I had been promising Mindy a Tori Amos mix for months – I finally have done it. It took me a while to really perfect it. I was nervous because Tori does have so many songs, and so many good ones. But also, as amazing as she is, shes not for everyone. You have to ease some people into her. Another important thing to consider is softer Tori vs harder Tori. I wanted to show how fun she is but also how gorgeous her and her piano are alone. I also tried to spread out evenly throughout all her albums. When making a mix you could do it a few ways….
A. Make a mix of their singles and or big hits.
B. Make a mix of your own favorite songs.
C. Make a mix of songs that you think the person you are making it for would enjoy.
I believe you need to balance out all these options to make the perfect mix. So here is mine…I am proud of it 
1. Cornflake Girl
2. Big Wheel
3. Spark
4. Silent All These Years
5. Beauty of Speed
6. A Sorta Fairytale
7. Caught A Lite Sneeze
8. Iieee
9. Precious Things
10. Winter
11. Cooling
12. In The Springtime Of His Voodoo
13. Dragon
14. Here, In My Head
15. Upside Down
16. Doughnut Song
17. Pandora’s Aquarium
Comments?!
Obviously, I can’t comment on the songs. Making me a mix CD and actually giving it to me are two different things. And as we’ve learned in the past, you and I both take a long time to get things back to eachother. Which is odd…because I see you all the time and we really don’t borrow eachothers’ things that often. I swear i’m really only fussy about my books, and even let you borrow that Beatles one that time. Which you actually did get back to me in a very timely fashion. So maybe i’m mistaken about our returning things to eachother past…
Anyway,
I like the breakdown of the three ways to make a mix. Howevz, personally – I prefer mixing options B & C. I don’t think A is really that viable an option, unless you’re only putting on one or two “hit” songs. Most bands don’t have more than one or two anyway – and if they have more than that, the recipient of the mix is probably somewhat familiar with such a successful band / singer anyway. I think if you make a mix of songs that are chosen for the person specifically, thinking they’ll like it – it can be the “gateway” into making them listen to the artists’ catalog as a whole. And making a mix of songs that you like, for them – shows them why you like that particular artist, and may also open the door up for more listening pleasure.
I feel like this is one of those long, rambling voice-mails that i’m notorious for leaving (/ the reason why i don’t leave voicemails too often) but in written form. I kind of like it though. Holy cow it’s 2:39AM, i have to go to bed.
goodnight, jenn’s blog.
-Mindy
You obviously cannot make a whole mix of just singles or hits, but I think if its a beginner’s mix its important to include those. You’re right, they are a gateway. I included a few singles, but also a few b-sides so it evens it out.
And yes, i am a slacker in giving it to you. But it took a while to be confident with it, and then I had to take it for a test drive!
I must say that this is a really good mix. I’ve always been terrified of doing this myself… and as I started thinking about it, I was going to mention all the songs I would have included and realized that this is why I never wanted to do a mix in the first place! I just want to put too many songs
I guess an overall comment would be that I would not have included so much ADP, but I know you really like the new album
I think including Cornflake Girl, Silent All These Years, Caught a Lite Sneeze, Cooling, and Here. In My Head are utterly necessary.
haha and I know that by “test drive” you mean that quite literally. You drove around listening to it while running errands or something. Maybe during your retail therapy yesterday.
It’s a key part of the mix CD process though – the test drive. Because listening to it all the way through while you aren’t over-thinking it is how the recipient is going to experience it. You get a feel for the flow of it, and if anything is out of place. Kind of like that mix that I gave you. With the random Cat Power song in there. What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking.
This is to Sara -
I am surprised you didn’t mention the absence of Yes, Anastasia – I know its one of your favs. I really thought long and hard about that one, and I felt like that needed its own cd. It is epic. Maybe I’ll start work on a Tori Amos…a mix: part 2.
utterly necessary – hahaha!