In case some of you don’t know, my brother has recently joined the Coast Guard and gotten stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. While your immediate reaction may be, “Holy Cow! That is awesome!”; since Steve has been stationed in Hawaii, he has bought a broken moped, had surgery on his big toe, and he is away from family. To be fair, he’s exploring a place that everyone that isn’t there, wishes they were. So to keep him company and in hopes it will make him feel better, I’ve made a little mixtape with music he loves. Feel free to download this theme to his private adventure.
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Simon & Garfunkel – The Only Living Boy in New York
J. Tillman – Firstborn
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You may notice a few differences between this list and the album list. I don’t feel I need to justify that due to the distinct difference between a song and a full album. These are the songs that I still listen to on repeat; they made me laugh, tear up, dance, think, and morph my own tastes into what they are today. So here in no particular order is my Favorite Songs of the Decade. Picking a favorite song is like picking a favorite child, it changes depending on your mood…
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[mp3] Max Richter – The Trees from The Blue Notebooks (2004)
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[mp3] Interpol – Obstacle 1 from Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
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Bon Iver – For Emma from For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
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Phoenix – Fences from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)
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[mp3] Minus the Bear – Pachuca Sunrise from Menos el Oso (2005)
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[mp3] Radiohead – Reckoner from In Rainbows (2007)
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[mp3] Jonah Matranga – Learning from All Of Always New (2000-2001)
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Justice – Genesis from † (2007)
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Daft Punk – Robot Rock from Human After All (2005)
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[mp3] Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand in Mine from The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003)
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MGMT – Of Moons, Birds & Monsters from Oracular Spectacular (2008)
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The Decemberists – The Crane Wife 1 and 2 from The Crane Wife (2007)
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[mp3] Sufjan Stevens – Holland from Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State (2003)
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[mp3] Cut Chemist – The Garden from The Audience’s Listening (2006)
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[mp3] The Notwist – Consequence from Neon Golden (2003)
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dredg – The Canyon Behind Her from El Cielo (2002)
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The Arcade Fire – Wake Up from Funeral (2004)
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[mp3] Aphex Twin – Windowlicker from Windowlicker [Single] (2000)
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Björk – Desired Constellation from Medúlla (2004)
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[mp3] Iron & Wine – Fever Dream from Our Endless Numbered Days (2004)
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M.I.A. – Paper Planes from Kala (2007)
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The Swell Season – When Your Mind’s Made Up from Once (Original Soundtrack) (2007)
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[mp3] Wintersleep – Jaws of Life from Wintersleep (2005)
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Date With the Night from Fever to Tell (2003)
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The White Stripes – Hotel Yorba from White Blood Cells (2001)
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[mp3] Stars of the Lid – Humectez La Mouture from And Their Refinement of the Decline [CD2] (2007)
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Like most people, I didn’t exactly have the best taste of music right away. In fact it took a better part of this decade to figure out I needed to re-evaluate my tastes. I had to let go of my safety harnesses and start listening to music that wasn’t in my comfort zone. A decade ago I was 16 yrs old…so back then I was listening to angry rock music and angry techno music. Basically I was listening to nothing but Deftones and Aphex Twin. While both amazing, no one can live solely on cheeseburgers and fries (as much as we’d like to). Once I moved from my suburban hometown, I was introduced to artists and bands that spoke to me in ways I had never imagined. I bought endless back catalogs, practically lived in used CD stores, and discovered the joy of listening to music on vinyl. I found that the internet is an equally amazing tool to discover music as going to shows on a regular basis (also cheaper). This decade I found that I loved music so much that I wanted to tell everyone in world about what I had found. I created a website for friends to read, so that when they asked me about a band I liked I could refer them to it. The website turned into something way bigger than I ever expected. I’ve interviewed heroes of mine, gotten on guest lists of concert I would have payed twice the amount for, and more importantly, I’ve made good friends with people with amazing tastes in music. So here I am, telling you the albums that shaped my tastes over the years. I hope you enjoy and listen to these if you can. Lets hope for another amazing decade in music….
26. Minus The Bear – Highly Refined Pirates
Release Date: November 19, 2002
Label: Suicide Squeeze
“And then we all bought yachts!” That’s what this album opens with; a hope for adventure and probably and endless income. I’ve always been a fan of math rock and perfected time signatures but I never thought it would morph into something as fun as this. If I could pick one album to be the soundtrack of a roadtrip it would be Highly Refined Pirates. Minus the Bear have since been perfecting that danceable and unique atmospheric rock sound their known for, but they have yet to even come close to the blue sky soundscapes and joyful lyrics (not to mention their ridiculously awesome track titles) of Highly Refined Pirates.
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25. Stars of the Lid – And Their Refinement of the Decline
Release Date: April 7, 2007
Number of Discs: 2
Label: Kranky
I love film soundtracks and have since started listening to them again (Vangelis’Bladerunner Soundtrack = amazing). So when I finally picked up Stars of the Lid’sAnd Their Refinement of the Decline, I was drowned in ambient movements that were the musical equivalent of trekking through a snow capped mountain side. The music is epic yet relaxing and requires the listener to release themselves from the world around them. However, the one track that really stuck out for me was Humectez La Mouture. The track samples from the 1986 French film Betty Blue (37°2 le matin) set a creepy atmosphere and it drones on like a foggy afternoon in a post apocalyptic landscape. It’s very moving and releases so many emotions in five minutes and thirty one seconds. Ambient music is very difficult to perfect and I think Stars of the Lid have gone beyond that and have become the genre’s Miles Davis.
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[mp3] Stars of the Lid – Dungtitled (In A Major) from And Their Refinement of the Decline Disc 1 (2007)
24. Cage – Hell’s Winter
Release Date: September 20, 2005
Label: Definitive Jux
Of all the hip-hop albums released this year, Cage’sHell’s Winter was not the best, it was however, my favorite hip-hop album of the decade. It’s mainly because this album is very personal and does not hold anything back. With production by mentor El-P, RJD2 and Blockhead and guest appearances by Jello Biafra, DJ Shadow, Aesop Rock, Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw), James McNew (Yo La Tengo) and the late great Camu Tao, the album is a star studded and disturbing view into a man that has been through some pretty tough shit. While the album is lyrically troubling, it is equally fun to listen to.
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[mp3] Cage – Perfect World from Hell’s Winter (2005)
23. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Release Date: February 19, 2008
Label: Jagjaguwar
I threw this album up as #10 on my Best Albums of 2008 last year. In retrospect, it should have been #2 (you’ll see what should have been #1). After carefully listening to this one for the past two years, For Emma has become one of the most important albums of not only the decade, but for me as well. It’s fragile nature and depth of loneliness was easy to relate to and reminded me of those cold New England nights I missed so much. Justin Veron’s voice represents what I love about emotionally charged solo musicians; it’s raw and a heart-achingly gorgeous record that sets the standard for delicate acoustic music.
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[mp3] Bon Iver – Skinny Love from For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
22. The Decemberists – Her Majesty
Release Date: September 9, 2003
Label: Kill Rock Stars
This album was the soundtrack to my long drive to work in Maine. It’s whimsical lyrics and charming folk rock arrangements still make Her Majesty my favorite Decemberists album. While it was hard to pick a favorite Decemberists album (I love them all), this one holds a special place in my heart. When I tried to name off my favorite Decemberist songs (The Gymnast, High Above the Ground, The Soldiering Life, I Was Meant for the Stage), it became clear that Her Majesty was number one. It speaks off camaraderie, leaving someplace you love, and discovering exotic territory; lead singer Colin Meloy describes it all with intricate detail and soothing delivery.
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Hated and loved by many, M.I.A. is undeniably talented. Before the Boyz and the Paper Planes, there was the masterpiece that is Arular. I can safely say that urban beats and politically charged lyrics never sounded so good. Arular is as ridiculously fun as it is ridiculously weird, but that’s why it’s such a perfect dance record. It was different from anything I had ever heard and I found joy in looking at people’s faces when I forced them listen to it. Arular is now the blueprint for 21st century hip-hop and will be constantly referenced as an influence throughout the genres exciting evolution.
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Remember when I said Bon Iver should have been #2 on my Best of 2008 list? Well, meet #1. If this year could highlight one band that I was unabashedly obsessed with, it was Shearwater. Rook’s heavy atmosphere and crushing instrumentation makes the record such an onslaught on the senses and a viciously haunting journey. Thanks to singer/ornithologist/ex-Okkervil River keyboard player Jonathan Meiburg, the album’s bleak visuals come alive with his crooning and Nick Cave-influenced bellow. Rook is a cinematic masterpiece that is hypnotizing on execution.
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From what I know, this supposedly angered people being that it wasn’t Entroducing 2. It isn’t exactly influential or remotely groundbreaking for electronic music. It is also easily his most accessible record. However, Private Press is massive, gorgeous, and humorous record. This record for me was a stress reliever and a relaxing yet fun work of art from one of the most respected and loved electronic artists. His imagination is translated onto the turntables and fiercely rocketed back to the listener.
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Dj Shadow- Giving Up The Ghost fromPrivate Press (2002)
18. At The Drive-In – Relationship of Command
Release Date: September 12, 2000
Label: Virgin Records US
Once I hit the age of 18, I was done with punk music and disgusted with the mediocrity of what eventually became a plague of nu-metal bands. I needed something angry and revolutionary. I needed Relationship of Command. This flying side-kick to the throat of a record was worn out my the end of my senior year of high school and I had to eventually buy it again just to keep up with my high demand of pulsating post-hardcore punk rock. The song One Armed Scissor became the theme of my departure from adolescence and the will forever be known as the record that lifted me out of the boring genre of modern rock.
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[mp3] At The Drive-In – Sleepwalk Capsules from Relationship of Command (2000)
17. Saul Williams – Saul Williams
Release Date: September 21, 2004
Label: Fader Label
You can try to classify his music but you’ll just end up in circle. Each album he creates is a vicious attack on system and our sad state of entertainment and his self titled sophomore effort is no exception. With borderline industrial beats, a Prince-like confidence, and a razer sharp delivery of Chuck D from Public Enemy, Saul Williams instantly became not only one of my favorite musicians but a personal hero of mine. Whether it was speaking about the current state of hip-hop, sexual awakening, or the our inevitable self destruction, Saul made an album that is both inspiring and entertaining.
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The chilling and beautiful work of The Album Leaf is flawlessly displayed on his 2004 album, In A Safe Place. With the addition of vocals, In A Safe Place became a more personal record than previous efforts. Featuring vocals by The Black Heart Procession’s Paul Jenkins, Sigur Ros’ Jon Thor Birgisson, and Jimmy LaValle himself, tracks like Over the Pond and On Your Way come alive. In A Safe Place is meant to be listened to in a window seat on a plane hovering over the morphing Mid-West landscape. What are you waiting for? Get your ticket!
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[mp3] The Album Leaf – Over The Pondfrom In A Safe Place (2004)
15. Cursive – The Ugly Organ
The brilliant concept and utter intensity of this record have been constantly referenced and replicated yet no one has even come close to it. Tim Kasher’s self-loathing, tortured artist persona (?) on Ugly Organ mirrored the sacrifices that so many artists have gone through and still battle. The crushing guitars, moving cello (a welcome and missed addition), and fragile melodies went past their typical emo tag and transcended into an album that became the traveling artist’s guide to “be careful what you wish for.” I still like to rock out to this album and will continue to return to it’s magic for a long time coming.
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[mp3] Cursive – The Reclusefrom The Ugly Organ (2004)
14. Jeremy Enigk – World Waits
Release Date: October 16, 2006
Label: Reincarnate Music
This may confuse anyone that has been a fan of Sunny Day Real Estate and Jeremy Enigk. Mainly because this album at times seems overly dramatic and meaningful. Funny; because that may be why I like it. The album speaks of forgiveness, rebirth, and letting go so eloquently and effortlessly all thanks to the Peter Gabriel/Phil Collins vocal style of Enigk and it’s chamber pop atmospheric instrumentation. This album entered my life in a time where I needed guidance and a voice to assist me in surviving the day-to-day. The very sound of World Waits still chokes me up and the crushing piano in Canons still reminds me of the feelings I felt when I was at my lowest. The is Enigk’s masterpiece in my eyes and I can’t thank him enough.
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[mp3] Jeremy Enigk – World Waits from World Waits (2006)
13. Explosions in the Sky – The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
Release Date: November 4, 2003
Label: Temporary Residence
The grandeur of this record is undeniable. No wonder the filmmakers of Friday Night Lights wanted to feature the very music from Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place to represent the weight and atmosphere of a West Texan high school football team’s journey to state champion. Consisting of only 5-tracks, Explosions’ second album is nothing short of breathtaking. With bands like Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor! dominating the instrumental music genre, this album came along and crushed everything anyone ever knew about orchestrated rock music. There are two kinds of instrumental music right now. Instrumental music before this record and instrumental music after this record. It will take a lot to change that.
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[mp3] Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand in Mine from The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place(2003)
12. dredg – Leitmotif
Release Date: September 11, 2001
Label: Interscope Records
While people were gushing over how much Tool was changing the landscape of modern rock music, dredg already had them beat. Instead of mastering their masculinity, dredg built their debut record from the ground up with layer upon layer of full out tribal progressive rock music. Subtle, thoughtful, sober, they’re a far cry from anything that had come out at the time. The concept is equally fascinating; the story focuses on a man visited by a spirit who tells him he has a moral disease and must travel the world on a quest for higher spirituality. If he succeeds, he will evolve; if he fails, he will die. Ultimately, the character learns to put faith in the religion found in the spiritual awakening of humankind, rather than buy into the religion of commerce and greed. The result of Leitmotif’s exploratory, experimental union of music and text is a mystical sound odyssey [1].
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Where to begin? If any record could represent the progression of all types of intelligent and sophisticated music in the beginning the new millennium, it is Radiohead’sKid A. Thom Yorke was no longer known as the band’s tortured soul of a frontman, but as an instrument in a whirlwind of electronic soundscapes and mountain size songs. How can a band reinvent themselves so eloquently and drastically over and over and still remain one of the best bands in the world? When this album was released, nothing even remotely sounded like it, forcing listeners to surrender to it’s genius. It still stands as one of the most influential records of all time and one I will admire forever.
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Radiohead – How to Disappear Completely fromKid A (2000)
10. The Arcade Fire – Funeral
Release Date: September 14, 2004
Label: Merge Records
I feel like a kid again whenever I hear this record. It’s innocence and blind love for adventure is as admirable as the album’s lush dreamscapes and romantic arrangements. Listening to Funeral is like entering another realm where freedom of expression is not an idealistic fantasy, but a sweet reality. If I ever feel pessimistic or depressed, this record is like a best friend telling me exactly what I need to hear. Plus they created the blueprint to ‘popular indie music’ and everyone else is trying to catch up.
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Not only will the distribution method go down in history, but the record is proof that bands cannot be washed up as long as they never lose the spirit of why they love playing music in the first place. Just as Kid A was a revolutionary step toward modern experimental electronic music, In Rainbows was a step toward accessibly creating moving and inviting electronic rock music. While less experimental than previous records and more daring than some predicated, the album was simple and haunting in execution. Tracks like Reckoner, House of Cards, and All I Need remain some of my favorite songs of all time and reach a level of artistic perfection that will be difficult to match in the coming future.
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[mp3] Radiohead – All I Needfrom In Rainbows (2008)
8. Sean Hayes – Alabama Chicken
Release Date: September 8, 2003
Label: Self Released
When you listen to the first track off Alabama Chicken, it is required that you close your eyes and imagine a moonlit field with fireflies swarming around you. For the next track, a sunrise drive in the back of an old truck with an overweight dog and a few fishing poles. You get the idea. Each track from Sean Hayes’Alabama Chicken is an accurate soundtrack to laid back country life and Northern California landscapes. My discovery of Sean came through a late Jolie Holland (a guest on the album) show in mid-2005 at the Great American Music Hall. I was mesmerized by his naturally earthy voice and his closeness with rhythm and melody. From the sunny slow drive of Diamond in the Sun to the outdoor dance tune Rattlesnake Charm (Dream Machine), Alabama Chicken is a record that relaxes the soul. Let go and listen.
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This enormous record is an exhausting listen and even frightening that one person could create such a monumental album. The unmistakable instrumentation, charming choruses, fragile voice, and immensely complex arrangements surround Illinois and make it one of the most admirable records of the decade. It was a symbol of the lack of limitations you had to make an addictive record. Cynics called the album gimmicky, utter hipster trash, long, weird, and kind of wussy. But it is without a doubt one of the most gorgeous records of all time.
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As an obvious fan of At The Drive-In, I was devastated when the band called it quits and went their separate ways. So when I found myself at a special listening party at the Museum of Science in Boston, seated in their famous Charles Hayden Planetarium to hear De-Loused in the Comatorium a week before it’s release, I honestly had doubts. Until the lights dimmed and the music started. I left the building that day a changed man. I felt every Bad Brains, Floyd and Zeppelin album I loved destroyed and molded into a juggernaut of a record. The monstrous drums, the perfected time signatures, and it’s universe of jagged funk intensity still lives as fresh as it did the day I first listened to it. I don’t have many records I can listen to on repeat for months on end. They have yet to replicate the epic nature of this record (probably because they stopped doing drugs), but at least it still translates well live.
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Jonah Matranga is a complex human being. That may be quite an understatement but with dozens of bands, records, and brilliant and inane ideas, Jonah seems to never stop moving. However, of all his projects though, Jonah struck gold with his most personal and free spirited record of his seemingly endless career. Visitor tugs at the heart and at the same time lifts you up all with a short 40 minutes. The is heartfelt songwriting at it’s best; aerial, graceful, and intensely emotional. His voice echoes across bedroom walls and into ears that know betrayal, loss, lust, and joy in something as simple as a smile.
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I found out about One AM Radio in a pretty interesting way. It was a cold day at a Boston University coffee-shop and this skinny jeaned hipster-zilla making cappuccinos put on A Name Writ In Water and I did something I hadn’t normally done at that time, I asked him who he was playing. Since then, the album has become one of my favorites, due to it’s melancholy and gray atmospheric beats. Hrishikesh Hirway knows he emotion of leave-less trees and abandoned buildings. He knows how to represent tranquility with vocal harmonies, carefully plucked guitars, and Brain Eno simplicity. This album is must be heard during a rainy drive through forests of New Hampshire or on a deck watching a passing thunderstorm. Nice headphones required.
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[mp3] The One AM Radio – UntiedfromA Name Writ In Water (2004)
3. Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun
Release Date: May 22, 2000 (Reissued)
Label: Play It Again Sam
Think about it, have you ever heard anything like this album? Ágætis Byrjun is like some sort of alien-like transmission to Earth, letting us know they come in peace. It’s disarming and otherworldly sound blooms with full orchestras, deeply ambient soundscapes and angelic vocals from frontman Jon Por Birgisson singing in a language that Sigur Rós dub “Hopelandic”–an otherworldly mutation of Icelandic. When playing guitar with a violin bow was out of this world and groundbreaking, Sigur Rós captured the hearts of legions of music lovers with this majestic and hope filled album.
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[mp3] Sigur Rós – Starálfur from Ágætis Byrjun (2000)
2. dredg – El Cielo
Release Date: October 8, 2002
Label: Interscope Records
Unfairly underrated, El Cielo is a moving masterpiece that flows together gracefully and takes off with epic grandeur. Repeatedly layered with a plethora of instruments and jazz-like drumming, El Cielo accurately presents the soundtrack to sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming. The concept of the album follows the theory of dreaming and the subconscious; like what is more real? Our dream-state or when we are ‘awake’? Inspired by the Salvador Dali painting, Dream Caused By The Flight Of A Bee Around A Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening, the album does an excellent job at representing the chaos and confusion of the piece. It’s whirling guitar work mixed with organs, crackling tape, echoing vocals, and calming instrumental interludes, dredg’s sophomore effort is by far their best work yet and a chillingly beautiful record.
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What did you expect? The freaking website is named after a Björk song! This album completely threw me off and became the only record to ever get me choked up. Björk herself is already an elemental being in the world of music, so when she decided to make her most personal record to date, it was no surprise that what came out of it was an album alive with emotion and deep intimacy. Enlisting the work of the likes of Matmos, jazz composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, and harp virtuoso Zeena Parkins, Vespertine became a rich and oceanic record that pushed the boundaries of both electronic and pop music. You can feel the snow blowing through your clothes with Aurora, the unconditional love of Harm Of Will, and the will to sacrifice with my favorite love song (EVER!) Unison. Björk showed me another world of music that I never knew existed. Her voice carried me out off my little bubble of a mind and showed me how passionate a musician can be and what it’s like to translate that flawlessly on a record. I love this album so much and it is my favorite of the decade.
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Opening with a whisper and ending with a snarlingly epic conclusion. Perhaps the theme of the album is an ideal reflection of Caspian themselves, a band that insists on finding its own way and settles for nothing less than instrumental perfection.
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As usual Bradford Cox connects to the very heart of the melancholy and joyous side of music. Logos in my opinion is better than anything he’s ever done. I know how bold that is, but I love this record.
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A lyrical mastermind and a thought-provokingly amazing songwriter. This is punk music for the hip-hop soul and done so cleverly with the help of the Rhymesayers. Songs like Low Light Low Life and Goodbye are alone worth purchasing this album.
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The amount of emotion poured into Hospice is unrelenting. Having already heard Bear early in the year, I had to find out what the rest of the album sounded like. Bear ended up being re-translated for me once I had heard the whole album through. Like reading one middle chapter of a book and then going and reading the whole thing in order. Hospice is a gorgeous and delicate record and a sneak attack on the listener’s emotions.
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His craft in songwriting and artful hi-fi production are well represented in Romanian Names. I’m pretty sure the world will end if this man makes one bad record. Keep saving the world my friend!
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[mp3] John Vanderslice – Fetal Horsesfrom Romanian Names (2009)
20. Doom – Born Like This
The grittiness is back. Lyrically brilliant and an all out blast to listen to, plus any record with a sample of Charles Bukowski is automatically awesome to me.
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DOOM – Ballskin from Born Like This (2009)
19. Sleep Whale – House Boat
As a sucker for ambient music and electro-acoustic soundscapes, Sleep Whale’sHouse Boat is my year’s MVP. A friend of mine said they reminded him of The Album Leaf, I responded with, “No, these guys are better.”
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[mp3] Sleep Whale – Cotton Curls from Houseboat (2009)
18. Jónsi & Alex – Riceboy Sleeps
Drenched in alien-like soundscapes and complex acoustics, “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson (Sigur Rós) and Alex Somers (Parachutes) made the world of ambient music shake with Riceboy Sleeps. The album’s ethereal movements and angelic atmosphere made listening an almost supernatural experience.
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[mp3] Jónsi & Alex- Boy 1904 from Riceboy Sleeps (2009)
17. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
This is a more fragile record than people give it credit for. Songs like Moon and Moon and Glass are worth cuddling up with a pair of headphones and letting Natasha Khan’s soothing voice take you.
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Bat For Lashes – Glass from Two Suns (2009)
16. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Probably his best record to date. He’s been batting 1000 this year and this is no exception. Enlisting Madlib, Chad Hugo, and Georgia Anne to help produce this record was the obvious reason this record turned out so well, but Mos Def still has that lyrical flow everyone knows and loves.
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Mos Def – Twilight Speedball from The Ecstatic (2009)
15. Division Day – Visitation
Visitation is a work of structured and dark industrial beauty. Infused with haunting melodies, complex arrangements, vibrant sonic palettes, and infectious rhythms; this eleven-song LP will undoubtedly both challenge and pleasurably reward anyone not familiar with D-Day.
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[mp3] Division Day – Devil Lightfrom Visitation (2009)
14. St. Vincent – Actor
The amount of talent Annie Clark exudes on Actor is undeniably amazing. Her beautiful voice melds perfectly with her intricate guitar work and the grand orchestrations make Actor quite possibly her best work so far.
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The atmosphere that lurks in this album is the definition of ‘heavy’ music. Not heavy as in metal, just weighted and dark. You are instantly transported and free to let your imagination run a muck.
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Fever Ray – When I Grow Up from Fever Ray (2009)
12. Clues – Clues
Punch me if you want but I wasn’t too impressed with Island’s new album, Vapours. However, Alden Penner’s (along with Brendan Reed and Bethany Or) Clues pretty much made up for the disappointment of both Vapours and probably never getting another Unicorns record. Penner’s voice carries the listener off on an epically fun voyage. It’s like a Pixar movie as a record; accessible, joyous, and overwhelmingly creative.
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It was almost like he took a step back from his past records and took a different approach on this album. For the better of course, but the songs sound more rich with landscape and heavy on layers. That signature prose and instrumental genius exists, making Noble Beast one of the more fun folkish records of the year.
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They are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. Not only because of their performance with Björk but because of their uncategorizeable style on Bitte Orca. Their complex arrangements of harmonies and jazzy melodies make this record a pleasure never to be guilty over. My only complaint; too short.
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[mp3] Dirty Projectors – No Intentionfrom Bitte Orca (2009)
9. Mew – No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories The World Is Grey I’m Tired Let’s Wash Away
Despite having one of the worst albums covers this side of a community college photoshop submission (something they’re kind of famous for), No More Stories is an dark and epic giganotosaurus of a record. Some call them progressive rock from another planet, I agree…except for the prog-rock part.
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Mew – Beach from No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories The World Is Grey I’m Tired Let’s Wash Away (2009)
8. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
As a casual fan of Animal Collective, I approached this album like I approach all AniCol records, an open mind. Well, my mind was properly blown thank you very much. This album will forever be known as their most important record of not only their career but in independent music in general.
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Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes from Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
7. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
It’s extremely difficult to make pop music art again. Last year MGMT almost made it but their record fizzled out midway. No band this year could match the sheer catchiness and addictive rhythms of Phoenix. No wonder commercials and radio have been jumping at the chance to play their music.
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[mp3] Phoenix – 1901 from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)
6. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Booming with fuzzed up entertainment and free minded lyrics. This is evidence that there is always room for growth in a band that has already perfected it’s craft.
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The Flaming Lips – The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine from Embryonic (2009)
5. BlakRoc – BlakRoc
When some one says ‘rap-rock’ I want to punch a puppy…just want to get that out there. But when I heard BlakRoc, I heard the roots of two genres meshing together and creating something that probably should have been done a long time ago. Mixing the Black Keys with the likes of Q-Tip, Raekwon, RZA, Pharoahe Monch, etc; you get a potent mix that requires the listener to crank the volume.
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BlakRoc – Ain’t Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo) (feat. Jim Jones & Mos Def) from Blakroc (2009)
4. Fanfarlo – Reservoir
Criminally underrated and perhaps annoyingly overhyped. Either way it’s undeniable that the humble Fanfarlo entered this year with one of the most heartwarming and lovable records. I see bright lights in their future, catch them while you can.
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While not exactly another Sunny Day Real Estate album, Jeremy Enigk’sOk Bear is a grower, and boy does it grow on you. Covering all aspects of his music that I love and even touching on new ground, Enigk made the long drives to work that much more beautiful.
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They have been perfecting their brand of progressive beach rock for years and finally have made the record that truly embodies the real talent that is Portugal. The Man. Bonus points for the fantastic album art. Well done men.
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[mp3] Portugal. The Man – People Sayfrom The Satanic Satanist (2009)
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
It didn’t take long for me to love every inch of this album and have it grow into one of my favorites of all time. The very genius of this record is the gentle journey that it takes you on. You are instantly transported and forced to pay attention like a book you can’t put down. A smart and aurally perfect record on every level.
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[mp3] Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader from Veckatimest (2009)
So far this year has been quite musically mindblowing. But wasn’t that kind of expected? With even more anticipated albums, songs, and tours on the horizon, 2009 is shaping up to be one of the better years on the decade.
Top 5 Albums That Met/Surpassed My Expectations
Simplistic and a combination of years of timeless work.
Meticulously crafted and easy to get obsessed with. An instant classic.
Too easy? STFU! This album will forever be an example of when everything we knew about experimental pop changed.
Sunlight and skill in a 12-track album. Way better than expected.
Took some time to love but there is something special going on here that is beyond a simple rock album…
Top 5 Songs That Caught Me Off Guard (in a good way)
Sleepy Sun – White Dove
St. Vincent – Save Me From What I Want
Bat for Lashes – Glass
Mos Def – Auditorium – Mos Def,
Clues – Remember Severed Head
Best Compilation For Anyone With Good Taste
The Grizzly Bear and Feist song alone is worth purchasing this perfectly crafted comp.
Top 5 EPs That Teased Me To The Point Of Joyous Anger
The amount of imagination and playfulness is undeniable. I can’t wait to see what they do next.
They never cease to amaze and pull at the heart strings.
This is the evolution of true rock music in the making. I can’t wait until August 25th for the full product.
Spoon at the their most dramatic and dreamy. An interesting listen.
Is he seriously of this world?
Top 5 Instrumental/Ambient Album That I’ve Been Reading To
This is a monster that has been awakened to destroy your eardrums.
A moving debut masterpiece.
Refusing to be pigeon-holed or classified. Gifts delivers their most personal record yet.
I am so happy this finally got a proper release. An emotionally effusive debut.
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!
So far this year has been quite musically mindblowing. But wasn’t that kind of expected? With even more anticipated albums, songs, and tours on the horizon, 2009 is shaping up to be one of the better years on the decade.
