This is about how a song goes from 'cover' to 'standard'. The concept of standard songs doesn't exist as much these days because singers now pretty much only do their own material, but i think it still happens to some degree.

another one where i'm just playing with the song titles. instead of real places, this time it's imaginary places and the roads you might take to get there.

no theme at all. just songs i was in the mood for or a mood i was after.

the Daytrotter.com site describes what they've got thusly: "These fine people � as they�re traveling through America�s heartland � take two hours out of their travels between shows to stop in for a Daytrotter Session at The Horseshack in downtown Rock Island, Ill. The name of the city is not ironic. They use borrowed instruments, play with their touring mates, utilize an often unkempt toilet, eat some food and then cram back into their vans for the last half of the drive. What they leave behind is a pile of ashes, sometimes a forgotten stocking hat and four absolutely collectible songs that often impart on whomever listens to them the true intensity that these musicians put into their art, sometimes with more clarity than they do when they have months to tinker with overdubs and experiments. These songs are them as they are on that particular day, on that particular tour � dirty and alive.

This is me being nostalgic, and covers up to about '85. I'll try to do a late 80's mix later. The mood will be radically different.

They were a major favorite of mine for many years. A number of times they titled songs with pharases that came from earlier songs and this mix is made of those interrelated pieces, plus some instrumentals, for padding.

These are songs that fit my mood or felt seasonal somehow. Newness, restlessness, nostalgia. This time i ended up including things from other mixtape project CDs i've recieved

i had so much good stuff from IMP mixes that i had to do another one

just thought i'd be funny with song titles

almost everything on this mix came from other IMP mixes i've recieved

this is one of those mixes that sort of got away from me. i started messing with it in the middle of the month and then i caught a cold and i guess my mood changed. i apparently needed songs that sounded irritable or delirious.

another sort of imaginary movie soundrack. Vampires could just as easlily be figurative as literal.

just trying to capture my mood for this month. that kinda spring time - nice weather outside feeling.

songs that strike me as appropriate for the current econmic situation. mine anyway.

these are from the CDs that have been living in my 5 disc changer all month. lots of thses songs are of the hitting- close-to-home type but some are just there because they stuck in my head.

many emotional states in many languages. sometimes you don't really need the details of what a song is about to understand it.

A decent selection of '08 things that I really liked. I'm feeling somewhat validated by the top ten list here and the top 50 at Pitchfork, but there's stuff here that doesn't seem to be getting the attention I expected.

this is made of selections from some CDs i took with me when i went to see Les Savy Fav in Austin last month. Essentially i grabbed a stack that were handy next to the home stereo. i tried to counteract downer songs with more upbeat stuff because the overall mood of the trip was light.

I had started a mix of political songs as suggested in the assignment email, but wasn't getting into it. Then valentine's day rolled around and i got inspired to do this. its sort of for single people. A cycle that goes from somewhat bitter, through the whole process of finding, experiencing, screwing up and losing love. then through sadness to hopefullness and then you could start over at the beginning.

Self explanatory, really

these are all files downloaded from bands' Myspace pages. I've found it interesting which bands promote themselves with giveaways like this and which don't.

Its that time of year again, so the theme is 'educational'. You get to learn about the alphabet and numbers, there's a pop quiz and then a lunch break, some geography and political science, then for P.E. Kate Bush tells you how to be invisible. Your history teacher isn't having a good day.

the songs i'd been stuck on lately were kind of theatrical so i wanted to make something that sounded like a movie soundtrack. opening credits, themes for characters and the setup of the plot, a love theme, some tense pieces that sound like conflict, the blatant attempt at a chart topping hit, closing credits and all that.

I made this one with help from my ipod's shuffle setting. i made a broader playlist of selections from CD's i'd recently loaded onto the ipod and since i hadn't developed any favorite songs from some of these, i let it narrow down my choices of songs by listening for juxtapositions that worked well. I did change the order of a couple of songs and replaced two with songs i liked better by the same artist, but some of the lyrical interplay is entirely serendipitous.

The title explains the theme pretty adequately. Definitely some of the same artists I've put on other mixes, but it stands to reason that bands I'd put on a mixtape would be among those I'd love to see live.

a spectacular relationship failure made me choose a lot of these songs. others are there as a sort of disguise.

Thanks for the very varied mix. Any grouping that includes two vocal performances by Nick Cave is aces in my book!

Thanks for the alert, Masked Man! I will set up camp by the mailbox.

Still love this Cocteau Twins mix. Thanks again.

I've sent your July mix from Philadelphia. You got a bonus disc from me, as I've been collecting a variety of recordings of Jobim's "�guas de Março" and had enough to make a CD, plus a few left over. I hope you enjoy it.

6/24: Your June CD was mailed today from Washington, DC.

may mix received. love the cocteau twins and it's been some time since i've given them a proper listen. perfect timing. thanks.

Just saw your comment on my page. I'll keep an eye out for it. Unfortunately, before I saw your note, I had marked my May mix as being not received yet. Sorry about that.

Did you finally receive the mix??

Hey there! I put your May 2010 mix in the mail yesterday evening, so you should have it soon. I hope you like it!

Hi David! I am sorry your April mix is running late but promise to send it soon here. I live in Houston also, so it shouldn't take too long to get to you.

hey, your tapes arrived a few days ago and now after listening to them for a while i can tell you that they are great! the idea of putting together songs from different daytrotter sessions had also been on my mind for some time. so, thank you!

I just logged in today and found your comments re the February mix, thankyou. I'm full of anticipation now!

The Real Places mix was gret...thanks

hey there, i'm you're november mix-constructor but i'm afraid i've let the month slip by failing to get the mix in the mail. i'll try and get it in the post tomorrow for you (1st dec). apologies for the lateness. elly

Hey man, I finally had myself a decent road trip to delve into your September mix--great stuff! It would be the perfect disc to slip in at my favorite local coffee shop and get some writing done. Very well-crafted, nice flow, and lots of stuff I hadn't heard. My faves were the first ("Emperor of Ice Cream") and last songs (the spooky Stones cover plus hidden track), brilliant stuff, thanks a lot!

I put your mix in the mail yesterday!

Did you get the mix yet ?

Hey, I moved to school so I have a different address for you to mail my cd to, if it isn't too much trouble. What's your email, so I can send it to you?

I sent you mix off today. Should have it soon. Sorry I sent it so late in the month !

"Hard Times" by Patrick WOlf woulf be perfect for your HARD TIMES mix. Check out the video - it's pretty cool

David, package on its way today.

Just got your Feb mix and I'm excited to listen to it. I see you're from Houston. That's where I grew up and still go back to visit. In fact I went home specifically to see that X and Rollins Band show you went to. Awesomeness!

Hi Just a brief excuse, and to say that February's assignment has finally been posted to you. Sorry for missing the deadline, but i had a patio to build;)) Hope that you enjoy, when it finally arrives!

Love it all. Thank you very much.

Would you like to swap Halloween mixes, you creature from the 8th dimension you. intruderalert@hotmail.com

Sweet! Thanks for the update David. After looking at your previous mixes, I can't wait to hear what you've sent me.

Hey, I just got your mix in the mail....... AND IT IS AWESOME!! Thanks so much!

hey, thank you for letting me know :)

love the back to school mix, thanks!

Thank you for your Soundtrack to Something!

Excellent mix David. Thank you so much!

Interpol must've been amazing. I l-o-v-e them. Your profile photo is a bit hot-t-t. whew!