I just realized it’s been well over a month since I last posted an mp3 and almost 3 months since my last Mike Mix! I sincerely apologize. Now that my year-end coverage is officially complete, I will return to my normal schedule. And I have a lot to write about. Over the past few months, I’ve become obsessed with a handful of amazing albums. I hope to write about each one in the coming weeks. I might even come up with a catchy title for the feature. Stay tuned.

But before I do that, I have a brand new Mike Mix to introduce. A quick glance at the track list (below) reveals that nearly half of the songs come from only two bands: Loney, Dear and Annuals. If you’ve never heard these two artists before, Mike Mix 12 will serve as an excellent introduction to them. Make sure to check out the track “Always Do.” The pedal steel and soaring middle section of the song are truly incredible.

Scattered between these tracks are dusty gems by some of my all-time favorite bands. Highlights include: “Metal Detektor,” an effortlessly cool number by Spoon; “Uprooted,” a slow-burning anthem from The Antlers; and “About Today,” a slice of late-night perfection by The National.

As always, I highly recommend listening to Mike Mix 12 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy!

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!

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.

[mp3] 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. To get a more complete taste of Edwards’ style, check out a stunning acoustic version of “Asking For Flowers” at Amazon (it’s free – download it here).

[mp3] 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.

[mp3] 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“

[mp3] Justin Rutledge :: 1855
[mp3] Justin Rutledge :: Alberta Breeze

As it turns out, coming up with full length mixes is not only difficult but also takes up a lot of space on my server. Also, I’ve found that attention spans tend to be pretty short. So to address these issues, I’m introducing yet another project. I call it the “Mini Mix:” 4 or 5 songs revolving around a central theme.

This post is dedicated to my Aunt Judy, who passed away March 29 and will be dearly missed.

I apologize for the long hiatus, but the songs on my first Mini Mix should make up for my absence. They are nothing short of brilliant. Upon first listen, the songs are strikingly beautiful, packed with catchy melodies and gorgeous harmonies. Subsequent listens, however, reveal an overwhelming sense of sadness and despair. I think the word that best describes this mix is bittersweet (hence the title).

Appropriately, all these songs fit my current mood: happy on the surface, yet for some inexplicable reason tinged with a profound sadness on the inside. I think I will let the songs do the rest of the talking.

• [mp3] Drive-By Truckers :: Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife
• [mp3] Hayden :: Home By Saturday
• [mp3] Sera Cahoone :: Only As the Day Is Long
• [mp3] Jason Collett :: Somehow
• [mp3] Justin Townes Earle :: Far Away In Another Town