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 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 the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy responsibly.

Initially I didn’t think I could write this post. It seemed like an impossible task. How on earth was I supposed to come up with and then rank my favorite albums from the past decade? I have enough trouble doing it for just one year. There’s simply too much good music out there (despite my occasional whining to the contrary).

But when I really started thinking about it, I came to the following conclusion: a decade is a terrible thing to waste. In all reality, I may not get another opportunity like this. After all, who knows what I’ll be doing ten years from now. Also, musically speaking, the past decade was an important one for me. Over the course of ten years, my muted appreciation of music gradually transformed into a full-blown obsession. I now spend most of my free time searching for, writing about, and listening to music.

In the end I guess it was a pretty easy decision. I would’ve been extremely foolish to let the decade pass without weighing in on my favorite albums. It was a lot of work, but I managed to compile a list of my 30 favorite albums from 2000-2009. Not necessarily the best or most important albums, but those that had the greatest impact on me.

With all that said, I proudly present the Top 30 Albums of the Decade…

ALBUMS 30 – 21

ALBUMS 20 – 11

ALBUMS 10 – 1

Like I said, compiling this list was no easy task. In the end, tons of amazing albums got axed. Check the comments to see which ones barely missed the cut. And leave comments to let me know which albums I missed completely!

Throughout most of 2009, I struggled to find inspiration to write on my blog. If not for my monthly Mike Mixes, my site would’ve been rather quiet. So what gives? After some thought, I’ve decided that 2009 just wasn’t that great of a year for music. There was plenty of hype but very few albums actually delivered.

With that said, I’m pleasantly surprised by how my list shaped up this year. Initially I couldn’t even come up with 10 albums worthy of the honor. But after spending several weeks reexamining the year’s output, I’ve assembled a list of 10 truly amazing albums. Normally I would write short blurbs about each one but I’m a little tired after the New Year’s Day tragedy (aka accidentally deleting my entire website and having to rebuild it from scratch).

So without further ado, I present the Top 10 Albums of 2009…

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!

Every time I make a new Mike Mix I’m amazed by how much good music falls through the cracks over time. After all, only a small number of songs on each mix have been featured previously on my site. There simply isn’t enough time to write about them all.

Which is why I love making these mixes so much: songs that otherwise would’ve remained permanently buried finally see the light of day. The 14 tracks of Mike Mix 09 are no exception. Many of them are appearing on my site for the first time; most of them should’ve been posted months ago.

With all that said, it’s time to introduce Mike Mix 09.

Despite its quiet start, Mike Mix 09 packs quite a punch. “Lookout Mountain” by Drive-By Truckers rocks incredibly hard; “Else” by Built to Spill bounces around nervously; and “Only In Dreams” by Weezer builds to an epic climax. At the opposite end of the spectrum, “My Lady’s House” by Iron & Wine plods along gently while “The Blackest Crow” by Justin Rutledge quietly refuses to end (in a good way).

As always, I highly recommend listening to Mike Mix 09 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy!

Despite a hectic 4th of July weekend, I’m excited to get back to work. And by work I mean writing about music. Which is convenient because I suddenly have lots to write about. Who knows, I might even settle into my old routine: posting a Weekly Download every week and an Artist Spotlight every month. Imagine that. We’ll see what actually happens.

One thing I know for certain, however, is that I’ll post a new Mike Mix every month. And it is with great pleasure that I present the latest installment: Mike Mix 07.

Darker and moodier than its predecessor, Mike Mix 07 might require a few listens before it grows on you. It starts quietly with beautiful songs by Tiny Television, Hurray For the Riff Raff, and Spiritualized. City and Colour’s “What Makes a Man?” transitions the mix to a louder section of music, which is anchored to two fantastic songs by Brand New. Following this intense emotional apex, the mix mellows out big time (and stays that way until it ends). I could talk specifically about the next eight tracks but don’t think it’s necessary. Each song is fantastic, otherwise it wouldn’t have made the mix. The only thing left to do is give it a listen! And then maybe another…

As always, I recommend listening to Mike Mix 07 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy!

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!

So I have a theory that there are two basic responses to breaking up with someone: sadness or anger. The first reaction produces the kind of music I normally listen to — sorrowful, introspective stuff — while the second produces punk music.

And I support this theory with the following observation. I’ve never really warmed to punk music. The reason for this is simple: I’m a moper. My response to most situations (including break-ups) is sadness. I rarely get mad — unless I happen to be driving. As a result, I have a hard time identifying with angry, bitter music.

Or so I thought. A few years ago I stumbled upon Deja Entendu by Brand New. While I remember cringing at some of the louder, heavier tracks (especially the ones with screaming), I really enjoyed the album’s slower songs. Especially “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” and “Play Crack the Sky.”

But lately I’ve been warming to the entire album (including the screaming). It’s just too good — amazing hooks, epic riffs, and heartbreaking lyrics abound. It took a few years, but I’ve finally come to appreciate both the quiet and loud moments of Deja Entendu.

The song posted below isn’t necessarily my favorite track from the album, but it features the band sounding both quiet and loud. There’s even some screaming!

Note: For those of you worried about the direction of my blog, rest assured. At my core, I’m still a moper (and always will be). But every now and then I feel like screaming and rocking out.

[mp3] Brand New :: Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis