Nowhere Version 2.1 (with commentary)
As brought to you by Rachel Nabors auf SubcultureofOne.com
This playlist was designed to take you on a journey to my home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I just moved to a city and was feeling nostalgic, so I put together this auditory odyssey as a measure of comfort. You will see the sunny, happy, rural settings in addition to hidden aspects usually not associated with “simple country folk.”
1. "Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads
I ripped this off an Internet radio station, so that's why it has that weird opening.
2. "No Myth," by Michael Penn
I usually ended up wandering around alone in the local Rite-Aid pharmacy for my birthday, and inevitably this song would start playing over the speakers. I have no idea why. Sometimes I like to change the lyrics to "Juliet in black jeans."
3. "Blood and Roses," by the Smithereens
Whenever I would get all dressed up to go out, this song would play in the back of my head whenever I would open a door. That opening bass is just so coooooool.
3. I don’t know the name of this one, as a musician friend gave it to me. See his site at: novaoneproductions.com
4. "Und Dafur," by And One
One of the few instrumental pieces I have by this German synth/industrial group.
5. "The Hard Disk Approach," by Len
It sounds German, but Len is actually a Canadian group of varying talents. The rest of the songs on the album I took this from ranged from rap to old school rock and roll. Whenever I hear it, I see a montage of my dog and chickens. And a rooster in a space suit singing the lyrics.
6. "I Would Walk," by The Proclaimers
A chicken-sounding song.
7. "Some Cow Fonque (More Tea, Vicar?)," by Buckshot LeFonque
From the Men In Black soundtrack!
8. "Cottoneye Joe," by Rednex
The guys who made this song are actually Norwegian, I believe. Makes me feel like racing over fields.
9. "Kaze wa Mirai ni Fuku (The Wind Blows to the Future),"Akima & Neos
The ending themesong from the anime Trigun. Cropcircles and cowrides all the way.
10. "Scarecrow," by Ritalin
Ritalin is associated with Skinny Puppy, a very hardcore group. This song serves as a comfortable bridge to the next one, which is much more disturbing.
11. "Imago," by Ritalin
"Down in the back and around the corner." I like practicing bellydancing and kicking to this.
12. "Funeral Diner," by WUMPSCUT
As lovely and backwards as my home was, sometimes very otherworldly things would happen. I heard stories of a road that you could drive down twice in the middle of the night. As in drive past the clump of gas stations, keep driving straight, and pass them again. Appearances are deceiving, and all sorts of things happen on strange and lonely mountains.
13. "Stripped," as covered by Rammstein
I think this one outdoes the original Depeche Mode version. It's all about unplugging and going back into the forest. But note how ominous and foreboding it all sounds when coming from Rammstein.
14. "I Might Be Wrong," by Radiohead
For long walks in empty fields.
15. "Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Babe," by Emmylou Harris
You may remember this from O Brother, Where Art Thou? A great Halloween song. Very spooky. The little noises in the background should not be listened to after dark ;)
16. "Come on in Out of the Rain," by 12 Rounds
Because the last song sounded so wet and dark.
17. "Lonely Days," by The Future Bible Heroes
A friend of mine sent me a tape with this on it. I had to buy the album for the MP3. It perhaps best sums up how living in this area felt for a young person.
18. "Tokyo Morning (Tokyo no Asa)," by the New Kyoto Ensemble
I call this "Blue Heron Song" because it makes me think of bus rides past wetlands and flying herons.
19. "Waiting to Leave," by The Crüxshadows
Time to get the heck out of Nowhere!
Songs that did not make it:
"The River Sings" by Enya because it didn't fit anywhere and I was infatuated with it.
"The Drive Home" by Thomas Newman because I don't own the Series of Unfortunate Events soundtrack :(
WARNING: There is a slight possibility that your playlist may not match this one exactly. There was an accident which may or may not have involved some 2.0’s getting added to the 2.1’s I was preparing to mail you.
