The National's Red Hot Benefit Compilation Unveiled in Almighty Full

Word has, for some time, been trickling out about the brain-bending collaborations Bryce Dessner of New Yorker moodists The National was matchmaking for his forthcoming benefit CD. Now, Dark Was the Night —whose proceeds will go to help AIDS research funded by the Red Hot organization— has been unveiled in full, and it's one almighty compilation.

30 songs long, the 2CD/3LP(!) set is like a roll-call of the biggest names in alternative music, often paired together in inspired marriages. Antony and Dessner doing Dylan? Feist and Grizzly Bear snuggling up together? Dirty Projectors and David Byrne comparing Afro-pop guitar licks? Sharon Jones covering Shuggie Otis? Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch solo for the first time, um, ever? Holy infinite playlist!

Dark Was the Night will be released February 17, 2009 on the iconic 4AD Records. But, if you live in Australia, the release-date there is Valentine's Day, no less. So much love on the one day...

Dark Was the Night Track List
Disc one:
1. Dirty Projectors and David Byrne, "Knotty Pine"
2. The Books featuring José González, "Cello Song"
3. Feist and Ben Gibbard, "Train Song"
4. Grizzly Bear, "Deep Blue Sea"
5. The National, "So Far Around the Bend"
6. Yeasayer, "Tightrope"
7. My Brightest Diamond, "Feeling Good"
8. The Kronos Quartet, "Dark Was the Night"
9. Antony and Bryce Dessner, "I Was Young When I Left Home"
10. Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner, "Big Red Machine"
11. The Decemberists, "Sleepless"
12. Iron and Wine, "Die"
13. Grizzly Bear and Feist, "Service Bell"
14. Sufjan Stevens, "Blood"

Disc two:
1. Spoon, "Well-Alright"
2. The Arcade Fire, "Lenin"
3. Beirut, "Mimizan"
4. My Morning Jacket, "El Caporal"
5. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, "Inspiration Information"
6. Dave Sitek, "With a Girl Like You"
7. Buck 65 remix featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti, "Blood Pt. 2"
8. The New Pornographers, "Hey, Snow White"
9. Yo La Tengo, "Gentle Hour"
10. Stuart Murdoch, "Another Saturday"
11. Riceboy Sleeps, "Happiness"
12. Cat Power, "Amazing Grace"
13. Andrew Bird, "The Giant of Illinois"
14. Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch, "Lua"
15. Blonde Redhead and the Devastations, "When the Road Runs Out"
16. Kevin Drew, "Love vs. Porn"