Category Archive: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2009

Posted at 5:16 PM on January 4, 2010 by Melanie Walker
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog last week about the year 2008. Let's continue the countdown with the final year of the decade, 2009!

2009 was the year

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2009.

10. Junior Boys - "Parallel Lines"
Junior Boys are one of the most over looked electronic pop acts out there today in my humble opinion. I think I mentioned this when referencing Junior Boys album, So This Is Goodbye, back in my 2006 blog. Their 2009 release, Begone Dull Care, was a solid album but didn't quite compare to their previous works for me except for one stand out track titled "Parallel Lines". "Parallel Lines" showcase's the duo's trademark attention to detail and nuance with its slow, teasing tempo and minimal production. I also had the pleasure of finally seeing them live at First Avenue this last year. Was a mighty fine show you all missed. The crowd was small but the place transformed into a "danceteria" for one night again!

9. Gossip - "Heavy Cross"
Gossip's 2006 release, Standing in the Way of Control, was a huge success in the UK earning them a Gold Record Status over there. But, the funny thing is Gossip actually hail from Portland, OR and unfortunately did not get quite as much wide spread praise in the US. So, when it came time to write their next record they brought out the big guns having legendary producer Rick Rubin work with them on their 2009 release Music For Men. The band always had a touch of funk in their rock but Rubin seemed to really help emphasize that strength of theirs on this new release. Finally, the ears of audiences in the US perked up and took notice of Gossip in 2009 and "Heavy Cross" became one of the most talked about songs of the year and one of my personal favorites. Lead singer Beth Ditto is slowly and surely becoming an indie rock icon with her outrageous performances and soulful vocals.

8. Bat For Lashes - "Daniel"
Natasha Kahn aka Bat For Lashes 2006 debut release, Fur and Gold, was a hard act to follow. But, she wowed us again with her mix of pop and fantasy on her 2009 release Two Suns. On this release the basis of the album revolves around Khan's "desert-born spiritual self" and her "destructive, self-absorbed, blonde femme fatale" alter ego Pearl as it covers "the philosophy of the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence." That's a mouthful to fit into 11 songs and to be honest I'm not sure if I'm paying all that much attention to Metaphysics of Two Suns as I am to the pop hook of "Daniel". Regardless, if she's actually singing about Daniel from Karate Kid or not, the song is a huge hit for me and one of my favorites of 2009.

Daniel - Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes | MySpace Music Videos

7. Jack Penate - "Pull My Heart Away"
I'm a massive Jack Penate fan! He's been called somewhat like "Lily Allen minus the sarcasm and the party frocks". Most of his music is mainly very slick, pop tunes that draw a lot of reference to the Two Tone ska revival in South London. Jack's got so much heart and soul pumped into his recorded and live performances that I'm dumb founded he's not garnered more attention here in the states. His 2009 release, Everything Is New, was one of my favorite albums of the year and the heart breaker "Pull My Heart Away" my favorite song from the album.

6. Eels - "Fresh Blood"
Most people who are into music are fairly familiar with Eels but you'd be surprised that most don't realize that they are not so much a band but the brain child of front man, singer/ songwriter E (aka Mark Oliver Elliot). E's 2009 release, Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs Of Desire, speaks mainly on the more primal side of human experience with 12 songs focusing on themes like tenderness, rage, and reckless abandon. It's an album that's got the perfect balance of pop sensibilities and concept. I'm a huge fan of the dark strut of "Fresh Blood".

5. Wild Beasts - "Devil's Crayon"
Ok I realize that Wild Beasts debut release Limbo, Panto was actually released in November of 2008. But, the way we do the tabulating for our Top 89 here at The Current is actually from the later part of the previous year. Plus, I do feel like Wild Beasts was a band I spent listening to mostly in the early part of 2009 not 2008. Hailing from Leeds, England, Wild Beasts sound is primary based in non traditional indie rock genres such as cabaret, vaudeville, jazz, disco, and Afro-pop. They are as eclectic as they are beautifully odd whether it be the theatrical falsetto of lead singer Hayden Thorpe or the Dr. Seuss like rhymes and alliteration in their lyrics. I find most people don't know what to think of them they tend to be so incredibly unique compared to any other music on the market today. But, I think that's why I tend to love them so much. "Devil's Crayon" was one of my absolute favorite songs of this last year!

4. Delphic - "Counterpoint"
Delphic is a band I didn't discover till the later part of 2009. But, after the first listen I became a huge fan. Based out of Manchester, England, Delphic seemingly appeared out of nowhere quickly signing to Polydor records in the UK in the early part of 2009 and cutting a record with the help of legendary electronic producer/DJ Ewan Pearson (who happens to be a favorite of mine.) I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes of this band in early 2010 when their album Acolyte releases in the US. My favorite track from them thus far is "Counterpoint". This track reminds me a bit of New Order with a dash of Orbital for good measure. I love it!

DELPHIC - Counterpoint from Jean Demery / Handz.tv on Vimeo.

3. Animal Collective - "My Girls"
2009 was the year Animal Collective won over the masses with their album Merriweather Post Pavilion. They've long been a favorite of indie music heads worldwide with their other worldly, experimental sound. But, it wasn't until this most recent record that they were able to balance out their music's eclecticism with some approachability. Named on most critics best of the year lists, Merriweather Post Pavilion took us all off guard with hits like "Summertime Clothes" and my favorite track "Girls".

2. The Big Pink - "Velvet"
The Big Pink became one of the year's most successful new acts with their debut release, A Brief History Of Love. Duo Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell cut their musical teeth in their home studio nurturing the talents of bands such as Klaxons, The Teenagers and other British newcomers and tastemakers. After finding success as producers, they turned the spotlight inward nurturing their own talents and love for the dark, proggy excessiveness and epic expansiveness of the late 80's and 90's shoegaze and rock music. The result ended up being one of the most focused and impressive records of the year. My favorite track was "Velvet" with its echoes of My Bloody Valentine and Catherine Wheel.

1. Glasvegas - "It's My Own Cheating Heart"
My absolute favorite record of 2009 was the self titled debut release of Glasvegas. Maybe I'm a sucker for the blatant Scottish drogue, or the simplicity of their influences from the heydays of 50's and 60's doo wop and rockabilly that are heavily heard in the song writing of lead singer James Allen. Regardless, there's something I can't quite put my finger on about this band that sets them so far apart from any other rock record I heard all year. I think it may be the earnest emotional clarity, everyman anthems and pounding Wall of Sound dynamics that make it number one in my book. I had many favorites from Glaswegians this last year but my favorite was "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry".

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2009?

Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2008

Posted at 2:59 PM on December 31, 2009 by Melanie Walker
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2007. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2008!

2008 was the year Michael Jackson celebrates his 50th birthday. New Kids On The Block release their album The Block, their first studio album in 15 years. Oasis release their final studio album entitled Dig Out Your Soul. Guns N' Roses release their first single in 9 years, the title track from their Chinese Democracy album. David Byrne & Brian Eno reunited to create their first album together since 1981. And Amy Winehouse blew everyone out of the water at the 2008 Grammy Awards receiving five awards from six nominations including Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Female Performance, Best New Artist, Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2008.

10. Friendly Fires "Paris"
Friendly Fires hail from St. Albans in Hertfordshire, England and made a huge splash on the music scene in the early part of 2008 with their self titled debut release. Mixing a slick blend of synth pop, dance and shoegaze with beautiful melodies and hooks I fell quickly for this band. They are a bit of a guilty UK pop pleasure of mine. I don't think they're doing much different than most bands at the time across the pond, but whatever it is they are doing is working well on me! I first discovered them from hearing their song "Paris" on NME magazine's website. It's still my favorite track with its shimmering electronic atmospherics, flickering keyboards and the occasional tapping on the good ol' cowbell.

9. The Black Keys "Strange Times"
Who'd have thought that four albums in and 6 years after the release of their debut album, The Big Come Up, The Black Keys could still surprise and rock our universes with their raw and nasty blend of minimalist blues rock. Their 2008 release Attack and Release slightly strayed away from their traditional sound with the help of producer Danger Mouse. But, not everything has such a heavy signature from Danger Mouse. The majority of the record sounds more like The Black Keys just amplified. My favorite track does have Danger Mouse's signature sound a bit more than the rest of the record with the song "Strange Times". I love the jangly piano chords along side the signature rumbling guitars of Dan Auerbach' and Patrick Carney's clattering drums.

8. Portishead "Machine Gun"
Portishead came out with their first album in 11 years in 2008 titled Third. The record was a huge success with both fans and critics. I wouldn't necessarily consider most of the tracks on the record to be an enjoyable listen. They actually make me feel quite uncomfortable most of the time and leave me in an odd headspace. But, I partly think that's the point of Third. Music is for enjoyment yes, but it's also supposed to inspire and evoke emotion. I can't think of any other song in this past decade that materialized its theme more apparently to me sonically than the warring drum machines and jarring juxtapositions and transitions of Portishead's "Machine Gun". The production is utterly riveting and Beth's vocals are incredibly melancholy and endlessly absorbing.

7. Foals "Balloons"
2008 was a huge year from brand new bands for me with Foals being one of many new favorites. Hailing from Oxford, England, Foals has actually made quite the name for themselves across the pond with their inventive mix of post-wave esthetics, occasional horn bursts, electronic bloops and bleeps and the signature yelping vocals of lead singer Yannis Philippakis. Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio actually produced their debut album titled Antidotes. Funny thing is they were not very happy with his final mix. They seem to be quite picky with producers in general considering their sophomore release has been rehashed by a number of important producers just recently causing a delay in its release. My favorite on the album is a track called "Balloons" with it's quick pace and cascading notes playfully working against one another.

6. M83 "Kim and Jesse"
With his luscious blend of shoegaze aesthetics, progressive structures and ambient pop; Anthony Gonzalez, who is the mastermind behind M83, made a masterpiece with his 2008 album Saturdays = Youth. He sought the help of acclaimed British tech-house producer/DJ, Ewan Pearson (who happens to be a personal favorite of mine) to rifle through the fake, tacky nostalgia of the sounds of the 80's and transform them into fresh, fantasy pop music. You'll hear touches of The Cocteau Twins, Mr. Mister and Kate Bush along side themes from soundtracks to John Hughes films. My favorite from the album is the heart-racing young love story "Kim and Jesse".

5. Midnight Juggernauts "Shadows"
My favorite album of 2008 was Midnight Juggernauts Dystopia. I have so much love for this electro-pop synth rock group from Melbourne, Australia that it's fairly sickening. Their debut record is considered by the dance community to be one of the best to come out in the last few years and is a noted favorite of people like Justice. The production is uninhibited and slightly retro with glittery disco and slinky basslines. Surprisingly, the lyrics are actually quite good, playing off dark themes surrounding sci-fi and future noir. My favorite track is "Shadows". It's an easy record to loose yourself in.

4. Vampire Weekend "A-Punk"
Vampire Weekend is one of those bands that benefited from the buzz of the blogosphere. I first got word of them after their performances at the CMJ Music Conference in New York City in the fall of 2007. Everyone was talking about this Brooklyn quartet with a sound they uniquely described as "Upper West Side Soweto" which was a mix of preppy, well-read indie rock with up beat, Afro-pop-inspired melodies and rhythms. There really wasn't anyone out their meshing together sounds like this. It was incredibly refreshing and exciting. Unfortunately, the buzz for Vampire Weekend was so heightened that it had a bit of a whip lash effect. Regardless, I still remember how excited I was to play this music for our listeners here at The Current. My favorite track from their self titled 2008 release has got to be the first song we played called "A-Punk".

3. The Heavy "That Kind Of Man"
The Heavy hails from the outskirts of Bath, England and draw most of their influence from funk, soul, blaxploitation film soundtracks, and gritty garage rock. I was tipped off to them from a friend who works for Ninja Tune Records in 2008 right before we were all set to broadcast from the SXSW Music Conference in Austin Texas. It was love at first listen after hearing their track "That Kind Of Man". Combining the urban soul of Curtis Mayfield, the gritty mix of samples and beats of Gnarls Barkley and Prince's sexy and smooth falsetto vocals, "That Kind Of Man" is a sure fire hit that sounds authentic enough to come straight off the Shaft soundtrack. They were my hands down favorite band to discover at the SXSW conference that year.

2. TV On The Radio "Halfway Home"
TV On The Radio's 2006 release Return To Cookie Mountain had so much success that we were all wondering what they were going to come up with on their 2008 release Dear Science. Well, TV On The Radio did not disappoint us with an album that was equally as strong and elaborate as their second but with its own uniqueness to truly set it apart from their previous works. Dear Science proved itself to be more structured and polished and intentionally focused more on Tunde Adepimbe's and Kyp Malone's vocals. "Halfway Home" is my absolute favorite from the album with its sleek production, looping drums and grand guitars sprinting towards its end in an all out epic ending.

1. Hercules and Love Affair "Blind"
I think most people consider disco to only be a moment in musical history, that the music was created and existed only during the 70's. Well, Hercules and Love Affair changed that whole preconception with the creation of their 2008 self titled debut and the hit track "Blind". Disco was back with a vengeance and a freshness that surprised us all. Led by Andrew Butler, a songwriter, producer, keyboardist, and vocalist, Hercules and Love Affair is assisted by the production and programming from DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, a trio of vocalists (Antony, Nomi, and Kim Ann Foxman), and several instrumentalists. I've always been a fan of Antony from Antony and The Johnsons. Yet, it wasn't until I heard his guest vocal work with Hercules and Love Affair that I truly fell head over heels for his androgynous sonic style. Antony's voice is absolutely perfect for disco making "Blind" my absolute favorite song of 2008!

Blind Video

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2008?

Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2007

Posted at 4:49 PM on December 30, 2009 by Melanie Walker (2 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2006. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2007!

2007 was the year The Police reunited for a tour after 23 years. The Eagles made their first album in 28 years. Radiohead releases an album titled In Rainbows and shocks the industry allowing consumers to pay whatever price they wanted for it. Amy Winehouse hits the scene and stole the stage with her album Back To Black and drug related antics. We lost jazz drummer Max Roach, jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, Ike Turner, and the drummer for Ra Ra Riot John Pyke.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2007.

10. Kanye West "Flashing Lights"
Kanye West, in only a short amount of time, went from being a well known hip hop producer to a hip hop superstar. His confident flamboyance and dapper fashion sense set him apart from his peers in the hip hop scene. His 2007 release Graduation was a huge hit culminating eight Grammy nominations that year with Kanye the victor in four of the categories. I know Kanye's no saint but personality aside he is a great producer and I'm a huge sucker for the synths and beats in his song "Flashing Lights".

9. Battles "Atlas"
Battles were one of the most genius if not unique releases of the year with its title track "Atlas". The group consists of John Stanier of groups Helmet and Tomahawk, guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams of bands Don Caballero and Storm & Stress, guitarist David Konopka of the band Lynx, and solo musician Tyondai Braxton. Their blend of tribal rhythms, obscure vocals, warped sonics and progressive guitars created a sound that was all their own. I'd never heard anything like them before and found it both fascinating and entertaining.

8. Klaxons "Atlantis To Interzone"
London based group Klaxons was hailed by the British press as the new pioneers of the new rave movement with their blend of rock and electronics. While I don't think they are the first band to incorporate the two, I do think they put them very nicely together. Their debut release Myths of the Near Future is a strong record. Fortunately, one that was strong enough to handle the level of hype that most bands are able to recover from. My favorite track happens to be the one with the most pronounced electronics in it, "Atlantis To Interzone".

7. M.I.A. "Bamboo Banga"
M.I.A.'s debut release, Arular, was a huge success in 2005. So, when her sophomore release Kala came out in 2007 we were all wondering if she'd live up to the hype. Well, M.I.A. did not disappoint us with Kala and it made Arular seem tame in comparison. M.I.A. sought the help of U.K. "dirty house" producer Switch, Baltimore club don Blaqstarr, Diplo, and Timbaland to help produce the record. My favorite is "Bamboo Banga" with its chaotic and jagged noises and samples of Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner," and two Tamil-language film soundtracks.

6. Bat For Lashes "What's a Girl To Do?"
Brighton, England's Bat For Lashes is the project of Pakistan-born Natasha Khan. Natasha's mystical indie rock sound is heavily influenced by her art school education and experience producing multimedia installations. Her debut release Fur and Gold has a fairytale quality and air of mystery to it balancing between everyday emotions and fantasy. The album is a favorite of mine with "What's a Girl To Do?" being my favorite track.

5. The National "Squalor Victoria"
The National's fourth album Boxer isn't necessarily radically different that their last three but, it's definitely their strongest most ambitious to date. There's a quiet anthemic quality to their arrangements with heartfelt lyrics and an intimacy that's unparalleled. My favorite track is "Squalor Victoria" with its double bass rhythms and lavish string arrangements.

4. Yeasayer "2080"
Yeasayer was one of the most talked about bands to break out of the Brooklyn, NY indie rock scene in 2007 with their debut album All Hour Cymbals. Yeasayer's eclectic, genre-bending journey into pop, rock, Middle Eastern and African, and folk music seems like a mess of a mash up but it's really fearlessly brilliant. New York has its share of experimental bands but Yeasayer's got this remarkable way of going out on a limb sonically while remaining fairly grounded in the pop world. They're surprisingly incredibly accessible. My favorite track of theirs is most definitely "2080".

3. LCD Soundsystem "Someone Great"
LCD Soundsystem's 2007 release The Sound Of Silver is a bit less rowdy and a bit sleeker, a bit more direct and a little less frayed. James Murphy out did himself on this record proving that he's more than just a great producer of dance music but a great songwriter as well with tracks like "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" and my favorite track "Someone Great".

2. Arcade Fire "No Cars Go"
Arcade Fire became indie rock royalty in the early 2000s with their debut release Funeral. So, when the time came for their next album the pressure was on. Their 2007 release Neon Bible did not disappoint with their decadent arrangements, progressive song structures and Win Butler's newfound Roger Waters/Bruce Springsteen/Garrison Keillor-style vocal delivery. I have a number of favorite tracks from this record but I could keep "No Cars Go" on repeat forever and never tire of this orchestral anthem.

1. Radiohead "All I Need"
Radiohead has written a lot of songs and I've got to admit that my all time favorite track from them didn't emerge until their 8th album in 2007 titled In Rainbows. That song is "All I Need" with its abstract electronic layers and disparate melodies. With lyrics like "I'm an animal trapped in your hot car," "All I Need" has to be one of the deepest, saddest metaphors used to express a person's unrequited love. This track is so tragically beautiful and raw it breaks my heart every time I hear it. It's my absolute favorite song of 2007.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2007?

Comment on this post

Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2006

Posted at 8:14 PM on December 29, 2009 by Melanie Walker (2 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2005. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2006!

2006 was the year Three 6 Mafia became the first African American hip-hop group to win an Academy Award for Best Song and also became the first hip-hop artists to ever perform at the ceremony. The last ever weekly edition of the British television chart show, Top of the Pops, is broadcast. OK Go releases their video for their single "Here It Goes Again", and the video quickly becomes an internet phenomenon. We lost a number of amazing musicians such as the legendary Wilson Pickett, revolutionary hip hop producer Jay Dee aka J Dilla, American legend Buck Owens, Reggae legend Desmond Dekker, Syd Barret of Pink Floyd and James Brown.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2006.

10. Guillemots "Trains To Brazil"
There's a reason why Guillemots sounds so insanely eclectic. It's because they are from all over the world and are comprised of English singer and classically trained pianist Fyfe Dangerfield, Brazilian guitarist MC Lord Magrao, Scottish percussionist Greig Stewart (aka Rican Caol), and Canadian double bassist Aristazabal Hawkes. Their debut release Through The Windowpane isn't necessarily the best album that came out in 2006 but there are a few tracks on there that were stellar hits in my opinion. One of them being a song called "Trains To Brazil". With its floor stomping drums, whimsical samples and energetic horns, "Trains To Brazil" is my favorite track. It's not necessarily breaking any new ground but it makes me grin from ear to ear every time I hear it!

9. Snowden "Like Bullets"
My favorite album of 2006 was Snowden's debut release Anti-Anti. Having taken their name from the novel Catch 22, Snowden formed during the quartet's senior year of high school and soon gained quite a following in the indie NYC music scene. While they do tend to have some melancholic similarities to most of the post punk revivalist bands such as Interpol, Snowden has their own individualist, post-shoegazer/dream pop blend that easily sets them apart. Unfortunately, we haven't seen any new material from this band since 2006. I'm only hoping that the new decade will offer them new opportunities to record and write new music. My favorite track is the opening song "Like Bullets" with the icy pulsating bass lines of bassist Corinne Lee.

8. Silversun Pickups "Lazy Eye"
Silversun Pickups is unfortunately constantly compared to Smashing Pumpkins. Ok, ok, I hear the similarities. I really do. I hear the similar layers of distortion and fuzz, and bittersweet melodies that both possess. They do have a slight grunge factor developing there while most other bands at the time were experimenting with post punk revivalist movement. But, Silversun Pickups play with more urgency and have more heart and passion injected into their music than Smashing Pumpkins ever did. They broke onto the alternative rock scene in 2006 with such intensity they couldn't not be noticed. Their entire debut release Carnavas is amazing but "Lazy Eye" is the hit and a song that helped define 2006 for me.

7. Archie Bronson Outfit "Dart For My Sweetheart"
Archie Bronson Outfit, a rock trio from southwest London, is one of those bands that have left me out to dry ever since their 2006 release Derdang Derdang. Discovered randomly one night by the president of Domino Records at his favorite local pub, The Cat's Back, Archie Bronson Outfit soon signed with Domino in 2003 putting out their debut release Fur in 2005. Derdang Derdang soon followed with its manic energy and raw emotion to rave reviews from music critics. It was a huge success. I'm waiting on pins and needles for them to come back with another amazing record. "Dart For My Sweetheart" is by far my favorite from the album and one of my favorites of 2006 if not the decade.

6. The Young Knives "The Decision"
The SXSW music conference that's held in Austin, TX every March is for a very short period of time the epicenter of the music industry. It's more than a good time. It's where new sounds emerge and new trends develop. It's a place where I discover some of the best new music I'll hear all year, one of them in 2006 being a post punk revivalist quartet out of Oxford, England called The Young Knives. My favorite track from their debut release Voices Of Animals And Men is a track called "The Decision" that was produced by none other than Gang Of four's Andy Gill. What a match made in heaven! My only wish for the coming decade is that these guys make another album. PLEASE!

5. The Knife "Silent Shout"
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, the Knife is a brother and sister duo that takes inspiration from mainly vintage synth pop and various experimental electronic music. The result is a sound that is equally gorgeous, unsettling, and whimsical. Their second release Silent Shout is much darker, and a more ambitious set of songs than the Knife's previous album Deep Cuts which tended to be a bit more pop centered. It's no surprise that Silent Shout made most critics top ten lists for 2006. The title track was my favorite.

4. TV On The Radio "Wolf Like Me"
TV On The Radio broke down sonic barriers with their mix of post-punk, electronic, and atmospheric elements on their debut release in 2004 Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. But, they didn't really gain wide stream appeal until their 2006 release Return To Cookie Mountain. The track "Wolf Like Me" was huge, and unapologetically ambitious with its lush and expansive production. It's defintely near the top of my list of favorite songs of the decade.

3. Gnarls Barkley "Crazy"
2006 was the year Gnarls Barkley took over the world with their song "Crazy" from their album St. Elsewhere. I'll admit that I've probably heard this song enough to last me a life time. But, it's still a hit. Not since Gorillaz Demon Days had I heard a pop/rap based record sound so inventive and fresh. Then you start learning who Gnarls Barkley is and it's no surprise considering its Danger Mouse and R&B singer Cee-Lo Green. Danger Mouse is turning out to be one of the premier producers of this last decade after working with people like Gorillaz, Beck, MF Doom and James Murphy. But, his highlight has got to be "Crazy". This track crossed boundaries with audiences that most couldn't even dream of penetrating.

2. Junior Boys "In The Morning"
Ontario-based electronic pop group Junior Boys, are in my humble opinion, one of the most over looked acts of this last decade. I think they far out shine other electric pop groups mainly because they have really strong song structure and fantastic production. Their songwriting is focused and almost minimal compared to their counterparts. They don't clutter their songs with too many samples or textures. My favorite track from their 2006 release, So This Is Goodbye, is "In The Morning". I love the deep inhale samples that are featured throughout the track.

1. Radio Citizen "The Hop feat. Bajka"
My favorite song of 2006 is by far "The Hop" by Radio Citizen (also known now as Radio City due to some legal concerns over the copyright of the name). Radio Citizen is Niko Schabel, a one-man big band with a cast of players, including Indian-born vocalist Bajka. With its bluesy beats, grinding organ riffs, and seductively soulful vocals, "The Hop" became the jam of my summer in 2006. Blending the sounds of sixties jazz, funk 45s, soul, dub and reggae, afrobeat, electronica, Latin boogaloo, and rocksteady, Radio Citizen blends genres and moods to create a sound all their own. It's insanely groovy.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2006?

Comment on this post

Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2005

Posted at 4:55 PM on December 28, 2009 by Melanie Walker (1 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2004. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2005!

2005 was a big year for comebacks. Mariah Carey made her big comeback with her album The Emancipation of Mimi. Nine Inch Nails releases their first studio album in six years. Fiona Apple also releases her first record in six years. Michael Jackson was found not guilty of child molestation. Pink Floyd reunited with former bassist, Rodger Waters, for the first performance as a quartet since their 1981 The Wall tour.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2005.

10. Platinum Pied Pipers "Deep Inside feat. The Sa-Ra Creative Partners"
It might not be my number one track of the year, but I will always remember 2005 as the year of Platinum Pied Pipers. Their album Triple P was a huge favorite of mine that year. Platinum Pied Pipers are producers/musicians Waajeed, one of Slum Village's founders, and Saadiq, a student of Motown heavyweight songwriter Barrett Strong. Their sound was so current and edgy at the time, it was the underground sound emerging from the neo-soul and hip hop communities. With a cast of MCs and vocalists that included newcomers like Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Tiombe Lockhart, Steve Spacek, Ta'Raach and Jay Dee, The Platinum Pied Pipers were way ahead of the curve. My favorite track has got to be freaky funk of "Deep Inside" featuring The Sa-Ra Creative Partners who happen to be a trio of producers who have quite the reputation themselves having worked with folks like Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Heavy D, Ice-T, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Mobb Deep, Lord Finesse, Common, Coolio, 50 Cent, Diddy, and the list goes on. Check it out!

9. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah "Upon This Tidal Wave Of Young Blood"
2005 was also the year of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah for me. Their self titled, self released, self produced debut release was being called the hottest thing to come out all year. The hype was turned way up thanks to the help of the grassroots indi blog machine. They were kind of the first original internet buzz band. Well, I must admit I think they are more than deserving of the buzz. Their self titled album was chock full of hits like "The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth" and "Is This Love". But, my favorite was "Upon This Tidal Wave Of Young Blood" with the wobbly alto antics of lead singer Alec Ounsworth's striking David Byrne sonic resemblance.

8. Editors "All Sparks"
2005 continued the wave of the post punk revival of the '00's with bands like the UK's Editors. There's no real interesting story here, just four music technology students from Britain's Stafford University who relocated to Birmingham after graduation and formed a band. After a stand out performance at the annual Glastonbury Music Festival, Editors hit it big with their debut release The Back Room. My favorite track was "All Sparks". Not since the release of Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights had I been won over so much by a new alternative rock band.

7. Spoon "I Turn My Camera On"
I've always been a big fan of Spoon, but not till their 2005 release Gimme Fiction had they really become a favorite of mine. This was their 5th after a three year gap with their 2003 release Kill The Moonlight. I'm a huge sucker for the groove and falsetto of "I Turn My Camera On". I challenge the day that I actually find myself getting sick of this song. It's simply just an insanely irresistible groove that I simply can't resist.

6. Common "Real People"
Electric Circus, common's 2002 release, was the album that really won over Common some fans. I should have mentioned something from that release in my 2002 list, but there are simply too many songs. It's hard enough to list only ten from each year! But, I must say the style and production of Common's 2005 album Be has got to be my favorite of his. Produced by both Kanye West and J Dilla, it's no wonder I have multiple favorites on this record like "Love Is...", "The Corner", "Go!", "Chi-City" and my favorite "Real People". Common's really bringing it home, speaking straight from his heart on this track with his sharp narratives and introspective observations. Plus, you've got to dig those horns on the track.

5. LCD Soundsystem "Disco Infiltrator"
LCD Soundsystem took over in 2005 with their smash hit "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" from their debut self titled release. James Murphy easily became one of the coolest musical minds out their fearlessly mixing all kinds of sounds together such as acid house, post-punk, garage rock and psychedelic pop. My personal favorite from the album has got to be "Disco Infiltrator". It's completely unpredictable and I still hear new sounds in this song every time I listen to it.

4. M.I.A. "Galang"
I'll admit that I hated M.I.A. at first. She was so over hyped that I immediately fell victim to the M.I.A. whiplash before I could even decipher my own opinion of her music. It wasn't until her in studio performance with us here at The Current in the fall of 2005 that I really opened up to her music. Watching her and her partner in crime, Cherry, perform "Galang" in our studio totally made it all click into place for me. M.I.A. was just having a good time. It was everyone else who was over analyzing her to be indie rocks next messiah. Her blend of UK garage, Jamaican dancehall, southern crunk and electro was unique and fun!

3. Jamie Lidell "Music Will Not Last"
I've been a big fan of singer/ producer Jamie Lidell's since his days making experimental techno with producer Christian Vogel in the group Super Collider in 1999. So, when he finally came out with his own solo record in 2000 called Muddlin Gear, I was thrilled to bits to hear it. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of the record. But, his 2005 release, Multiply, is a work of genius! Blending things like mid-'60s Stax and Motown, James Brown and pre-Revolution Prince, Lidell keeps things eclectic but sticks to traditional song writing for the most part. My favorite track was "Music Will Not Last".

2. Sigur Ros "Hoppipolla"
Sigur Ros is one of my favorite acts to have come out in the last few decades. So, it's no surprise to find them on my top ten of 2005 with their release Takk... Released three years after ( ), Takk... is surprisingly lighter and brighter sounding. Sounding more like a sun lit morning than a walk through a dark, foggy moor. My favorite track is "Hoppipolla" with its delicate strings and arrangements and Jonsi's other worldly vocals.

1. Rosin Murphy "Sow Into You"
Most people in the US have probably not heard of Dublin born Róisín Murphy, but she's gained quite a loyal following in the British independent scene. She began her singing career with producer Mark Brydon in the electronic pop duo Moloko. They were fairly successful but soon parted ways after their first full length release. Róisín then moved to London and began working with eclectic producer Matthew Herbert, who happens to be one of my favorite producers in the electronic scene. The result of their collaboration was Róisín's debut solo release Ruby Blue. Herbert's concept was to build the album around Murphy. He wanted to build it conceptually around her gorgeous voice, but also her life as well. Consequently, Ruby Blue reflects this with his witty use of environmental sounds throughout the record. They created this beautiful balance of smooth pop and organic atmospherics. Ruby Blue is littered with mini-masterpieces of eccentric electronic pop, but my favorite track has to be "Sow Into You". Check out the crazy video for "Sow Into You" below. Róisín Murphy was way ahead of the curve, pushing the envelope while Lady Ga Ga was still getting over her pre-teen boy band phase.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2005?

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Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2004

Posted at 3:40 PM on December 24, 2009 by Melanie Walker (4 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2003. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2004!

2004 was the year when we lost our superfreak Rick James. Johnny Ramone, guitarist for The Ramones, lost his battle with prostate cancer. Phish announced they were breaking up after their 2004 summer tour. The Beta Band broke up. Britney Spears was married in Vegas and then soon had the union annulled. Dave Matthew's Band was sued after their tour bus dumped 800lbs of human feces from a Chicago Bridge. YUCK!

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2004.

10. Keane "Somewhere Only We Know"
2004 was the first year that Keane came out with their UK best selling album Hopes and Fears. "Somewhere Only We Know" was a huge success with its incredibly romantic and melancholic lyrics. Unfortunately, this is the only song I've ever really liked by Keane. It's a huge guilty pleasure of mine from 2004. But, I love it all the same.

9. Death From Above 1979 "Romantic Rights"
Death From Above 1979's 2004 release You're A Woman, I'm A Machine was on constant repeat for me in the fall of 2004. They are like this amazingly perfect amalgamation of folks like Queens Of The Stone Age and Nine Inch Nails with a twist of MSTRKRFT. They are basically all of my favorite musical textures meshed together. I had a really difficult time picking a favorite from the album but it's got to be "Romantic Rights". I was terribly disappointed to see them disband the following August but enjoy both of their solo works as well.

8. Air "Run"
One of my all time favorite albums is Air's debut release Moon Safari. It's been a downhill slope ever since then for me with them. They will have the occasional song I dig but their albums never felt as cohesive to me as that first one. The last track I ever really fell in love with from them is the song "Run" from their 2004 release Talkie Walkie. It's an easy track to loose your self in. "Run" is incredibly hypnotizing with its droning atmospherics and impressionistic, space age minimalism.

7. Annie "Heartbeat"
2004 was a year of unexpected musical loves for me with one of them being Annie's 2004 release Anniemal. Her voice is slightly thin and not the best I've heard but the production and catchy melodies make up for it. Her second single "Heartbeat" is a guilty pleasure of mine. Produced by Röyksopp, the track is pure pop perfection to me.

6. Brother Ali "B*tchslap!"
One of my favorite hip hop albums of all time has got to be Brother Ali's Shadows Of The Sun. I clearly remember the first time I heard this album. I was rolling' down Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, CA with my friends heading to a club we frequented called National. "B*itchslap!" came on and my hand went straight for the dial and I turned that track up as loud as humanly possible. It was hot hot hot! Producer Ant's (from hip hop group Atmosphere) blend of soul, jazz, and blues mixed with slick beats totally compliment the righteous rhymes of Ali. The entire album is full of hits but "B*itchslap!" remains my personal favorite and Brother Ali one of my favorite MC's of all time. Warning this track is fairly explicit with its lyrics.

5. Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out"
2004 was the year we were all first introduced to Glasgow's art rock quartet, Franz Ferdinand and their hit single "Take Me Out" with its sauntering, stomping rhythms and sharp lyrics and hooks. With the post punk revival in full effect with bands like Interpol and The Rapture finding lots of success, Franz Ferdinand quickly took center stage with their campy humor and slinky glamorous production.

4. TV On The Radio "Staring At The Sun"
2004 was the year TV On The Radio first hit the scene. Like nothing else out there this Brooklyn based group challenged our ears with their mixture of post-punk, electronic, and other atmoshperic elements. They are most definitely one of the most unique but accessable acts to emerge from this decade of music. "Staring At The Sun" was my favorite track from their debut album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

3. Faithless "Mass Destruction"
2004 proved to be the defining year when dance music really seemed to be in the middle of an identity crisis. It became so main stream that most of it was just fluffy house music with no real edge to it anymore. I was beginning to abandon the music fad and opt for more of the inventive indie rock coming out at the time. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I first discovered "Mass Destruction" by Faithless. I had only been a moderate fan of this trip hop / electronic trio until the release of their 2004 album No Roots. Rapper Maxi Jazz's smooth rolling delivery and philosophical/ political ramblings on "Mass Destruction" soon became a big personal favorite of mine.

2. The Walkmen "The Rat"
I think a lot of bands have it in them to write a great song but the key to a songs success is really in the delivery and one of the best examples of that coming to mind is The Walkmen's "The Rat". Noisy, angry with fever pitched rhythms and guitars, it's the crazed infuriating delivery of lead singer Jonathan Fire*Eater that really makes this track as perfectly crafted song as any I've ever heard. It's the ultimate song of resentment and fury and a personal favorite of mine to help blow off a bit of steam.

1. The Arcade Fire "Wake Up"
2004 was the year of Arcade Fire, one of the best rock bands to ever emerge from this decade in music. Not since U2's "Joshua Tree" had I ever heard an entire album filled with such passionate rock anthems and emotional, empowering ballads as The Arcade Fire's debut album Funeral. It's really difficult for me to even try to write a short synopsis of what an incredibly remarkable achievement this debut album was for my generation. My all time favorite song from the band is "Wake Up" and wake up we all did in the fall of 2004 when The Arcade Fire set foot on the scene.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2004?

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Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2003

Posted at 7:03 PM on December 23, 2009 by Melanie Walker (2 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2002. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2003!

2003 was the year when we lost three legends of the music scene, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, and Nina Simone. Phil Spector was arrested for the investigation into the death of actress Lana Clarkson after finding her dead in his home. Pearl Jam had a number of fans walk out during a live concert due to lead singer Eddie Veddars anti-war comments and insulting remarks to then President Bush. Madonna locks lips at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Michael Jackson was arrested on charges of child molestation and poor Elliot Smith committed suicide at the young age of 34.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2003.

10. The Roots "The Seed 2.0 feat. Cody ChesnuTT"
The Roots were the group that really got me interested in hip hop in the late 90's with their album Things Fall Apart. I'll always be a fan but nothing will ever quite compare to that album for me except possibly their 2003 release Phrenology and the track "The Seed 2.0". I'll be honest I had almost completely forgotten about this song. What a loss that would have been! Featuring vocals by neo soul singer Cody ChesnuTT this track is insanely groovy and features their trademark organic live instrumentation that The Roots are so well known for.

9. Belle and Sebastian "Dear Catastrophe Waitress"
I was not hip to Belle and Sebastian at all till the fall of 2003 even though they had already established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the indie music scene several years earlier. But, I was soon won over by their whimsical reinterpretation of 60's pop psychadelia and beautiful delicate melodies. "Dear Catastrophe Waitress", the title track from their 2003 release, will go down as one of my all time favorite tracks by the band. Their lush production and clever lyrics set them apart from others during the chamber pop movement of the late 90's that ended up turning a bit too precocious for my taste.

8. The Postal Service "Such Great Heights"
2003 was the year also known for the short lived super group The Postal Service. Producer Jimmy Tamborello ( and leader of electronica bands like Dntel and Figurine) and Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard did something that I don't think anyone had ever done before. They wrote music together whilst living in different cities. Named after the courier service they used to trade and collaborate on song ideas, Jimmy would send instrumental tracks to Ben who would then add guitars, vocals, and lyrics to complete the track. Not only were they a super group but they were a long distance super group. Their debut release, Give Up, ended up selling over 500,000 copies and becoming extremely successful. There were a number of stand out tracks on the album but "Such Great Heights" will always be my favorite.

7. The Black Keys "Have Love Will Travel"
My love affair with The Black Keys continues after their debut in 2002 into the year 2003 with their sophomore release Thickfreakness. It's like Dan Auerbach straight up channeled Jimi Hendricks on the track "Have Love Will Travel". To make things even more impressive, The Black Keys recorded Thickfreakness in 14 straight hours during a single day in 2002. I'll admit I never had much of a taste for electric blues rock but there's something innately raw and primal about the way this duo reinterprets the genre. It's amazing how much Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney as a duo can accomplish with only a guitar and drums.

6. OutKast "Hey Ya!"
2003 was the year Big Boi and Andre 3000 of OutKast ruled the airwaves. To say that their 2003 release Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below was one of the most eagerly anticipated hip hop records of this decade is an understatement. Their blend of dirty southern funk, and psychadelia was a match made in music heaven. You couldn't escape them. "Hey Ya!" was everywhere with everyone shakin' it "like a Polaroid picture".

5. Death Cab For Cutie "Transatlanticism"
2003 felt like the year I really discovered some of the more successful indie rock bands that had already been fairly established, such as Death Cab For Cutie. I'll admit that they write beautiful melodies and poignant lyrics but they've never been a huge personnel favorite of mine. I have a huge amount of respect for them but they tend to be fairly traditional with their songwriting and I tend to lean more toward things a bit more obscure. Yet, the title track from their 2003 release Transatlanticism is hands down my favorite track of all time from Death Cab For Cutie. It's a long one, nearly 8 minutes. But, its 8 minutes of blissful, hypnotic, heart breaking longing.

4. The Rapture "House of Jealous Lovers"
I was living back in Hollywood, CA in 2003. The indie music scene was booming at that time. Before The Rapture, I don't think I'd ever really seen indie rockers in Los Angeles dance. No not stare at their feet and rock back and forth. I mean shake what their mama gave them uncontrollably and unabashedly! During the height of the post punk revival The Rapture were the pied pipers leading the regalia and people began dancing at rock shows again. It was awesome! "House of Jealous Lovers" from The Rapture's album Echoes is my all time favorite of theirs with its gritty bass lines and dynamite percussion. You can't not shake your thing listening to it. This song will go down in history to me as the track that saved indie rock from taking itself too seriously.

3. The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army"
I had been somewhat of a fan of The White Stripes with their previous three releases before 2003. But, it was their album Elephant and the track "Seven Nation Army" that made me really stand-up and take notice of them. I guess the reason I like Elephant more is because I feel like they upped the theatrics of their songwriting and became more vulnerable in the process. But not in a delicate way, they released these flood gates of crazy raw emotion surrounding razor edged themes of anger, paranoia and disillusionment. It was pure rock and roll genius. "Seven Nation Army" is as perfect a rock and roll anthem as it will ever be.

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps"
The Yeah Yeah Yeah's stormed the indie rock scene in the summer of 2003 with their first full length release Fever To Tell. Lead singer Karen O became the Chrissie Hynde of the new rock decade with her theatrical performances and unearthly vocals. The album got mixed reviews but it was fairly unanimous that the moody atmospherics of the albums stand out track, "Maps", was one of the best punk love songs written in a very long time. The song foreshadowed a very long and exciting career for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Seven years later and the band are still making amazing music.

1. Dizzee Rascal "Fix Up, Look Sharp"
2003 was the year that the UK grime scene finally got its due recognition with Dizzee Rascal winning the prestigious Mercury Prize for his debut release Boy in da Corner. Grime was this aggressive and abrasive offshoot of the slick, R&B garage dance scene. Dizzee wrote and performed with a group of MCs called the Roll Deep crew that were really the first group to bring the genre from the underground world of pirate radio to mainstream music audiences in the UK. What they were doing was fairly revolutionary at the time but had somewhat mixed reviews stateside. I still love the track "Fix Up, Look Sharp". It was my absolute favorite song in 2003. One of my favorite memories working with The Current was finally having the opportunity to meet Dizzee Rascal when he performed at our remote broadcast from the SXSW conference in Austin, TX in 2007. If you've never gotten the chance to check out his live performance with us you are missing out! He had fists pumping' that afternoon in the blazing heat of the Austin sun. Just click here to see Dizzee's live performance.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2002?

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Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2002

Posted at 4:09 PM on December 22, 2009 by Melanie Walker (4 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog yesterday about the year 2001. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2002!

2002 was the year when Graham Coxson left Blur and was soon replaced by Simon Tong the former guitarist for The Verve, R. Kelly was charged with 21 counts of sex with a minor after video tapes surfaced, Kelly Clarkson was named the very first American Idol, and Jam Master Jay was shot dead in a studio in Queens with Run DMC disbanding soon after.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2002.

10. Spoon "The Way We Get By"
Who doesn't like Spoon? Seriously, I have yet to meet one person who does not like at least one Spoon track or album. Their fourth release, Kill The Moonlight, came soon after the big success of their previous album Girls Can Tell in 2001. But, 2002 for me was when I really took notice of Spoon with the track "The Way We Get By". Lead singer Britt Daniels is doing what he does best on this track which is crafting amazing pop music with insanely catchy hooks and melodies. Plus it's got hand claps in there. I'm always a sucker for a great hand clap.

9. Neko Case "Deep Red Bells"
I first saw Neko Case in 2002 when she opened for Nick Cave in Northern California. It was one of those amazing shows where you are surprised and blown away by the unknown opening act. I'll admit I was not one for most Americana at that time in my music career, but Neko's hauntingly silky vocals and 2am torch singer styling totally caught me off guard and helped me fall in love with my old country favorites again like Patsy Cline and Dusty Springfield. I immediately went out the following day and bought her most recent release Blacklisted. It's still by far my favorite of all her albums and "Deep Red Bells" my favorite track that initially made me a fan of hers.

8. Frou Frou "Breath In"
One of the biggest disappointments to me in the world of independent music is the disbanding of Frou Frou in 2003. I'm a big fan of Imogen Heap's solo work, but her collaborations with Guy Sigsworth in Frou Frou are by far superior in my humble opinion. So, when I heard some grumbling that their may be a Frou Frou revival soon my heart skipped a beat. There's something more balanced and innately warm and ethereal about the combination of the two of them working together than Imogen solo. Tracks like "Let Go" hit mainstream commercial success for Frou Frou after appearing in the passionate closing scene of the film Garden State, but my favorite by far is "Breath In" with its skippy base line and solid songwriting. The beginning of the decade brewed a bunch of euro pop acts like Everything But the Girl, Lamb and Dido. But, I'd say that Frou Frou was by far my favorite.

7. Wilco "Heavy Metal Drummer"
When I first interviewed for a job at The Current in 2005 with then Program Director Steve Nelson, he had one main question for me. "Who is Wilco and what do I think of them?" Of course I knew who Wilco was but having not growing up in the Midwest I had no idea how beloved this group was to this town and The Current's audience. The summer of 2002 was when I first really discovered Wilco and their track "Heavy Metal Drummer" with it shiny chorus and it's jangly, nostalgic reminiscences quickly became my summer soundtrack. When I think of the twin cities now Wilco always comes to mind. Their sound feels like Minnesota to me. It feels like home. It almost makes it seem like that summer in 2002 with Wilco's album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was a foreshadowing of my then to be new life in Saint Paul just a few short years later.

6. The Cinematic Orchestra "All That You Give"
I'm a huge fan of The Cinematic Orchestra. I'm always so surprised how easily they fly under music heads radars. Led by British composer/programmer/multi-instrumentalist Jason Swinscoe, the aptly named Cinematic Orchestra burst on the scene in the late 90's creating a unique fusion of live musicians improvising over sampled percussion and bass lines. There were some folks out there experimenting with live instrumentation and the DJ arts, but none as successful as them. Their official sophomore release, Every Day, is by far their strongest release to date featuring guest appearances by MC Roots Manuva and legendary soul singer Fontella Bass. "All That You Give" was my favorite track featuring the shimmering strings of harp player Rhodri Davis and vocals of Fontella Bass. The real heart wrenching part of this song is not just the delicate, lush mood created by Swinscoe and crew but Fontella herself singing to her beloved husband who had unfortunately passed on recently before recording with The Cinematic Orchestra.

5. The Black Keys "I'll Be Your Man"
I was shocked to see that this song was 8 years old! 2002 was the year The Black Keys released their very first album The Big Come Up. Unbelievable! This is what happens when you go back and reflect upon a decade of your favorite music. You rediscover you're initial discoveries. Basically, I fell, hook line and sinker for this minimal blues rock duo from Akron, Ohio after hearing this track. I'm convinced that "I'll Be Your Man" can turn any woman into a puddle of putty for these two dudes. Thick with bravado, this song screams "I'm a stud muffin!" The Black Keys debut was a refreshing take on traditional electric blues music with its slick production and harsh, feedback ridden, garage sound. I love it!

4. The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1"
I love The Flaming Lips because they have this uncanny ability to be both extremely experimental and innately sentimental at the same time. They simply are not afraid to be weirdo's and their 2002 release Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots is extremely bizarre. I think their track "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1" perfectly balances those heart warming melancholy moments with the squelchy robotic bleeps and bloops that make The Flaming Lips so deliciously unique.

3. Interpol "Obstacle 1"
2002 was the year of New York's post punk revival and Interpol lead the way with their dark atmospherics and haunting, sighing guitars. So Interpol wasn't reinventing the wheel, but their reinterpretation of the late 1970's heyday of folks like Joy Division, Gang Of Four, The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen was pretty spot on. It sparked a movement that changed modern indie rock music as we knew it with bands like Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, The Rapture and even newcomers like the Arctic Monkeys. "Obstacle 1" is more than just a great song it's the track that broke down the door and opened the flood gates for a whole new interpretation of an almost forgotten era of rock music.

2. The Streets "Turn The Page"
Ok I'll fess up. If it's not obvious already, I defintely have a soft spot for electronic music. I was twenty-somethin' during the height of the underground rave scene in the late 90's. DJ's ruled the earth. I was a big fan of the UK garage scene listening to folks like Todd Edwards, Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. So, when The Streets came about it was a bit of a shocker. This kid, Mike Skinner, made this incredible debut record in his bedroom. He was both MC and producer. I know most people can do that these days but 8 years ago it was fairly revolutionary. Original Pirate Material was not only just a fun listen but it also became this somewhat statement on modern-day British youth at the time. "Turn The Page" was like Skinner's call to arms for the UK youth's dance music scene. It was inspiring. Original Pirate Material will go down in history as being that defining moment when being a producer, a DJ or an MC became a possibility for everyone and anyone.

1. Sigur Ros "#4"
1999 was the year I fell in love with Sigur Ros. Their first full length release, Ágætis Byrjun, will go down in history as one of my favorite records of all time. "Svefn - g- Englar" is one of my all time favorite songs. Sigur Ros did not disappoint me with their 2002 release ( ). Sure it's a bit more minimal and scaled back compared to the orchestral highs and lows of Ágætis Byrjun, but it still maintains those blissful elongated passages of sound that Sigur Ros is so well known for. I can't think of anyone else who makes music that's so enlightening. I know it sounds ridiculous but I feel like a better person after a Sigur Ros listening session. There's something about this band that permeates your soul after listening to them.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2002?

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Your Favorite Songs Of The Decade: 2001

Posted at 9:47 AM on December 21, 2009 by Melanie Walker (5 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. You can check out the blog about the year 2000 last Friday. Let's continue the countdown with the year 2001!

2001 was the year when boy bands still ruled the world, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson were still putting out new music, Linkin Park, Blink 182 and Staind were the big Billboard sellers, you couldn't escape the female anthem "Lady Marmalade", Electric Light Orchestra released their first album in 15 years titled Zoom and 9/11 shocked and crippled us as a nation.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2001.

10. Zero 7 "I Have Seen"
When I first started getting into jazz I stumbled upon a DJ at the BBC in the UK named Gilles Peterson who had a radio show called Worldwide. Gilles had been a staple of the acid jazz and down tempo scene in London for a very long time. I learned a lot from the guy about jazz and its influence on other musical genres. He also introduced me to a number of other artists meshing jazz with electronic music; folks like The Cinematic Orchestra, Jazzanova, Kruder and Dorfmister, Truby Trio and Zero 7. Zero 7's album Simple Things was like nothing else out there at the time. They were often called "the British version of Air" at that time but were much more organic sounding that those two. Their collection of laid back ambient jazz and soul totally became the soundtrack to my summer in 2001. The stand out track for me was the opener "I Have Seen" featuring the vocals of someone I actually can't remember right now unfortunately but, he totally reminds me of classic Terry Callier.

9. Radiohead "Pyramid Song"
I'd be remiss to not include anything from Radiohead on my top 10 of any year even if it is from their 2001 album Amnesiac. Some call it genius. Others think it's a bit odder than their other works. Well, it for me it sure wasn't as out there as 2003's Hail To The Thief, but it gets challenging at times. Yet, there are a few gems on this album including "Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box", "Knives Out" and my favorite "Pyramid Song" which is basically all about not fearing death. If you've ever seen the video, which you can watch by clicking here, it's all about the Earth being completely flooded. The central character in the song has lost everyone, and he no longer wants to go on living. He ends his life by finding his home underwater with an underwater breathing device. Once finding his home he settles in the living room in a chair and let's go of his breathing device. With 9/11 right around the corner, I remember "Pyramid Song" being a track that captured that national feeling of despair for me.

8. Gorillaz "Clint Eastwood"
Gorillaz was the first ever "virtual hip hop group". Blending the musical talents of Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, Blur's Damon Albarn, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori, Tom Tom Club's Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz with visuals created by Jamie Hewlett, best known as the creator of the cult comic Tank Girl, Gorillaz made a huge splash in the spring of 2001. In hindsight the whole project is kind of flashy and unnecessary but at the time it was like nothing else out there. "Clint Eastwood" is my favorite track with the laid back dub like styling of Dan "The Automator" and the smooth rhymes of guest MC Del tha Funkee Homosapien.

7. The Shins "New Slang"
Most discovered The Shins after watching Natalie Portman play the track "New Slang" for Zach Braff in the 2004 film "Garden State" in a hospital waiting room. It was a tender moment in the film and the delicate croons of lead singer James Mercer filled out the scene nicely. Soon after The Shins became the new golden children of the indie rock scene. Yet, that track had actually been released on The Shins debut release Oh, Inverted World back in the summer of 2001. Filled with jangly guitars and retro pop nuggets reminiscent of the music of the late 60's from the likes of Love, Donovan or The Beach Boys, The Shins unintentionally set a new standard for the independent music scene.

6. Rufus Wainwright "Greek Song"
I've always had a soft spot for Rufus Wainwright. I think it's because he's got a thing for having life being a bit more provocative in a cheeky kind of way. I really didn't know of him at all until his second release, Poses, and that record quickly became a favorite. I clearly remember sitting around the local coffee shop in Monterey, CA chain smoking cigarettes and listening to him crooning over and over with his leisurely operatic tenor and falling madly for his young romantic wishes. "Greek Song" stood out the most on the album for me because it was slightly more unconventional than the rest of the album with its eastern tinged Ingmar Bergman spaghetti western theatrics.

5. Roots Manuva "Witness (1 Hope)"
British producer/ rapper Roots Manuva aka Rodney Smith took the British hip hop scene by storm in 2001 with his album Run Come Save Me. Hip hop in England at the time was pretty lost, dominated by mostly big commercial rappers. The underground scene hadn't had a huge break out artist in awhile until Roots Manuva hit the scene. Nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize in the UK, "Witness (1 Hope)" became the hip hop anthem of the year for me with its ragga dub and trip hop styling's.

4. The Poets Of Rhythm "Smilin' (While You're Crying)"
I used to shop way too often at this record store in the bay area called Amoeba Records and that is where I first discovered The Poets Of Rhythm. One of the buyers for the store noticed me there often enough that he'd know what I'd be digging around for and would make recommendations. On that particular day he passed over Discern/ Define, the debut record from The Poets Of Rhythm. First of all these dudes are German! Discovered by Lyrics Born and signed to his label Quannum Records , they are a funk and soul band from Munich that sound like they were straight out of the 60's and 70's following in the footsteps of folks like Parliament and The Meters. My hands down favorite track is "Smilin' (While You're Crying)". Still sounds fresh to me to this day.

3. The Strokes "The Modern Age"
2001 will go down in indie rock history as the year we all first heard The Strokes. Ok so these guys didn't reinvent the wheel for rock n' roll but they had this lust for life in everything they did that was incredibly charismatic and exciting. Their debut release Is This It became critics and audiences favorite all over the world and will go down as one of the best releases of this decade. Every track on this record is easily a hit in my mind, but my personal favorite has got to be "The Modern Age".

2. Herbert "It's Only"
For me my favorite album of the year has got to be Herbert's Bodily Functions. Ok so it's a bit of a weird concept. Producer Matthew Herbert sampled all kinds of noises your body makes. No, not nasty ones like gas or gurgles but the shifting of your hair, the blink of your eye or the crack of your wrist. He took these samples, with some instrumentation too, and made beats and music from them. The concept of the album that followed paired nicely with the samples focusing mainly on the relations between human beings whether it be love, heartbreak, or deceit. I know it sounds odd but give it a shot. Check out my favorite from the album "It's Only" featuring the vocals of Dani Siciliano.

1. Koop "Waltz For Koop"
I can't think of a more perfect song from 2001 for me that Swedish jazz duo Koop's "Waltz For Koop" featuring Cecilia Stalin's vocals. When I die and I go to heaven I want my eternal soundtrack to be the relaxing skipping base beats and softly whispering strings of "Waltz For Koop". It's no secret I do like a bit of jazz here and there, but I find most modern jazz to be a bit too straight forward for my taste or a bit too cheesy. I like sticking to my old standards. But, there's one jazz record that I think could possibly stand the test of time and that's Koop's Waltz For Koop. Some might not consider it to be proper jazz but I don't really care. It's got the same effortlessness and esthetic of some of my old favorite standards.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2001?

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Your favorite songs of the decade: 2000

Posted at 4:47 PM on December 18, 2009 by Melanie Walker (5 Comments)
Filed under: Favorite Songs of the Decade

Hi there! This is Melanie Walker, the Music Director here at The Current. As we're wrapping up 2009 here at The Current I'm finding myself reminiscing not only about my favorite songs of the last year, but my favorite songs of the last decade! Every week day till New Year's Eve I'll be counting down my favorite 10 tracks of each year of the '00's and I invite you to do the same! We've got 10 days to count down our 100 personal favorites of the last decade. This is simply just for fun. I'm no authority on what was the defining music of an era. So on that note, let's kick this monster off with the year 2000!

2000 was the year we first were introduced to Coldplay, Outkast hit the big time "for real" with their album Stankonia, Rage Against The Machine temporarily disbanded after front man Zack de la Rocha left the band, Metallica filed a lawsuit against Napster, everyone wanted to be a DJ and Daft Punk's "One More Time" became the dance anthem of 2000 before the release of their album in 2001.

2000 was the year for me when I hosted my first morning radio show, learned all about jazz, fell in love with independent hip hop and probably discovered more new music that year than I had since I raided my Dad's record collection at the age of 13. There was something about 2000 that made it a particularly amazing year for new music for me. Maybe it was napster and file sharing that brought independent music to the forefront and the masses. Regardless, the music I listened to the most 10 years ago is the music I feel has shaped my personal esthetic the most in my life. Dare I say even more than the music I listened to in my teens? Yet upon reflection, I was surprised to see how melancholy the year 2000 was for me sonically. I don't remember it being such a downer! I guess my musical taste was just a bit chiller at that time. It was during the height of the down tempo era after all! Electronic music had hit the masses and even rockers like Primal Scream and Radiohead were getting in on the trend.

These are my personal favorite songs of the year 2000.

10. The Avalanches "Since I Left You"
Hailing from down under in Melbourne, Australia, The Avalanches were one of the big independent break out hits of 2000 with their debut album Since I Left You which was assembled from approximately 3,500 vinyl samples. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing this song someplace and wondering what's this Jackson Five remix all about.

9. St. Germain "Rose Rouge"
As I said before, I hosted my first morning radio program around the year 2000. But, the catch was it was a jazz specialty show and I knew nothing about jazz. So, I had to learn all about it fast and soon discovered that there were no rules about only playing the standards. I got into Medeski Martin and Wood, The Greyboy Allstars, even dipped into the beginnings of acid jazz with the works of folks like Grant Green, Roy Ayers and Donald Byrd. St. Germain's album Tourist was a huge break out hit for legendary jazz label, Blue Note Records and made a big impression upon this newfound jazz lover. Although, some might not call it jazz. It ain't no Straight No Chaser but it was innovative and exciting to me blending house music with live jazz instrumentals and samples.

8. Badly Drawn Boy "The Shining"
I clearly remember going on a first date to a small club called Bimbo's in San Francisco, CA to see some dude named Badly Drawn Boy. Never heard of him. Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy) was drunk as a skunk during his entire performance, but he was still magical. The guy is a poet and has no shame bearing himself emotionally in front of hundreds at a time. He made a huge impression on me that night and further proved his song writing abilities to me with his incredibly strong debut titled The Hour Of Bewilderbeast.

7. Blackalicious "A to G"
Like I mentioned before, 2000 was the year I truly fell in love with hip hop. It wasn't until the late 90's that I discovered folks like Roots Manuva, Common, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples and now one of my now all time favorites Blackalicious which is a duo comprised of Mc Gift Of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel. Their debut full length album, Nia, is one of my all time favorite albums. There's a reason he's called Gift Of Gab. The guy spits razor sharp, complex rhymes that can be incredibly fast paced and multi-syllabic. He will blow your mind...

6. Air "Playground Love"
Air's debut album Moon Safari is another of my all time favorite albums. Yet in my humble opinion, four albums later and it's been fairly downhill for them since Moon Safari except for their soundtrack for Sophia Coppela's directorial debut film, The Virgin Suicides. That soundtrack added a depth to the film that could have never been achieved with writing or acting alone. "Playground Love" is like every teens, melancholic high school soundtrack with its minor keys and sauntering saxophone solos.

5. Radiohead "Idioteque"
Radiohead are masters of their craft and innovators in their field. Their songwriting and production is constantly pushing the creative boundaries of modern music. So, when electronic music was on the rise in the late 90's it came as no surprise that Radiohead wanted to play DJ as well. Yet, instead of placing a generic house beat under their songs like others, they opted to take a few cues from the old masters of the dance genre themselves, Kraftwerk. On Kid A you can also hear the jagged beats and dark sonic themes of avant guarde, underground techno innovators like Aphix Twin and Autechre. I don't think any other track on Kid A displays those influences more than the mystique of "Idioteque".

4. Primal Scream "Kill All Hippies"
Primal Scream's Screamadelica changed the face of pop music in the 90's with its fusion of dance and rock music. It paved the way for mainstream rock audiences to become more open and accepting of dance and techno music. Three albums later and they saved independent rock music again from its own self-righteousness with their revolutionary 2000 release XTRMNTR. Aggressive and somewhat vindictive, "Kill All Hippies", was a track that was making a statement. Living in the hippie capitol of the world, Northern California, I found this track more than amusing. Music was pushing boundaries again and expanding people's musical horizons. It was a time of musical innovation and Primal Scream was one of those bands paving the way.

3. Goldfrapp "Utopia"
Many of you know Goldfrapp to be glittery dance diva. But, Alison Goldfrapp was not always so flamboyant. Her debut release Felt Mountain is an impressive yet understated release. The music is utterly haunting and romantic with its mix of melody and theatrics. When you strip down Goldfrapp to her bare bones you began to realize how truly magnetic her voice is. I still get goose bumps to this day when I listen to this record.

2. Bent "Swollen"
I bet most of you have never heard of the group Bent. Most won't ever hear them. They are one of those unfortunate long lost treasures of the past decade in my humble opinion. Bent is a duo from Nottingham, England comprised of housemates Simon Mills and Neil Tolliday that are fairly well respected in their home country. Their debut release Programmed To Love is simply indefinable. To try to put them in some sort of category would be doing them a disservice. Their music is dramatic and playful, full of surprising twists and turns that never ceases to amaze me. "Swollen" is one of those songs that are so perfectly crafted I'm surprised it didn't find more success across the pond.

1. Deltron 3030 "3030"
Deltron 3030 is one of my favorite super groups of all time, let alone in the year 2000. They are made up of well known Mc Del tha Funky Homosapien aka Deltron Zero, producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura aka the Cantankerous Captain Aptos and turntablist Kid Koala aka Skiznod The Boy Wonder. Much like Dan "The Automator's" other concept productions such as Dr. Octagon or Handsome Boy Modeling School, Deltron 3030 is another wacky, conceptual project of his that's centered around interplanetary rap warriors battling to restore humanity's hip-hop supremacy in a corporate-dominated dystopia. Regardless how ridiculous the theme of their vision of 3030 seems it really does not matter because this entire album is sick! It's some of their best work to date and one of the best underground hip hop albums to come out to date period.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your favorite songs of 2000?

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