SAN FRANCISCO – In a recent public statement the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criticized the popular music blog Mike Went West over its “wasteful and unsustainable practices.” The agency specifically mentioned the Mike Mix production process, in which company policy strictly prohibits the recycling of songs. The EPA alleges that this policy has “resulted in dozens of perfectly good tracks being thrown away simply because they’ve been used once before.”

Mike Went West has not officially responded to the EPA’s allegations, though in past statements the blog justified its anti-recycling policy, saying it was “essential to satisfying customers’ insatiable appetites for new music.”

Recent activity on the blog, however, hints at a possible shift in policy. The track list for Mike Mix 17, the latest installment in the series, features only songs from previous mixes. Some are calling it a ‘best of’ compilation. Others are calling it a cheap ploy intended to appease the EPA and calm skittish investors. Either way, Mike Mix 17 has been wildly successful. Rolling Stone writes, “The mix effortlessly blends seemingly incompatible genres of music to make a delicious and strangely-satisfying sonic smoothie.”

In unrelated news, the blog is rumored to be redesigning its website. If true, it will be the site’s third iteration since launching back in 2006. True to recent form, Mike Went West has remained silent on the issue. Analysts predict a launch date sometime in August. Perhaps this rumored redesign explains the recent lack of activity on the site. One can only hope.

[Editor's Note: Just in case it wasn't entirely obvious, the above story is completely fabricated. Mike Mix 17, however, is very real. Download it here or stream it using the player below. Enjoy!]

If you thought the previous Mike Mix was a downer (which it was), wait until you hear Mike Mix 15. I don’t know what inspired it, but holy crap is it depressing. It’s also one of the longest mixes to date. Better buckle up…

Mike Mix 15 kicks off with “Untitled,” the opener from Interpol’s classic debut Turn On the Bright Lights. The track, much like the album, perfectly captures the seediness of the city after the sun goes down. “Ghost of a Shark” by Tom McRae, on the other hand, would make an excellent soundtrack to escaping the city limits at the break of dawn.

I could continue like this for the rest of the mix but I think you get the idea: the songs of Mike Mix 15 are the opposite of happy. Some of my favorites include the fiery “Bought a Bride” by Brand New, the monstrous “Dance Little Liar” by Arctic Monkeys, the dejected “Things Fall Apart” by Built to Spill, and the wistful “Forests and Sands” by Camera Obscura. If these tracks seem familiar, it’s because they all made my Top 10 Songs of 2009 list. I loved them back then and still love them today.

As always, I strongly recommend listening to Mike Mix 15 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy responsibly.

I kick off my year-end coverage with the Top 10 Songs of 2009. Unlike previous years, I assigned a specific order to the songs on the list. Click any of the cells below to download individual tracks, or grab all ten here. You can also stream the entire mix using the flash player at the end of the post.

THE BIG PINK :: VELVET A late addition to the list, “Velvet” is big, dramatic, and grabs your attention on first listen. Too bad the rest of The Big Pink’s debut can’t quite measure up to this fantastic song.

FANFARLO :: I’M A PILOT This song pretty much has it all: great lyrics, gorgeous strings, beautiful piano melodies, thunderous drums, and (of course) an epic climax.

DEER TICK :: SMITH HILL What’s the best way to lament losing your true love? There are many options, but on “Smith Hill” Deer Tick choose to sing an incredible, soaring chorus. I think it’s pretty effective.

CAMERA OBSCURA :: FORESTS AND SANDS I’m not the biggest Camera Obscura fan, but something about “Forests and Sands” really gets me. I love how the instrumentation perfectly matches the sorrowful lyrics.

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF :: DANIELLA I’ve said this before but it needs repeating: the intro to “Daniella” is one of the most beautiful and relaxing pieces of music I’ve ever heard. The rest of the song is icing on the cake.

BUILT TO SPILL :: THINGS FALL APART The song title pretty much says it all. On “Things Fall Apart” Built to Spill temporarily abandon their signature detachment for a more personal (and vulnerable) sound.

LONEY, DEAR :: DISTANT LIGHTS I had a very difficult time picking just one song from Dear John. On an album full of amazing tracks, “Distant Lights” shines slightly brighter than the rest.

ARCTIC MONKEYS :: DANCE LITTLE LIAR Every time I listen to this song I fall in love with a different part. First it was the hair-raising guitar solo. Then the monstrous drum beat. Now the cryptic lyrics. I can’t wait to see what’ll be next!

BRAND NEW :: BOUGHT A BRIDE On “Bought a Bride” Brand New sound almost unhinged. I thought their old material was as intense as it gets. I was wrong. This song is on another level.

THE ANTLERS :: TWO This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. I’ve been obsessed with this song since first hearing it back in June. Heartbreaking and epic, “Two” is damn near perfect.

Do you think I left out a song or two? You’re probably right. Let me know what I’m missing by leaving a comment!

This post is dedicated to my grandmother, who passed away May 27. She was an amazing woman and will be missed dearly.

When I first launched Mike Went West nearly 3 years ago, one of my site’s main features was a monthly podcast of music. Sadly, I abandoned this feature after releasing only 5 mixes. I felt like each podcast took an inordinate amount of time and energy. I also felt like the quality of each mix was sliding steadily downhill.

As it turns out, I lacked the proper motivation. About 10 months ago, I started dating my girlfriend. To help her better understand my crazy little world, I decided to make monthly mix tapes for her (which I coined “Mike Mixes”). So far I’ve made ten and I’m still going strong. I hope to post a new mix every month. I decided to start with Mike Mix 06 for one simple reason: the first five are decent but nothing special. Also, it seems appropriate that I should pick up where my podcasts left off — with number six.

Now a few quick words about the pacing and sequencing of the mix. Mike Mix 06 starts off with “If Only It Were True,” a slow, lumbering song by The Walkmen. Two consecutive tracks by Brand New help transition the mix to a slightly faster pace, which is maintained by the next four songs (fantastic tracks by Okkervil River, Frightened Rabbit, MGMT, and Arctic Monkeys). Following this upbeat middle section, two tracks by The Rural Alberta Advantage help slow things back down. The mix ends with three of my all-time favorite songs: “3 Rounds and a Sound” by Blind Pilot, “A Desolate Angels Blues” by Justin Townes Earle, and “Okkervil River Song” by Okkervil River.

I highly recommend listening to the songs in this order (a full track listing is provided below). Download the entire mix as a zip file here, or download individual songs below. Or listen to the entire mix using the player below!

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PS — I just finished integrating Twitter into my site. Make sure to check out the sidebar widget for my most recent updates!

Hey guys. I’m on the road right now, so this week’s post will be pretty short. Plus I’ll be uploading the second podcast real soon, so we can talk then.

Anyways, I’m very excited to be sharing with you one of my newest favorite songs. It’s called “A Certain Romance” by the Arctic Monkeys. I really like the lyrics, so listen closely.

Well that’s it. I told you it would be short. Peace.

[mp3] Arctic Monkeys :: A Certain Romance