My site has been pretty quiet for the past week. That’s because I just got back from an 8-day trip to Iceland (as my previous tweet hinted at). It was an incredible experience. The country boasts some of the most unique geologic features on the planet, including volcanos, geysers, glaciers, fjords, and waterfalls.

Before leaving I had no idea what to expect. Luckily, I watched Heima on the flight to Reykjavik. The film chronicles the homecoming tour of Icelandic band Sigur Rós. In 2006, the band toured Iceland, playing free shows in unique settings and tiny villages. The film features breathtaking scenery and, of course, beautiful music. It is a great introduction to Iceland. It also made me kick myself for not seeing them live when I had the chance.

During the trip we did an insane amount of driving. To pass the time, I listened to boatloads of music. Sigur Rós definitely provided the best soundtrack for this journey. The Icelandic landscape is unbelievably gorgeous, but also desolate and unforgiving. The band’s music perfectly captures this duality. “Untitled 8″ is epic and intense, like an endless field of lava. “Andvari” is serene and soothing, like a gorgeous sunset. Because I can’t understand the lyrics, I can assign to the songs whatever meaning I want (which is why I love Sigur Rós so much).

Should you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting Iceland. But if you can’t, listening to Sigur Rós is the next best thing.

• Sigur Rós – Untitled 8
• Sigur Rós – Andvari

I write this post from a strange and distant land: I am currently visiting the frozen, sunless wilderness known as Canada. Specifically, I am in Lake Louise, a gorgeous glacial lake nestled in the Canadian Rockies. Despite the weak dollar, I recommend all Americans venture north of the border at least once before passing judgment upon their quirky neighbors. Canada truly is a unique place, not a “frozen, sunless wilderness” (at least not all the time).

On top of all the natural beauty, Canada also has a pretty amazing music scene. As many of you probably know, several popular indie rock bands call Canada home, including The New Pornographers, Wolf Parade, and The Arcade Fire. What you may not know, however, is that Canada also hosts a solid alt country/folk scene. Canadianicana, if you will. This regional mix highlights a few of my favorite artists.

JULIE DOIRON

Blessed with an amazingly expressive voice, Julie Doiron plays music that reminds me of early Cat Power (which is, coincidentally, my favorite Cat Power): dark and moody, somber and bluesy. Doiron’s best tracks feature just her voice, an electric guitar, and maybe some drums. Goodnight Nobody is my favorite album, though I have yet to explore her extensive catalog in depth.

• Julie Doiron – Snow Falls In November

KATHLEEN EDWARDS

Kathleen Edwards (unfairly) had some big shoes to fill. After discovering (and becoming obsessed with) Sera Cahoone, I desperately tried to find similar female singer-songwriters to satisfy my insatiable appetite for quiet, thoughtful Americana. Luckily, I stumbled upon Kathleen Edwards. A little feistier than Cahoone, Edwards’ music is also more emotionally charged. The track posted below, however, is one of her mellower songs.

• Kathleen Edwards – Goodnight, California

HAYDEN

Lyrics tend to take center stage on Hayden’s albums. Consider, for example, the following excerpt: “Women adored me / For the sad look in my eyes / Now they ignore me / For getting on with my life.” Simply amazing. And the music usually keeps pace. It’s been fun delving into some of Hayden’s older material; he has definitely matured and mellowed with age. The track posted below is off his latest album In Field & Town, which is his most concise and consistent to date.

• Hayden – Damn This Feeling

JUSTIN RUTLEDGE

Justin Rutledge is an underrated singer-songwriter from Toronto. Though his latest album sometimes veers into the dangerous land of adult contemporary, his debut album No Never Alone is spectacular. Listening to “1855″ makes me wish I could travel back to a more simple time. And “Alberta Breeze” may very well be the theme song to my vacation.

“Now I try to keep a steady hand / ‘Cause I’m living in a shaky land / Lord I try to be an honest man / But it’s tougher than I ever planned“

• Justin Rutledge – 1855
• Justin Rutledge – Alberta Breeze

The city of Seattle has long been a hotbed of music and culture. And it’s easy to see why. During my brief 3 day visit last summer, I completely fell in love with the city and its many vibrant neighborhoods.

But this was skewed picture. The weather, usually overcast and dreary, was sunny and warm when I visited. In other words, not your typical Seattle experience. The contrast between the ephemeral beauty of summer and seemingly permanent bleakness of the other seasons can explain, at least partially, the type of music that emanates from the city.

Back in the 90′s, Seattle more or less gave birth to grunge music. Today, it is home to the Sub Pop record label and some of indie rock’s most influential bands.

Consider, for example, Carissa’s Weird. Formed in Seattle in 1995, the band recorded three albums before splitting in 2003. Members included Mat Brooke, Jenn Ghetto, Ben Bridwell, Sarah Standard, and Sera Cahoone. Together, they created some of the most uplifting slowcore music ever recorded, accented by Sarah Standard’s phenomenal violin playing. Their songs are consistently sad, but also incredibly beautiful, in many ways mirroring Seattle’s climate.

Since the band’s split in 2003, Mat Brooke and Ben Bridwell created the band Nov. 16 before changing its name to Band of Horses. Jenn Ghetto formed the band S and Sera Cahoone started a solo career. Later, Mat Brooke left Band of Horses to front Grand Archives.

Despite these different directions, the former members of Carissa’s Wierd have maintained their distinct Seattle sound. And while the reunion of these insanely-talented musicians might be a dream come true, it’s also fun to watch where they go on their own.

The following Regional Mix samples only some of the fallout from Carissa’s Wierd. I have yet to listen to anything released by S and Sera Cahoone doesn’t really fit the mood (though she is amazing nonetheless). Despite these omissions, I hope you enjoy the mix!

• Carissa’s Wierd – The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair
• Carissa’s Wierd – All Apologies and Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine
• Carissa’s Wierd – Fluorescent Lights
• Carissa’s Wierd – Some Days Are Better Than Others
• Nov. 16 – I’d Like to Think
• Band of Horses – I Go to the Barn Because I Like the
• Band of Horses – Monsters
• Grand Archives – Sleepdriving
• Download entire mix

PS – Grand Archives (supported by Sera Cahoone) are currently on tour. I highly recommend seeing them if they visit a city near you! I know I will!

Hell, you might even call this straight-up country music, except I fear that that label could repel potential listeners. After all, how many times have you heard or said, “I listen to pretty much anything except country music.”

Instead of going on one of my nonsensical rants about why the majority of country music sucks, I’m going to use this post to explain what I think good country music should sound like. Specifically, why I love each and every one of the tracks below. As always, enjoy in the order posted!

Without a doubt my favorite Josh Ritter song, I had an extremely difficult time writing his Artist Spotlight without mentioning this song. A rollicking country rocker, “Golden Age of Radio” starts the mix off on an upbeat note. “Have mercy on this boy who did it all by the book but still kinda has his doubts”

• Josh Ritter – Golden Age of Radio

Another classic Josh Ritter song, “Me & Jiggs” even mentions sitting on the porch. When I listen to this song, I’m reminded of all the good times I’ve had with friends in the past. “Sitting on the porch singing Townes Van Zandt”

• Josh Ritter – Me & Jiggs

This is the song that got me hooked on Drive-By Truckers. One of their more mellow tracks, “Danko/Manuel” serves as a nice transition to the slower songs coming up. It also serves as a great introduction to an amazing band. “I ain’t living like I should”

• Drive-By Truckers – Danko/Manuel

Possibly the twangiest song on the mix, “Can’t Have It” only reinforces why I love The Everybodyfields: great melodies and vocal harmonies. “Can’t sleep if my eyes won’t let me”

• The Everybodyfields – Can’t Have It

Similar in sound to the previous song, “Annabelle” features the gorgeous vocals of Gillian Welch as she laments about bad luck and hard times in the South. “Until we’ve all gone to Jesus we can only wonder why”

• Gillian Welch – Annabelle

Another powerful Truckers song, “Sounds Better In the Song” deals with letting go of a love who has moved on. Acoustic and intimate, the song is a nice change of pace for the band. “A heart that wants to live and a soul that wants to give can’t just sit at home alone”

• Drive-By Truckers – Sounds Better In the Song

NOTE: If you download only one track, make it this one! “I Can’t Sleep” is perfection. Words cannot describe the love I have for this song. The lyrics are about as personal and affecting as they get. “I can’t sleep ’cause I don’t dream of you anymore”

• The Everybodyfields – I Can’t Sleep

The title of this track pretty much tell the story. If you aren’t sold on the Drive-By Truckers by now, there might not be any hope left. “Well I ain’t really falling asleep I’m fading to black”

• Drive-By Truckers – Goddamn Lonely Love

A great story about a booze-smuggling son and his untimely encounter with the cops. Despite its subject matter, “Out On the Highway” is surprisingly emotional and affecting. “Out on the highway, son be careful, your mother sure loves you”

• The Everybodyfields – Out On the Highway

Not originally part of the mix, this song brings everything full circle. Amazing how different the live version sounds, which is no doubt a tribute to Josh Ritter’s talent.

• Josh Ritter – Golden Age of Radio [live]

Before starting, I must confess: I don’t know much about the south beyond the typical negative stereotypes (which I will not enumerate here). But for a region plagued by such a controversial and turbulent history, the south sure inspires gorgeous music.

And while only some of the artists featured in this mix call the south their home, all the songs conjure up images of sitting on the front porch at twilight watching the sunset and fireflies, which I imagine they do quite often in the south. I know I would.

This mix was largely inspired by my obsession with country-tinged indie music. Far from the typical Toby Keith garbage you hear on the radio, the songs below borrow the best parts of country music to create something that tugs at your heartstrings.

Some call it alt-country, some call it folk, I just call it good music (with a twang).

• My Morning Jacket – Where to Begin
• Palace Music – New Partner
• The Black Keys – The Lengths
• Iron & Wine – Resurrection Fern
• Ryan Adams – Oh My Sweet Carolina
• The Acorn – Glory
• The National Lights – O, Ohio
• The Everybodyfields – Good to Be Home
• Download entire mix

After more or less abandoning the podcast idea, let me introduce my newest project. I call it the Region Spotlight. It’s a collection of songs that I feel defines a certain part of the country. I’ll try my best to keep this concept from tanking like the podcasts, but I can’t make any promises. So enjoy it while it lasts.

Winter in the Midwest is a two-headed beast. Most of the time, the dull overcast skies and barren brown earth inspire a sort of forced hibernation. Every once in a while, mother nature liberates its prisoners in a thick blanket of fresh white snow. The landscape transforms, if only for a day, into a bright sparkling wonderland until winter’s other head rears itself again. And so the winter passes in the Midwest. Believe it or not, I actually miss it, especially compared to the brutally muggy summers.

The music of the Midwest takes after its surroundings: achingly beautiful at times, depressingly bleak at others. No musician personifies the region better than Jason Molina, the Ohio native behind both Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. With a voice that could melt even the hardest of hearts, Molina sings about what he knows best: the highway, ghosts, emptiness, and the moon (to name a few).

But despite the eternal depression, Molina still holds onto hope. In his own words, “No matter how dark the storm gets overhead / they say someone’s watching from the calm at the edge.”

Listen to the songs posted below in the given order for full effect. Listen to them while lying in bed late at night, or while driving down a dark lonesome highway. I find I can listen to them when and wherever, but that’s because I’m completely obsessed with Molina’s blues.

• Songs: Ohia – Just Be Simple
• Magnolia Electric Co – Nashville Moon
• Magnolia Electric Co – In the Human World
• Magnolia Electric Co – Will-O-The-Wisp
• Songs: Ohia – Blue Factory Flame
• Jason Molina – Long Desert Train
• Songs: Ohia – Blue Chicago Moon
• Songs: Ohia – Hold On Magnolia
• Magnolia Electric Co – Trouble In Mind
• Download entire mix