I find it mildly ironic that on the heels of one of the most upbeat Mike Mixes on record comes one of the most depressing. Mike Mix 14 is, without a doubt, a complete downer. A quick glance at the song titles (see the track list below) reveals themes of loneliness and asphyxiation – not the most uplifting subject matter.

But in my experience, sad songs often have the most beauty and depth. And the tracks on Mike Mix 14 only reinforce this. Consider “Strangulation!” by My Morning Jacket. The song immediately explodes with a cacophony of guitars, drums, and muffled screaming. Then after a minute everything cuts out, leaving Jim James’ reverb-drenched vocals front and center. What follows is quite possibly the best six minutes of music ever recorded. It is both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking. Even after all these years the song still hits like a ton of bricks.

Mike Mix 14 features a handful of artists that are appearing on my site for the first time. One of them is Manchester Orchestra. If I wasn’t so lazy, I would’ve written about these guys months ago. They are incredible. The two songs on the mix (“Where Have You Been?” and “I Can Barely Breathe”) are from their debut album I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child. Hopefully I’ll post something about them in the next few weeks. They deserve more attention than these few brief sentences.

As always, I strongly recommend listening to Mike Mix 14 in the order presented below. Download or stream the entire mix using the links below! Enjoy responsibly.

• 1. Loney, Dear – Under a Silent Sea
• 2. Cat Power – Rockets
• 3. Interpol – The New
• 4. Brand New – You Won’t Know
• 5. Manchester Orchestra – Where Have You Been?
• 6. Manchester Orchestra – I Can Barely Breathe
• 7. My Morning Jacket – Strangulation!
• 8. The Cave Singers – Bramble
• 9. Kevin Devine – Less Yesterday, More Today
• 10. Ryan Bingham – Rollin’ Highway Blues
• 11. Steve Earle – Lonelier Than This
• 12. Drive-By Truckers – Goddamn Lonely Love
• 13. The Helio Sequence – No Regrets
• Download entire mix