The Critical Asshole: Listening to...

This week, we here at CriticalAsshole.com are counting down the days until The Features new album Some Kind of Salvation make its nation-wide debut.  It will be available on Amazon.com and (should) be available through iTunes as well.  This week has cleverly been dubbed “Some Kind of Week” by Features Super-Fan Brett White of the Tumblr blog damageisdone.tumblr.com.  In honor of “Some Kind of Week,” I will be doing a daily posting leading up to the June 9th release to promote a fine album from a band that should be everyone’s favorite group of 2009.

Today’s posting is a bit personal, as I will be revealing a deeply held secret: I use The Features A LOT when I make mixes or playlists for my friends.  I’ve gone through my iTunes playlists and have listed the name of the mix as well as the particular “Features” song used in the mix.  Read on.  The clarity will reveal itself.

(I don’t really know why I felt this was important to write about, but I think it is.  I love The Features.  I can unabashedly say they are the best I’ve heard in a long time and they should be your favorite band as well.)

“Chris’s Mix” - 12/21/2004
The Features - “The Idea of Growing Old” from Exhibit A

“Allison and Jeremy’s Birthday Mix” - 1/21/2005
The Features - “Some Way, Some How” from Exhibit A.

“Back to School Mix” - 01/10/2005
The Features - “Blow It Out” from Exhibit A

“Homecoming 2007 Mix” - November 2007
The Features - Theme to the TV show Carpoolers

“Mix for Jamie” - 02/22/2007
The Features - “Dark Room” from Exhibit A (UK Edition)
The Features - “33 1/3” b-side from the “That’s the Way It’s Meant to Be” single

“John’s Road Trip CD” - Some time during summer of 2008
The Features - “Blow It Out” from Exhibit A

“Jorge Is Back In Texas Mix” - July of 2006
The Features - “Take You On” - demo (from Mahaffey Sessions?)

“Law School Exam Mix” - December 2008
The Features - “Take You On” - demo (from Mahaffey Sessions?)
The Features - “Blow It Out” from Exhibit A
The Features - “Lions” from Some Kind of Salvation

“Law School Mix” - October 2008
The Features - “Guillotine” from the Contrast EP

“LSAT Test Day Mix” - (I’m thinking September of 2007)
The Features - “The Idea of Growing Old” from Exhibit A

“Mix for Brian Dees” - 03/09/2008
The Features - “Lions” from Some Kind of Salvation
The Features - “The Drawing Board” from Some Kind of Salvation
The Features - “Concrete” from Some Kind of Salvation
The Features - “The Temporary Blues” from Some Kind of Salvation
The Features - “Foundation’s Cracked” from Some Kind of Salvation

“Mix for Dawna” - 07/13/2008
The Features - “Concrete” from Some Kind of Salvation

“Mix for Josh” - 09/17/2006
The Features - “Blow It Out” from Exhibit A
The Features - “The Idea of Growing Old” from Exhibit A

“Mix for Reb” - 02/29/2008
The Features - “The Idea of Growing Old” from Exhibit A
The Features - “Dark Room” from Exhibit A (UK Edition)
The Features - “Take You On” - demo (from Mahaffey Sessions?)

“Mix for Trip to Austin” - not sure of the date, but I’m nearly positive this was the mix I made for Reb and I’s trip to Austin for Brian and Kelly’s wedding.
The Features - “The Idea of Growing Old” from Exhibit A
The Features - “Take You On” - demo (from Mahaffey Sessions?)

“New Year’s Mix 2007” - not sure if this was 2006 going into 2007 or 2007 going into 2008
The Features - “Contrast” from the Contrast EP

“Reb and Hollis’s Date Mix” - 02/07/2009
The Features - “Now You Know” from Some Kind of Salvation

“Work Mix” - some time in late 2006
The Features - “Guillotine” from the Contrast EP