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!

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!

As it turns out, every song on Mike Mix 11 is new to my site. I don’t know how this happened, but needless to say I have my work cut out for me.

So I guess I’ll start with the obvious: Mike Mix 11 features a ton of great music. And it starts out firing on all cylinders. After almost two minutes of quiet noodling, the first track, “Brother” by Annuals, explodes in a cacophony of guitars, drums, and violins. The next two songs keep the pedal to the floor. “Percussion Gun” by White Rabbits rides a thunderous drum beat while “Quiet Little Voices” by We Were Promised Jetpacks soars on a relentless guitar riff. It’s hard to imagine a more energetic start to a mix.

Following this fiery opening is a trilogy of fantastic songs. “Y’all Come Back Now” by Ten Kens is one hundred percent badass. “Available” by The National is the angriest, most bitter song the band’s ever recorded. And “Papillon” by The Twilight Singers is dark yet surprisingly upbeat.

The second half of Mike Mix 11 doesn’t quite pack the same punch as the first. But what it lacks in energy it makes up for with raw emotion. “Lies I’ve Told” by Yarn is completely devastating. So too is “Fool” by Cat Power, though for different reasons. In “Lies I’ve Told” the lyrics break your heart, whereas in “Fool” the instrumentation paints an overwhelmingly bleak picture. But the second half isn’t all doom and gloom, however. The mix closes on a relatively upbeat note with “Epilogue,” the soaring finale from Hospice by The Antlers.

As always, I highly recommend listening to Mike Mix 11 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy!

2007 was a great year for music. New albums from Radiohead, Interpol, The National, Andrew Bird, Okkervil River, and Spoon all rocked hard. My discovery of The Acorn, Kings of Leon, The Everybodyfields, and Menomena, coupled with an impressive debut from Deer Tick, made the year that much more amazing.

So when it came time to assemble my annual Top 10 Songs of 2007 list, I just couldn’t chop it down to size. As a result I’ve decided to expand the list to 15 songs. Plus I’ve already blogged about 9 of the 15 songs on the list, so the 5 extra slots allow me to post some new mp3’s.

Continuing to break with tradition, I’ve decided to categorize the 15 songs into 5 separate categories based on their mood and style. Enjoy!

Songs I listen to when I am happy (aka pop songs):

[mp3] The Shins :: Australia
[mp3] Okkervil River :: Unless It’s Kicks
[mp3] Modest Mouse :: Missed the Boat

Songs I listen to when I am sad (aka bawlers):

[mp3] Andrew Bird :: Cataracts
[mp3] The National :: Slow Show
[mp3] The Acorn :: Glory

Songs I listen to when I party (aka rockers):

[mp3] Interpol :: Rest My Chemistry
[mp3] Spoon :: Eddie’s Ragga
[mp3] Kings of Leon :: McFearless

Songs I listen to when I drive (aka rollers):

[mp3] The Everybodyfields :: Aeroplane
[mp3] Deer Tick :: Dirty Dishes
[mp3] Magnolia Electric Co :: Nashville Moon

Songs I listen to whenever (aka great songs):

[mp3] Kings of Leon :: On Call
[mp3] Radiohead :: Reckoner
[mp3] Menomena :: Rotten Hell

Get ‘em while they’re hot! Check the comments for additional lists…

With the year officially over, it’s time to reflect upon the awesomeness that was 2007. Unlike last year, 2007 had an excess of truly great music.

Unfortunately, this year’s “Best of” coverage won’t be as extensive as last year’s. Mainly because I’m lazy, but also because I got a much later start writing this year. I’m also going to try a new format for my Top 10 Albums of 2007 list. Below is a thumbnail image, which you can click on to enlarge.

Given my obsessive-compulsive engineering background, I decided to make a table summarizing the Top 10 Albums of 2007. There are no mp3’s associated with this post because there is a lot of overlap with my Top 10 Songs of 2007 list, which will be released shortly.

Not to leave you high and dry, I’ve uploaded a special treat to hold you over. Check the comments!

As my blog quickly approaches the ripe old age of one, it’s fun (at least for me) to look back on my old posts. Nearly a year ago, I posted an article called My Top 5 Favorite Bands. A lot has changed since then.While I still consider all 5 of those bands to be among my perennial favorites, several amazing bands have since worked their way into my collection. I realize I’ve blogged about all these guys before, but I feel compelled to share once again why I love them so much. In no particular order, here’s the new list:

MONO: Music beyond words

I am still obsessed with this band. Despite having only 39 Mono tracks in my iTunes library, I’ve listened to them almost 800 times. It doesn’t matter what mood I’m in, I keep coming back for more. The track posted below is from their debut LP Under the Pipal Tree released in 2001. In it, you can clearly hear the band honing what will soon become its signature sound: layers upon layers of guitars soaring to climaxes so high you’re afraid of what’ll happen when it all comes crashing down. One of my favorite Mono tracks, period.

[mp3] Mono :: The Kidnapper Bell

THE NATIONAL: Elegantly-wasted Americana

In all reality, The National probably should’ve made the list the first time around. Never have I heard a band combine beauty and sadness so effortlessly and yet so successfully (see “About Today” and “Slow Show” below). I’ve been listening to The National steadily for the past year, which I can’t say for too many other bands. And with the release of their excellent new LP Boxer, the band has proved without a doubt that they belong on this list.

[mp3] The National :: About Today
[mp3] The National :: Slow Show

THE WALKMEN: Inelegantly-wasted Americana

I never expected to like The Walkmen as much as I do. I honestly can’t explain what drew me to them, let alone what keeps me from ever wanting to leave. Maybe it’s the Dylanesque vocals, maybe it’s the drunken guitar pieces, or maybe it’s lines like this: “Don’t know what to offer you I’m only broke and lonely / And another one goes, and another one goes by / Sometimes when I walk outside I see it right in front of me and so / Bright.” Amazing lyrics to an incredible song, which is posted again for your convenience below.

[mp3] The Walkmen :: Another One Goes By

MENOMENA: The absolute pinnacle of indie rock

Words cannot describe my love for this band. After seeing them live a few weeks ago, I can honestly say indie rock doesn’t get much better than Menomena. All three members are incredibly talented musicians; at the concert I quickly learned that they all share lead vocals and can play just about any instrument under the sun. Tracks from Friend and Foe rocked with even more intensity than on the album, while older material greatly benefited from the live setting. Below is the standout track (well, one of many) from their debut album I Am the Fun Blame Monster, whose title can be rearranged to spell The First Menomena Album.

[mp3] Menomena :: The Strongest Man In the World

CAT POWER: The only cat I’ll ever like

I definitely consider myself a dog person, but Chan Marshall, with her gorgeous voice and haunting melodies, has struck a chord in my dog-loving soul. I seem to get a lot of feedback on my Cat Power posts, which leads me to believe many of you have already come to appreciate her music. So I’ll keep this blurb short, enjoy a terrific piano dirge from Moon Pix called “Colors and the Kids.”

[mp3] Cat Power :: Colors and the Kids

Seems like consistency isn’t one of my strengths. New posts and podcasts are long overdue. I’ll try to work on that. Soon.

One of this week’s mp3’s is an incredibly gorgeous song by Joanna Newsom called “Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie.” Those of you who think she is a bit strange could potentially like this song – it’s definitely one of her more normal recordings.

The second mp3 is my favorite song from the National’s new album Boxer. It’s called “Slow Show” and while it may be my favorite track at the moment, it’s likely to change. Finally, a new album that hasn’t disappointed me.

And the last mp3 is a one I’ve recently become re-obsessed with. It’s yet another song by the National, this one titled “90-Mile Water Wall” from Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers. Did I mention I’m seeing them live in a few weeks? It’s gonna be amazing.

I’m also seeing Menomena in a few days. It’s like Christmas in June.

[mp3] Joanna Newsom :: Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
[mp3] The National :: Slow Show
[mp3] The National :: 90-Mile Water Wall

This week’s post features of set of songs from the past, present, and future.

But first, as an addendum to last week’s post, here’s yet another excellent version of “Moonshiner,” this time by Uncle Tupelo (there are many other fantastic versions of this song – I think I could dedicate my entire blog to only that song). Remember, my previous disclaimer is still in effect: only binge-drink if looking for musical inspiration, or something like that.

[mp3] Uncle Tupelo :: Moonshiner [live]

Oldie but goodie:

Not many bands can pull a complete 180 like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club did back in 2005 and survive. With the release of Howl, BRMC abruptly transitioned from Interpol-esque bombastic prog rock to rollicking, jangly Americana. Turns out they can write a pretty good country tune.

[mp3] Black Rebel Motorcycle Club :: Howl

Currently rocking my socks:

I’ll be the first to admit I was a little late hopping on the Modest Mouse train. My first exposure to them came with “Float On” from the extremely polarizing Good News For People That Love Bad News.

I really liked the majority of that album (”Bukowski,” “The View,” and “One Chance” are instant classics), and I also liked the majority of their older albums. So I guess that’s what I’ve come to expect from them. And I’m fine with that, because the songs that hit are, most often, incredible.

The song posted below hits the mark big time. I’ve listened to We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank several times through and I’m pretty happy. While it’s not quite as good as Good News, it’s definitely not as bad as some reviews make it out to be. If you’ve been reluctant to give it a try, I suggest you just listen to it and form your own opinion.

And while at it, give the band Loney, Dear some attention. I discovered them a month ago thanks to cokemachine. Their sound is hard to describe, but fans of mellow indie pop/rock should like what they hear.

[mp3] Modest Mouse :: Little Motel
[mp3] Loney, Dear :: Sinister In a State of Hope

Will soon be rocking my socks:

I can’t explain what’s been going on recently, but I’m worried about a pattern that seems to be developing. Maybe I should stop listening to music because every new album released by a band I already listen to has been disappointing. Or in other words, if I like a band most likely their new album will be mediocre (see My Morning Jacket, Built to Spill, The Shins, Akron/Family, Explosions In the Sky, Bloc Party).

Now do you see why I’m concerned? That’s a pretty long list of bands, and I even left off a few. But despite the recent string of disappointments, I’m holding out hope that the new National album Boxer will break the pattern. If the track posted below is any indication, I think I can safely continue listening to my favorite bands.

[mp3] The National :: Fake Empire

PS – With this post, I believe I have cleared out the backlog of music worth mentioning, so future posts should be much shorter.

Fans of Explosions In the Sky already know their new CD All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone comes out on February 20th. If you followed my advice and preordered the album online through the band’s website, you may even have it now (as I do).

What you may not realize, however, is that back in 2005 Explosions released an EP called The Rescue. Only available through a limited preorder on their label’s site, the EP was part of a series called Travels In Constants. Because of the somewhat secretive nature of its release, not many people knew about the EP until it was too late. After its release, I heard it was selling for over $100 on eBay. Despite the temptation, I held on to my copy.

Those of you who missed the preorder of The Rescue aren’t out of luck. Apparently you can buy the EP at their shows (which I’ve heard are amazing). Or you can download the entire EP on the band’s site, along with select songs from their other LP’s. I’ve provided direct links to the songs below:

[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day One
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Two
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Three
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Four
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Five
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Six
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Seven
[mp3] Explosions In the Sky :: Day Eight

I also stumbled upon another interesting find at The National website. When Clap Your Hands Say Yeah toured with The National in 2005, I remember reading concert reviews detailing how half the audience would leave after Clap Your Hands finished. The reviews then went on to mention how the people who left missed a vastly superior headlining performance by The National.

While I’ve heard a few of their live mp3’s, they did not prepare me for what I was to find at their site. A fan of the band has posted three live videos from their 2005 tour. One of the featured songs is “About Today” (from my “Late Night Drinking” podcast) and it is nothing short of amazing. An extended intro and intense final climax push the song over the 8-minute mark. The National has definitely climbed near the top of my list of bands to see (though they’re probably still behind Explosions In the Sky).

[video] The National :: About Today [live]

The other two videos can be found here.

Whenever I am about to begin a new stage of my life, I always get a little depressed. It doesn’t matter how excited I am, it still happens. Tomorrow I officially start grad school at Cal, which could be a particularly rough transition seeing as how I spent last winter snowboarding in Tahoe. Add to that the fact that, for the last month, I haven’t been able to find an apartment and you can potentially see why I’m bummed.

My second podcast definitely reflects my current mood. It’s a mix of slow, somber songs – both old and new. I titled it “Late Night Drinking” because I feel that the songs were originally recorded under those conditions. It’s definitely mood music; listen to it late at night on your headphones for full effect. Sorta the exact opposite of my first podcast, which I feel works anytime.

Here’s the track listing:

1. My Morning Jacket :: Strangulation!
2. Brand New :: Play Crack the Sky
3. Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s :: A Light On a Hill
4. The National :: Lucky You
5. Ryan Adams :: Oh My Sweet Carolina
6. The Mountain Goats :: Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise
7. The National :: Daughters of the Soho Riots
8. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals :: How Do You Keep Love Alive
9. Shearwater :: Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine
10. Jeff Hanson :: Something About
11. The National :: About Today
12. Songs: Ohia :: Blue Chicago Moon

Directly download my podcast here. Visit the archives here.

PS – I wanted this mix to be an enhanced podcast, meaning you can easily skip from track to track within the mp3, but I couldn’t get it to work. Hopefully I can figure it out by next month. Also, there will be no Weekly Download on account of the podcast. Bonus points to anyone who reads this far into the post, and extra bonus points to whoever can guess which of the 12 tracks is my all-time favorite song.