January's Mix

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Oh, sorry, I’ll bring it down a bit. I know your head must be throbbing, but you know what’s good for a hangover!? January’s mix! This mix is one you'll want to listen to curled up in front of your fireplace sipping hot cocoa.

Track 1 – “The New Year” by Death Cab For Cutie
I decided to start this mix off thematically, but also I really love this song. This kicks off Ben Gibbard’s big “bad relationship” album and it definitely sums up the way some new year’s eves have felt to me (not this year. this year’s eve was great.)


Track 2 – “Fluorescent Adolescent” by Arctic Monkeys
I’ve been waiting for a mix to put this song on, which is, in my opinion, the greatest Arctic Monkeys songs and an instant classic. The first time I heard this song I felt like I grew up listening to it.


Track 3 – “Blue Beard” by Band of Horses
This is quite an infectious song. I put it on a mix for my sister recently(yes, i still make personal mixes. we never said anything about exclusivity!) and she has been putting it on repeat for a few weeks now.


Track 4 – “The Cave” by Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons is a charming English folk band that has won me over in recent months. This song in particular reminds me of new year’s resolutions and therefore got this spot on the mix, though it is also just an amazing song.


Track 5 – “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens
For a period of about three years I didn’t go to sleep without listening to Michigan. Sufjan Stevens has a very special place in my heart. This song is obviously not from Michigan but I feel like it mixes better than any song on that album. This may sound like blasphemy but some albums should really never be broken up and deserve to be listened to in their entirety.

Track 6 – “Four Winds” by Bright Eyes
This is a relatively recent track from Bright Eyes but it ranks among my favorites. Bright Eyes would have definitely been on an earlier mix, but as I’ve shared with you before I am rebuilding my music library from practically nothing(stupid computers) and neglected to acquire my bright eyes collection until just last week.


Track 7 – “He War” by Cat Power
My first girlfriend made me one mix during our brief relationship and this song was one of the tracks on it. It immediately wound its way into my head.


Track 8 – “The Commander Thinks Aloud” by The Long Winters
John Roderick is the brainchild behind The Long Winters and his lyrics are frequently brilliant loosely connected streams of consciousness. He once described his writing process as (and i’m paraphrasing because i can’t find the interview i read this in) looking back upon the most meaningful, disappointing, and wonderful times in his life and shrugging.


Track 9 – “Get Higher” by Paper Tongues
Another new band that has quickly won me over, Paper Tongues mix hip-hop elements into their poppy rock to great success.


Track 10 – “The Wrestle” by Frightened Rabbit
I wanted to share another great song from this band that my sister, Rachael introduced me to. This song has really intense lyrics that get easily overlooked because of its beautiful musicality.


Track 11 – “Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies
Black Francis is such a talented songwriter that I will forget just how much I love Pixies and then listen to a song of theirs and hear it in a way I’ve never heard it before and it will mean so much more to me than it did before.

Track 12 – “You Wouldn’t Like Me” by Tegan and Sara
Rachael describes it as cheating when siblings (especially twins) harmonize in songs. Tegan and Sara are chronic cheaters and I couldn’t be more happy about it. Despite my recent disappointing Tegan and Sara experience (too long of a story to explain here, but ask me about it sometime and i will tell you) I adore these twin songwriters.


Track 13 – “Christmas TV” by Slow Club
This song was on a really good episode of Chuck (great show) and I had to track it down and listen to it over and over. The duo who made it are apparently English.


Track 14 – “West Coast” by Coconut Records
Jason Schwartzman’s solo project after the break up of his band, “Phantom Planet”. I played this song for my sister when she was moving to Rochester, NY for grad school and it was understandably upsetting. I really like Jason Schwartzman in everything he does.


Track 15 – “Samson” by Regina Spektor
Despite being notoriously bad at relationships Regina sure can write a pretty song about a simple and cute love.


Track 16 – “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice
Like most people I fell in love with Damien’s music when he was featured on Closer’s soundtrack. A few weeks back I was borrowing my dad’s car which has XM radio (which is usually mediocre at best) and was flipping channels when I came upon a live performance by Damien Rice. He was telling stories about all of his favorite songs and playing them by himself in the studio. I just sat there in the car listening long after I had reached my destination.


Track 17 – “Winter” by Joshua Radin
Despite not being crazy about his new album, I really appreciate Joshua Radin’s older stuff. He is a very skilled guitar player and singer.


Track 18 – “Jezebel” by Iron & Wine
When I had my big bushy beard (RIP) I got compared several times to Sam Beam of Iron & Wine (which was pretty flattering. he’s a handsome man). These comparisons would always cause me to break out the Iron & Wine collecting dust in my iTunes library and listen to it nonstop.


Track 19 – “Look Up” by Stars
Another fragment of Broken Social Scene, Stars are a Canadian pop band. They often feature trumpets and strings and you all know I’m a sucker for that. This song sounds really hopeful to me and I thought it was an elegant way to end January’s mix.