I don’t know whether to feel ashamed or rightly validated as I’m reading “How Music Works.” I do feel an affinity with the broad spectrum of experiencing music laid out so coherently and authoritatively by David Byrne, and every few pages I thump myself on the head bearing witness I was just thinking the same things. Honestly I’ve come across many of the same ideas, but David has developed them so eloquently and has so squarely nailed it that I will probably have to include citations to his works as primary sources instead of claiming them as my own. Better yet I can at least feel like I’m aligned some good ideas and that someone out there enjoys the depth of music like me.

This week, unprovoked and unsolicited, Helen Marnie released a bonus mixtape on her Pledge page. This mix includes the full range of 70’s women’s lib anthems, 80’s Euro-wave, and local Scottish flourish. It’s a master class on building a catchy playlist as well as educating on some very stylish historic and current sounds. It makes you wonder how she can just listen to far-flung music for a living – and yes, that’s exactly her day job. Ladytron even released a clever mixtape “Softcore Jukebox” just to educate and assimilate us. I can appreciate the urge to reach out and share what’s in my head, but it’s a bold move to play on Roxy Music’s “Country Life” cover image and put up a mixtape for sale.

I haven’t put together a mixtape for anyone in a long time. Of course I should cite David Byrne, “How Music Works” for this reference, but I swear I took part in the same act of sharing and hoping that the recipient would get the individual message I was sending. There was something about the tone or the message, or just showing off my off-center selection, that would make an impression. I have received mixtapes as well, and I genuinely appreciated the effort and the expression that they conveyed. I’d sure like to get one of David Byrne’s eclectic worldwide discovery cassette collections. No matter what, that’s a good way to find out about undiscovered realms I hadn’t thought to explore. Helen Marnie obviously has a lot of inspiration to share on the PledgeMusic group, with a captive affinity group. Please try out the mixes I have linked here – I hope you will enjoy some of the same that I’ve got on my mind.