Another month, another Mike Mix. There aren’t a whole lot of surprises on the latest installment, just another solid collection of songs by artists that should (hopefully) be familiar by now. Seriously, if you haven’t checked out Carissa’s Wierd, Meursault, or A Silver Mt. Zion yet, shame on you. They’re three of favorite bands as of late.

Mike Mix 30 does feature a couple new artists. The Morning Benders, a great band from the Bay Area, contribute one of the most upbeat songs on the mix (relatively speaking). Russian Circles, who are from Chicago, not from Russia, provide a beautiful instrumental track, the only one on the mix.

Mike Mix 30 picks up where Mike Mix 29 left off. In other words, it’s mostly sad but also incredibly gorgeous. I recommend listening to it in the order presented below. Stream or download the entire mix using the links below. Enjoy!

• 1. Jason Molina – It’s Easier Now
• 2. Cat Power – Maybe Not
• 3. Carissa’s Wierd – Phantom Fireworks
• 4. The Love Language – Stars
• 5. Meursault – Nothing Broke
• 6. The Morning Benders – Hand Me Downs
• 7. Yeasayer – I Remember
• 8. Joanna Newsom – Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
• 9. Russian Circles – Hexed All
• 10. A Silver Mt. Zion – Ring Them Bells (Freedom Has Come and Gone)
• Download entire mix

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  Drake – Take Care

  As my review of The Weeknd’s House of Balloons hinted at, I’ve recently taken a liking to R&B music. Therefore I’m cautiously optimistic I will enjoy Drake’s sophomore album Take Care. It’s been getting good reviews (even a BNM over at Pitchfork) and the few tracks I’ve heard sound pretty solid (a couple of them even feature The Weeknd). Stream the album here.

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  Sigur Rós – Inni

  Sigur Rós currently resides atop the list of bands I want to see live. I’ve heard their concerts are unreal, partly because they play in unique venues (churches, opera houses) and partly because their music is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Until the band stops by San Francisco, Inni will have to do. Get more details about the live double album here.

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  The Twilight Singers – Live In New York

  While I haven’t gotten a chance to see Sigur Rós live yet, I did get an opportunity to check out The Twilight Singers when they played a special concert at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco a couple months ago. If that show was any indication, their new live double album should be pretty amazing. Check it out here.

Clocking in at over 70 minutes, Mike Mix 29 is pretty epic. It ain’t the most uplifting collection of music, but given that the days are slowly getting shorter and colder, I think it’s fitting. Highlights include (but are not limited to) “Jeff Davis County Blues” by The Mountain Goats, “Go Long” by Joanna Newsom, and “When We Go, How We Go (Part I)” by Rock Plaza Central. They won’t be able bring back the sunshine and warmth, but they can definitely help make the change of seasons a little more tolerable.

As always, I recommend listening to Mike Mix 29 in the order presented below. Stream or download the entire mix using the links below. Enjoy!

• 1. Josh Ritter – Come and Find Me (acoustic)
• 2. The Mountain Goats – Jeff Davis County Blues
• 3. A Silver Mt. Zion – God Bless Our Dead Marines
• 4. The National – Val Jester
• 5. Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
• 6. Joanna Newsom – Go Long
• 7. Sharon Van Etten – Tornado
• 8. Jason Molina – Long Desert Train
• 9. Hurray For the Riff Raff – Young Blood Blues
• 10. Meursault – A Small Stretch of Land
• 11. Modest Mouse – Polar Opposites
• 12. The Love Language – Wilmont
• 13. Beirut – Postcards From Italy
• 14. Rock Plaza Central – When We Go, How We Go (Part I)
• Download entire mix

• 

  Cass McCombs – Humor Risk

  Humor Risk, Cass McCombs’ second studio album of 2011, is a much more lively experience than Wit’s End, his first. This isn’t saying a lot: Wit’s End is incredibly somber, the perfect album to fall asleep to. Regardless, I’m impressed that McCombs can release two solid albums in a year. Stream Humor Risk over at Stereogum or grab it for only $5 at 7digital.

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  Atlas Sound – Parallax

  I really tried getting into Atlas Sound’s previous album Logos but never had much luck. “Walkabout” is an amazing song (it was featured on Mike Mix 16), but I find the rest of the album a little monotonous. Parallax, however, just got BNM’ed by Pitchfork so I’ll probably give it a few listens. Stream the entire album over at T Magazine or buy it for only $5 at 7digital.

House of Balloons falls so far outside the realm of music I normally listen to that I’m a little hesitant to post it. On the other hand, I’ve been listening to the album nonstop for the past six months, so I think it’s safe to say I’m obsessed. In the end, my desire to share good music will always outweigh my fear of destroying the impeccable reputation I’ve built on my blog over the past five years. Here it goes.

Despite my relatively eclectic collection of music, there are still genres I tend to avoid. R&B is definitely one of them. I’ve always found it to be a little too cheesy and overtly sexual for my tastes. Lately, though, I’ve been listening to a handful of artists that have me questioning this. One of these artists is The Weeknd, the moniker of über-talented Toronto musician Abel Tesfaye.

Despite being new to the genre, I quickly realized The Weeknd doesn’t record traditional R&B music. House of Balloons is dark, twisted, and somewhat unsettling. It provides a fascinating glimpse into a lifestyle I could never live: one filled with copious amounts of drugs, girls, and money. But the reason I find the album truly compelling is that through all the bravado Tesfaye still manages to bare his soul. Nowhere is this on better display than “Wicked Games.” The song begins with Tesfaye singing “I left my girl back home / I don’t love her no more” – hardly a declaration of good intentions. Later in the song, however, Tesfaye pleads “Just tell me you love me / Even though you don’t love me.” He may not be the most stand-up guy but in the end he just wants to be loved.

The song that initially hooked me, however, was “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls.” The first half of the track features an incredibly catchy guitar riff (which Tesfaye sampled from “Happy House” by Siouxsie and the Banshees). Halfway through the song morphs into what can only be described as a sleazy, coke-fueled nightmare. It’s quite the experience (listen to it below). Other highlights on House of Balloons include “High For This,” “The Knowing,” and “The Party & the After Party” (which features an amazing sample from Beach House’s “Master of None”).

If you like “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls” I strongly recommend checking out the rest of the album. Did I mention it’s free? A download link is provided below for your convenience. And if you like House of Balloons, I also recommend checking out Thursday, the second of three albums due this year from The Weeknd (House of Balloons was the first). It’s amazing and it’s also free. Grab it here.

• The Weeknd – House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls
• Download entire album

• 

  Surfer Blood – Tarot Classics

  For some reason I thought Tarot Classics was a full-length album, so when I learned it was just a 4-song EP I was slightly disappointed. This disappointment, however, quickly faded after I listened to it for the first time (stream it over at Spinner). The songs are insanely catchy. I can’t recommend Surfer Blood enough. Check them out now!

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  Deer Tick – Divine Providence

  Ever since their impressive debut War Elephant, each progressive Deer Tick album has been somewhat disappointing. Unfortunately Divine Providence doesn’t break this trend. A few of its tracks veer into what I can only describe as honky-tonk. Stream it over at Spinner, but proceed with caution.

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  Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto

  I feel compelled to mention Coldplay’s new album Mylo Xyloto on account of the school-girl-like crush I once had on the band. I saw them perform “Paradise” recently on The Colbert Report and was slightly underwhelmed. Also, the album title is kind of annoying. I may eventually give the album a listen (it’s only $5 over at 7digital) but won’t expect too much.

Despite a minor hiccup last month, Mike Mix production rolls on with the twenty-eighth installment in the series. This might be a bit of a stretch (and somewhat dramatic), but Mike Mix 28 reminds me of a gentle Midwest thunderstorm. Let me explain.

Storms in Wisconsin typically have three distinct phases. During the first phase, a dark, ominous cloud looms on the horizon. Everything is still and eerily quiet. As the storm slowly approaches, a few drops of rain start to fall and the wind begins to swirl. The sky flickers faintly with distant lightning. This is the calm before the storm (tracks 1 and 2).

• 1. Sufjan Stevens – All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands
• 2. Animal Collective – Loch Raven

In the second phase the storm finally hits. Flashes of lightning become brighter and more frequent. Thunder builds from a low, muffled rumble to a deafening, house-rattling cacophony. The heavens open, inundating the earth with sheets of torrential rain. In short, all hell breaks loose (tracks 3 trough 8).

• 3. Meursault – The Dirt & the Roots
• 4. Jaill – The Stroller
• 5. Yeasayer – Madder Red
• 6. Twin Shadow – Castles In the Snow
• 7. The Walkmen – Juveniles
• 8. Modest Mouse – Ohio

In the third phase the storm starts to break. The rain eases and the lightning and thunder fade away. Birds slowly begin to emerge from their nests. The air is cool and fresh. This is the calm after the storm. Off in the distance, however, looms another dark cloud (tracks 9 through 13).

• 9. South San Gabriel – Inhabitants
• 10. Sharon Van Etten – Much More Than That
• 11. Bad Books – I Begged You Everything
• 12. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Boneindian
• 13. Joanna Newsom – Does Not Suffice

Despite being presented in three distinct parts, I strongly encourage listening to Mike Mix 28 in its entirety. Stream the mix using the player embedded in this page. Download a zip file with all thirteen songs using the link below.

• Download entire mix

• 

  Real Estate – Days

  I’ve listened to Real Estate’s eponymous debut a dozen times but I still feel like I barely know it. I can’t quite put my finger on why this is – maybe it has something to do with the band’s hazy, lethargic sound. Despite this, or maybe because of this, I’m still intrigued by their sophomore album Days. Grab it for $5 over at 7digital.

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  M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

  Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is my first exposure to M83. I’ve only listened to it once, but the epic double album has a few great moments, especially “Wait” and “Outro”. The rest of the songs sound like they’re straight from the 80′s. I’ve yet to decide whether that’s a good thing or not.

Welcome to the new and improved Mike Went West! I’ve made a ton of changes in an effort to improve your browsing experience. One of the more noticeable changes is the top banner image, which now prominently displays my blog name. Another big change is the drop-down menu system under the banner. This should help in browsing the archives (which are all finally available now). I’ve also modified the popular articles section in the side bar to display the most viewed articles from the past day, week, month, and year.

I’ve made significant changes to individual article pages. First, I added Twitter and Facebook integration so you can more easily share my site with your friends (if you are so inclined). Second, I added a related articles section at the end of each post to make it easier to find similar articles. And third, I added threaded comments to facilitate dialogue on my site.

Some sections and pages may not display properly yet; however, most everything should be functional. I’ll be rolling out additional site improvements over the next few weeks, so check back regularly. Enjoy!

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  Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

  Ryan Adams is one of the most prolific musicians out there. Unfortunately, he misses more than he hits. After listening to Ashes & Fire just once, I’m pretty confident it’s a hit. It hooked me from the beginning and refused to let go. Stream it at Spinner or buy it at 7digital for $5.

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  James Blake – Enough Thunder

  I wasn’t a fan of James Blake until I heard his beautiful collaboration with Bon Iver on “Fall Creek Boys Choir.” Listen to the song and the rest of Enough Thunder at his website. The EP serves as a good introduction to Blake’s distinct minimalist electronic sound.

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  Andrew Bird – Norman (Soundtrack)

  Andrew Bird’s music has always had a cinematic feel to it, so little wonder he was tapped to score the music for the indie film Norman. The soundtrack (streaming at Spinner) features several new instrumental songs by Bird, as well as amazing alternate version of Wolf Parade’s “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son.”

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  Yuck – Yuck (Deluxe)

  I don’t know why Yuck’s debut album is getting deluxe treatment already: it was released earlier this year. However, if you’ve never heard of the band this is the perfect excuse to check them out, especially if you like Built to Spill. Also, the six bonus songs on the deluxe version are pretty solid.