On Wednesday, we published the first of the Valentine's playlist mix, featuring tracks from Beach House, Elliott Smith, Magnetic Fields, The Shins, The Kinks, Beck The Cure, and many others more - a total of 14 great indie, pop, folk and classic rock songs dating from the mid-1960's to present day.

Today, we present to you the second, and final, of our 2010 Valentine's mixes, showcasing an eclectic mix of artists and bands, including Bright Eyes, Nick Drake, Led Zeppelin, The Clientele, The Kinks, Cheap Trick, Tupac, Kings of Convenience, Woodpigeon, and Deer Tick, as well as lesser known indie bands like Old Lights, Army of Me, Marching Band, Avi Buffalo and Showstar.

For those of you not familiar with some of these bands and artists - past and present - included in this mix, hopefully you'll find some songs that you'll cherish forever. Each track has earned it's rightful place in this mix. For example, it was really difficult to pick just one representative song from the first four artists in this mix. That is not more the case with any other than Led Zeppelin, who have been, and will always be, one of the most monumental and influential rock bands of all time - and that itself is an understatement. Not many bands can claim to have written and recorded so many absolutely kick-ass, classic rock masterpieces in such a relatively short period of time (roughly 1969 to 1975).

On the same note, and at the other side of the spectrum of intense, brilliant composing, Nick Drake will forever be regarded as one of the most gifted singer-songwriters ever. Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes (and also solo artist and member of the supergroup Monsters of Folk) is easily one of the greatest wordsmith, composers and musicians of the past decade.

And, of course, The Kinks, are on this list too, but for many people, it may be the first time they've ever heard this particular Kinks' song. It is one of the rare, unknown klassics of the Kinks' kronology in which the band's legendary guitarist, Dave Davies (the brother of lead songwriter-singer Ray Davies), wrote and sang the song himself.

The track, "Trust My Heart," is a far cry from the chunky, hard-core guitar riffs the younger Davies (who was only 17 at the time) introduced in 1964 on the back-to-back hit singles, "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night," two songs that changed the sound of guitar rock forever, and some respected rock critics credit with inspiring the punk rock movement a decade later.

"Trust Your Heart" demonstrates Davies under appreciated skill as a songwriter and vocalist, while simultaneously re-affirming his status as one of the best guitarists of the golden era of rock and roll. Finally, most of these songs just cannot be properly replicated on an MP3 for sound quality and depth as they are if you listen to them on vinyl with a pair of sweet speakers.

"Lover I Don't Have to Love" - Bright Eyes from Lifted or the Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground (2002)

"Northern Sky" - Nick Drake from s/t debut (1971)

"Whole Lotta Love" - Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin II (1969)

"Trust Your Heart" - The Kinks from Misfits (1978)

"For Your Love" - Marching Band from Spark Large (2008)

"What's It In For?" - Avi Buffalo from s/t debut (2010)

"If You Come Over Tonight" - Old Lights from Every Night Begins the Same (2009)

"Here Comes The Phantom" - The Clientele from God Save The Clientele (2007)

"Love Song" - Army of Me from Make Yourself Naked EP (2009)

"If You Want My Love" - Cheap Trick from One on One (1982)

"Love" - Showstar from Think Ringo (2010)

"Unconditional Love" - Tupac from Greatest Hits (1998)

"The Ghost" - Deer Tick from Born on Flag Day (2009)

"Mrs. Cold" - Kings of Convenience from Declaration of Dependence (2009)

"Love in the Time of Hopscotch" - Woodpigeon from Treasury Library Canada (2009)


Check out the first mix of this year's Valentine's playlist and last years Valentine's Playlist Mix.

Download the Zip of this mix.

Labels: Valentine's Playlists

Two times fourteen. That's how we decided to do this year's Valentines playlist series - two playlists of 14 songs each. It takes two to love and Feb. 14 is the day. Sure, it's corny, but hell, we think we've put together a pair of mixes featuring songs you love, or might love for the first time, spanning the history of rock from the mid-1960s to some of the best indie rock of today.

"Real Love" - Beach House from Teen Dream (2010)

"Say Yes" - Elliott Smith from Either/Or (1997)

"Book of Love" - Magnetic Fields from 69 Love Songs (1999)

"Without Your Love" - Roger Daltrey from McVicar (1980)

"Kissing The Lipless" - The Shins from Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

"Our Last Time As One" - Essex Chanel from Love is Proximity (2009)

"Something Better Beginning" - The Kinks from Kinda Kinks (1966)

"It Looks Like Love" - Josh Rouse from Subtitulo (2006)

"Throw Your Arms Around Me" (Jon Archer) - Neil Finn from Encore (1999)

"Friday I'm in Love" - The Cure from Wish (1992)

"So Long Marianne" - Leonard Cohen from The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968)

"Think I'm in Love" - Beck from The Information (2006)

"As You Turn To Go" - The 6ths from Hyacinths & Thistles (2000)

"Angela" - Bill Ricchini from Tonight I Burn Brightly (2005)

Dont' miss the second Valentine mix that will be posted on Saturday, Feb. 13th. In the meantime, you can also check out last year's Valentines Playlist Mix.

Don't forget to show your love for your favorite artists and bands by purchasing their music, going to their shows, snapping up some merchandise and telling your friends. All songs are displayed for promotional reasons only and are the sole property of their respective owners.

Labels: Indie Playlists, Valentine's Playlists

Whether you're already hitched, planning a date, have your eye on someone or don't have a date this Valentine's, there's nothing like a great playlist of indie songs related to love - with all its baggage.

This playlist features a range of artists and bands - including the opening 90s track from Extreme - with songs about that crazy little thing called love.

"More Than Words" - Extreme
"Night After Night" - The Sounds
"All My Love" - American Music Club
"Young Love" - Moto Boy
"Imaginary Girl" - Silver Seas
"Here's Lookin At You Kid" - The Gaslight Anthem
"A Teenager In Love" - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
"Immaculate Heart" - American Analog Set
"No Goodbyes" - The Subways
"No One's Gonna Love You" - Band of Horses
"So Sweetly Around Me" - Page France
"Why I Cry" - The Magnetic Fields

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Labels: Valentine's Playlists