Refugee Radio Mixtape- The Best of 2009

Compilation  Volume One

1. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Upon This Tidal Wave
2. Caribou- Yeti
3. Xerox Teens- My Favourite Hat
4. Xiu Xiu- Muppet Face
5. Adam Green- Jessica Simpson
6. Spoon- Advance Cassette
7. The Shins- New Slang
8. Cassiotone for the Painfully Alone- Cold White Christmas
9. The Postal Service- The District Sleeps
10. Asa Chang & Junray- Hana
11. The Basement Tapes- Bessie
12. MOuntain Goats- The Best Ever Death Metal Band
13. Kimya Dawson- I Will Never Forget
14. Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks United- Ngoma
15. Mono- A Thousand Paper Cranes
16. Taken by Trees- Sweet Child O' Mine
17. Baka Forest People- Nursery Rhyme

Compilation  Volume One

Hello and welcome to RefugeeRadio. I am writing this is Lapland for the first of our fun-packed festive forays into the best of 2009.  We are here in the heart of the magical northern lands to bring you some of the fine, fine tunes we have been listening to this year. Expect to hear some brand spanking new numbers alongside some recently unearthed classics and basically everything that has been wearing a digital groove into the RefugeeRadio mp3 collection. These songs have been specially picked out for our two young listeners, Matty and  Andy, who have written in to ask for some musical enrichment of their lives. We wish they could be with us here today with the northern lights shining in the background as the reindeer prance through the snow but instead we will have to rely on the enchantment of radio. So sit back, close your eyes, open them again if you’re listening to this in the car, and let the music transport you.

1. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Upon This Tidal Wave. The first track is the mighty Clap Your Hands Say Yeah with their tribute to vacuous celebrity culture and self-righteous media coverage, the first song is called Upon This Tidal Wave.
2. Caribou- Yeti. Track two on this podcast is the stunning drum-infused madness of Caribou AKA Daniel Victor Snaith, the only percussionist I am aware of with a phd in mathematics from Imperial College London. He took the name Caribou after an LSD trip in the Canadian wilderness apparently. The title of his phd thesis was Overconvergent Siegel Modular Symbols but its not recorded what he was on when he came up with that one. This is the opening track from his 2005 album, The Milk of Human Kindness, the song was called Yeti but it’s a different kind of snowman here where I’m writing this today. I am in a festive igloo in the icy tundra of Lapland. We’re waiting to see Santa but so far all we’ve had is elves riding huskies without due care and attention like some Tolkienesque reimagining of Top Gear.
3. Xerox Teens- My Favourite Hat. This is newish band Xerox Teens with the Mark E Smith style groove of My Favourite Hat.
4. Xiu Xiu- Muppet Face. Crazy name, crazy guys.
5. Adam Green- Jessica Simpson. This is by Adam Green, formerly of powerhouse anti-folk duo The Moldy Peaches, whose song Anyone Else But You came to popularity via the Juno soundtrack some time after the band had gone their separate ways, with the well-named Kimya Dawson featuring later in the podcast. This song is called Jessica Simpson.
6. Spoon- Advance Cassette. You are listening to the Refugee Radio annual festive compilation of the best of 2009. I should explain that this is a subjective 2009 so its songs I’ve been listening to this year that I want to share with you, rather than songs that necessarily came out this year. So rather than a calendar year this is an ego year.
7. The Shins -New Slang, bizzarely available now to download as a playable song on the recent Guitar Hero 5 game on the Wii. I must admit it sits strangely alongside all of the heavy metal workouts but it’s nice to know ten year olds around the world are rocking out to a song about disillusionment and aging in your home town. Features on the soundtrack to the wonderful indie flick, Garden State, starring a young Natalie Portman (aka Princess Leia’s mum) and the white dude off scrubs.
8. Cassiotone for the Painfully Alone- Cold White Christmas. Joel’s favourite Cassiotone for the Painfully Alone with their holiday-themed slice of cheerfulness, this is Cold White Christmas.
9. The Postal Service- The District Sleeps. Death Cab for Cutie spin-off outfit known as The Postal Service with their lovely The District Sleeps from the 2003 Sub Pop album, Give Up.
10. Asa Chang & Junray- Hana. Refugee Radio is live every Sunday 8pm on radio reverb in brighton and hove where the other DJs often say things to me like “It’s nice how your show is more of a community show when so many other people on community radio just like to show off and play experimental Japanese jazz music. This next track is exclusive to the podcast version of the refugee radio show, not because it contains too much swearing for FM radio but because it’s exactly the kind of experimental Japanese music that i don’t want them catching me playing. I do have a reputation you know.
11. The Basement Tapes- Bessie. As I write this now we’re just taking a break on what has been a somewhat gruelling three day huskie ride here in Lapland to visit Santa on what was, on reflection, a slightly misleadingly named family fun ride. So far nobody has been reduced to drinking their own urine for survival. Just for entertainment. This song is called Bessie Smith.
12. Mountain Goats- The Best Ever Death Metal Band. Mountain Goats, aka singer-songwriter and former psychiatric nurse, John Darnielle with his 2002 recording of The Best Ever Death Metal Band. I ought to state for Ofcom purposes that we don’t really condone the hailing of Satan. I wouldn’t even go on record as condoning hi-fiving Satan.
13. Kimya Dawson- I Will Never Forget. The other half of the Moldy Peaches, as promised, this is Kimya Dawson with I Will Never Forget.
14. Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks United- Ngoma. This is a lovely chimurenga tune from Zimbabwe’s Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks United that was introduced to us by one of our guests last year, Francis. This is Ngoma. Thanks again to Francis and all our guests who helped to make 2009 so freakin awesome
15. Mono- A Thousand Paper Cranes. Now, just for podcastees (is that the correct term?) I‘m going to play another Japanese track (hah!) this is the postrocking Mono with A Thousand Paper Cranes.
16. Taken by Trees- Sweet Child O' Mine. Thanks for listening. This has been Refugee Radio setting out on our annual sleigh-ride through the Laplandic wilderness. We’ve had mince pies and rationed brandy supplies but so far we’ve come through smiling. The convoy has been made up of Santa’s elves, some reindeer, some huskies and a whole heap of good tunes to keep them doggies rolling. So far so good. We did have to leave a couple of Santa’s elves on an ice-floe for a staggering violation of elf and safety regulations but apart from that it’s been pretty free of casualties. Tune in, click on or push whatever buttons you need to in order to catch the next part of this epic compilation. This is Sweden’s biggest sellouts, Taken by Trees, with their undercooked cover version of the Guns and Roses classic Sweet Child O Mine, also known as the song from the John Lewis advert apparently. I still like it anyway but I’m not shopping there even if they had Catpower doing a cover of The Ace of Spades on the advert. Thanks for listening.
17. Baka Forest People- Nursery Rhyme.

Compilation Volume Two

1. Polly Scattergood- I hate the Way
2. Lamb- Gorecki
3. Skream- Smiley Face
4. Portishead- Deep Water
5. The Herbaliser- Nahmean Nahm Sayin
6. K'naan- What's Hardcore
7. Zola- Zingu 7
8. High Tone & Improvisators- Pusher Dub
9. Portishead- Machine Gun
10. This Heat- 24 Track Loop
11. Duracell- Space Harrier
12. Skinnyman- Fuck the Hook
13. K'naan- Wash it Down
14. Regina Spektor- Apres Moi
15. British Sea Power- waving flags

Hello and welcome to the show. This is the second of our special Refugee Radio festive compilations bringing you the best of the new music from 2009 and some of the enduring classics from our snowy turntable. I am writing this in Lapland, home of Santa Claus AKA Father Christmas AKA everyone’s favourite overweight OAP house burglar. We are currently enjoying some mice pies and brandy and some of the elves special brownies with the chewy topping. I can tell you they are very more-ish. Kind of Roger Moore-ish

1. Polly Scattergood- I hate the Way
2. Lamb- Gorecki
3. Skream- Smiley Face. This track is from Croydon’s finest export. We’re playing this for one of our favourite old Croydon faces, this is for Gary.
4. Portishead- Deep Water. Unexpected ukulele fun from Portishead.
5. Herbaliser. Nahmean Nahm Sayin. That’s not how I’m trying to talk now, that’s the name of this next song.
6. The Herbaliser- Nahmean Nahm Sayin.
7. K'naan- What's Hardcore. This artist was introduced to us by Peter Kessler, senior spokesperson for the United Nations High Comission on Refugees and you can check that interview out on the website too. This is Somali superstar K’Naan with his warchild gauntlet to the face of gansta rap- What’s Hardcore?
8. Zola- Zingu 7 Available on the Tsotsi soundtrack.
9. High Tone & Improvisators- Pusher Dub. This is France’s greatest dread collective, High Tone & Improvisators, with Pusher Dub.
10. Portishead- Machine Gun. This is Refugee Radio coming to you live from Lapland in the comfort of Santa’s grotto. I say “live” of course, you may be catching this show on a repeat or on podcast or perhaps you’re listening to this 200 years in the future as part of your GCSE homework on the history of 2009. Either way, I was definitely alive when I recorded it and this is definitely the best of 2009. This is Portishead with a track from their third album, Third.
11. This Heat- 24 Track Loop. As a complement to the last track,  I’m taking the opportunity to share with you a recording of the birth of drum and bass. This is a song called 24 Track Loop by a band called This Heat and this song was recorded in 1979. You believe me now but you might not when you’ve listened to it.
12. Duracell- Space Harrier. A live recording of insane Belgian percussionist Duracell with his version of the theme from the 1980s arcade classic Space Harrier. At least I think he’s Belgian. He looks Belgian.
13. Skinnyman- Fuck the Hook. East London rapper Skinnyman with Fuck the Hook. That one’s just for the podcast version of this show. Ofcom have some irrational objection to playing it on FM. To be honest, if you’re listening to this in the car and there’s kids in the backseat, this whole album is like the Seasame Street of how to learn to swear.
14. K'naan- Wash it Down
15. Regina Spektor- Apres Moi
16. British Sea Power- waving flags. We’re all waving flags, British Sea Power. I’m presuming that’s a critquie of the banal nationalism of the modern day festival audience rather than an homage to European Reunification or something but who cares. It’s from their wonderful recent album Do You Like Rock Music. You can get hold of the full running order for the show from the website. As this is the adults-only podcast version of the show, I would like to take this opportnutty to encourage you to do some swearing and maybe some minor acts of vandalism. The producer is naked. Those special brownies that Santa’s elves made us are starting to kick in. The reindeers are wearing shades and the huskies are learning how to play pool. It’s that kind of podcast. Thank you for listening and goodnight.

Compilation Three- Podcast

1. The Black Keys- When the Lights Go Out
2. R.L. Burnside- Snake Drive
3. Jessie Mae Hemphill- Standing in my Doorway Crying
4. Slim Whitman- I Remember You
5. Bobby Womack- Across 110th Street
6. Tom Waits- Innocent When You Dream
7. Jani Jani
8. The Dresden Dolls- Bad Habit
9. My Chemical Romance- Mama
10. Muse- United States of Eurasia
11. Nonesuch Explorer Series (Burundi)- Warriors of the Drum
12. The Duke Spirit- Love is an Unfamiliar Name
13. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- Doctor Blind
14. Cat Power- I Don't Blame You
15. Gallon Drunk- Series of Dreams
16. Richard Thompson- Beeswing
17. Ghost in the Shell OST- AAII
18. John Coltrane- Acknowledgement

1. Hello and welcome to the third podcast in our series of festive compilations. This is Refugee Radio getting blue on you with the Black Keys, from the Black Snake Moan soundtrack (questionable movie, good tunes).
2. R.L. Burnside with Snake Drive. Unbelievable punk-rock attitude towards peaking on the vocals. No sane producer would let you do this and yet it sounds amazing. Modern blues like the Horrors or the White Stripes except he’s actually black.
3. Jessie Mae Hemphill, standing in the doorway crying. I know how she feels.
4. The falsetto of Slim Whitman- possible contender for the last castrato of the twentieth century? There’s also a lovely cover of this by Bjork.
5. The unstoppable Bobby Womack with the title theme from blaxploitation classic Across 110th Street.
6. My hero Tom Waits with the barroom version of Innocent When You Dream. It’s from the stage play of Franks Wild Years.
7. Jani Jani from our Kurdish session with Havel, available for a limited time now as a podcast on the website www.refugeeradio.org.uk . I’m writing this in Lapland. We’re in a police holding cell awaiting deportation back to the UK for crimes of which we are wholly innocent and which in no way are we admitting occurred during our visit here to Santa’s grotto.
8. As we are feeling suitable anti-authoritarian and despondent, it may well be time for some Kurt Weil-esque emo-gothic self harm. This is the Dresden Dolls.
9. My Chemical Romance- Mama
10. Muse- United States of Eurasia. Best track on the album. Who thought the world would need proggy Queen-sounding song cycles based on George Orwell’s 1984? Who knew?
11. Nonesuch Explorer Series (Burundi)- Warriors of the Drum. This is the music that drove Adam Ant to genius.
12. The Duke Spirit- Love is an Unfamiliar Name
13. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- Doctor Blind
14. Cat Power- I Don't Blame You
15. Gallon Drunk- Series of Dreams. Cover of a Dylan bootleg.
16. Richard Thompson- Beeswing
17. Ghost in the Shell OST- AAII
18. John Coltrane- Acknowledgement. Jazz. Nice. Thank you for listening to the 2009 compilation podcasts of our favourite tunes of the year.