Autumn (Or What It Feels Like To Fall) Vol. 3

After the record-breaking hot and humid summer we just had, Autumn and the cooler temperatures that come with it, is a most welcome change. Who doesn’t love pulling out their sweaters and scarfs, admiring the lovely shades of reds and yellows, and the smell of the bonfires and apple cider in the air? With the changing trees and temperatures, the music I most associate with the season is different too, focusing on the wistful, laid-back and mostly acoustic songs that wrap around you like a warm sweater. As we always do at Music For Ants, we’re proving a new mix of songs for you put on while you’re walking across the quad with leaves crunching under your feet or drinking your hot Pumpkin Spice Latte on the way to work in the morning. Download below or listen at Spotify. Enjoy!

MP3 A.C. Newman – I’m Not Talking
MP3 The Tallest Man On Earth – Little Brother
MP3 Memoryhouse – Heirloom
MP3 Father John Misty – Only Son Of The Ladies Man
MP3 The National – Exile Villify
MP3 Air Review – America’s Son
MP3 DIIV – Earthboy
MP3 Sharon Van Etten – Leonard
MP3 The Helio Sequence – October
MP3 Grizzly Bear – Gun-Shy
MP3 Wild Nothing – Through The Grass
MP3 Andrew Bird – Lusitania
MP3 Evans The Death – Letter Of Complaint
MP3 Sun Kil Moon – Among The Leaves
MP3 Bowerbirds – In The Yard
MP3 Band of Horses – Slow Cruel Hands Of Time
MP3 TW Walsh – Natural Causes
MP3 First Aid Kit – King of the World
MP3 The Walkmen – Song For Leigh
MP3 M. Ward – There’s A Key
MP3 Sarah Mary Chadwick – Fools Like Me
MP3 Farewell J.R. – A Thought, A Mind
MP3 Wilco – Rising Red Lung
MP3 The Mynabirds – Greatest Revenge

Download the full mix here: AutumnMix-Vol3.zip (177.99 MB)
Spotify Playlist: Autumn (Or What It Feels Like To Fall) Vol. 3

MP3: A.C. Newman – I'm Not Talking

It’s not uncommon for a band frontman to do solo work on the side, but few have been as rewarding as New Pornographers singer/songwriter A.C. Newman. His solo albums have included some of his very best tracks like “The Heartbreak Rides” and “Miracle Drug and his new album Shut Down The Streets looks to be following in the same mold. “I’m Not Talking” is the first single and it’s an excellent marriage of lush, serene instrumentation, hopeful lyrics and winsome harmonies. Just what you’d expect from one of the best songwriters working today.

MP3 A.C. Newman – I’m Not Talking

Pre-order Shut Down The Streets at Matador Records.

50 Songs of 2009 (2 of 2)

Here is the much-anticipated conclusion to my top 50 songs of 2009 list (if you haven’t already, take a look at the first 25 and read the foreword/ground rules). These are my favorite 25 songs of the year. As before, there’s a link by each song where you can download/hear the song or you can get all the tracks in a handy zip file by clicking this link. Let me know your favorite songs of the year in the comments. Thanks for reading!

25. Harlem Shakes – Sunlight MP3

Harlem Shakes’ Technicolor Health is full of guitar pop gems, but this one is the most magnetic and irresistible. The bright, radiant guitar / keys combo sprinkles on top of a pulsating beat and an absurdly catchy hook. You almost need to make up a new word for this song, because “catchy” just don’t cut it in describing how freakin’ addicting the song is.

24. Passion Pit – Moth’s Wings MP3

Passion Pit have a wealth of booty-shaking dance-pop tunes, but as seen on this track they can be just as potent with emotionally-resonating power pop. I said: “Moth’s Wings shows that Passion Pit aren’t content to just be that band you hear at hipster dance parties. The song is quite ambitious, the opening melody is played on dulcimer before a huge instrumental swell with expansive synths and jubilant piano. By the end of the song you’ve got pounding drums and chorus of “la la las” filling the sonic landscape. The band pulls off anthemic pop very impressively.

23. A.C. Newman – The Heartbreak Rides Y2B

A.C. Newman puts all of his songwriting craft and pop sensibilities built up from his day job (which is being the primary songwriter of New Pornogoraphers) and delivers one of his most devastatingly beautiful songs ever with “The Heartbreak Rides”. This song slowly unveils itself utilizing a dynamic build-and-release, but once that rousing chorus hits, the song shoots towards the stratosphere and doesn’t look back. It’s a gorgeous song and one that’s infinitely rewarding.

22. Slow Club – It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful MP3

Slow Club’s whimsical, Southern-fried folk-pop songs are rollickin’ good-natured celebrations, played with enthusiasm and a good dose of youthful vigor. I said of the band’s first single, “It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful”: Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor call-and-response vocals play off each other perfectly and the chorus of this song is one of the most infectious things I’ve heard all year. By the end of the song, the band is in full out old-fashioned hoe-down mode (complete with a choir of yelping vocals) and it’s damn-near impossible not to be caught up in the pure jubilance of their sound.

21. God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl MP3

Stuart Murdoch took a break this year from his main gig as the singer/songwriter force behind Belle & Sebastian and worked on a collection of songs for an imaginary (or possibly real) film all sung by girls that he chose from a talent contest. While in theory, this would be nothing more than a frivolous vanity project, it actually produced quite a few amazing pop songs, most notably the title track which stands among Stuart’s finest pop compositions. Catherine Ireton’s upbeat vocals are delightfully alluring, the lovestruck lyrics are funny and charming (“I’ll play his messages / Analyze his intonation / Please stop me there, I’m even boring myself”) and the soaring strings arrangement is absolutely lovely.

I made a 2009 mix!

This is a mix I made of songs from this year that I like. Some of these songs you’ve probably heard, some you might not have. It should fit nicely on a CD and comes embedded with some awesomely patriotic album art (that’s a real, non-photoshopped image by the way). Download the mix below and have a great ID4!

Download 2009 Mix (94.31 MB / 1.2 hours)

Fanfarlo – The Walls Are Coming Down MP3
St. Vincent – Actor Out Of Work
Phoenix – Lasso
A.C. Newman – The Heartbreak Rides MP3
Bat For Lashes – Daniel
The Joy Formidable – Cradle MP3
Slow Club – It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful MP3
Animal Collective – Bluish
Anni Rossi – Wheelpusher MP3
Sunset Rubdown – You Go on Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II) MP3
Passion Pit – Moth’s Wings MP3
God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl
The Thermals – I Called Out Your Name
M. Ward – Jailbird
The Antlers – Two MP3
Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix MP3
Harlem Shakes – Natural Man
The Love Language – Providence MP3
Grizzly Bear – While You Wait For The Others
Loney Dear – I Was Only Going Out

Track Review: Sunset Rubdown, Phoenix, A.C. Newman

Hey, I’m gonna review some tracks now. Ready, Go!

MP3 Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart

I realize that I’ve become programmed to love everything that Spencer Krug puts out but this song takes the guy’s talents and general awesomeness to another dimension.  It’s amazing how easily he blows away anything on Random Spirit Lover (still a big favorite for me) with “Idiot Heart”. The guitar! The backing vocals! The incredible attention to detail! It absolutely rocks in the most extremest of ways, the song is a complete rush.  The last 60 seconds especially is mind-blowing.  Conclusion: I love this track in every way, download right away if you haven’t already.  Also, I hope that you die in a decent pair of shoes (you got a lot of long walking to do).

MP3 Phoenix – Listzomania

For whatever reason this track didn’t hit me like “1901”, “Girlfriend”, and “Lasso” did at first.  I saw “Listzomania” as a solid opener but not as a first single.  After playing and replaying Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and then playing it again it’s become one of my favorites on an album that has nothing but strong tracks.  The song perhaps best defines the retro/classical guitar pop vibe of the album and it’s all so catchy, dancey, vibrant and inescapably fun. There’s an official video out but I prefer  this brat pack mash-up video made with scenes from “The Breakfast Club”, “Footloose” and “Pretty in Pink”. Fantabulous!

MP3 A.C. Newman – The Heartbreak Rides

I’m a bit late to the party on this one but I’ve really been getting into Get Guilty lately and this song especially.  I think it’s a contester for prettiest song that Newman has ever written (and that’s including NP’s songs).  The melody is subtle but absolutely gorgeous and the simplistic chorus of Newman chanting “Yo Ho!” is really quite brilliant.  The song crescendos to a triumphant climax that features lovely instrumentation fills from strings, woodwinds, and brass alike. Wonderful song.