M3 Volume 8... Available Now

[cover art adapted from Threadless]

Springtime is here, awh yeah, and with it comes M3 Volume 8, officially dubbed the Springtime Edition. Like M3 Volume 3 before it in March of last year, Volume 8 compiles songs perfect for the unbridled optimism of springtime. Kicking things off is perhaps the perfect springtime jam, PAS/CAL's wonderfully innocent "The Bronzed Beach Boys", which many of you may remember from that Saturn commercial of last year. Next up are four tracks that were all originally found on M3 Volume 4, but all made the cut for reincarnation on Volume 8, and The Cloud Room's "Hey Now Now" and Rilo Kiley's "The Execution of All Things" were more or less the official soundtrack to my spring last year. Guillemots' flawless "Trains To Brazil" keeps the whole unbridled exuberance vibe going right on into I'm From Barcelona's "Treehouse", which is another one of my favorite songs of 2006. Athlete is next, and though many will be quick to dub them lame or played out, there's no denying the sheer fun that is provided by "You Got The Style", which moves nicely into The Perishers' "Trouble Sleeping", which features some of the best xylophone use this side of Engineers' "Blue Light" remix. No spring mix is complete without a little bit of the whimsical fun of The New Pornographers, who make their fourth M3 appearance (which is approaching record-breaking territory) here with "Electric Version", and Architecture in Helsinki keep the good times rolling with "Wishbone". Mates of State make the first of their two appearances with "Goods", which is pretty much the most euphoric song ever, and Heypenny and The Decemberists also chip in before Mates of State close out the album with "Punchlines", the best song off of their newest album, Bring It Back.

I've had this done for over a month now, but I've been waiting until spring officially bloomed to release it to you all, but I'm hoping it soundtracks your spring as wonderfully as it has for me so far.

Download: M3 Volume 8 [follow link]

M3 Volume 8:
01. "The Bronzed Beach Boys (Come On Let's Go)" - PAS/CAL
02. "Hey Now Now" - The Cloud Room
03. "Me and Mia" - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
04. "Homemade Bombs In The Afternoon" - A.C. Newman
05. "The Execution of All Things" - Rilo Kiley
06. "Trains To Brazil" - Guillemots
07. "Treehouse" - I'm From Barcelona
08. "You Got The Style" - Athlete
09. "Trouble Sleeping" - The Perishers
10. "Electric Version" - The New Pornographers
11. "Wishbone" - Architecture in Helsinki
12. "Goods (All In Your Head)" - Mates of State
13. "Brave" - Heypenny
14. "July, July" - The Decemberists
15. "Punchlines" - Mates of State

There you have it. Now, rip it to your pod, grab your 'phones, and just go outside and enjoy yourself.