It is with a heavy heart that I announce I’m temporarily suspending future activity on Mike Went West. This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but given all that’s going on in my life at the moment, it’s the right one.

So what exactly is going on right now? Well, if you must know, I’m currently hard at work writing my dissertation, which I plan to finish in May or June, a mere six years after embarking down this arduous path. On top of that, I’m also in the middle of planning my wedding, which takes place in August. So while I love my blog, relative to these two events, it’s somewhat insignificant.

Once all this craziness dies down, however, I eventually hope to bring the site back to life. I might even rebrand it a little to include other important parts of my life – photography, house projects, cooking, beer, and travel.

In the meantime, all previous articles on Mike Went West will remain online, though mp3s will probably disappear over the next few months. I might decide to post an article here or there if inspiration strikes, but don’t hold your breath. I’ll also try to tweet a little more frequently as I come across good songs or artists (@mikewentwest). For real-time updates on the music I’m listening to, feel free to stalk me on last.fm.

Finally, I’d like to leave you with a song I’m currently drawing a lot of inspiration from. It’s “Outro,” the soaring closer from M83′s Hurry Up We’re Dreaming. Not only is its title incredibly appropriate for this post, the song itself is probably my favorite track of 2011.

Thank you for all the support along the way. It’s been an amazing ride. Hopefully we’ll see each other again soon.

• M83 – Outro

• 

  Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror

  The first time I heard Sleigh Bells’ debut album Treats, I thought it was complete garbage. To this day I amazed by how much it’s grown on me. It’s loud, energetic, and insanely catchy. Reign of Terror, their sophomore album, promises more of the same. Stream three tracks here, or grab the entire album for only $5 at 7digital.

• 

  Damien Jurado – Maraqopa

  Maraqopa is Damien Jurado’s tenth studio album in the span of 15 years. The dude is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters out there, spitting out Americana records like they’re iPads rolling off an assembly line in China. Maybe not the best analogy, but you get the point. I highly recommended checking him out, especially if you like the next artist.

• 

  Josh Ritter – Bringing In the Darlings

  I’m extremely happy Josh Ritter’s latest EP didn’t slip under my radar (though it came dangerously close). I’ve been itching to hear new music ever since 2010′s So Runs the World Away, which I found a little disappointing. Bringing In the Darlings sounds like a return to his earlier material. Check out the impressive video for “Love Is Making Its Way Back Home” here.

• 

  Shearwater – Animal Joy

  Don’t let its truly awful cover art fool you: Shearwater’s Animal Joy sounds nothing like early 90′s grunge music (think Alice In Chains). Over the course of a half dozen albums, Shearwater has put together an impressive catalog of sublimely haunting indie rock. Animal Joy makes a fine addition to this collection. Stream the entire album over at NPR.

• 

  Tennis – Yound & Old

  Tennis’ sophomore album Young & Old sounds more old than young: the album has a distinctly nostalgic feel to it. On first listen, I found it more enjoyable and engaging than their debut Cape Dory. Stream the entire record over at Spinner. If you like what you hear, grab it for only $3.99 at Amazon.

• 

  Islands – A Sleep & A Forgetting

  As a casual admirer of Nick Thorburn’s music, it seems as though he’s got a new album out every few months. Probably because he’s involved in a large number of bands, including Islands, Unicorns, Nick Diamonds, and Mister Heavenly. His latest, A Sleep & A Forgetting, is with Islands. Stream it in its entirety over at Spinner. I especially like “This Is Not a Song.”

• 

  Heartless Bastards – Arrow

  I’ve always thought the Heartless Bastards had an unfortunate name. It conjures up images of corny heavy metal hair bands (at least to me). So when I first heard “Marathon,” the slow-burning opener from Arrow, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt ode to life’s unpredictable journey. Listen to it (and the rest of Arrow) over at Spinner.

• 

  Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

  Sharon Van Etten has quickly become one of my favorite new artists. Her sound has evolved quite a bit since her debut Because I Was In Love, which is lovely but also incredibly mopey. In contrast, Tramp is louder and richer. Normally I’d complain about this but I think it suits Van Etten rather well. Stream the entire album over at Spinner.

• 

  The Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know

  Since its release in 2009, I’ve come to love The Twilight Sad’s Forget the Night Ahead, but it took a while. It’s a dark, frightening record – I don’t recommend listening to it alone at night. On their latest album, No One Can Ever Know, the band expands its use of synthesizers, resulting in a somewhat less intimidating experience. Listen to it here.

• 

  Of Montreal – Paralytic Stalks

  I’m not quite sure what to say about Paralytic Stalks. Probably because I’ve only listened to it once (stream the entire album over at Spinner). However, I don’t think subsequent listens will change my initial opinion: that it’s off-putting and overwhelming. If you’re new to Of Montreal, I recommend starting with Hissing Fauna, which is indie pop at its finest.

• 

  Lana Del Rey – Born to Die

  The backlash against Lana Del Rey started even before her debut album saw the light of day. Now that Born to Die has finally arrived, I doubt it’ll silence her detractors. Lead single “Video Games” is, after all, a pretty tough act to follow. In spite of all of this, I’m still excited to hear the album in its entirety and judge for myself. Grab it for only $5 at 7digital.

• 

  Laura Gibson – La Grande

  2011 was the year I finally came to appreciate Laura Gibson. If you haven’t read the feature I recently wrote about her, check it out here. Gibson’s latest album, La Grande, might be her best yet, though in the interest of full disclosure I’ve only heard a few (amazing) snippets so far. Stream the entire album over at Paste Magazine.

• 

  Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory

  I’ve listened to Cloud Nothings’ Attack On Memory only a few times but I can see why Pitchfork bestowed a Best New Music tag on it. The album, which is only 8 tracks long, packs quite a punch. It’s loud, energetic, and extremely melodic. I can’t wait to listen to it more – the album’s got a ton of potential. Preview a few tracks here.

• 

  Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur

  Kathleen Edwards’ latest album Voyageur is, in a word, gorgeous. I enjoyed her previous albums enough to write about her a few years ago but since then I’d kinda forgotten about her. Voyageur has made me fall in love with her all over again. Highly recommended if you like alt-country acts like Sera Cahoone or Jill Andrews. Stream the entire album over at Spinner.

• 

  The Big Pink – Future This

  It seems like an eternity since The Big Pink’s debut A Brief History of Love. I wasn’t a huge fan of the album but did develop a rather large crush on “Velvet,” which was one of my favorite songs of 2009. Their sophomore album Future This has received mixed reviews but I figured I’d mention it in case you enjoyed A Brief History of Love. Grab it for $5 at 7digital.

• 

  The Black Keys – El Camino

  This time of year is typically pretty quiet in terms of new releases – everyone is busy reviewing the year’s best albums and songs (which I will begin shortly). Apparently The Black Keys didn’t get the memo. I’m not the biggest fan, but the few tracks I’ve heard from El Camino have sounded good. Grab the album for only $6.99 over at 7digital.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.