CD-R #4 is by good friend and fellow Yorba Linda native, Jeremy Stith. Jeremy went to high school with a circle of kids I got to know through my friends Madison and Jake Brown, but it was at a house show at Jake's house that I got introduced to Jeremy musically. It was his band Layman's first or second show, and they were just a two piece at the time with Jeremy on drums and Christopher Torres on guitar/vocals. They covered Brian Stew by Green Day, which normally was a big underground indie rock no-no, but the roughness of it was so endearing that I couldn't help but smile and bop my head along. Through out the years, Jeremy as a musician and as a person has been really good at catching people off-guard and tweaking the social rules in music scenes around Southern California. His band Fury has caught quite a bit of attention and respect in the hardcore scene over the past 3 or so years, but Jeremy has never really fit himself into the stencil of being a hardcore kid. He shows that through his antics on stage, his quiet and mellow demeanor, and through his musical taste. I have had the honor of sharing the stage with Layman many times, and I can full-heartedly say that they are one of my current bands. They have transformed from that rough two-piece playing in the Browns' living room into a ever-evolving foursome, complete with Janey and Max Riech. It's always a treat to see them because they are a prime example of a band that keeps getting better and better, and they just make me happy. Even the melancholy songs make my heart happy and hurt at the same time. One of the biggest reasons I had them be my wedding band (besides being a band of some of my greatest friends) is that I knew they would bring that happiness with them, and they did. Jeremy's mix is no different: from Orleans to One Last Wish, each track brings about a positive feeling in one way or another. In Jerm's own words:
"I didn't have any themes or goals for this group of songs and it isn't until this last minute before sending it to Garrett that I'm able to analyze and find some common thread (a lot of love songs...).
Really, these are just songs that I'll catch myself listening to on repeat for days and days. I would've included Thirteen by Big Star had Jeremy [Leasure of New Balance] not already had it in his list. I've been obsessed with the entire Subway (1985) original soundtrack and had I been given an unlimited amount of time, the mix probably would've just been that soundtrack. Music is really crazy."
As always, you can find links to the individual tracks below:
1. INXS - Don't Change
2. Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
3. Teenage Cool Kids - Landlocked State
4. Brian Eno - St. Elmo's Fire
5. Bruce Springsteen - I'm Goin' Down
6. U2 - "40"
7. One Last Wish - My Better Half
8. Éric Serra - Racked Animal
9. Orleans - Still The One
10. Alex G - Harvey
11. Superdrag - Feeling Like I Do
12. Wings - Silly Love Songs
13. The Delfonics - La-La Means I Love You
14. Sonny Rollins - Paradox
15. Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
16. Guided By Voices - Chasing Heather Crazy
17. Éric Serra - Pretext
18. Firefall - You Are The Woman
19. Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time
20. Bauhaus - All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
21. Arthur Simms & Éric Serra - It's Only Mystery
Listen to Fury's LP "Paramount" here. Listen to Layman's most recent EP "Blue Mind" here. Listen to Gem's debut 7" single "Sugar High/Spinner" here.
Photo by Kiabad Meza.