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On The List: Sybris

Led by Angela Mullenhour's plaintive vocals, Sybris suggest nostalgia while still being current. On their sophomore album, Into the Tress, the Chicago quartet create dense and droning textures that recall '90s "alternative" rock from the likes of Sonic Youth. Angela shares her list of "Streetwalking Songs" with us.

Streetwalking Songs

Not hooker songs... songs for walking.

- Angela Mullenhour

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Tracks

1. The Flaming Lips - Hit Me Like You Did the First Time

This is by far the best Flaming Lips album and also one of the all time best summer records of all timez! This song makes you feel like a badass when you're walking around on the first nice day of the year in Chicago; it makes you want to pick up cars.

Buy: Amazon

2. Blue Orchids - Dumb Magician

This band rules. It's made up of a couple of members of the original line-up of the Fall. I love them. This song makes you feel all inspired; makes you walk fast.

Buy: Amazon

3. The Jesus And Mary Chain - On the Wall

This song doesn't really sound like the Jesus & Mary Chain at all, but it's great and makes you feel all sentimental and lonely in the best way ever. These are the kind of songs I like when it's a particularly beautiful day.

Buy: Amazon

4. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - IT Girl

This is a honey-scoping song. It makes you walk all sexily.

Buy: Amazon

5. The Bats - Made up in Blue

This is a walking to the show song or to wherever you're going to that night to get all plastered with your friends. It's a little reflective which makes you walk into the party extra-cool like instead of too-pumped. The bass line towards the end is also one of the best of all time.

Buy: Amazon

6. Roger Miller - I've Been a Long Time Leavin'

Roger Miller sounds like a drunk maniac in a lot of his songs, but I particularly love this one, the crazy laugh. I've been a foooooool! You should also check out "Little Green Apples" or "One Dyin' And A Buryin'." They make you want to kill yourself, which isn't very good for a maniacal drunk stroll, but this song is.

Buy: Amazon

7. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter

Can you deny this song? It's a good night walkin' song. It makes you question your meaninglessness. Not just another drop in the ocean. Those weird synthy strings move me!

Buy: Amazon

8. Paul McCartney & Wings - Mrs. Vandebilt

I fucking love this record. This song rules.

Buy: Amazon

9. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Bunker Soldiers

I listen to this song when I get out of work lately. I walk across the state street bridge and look around at all the giant buildings and the sun is blaring off the river and the first sweeping synth comes in on this song and I feel like I'm some fancy space-metropolis queen. Oh, and you also apparently need a decoder ring for this song. Listen to it!

Buy: Amazon

10. Glenda Collins - Nice Wasn't It

Glenda Collins is one sassy broad. This song sounds out of tune or something and it's great for walking home from the most fun break-up ever. It's also Joe Meek produced so you know it rules.

Buy: Amazon

11. Ultravox - Vienna

If you ever see the video for this song you'll see that the band is walking around on these dark, deserted cobblestone streets with steam coming up through the sewers and it's all very moody. I think -- if not, they should be. This song is great when you're walking home at, say, 3 of 4 in the morning alone, pathetically drunk, singing it all at the top of your lungs -- THIS MEANS NOTHING TO ME! Not that I would know anything about that...

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On The List Archive

Sybris Bowerbirds Deer Tick Arthur & Yu Opsvik & Jennings Deerhunter Lightning Dust Odawas Menomena Mary Weiss The Broken West Papercuts Baby Dayliner Currituck Co. Field Music Jana Hunter Citay Vetiver The Flaming Lips Wooden Wand Megan Reilly Samara Lubelski Great Lakes Eric Matthews Grizzly Bear The Clientele Starlight Mints The Essex Green Aloha Radar Bros. Shapes and Sizes Work Clothes Kelley Stoltz Silver Jews Dressy Bessy Elf Power [MORE...]

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On The List: Sybris

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