All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape IV

One of our oldest traditions here at ATG is the mixtape, all dolled with album artwork, individual tracklisting, and some serious thought put into song selection. While the oldest version is the Valentine’s Day mix, the Cannabliss Mixtape is not far behind, and here we are delivering our fourth edition dedicated to the celebration of April 20th. Whether or major in herbology or not, the Cannabliss Mixtape IV is still accessible to you. With beautiful songs from up-and-comers like Fleet Foxes and Flosstradamus to chilled out synth voyages from Beirut and Animal Collective, the mixtape has a little something for everyone. More whimsical and blissed-out than the more aggressive Cannabliss III, this mixtape is perfect for many occasions including, but not limited to: smoking, not smoking, rainy days, beautiful summer days, driving at night, crying (ATG-tested), eating, eating while crying, crying self to sleep, and sleeping.

Enough with the talking, go find out for yourself. As usual, the .ZIP file is available below, as well as the individual tracks.

.ZIP: All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape IV [follow link]

MP3: 01) Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”
MP3: 02) The Sea and Cake – “Sound and Vision”
MP3: 03) The Books and Jose Gonzalez – “Cello Song”
MP3: 04) The Lonely Island – “Shrooms (Interlude)”
MP3: 05) Passion Pit – “Sleepyhead”
MP3: 06) Starfucker – “Florida”
MP3: 07) Flosstradamus ft. Caroline Polachek – “Big Bills”
MP3: 08) Beirut – “No Dice”
MP3: 09) Animal Collective – “My Girls”
MP3: 10) The National – “About Today”

Enjoy the mix, and make sure not to operate heavy machinery on a day such as this.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape IV

One of the oldest traditions around these here parts is the All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape, or the mixtapes in general, which haven’t been featured here since last year’s third installment of the Cannabliss Mixtape. I thought I’d return with, in my opinion, the most carefully crafted and entertaining mixtape to date. Ladies and gents, your 2009 edition, the All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape Volume IV.

Norman Blake kicks off the love-fest with his unbearably sweet version of one of the all-time classics, “You Are My Sunshine”, featured originally on the O’ Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. Fab Moretti’s side project, Little Joy, contribute track two, “Brand New Start”, which is a blatant homage to the soul crooners of the sixties. Claire recently wrote about them here, and I had their debut at #13 in Zack’s ‘Hypothetical Top Albums of 2008 that Weren’t Posted Because He is a Worthless Piece of Shit’ post. Melpo Mene gives us quite possibly the most innocent and cute track on the mixtape with “I Adore You”, followed by Beirut’s masterpiece, “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille”. Zach Condon et. al. are quickly becoming my favorite band, and his new Realpeople Holland EP has been the soundtrack to my European travels. Up next is Red Foxx’s remix of the quintessential Valentine’s day (and every other day) song, “Digital Love”, which doesn’t change much, other than the addition of a dancy-esque ending; just enough to warrant posting the song again.

The middle third of the mixtape starts with Lupe’s “Birds & the Bees”, produced by Kanye a while ago but just recently released on his new mixtape, aptly titled Unreleased. The chorus of “it’s just the birds and the bees, the her’s and the he’s, the his, the ma’ams, the sir’s and the she’s” made this track completely V-Day worthy. Up next is Passion Pit’s painfully cute “Cuddle Fuddle”, which could’ve made the mix on the title alone. Really, any track off of the Chunk of Change EP would have worked, but the “Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair” repitition pushed it over the edge. To be fair though, putting on the budding stars’ EP might just make for a better V-Day mix than any I could craft. The New Pornographer’s give us song number eight, with “Hey, Snow White”, which is an original featured on the Dark Was the Night benefit album I raved about last week. Kate Nash’s take on “Purple Rain” sets the course for the rest of the mixtape, which features three covers of older classics.

Sally Shapiro’s “He Keeps Me Alive” kicks off the final third in all of it’s neo-disco, sappy, beautiful goodness. Slow Runner contributes “Trying to Put Your Heart Back Together”, which isn’t really that lovey and gooey, but is way too gorgeous to exclude. Cat Power and The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy tackle “Dark End of the Street” and “Cupid”, doing their best to pay homage to James Carr and Sam Cooke classics. Cooke has found his way onto a V-Day mixtape one way or another three times, tying Rogue Wave, who give us their stirring cover of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday”. Styrafoamkid sends us young lovers off into the sunset with his unparalled remix of Gotye’s “Learnalilgivinanlovin'”. Derek introduced me to this eight minute euphoria-fest a while back, and ever since I have been counting down the days until I could share with you in the proper forum. What better place than the end of this joyous fourth edition of the Valentine’s Day Mixtape.

.ZIP: All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape IV [follow link] [alt. link]

MP3: 01) Norman Blake – “You Are My Sunshine”
MP3: 02) Little Joy – “Brand New Start”
MP3: 03) Melpo Mene – “I Adore You”
MP3: 04) Beirut – “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille”
MP3: 05) Daft Punk – “Digital Love (Red Foxx’s Bmore Surprise Mix)”
MP3: 06) Lupe Fiasco – “Birds & the Bees”
MP3: 07) Passion Pit – “Cuddle Fuddle”
MP3: 08  The New Pornographers – “Hey, Snow White”
MP3: 09) Kate Nash – “Purple Rain”
MP3: 10) Sally Shapiro – “He Keeps Me Alive”
MP3: 11) Slow Runner – “Trying to Put Your Heart Back Together”
MP3: 12) Cat Power – “Dark End of the Street”
MP3: 13) Colin Meloy – “Cupid”
MP3: 14) Rogue Wave – “Everyday”
MP3: 15) Gotye – “Learnalilgivinanlovin’ (Styrafoamkid’s Summer Remix)”

Given that I am in Florence right now, I am unable to spend Valentine’s Day with my girlfriend, Claire, which is heartbreaking to say the least. I wanted to take this opportunity, then, to be a sappy cheeseball and tell her how much I love and miss her. I’ll be listening to this mix over and over today, and counting down the days until she comes to visit. Please, do me a favor and appreciate the ones you love tomorrow. Hug your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/dog/landlord/pleasure-robot/parents today and share this mixtape with them. Have a lovely day.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape III

UPDATE: The individual song downloads are now available, as are the song descriptions. I ponied up and renewed our hosting for another six months (to the tune of $150) so you readers better fucking enjoy the direct hosting. Or you can donate! Also, I will be adding a donation bar to the side that will recognize those who have donated, as they are appreciated greatly. Not that I don’t appreciate the casual readers. You guys are great too. Fuck it, just read the post.

I did one two years ago. I did one last year. I’m doing one now. Seriously though, theres no need for descriptions, just listen to the songs and enjoy yourself. Also, I want to clear things up: This mixtape is for everyone to enjoy, not just those who listen while in elevated states. I would have called it the ATG Relax Mixtape but I didn’t. It’s my blog.

The mixtape starts off with the two minute whirlwind of emotion that is Sparrow House’s “Heart Flood”, building in passion and, well, noise, until it reaches a breaking point at which point the words “give up” are all that you can remember about the song. That just set the mood, now let’s keep going. Up next is Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”, which they had to know was going to be used for weed mixes when they created it. Oren Lavie contributes his quiet, soothing “Her Morning Elegance”, which sadly was featured in a Chevy Ad, albeit a tasteful one. Next we have Vampire Weekend’s trippy insane mix of “Walcott”, though any of their songs are worth listening to at any moment. I had a really tough time choosing between three Yeasayer songs for this mix (“2080”, “Sunrise”, and “Wait for the Summer”), and ultimately i chose the latter of the three because it not only represents synths at their very finest and most unique, but also because 4/20 is so close to the summer for me that I cannot wait anymore.

The middle third of the mix is led off by Morningbell, who may just be the most interesting band on this list, as their 2006 release, Through the Belly of the Sea, is a choose your own destiny album. That’s right. Just like those Goosebumps books, listeners are asked to choose where to go next. Eat your heart out R.L. Stein. Green-friendly indie rock outfit Cloud Cult had to make an appearance somewhere, given my love for their music in elevated states, and their newest, “When Water Comes to Life” was the most obvious choice. Jimmy Tamborello (aka Dntel aka 1/2 of The Postal Service) returns to the Cannabliss mix, this time with “Apologies”, released under his other other moniker, James Figurine. YACHT gives us song number nine in the form of “If Music Could Cure All That Ails You”. I just recently saw Jona Bechtolt open for Vampire Weekend, and his music was so enthralling, but more importantly his demeanor was completely vulnerable. He was approachable (he even goes back to the merch stand after the show, sells his stuff, and talks to those who want to pick his brain). This has nothing to do with the mix, I just wanted you to know how cool YACHT is. Coconut Monkeyrocket provides easily the strangest and happiest song on the mix, with an almost unbearably infectious hook and sing-along vocals.

The final third of the mix is much darker, more ambient, yet equally as passionate and worthy of recognition. Sébastien Tellier gets his masterpiece “Divine” remastered by Midnight Juggernauts, and Holy Fuck has “Lovely Allen” redone to sound even more insane and profound. Weird electronica eccentrics The Knife provide the ambience with “Forest Families”, and Mojib calms us down with his semi-remix/sample of Sigur Ros’ “Staralfur”, called “Break of Dawn”. Finally, Syme sends us off into oblivion with their beautiful and unique cover of David Bowie’s “Modern Love”.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape III [follow link

MP3: 1) Sparrow House – “Heart Flood”
MP3: 2) Radiohead – “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”
MP3: 3) Oren Lavie – “Her Morning Elegance”
MP3: 4) Vampire Weekend – “Walcott (Insane Mix #2)
MP3: 5) Yeasayer – “Wait for the Summer”
MP3: 6) Morningbell – “Ch. 8: Utopian Fantasy at the Center of the Earth”
MP3: 7) Cloud Cult – “When Water Comes to Life”
MP3: 8) James Figurine – “Apologies”
MP3: 9) YACHT – “If Music Could Cure All That Ails You”
MP3: 10) Coconut Monkeyrocket – “Accidental Beatnik”
MP3: 11) Sébastien Tellier – “Divine (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)”
MP3: 12) Holy Fuck – “Lovely Allen (Minotaur Shock Broadmead Revelopment Version)”
MP3: 13) The Knife – “Forest Families”
MP3: 14) Mojib – “Break of Dawn”
MP3: 15) Syme – “Modern Love”

I just noticed that the number 8 next to James Figurine turns into 8) (or the sunglass smiley face on some browsers). This was unintended, but awesome.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Valentines Day Mixtape III

It’s that time of the year again. Keeping on with the tradition I’ve had for the past two years, I present you with the All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape III. This one has a bit more of a nostalgic flavor, with classics from the Rolling Stones and Sam Cooke, covers of classics by Rogue Wave and Spoon, and some acoustic beauties in the form of Nick Miller and Bon Iver. It also features numerous covers, so you guys can hear some of your favorite songs sung by more contemporary artists.

The mixtape starts out with one of my all-time favorite songs and one that was introduced to me over two years ago, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized how well it would fit here. Her Space Holiday’s songs tend to be more about love lost or tend to be more bleak, but “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” bucks that trend in a big way. Up next is Rogue Wave’s cover of “All You Need Is Love”, with the original finding a spot on our second V-day mixtape. Track three is one of my girlfriend’s favorites, and for good reason. This absolute classic has been covered and recovered hundreds, if not thousands of times. Hell, even my friend Jackson covered it in his high school jazz band, but nothing beats the original. Soft, sexy, just plain beautiful. The next two songs are courtesy of Sam Cooke, the epitome of a crooner. I didn’t truly appreciate the genius that is Sam Cooke until I started taking a “black music and american cultural history” class, and realized that Cooke was not only had a breathtaking voice, but also a strong will and thoughtful approach to his music, which Britt Daniel captures quite nicely in his rendition of “Bring it on Home to Me”.

Cloud Cult delivers “Chemicals Collide” next, followed by Tom Vek’s “C-C (You Set the Fire in Me)”, which has special meaning for me (see: Claire Cafritz). Mark Ronson produces song eight, while D.C.-based up-and-coming awesome super sweet legit badass mastermind rapper Wale contributes the verses, and the two blend together to create a doozy of a re-take on Marvin Gaye’s classic. The Stones make their second appearance on a V-Day Mix (“Under My Thumb” was on Vol. II), this time with “Beast of Burden”. While Mick and the gang are a tough act to follow, Michael Cera and Ellen Page, stars of the it indie film of 2007 (Juno), try their best with their almost unbearably innocent and sweet cover of The Moldy Peaches’ “Anyone Else But You”. Next, resident musician Nick Miller contributes an acoustic cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, which I simply cannot get enough of. After that it’s Dntel’s “Rock My Boat” (with Mia Doi Todd), off of Dumb Luck, which was a CRIMINALLY underrated album. Bon Iver then closes out this warm and loving mix with one of the most passionate and gorgeous songs on the mixtape, and maybe the most wonderful song of 07, “Skinny Love”.

Well, there you have it….WAIT….

You thought it was over? It’s just getting started. It’s “Business Time”, so put on that old t-shirt you got from your work’s softball team, do the dishes, then come hop in bed for the best two minutes of your life.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape III [follow link]

MP3: 01. Her Space Holiday – “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend”
MP3: 02. Rogue Wave – “All You Need is Love (Beatles Cover)”
MP3: 03. Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto – “The Girl From Ipanema”
MP3: 04. Sam Cooke – “You Send Me”
MP3: 05. Spoon – “Bring it on Home to Me (Sam Cooke Cover)”
MP3: 06. Cloud Cult – “Chemicals Collide”
MP3: 07. Tom Vek – “C-C (You Set the Fire in Me)”
MP3: 08. Mark Ronson ft. Wale – “You’re All I Need to Get By”
MP3: 09. The Rolling Stones – “Beast of Burden”
MP3: 10. Michael Cera & Ellen Page – “Anyone Else But You”
MP3: 11. Nick Miller – “Umbrella”
MP3: 12. Dntel – “Rock My Boat (ft. Mia Doi Todd)”
MP3: 13. Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
MP3: 14. Flight of the Conchords – “Business Time”

Treat your loved one special today folks, and enjoy your Valentine’s Day. And if you don’t have a loved one, go find one. And if you don’t want to find one, eat a gallon of ice cream in your pajamas while you sit at home alone crying about how February 14th is a stupid and meaningless holiday. Your choice.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Instrumental Mixtape II

Album Artwork: [Front Cover] [Back Cover]

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve mad one of these bad boys, huh? I asked you readers a few weeks back for suggestions about how to improve the site. Practically every response begged for more mixtapes, and who am I to disappoint my loyal readers (all six of you)? The first Instrumental Mixtape was thrown together quickly, but I personally think that it’s the best mixtape I’ve made on ATG, so I figured I’d take a stab at another. You’ll notice that normal instrumental favorites Ratatat, Air, and Explosions in the Sky have been passed up for newer and more obscure acts such as TRS-80 and Ornament. This is not to say that I don’t absolutely adore those three bands (because i do), but I felt that, recently, my mixtapes haven’t branched out enough, so I went out on a limb a bit more on this one. Also, in honor of the newest mixtape, I have re-upped all of the previous mixes, which can be downloaded by clicking on the mixtapes tab at the top of the site.

The mixtape starts off with TRS-80’s “Bees Inside”, which I fell in love with upon hearing it in this Coca Cola ad that perfectly captures the song’s upbeat tone. The end of “Bees Inside” gets a bit odd, but that craziness pales in comparison to track two, “Windowlicker”. I had only heard Aphex Twin once (in the scary/creepy/horrible/nightmare-inducing “Rubber Johnny” video) before hearing the last minute and a half of “Windowlicker” in the movie Grandma’s Boy, which happens to be one of my favorites. After doing some research, I uncovered the gem that is “Windowlicker”, and promptly placed it onto this mixtape. The video is equally as good/creepy as “Rubber Johnny”, and from the 4:51 of the song until the end is one of my favorite parts of a song, ever. Instrumental heavyweight RJD2 weighs in next with “Act 2”, which sounds a bit like Mountains in the Sky’s “Noah’s Arkestra”, featured on the first instrumental mix. Ornament contributes “Hands All Around”, and flows quite nicely into my favorite song on the mixtape, Phoenix’s “North”. “North” could be fitting on any number of mixtapes (night drive/road trip/sleep/etc.), representing a departure from Pheonix’s more usual danceable tracks. This song just exudes beauty and serenity.

Up next is Caribou’s “Irene”, which is best enjoyed while watching the stunningly beautiful video which, sadly, was recently removed from YouTube. I recommend scouring the internet to find it, it’s worth it. Holy Fuck gives us “Lovely Allen” next, followed by one of Daft Punk’s most subdued and beautiful songs, “Make Love”. My favorite robots craft a song that makes the instruments sound like vocals, something that truly makes an instrumental track special. Dert’s remix of Jose Gonzalez’s “Down the Line” is next, featured on Dert’s beat tape In My Nature (which can be freely downloaded here). The final song on the instrumental mix, “Drawing Mountains” is far and away the most soothing, putting you to sleep after the aural orgasm that is this mixtape.

OH YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DONE. Nah. Justice storms onto the mix as the bonus track, contributing “Genesis” which not only features the coolest beginning to a song, like, ever, but is also criminally underrated and is easily my favorite song on their debut.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Instrumental Mixtape II [follow link]

MP3: 01. TRS-80 – “Bees Inside”
MP3: 02. Aphex Twin – “Windowlicker”
MP3: 03. RJD2 – “Act 2”
MP3: 04. Ornament – “Hands All Around”
MP3: 05. Phoenix – “North”
MP3: 06. Caribou – “Irene”
MP3: 07. Holy Fuck – “Lovely Allen”
MP3: 08. Daft Punk – “Make Love”
MP3: 09. Dert – “Down the Line”
MP3: 10. The Album Leaf – “Drawing Mountains”
MP3: Bonus: Justice – “Genesis”

I hope you enjoyed the Instrumental Mixtape II. Remember that all of the mixtapes can now be downloaded over at the Mixtapes tab up on the top of the screen. If you liked these songs, be sure to go pick up the albums. Every single one is worth it. Alternate links after the jump.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Adorable Mixtape Part II

Finally, the long awaited sequel to the Adorable Mixtape Pt. I is available. This time, the artists are a nice mix of ATG favorites (The Flaming Lips, Eels, NMH) and some newcomers (PAS/CAL, M. Bison, Weakerthans). This time I’ve made them available for download directly (apparently zshare is too hard for you guys), so download the mix as a whole or each song individually, and make sure to smile while you listen.

The mix starts off with the PAS/CAL gem “The Bronzed Beach Boys”, which is aptly titled as it is perfectly fitting for a 50’s dance party on the beach. The upbeat, summer vibe continues into the next track, a Flaming Lips ditty written for and featured on the Spongebob Squarepants movie soundtrack. This song is not only relevant because it’s featured in a silly movie for children, but also because it features bubble noises, goofy lyrics, and continues the trend of unnecessarily long song titles on this mixtape. The Weakerthans make their first appearance on an ATG mix with their short and thoughtfully crafted song which was originally introduced to me by former ATG writer Alex. Up next is The Format, whose 2006 effort, Dog Problems, could be an adorable mix all on it’s own. “Snails” stands out because it is my favorite song on an album that sounds both immature and refined; flawless yet emotionally flawed. The Boy Least Likely To make a repeat appearance (“Be Gentle With Me” was featured on the Adorable Mix Part I), this time with a B-side that, in my opinion, outshines most every other track the band has released. “Rock Upon a Porch With You” is about losing youth, but the band demonstrates through the song that growing up isn’t all bad.

The second half of the mixtape starts off with Eels, who I’ve been a huge fan of ever since hearing “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” in Road Trip. Eels lyrics tend to be very reflective and profoundly sad, yet his instrumentation and tone allows for listeners to feel equally sad and hopeful, and “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” is the perfect example. Jim Noir shows us on song 6 that not only is the “Key of C” easier to play in, but also music tends to be much more adorable in said key. Adorable experimental bliss-pop kings AiH donate “The Owls Go”, a song that is all over the place with many different key changes and bridges. Also featured in the track is a little girl saying “attic in the basement”, which is either very cute or very disturbing. I cannot decide yet. I got the 8th track “Slow Atop the Mountain” when I was reading one of my favorite blogs, I Guess I’m Floating, a while back. Connor, Nathaniel, and I seem to have very similar tastes in music, as much of what they feature on their site has been featured here, and vice versa. NMH finishes off the mixtape with “The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. I”, which is eerily cute and contains lyrics that are so abstract that I cannot tell whether or not the message of the song is positive or not. Finally, since I decided that an Adorable Mixtape couldn’t be considered complete without a song from LA up-and-comers The Little Ones, I added the bonus track, “There’s a Pot a Brewin”, which was featured on the Lovers Who Uncover 7″. This song has all the makings for a bliss-pop gem, with upbeat instruments added one by one (much like one adds ingredients to a brewing pot of stew!) until the song practically bursts with excitement, energy, and flavor.

Enjoy the songs below, and remember that if you like them, be sure to purchase the albums.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Adorable Mixtape Part II [follow link]

MP3: 1. PAS/CAL – “The Bronzed Beached Boys (Come on Let’s Go)”
MP3: 2. The Flaming Lips – “Spongebob & Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy”
MP3: 3. The Weakerthans – “Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)”
MP3: 4. The Format – “Snails”
MP3: 5. The Boy Least Likely to – “Rock Upon a Porch With You”
MP3: 6. Eels – “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)”
MP3: 7. Jim Noir – “Key of C”
MP3: 8. Architecture in Helsinki – “The Owls Go”
MP3: 9. M. Bison – “Slow Atop the Mountain”
MP3: 10. Neutral Milk Hotel – “The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. I”
Bonus MP3: The Little Ones – “There’s a Pot a Brewin”

I hope you all enjoyed the long awaited Adorable Mixtape Part II. Thanks for waiting, and expect more frequent updates in the near future, as I’m finally done with work this friday.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Adorable Mixtape Part I

I’ve gotten tons of e-mails and comments begging for more All Things Go mixtapes, and I’m more than happy to oblige. I’ve been working on the Adorable Mixtape for months now, and this theme is very exciting for me. I love adorable music, from the bubbly pop of Lily Allen and Regina Spektor to the innocent cuddlyness of The Boy Least Likely to. I really can’t explain how much I adore just plain adorable music. I scoured my entire library, and, after a while, I realized that these songs would not be able to fit on one mixtape. I’ve decided to solve this problem by creating two Adorable mixtapes (parts I and II). Part I is below, and Part II will be up sometime next week. As usual, I’ve made the songs available for download individually and as a .zip. However, because of the popularity of the downloads on previous mixtapes, I will be hosting the individual songs externally. Enjoy the ATG Adorable Mixtape Pt. I.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Adorable Mixtape Part I [follow link]

MP3: 1. The Spinto Band – “Oh Mandy”
This song, along with “I’m a Cuckoo”, is what spawned my desire to make this mix. While the first few seconds of the song are by far the cutest, the falsetto vocals and high-pitched strings create a beautifully crafted love song from start to finish.

MP3: 2. The Boy Least Likely To – “Be Gentle With Me”
The Boy Least Likely to are experts at using unorthodox, yet quite sweet instruments such as the ever-underrated xylophone. This song just has a very innocent tone, and their usage of falsetto vocals represents a recurring trend on this mixtape.

MP3: 3. Belle & Sebastian – “I’m a Cuckoo”
This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and is the first song I ever listened to 10 times in a row, all in one sitting. I cannot get enough of the absolutely brilliant guitar riff and the ever-so-cute lyrics, like “I’d like to see you, I had a funny dream and you were wearing funny shoes”. This song is adorable from the first second, and never loses it’s steam; The ultimate happy, pick-me-up song.

MP3: 4. The Unicorns – “I Was Born (A Unicorn)”
Both The Unicorns and Islands (Nick Diamonds and J’aime Tambeur’s other band) are obscenely goofy and create perfectly carefree music. “I Was Born” allows the members to introduce themselves not only as unicorns, but as people too. The bouncy, happy-go-lucky guitar line expertly compliments the random vocals, creating a doozy of an adorable track.

MP3: 5. Vampire Weekend – “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”
Some of you guys may not frequent GWFAS, so you may have never heard of this folky, up-and-coming group from New York who, according to Derek, are “four kids from Columbia University who write fun, shouty, skinny-tie indie rock songs about summertime, Cape Cod, reggaeton and Lil’ Jon”. Others that have heard this song might say that it isn’t exactly adorable. This song reminds me of old Paul Simon, someone that, since I was five years old, has always had the ability to cheer me up and make me feel warm with his music.

MP3: 6. David & the Citizens – “Graycoated Morning”
This song was one of the first I ever posted here at ATG, and for good reason. These guys haven’t really broken into the blogosphere, but here’s hoping they get the press they definitely deserve.

MP3: 7. Bishop Allen – “Click Click Click Click”
Bishop Allen got plenty of press for their year-long project, releasing a monthly EP for all 12 months in 2006. While there were definitely some highlight months (January, March), the July EP gave us this absolute gem of an adorable song. From the soft vocals to the sing-song chorus to the warm guitar line, “Click Click Click Click” was made for this mixtape. My favorite part of the song comes at the 1:04 mark, when the drums and second guitar join in to create the full, happy sound.

MP3: 8. Regina Spektor – “Hotel Song”
Other Regina songs like “On the Radio” or “Fidelity” might’ve worked better for this mix, but i chose “Hotel Song” because; 1) You guys have probably heard those other two songs before, 2) “Hotel Song” is equally adorable, and 3) Regina makes the lyrics “a little bag of cocaine” sound cute. God bless you Regina Spektor.

MP3: 9. Tally Hall – “Good Day”
This song reminds me of when my brothers and I used to listen to They Might Be Giants all the time. Tally Hall channels TMBG’s quirky, intentionally awkward vibe (see: their album is called Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum) perfectly on this song, and the results are outstanding. These guys aren’t just “that band from that OC mix”, but instead a quality new band with an strong following, something that we can never have enough of.

MP3: 10. Lily Allen – “LDN”
People may be starting to get sick of Lily Allen, and my girlfriend may like to poke fun at me for enjoying this song as it’s fairly girly and almost unbearably bubble-gum-poppy. But damnit, it’s so unbelievably catchy. You try getting this chorus out of your head.

That’s it for the All Things Go Adorable Mixtape Pt. I. Stay tuned for Pt. II next week, and let me know what you guys think about the mix in the comments.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape Vol. II

Today is a very special day. And every special day deserves a special mixtape. I’m actually incredibly surprised to get this mix up on time (as last year’s mix went up 3 days late…). In honor of this very happy day, I have re-upped the ATG Cannabliss Mixtape Vol. I, which you can grab here (or find on the Mixtapes page above), as well as created this masterpiece. Lets get to the All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape Vol. II

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Cannabliss Mixtape Vol. II [follow link]

MP3: 1. The Apples in Stereo – “Vocoder Ba Ba”
This is more of a joke, clocking in at a massive 14 seconds long. It’s just here to get you in the right mindset for the rest of the mix.

MP3: 2. Beck – “The New Pollution”
I’m not a huge Beck fan, but I cannot get enough of this song. I know it’s old and I know everyone’s heard it a million times, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the surreal beat sounds so damn awesome after a nice session.

MP3: 3. Ghostland Observatory – “Silver City”
My girlfriend Claire has some superb taste in music, and while I normally don’t give her respect for the songs she finds for me (because I’m selfish and can’t stand anyone elses recommendations), this one is well-deserved. I listened to it 8 times the first night she sent it to me, and have only slowed that pace slightly since. In fact, it’s even my ringtone right now. The entrancing background bass and synth-driven melodies are the perfect combination for a mind-altering track on this mind-altering mixtape.

MP3: 4. Royksopp – “Remind Me”
This song, featured prominently in the Geico commercials, is just way too good not to be on some sort of mix. Whether it’s a sleep mix, a drive mix, or a weed mix, “Remind Me” is absolutely beautiful in a completely effortless way. Royksopp was featured on last year’s mix, just because any of their music is perfect for this beautiful day.

MP3: 5. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names – “Rent a Wreck”
I just wrote about these guys last week. I needed at least one incredibly happy, upbeat, trippy beat (see: Atom & His Package last year) and “Rent a Wreck” is just that, with perfect sing-a-long vocals and a bouncy synth line that may or may not make you eargasm.

MP3: 6. Peter Bjorn & John – “Amsterdam”
Not only is the song quite good, but it’s titled “Amsterdam”. No description necessary.

MP3: 7. Andrew Bird – “Simple X”
I needed at least one Andrew Bird song in this mix. After debating between 4 songs, i chose “Simple X” because: A) it’s a more ethereal and interesting track by Andrew and B) because you may not have heard it before. Just sit back and enjoy the wonder that is Andrew Bird. For a perfect cannabliss mix, just put any of his albums on repeat.

MP3: 8. Radiohead – “Idioteque”
I’m not a huge Radiohead lover, but this song is just too perfect for this mix to be passed up. I’m sure most of you have heard it before, so I’m not going to ramble on about it’s glory and emotion, except to say that it’s both glorious and emotional.

MP3: 9. Dntel – “Dumb Luck”
Again, I just wrote about this song yesterday, so I’ll revert you back to my description there.

MP3: 10. Electric President – “Good Morning, Hypocrite”
Electric President is in the vein of Dntel, and their epic masterpiece, “Insomnia” was featured on the OC and on my Night Drive Mixtape II. “Good Morning, Hypocrite” is a more subdued track, with innocent, whispering vocals and a beautifully crafted mellow beat. This song is perfect for the last stages of a high, when the listener is ready to close his eyes.

MP3: 11. 65 Days of Static – “Radio Protector”
I had to save the most epic song for last. This 5:17 masterpiece is unrivaled in passion, yet features no lyrics. Little did I know that a song with just a piano, drums, and a few simple synths could convey such emotion. This may be the most fitting song on the mix, and is a flawless finale for this mixtape.

I hope you enjoyed the ATG Cannabliss Mixtape Vol. II. Remember to smoke carefully, and to practice moderation. And if you are the police and you are reading this, please don’t bust me, I don’t want my mellow to be harshed.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Dance Mixtape

Finally, a dance mix. I completed this mixtape over 2 months ago, yet for some reason (see: laziness) I’ve yet to post it. As usual, you can download the whole .zip below or download each song individually. In the words of the great Keenan & Kel, awwwwww here goes:

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Dance Mixtape [follow link]

MP3: 1. Teddybears – “Cobrastyle”
I realized that this song was thoroughly overplayed when I heard it in the preview for Epic Movie, and when I heard my roommate listening to it (NOTE: his favorite bands are Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, and Godsmack. Kill me). I still hold my claim that I found this song first, hearing it on the FIFA 2006 soundtrack (which came out in 2005, so there). Regardless of it’s over-usage, it’s still a catchy song with an unbearably infectious hook and simple vocals, and was the first song I put in the playlist for this mix.

MP3: 2. Daft Punk – “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”
How can you make a dance mix without a little Daft Punk? This song is perfect for a dance party or a workout mix, but either way it gets you pumped.

MP3: 3. Head Automatica – “Beating Heart Baby”
This song really doesn’t fit my musical tastes, which makes it difficult to explain why I love it so much. Maybe it’s the catchy-as-shit singalong vocals or the cheesy chorus, or maybe it’s just that the song, as a whole, is just plain fun. I picked up this song from Derek’s M3 Dance Dance mix, and have been bangin’ it ever since.

MP3: 4. Bloc Party – “Helicopter (Allen Breakneck Mix)”
The original of this song might be more fitting for a dance mixtape, but I figured everyone has heard it before, so I went with the slightly less-known remix, off of Silent Alarm Remixed. Allen contributes two versions of “Helicopter” to Bloc Party’s remix album, but the Breakneck Mix does a much better job of keeping the upbeat feel of the original.

MP3: 5. The Rapture – “Whoo! Alright – Yeah…Uh Huh (WAYUH)”
I wrote about this song a while back, and it’s still on heavy rotation in my car. One of former ATG writer Austin’s favorite bands tore their way through the indie music scene with their latest effort, Pieces of the People We Love. “WAYUH” is the highlight track, and perfectly captures The Rapture’s goofy, carefree vibe.

MP3: 6. Franz Ferdinand – “Do You Want To”
In my opinion, dance-rock kings Franz Ferdinand fell off a little bit with their second release, You Could Have it So Much Better, but there were a few gems on the album nonetheless. My favorite song off the album happened to be the radio-ready and commercially popularized “Do You Want To”. Though this is probably the most “mainstream” song on this album, that takes nothing away from the dance-able-ness of it.

MP3: 7. Hot Hot Heat – “Talk to Me, Dance with Me”
Another group that seems to just pump out dance hits. This song was actually on their 2002 debut album, Make Up the Breakdown. Any song with cowbell is alright by me, plus it has the word dance in the song title. A perfect fit for a dance mix.

MP3: 8. Diplo vs. The Beatles – “Shhake it Up”
This was a late addition to the mixtape, but definitely deserves a spot. Renowned DJ/remix-artist/mashup-maker Diplo takes a classic song from the 60’s and, dare I say, makes it even more dance-able. I will admit that this song is muuuuuch more fun to dance to while completely and totally innebriated.

MP3: 9. Graham Coxon – “Standing on My Own Again”
Another member of Blur making a side project that’s better than Blur? Graham Coxon continues the trend started by Damon Albarn and Gorillaz by releasing another solo album, Love Travels at Illegal Speeds, which deserved more acclaim and attention than it received (though it did hit #24 on the UK charts back in March and received a 7.0 from P-fork). This is one of former ATG writer Ryan and my lovely ladyfriend Claire’s favorite artists.

MP3: 10. Mylo – “Drop the Pressure”
I’ve heard around 20 different versions of the song, and can’t seem to find which one is the authentic, original version. I went with this version because it’s the most rhythmic, and features synthy vocals and bouncy bassline that keep the song rolling. Regrettably, I haven’t listened to anything else by Mylo except for this song, so he conceivably could’ve made an even more fitting song, but I think “Drop the Pressure” is just right for this mixtape.

MP3: 11. Justice vs. Simian – “Never Be Alone”
Awh Yeah. I give Derek 2000% of the credit for discovering this absolute gem of a song. Since I can’t even put into words how much I love this song, ill defer to Derek on this one:
“The fact of the matter is, this is easily the most well-received song I’ve ever played for anyone – from indie kids, to preppy douchebags, even to people who don’t give a fuck about music at all – no one’s ever not wanted to hear it again and again. Then there’s the small issue that there many never have been a better party song. Ever. Seriously, there’s pretty much nothing more enjoyable than screaming out this chorus with your closest friends in drunken, sweaty unison.”
Pretty much.

MP3: 12. Girl Talk – “Bounce That”
I’ve written about Girl Talk before, so I’m not going to re-tell how much I love Gregg Gillis. I’m just going to tell you to listen to “Bounce That”. And I’m going to tell you that Girl Talk mixed NMH’s “Holland 1945” with Juelz Santana’s “There it Go (The Whistle Song)” seamlessy. If you really want a dance mix, just put on Night Ripper and shake accordingly.

MP3: 13. Modest Mouse – “Dashboard”
The first single off of the indie/mainstream gods’ latest release, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, is entirely too catchy for it’s own good. So catchy, in fact, that it’s taken over the radio. I know there will be doubters out there that will say “man, Modest Mouse sold out” or “this is nowhere near as good as their old stuff”, but seriously, try to listen to this song and sit still.

MP3: 14. LCD Soundsystem – “Daft Punk is Playing at My House”
The only thing better than listening to Daft Punk is having Daft Punk playing at your house, your house. LCD Soundsystem creates a doozy of a dance hit with their ode to everyone’s favorite electronikings (new word). Just when you thought this song couldn’t get any cooler, they have to go and make an awesome stop-action music video that perfectly fits the song’s mood.

MP3: 15. Eric Prydz – “Call on Me”
Call on meeeeee, Call on me. Check the video. ‘Nuff said.

MP3: BONUS: LCD Soundsystem – “Tribulations (Shallow Version)”
Ok, it’s not really a bonus. I just wanted an even 15 songs on the mix, but couldn’t possibly cut this song from the mix. LCD makes a return appearance to deliver a more stripped down version of their other incredibly awesome dance anthem, which still maintains the incredible awesomeness.

I hope you enjoyed the ATG Dance Mixtape. As always, you can print out the artwork and give this mix to a friend and pretend you made it. Just make sure you shake what your mother gave you.

Love,
Zack

All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape Two

Some say that Valentine’s Day is a hallmark holiday and solely created to feed consumerism, but those people are either incapable of love or have been heartbroken one too many times. I have always looked forward to this day, even though I was the kid who was slighted every time the cool kids passed out Valentines to everyone in the class but me. Well here’s payback, in music form. With this second edition of the All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape (part 1 came out last Feb. 14th), I’m giving to everyone. Enjoy.

ALSO, I’ve re-uploaded the original ATG Valentine’s Day Mixtape One in .zip form, and you can find it in the original post or through the Mixtape tab at the top of the page. Keep in mind it was the first mixtape I made on ATG, so the writing is fairly, if not completely, lame.

DOWNLOAD: All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape Vol. II [follow link]

MP3: 1. The Beatles – All You Need is Love
Perfectly fitting that this mixtape begins with horns, trumpeting the glory of love. This remake (off of 2006’s LOVE), originally released on Yellow Submarine, is relatively untouched, mostly because the song was perfect as was.

MP3: 2. Outkast – Happy Valentine’s Day
This was the only song also featured on the original ATG Valentine’s Day Mixtape, so I’ll refer to my description last year; “One of the sexiest, hippest, funkiest, jazziest, freshiest, songs ever created. Andre 3000 released a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, with fellow Outkaster Big Boi in late 2004, though Andre definetely stole the show. He speaks over the track much like Barry White did on his songs, using his vocals as a background to the beat of the song, which features a simple bassline, claps, and a catchy, yet quite simple, guitar riff. This song perfectly exemplifies the sexy feeling one gets on this day of love.” Pretty much.

MP3: 3. Teddybears – Yours to Keep (ft. Neneh Cherry)
I just did a little write-up about the multiple versions of this song a few days back. I chose the Neneh Cherry version because it gives off a more soft, cuddly vibe full of youthful, innocent, immature love.

MP3: 4. The Format – Inches and Falling
The Format just exude adorableness, so really most songs on Dog Problems could work for a Valentine’s mix, but I chose “Inches and Falling” because of the first three lines of the song; “I love love/ I love being in love/ I don’t care what it does to me”. Even if the whole message of the song isn’t lovely, it’s beginning alone is enough to find a spot here.

MP3: 5. The Blow – Parentheses
The Blow are my new obsession, and “Parentheses”, off of their latest effort, Paper Television (#2 on my Top Albums of 2006 list), was one of the two songs that sucked me in, again because of sweet, youthful lyrics. For example, the chorus begins with “When you’re holding me/ We make a pair of parentheses”. Can you get more endearing than that?

MP3: 6. Voxtrot – The Start of Something
Derek introduced me to Voxtrot about a year or so ago, and while “The Start of Something” has been on heavy rotation ever since, I didn’t truly realize how fitting this song was for a V-day mix until I started compiling the mixtape. With delicate vocals and a young-love feel, Voxtrot has created a song that is the quintessence (I use a thesaurus because Claire says I use the words incredible, adorable, cute, cuddly, awesome, and epic way too much) of a love song.

MP3: 7. Air Traffic – Just Abuse Me
Air Traffic (also introduced to me by Derek) takes a different, more masochistic approach to the love song. “Just Abuse Me” trades in the tender, lovey-dovey lyrics with more twisted, grown-up, realistic ones, such as “Im independent but I’m tied to you/ You lied to me, I’d die for you/ But I can’t read your mind.” That’s my kind of love.

MP3: 8. Rhymefest – Build Me Up (ft. O.D.B.)
While this may be the anti-love song, since it’s about a girl letting a boy down on multiple occasions, Rhymefest somehow transforms an absolute classic into an accessible track that teaches listeners to be careful what, or more accurately, who you wish for. Still, this new spin deserves a spot, if only to inform listeners of the dangers of throwing yourself at someone.

MP3: 9. Say Anything – Alive With the Glory of Love
Adrian and I used to pump this song up in my 1991 Volvo 240 (my indie cred just skyrocketed) and sing along, poorly. Cleverly using metaphors and images (“Should they kill me/ Your love will fill me/ As warm as the bullets”), to get across the point that love is worth fighting and even dying for. Also, any song that starts with “When I watch you/ Wanna do you/ Right where you’re standing” deserves a place on this mix.

MP3: 10. Stars – Elevator Love Letter
Stars may just be the epitome of a love-song band. Armed with two expert vocalists, meaningful lyrics, and stunning melodies to boot, these guys just pump out beautiful song after beautiful song. After giving all of their works a good listen, “Elevator Love Letter” stood out, and was the simple choice.

MP3: 11. The Rolling Stones – Under My Thumb
This spectacularly simple track is dedicated to my main squeeze, Claire Amelie Cafritz (see, I do give you shoutouts!).

MP3: 12. The Long Winters – Pushover
These guys, much like Stars, are warm love-song masterminds. While “Cinnamon” was the centerpiece to last year’s V-Day Mixtape, “Pushover” perfectly compliments the rest of the mix by providing a more stereotypically fluffy, lovely feel.

MP3: 13. Brett Dennen – The One Who Loves You the Most
Brett is finally getting some love from the media, and for good reason. With completely accessible rhythms and lyrics, Brett has created a masterpiece with 2006’s release, So Much More. This song in particular is more directed at a lovely lady, and Brett gets to crooning right from the get-go.

MP3: 14. The Blow – Come on Petunia
The Blow returns to the mixtape with a semi-cover of “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by The Police. While she recycles the chorus, the verses are all new, and less sappy than the original. With a simplistic, repititious beat in the background, Khaela Maricich narrates a beautifully indie love story.

MP3: 15. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife 3
The most somber track on the mixtape is the icing on the heart-shaped cake, brought to you by The Decemberists. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is not only my favorite Decemberists song, but also one of the most well composed and passionate songs I have ever laid ears upon. A flawless ending to another ATG mixtape.

Thanks for checking out the All Things Go Valentine’s Day Mixtape Two. Make sure you check out volume one (here), and be sure to kiss your significant other today, whether that be your boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend, parent, or this:

PS: happy birthday to Joanna “Jojo” Davis.

Love,
Zack