Anders Parker Makes MAGNET A Mix Tape

Anders Parker first came to our attention 15 years ago as the guitarist/vocalist for the underrated Space Needle. After the band’s demise, Parker issued four albums as Varnaline and two under his own name and collaborated with Son Volt’s Jay Farrar as Gob Iron. His latest release is double album Skyscraper Crow (Bladen County), which features one disc of acoustic folk (Crow) and one of laptop pop (Skyscraper). (Parker also has an experimental-guitar album and a rock album in the can.) MAGNET asked Parker to make us a mix tape, and when he sent it to us, he included this note: “It’s been a while since I’ve made a mix CD. And it’s been a dog’s age since I made a mix tape. (One thing that the cassette format was perfect for!) A great thing about making a mix is that there is usually some kind of purpose (impressing a girl, often) or theme (‘songs for driving,’ ‘new shit you haven’t heard but should,’ ‘ear-splitting mix for fools and drunks,’ etc.). Recently, I’ve been listening to songs: ‘song’ songs of a somewhat nostalgic nature for me; most are from the ’70s. It’s high fall up here in Vermont; the leaves have all turned, and I’m feeling kinda mellow. Here’s a mix entitled Sky To Sky.”

“72nd St. Horses” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/72ndStHorses.mp3

“Calling Out To You” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/CallingOutToYou.mp3

Nick Drake “Northern Sky”
I worked at a record store in New Paltz, N.Y., when I was at college. I got turned on to Nick Drake and Townes Van Zandt on my first day at the store. A good tip. I always felt like they were cosmic cross-Atlantic soul-brethren. Video

Roxy Music “Just Like You”
Love and change set to a funky (kinda) English art groove. Video

Lou Reed “Perfect Day”
Quietly anthemic. Heartbreaking and uplifting. Dry with syrup. Video

The Beatles “Dear Prudence”
My friend Cora loves this song. She’s two years old. She’s got good taste. From one of my favorite albums of all time. Video

Nico “These Days”
A Jackson Browne song. I like this version better, but JB’s version is good, too. I love the sound of the electric guitar and Nico’s singular delivery. Wonderful “Eleanor Rigby” kind of string arrangement. Dry with sand and tears. Video

The Rolling Stones “No Use In Crying”
From Tattoo You, perhaps the last great Stones record. Sleepy groove and high vocals. Video

Van Morrison “Fair Play”
From Veedon Fleece. I bought this record just cause I liked the cover (Van sitting with a couple of dogs somewhere in the hills of Ireland, presumably). This record often gets overlooked in deference to Astral Weeks, but I think it’s just as good in its own way. The first song on a deep record. Van name-checks Oscar Wilde and Thoreau in the first verse.

Neil Young “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
I love the imagery in this tune. Far from narrative; striking in its musical and lyrical starkness. Video

The Kinks “Strangers”
A Dave Davies gem. Such a great lyric. Dave’s singing is mournful and almost strung out. Paranoid and hopeful. Lonely and yearning. Drum fade … nothing like a good fade. Video

Joni Mitchell “Blue”
“Songs are like tattoos.” Indeed. Raw poetic. Video

Terry Callier “You’re Goin’ Miss Your Candyman”
Terry ramps it up for us here near the end. Dig the bass line. Worth the price of admission right there. Traveling song, longing song. Video

American Music Club “Western Sky”
Back to the sky here. AMC was a big influence on me as I was learning to write songs. Mark Eitzel’s tribute/rewriting to/of Nick Drake’s “Northern Sky.” A different song but of the same material. Video

Aphex Twin “Nannou 2”
An instrumental piece to close with. This piece reminds me of Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie. Less lyrical, but heavy. Music in the spaces. Video