#26: SLOWLY APPLYING CONTRAINTS

As most of my friends know, I really don't like the sun. I spent 20 years growing up in Arizona and I think that has resulted in my being able to rarely ever see the sun again. I suppose that's why I loved living in Seattle so much. 8 months of cloudy drizzle was right up my alley. When the sun is out, I feel guilty for not being out there soaking it all in the way I am "supposed" to, when actually I'd just prefer to be inside reading a book.

On the other hand there is a lighter sense of being that comes with the arrival of summer. The heat gives license to dress more casually and loosen up all the tension that builds over the winter. Even I enjoy a good day spent at an awesome beach.

So this mix attempts to capture both the unbridled "fun" of summer tempered with just the right mix of dread and anger that slowly grows stronger as the summer drags on, steamy day after steamy midwest day. There are three major movements in this mix. The first third is probably the best first third of a mix I have ever constructed. I danced my ass off to it the other night. It's that good. The middle comes down a little bit to showcase some really earnest and melodically beautiful songs. The last part ramps the intensity up again, only this time the angst is more palpable. The whole thing ends with four fucking great songs. Make that five. No six. Seriously this mix is gold! Enjoy.

Download the Mix as a 99 MB Zip File
Now using sendspace to deliver these massive files. Email me if the file expires.

The tracklist is as follows:
(The links below will lead you to ways of supporting these artists)
01 New Wave, Against Me!
02 Living Well is the Best Revenge, REM
03 Constructive Summer, The Hold Steady
04 The Wagon, Dinosaur Jr.
05 Katrina, The Black Lips
06 Sound of Summer, Art Brut
07 The Sons of Cain, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
08 J,aime vous voire quitter, The Islands
09 Relative Surplus Value, The Weakerthans
10 Used Guitars, Red Collar
11 This is no fun, School of Language
12 In a Cave, Tokyo Police Club
13 Breaks, American Princes
14 Pillowhead, Failure
15 Lost in Amber, Steel Tigers of Death
16 Gift, Sugar
17 Lovenest, The Wedding Present
18 Don't Think Lover, A Place to Bury Strangers
19 No Lucifer, British Sea Power
20 Well Thought Out Twinkles, Silversun Pickups