Don't Tell a Soul, Vol. 58: Put your depressed sedations to rest

Submitted for the approval of the Twin Ports Awesome Mix Tape Appreciation Society ... the latest installment of "Don't Tell a Soul."

As always, to encourage the consumption of music that doesn't suck, I have provided -- wherever available -- links to free, artist-sanctioned MP3s of the songs.

Sixteen stone!
Matt

(Questions? Comments? Want one of your band's songs to be considered for an upcoming awesome mix tape? E-mail mperrine [at] duluthbudgeteer [dot] com.)

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1. Mac Lethal - "Mean Jab" (listen here)
Don't let the bluesy, Crew Jones-esque intro fool you -- this track quickly picks up the pace.

2. The Hives - "You Got it All ... Wrong" (listen here)
It's nice to hear that these guys haven't settled down!

3. The Afghan Whigs - "66"
The utlimate "slow jam" for people who aren't idiots?

4. Kenna - "Daylight"
Forget the image. Forget the famous friends. Forget the major label. Just dig into this expansive piece of heaven.

5. Eyedea & Abilities - "Star Destroyer"
I almost lost myself when E&A dropped this killer track at Pizza Luce last month -- that had to have been the most mindblowing show that place has ever hosted.

6. The Killers - "Who Let You Go?"
How did this not make "Hot Fuss"? (On a related note, what do you think it would take for the Electric Fetus to give me that bigass "Sawdust" promo poster they have?)

7. The Weakerthans - "Aside" (download others here) (and here!)
Tracks like this more than make up for the fact that these guys are fucking Canucks.... (Just kidding; I've got lots of love for the Weakerthans and the Great White North!)

8. The Specials - "Gangsters" (live MP3s available here)
This is legend.

9. Superdrag - "Cynicality" (Daytrotter vers.)
From the Daytrotter session notes: "'Cynicality' was one of the songs we recorded for our first album, 'Regretfully Yours.' It’s pretty much been in the setlist ever since." Great sound on this classic. (p.s. If you dig this, much of John Davis' new solo album, "Arigato!," carries on in the same fashion.)

10. Cake - "Daria" (two cover MP3s here)
Another interesting factoid from CakeMusic.com: "The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska." (Damn you, Steph Perpich, for calling me "Daria" for an entire year!)

11. The Standard - "Little Green" ("A Year of Seconds" available here) ("Metropolitan" available here)
If you want brooding, no-nonsense (and intelligent) rock 'n' roll, the Standard's got your card.

12. Billy Corgan - "Spiders"
No, my fascination with the "Ransom" soundtrack hasn't gone away yet....

13. Outkast feat. Sleepy Brown - "Morris Brown" (watch video here)
I love Outkast, but I was a little surprised to find out "Idlewild" went platinum ... aside from a few tracks (this one included), it just felt like a lemon.

14. The Hippos - "Wasting My Life"
As far as ska rock goes, there aren't too many bands I can stand. Congrats, Hippos!

15. Arrested Development - "Since the Last Time"
Turning a deaf ear to that embarrassing reference to Woody (yes, the Woody from "Toy Story"...), this is one of the best comeback tracks I've ever heard. (You must remember that, had I been involved with the Edgeways compilation "How Long Have You Been in Love?," I would've most certainly covered Arrested Development's "Tennessee.")

16. Splitsville - "Our Love Was" (Who cover) (other MP3s here too)
First off, I'm a sucker for anything remotely Who-sounding; so, when I found out that one of my favorite groups ever was covering one of the Who's most underappreciated tracks, I nearly lost it. And, to make my day a second time, Splitsville decided to offer this one up for free on its Web site!

17. ActionReaction - "Have a Cocktail"
I really didn't know what to expect from the former vocalist of Further Seems Forever -- I found this at the Village Square dollar store -- but I was pleasantly surprised. Just some gorgeous music here ... well worth a trip up there (and your pocket change, of course).

18. Val Emmich - "Privacy Attracts a Crowd"
Recommended if you like the Promise Ring, Pete Yorn and the feeling you get from good college radio.

19. Phonograph - "Little Chief"
Something tells me these guys would get along splendidly with Josh Harty.

20. Fielding - "OK, Alright"
Another dollar store find. This is epic-sounding pop music (you know, the kind favored by the Beatles before they started resenting each other...) that's lush, lush, lush.

21. Nathan Larson (of Shudder to Think) - "Operator" (many DLs available here)
It's funny how the members of Shudder to Think always make me want to watch movies I'm pretty sure I'll hate (they've collectively scored a number of films -- this Danny Elfman-worthy track's from "Phone Booth").

22. Hum - "Puppets"
This song kind of makes me sad. I bought this EP on vinyl at First Avenue during the band's farewell tour. (Tear?)

23. Maritime - "I Used to be a Singer"
I never thought Davey would up and top his work with the Promise Ring, but ... he's getting awfully close.