Kata Rokkar’s Favorite Songs Of The Decade

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

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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[mp3] Jeremy Enigk – Been Here Before [Remaster] from The Missing Link (2007)

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Phoenix – Fences from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)

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[mp3] Stars – Your Ex-Lover Is Dead from Set Yourself On Fire (2005)

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[mp3] Shearwater – Rooks from Rook (2008)

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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] The One AM Radio – A Ghost On The East Coast from A Cloud’s Fear Of Kites (2006)

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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] Russian Circles – Death Rides a Horse from Enter (2006)

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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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[mp3] Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains from Fleet Foxes (2008)

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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] Spoon – All The Pretty Girls Go To The City from Kill The Moonlight (2002)

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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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[mp3] Sigur Rós – Untitled IV from ( ) (2002)

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[mp3] Battles – Atlas from Mirrored (2007)

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Tags: Aphex Twin, Battles, Björk, Bon Iver, Cut Chemist, Daft Punk, dredg, Explosions in the Sky, Fleet Foxes, Interpol, iron & wine, Jeremy Enigk, Jonah Matranga, Justice, M.I.A., max richter, MGMT, minus the bear, Phoenix, radiohead, Russian Circles, Shearwater, sigur rós, spoon, stars, stars of the lid, sufjan stevens, The Arcade Fire, the decemberists, The Notwist, The One AM Radio, The Swell Season, The White Stripes, wintersleep, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Posted in Favorite Songs of the Decade, Music | No Comments »

Kata’s Favorite Music Videos of 2008

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

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.

Tags: best music videos of 2008, Beyonce, Björk, Chad VanGaalen, flying lotus, girl talk, Justice, MGMT, Portishead, radiohead, She & Him, The Mae Shi, Weezer
Posted in Favorites of 2008, Film, TV and Video's, Music | No Comments »

Kata’s Best Concerts of 2008: #10 – #6

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

10. Treasure Island Festival Day 1 – Goldfrapp, Hot Chip, TV on the Radio, Justice, Amon Tobin, CSS, Aesop Rock, Foals, Nortec Collective, Loquat, Chester French, and Mike Relm:
Saturday 20 September 2008
Treasure Island
San Francisco, CA

What could have been a fantastic festival with non-stop fun ended up being…well just okay. While the performances were outstanding, the crowd was the biggest issue I had. I’ve never seen so many people avoid conversation in my life. I guess that’s what these Berkeley trust fund babies consider proper communication these days. On top of that, I was smack dab in the middle of what felt like an ecstasy party just before Justice’s set. Remind me to never go to another festival the day before I have to get up for work. But besides all that horse crap, TV on the Radio was unbelievably fun live, Foals seemed bored at first but livened things up around mid-set, Loquat gained a new fan (me), Aesop Rock can spit rhymes pretty well despite how high he said he was, Hot Chip were good from what I could tell, Goldfrapp was adorable, and Justice is a fucking beast live. So yeah, I had fun. But God damn it people, show some respect to this lowly New Englander living on the West Coast.

9. Holy Fuck, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Tiny Whales:
Friday 21 March 2008
Middle East Upstairs
Cambridge, MA

Now before you ever decide to see A Place to Bury Strangers live, remember your earplugs. They will most likely cause tinnitus. Anyway, the improvisation of Holy Fuck is a marvel to watch. I look forward to see what they have in store for 2009.

8. Cursive, Deer Tick, and Malipas:
Monday 21 April 2008
Club Hell
Providence, RI

Finally seeing Cursive in concert was quite an expectedly awesome moment for me. An unexpected moment was my discovery of Deer Tick. I foresee myself attending more Deer Tick shows in the future. (P.S. – don’t let anyone fool you. There seriously is nothing to do in Providence, RI)

7. Saul Williams and Buddy Wakefield / Saul Williams and Dragon of Zynth:
Saturday 19 January 2008 / Brandeis University
Tuesday 8 April 2008 / Paradise Rock Club
Boston, MA

He may be aloof at times and a little over dramatic, but he is without a doubt a master showman. Seeing both his performances in slam poetry and with a full band helped me better understand this truly unique artist.

6. Explosions in the Sky and Lichens:
Saturday 5 April 2008
Lupo’s
Providence, RI

The sheer breathtaking power of Explosions is indisputable. This is what I’ve been told time and time again and I finally found that out on a cold day in April with some good friends.

Explosions in the Sky – A Song For Our Fathers

Cursive – Dorothy at Forty

Holy Fuck – Lovely Allen

Saul Williams – Live From No Man’s Land

Justice – Genesis (CCCR remix)

Tags: best concerts of 2008, Concerts, Cursive, Explosions in the Sky, Favorites of 2008, Holy Fuck, Justice, Saul Williams
Posted in Concerts, Favorites of 2008 | 2 Comments »

Ouch, my ears…

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

I am very tired and my ears hurt. But I figured I’d give a half-assed review of day one of the Treasure Island Music Festival. So here we go…

Loquat was good, definitely going to check out more of their stuff. Aesop Rock, well…rocked. Yak Ballz came out to spit a couple of rhymes during the set, nice little surprise. Foals were brilliant. Don’t miss them. Hot Chip sounded awesome however I was kind of far away (a trade off for a bathroom break). Goldfrapp was adorable and did a pretty good job. TV on the Radio is unbelievable live. I have a whole new respect for them and I don’t think I’ll be able to listen to their music the same way again. Just a soulful and energetic act. As I was waiting for Justice, I realized I was the only person not on some sort of chemical. It was quite annoying. And the people smelt like an old sock fucked by a hobo. I was getting kind of sick too. Finally, Justice hit the stage and absolutely killed it. That’s best I can describe it being that I’m kind of dehydrated and hungry right now. But they were excellent. So glad I went tonight. Okay, gotta go to work tomorrow…fuck.

Justice – We Are Your Friends (Justice vs Simian)

Tags: Justice, treasure island festival
Posted in Concerts, Music, Show Review | 1 Comment »

Aye! To Treasure Island Matey!

Friday, September 19th, 2008

Ahoy! It be speak like a pirate day! Well this buccaneer originally wasn’t goin’ to loot and plunder this island but due to a weird swashbucklin’ schedule, but it looks as though I be attendin’ Day One of da second annual Treasure Island Music Festival tomorrow! ARG! Aye, I have never laid eyes on any of these scallywags live. So I be quite excited to see TV on the Radio, Hot Chip, Foals, Aesop Rock, and da all mighty Justice slash up da stage! Yo-ho-ho! Da festival’s previous line-up included such sprogs like M.I.A., Cut Chemist & DJ Shadow, Spoon, and Modest Mouse. So I shall go on the account and commondeer a privateer to sail da high seas to Treasure Island! Raise da jolly roger! Shiver me timbers!

(If yee is to comment, yee must do so in ‘pirate speech’)

Justice – Planisphère (Part 2)

TV on the Radio – Golden Age

Goldfrapp – Hairy Trees

Hot Chip – Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye Cover)

Amon Tobin – Bloodstone

Foals – Electric Bloom (Disk Cord Remix)

Aesop Rock – Daylight

Loquat – Swingset Chain

Chester French – She Loves Everybody

The Frail – The Lights (Toxic Avenger Remix)

Mike Relm – Everytime (feat. Del The Funky Homosapien & Adrian Hartley)

Tags: aesop rock, amon tobin, chester french, css, disk cord, foals, goldfrapp, hot chip, Justice, loquat, mike relm, pirate speak, remix, speak like a pirate day, the frail, toxic avenger, Treasure Island Music Festival, tv on the radio
Posted in Concerts, Music | No Comments »

My Top 5 Songs Of Summer 2008

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

My summer has been pretty busy with the new job and getting used to this strange land called California. So far I’ve met my fair share of cool and weird people. Some are both.

Anyway, here are he songs that I’ve had on repeat while cruising the Northern California shoreline.

Santogold – Get It Up (Radioclit Mix feat. M.I.A. and Gorilla Zoe)

Beck – Orphans

One Day As A Lion – Wild International

MGMT – Electric Feel (Justice Remix)

The War on Drugs – Taking the Farm

Tags: beck, Diplo, Gorilla Zoe, Justice, M.I.A., MGMT, One Day As A Lion, santogold, Summer, the war on drugs
Posted in Music | No Comments »