Mixtape of the Week - 7.25.10

This week’s mixtape has nothing to do with what is currently on my mind. For a change, I’m digging back through the past few months of my favorites because that’s all I have access to on this computer. You see, I'm in Arizona after a week of work, sitting in my Uncle and Aunt's house, on my work computer. After spending a week in the wild, wild west, I'm not even sure what kind of music is appropriate to listen to out here. Beachy stuff like Dr. Dog and Best Coast seems too sugary for the desert heat. All my electronic things - Phantogram, LCD Soundsystem - sound too harsh. What do people listen to for mood music in the west? I just don't get it!

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Mixtape of the Week - 7.25.10

1. Broken Bells – The High Road
When I first heard this collaboration between James Mercer and Danger Mouse, I wondered if pop music could get a better flavor than this. It’s like eating three packs of Gushers at once. I’m sugar pop high.
2. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Some Trees
I still need to hear this whole album! But, seriously, I cannot get over how much this song jacks me up. I’ll never need creatine. This song makes me run faster than a coyote.
3. Frightened Rabbit – Swim Until You Can’t See Land
Just plain good emotive rock. I don’t know what to say. If you don’t feel emotionally moved after hearing his voice quake, you probably don’t have a functioning brain.
4. Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension
The Strokes will have a new album and a new tour soon, but can any of that top Julian Casablanca’s toss-back to the ‘80s? Nothing has felt this cheesy and this absolutely on-target all at once. I die of happiness.
5. Josh Ritter – The Curse
I think I’ve written about this song before because it made me cry the first three times I listened to it. I was driving to work at 7:30am, and this tragic story about a mummy and a historian who falls in love with him only to fall under his deathly curse… it’s so real. In a not-real-at-all way, of course, but Ritter makes these characters come to life.
6. Tokyo Police Club – Bambi
Pretty sure I missed the best concert of summer when TPC came to Cleveland and I was halfway across the country.
7. Phantogram – As Far As I Can See
A friend and I were discussing how Phantogram’s album was the one we were most blindsided and pleasantly surprised by. I keep going back to this song over and over.
8. Yeasayer – Love Me Girl
All I hear here is funky Justin Timberlake, and I’m in love.
9. Avi Buffalo – Remember Last Time
Most people will not agree with me, but Avi’s s/t debut is one of the most enjoyable albums of the year. He captures the whimsical nature of the guitar so well here.
10. Deer Tick – Spend the Night
This is not a new song, but it’s new to me. I’m not sure how I missed out on Deer Tick earlier, but the evoke the harmless hedonism of a rock band better than most these days.
11. The Black Keys – Never Give You Up
The Black Keys get classy! This song feels like a Motown gem, and it’s by two men I’m proud to say came from Ohio.