Despite its obscenely ugly album cover, Mike Mix 08 features some great music. It’s also the most upbeat mix to date – even the sad songs sound kinda happy. But don’t worry, it’s not all sunshine and puppy dogs. Beneath the surface lurks an undercurrent of sadness.

The mix contains so many amazing songs I can’t possibly write about each one. So instead I will focus on a select few.

The first is “Broke” by Modest Mouse. One of the darkest songs on the mix, “Broke” features a pretty guitar riff and some of the finest (and most self-loathing) Modest Mouse lyrics ever recorded. At the other end of the spectrum is “Two Kids” by Strand of Oaks. Though slightly self-deprecating, the lyrics are also undeniably sweet. Lastly, “Bones” by DeYarmond Edison captures the mood of the entire mix: the cheerful instrumentation masks feelings of longing and regret.

These three songs are only the tip of the iceberg. The other eleven lie waiting to be discovered. I highly recommend listening to Mike Mix 8 in the order presented below. Download or stream the entire mix using the links below!

• 1. Josh Ritter – Girl In the War
• 2. Vampire Weekend – Oxford Comma
• 3. Justin Townes Earle – Can’t Hardly Wait
• 4. Blur – Good Song
• 5. The Antlers – Two
• 6. Silversun Pickups – Three Seed
• 7. Drive-By Truckers – My Sweet Annette
• 8. Modest Mouse – Broke
• 9. Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling Into Place
• 10. Andrew Bird – Anonanimal
• 11. Strand of Oaks – Two Kids
• 12. DeYarmond Edison – Bones
• 13. Sun Kil Moon – Pancho Villa
• 14. Okkervil River – Seas Too Far to Reach
• Download entire mix