Today, I fly out to Honolulu to see my brother. While I’m out there I’ll be seeing Andrew Bird at the Pipeline Cafe and trying to see what kind of music scene #50 has to offer. I’ll be checking in from time to time but don’t expect that much updates.
If you’re in the Bay Area this week though, check out Daedelus, Nosaj Thing, and Jogger at the Mighty tonight, St. Vincent and Wildbirds & Peacedrums at at the Great American Music Hall and Editors and The Antlers at the Warfield on Monday, Vivian Girls, Best Coast, and The Bananas at the Bottom of the Hill on Tuesday, Eyedea & Abilities, dosh, and Grieves at the Bottom of the Hill on Wednesday, Wild Beasts, Still Life Still, and the Magic Bullets at the Independent on Thursday, and The Album Leaf and Sea Wolf at the Great American Music Hall on Friday.
For more Bay Area shows, go to epic sauce. Or for more Bay Area music news, click the Links tab and there’s a plethora of great websites to choose from.
I’ll be in touch…
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[mp3] The Album Leaf – Blank Pages from A Chorus Of Storytellers (2010)
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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)
With Embrace, the Santa Cruz-based retro-rock act Sleepy Sun has really worked through its influences, delivering a classic portion of new stoner/headphone rock. The band’s suitably named debut treads through the catalog of many a classic rock and folk artist’s greatest hits album, picking the best bits from Rainbow and Black Sabbath here, Mountain and Wishbone Ash there, as if these kids’ folks had good taste in 70’s classic desert rock, but not much else. It’s alluring to call the extensive, mesmerizing White Dove an “epic jam,” simply because it’s over 9 minutes long. But the song’s great male and female vocals find Bret Constantino and Rachael Williams howling like wolves of rock while hugely massive in some parts and quiet and moody in others. Besides which, it really is a great epic song, not quite up to par with the song suite from Rush’s2112, but surpassing anything similar by Uriah Heep. The rest of the record is eclectic without ever straying far from heavy, psyched-out prog-rock with touches of contrasting folk. The album is however, teasingly too short. It’s quite apparent that this album got the magic touch of producer Colin Stewart, who made Black Mountain’sIn The Future such a blazing rock record.
The Antler’sHospice is a smart, quaint, and often transcendent little pop record. The roots of the album seem to lie in Bear, a woozy, gorgeous song that sets the up-down emotion of the record. Lyrically it’s a breezy and hypnotic piece of work that relaxes the listener. The music is an elastic and very smart update to synth-pop and the melodies are crystal clear, while the unmistakable layering of each song is spartan and pretty. Forget the tags that have been thrown up against this music—Poptronica, Slow-Core? What the hell is that anyway? The tension of this album builds and releases at incremental moments. It just might haunt you hours after listening to it—begging you to return to get it’s message heard.
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The Antlers – Bear from Hospice (2009)
Sleepy Sun and The Antlers play at the Independent in San Francisco today at 9pm with Misty Mountain. The Antlers then go on to support Minus The Bear.
Me and the brothers are off to one of the greatest national parks in the world. See you on Sunday…(haha, I’m horrible. Seriously, I’ll be back. I’m not kidding.)
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!
Me and the brothers are off to one of the greatest national parks in the world. See you on Sunday…(haha, I’m horrible. Seriously, I’ll be back. I’m not kidding.)
