August ‘07 Mix

August 30, 2007

1) Middle Management – The Broken String – Bishop Allen

ALRIGHT!

2) Here’s Your Future – The Body The Blood The Machine – Thermals

This track snuck into an episode of Weeds this month, so I ended up putting the record back into rotation. Anything to stop Hutch Harris from going back to work at Stumptown Coffee as a barista.

3) Speed of Luxury – “Challengers: The Executive Edition” – The New Pornographers

Matador has a 4 disc special edition of Challengers that they’ve been slowly releasing over the internet, and so far the b-sides have been generally poppier and more new porny than the actual record.

4) Keys To The City – Proof Of Youth – The Go! Team

I’m not sure what the lyrics are but they sure seem empowering when they’re a bunch of people yelling them at you.

5) Dear Gabby – Heroes And Sheroes – The Eames Era

Handclaps and playground rhymes are always a good way to start.

6) Today Will Be Better, I Swear! – In Our Bedroom After The War – Stars

I thought this would be peppier, but there’s an uneasy undercurrent of sadness that keeps it from being a schmaltzy song of strength.

7) The Angels Hung Around – Under The Blacklight – Rilo Kiley

My expectations were pretty high on this record, so I was kind of disappointed. There’s still a couple of gems, including this song that harkens strongly back to the country inflected work of Rabbit Furcoat

8) Nobody Knows Me At All – Say I Am You – The Weepies

A band called the Weepies does melancholic folk. GO FIGURE!

9) Before the Money Came (Battle of Bettye Lavette) – The Scene of the Crime – Bettye Lavette

The long triumphant story of Bettye Lavette’s career gets compressed here into a mini-epic by Lavette and the Drive-By Truckers. It’s kinda like her wikipedia entry with music.

10) Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead – Love Is Simple – Akron/Family

There’s a real weird cult vibe about all of Akron/Family’s freaky folk material, but it’s spooky and strange and really pretty.

11) Cherbourg – The Flying Club Cup – Beirut

This song has no umbrellas.

12) You Or Your Memory – The Sunset Tree – Mountain Goats

I’m a sucker for songs that reference L.A. and wine coolers. This song goes 2 for 2!

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