Almost, Always, All Yours Mix

I assumed it was the trucks outside that suddenly woke me, but as I listened to their grunting engines the familiar pain set in and I knew I was widely awake because I'd dreamt about him again. The nice part about having a friend on the opposite coast is that you can text them at 4am and get a response, he called back and we talked. We haven't been together in years but have been good at talking weekly for half a decade now, despite living multiple continents apart at times. But things have suddenly changed, as they are wont to do right before you are about to pack up your life in order to make things perfect again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he almost whispered "me too" I whispered back before he hung up. We texted each other the same thing right after, there were four and a half years of apologies we'd been holding back. Sometimes sorry is the only word you have left.

Every once in a while we need to indulge our should've beens that wake us up in the middle of the night and it's always best, like any event, to have a soundtrack for that. Here's my current one which probably makes little sense, or maybe it's showing all my cards because it's highly personal, but the songs are great whether you're attached to them or not.

Almost, Always, All Yours Mix // Spotify // Download

50 Favorite Songs of 2011 [25-1]

Find Songs 50-26 here
25. Churchill - The Only One
24. StartYourOwnRebellion - Live Like an Outlaw
23. Dawes - If I Wanted Someone
22. Delicate Steve - The Ballad of Speck and Pebble
21. Neighbors - Watergun
20. Jennie Abrahamson - Hard to Come By
19. Rural Alberta Advantage - Stamp
18. The Barr Brothers - Beggar in the Morning
17. Monogrenade - Ce Soir 
16. Dolorean - The Unfazed
15. The Antlers - I Don't Want Love
14. Cataldo - Rock of Calvary
13. Ambassadors - Unconsolable 
12. Cults - You Know What I Mean
11. Slow Club - Half Drunk
10. Future Islands - Before the Bridge
9. Seryn - Untitled
8. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Heart on a String
7. The Middle East - Jesus Came to my Birthday Party
6. Other Lives - For 12
5. Sin Fang - Fall Down Slow
4. Diego Garcia - Roses and Wine
3. Shakey Graves - Built to Roam
2. Big Snow Big Thaw - Damn Allegheny
1. Of Monsters and Men - From Finner

Get The Songs:

Songs 50-26: Download ZIP

Songs 25-1 : Download ZIP

Stream Playlist: On Spotify 

 I wrote down 50 of my most listened to songs from 2011, without repeating a band, based on my last.fm account. The only flaw is that some songs had the advantage of spending more time in my library than others. There's plenty I've left out, and frankly a "best of" list would look a little bit different, but I'm really happy with how this list turned out and it's probably more interesting than an attempted best of list.  I hope you can enjoy it and maybe find some favorites too. Check out yesterday's post: songs 50 - 26.

Brightest Days / Sleepless Nights Mixtape

"All of your city lights turn your brightest days into sleepless nights" sings Other Lives in their song "Desert" which I couldn't legally include here, but there have been many days that I play the song just to hear those words. Taken out of context, I find myself relating those sleepless nights to some of the restless anxiety ridden ones, and other times it makes me think of missing the last subway home and enjoying the long walk home after a successful night out, the summer breeze flirting with the hem of my dress. Both scenarios encapsulate the meaning of this mix. It's not a summer mix, but rather one that characterizes the summer I've been having. It isn't the carefree summer I remember from my college years, as I'm slowly grappling and struggling to accept this "real world" I've landed in. There have been ups and downs, moments of absurdly goofy fun, long days at the beach with the best of friends, and moments spent screaming along to songs in my car just as a form of relief. This mix has songs to get lost in, songs that make you more aware than ever of the cracks in your heart, and more than a few to make you smile, maybe even laugh. Here are some of my favorite bits:

• The first five songs are just insanely good and ones that have been on repeat all week. "Unconsolable" is my new favorite confusing hook up song.
• I'm excited about a new album from Beat Radio and love when he sings "I made you a mixtape, ok it's not a tape at all, but it's full of sad songs that make summer feel like fall."
• Then there's the TV Girl EP that you'd be crazy not to get, especially since it's free. When this song comes on, the image of a topless girl with an indian headdress laying by the pool always floats to the surface. When you listen, you'll understand.
• Stone Darling is the latest 7" release from Analog Edition. What I love about this song is if you're writing a song about not missing someone, you probably are. But we've all been there, right?
• If you haven't cranked The Antlers "I don't want love" at 3am on repeat for an hour straight, you're seriously missing out, and also your neighbors probably don't hate you like mine do.
• "How'm I Gonna Get Back Home" is an absolute jam about a wild night spent over-imbibing.
• Aunt Martha is easily my new favorite band. "And quit your job that you hate so much / We'll both get by / We'll both make love / and you're here tonight, anyway / but oh, how things have changed / Now I act my age." Get their Abandoned Bedroom Sessions for free from their website.
• Allo Darlin' has been the soundtrack of my past two summers. I love the tweeness, how I can see the smoke coming from his cigarette, the frank lyrics, the image of a girl twisting a phone cord around her fingers. And god damn, I am so in love with that bass that kicks in at the end.
• "American Goldwing" is the title track of Blitzen Trapper's latest album due out in September and a perfect closing track.

Download: ZIP file

1. Ambassadors - Unconsolable [bandcamp]
2. The Middle East - Jesus Came to my Birthday Party [website]
3. Girls - Vomit [facebook]
4. Real Estate - It's Real [website]
5. Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down [website]
6. Beat Radio - Teenage Anthem for the Drunken Boat [bandcamp]
7. TV Girl - Lizzy Come Back to Life [bandcamp]
8. Stone Darling - I Stopped Missing You Today [bandcamp]
9. The Antlers - I Don't Want Love [website]
10. Beirut - East Harlem [website]
11. Fruit Bats - You're Too Weird [website]
12. Cataldo - Rock of Calvary [bandcamp]
13. He's My Brother She's My Sister - How'm I Gonna Get Back Home [bandcamp]
14. The Local Strangers - For Fear of Losing [bandcamp]
15. Family of the Year - Let's Go Down [website]
16. Aunt Martha - Neighbor Song [website]
17. Other Lives - For 12 [website]
18. Neighbors - Watergun [website]
19. Portugal. The Man - Got it All (This Can't Be Living Now) [website]
20. TV Girl - Benny and the Jetts
21. Allo Darlin' - My Heart is a Drummer [website]
22. Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps - Tanktop [website]
23. Aunt Martha - North
24. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing [website]

I honestly mean it when I say that each and every one of their albums/eps are highly recommended. So you better click away on those links, there's lots more wonderful songs to discover. Enjoy.

Lyrically Linked: Tracing Your Outlines

I love making playlists with strong themes, but sometimes 3-5 songs fit together in the most perfect ways when it comes to the lyrics. Lyrically Linked is a recurring feature that shares these flawless matches. Let me know if I've missed anything by leaving a comment.

Recently, when organizing songs for a playlist a few of them lined up way too perfectly and I was astounded by the lyrical similarities. Usually I do this on purpose, but this time the songs just happened to play in the right order to make me realize that each song was about the intimate touch of another. The first three songs are about tracing a hand down someone's back. Check out the songs below to figure out what the hell I'm talking about.

Cataldo - Rock of Calvary

Cataldo, otherwise known as Eric Anderson and a rotating group of friends, has finally given us a peek at the new album due out in September. I've been asking every Seattle person I know for news on Cataldo's progress, and I'm very excited to finally be able to share some new tracks. For the past two years I've been coming back to Cataldo's 2008 album, Signal Flare, because it just feels so fitting all too often. I keep that album in my car and it always makes forgetting my ipod a welcome pleasure. On one of my favorite songs, "Five Years Coming", he sings “It’s been five years coming and one thing I can attest: that the simple songs of hope I wrote have always been my best.” and on these two new songs that Cataldo is sharing off the new album, Prison Boxing, I think it's safe to say he stuck to that formula. You can use the bandcamp link to download the songs.

Cataldo - Rock of Calvary

Sunday's Cozy Sweater

When autumn Sundays roll around I often feel like I should be reviewing the comfy sweaters instead of music. I am not the type of girl who obsesses over shoes or purses, instead it's sweaters and jackets that get purchased a little too often. On Sunday mornings I get excited to put on one of my many sweaters with a favorite pair of jeans or leggings and let the day unfold in epic laziness, possibly a brunch, and later appetizer making and beer purchasing for the football games ahead. It is just what I do, probably one of the best routines ever, and is why I much prefer a Sunday afternoon to a Saturday night.  The really essential piece of this routine is that feeling of all day comfort from a warm, over sized sweater.

I'm not sure if I explained that quite right, I could write a 2,000 word essay on cozy sweaters and then some, and maybe only fellow sweater  aficionados would understand. But alas, this is a music blog so maybe I should tell you how certain songs have similar characteristics to my favorite sweater. Sunday songs must pair well with making spinach artichoke or chipotle black bean dip at noon on sunday. They also must have that familiar aspect that oozes with comforting lyrics and melodies. I don't know if I can make this a regular sunday feature but I can try.

So today's song that makes me feel almost as good as a grey waffle knit sweater is an old one from Seattle's Cataldo (he is originally from the same Idaho town as Josh Ritter). It is simple and beautiful, I highly suggest familiarizing yourself with this artist if you haven't already. The opening lyrics say it all, and oh my is that a banjo I hear? "It's been five years coming and one thing I can attest are the simple songs of hope I wrote have always been my best."

Cataldo - Five Years Coming

(via Fuel/Friends blog)

Check out Heather's amazing autumn mix tape.