# Help me compile a CD. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853 "2003-08-13T07:22:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/1 "2003-08-13T07:22:58Z")
I’m trying to put together a fairly mellow CD; something I can put on and forget about, basically. The only real limitation I’ve put on it is that I’d like to use no more than one song by any given artist. Also, I’d like to find a song in which the vocals begin before the instruments to start the CD off. Here’s what I’ve got so far (in no particular order), to give some idea of what I’ve got in mind: Portishead - Glory Box Mahavishnu Orchestra - You Know You Know E Nomine - Seance Rasputina - Herb Girls of Birkenau Utada Hikaru - First Love Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground Joseph Kilna MacKenzie - Sgt. MacKenzie Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/2 "2003-08-13T07:56:37Z")
I’m not so sure about the vocals before the music, but for my most recent mellow cd I threw in: Iron and Wine - Upward Over the Mountain Low - In Metal The Postal Service - This Place is a Prison Absinthe Blind - The Break Songs: Ohia - Two Blue Lights Cat Power - Colors and the Kids I also threw in some Calexico and Yo La Tengo, but they’re borderline mellow depending on what song you include and what songs are before and after them. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/3 "2003-08-13T09:46:50Z")
Almost anything by Eddy Reader (as a solo artist not as part of Fairground Attraction) ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/4 "2003-08-13T12:09:07Z")
**soulmurk** has great taste. Use those ones. Also put on some Royksöpp for that chilled house vibe. And you can never go wrong with Bjòrk - try something from _Vespertine_ for that wrapped up in a blanket feeling. ---
**Author:** ![parlo\_americano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b19c9b/32.png) [@parlo\_americano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parlo_americano)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/5 "2003-08-13T12:18:02Z")
Air - All I need Mana - En el Muelle de San Blas Morcheeba - The sea Wolfsheim - Kein Zurück ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/6 "2003-08-13T13:07:06Z")
I’m having a hard time the the ‘vocals before instruments’ thing, too, but here’s a few good tunes: Dead Can Dance - “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” Moloko - “The Time is Now” Vanessa Daou - “Show Me” Thievery Corporation - “Transcendance” Leonard Cohen - “By the Rivers Dark” and “Alaxandra Leaving” Massive Attack - “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game” Supreme Beings of Leisure - “Never the Same” John Martyn - “Sunshines Better” Lyle Lovett - “Simple Song” The World of Skin - “Please Remember Me” This Mortal Coil - “Song to the Siren” ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/7 "2003-08-13T18:50:15Z")
Better Than Ezra - “Juarez” Zero 7 - “In the Waiting Line” ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/8 "2003-08-13T19:37:09Z")
Did anybody mention “HERBALIZER” ---
**Author:** ![AchimbaProphet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@AchimbaProphet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AchimbaProphet)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/9 "2003-08-13T19:53:45Z")
Cardigans - Starter Garbage - #1 Crush Dave Brubeck - Take Five ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/10 "2003-08-13T20:38:41Z")
Hey, thanks **gex gex** 🙂 If only I could get my friends to agree, the tasteless savages! There’s also: Wilco American Analog Set Eels Film School Mogwai Sin Ropas Sigur Ros Belle & Sebastian Mars Volta Mojave 3 Califone …though I don’t have particular songs to recommend for them. Perhaps someone else could make suggestions, but generally any song by them would fit your criteria. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/11 "2003-08-13T20:43:36Z")
How about a little… Sigur Ros- Svefn-g-englar, Agaetis Burjun John Lennon- Look at Me Rolling Stones- She Smiled Sweetly Cowboy Junkies- Sweet Jane Loudermilk- Ash to Ash, 97 Ways to Kill a Superhero, Mai, Attached at the Mouth Sonic Youth- Superstar Cat Power- Maybe Not, Werewolf, To be a Good Woman, I Don’t Blame You Velvet Underground- Heroin Nico- These Days ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/12 "2003-08-14T01:06:30Z")
Porcupine Tree: “Buying New Soul” ---
**Author:** ![Lockfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/13 "2003-08-14T03:52:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by J String \* > \*\*Porcupine Tree: “Buying New Soul” \*\* On that note, I recommend _Still Day Beneath the Sun_ by **Opeth**. Just caught both these bands on tour together a few weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/14 "2003-08-14T05:25:24Z")
Some excellent music suggested on this thread. I’ll add: Wilco - Radio Cure, Ashes of American Flags, Via Chicago Mojave 3 - In Love with a View The Minus Five - The Days of Wine and Booze Beck - Guess I’m Doing Fine Morcheeba - Blindfold Coldplay - The Scientist Andy Stochansky - Lake Alaska 4:00 A.M., Hymn Ron Sexsmith - Gold in Them Hills (or pretty much anything else off of _Cobblestone Runway_) ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/15 "2003-08-15T23:14:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by soulmurk \* > \*\*Hey, thanks **gex gex** 🙂 > > If only I could get my friends to agree, the tasteless savages! > > There’s also: > > Wilco > American Analog Set > Eels > Film School > Mogwai > Sin Ropas > Sigur Ros > Belle & Sebastian > Mars Volta > Mojave 3 > Califone > > …though I don’t have particular songs to recommend for them. Perhaps someone else could make suggestions, but generally any song by them would fit your criteria. \*\* Not to be too vague, but you remind somebody reading this of someone she met. Do you happen to attend Clemson University? ---
**Author:** ![New\_Improved\_Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f17d59/32.png) [@New\_Improved\_Scott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Improved_Scott)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/16 "2003-08-16T14:33:35Z")
I would add some DJ Krush into that mix you had originaly listed, and maybe Star Guitar by the Chemical Brothers or Disco Science by Mirwais. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/17 "2003-08-16T20:15:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Catalyst \* > \*\*Not to be too vague, but you remind somebody reading this of someone she met. Do you happen to attend Clemson University? \*\* Afraid not **Catalyst**. And I have to say, that’s the first time in my life anyone has ever said I reminded them of someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-compile-a-cd/194853/18 "2003-08-16T20:42:26Z")
IIRC, **Gabriel** by Lamb (about as mellow as it gets) starts with vocals before the music.