If there is one thing I’ve been accused of it is making some damn good love mixtapes. And I say accused because you make a mix tape for a single person (if you’re a gentleman that is). And in that regard, I’ve never had a complaint. However, the habit of keeping that playlist on a computer used by others has often led to torment.
Hey Frank, what is this iTunes playlist named Jessica?
Oh my god, its all lame acoustic shit. You’ve even got Banana Pancakes on here? What a pussy.
But I’ll let the haters keep hating because I know they burned a copy the next day and got laid off my hard work. And now YOU can do the same. And these are gender-neutral mixes, so no matter what you’re into – I’m gonna help make it happen.
Love Mixtape #1 – A Little Electronic, A Little Sweet
Seabear has a really mellow, yet filling vibe. They are great to start a mixtape with as they set a definite tone – the listener better curl up in their covers and get ready to be taken to that first time you kissed. And the lyrics are fairly confusing, but there are enough hints to convince someone this is a sweet, melancholy love song.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Born Ruffians remain one of the greatest band’s I was ever introduced to by reading this blog. And anything from their oddball and noisy Red, Yellow, & Blue album would seem like a poor choice to express attraction. But I assure you, the opening lyrics are beyond perfect, even if the second half of the song is beyond understanding.
Born Ruffians – Little Garçon
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Miike Snow is leading my best of 09 list at the moment. The song Silvia is clearly about passion and is one of the sexiest electronic songs I’ve heard in awhile. And if you are making a mix for someone named Silvia, well hopefully you’ve already used this song, but if not please let me know how it works out.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Animal Collective make some really bizarre and wild music. But that is perfect. You just hit a home run with Miike Snow. Animal Collective’s My Girls is for rounding the bases and collecting high fives from your team mates.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Junior Boys have made a lot of my mixtapes with the song Dull To Pause. Their mellow electronic sound combined with smooth, breathy vocals make a solid love mixtape addition. And honestly, this song is just GOOD.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
John Vanderslice continues the electronic music combined with slower tempo breathy singing. And this song is sort of a break up song – okay, he mentions a few times that he hooked up with your friend. BUT I still think if the recipient really likes you, they will identify the undertones.
John Vanderslice – C & O Canal
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Zee Avi is the sweet little singer songwriter recently out of Brushfire Records. I think it is a pretty amateur move to fill up a mixtape with sappy acoustic songs. But Zee sings with such an honesty that I felt it was appropriate. And I haven’t heard a sappy acoustic song this good in a long time.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Pictures And Sound are a really great band that I think may have been overlooked by many music aficionados. This song was really chosen for the lyrical content – you can’t lose with an apocalyptic question – if we were the last two people on Earth? Role playing AND bargaining, nice.
Pictures And Sound – The Last Ocean
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The Avett Brothers are no strangers to the pages of the Audio Muffin. And I’m not going to say that this isn’t clearly a song of heart break. But it is just so beautiful it doesn’t matter. This is a great mixtape tune.
The Avett Brothers – I And Love And You
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Feist surely has a handful of heart-stoppers to end a mixtape, but this one is definitely one of the best. Granted, the lyrics could be heavier, but the delivery overwhelms the actual words to give any meaning the listener is looking for. And just as you are snuggling up with your sweetheart you have the mix end with that hauntingly beautiful backing chorus.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.










still laughing from the opening hymnal. you are such a hopeless romantic.
I’m such a sucker….. and You are the tops…
(2007′s soulmates.com just got some play on the other day’s drive….)
Thanks for a new mix.
Oh snaps – I think the next mixtape will have to be the soulmates one – that one was sooo good.
If they hate then let ‘em hate and watch the money pile up.
Great site man, great playlist.
Yep, definitely going to add this to my arsenal of mixtapes. You need to go all retro and throw a mix on one of these bad boys.
Damn – that shit is $40 bucks! I always saw mixtapes as the poor man’s seduction device. If you have 40 bucks you can just give a girl 40 bucks to make out with you. That would be way easier.
You are wise beyond your years Big Frank.
these links no longer work