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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There’s a distinct difference between ‘best albums of the year’ and ‘favorite albums of the year.’ Who am I to say what is the ‘best’ album? What makes an album better than the other? You’ve probably already figured out that I’m trying to say that music taste is subjective. The past 12 months have probably been one of the better years in music in a while. There were albums that defined genres (Merriweather Post Pavilion), albums that reinvented the bands sound (The Hazards of Love), albums that majorly disappointed (Mama, I’m Swollen), and albums that became a sign of what’s to come with ‘popular’ music (Twilight New Moon: Soundtrack).It’s time to break down the albums that rocked me this fine year.
Click on the album art to purchase the album:
50. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
They have redeemed themselves and returned with a more fun vibe that we all knew was coming.
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Dull Life from It’s Blitz! (2009)
49. J. Tillman – Vacilando Territory Blues
The sounds of a wet and foggy forest were perfectly captured and projected with J. Tillman’s most vulnerable record to date. Country-side driving will never be the same.
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[mp3] J. Tillman – Vessels from Vacilando Territory Blues (2009)
48. Band of Skulls – Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
I found myself rocking pretty hard in the car alone to this amazing rock and roll record. Oozing sexuality and a pent-up frustration to destroy. One the most fun records of the year.
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[mp3] Band of Skulls – Blood from Baby Darling Doll Face Honey (2009)
47. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Besides having one of the most bad-ass covers of all time, Neko Case created a hurricane of an album that will carry you away in her embrace. Let her take you.
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Neko Case – This Tornado Loves You from Middle Cyclone (2009)
46. The Mars Volta – Octahedron
Could it be that I have a hard-on for The Mars Volta? Probably. But after a handful of songs and records that made me wonder what the fuck they were doing, finally The Mars Volta mixes their bizarre nature and progressive sound and makes something substantial. A grower, but boy does it grow into something amazing.
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The Mars Volta - Teflon from Octahedron (2009)
45. Iron & Wine – Around the Well
Sure most of these songs were recorded years ago, but this compilation from Sam Beam were meant to be released this way. It flows just like a normal Iron & Wine album should…subtle and sweet.
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BOOM! This album made remixers piss themselves in delight and put Boston back on the map as one of the premiere spots for good music that gets you moving.
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Passion Pit – Moth’s Wings from Manners (2009)
43. Foreign Born – Person To Person
If my drive along the Northern Pacific Coastline had an official soundtrack, Person To Person would be it. The harmonies and swirling guitars along with the Walkmen-like vocals and lyrics is just a taste of what this brilliant album has to offer.
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[mp3] Foreign Born – Early Warningsfrom Person to Person (2009)
42. Raekwon – Only Built For Cuban Linx, Pt. II
Turn it up and make the world know that we all need is more Wu. Flows like this haven’t been heard in years, it’s been a long time coming.
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Raekwon – New Wu Ft Ghostface Method Man from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx PT II (2009)
41. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
I hated this record to no end when I first heard it. I missed my Decemberists. It was only after a few more full listens that I realized that they belong to no one and that this may be the Decemberists that was meant to be. You know what? I’m fine with that.
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[mp3] The Decemberists - The Rake’s Song from The Hazards of Love (2009)
40. Message to Bears – Departures
Multi-instrumentalist Jerome Alexander’s Departures is a series of bittersweet articulations that seem suspended somewhere between a certain dreamy sense of wonder and awe and a heavy melancholia. It’s a haunting piece of work. Listen carefully.
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This actually might be their best and most accessible record to date. The experimental folk group brought in all the stops and made the feel-good record of the year.
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[mp3] Akron/Family – River from Set’em Wild, Set’em Free (2009)
38. Russian Circles – Geneva
Someone told me, “You won’t see it coming, this record melts your face and freaks you out all within an hour.” He couldn’t be more right. It goes from hauntingly intense to magnificent beauty to uncharted territory for a group known to shred your ears to pieces.
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A charming record that may not get the appreciation it deserves. The songwriting is as solid as it usually is from Tweedy and the tongue-in-check manner of delivery remains intact. This was just their ‘entertainment’ record and boy did they hit their mark.
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Wilco – Deeper Down from Wilco (The Album) (2009)
36. Dan Deacon – Bromst
A strobe light of colors and manic sound that solidifies Dan Deacon as the king of spastic, high energy dance music. Hidden in this insane finger-painting of a record gone mad, is a layered and perfected album. All hail the king!
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Dan Deacon – Woof Woof from Bromst (2009)
35. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains
Oh yes, I was so happy to hear that beautiful 90s alt-punk throwback sound. If they had come out a decade an a half earlier, they would be know as genre defining geniuses. However, they are stuck here in the 21st century and forced to remind us that simple and loud music used to be enough for us. [See early Modest Mouse / Diary-era Sunny Day Real Estate]
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Cymbals Eat Guitars – And the Hazy Sea from Why There Are Mountains (2009)
34. The Swell Season – Strict Joy
I was afraid they were going to piss this album away into Once Part II. Phhhh, I should have known better, These people know what they’re doing. Strict Joy is just as touching as their last, but in a different sense.
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The Swell Season – The Rain from Strict Joy (2009)
33. Irepress – Sol Eye Sea I
Okay, bizarre artwork aside [four armed purple ping-pong monster?], this record is the shit. Heavy and drastically unique, Sol Eye Sea I is a brutal rocket launch on the senses. Pushing and pulling with pure metal complexity. So awesome.
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Probably the one of the most overhyped records of the year. Although, this is all for good reason. The intro to the record is actually my favorite of all time. Yes, of all time. The chill atmosphere with male/female vocals in this R&B / new wave manner caught me off guard. Thank God for that.
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Yoni Wolf goes Americana psych-folk? Sure! Why not? Everything this guy touches is gold anyway. Each song is a detailed story that doesn’t leave the listener one bit disappointed. While not a good ‘entry’ album, Eskimo Snow might be Yoni’s greatest songwriting achievement.
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Fans of the band were divided and I’m still not totally sure what happened with this album. However, dredg is undeniably comfortable with this new direction they’re heading toward. I had to step back a few times and realize that one needs to let go in order to enjoy this album. PPD is a long, intricate and personal record; listen carefully.
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dredg – Pariah from The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (2009)
29. Volcano Choir – Unmap
I did not see this coming from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Layered with painstaking detail and emotional prowess, Unmap may be too much for some people. For me, it was just right.
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I love how colorful and blinding this album gets at times. I am immediately reminded of Boards of Canada, but more upbeat and cartoonish. I thought I knew this record before I wore some nice headphones…boy was I wrong.
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Bibio – Fire Ant from Ambivalence Avenue (2009)
27. Noah And The Whale – The First Days Of Spring
I usually dislike ‘break-up’ records when I’m no longer going through times like that. But this is beyond your normal story of woe-is-me heartbreak sob story. This an entertaining story that forces the listener to care about the ‘character’ involved in this story. The lush percussion, carefully picked guitars, and string arrangements briskly guide the listener to feel loneliness, hope, and rebirth. An amazing achievement of a record.
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[mp3] Noah And The Whale – Blue Skiesfrom The First Days Of Spring (2009)
26. Various Artists – Dark Was The Night
Dark Was The Night, the best indie music compilation ever, was produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National and founder of the Red Hot Organization John Carlin. 31 exclusive tracks graces this record from Bon Iver to Spoon, Sufjan Stevens to Arcade Fire. In addition, the double cd/triple viny helped benefit the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS.
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Grizzly Bear and Feist – Service Bell from Dark Was The Night (Disc 1) (2009)
Day Two started out…awkward. I had chase down a few scalpers to get my girlfriend a ticket but ended up meeting up with someone from craigslist. Our deal got a little odd when the scalpers started harassing us buy saying that the guy selling my tickets shouldn’t be trusted. I politely told him to fuck off, and met up with my girl at the front of the bus line at AT&T Park.
We ended up getting there a bit late, making me miss the amazing Sleepy Sun. I’m sure they kicked if off well though, those guys are fantastic. We walked in on Tommy Guerrero and his band doing their blend of chill out instrumental skate rock. It was a nice start to a chilly day on Treasure Island.
Next was Thao with The Get Down Stay Down at the Main Stage. I didn’t know much about her music; however I loved watching her rock the fuck out. Her brand of indie-pop doesn’t pigeon-hole itself to just catchy tunes and whimsical lyrics, it’s a more brutal form that crosses back and forth from dark to light, much like her performance that day. Very entertaining to watch, I highly recommend catching her live. After a five-year absence, Pavement guitarist and Preston School Of Industry mainman Scott Kannberg returns with Spiral Stairs. While recognizably talented, the music was not anything to rave about. This is not exactly a great side project for those of you waiting for the Pavement reunion.
After a few songs I headed to check out Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. Okay let’s get something straight, if you look at these guys, you’d think they are part of some sort of hippie commune that lives off the earth. You’d probably be right, however, the music and show they put on is joyful celebration of life and the pure happiness music can bring. In fact, the whole band was grinning like kids in a ball pit practically the whole show. Particularly back up vocalist Jade Castrinos, lead vocalist Alex Ebert’s girlfriend. Their chemistry shines on stage and makes for an entertaining show. Oh and the music is pretty good too.
The sleepy folk rock group Vetiver came next. I got very convinced to buy their record that day. Lead songwriter Andy Cabic’s sandy vocals was very fitting sound for the chilly San Francisco afternoon. Afterwards, I made it to the ferris wheel to get a nice view of the city with my girl…a bit cold but very cool to see the festival grounds from up high. After my little ride I watched one of my favorite performances of the day, Grizzly Bear. Still as disarming and brilliant as I remember them, the band played flawlessly to an awestruck crowd lucky enough to witness this very special band.
Next up was Hüsker Dü legend Bob Mould. The man may be showing his age but holy crap can this guy rock out. Despite the small crowd that was forming when he played, the guy still showed enough energy and charisma for me to dust off the old Zen Arcade album. The biggest surprise of the day was Beirut. I was well aware he was an amazing performer and I had heard enough people say “You gotta see Beirut before you die!” to get me enthused enough to check him out. This guy is the real deal. Not only him, but his band and the brass section that tails along. The mix of gypsy folk with Balken waltzes with a more modern feel made for an almost religious experience. Well, I was impressed…the religious experience came from the dozens of girls going apeshit over this guy. I don’t see it, but whatever…better than the Jonas Brothers I guess. After Beirut came chamber rock group, The Walkmen. These guys were a blast to see live. The band’s setlist was mostly off last year’s sonic perfection, You & Me. I’m sure I heard one song off Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone, but don’t quote me on that. Over all, simply fantastic live and would be even better in a venue like The Great American Music Hall.
Next up, The Decemberists. If you were expecting any pre-Hazards of Love, you were extremely disappointed. Granted hearing Hazards of Love in full was a nice thing to observe, I can safely say that any fans of the band were about ready to retire that album and move onto something else. How about some Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series songs or shit, even a Crane Wife song would have been nice. I don’t know, I’m just not a huge fan of the new album and kind of wish they’d drop this theater-folk-prog rock they got going on. It’s time to bring back the Decemberists we know and love. Were they bad? Absolutely not. I just think it’s fair to ask for something more from a band with such an amazing catalog. After that, I walked over to Yo La Tengo, who I believe opened with Periodically Double Or Triple from this year’s Popular Songs. It was a decent performance from this critically acclaimed and dare I say, slightly overrated band. After a few songs though I had to rush over to the Main Stage to catch the main reason I was at Treasure Island.
Finally came the main event, The Flaming Lips. Uh yeah, they’re the best. With probably the most outrageous intro I have ever seen, the band members crawled out of a giant digital vagina as Wayne Coyne sat in his deflated balloon, which quickly turned into a giant hamster ball that he famously used to walk across the crowd. The whole set was lined with exploding canons shooting confetti, streamer guns, a megaphone shooting purple smoke, dancing abominable snowmen, and giant balloons that would explode spreading confetti everywhere (I feel bad for whoever had to do clean up). Whilst in the mix of all this chaos the band played plenty off The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, At War With The Mystics, and their new masterpiece Embryonic. I did notice one amazing thing…everyone in the crowd was simply overjoyed. It was not like a certain section of people, it seemed like everyone was connected and have a great time together. Especially during Do You Realize?? and Race For The Prize. The Flaming Lips solidified themselves as one of the most important, influential, and best live bands of all time. This simple fact makes Treasure Island Music Festival one of the best festivals I have ever attended. I patiently await next year’s line-up, which will have to try pretty damn hard to top one of the most impressive line-ups in festival history.
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!
There’s a distinct difference between ‘best albums of the year’ and ‘favorite albums of the year.’ Who am I to say what is the ‘best’ album? What makes an album better than the other? You’ve probably already figured out that I’m trying to say that music taste is subjective. The past 12 months have probably been one of the better years in music in a while. There were albums that defined genres (Merriweather Post Pavilion), albums that reinvented the bands sound (The Hazards of Love), albums that majorly disappointed (Mama, I’m Swollen), and albums that became a sign of what’s to come with ‘popular’ music (Twilight New Moon: Soundtrack).It’s time to break down the albums that rocked me this fine year.
