The 54th Annual Grammy Awards brought a plethora of amazing(and terrifying) performances.  For me though, the performance that left the most lasting positive impression was the encore of the night for Sir Paul McCartney and many friends, including The Boss Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh, and the original Fighter of Foo Dave Grohl. They delivered an epic performance of the last three tracks(minus the final hidden track) of The Beatles musical masterpiece Abbey Road. It was amazing to see Sir Paul conduct an epic guitar solo-off between the masters of rock that were gathered together to end the Grammy night. What’d you think of this performance?

Welcome to the first Monday in December! Time for another edition of Mixtape Monday! Ten more tracks that I’ve been listening to, that you should be too! Ready? 

As always… check out this week’s mixtape on Spotify!

1. Foo Fighters - “Breakout”

The mighty fighters of foo… one of those bands that continueously manages to rock my face off. “Breakout” comes from the band’s 1999 album, There Is Nothing Left To Lose. Hard to believe that Dave Grohl and the boys have been rocking hard for over sixteen years!

2. Hot Hot Heat - “Bandages”

Here’s a great track from a band that is one of our neighbor’s to the north.  The keyboard-driven Canadian Indie rockers, hailing from Victoria, British Columbia, had a number 1 smash with this tune off 2002’s, Make Up The Breakdown.

3. Eliza Doolittle - “Rollerblades”

I first heard this track on a recent TV ad campaign and couldn’t get it out of my head. This his from 2010 is bound to just make you bob your head from side to side and tap your feet. Enjoy it… just let it happen.

4. The Naked and Famous - “Young Blood”

I recently saw The Naked and Famous play WBRU’s 42nd Birthday Bash along with Young the Giant and Matt & Kim. I’d only recently been introduced to these rockers from New Zealand and am very impressed! They have a great sound and put on an awesome live show.

5. Incubus - “Anna Molly”

This is one of those songs that gets you rocking. I love the drive of the tune. Incubus is one of those bands that can get your grooving. “Anna Molly” is the lead single from the band’s sixth album, Light Grenades.

6. Abandon - “Live It Out”

Abandon is a five piece rock band out of Texas. I was flipping through the channels one day and came across our local news station, NECN, where they used this tune in one of their promos. I loved it. I’ve heard it over and over in the promos and finally heard the full song for myself the other day. Rockin’ tune!

7. Grouplove - “Tongue Tied”

This tune can be heard in the most recent iPod Touch ad campaign. Grouplove has been featured in past posts on this blog and are worthy of being added to more. This is a tune that’s one of those that you nod your head along with. Not sure how I feel about the random spoken word section halfway through, but overall a rockin’ tune.

8. Sleeping at Last featuring Jon Foreman - “Birthright”

Time to slow things down a bit. “Birthright” comes from Sleeping at Last’s March EP. Originally, I listened to this tune mainly because of the guest spot by Jon Foreman. From there, I’ve become a fan of the band’s music as a whole.

9. Johnny Cash - “In My Life”

“The Man In Black” is a true music legend. Johnny Cash’s music spans generations. I hadn’t heard his cover of The Beatle’s “In My Life” until recently. The raw emotion and vocals on this song really capture the song in general. Sure, not much can beat the original, but Cash does an honest and enjoyable job on the track from 2002’s American IV: The Man Comes Around.

10. The Who - “Love Reign O’er Me”

Nothing like a great classic rock song to finish out the set.  Here’s a huge hit from the English rock band The Who’s 1973 rock opera, Quadrophenia. It’s the last track on the album, and therefore the last track on this week’s edition of Mixtape Monday.

There you have it… another mixtape in the books. As always, let me know what you think… and go back and check out past mixtapes as well! Remember to become a fan of this blog on Facebook and follow over on Twitter for the latest updates and exclusive content!

Enjoy your week!

Happy First Monday of November! Let’s celebrate with another edition of Mixtape Monday! Here’s another ten tracks to start your week. Listen on Spotify and expand your horizons! Here’s where you can listen.

1. Freelance Whales - “Generator (First Floor)”

A great song from the Queens-based indie rockers Freelance Whales. If you’re racking your brain to find out where you’ve heard this tune, look no further than a recent Starbucks commercial.  Ringing bells now?  I love the banjo on this track.

2. The Human Beinz - “Nobody But Me”

Where else can you hear the word “no” over 100 times in a two minute and twenty second song? This is a classic tune, released in 1967, from one-hit wonders-of-sorts The Human Beinz.  Warning… it WILL get stuck in your head.

3. Foo Fighters - “Everlong”

Nothing like some classic Foo Fighters to throw in the mix.  The Foo’s truly are rock work-horses. They don’t stop cranking out great albums, so let’s take it back a few years and enjoy their roots.

4. The Decemberists - “Rox In The Box”

The Decemberists are known for their storytelling. Ever song tells a tale. This song is no exception, though it feels like we’re having a counting lesson(in a good way) throughout. I really enjoy the instrumentation of this song.

5. Phil Henry - “Colleen”

Phil Henry is one of those musicians that everyone should know. He’s another great storyteller in his music. “Colleen” is a track from Henry’s 2000 debut-album Board By Board, featuring a cool jazzy vibe with some sweet jazz flute and percussion. Definitely check out the rest of this Vermont-based musician’s stuff!

6. The Heavy - “How You Like Me Now”

Nothing like a sweet jam to continue the playlist flow. You’ll definitely get that jam with the The Heavy from Noid, England. They combine a sweet neo soul and funk vibe on this 2009 hit which has been featured all over the small screen as well as the big screen. When they played live on the Late Show with David Letterman, Dave loved the performance so much that he asked them to play an encore.

7. NEEDTOBREATHE - “Prisoner”

The groove continues with a great jam from the South Carolina-based rockers, NEEDTOBREATHE. “Prisoner,” from The Outsiders, has a sweet piano backing that adds to the full band vibe.

8. Jack Johnson - “Mudfootball (For Moe Lerner)”

Jack Johnson is one of those musicians that I keep coming back to. His records are those that I pull off the shelf and put on my turntable when I’m in need of a pick-me-up. He never fails to brighten my mood, put a smile on my face, and get my toes tapping.

9. Jon Foreman - “Resurrect Me”

Jon Foreman is one of the most prolific songwriters out there today. This song, from the Switchfoot lead-singer’s Spring EP, is a track that I constantly have on repeat. It tells a great story and there’s nothing like listening to it on the turntable. 

10. U2 - “Mysterious Ways”

In honor the the 20th anniversary of Achtung Baby, I’ve chosen this classic to close out this week’s Mixtape Monday. “Mysterious Ways’ is arguably one of the greatest U2 songs of all time.  There are too many greats to pick the best, but this ranks right up near the top.

There you have it… another mixtape in the books.  Hope you have it on repeat to brighten your Monday.  As always, let me know what you think… and go back and check out past mixtapes as well!  Remember to become a fan of this blog on Facebook and follow over on Twitter for the latest updates and exclusive content!

Happy Monday!