This is our weekly GUEST COLUMN. If you’d like to submit a Mix Tape, email Brandy at mouemagazine@gmail.com with “Mix Tape” in the subject line.

Back from my extended absence, and glad of it, and what’s the first thing that happens? Brandy says “Um, hey, could you do this week’s mix tape?” No problem, I told her. Music’s been integral to my life in one way or another ever since my synapses first started firing. Then I looked over my collection. Problem.

Making this mix was kind of like standing in front of the closet and figuring out what in the name of God and everything holy you’re going to wear: I had about four or five or thirty different ideas, none of which sat comfortably or felt quite right or looked good in the mirror, so in the end (like a typical male) I just said “The hell with it, I’m going with what I’ve got on right now.”

This is, indeed, a cross-section of what I’ve been listening to lately. A lot of it’s nostalgia, really, stuff I fell in love with when it came out and can’t seem to stop listening to. Some of it’s a little gloomy, but then, so’s the weather here today. Muxtape didn’t quite work out for me, so you’re on your own for some of these..

Herewith the list:

The Clash – Magnificent Seven — Ring ring, it’s 7am!

The Damned – Machine Gun Ettiquette — Two minutes of brilliant spite, and they’re actually all still alive and still together (okay, except for Rat).

Fishbone – Ghetto Soundwave — Fishbone was made to be loved.

Morphine – Honey White — Not to state the obvious, but Mark Sandman was gone way too soon.

Bruce Cockburn – If I Had a Rocket Launcher — Twenty-five years later, still spookily relevant.

Peter Case – Spell of Wheels — The man has never gotten his due, really.

Husker Du – Whatever — Always makes me feel fourteen again.

The Blue Nile – Downtown Lights — Nobody does actual grown-up love songs better than these guys, Nobody.

Wilco – Sunken Treasure — They started to lose me after another album or two, but this song is pure loveliness.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros – Redemption Song — The video is actually what makes this stand out (yes, that’s Jim Jarmusch and Steve Buscemi). I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing this guy.