a sucker for anything that talks poetically about God and desire, which is about all Nick Cave does, and to rich, mysterious effect in this one, comparing an inaccessible lover to a “Jesus of the moon, a Jesus of the planets and the stars.” Took me some work to get into Nick Cave. There’s something about certain post-punk-descended music in which there’s no trace of Beatles-y melodic influence that makes a lot of this music feel like another language to me. But Cave kept beckoning me, and I finally started to find him.
Dion And The Belmonts “Little Diane”
Jordan: Dark lyrics with a great melody. This song is self-explanatory.
Chuck Berry “Sweet Little Sixteen”
Seth: As everyone knows, Mr. Berry is the alpha and omega of rock ‘n’ roll. When I finally had that realization, it was very freeing, and no one sings about freedom like he does. He did it in a language that everyone could understand and be moved by. The way, for instance, he insinuates himself into the mind of a 16-year-old girl in this song is amazing (though I imagine he did lots of field studies in that area). It’s also the only song I know of that makes me think of Boston as a cool town.
Silver Jews “What Is Not But Could Be If”
Timothy: This song is profound and true, and says what it says plainly and simply. It’s kinda like “The Times They Are A-Changin” in that way. It’s just sort of undeniable. It could only be written by somebody who’s been around a while, seen the ups and downs, and figured something out about where they come from, found some basic axis of things. We were on tour early this year, and it was a chilly, overcast day in San Francisco when we heard that David Berman was ending the Silver Jews. I was so fucking bummed, walking around dirty Haight/Ashbury. I had just figured the Joos would always be there, tilling their patch of soil, abiding, like The Dude. Hope Berman comes back to music someday.
Deerhunter “Neither Of Us, Uncertainly”
Seth: I just heard this song the other day and I really like it. It’s a cool pop song, has a great feel, and does a trick where it majors a chord that should be a minor to a really satisfying effect. I’m not hugely into these guys like everyone else is, but I get it. I think. This is my buzz bin choice.
The Pagans “Nowhere To Run”
Jordan: Early punk rock from Cleveland. That’s where the Dead Boys came from, only these fuckers were never smart enough to move somewhere relevant circa 1980. Found this in a used bin in the mid-’90s as I searched for any obscure punk-rock band I could find not readily available in high-class New Hampshire.
Paul McCartney “Ram On”
Timothy: Rob Schnapf, who produced our record, turned us on to McCartney’s Ram record while we were recording. It was like finding a long-lost Beatles record, from around Abbey Road time. This song is just a great little ukelele riff, Wurlitzer, handclaps and foot taps, and classic Paul melodies. Everytime I listen to it, it makes me want to make a record. Or get stoned. Or both. I saw McCartney at Fenway Park last month. Still looks like he’s 22 onstage. All-time memory: Seeing “Band On The Run” while standing next to the green monster.
Michael Jackson “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”
Seth: Every good mix tape ends in style. I wish it were 13 minutes long instead of six and a half.
One reply on “Wild Light Makes MAGNET A Mix Tape”
A band that makes a mix tape with Neil Young, The Clash, Chuck Berry, Dion, Silver Jews — AND manages to work in a Big Lebowski reference at the same time — fuckin’ right on. I’d be a roadie for these guys any day of the week.