There are hundreds of compilation albums, and 99% of them aren't really worth while.  Maybe a track or two will stand out, but the album as a whole is usually a big misfire.  That is what makes"Dark Was The Night" so special.  If you have listened to indie music, or paid attention to any music that has come out in the past 10 years, you will recognize a large majority of these artists. Some of the acts that can be found on this album are Ben Gibbard and Feist, Sufjan Stevens, Yeasayer, The National, and many more.  With so many varying artists you would think the album would not be cohesive, but besides for a few tracks, it really flows together quite beautifully.  When I saw the track list for this compilation I was more than excited.  I expected to hear something brand new from each artist, but that wasn't what I got.  Normally, that would be disappointing for me because I hold certain bands up to a somewhat unreachable standard, but not here.  Each song showcases each artists sound in a different way.  The Feist & Ben Gibbard effort is a perfect example here.  Separately, I can get into each singer, but together they sound fantastic while neither one does anything special vocally.  

Another track that made me love this album was a Bob Dylan song covered by Antony with Bryce Dessner called "I Was Young When I Left Home".  I've been a huge Antony and The Johnsons fan for a few years now and I've yet to hear a song by him that I did not like, and this song was as good as I expected it to be.  Antony has a way of making anything he sings sound like he put his entire soul into it.  I'll admit, his sound probably isn't for everyone, but it really hits home with me.