2011 SAINTS. A musical salvation.


2011 has been a very good year for music.  While it’s not over yet, I got a jump on my end-of-year mix because of the urgency of the task. I’ve been so saved by much of the year’s music in many ways. I’m also including a nod to some of the nice surprises from 2010, but the balance is all new, all this year.

I used to do a mix every year but haven’t for the last couple of years. I’m happy to be pressing again. This one investigates the qualities and battles of light and dark — inside.  We’ve got it all.

  1. Muppet Show Theme Song • OK Go • Muppets: The Green Album • 2011
  2. Wake Up Your Saints • The National • High Violet (Expanded Edition) • 2010
  3. Holy Holy • Wye Oak • Civilian • 2011
  4. Midnight City • M83 • Hurry Up We’re Dreaming • 2011
  5. Hair • Lady Gaga • Born This Way • 2011
  6. The Change • Evanescence • Evanescence • 2011
  7. Dear Rosemary • Foo Fighters • Wasting Light • 2011
  8. Stamp • The Rural Alberta Advantage • Departing • 2011
  9. The Bad In Each Other • Feist • Metals • 2011
  10. Lily (Director’s Cut) • Kate Bush • Director’s Cut • 2011
  11. Only If For A Night • Florence + The Machine • Ceremonials • 2011
  12. Keep Your Heart • TV On The Radio • Nine Types Of Light • 2011
  13. I Don’t Want Love • The Antlers • Burst Apart • 2011
  14. Perth • Bon Iver • Bon Iver • 2011
  15. The Rip Tide • Beirut • The Rip Tide • 2011
  16. The Devil’s Tears • Angus & Julia Stone • Down The Way • 2010
  17. Like Me • Chely Wright • Lifted Off The Ground • 2010
  18. Mercy Of The Fallen • Dar Williams • Many Great Companions • 2010

it’s time to light the lights
wake up your saints
for the blessed
city is my church
this is my prayer
screaming on the inside
you’re part of me you know you are
i will save you and i don’t need you
the good man and good woman
as we journey to thy sacred feet
you came over me like some holy rite
these words are not a bit profound
climb up the stairs
something faint
the waves and i
she’s my home
they’ll love you
we have some of them inside us

PS: hands-down the best musical show of the year and certainly in the top of all time: Beirut at the Independent. Thank you Victor.

Love The Disease

That man you were going to marry – if you could have just taken a hypospray to make yourself stop loving him, so that it didn’t hurt so much when you were away from him – would you have done that? — Harry Kim

I assumed that romantic love was a human weakness; but clearly it can also be a source of strength. Perhaps my analogy was flawed; love is not a disease. Get well soon
Seven of Nine

Today, I played High Violet, the new album by American folk indie-band The National. I fell in love with the song called Sorrow. Here it is.

for @yodelmachine — and I challenge you to say it’s not for you too