Dark+was+the+Night

 =//Dark Was the Night// brightens the day = By Adrienne Bracken Copy Editor and Entertainment Editor

Imagine a world in which no one is afraid to die, where lovers travel on trains to meet one another, where Amazing Grace is the sweetest sound, and where Snow White can be called upon. //Dark Was the Night,// an indie-themed compilation album, captures all of the aforementioned fantasies in its songs.

//Dark Was the Night// came to life when Aaron and Bryce Dessner, members of the band The National, and John Carlin, founder of the Red Hot Organization, came together with the idea of an exclusive album focusing solely on the talent many of today’s most popular indie songwriters possess. The album’s main purpose is to raise funds for the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to obtaining money and awareness for the AIDS epidemic.

Each album begins and ends with a bang. The first disc opens with the song “Knotty Pine” by the Dirty Projectors and David Byrne. The song plays like a jingle, both euphoric and dance-inducing. The album finishes with Sufjan Stevens’ slow, haunting “You Are the Blood.” The second album picks up on “Well-Alright,” a spastic, addicting sing-along composed by Spoon. Just as on the first disc, the second calmly ends, this time with a song entitled “Love vs. Porn.” Kevin Drew croons like a figure from a vague dream, providing the listener with a chance to reflect on the album’s intense emotions.

The two-disc set features a smattering of beautifully crafted independent songs between the openings and closings. Most prominent are Feist’s duets. “The Train Song,” recorded alongside music icon Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service) weaves the tale of the emotions two estranged lovers feel while traveling on paths that will ultimately reunite them. The song’s minimal acoustics bring out the sheer vocal elegance and power both Feist and Gibbard possess. Feist displays her vocal abilities a second time in a duet with Grizzly Bear entitled, “Service Bell.” Light music in the background again allows the singers’ voices to rise up apart from the music and enrapture the listener.

Countless other well-known indie acts compile the album, including The Arcade Fire, Iron and Wine, My Morning Jacket, Cat Power, The Decemberists, The National, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, and many others. All intertwine to compose a gorgeous album that plays out like a fairy tale for indie music enthusiasts.

Source: [|http://www.amazon.com]

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