Short Mixtape for St. Valentine's Day

The NotJust90s St. Valentine's Day mixtape includes a few different emotions, from the contrarian "not in love" to the smooth, the silly to the sappy. I've placed all the songs onto a YouTube playlist to make it easier for everyone ((note: may not be 100% safe for work, depending on where you work). Contrary to this blog's claim of "not just 90s," I did stick with only songs from the 90s in this case, basically so I wouldn't still be working on the list come March. Tracklist and "liner notes" below.



1. Belle & Sebastian -- "I Don't Love Anyone"
For me, any decent 90s mixtape automatically includes at least one Belle & Sebastian song. In this selection, we start the mixtape with the antithesis to love songs.
2. Neutral Milk Hotel -- "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"
This song feels like being in love, full of lyrical fantasy, ridiculous ideas, and musical richness.
3. Sade -- "I Couldn't Love You More"
We shift to a track that runs in the opposite direction in every way except the sentiment; with a somewhat minimalist paint-by-numbers jazz production behind Sade's creamy vocals delivering very straight-ahead words that, while not exactly poetic or clever, are somewhat refreshing in their attempt to just say something without resorting to meaningless cliches (at least not too many).
4. The Muffs -- "I Need You"
If Sade put you to sleep, The Muffs will wake you back up. Even with a couple men in the band, The Muffs still manage to deliver a love song in true riot grrrl style.
5. A Tribe Called Quest -- "Bonita Applebaum"
Whereas the last few love songs have featured "Me to You" lyrics that can work as a musical valentine, here's a somewhat voyeuristic view into Q-Tip's love for a woman named Bonita, complete with catchy hooks sure to stick in your head...
6. The Magnetic Fields -- "A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off"
We hear Stephin Merritt's fantastic songwriting on display as he provides a fairly accurate - if absurd - portrayal of being in love. My apologies for the disturbing (though work-safe) accompanying video -- this was the only version I could find that would work on the playlist.
7. R.E.M. -- "At My Most Beautiful"
Not a typical R.E.M. track, but one of my favorites; not only for the Pet Sounds style rhythms and harmonies, but especially for the strange blend of sincerity and description of small moments rather than bold proclamations and the usual cliches.