Mixtape Mondays 2007-2008 : The Top Ten Years

Top Spins - May 11th 2007

Container Ship Ten - June 12th 2007
A pic of an APL ship I snapped on SF Bay

Ahhh, 2007-2008.
Such significant years. For me personally, a time of resurgence and reinvention. For me musically, a time of rediscovery and obsessive tendencies for the hottest sounds. My 'mixtapes' during these years were a series of graphically intensive top ten lists I'd create and trade via email with my best mate Artie who was living in London at the time. This was an unscheduled ritual for us... the tunes and imagery culled from whatever was going on in my life at the current given moment, traded in a 'tag you're it' fashion. During this period my tastes were wide open and morphing, some days I'd be diving into obscure French/Canadian garage sounds of the 60's, other days I'd be exploring the latest independent techno twinged bands or obscure groovy ambient tracks (circa 60's to present) that had somehow missed my radar. I was still buying records like mad, with frequent trips to Tower Records, Virgin Megastore & Amoeba, focusing my attention on quirky stuff I'd heard about in passing and the perpetual acquisition of slippery vintage classics. Many hours were spent digging through the new releases and the clearance bins in search of all things groovy... without limitations.
What you see above and below is some of the artwork I created for the lists and emailed to Artie to share my ten favorite new-found sounds of the moment. I never imagined that I'd be able to find much of this music again today, so color my surprise searching Spotify to find almost all of it there. A lot of this stuff was completely unknown or impossible to get during the time I compiled these Top 10's, and has since been sold or disappeared from my collection, so clicking and hearing these tracks again & compiling a playlist has been the highlight and the soundtrack of my last couple weeks.
Give it a listen. And don't mind if it gets too weird in places for you, stick with it or click through, there's sure to be a song just around the corner that you will bug out on.
Cheers dudes
Top Ten-Pack - The Now Sound of Fred's Turntable circa 2007/08 

Taupe 10 - January 27th 2007

Dust & Scratches, Themes for an Auction House - April 14th 2007

It's A Gas Baby - August 24th 2008

Fredwind Presents: Mad Props - November 5th 2007

Jack Purcell's Lonely Mix - February 12th, 2008
Artie had left his shoes on my deck before leaving for London and they remained untouched.
6 months later I snapped this pic

Mixtape for a Dumpy Traveler - December 17th, 2007

Success Stinks - February 4th 2008

Club Oxbow Presents RHLNDR - September 11th, 2007

Crate Digger - March 9th, 2007

Foreplay Mix - February 25th, 2007
A picture of my set of golf clubs.

Do Not Cross, The Mortgage Mix - July 20th, 2008
The photo is a foreclosure home in Lodi that my brother & I cleared out.

Hot Mess - April 30th, 2007

Maximum T & T - September 1st, 2008

Oh  sXit! - February 13th 2008
Artie had just fried his laptop by spilling a Vitamin Water on his keyboard.
I re-inacted the crime scene.

Stovetop Ten - May 24th 2007

Soundtrack to a Bright Future - July 31st, 2008
A pic I snapped of the USCG Barque Eagle sailing past the SF waterfront.

Gitanatop Ten - May 20th 2007
My little tribute to my favorite sailing team at the time.

Groundwerk Volume 1 - December 22nd, 2007
The schematic artwork is by my brother, a conceptual look at a putter I was in the midst of designing.  

Isle Tones - April 21st, 2007

The Real Nowhere Man Mix - December 4th, 2007

Trimaran Rock City - April 1st, 2007
An obvious swipe of the iconic Sub Pop 7" graphic style. 

Aquaphenia - May 22, 2008