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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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)
Sorry folks but it’s an epically slow week for shows in the Bay this time around. But I’ll see what I can give you…
Tonight is Wavves, Ganglians and Best Coast play the Rickshaw Stop and John Legend and India.Arie perform at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre.
Monday, Philly based pop act Cold Cave and Veil Veil Vanish hit up The Knockout.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and YACHT pull a double nighter at Oakland’s Fox Theater. I don’t know if it’s sold out or not but I think night two still has some tickets available.
Wednesday night is a hard night for fans of lo-fi garage rock; Vivian Girls and The Beets crash the Rickshaw Stop and Cass McCombs, Girls and The Papercuts hit up The Great American Music Hall. Flip a coin.
Thursday finds LA’s HEALTH with San Fran’s Mi Ami and Denver’s Pictureplane at Bottom of the Hill, the Maxïmo Park show at The Grand Ballroom at the Regency Center is canceled, Raconteur Brendan Benson does The Great American Music Hall, and Vivian Girls perform at San Fran’s Amoeba Records at 6pm.
Friday we have Irish punkers Flogging Molly at the Fox Theater, Metallica comes to Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium At Marin Center in San Rafael, Oakland’s The Lovemakers do The Independent, and Japanther and Ninjasonik rock out at El Rincon.
Saturday, The Killers and New York Dolls perform at the Shoreline Amphitheatre and one hit wonder (I’ll Kill Her) Soko plays The Independent.
See you out there!
Cold Cave– Youth and Lustfrom Love Comes Close(2009)
YACHT – Ring The Bellfrom See Mystery Lights (2009)
Vivian Girls– When I’m Gonefrom Everything Goes Wrong(2009)
I am certain this song will be in a ’summer fun” commercial at some point. I know it! Anyway, here’s Metric’s little homemade video for “Sick Muse.” Enjoy!
This hilarious spin-off cliche Norwegian Metal videos is perfect for NYC’s trash metal champions, children. Their debut album, “Hard Times Hanging at the End of the World” is great throwback to fun and loud metal. Jolly good show!
Amazing Baby have a album out on the 23rd of June, a tour with Phoenix this summer, and now this surrealistic video for you people. They’re going to be known as the “Next Best Thing” so you better jump on this now before they get too cool.
Amazing Baby – Smoke Bros.
As a huge fan of pretty much every Michael Jackson video (minus this one….eww), I absolutely love this video for Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Heads Will Roll.” Plus it has werewolves…win.
I had to post this. Ever wish songs just sang what was happening in the music video? Well now they do. Brilliant and silly.
We Vs The Shark – Head Over Heels (Tears For Fears Cover)
LA rock outfit Eulogies kicked off their 20-date US tour with The Dears last night with a show in New York at the Bell House. The band has recently released their new album, Here Anonymous and have been getting some rave reviews with their unique brand of emotional indie pop. The band will be swinging by here May 24, at the Independent in San Francisco with The Dears and Great Northern.
Eulogies – Two Can Play
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have kicked off their US tour in case you didn’t know. However the only Bay Area swing they’ll be doing is the KITS Live 105 BFD show at the Shoreline Amphitheatre with The Offspring, 311, Taking Back Sunday…does that sound like fun to you? If it does then SHUT UP! No but seriously, the other stages have Audrye Sessions, Metric, Airborne Toxic Event, The Limousines, and Glasvegas. So I guess it’s not all bad is it?
NEW RELEASES
I felt obligated to find out who A Camp was after reading some decent reviews. So I listen to Stronger Than Jesus a few times and was kind of impressed. I’m sure I’ll end up looking into them a bit more but currently I’ve been listening the balls of the new Jeremy Enigk (woops, did it leak?) album to really care about anything else. But anyways, their new album, Colonia came out last Tuesday and so far so good in my opinion. Crocodiles’ buzzy but kind of shitty Summer of Hate came out and commercial theme indie pop band Great Northern released Remind Me Where The Light Is. Quite a ‘meh’ week for releases.
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.
LA rock outfit Eulogies kicked off their 20-date US tour with The Dears last night with a show in New York at the Bell House. The band has recently released their new album, Here Anonymous and have been getting some rave reviews with their unique brand of emotional indie pop. The band will be swinging by here May 24, at the Independent in San Francisco with The Dears and Great Northern.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have kicked off their US tour in case you didn’t know. However the only Bay Area swing they’ll be doing is the 
I felt obligated to find out who A Camp was after reading some decent reviews. So I listen to Stronger Than Jesus a few times and was kind of impressed. I’m sure I’ll end up looking into them a bit more but currently I’ve been listening the balls of the new Jeremy Enigk (woops, did it leak?) album to really care about anything else. But anyways, their new album, Colonia came out last Tuesday and so far so good in my opinion. Crocodiles’ buzzy but kind of shitty Summer of Hate came out and commercial theme indie pop band Great Northern released Remind Me Where The Light Is. Quite a ‘meh’ week for releases.
