The Playlist:

1. Van She – Kelly 4:50

2. Iron & Wine – Arms Of A Thief 3:42

3. Ignite – Let it burn 2:51

4. Bear in Heaven – You Do You 3:44

5. Black Heart – release my heart 4:21

6. Ida Maria – Forgive Me 3:13

7. AFI – …But Home is Nowhere 3:52

8. Gogol Bordello – 60 Revolutions 2:58

9. Chatmonchy – 片道切符 4:07

10. Pulp – Common People 5:50

11. Blitzen Trapper – Laughing Lover 3:10

12. Efterklang – Full Moon 3:49

13. Alicia Keys – Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart

LISTEN NOW!

I want you to play this when you are driving to the beach, preferably with the top down, your toes curling in the wind as they dangle out the window…

The Playlist:

1. Frightened Rabbit – Swim Until You Can’t See Land

2. Good Old War – Coney Island

3. Freelance Whales – Generator ^ Second Floor

4. The High Strung – There Was No One Before You, There Was No One Before Me

5. Titus Andronicus – A More Perfect Union

6. Oh No Ono – Internet Warrior

7. Miike Snow – Animal

8. fun. – Walking the Dog

9. Placebo – Kings Of Medicine

10. Foxy Shazam – Oh Lord

11. Das Racist – You Oughta Know

12. Twin Atlantic – What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?

13. Hot Chip – I Feel Better

PLAY NOW!

It occurred to me that I haven’t made a mixtape since NOVEMBER. That is retarded. So, here’s a little music to help roll in those lovely spring days ahead…

The Playlist:

1. The Joy Formidable – The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade

2. Thom Yorke – And It Rained All Night

3. No Age – You’re a Target

4. Tegan and Sara – Hell

5. Chris Walla – Sing Again

6. Discount – Stitch

7. The Pogues – The Limerick Rake

8. The Entrance Band – Hourglass

9. Kate Bush – Hounds of Love

10. Death Cab For Cutie – Pity And Fear

11. Land Of Talk – Sea Foam

12. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed

13. Renee Heartfelt – Somber Silt

Well, I’m back. That was A LOT of food. Also a lot of traveling. And here we are, no worse for wear, though I’ve been listening to Mr. Kaboom lament the lack of leftovers.

This is exactly the type of music that I want to listen to after a wonderful, albeit crazy holiday weekend. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…

The Playlist:

1. Warpaint – Elephants

2. Seachange – Glitterball

3. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – You Got Lucky

4. Cloud Cult – The Ghost Inside Our House

5. Lightning Dust – Antonia Jane

6. Del Amitri – Tell Her This

7. Sea Wolf – Leaves In The River

8. Cat Power – Werewolf

9. The White Stripes – As Ugly As I Seem

10. Passion Pit – Moths Wings

11. Plants And Animals – Feedback In The Field

12. Peter And The Wolf – The Fall

13. Ryan Adams – The Shadowlands

I freaking love Halloween. For me, the holiday and the days leading up to it are a divine celebration of all things that make the spine tingle, the hair raise. Some people don’t like to be spooked, but personally, I can’t get enough of it. As long as I’m not in any form of mortal peril, I delight in anything that attempts to scare the pants off of me. Throughout October, I immerse myself in horror movies, scary books, haunted houses, and all the delightfully campy and creepy accoutrements of the season.

But I don’t just consider Halloween a silly day to gobble candy and wear silly costumes. For me, Halloween is the psychological release we so desperately need of anxieties and terrors – a celebration and revelry in fears, both large and small. The important thing to remember about fear is that once faced and conquered, it is transcendental – a moment of triumph and relief. Viewed in this light, Halloween becomes a holiday which celebrates our fears being tested, and overcome. A celebration of bravery, mystery and adventure.

With that in mind, here are some tunes to put you appropriately in the mood for the creepy fantastic. Enjoy…if you dare!!!

The Playlist:

01. CocoRosie – Bloody Twins

02. Nelly Furtado – Maneater

03. A Perfect Circle – Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums

04. Karen O And The Kids – Animal

05. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand

06. Laura Marling – Night Terror

07. Black Mold – Metal Spider Webs

08. The Hold Steady – One for the Cutters

09. Florence And The Machine – My Boy Builds Coffins

10. Daniel Johnston – Casper the Friendly Ghost

11. The Decemberists – The Rake’s Song

12. Jonathan Richman – Vampire Girl

13. Shakespear’s Sister – “Stay”

I am enjoying this: the subtle changing from one season to another, and how the change comes so appropriately with the start of my new position in life as married. With the wedding over, I feel like everything has slowed down considerably, and it’s wonderful. I can finally stop and smell the roses, or in this case, watch the leaves fall.

I usually find autumn is a bit of a sad time for me, but this year it is different. I feel hope for the future, and celebration for the present. That’s what this tape means to me. A beautiful shift, and sweet change, the dance of life, with all its peaks and falls. Enjoy.

The Playlist:

01. School Of Seven Bells – Iamundernodisguise

02. Bright Eyes – Loose Leaves

03. Camera Obscura – Honey In The Sun

04. Diane Birch – Don’t Wait Up

05. Espers – Dead Queen

06. Land Of Talk – May You Never

07. Dappled Cities – Answer Is Zero

08. Straylight Run – It Never Gets Easier

09. The Mountain Goats – Maybe Sprout Wings

10. The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) – 13 Dinosaur On The Ark

11. Songs For Moms – Why Oh Why

12. The Dodos – Fables

13. Toad the Wet Sprocket – All I Want (remix)

LISTEN HERE~

Hey-O! I get married in 4 days!

This is an insanely upbeat mix. I wanted something bubbly and exciting that could convey my general elation. Summer is almost over, so it’s time to ramp-it-up. Play it louder, shake it harder, and suck every precious, wonderful second out of this glorious time of year that you can.

The Playlist:

01. Nelly Furtado – Wait For You

02. Bobby Birdman – Gone Beyond

03. Janet Jackson – Doesn’t Really Matter

04. Belle And Sebastian – Another Sunny Day

05. Rainer Maria – Thought I Was

06. Tegan and Sara – The Con

07. Asobi Seksu – Nefi+Girly

08. The Badger King – Flee To Me, Remote Elf

09. Hail Social – Track 01

10. animal collective – Fireworks

11. Architecture in Helsinki – The Owls Go

12. Mirah/Ginger Takahashi – Rock Of Ages

13. Aaliyah – More Than A Woman

My approaching wedding officially feels real. The pressure and preparation has definitely increased over the past few weeks, and as a result, this summer has felt like one of great anticipation; like dangling from the edge of a great, beautiful precipice. I think at this point, Fiance Kaboom and I are sick and tired of the planning – we are eager for the leap.

I feel like these songs express that sense of urgency, excitement, stress, and expectation. I hope you enjoy them, and remember to relish those little moments in the middle of the tempest.

The Playlist:

01. Johnny Cash – As Long As The Grass Shall Grow

02. Vampire Weekend – Ottoman (Soundtrack Version)

03. Clinic – 2nd Foot Stomp

04. Pixies – Alec Eiffel

05. Cat Power – Cross Bones Style

06. Peggy Sue – The Sea, The Sea

07. Rainbow Arabia – Harlem Sunrise

08. The Most Serene Republic – Content Was Always My Favourite Colour

09. The Mountain Goats – Palmcorder Yajna

10. The Acorn – Crooked Legs

11. Mike Doughty – The Only Answer

12. Ani Difranco – joyful girl, peace and love mix

13. Dave Mathews Band – #41

June has been a torrential downpour of obligations and rain, rain, rain. It’s as if we were all living in a submarine, peeking out at the rays of light shining in through the sea.

I suppose this mix is “submarine music” – something to guide you through the underwater world, like a Jacque Cousteau club mix, if you will.

Anyway, hope you enjoy.

The Playlist:

01. Billy Bragg – To have and to have not

02. Bob Dylan – Beyond Here Lies Nothin’

03. Mirah – Cold Cold Water

04. The Hidden Cameras – Breath on it

05. The Dodos – Horny Hippies

06. The Decemberists – The Rake’s Song

07. Jeff Hanson – Night

08. Sally Shapiro – Miracle

09. Stars – Set Yourself On Fire

10. Grizzly Bear – I Live With You

11. Ume – The Conductor

12. Modest Mouse – A Different City

13. The Dresden Dolls – Half Jack

What have you been listening to this month?

May is such an odd time of year. It has growing pains, stands around like an awkward teenager, never sure if it’s one thing or another. I kind of like it for that reason – it’s cool, and warm, and full of seasonal surprises. And it means summer is right around the corner.

Here’s that music for that lush time in between.

The Playlist:

1. Interpol – Evil

2. Bright Eyes – Coat Check Dream Song

3. Patrick Wolf – Overture

4. Black Eyed Peas – Like That (Feat Cee-Lo, John L)

5. Beck – Youthless

6. Animal Collective – My Girls

7. The National – Slow Show

8. Spoon – Paper Tiger

9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero

10. Datarock – Give It Up (Kissy Sell Out Remix)

11. MF Doom – Lightworks

12. The Fiery Furnaces – Up in the North

13. Belle And Sebastian – Another Sunny Day