2010 Preakness megamix

In keeping with tradition of listening to music when traveling for horse racing-type pursuits, I have finalized my mix CD for my travel to Baltimore for the 2010 Preakness Stakes.

1. "Our Whole Lives" by The Hold Steady
2. "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire
3. "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers
4. "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young" by Fire Inc.
5. "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence & the Machine
6. "Thrice All American" by Neko Case
7. "Hurricane J" by The Hold Steady
8. "Jude Law & the Semester Abroad" by Brand New
9. "The Tension & the Terror" by Straylight Run
10. "Denial Twist" by the White Stripes
11. "Beat Control" by Tilly & the Wall
12. "The Re-Arranger" by Mates of State
13. "When I Say Go" by The 1900s
14. "Here's Lookin' At You, Kid" by Gaslight Anthem
15. "Hardest Button to Button" by the White Stripes
16. "All the Old Showstoppers" by the New Pornographers
17. "Light And Day" by Polyphonic Spree
18. "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional
19. "A Slight Discomfort" by The Hold Steady

Liner notes:

• The three The Hold Steady songs are from the band's new album, Heaven Is Whenever. I generally try to limit artists to a two-track limit on my mixes, but Heaven Is Whenever just dropped on May 4, and I don't think I could make a week without these three songs from the album.
• "Mr. Brightside" and "Light And Day" will appear on the Preakness mix in perpetuity because of their popularity during my 2005 to Baltimore—the first Preakness I covered. I had a great time and for whatever reason these are the two songs I associate with that trip most.
• "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young" is from the film Streets of Fire, which stars Diane Lane, who will play Penny Chenery in Secretariat. Lane lip synched to "Tonight..." in Streets... with Fire Inc. actually performing it. Fire Inc. was just a studio collective of songwriter Jim Steinman's favorite session musicians such as Rory Dodd and Holly Sherwood. Fire Inc. never released an album or toured or anything like that.
• Florence & the Machine and The Hold Steady planned to play some sets together at some concert festival this spring in England. I'm not much into the concert festival, but that would have gotten my wallet out like whoa.

Next time we talk I'll be in Charm City.