Until I get my computer fixed I am operating with a severe handicap since about 90% of my music is on a harddrive I can't access right now, but here is the mix for August. I hope you enjoy it!
Track 1 – “Percussion Gun” by White Rabbits
This is the song that got me into White Rabbits. I remember thinking, “This is what it would sound like if Radiohead merged with The Violent Femmes. Awesome!” They are a very catchy and original band.
Track 2 – “Down Boy” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of my absolute favorite bands. Karen O. (hereafter referred to as “My Future Wife”) is an incredible songwriter and vocalist. Their sound was diverging more and more from their first album “Fever to Tell” and then they released the “Is Is” EP with this song on it, which could totally be the title track of their first album.
Track 3 – “Thrash Unreal” by Against Me!
I tried and tried to get this song into Rock Band while I was working at EA but instead they put “Stop” in (which is a really annoying song to play in Rock Band.) I did get a couple other tracks I wanted into the game, but I would have preferred if they weren’t going to put this song in that they put no Against Me! in there at all…
Track 4 – “Die By the Drop” by The Dead Weather
This is Jack White’s third band which formed at the tail end of a Raconteurs tour during which Jack lost his voice. The Dead Weather’s first album has almost no Jack White singing at all, but thankfully on their most recent album Jack is back on vocals where he belongs.
Track 5 – “Can’t Lose” by We Are Scientists
My friend Ryan first introduced me to this band. Their new album, “Barbara” was really disappointing but their older stuff is amazing.
Track 6 – “She Doesn’t Get It” by The Format
If it were up to me there would be three songs by The Format on every mix. This song really demonstrates how brilliant their lyrics are. “I read every word you said from a poster of a cat/Four books look across your sofa, I thought your coffee table was more clever than that.”
Track 7 – “Animal” by Neon Trees
It is impossible to sing along to this song and not smile. Go on, try. I dare you. My sister will attest to the fact that I spent the better part of this past Sunday whistling or full-on singing this song (she nearly killed me.)
Track 8 – “Nobody’s Accusing You (Of Having a Good Time)” by Hot Hot Heat
This song is from the newest Hot Hot Heat album, “Future Breeds” which is way better than the two albums before that. Their debut, “Make Up the Breakdown” was really good but the two albums between that one and “Future Breeds” just lacked the sound they pioneered in their first album. Luckily they must have realized it as well, because the new album is a return to form.
Track 9 – “Carby (featuring Ezra Koenig)” by Discovery
Discovery is the side project of Rostam Batmanglij, the keyboardist from Vampire Weekend. He and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot formed this electronic R&B band but when both of their main bands picked up in popularity the project was scrapped (sadly.) This particular song features Ezra Koenig, the lead singer of Vampire Weekend, so half of Vampire Weekend is in this song.
Track 10 – “Black & Blue” by Miike Snow
Like many people I heard “Animal” by Miike Snow and was instantly charmed by this electronic indie band.
Track 11 – “Rally” by Phoenix
I decided to put this slightly older song by Phoenix on the mix because while making the first mix I was torn as to which song by them I should put on it.
Track 12 – “Do You Want It All” by Two Door Cinema Club
When I first heard this band, their song, “Now I Can Talk” was playing on the radio (the song starts out with a vocal beatbox sorta thing) and my friend, Eric, read the title and observed, “They have yet to prove this.” Anyways, this electropop band from Northern Ireland is definitely worth checking out.
Track 13 – “Be Still My Heart” by The Postal Service
If you have never heard of The Postal Service you really must show me your lovely cave. This side project of Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard is arguably more well-known than his actual band (They did kind of invent a genre.) This song is one of my favorites by them. It’s just a cute little love song, but it’s done in such a musically interesting way.
Track 14 – “Alley Cats” by Hot Chip
Hot Chip makes really mellow electronic-chamber music. My friend Steven first introduced me to them. Their slow melodies really belie their bizarre lyrics.
Track 15 – “Carbon Monoxide” by Regina Spektor
I have been to more Regina Spektor concerts than any other artist/band. She is a classically-trained pianist, a fantastic singer and a gifted wordsmith.
Track 16 – “Journey Through the Past” by James Mercer
After reading my last blog, my friend Jon suggested that I check out the soundtrack for a movie called “180⁰ South”. I have not watched the movie, but it has a great soundtrack. It’s primarily new stuff from Ugly Cassanova (Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse), which is worth listening to, but there is also this incredible song from James Mercer of the Shins.
Track 17 – “I Was a Kaleidoscope” by Death Cab for Cutie
Benjamin Gibbard is an indie-rock robot who can do no wrong (and feels human feelings that he then writes songs about). This is my favorite Death Cab song because of the clever wordplay. “And I was a kaleidoscope. The snow on my lenses distorting the image of what was only one of you and I didn’t know which one to address as all your lips moved and this is when I forget to breathe and all the things I scripted they sound unfounded. And it’s that look that you’re giving me that tells me exactly what you are thinking: ‘This ‘aint working out.’ “ Have you ever heard a breakup sound so eloquent?
Here is Ben Gibbard performing the song acoustically
Track 18 – “New Year's Resolution” by The Limousines
You’ve probably heard “Very Busy People” by the Limousines (If you haven’t you should definitely go listen to it right now!). This is a track off their EP. I really like the direction this band is headed. Really self-aware, cheeky indie-electro-pop can be done well as long as your band isn’t “Cute Is What We Aim For”.
Track 19 – “Believe” by Sam Means
Sam Means is the other half of The Format. He recently put out his first solo work in the form of a soundtrack for “The Sinking of Santa Isabel”, an indie dramedy about a man who decides to live in a treehouse for a summer. The songs Sam did for the soundtrack are mostly instrumental filler but there are six full length songs, this being the best of them.
Track 20 – “It’s Over” by Sondre Lerche
I love ending mixes with this song – not only because this is one of my favorite Sondre Lerche songs – because it’s so appropriate. Sondre Lerche has spent his entire music career seemingly determined not to be categorized. His style ranges from jazz to folk to this type of chamber pop, which is what I think he sounds best doing.
