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Mp3: Girls – Hellhole Ratrace
The Elvis Costello comparisons are endless, but apt. There are not a whole lot of artists right now that could sing these lyrics, such as “I don’t want to cry anymore,” or, “I don’t want to die,” with such an affected whine and sound genuine. Parts of this track sound like “Man in Me,” era Dylan, but Bob Dylan is a giant phony, unlike Girls. All the strangeness and tragedy of Christopher Owens’ upbringing seems to bleed through any Girls’ track.

Mp3: Air – So Light is Her Footfall
This song would be great in a Gap commercial. The tinge of French in “stranger,” and “bird,” would work well with images of well dressed anorexics. This song is as well constructed as a Gap model, but just as inane, five pounds of clothing over a ten pound body. Without the lyrics it would be a soft core porn soundtrack from the seventies, and depending on the mood you’re in, that could be a good thing.

Mp3: Circulatory System – This Morning
This is really good and very reminiscent of Sgt. Peppers or Magical Mystery Tour, especially the grainy orchestra in the background. It’s got the same bouncy quality and vocal workings as psychedelic Beatles, except that Circulatory System aren’t the Beatles so they are allowed to be as inaccessible as they want. Even the clatter noises and backward record noises in the song somehow seem genuine, even though it’s been done to death, and even though this song is just under three minutes long, it feels like an epic, but maybe that’s the acid talking.

Mp3: Dead Man’s Bones – In the Room Where You Sleep
Dead Man’s Bones doesn’t get press because Ryan Gosling is in it, they get press because Ryan Gosling is in it and they don’t suck. That doesn’t mean that DMB (screw Dave Matthews) is good necessarily. Just like the band, this song doesn’t suck, but it sure ain’t good. The tempo should be slower, but DMB is too white to understand true rhythm, something they try to mask with a plethora of hand claps, the drum sounds are low grade, and the whole track comes off as something the Gorrilaz shat out in their sleep.

Mp3: The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing
Sweet drum and guitar riff, if that is a guitar and not an oddly produced bass. Pete Bjorn ruined whistles in music though, for at least the next decade. This song is also too wispy and mopy to be about surfing. Even though they are singing about the sun and how it’s shining, they still sound like they’re going to drink some draino and cut their wrists vertically. Still an enjoyable simple song though.

Mp3: People Under the Stairs – Hit the Top
Hip hop goes backwards too much. This band needs to evolve, and it also needs to somehow differentiate itself musically and lyrically from Jurassic 5. The vocals are quiet as hell too.

Mp3: Plants and Animals – Bye Bye Bye
This song isn’t all bad, just mostly.

Mp3: Reigning Sound – Call Me
It’s hard to say if this cut is good, it’s obviously enjoyable. It’s filled with guttural vocals, a distorted big bopper chord progression, the classic rock n’ roll beat, call and response singing, and the listeners walks away with the vague suspicion that the lead singer might sport a mo-hawk. All of those things are not only good, but necessary components in the making of good music, but this throwback sound might just be a bit tired and overdone.

Mp3: The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
An octave lower and this is just a U2 song, only the chorus saves this song from being a complete shit storm of imitation.

Mp3: Vampire Weekend – Horchata
If there was an award for most punchable band, Vampire Weekend would win. Every man with any self respect wants to gut Ezra Koenig. That being said, it’s a shame that Vampire Weekend is undeniably great. It’s the Vampire Weekend conundrum.
The music on this track is incredible; it seems to jump from continent to continent, with only Koenig’s sissified voice to ground you. Begrudgingly, the usage of every instrument under the sun, the exotic nature of the lyrics, the sensitive production, and the unbelievable fact that someone could even dance to this song, only make “Horcahta” better.

>> download the whole mix in a zip here.