Have you guys heard of the Pop’s Bar in the Mission? Well, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at Pop’s Bar on 2800 24th St. in San Francisco, they host a thing called DIARY which is a nostalgic night of 90s emo and pop punk music. Including the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate, Death Cab for Cutie, Saves the Day, The Get Up Kids, Braid, Mineral, Planes Mistaken for Stars, Far and Texas Is the Reason. How freakin’ cool is that?
Anyway, tonight has our friends at ipickmynose hosting a show at the Rickshaw Stop withThe Wooden Birds, Old Fashioned Way, and Goh Nakamura. The Also lo-fi punks The Thermals play the Bottom of the Hill with Shaky Hands and Point Juncture.
Jens Lekman! Damn you! Why did your show have to sell out so fast? Both shows too! Well if you’re going to both Bottom of the Hill shows on Monday and Tuesday, consider yourself a lucky person…or someone who buys tickets earlier than me. Anyway, for anyone passionate about true metal music, run down to the DNA Lounge to see Mayhem, Marduk, Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation and Withered on Wednesday. If you’re not into metal, waltz over to Café du Nord and check out the talented and beautiful Emily Wells. Or even if that’s not your cup of tea, go see Little Joy at The Independent. I don’t care what you do I’m just saying there’s a lot going on Wednesday.
I highly recommend you check out Clues, Birds & Batteries and Geographer over at Rickshaw Stop this Thursday. If you haven’t listened to Clues‘ outrageously genius self titled debut, you are seriously missing out. This is epic songwriting and fun indie rock at it’s best.
Friday (as usual) is pretty packed. Peaches parties it up at the Grand Regency Ballroom. I’ll be dancing like a silly person at the Bottom of the Hill with Holy Fuck and Crocodiles. Indie-poppers The Submarines play The Independent, Del Tha Funky Homosapien drops his rhymes at The Fillmore, and San Jose’s The Blank Club hosts Flying Lotus.
For you jazz fans, Nancy Wilson is making a rare appearance at Yoshi’s Oakland. I’m not sure on tickets, but get there if you can. It should be magical.
I’ve been debating going to this on Saturday. Our friends in The Limousines are playing and it’d be nice to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, Crystal Castles, Wallpaper, and Airborne Toxic Event live. We’ll see I guess. I’m not too impressed with this line-up and I can only imagine the drunkin apes and their slutbag girlfriends that will be infesting the audience…ugh, I think I just convinced myself not to go. Well if you are going, check out The Limousines.
If you’ve decided like me that BFD 09 isn’t your thing, check out The Juan Maclean and The Field at the Mezzanine or the ever-so ambient Animal Hospital at the Li Po Lounge (which I might go to).
Björk – Wanderlust: Officially my favorite. The rest are in no order whatsoever. Anyway, I bought the massive LP for this single, which came with it’s own 3D glasses for the ‘enhanced’ version.
Chad VanGaalen – Molten Light: Super bizarre but simply incredible.
She & Him – Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?: You couldn’t find a cuter music video.
Radiohead – House of Cards: Gorgeous. They never cease to push the boundaries of art.
The Mae Shi – Run to Your Grave: Crazy video for an even crazier band.
Weezer – Pork & Beans: If you didn’t enjoy this video, then what the hell are you doing on a computer?
Portishead – We Carry On: Wow…just, wow.
Girl Talk – Play Your Part (Part 1): Not official (as far as I know) but perfectly cut.
Flying Lotus – Parisian Goldfish: This video below contains some explicit cartoon scenes, flashing lights and is FOR OVER 18’s ONLY. I repeat, not work friendly…however, on so many levels of awesome.
Beyonce – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It): It makes me wanna get up shake my booty…well, maybe not, but fun nonetheless.
Justice – Stress: Violent and fucked up, therefore making it an amazing video by my standards.
WORST MUSIC VIDEO
MGMT – The Youth: Just utter garbage…ugh!
Best Music Video I Can’t Show You
Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook: Click the picture to be taken to where you can watch it. It’s brilliant.
Before you read any of this, look at the title of this post. No no, look at it again; it says KATA’s Best Records of 2008. You think I should have put Vampire Weekend or Frightened Rabbit on the list? Good for you. But to be honest, I just heard of Frightened Rabbit last week and Vampire Weekend just didn’t cut it for me. You got a list? Share it! I’ve been reading a lot of lists this past week and so far I’ve found out about some pretty awesome artists/bands. Here’s one and here’s another one. I also will not stand for the word ‘overrated’ unless you can give me the definition of the word. Are you bitter that all your friends and the blogs love Fleet Foxes and you totally know that Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy put out a way better record this year? Well good for you, but I’m not convinced. Opinions can be shared, but be reasonable. Remember that It’s a scary time for music. I mean Nickelback made a new record and Creed might get back together. So we need to stay strong and walk as one, okay? This was a good year for music and it’s time we enter this new year with something wonderful gracing our ears. So how ’bout we get started?
30. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles: Electronic music’s J Dilla does not disappoint with this one. Even the album’s more disorderly elements are somehow perfectly integrated into the overall sense of groovy calm and funky forward motion.
Flying Lotus – Melt!
29. Why? – Alopecia: There’s this twisted and hypnotic poetry coming from Why?s bizarre yet fantastic album.
28. Hot Chip – Made in the Dark: I guess they’ve done better (The Warning) but Made in the Dark is an enjoyable and wonderful tribute to 80s dance music.
27. Amanda Rogers – Heartwood: Sweet and smooth songwriting has never been so cute. Ms. Rogers takes her sound in a more upbeat direction and the results are superbly heartwarming.
Amanda Rogers – Fate’s Northern Shore
26. M83 – Saturdays = Youth: I felt like listening to old Depeche Mode after first hearing this record. I can’t say I saw this change in style coming from M83, but I can say I’m enjoying it.
M83 – Kim & Jesse
25. Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords: Most comedy rock go right for the laughs, but this record could be good even without the hilarious lyrics. From censorship to Bowie, this record spares no one and it is uproarious.
24. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular: Eccentric, weird, and super psychedelic; this album is the indie-kid anthem record. Not every song rocks, but tracks like Kids and Time to Pretend are undeniably catchy.
23. Russian Circles – Station: Each song on this record is like the soundtrack to a natural disaster. There was a lot hanging on this atmospheric yet brutal record. But the instru-metal band brought their A-game.
Russian Circles – Xavii
22. Santogold – Santogold: To me, the best types of artists are the ones that are not easily describable. Santogold fits in that category quite comfortably. While I was kind of overwhelmed by her songs on every other commercial on TV, this album still remains as my summer soundtrack.
21. The Mars Volta – Bedlam of Goliath: The chaos and post-punk rampage that I loved about The Mars Volta returned with this album. Still no where near De-Loused, the album still pierces the listener with its freak-funk beats and push-pull rhythms.
Click Picture To Go To Radiohead Reckoner Remix Website
My favorite track off In Rainbows is being remixed by, well, everyone and their uncle. It’s fair game and I’m pretty pleased with the results so far. Diplo, Sebastien Project, Flying Lotus, Iskra String Quartet, and many many more.
I’m keeping this post short and sweet but this week I have a ton of shit coming your way, so stay tuned. Anyway, tomorrow we have some highly anticipated records dropping. Cold War Kids, Woven, Like Black Holes In The Sky: The Tribute To Syd Barrett (featuring dredg, Jesu, Yakuza, Intronaut, etc), TV on the Radio, Thievery Corporation, Mogwai, and Max Richteramong others. So go out and treat yourself to some good quality tunes.
Radiohead – Reckoner (Flying Lotus Remix)
Mogwai – The Sun Smells Too Loud
Max Richter – Circles From The Rue Simon – Crubellier
Kata Rokkar is a place where you can download free mp3 from artists and bands that I currently love and listen to. They are only for sampling purposes and to influence you to go out and support these artists by purchasing their records and going to their concerts. If you are a record company or an artist that is displeased with a song being displayed, feel free to contact me and I will remove it ASAP. Thank you and enjoy!
Have you guys heard of the Pop’s Bar in the Mission? Well, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at Pop’s Bar on 2800 24th St. in San Francisco, they host a thing called DIARY which is a nostalgic night of 90s emo and pop punk music. Including the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate, Death Cab for Cutie, Saves the Day, The Get Up Kids, Braid, Mineral, Planes Mistaken for Stars, Far and Texas Is the Reason. How freakin’ cool is that?
I’ve been debating going to this on Saturday. Our friends in The Limousines are playing and it’d be nice to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, Crystal Castles, Wallpaper, and Airborne Toxic Event live. We’ll see I guess. I’m not too impressed with this line-up and I can only imagine the drunkin apes and their slutbag girlfriends that will be infesting the audience…ugh, I think I just convinced myself not to go. Well if you are going, check out The Limousines. 
Animal Hospital – July 7th
