Los Angeles Loved.. the 10s
Like any period of time, the 2010s were one we will look back with a bit of melancholy, especially when it comes to what we love most, music. We were lucky enough to see a bunch of brilliant shows with many artists starting their careers in small DIY spaces ten years ago with the great fortune to now see them playing some of the most prestigious venues in the world. But for every one artist that succeeds in this treacherous business there are still way too many that get lost in the times, never to be seen again. Those are the ones that we often remember the most.
Some of our favorite LA bands from the 00s like Rilo Kiley, 400 Blows, The Like, Irving, Space Mtn, Mellowdrone, Mika Miko, Summer Darling, Exitmusic, Castledoor, The Deadly Syndrome, Mezzanine Owls, Venus Infers, Trespassers William, Lightning Swords of Death, and many others all ceased to exist in the ’10s while other beloved once-local indie artists like Lisa Germano, Girlpool, Kate Earl, Tom Brosseau, The Chapin Sisters, Joy Oladokun, Jacob Golden, The Battle of Land and Sea, and Summer At Shatter Creek all left LA for greener pastures (and cleaner air). And we’re still a bit devastated by the loss of Kim Shattuck and all those venues we used to present shows at (pehrspace, Echo Curio, Mr T’s Bowl, L’KEG, Lot 1 Cafe, Synchronicity, Vermont House, McWorld, Women, Crane’s, Room 5, The Strange, et al).
But we’re not complaining given the sheer amount of talent that have moved to LA in recent years and all the great new venues popping up around the city. It’s actually kind of absurd to see artists we’ve adored for years like Sharon Van Etten, Jen Wood, Snoh Aalegra, Laura Burhenn, Luke Sital-Singh, New Shack, and a slew of NY-bred bands all taking IG stories on Runyon like true locals. Not to mention, the many newcomers like Ella Mai, Ambar Lucid, Evie Irie, Carlie Hanson, Angela Aguilar, Alaina Castillo, and others moving here in droves.
Thanks to all the great artists, wherever you live, for doing what you do. It’s an honor to listen to all your hard work.
Highlights of 2010s
Family of the Year — “The Stairs” (2010)
There’s an official video for this song (one of our favorites of all time) but watching FOTY’s original members live (with the lovely Meredith Sheldon, who left the band, moved back to the East Coast and now has a solo career of her own) takes us back to their humble beginnings, before all that “Hero” business. We watch this video (shot by the great Wilcox Sessions) all the friggin’ time.
EXITMUSIC — “The Night” (2012)
A song so lush and exhilarating that we remember the exact moment we first heard it (8:22pm Tuesday, September 20, 2011) because it was the last night we would ever present an EXITMUSIC show — and the last night we wept openly in public.
Kitten — “G#” (2012)
On record, it’s one of the best songs of the decade but seeing them perform it live puts it easily in the Songs of the Century category.
Saol Álainn — “Nostroke” (2013)
Our favorite release involving anyone having anything to do with the band Foster The People.
Jarell Perry — “Getaway” (2013)
We’ve listened to this banger more times than The Weeknd’s entire catalog of songs combined.
Milosh — “Slow Down” (2013)
One of the most devastating songs/videos from one of the most devastating romance-turned-breakup love stories (Alexa & Mike) in the history of everything.
Tatia Pilieva — “First Kiss” (short) (2014)
So many friends (SoKo, Z Berg, Nicole Simone, Damian Kulash, Justin Kennedy, and more) awkwardly and not-so-awkwardly kissing set to the soundtrack of SoKo’s “We Might be Dead Tomorrow” is such a fond reminder of a time that once was.
WATERBED — “Somethin” (2014)
According to our Spotify Unwrapped, WATERBED was one of our Top 5 most listened-to artists of the decade, which only surprised us because haven’t heard from them in a few years. But this track pretty much started it all and is the reason whywe still believe their album Forever to be one of the best pop records of all time.
Favorites of 2019
Alexander Biggs — “Madeleine”
Anonymouz — There Is No Threat
Arlo Parks — Super Sad Generation
August Eve — “Know Better”/“You Already Know”
Bea Miller — “It’s Not U It’s Me” (ft 6LACK)
Better Oblivion Community Center — Better Oblivion Community Center
Bhad Bhabie — “Babyface Savage” (ft Tory Lanez)
Big Thief — Two Hands
Billie Eilish — When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Billie Marten — Feeding Seahorses by Hand
Blood Incantation — “Hidden History of the Human Race” EP
BONES & Eddy Baker — SparrowsCreek
bülow — “The Contender” EP
Woolf and the Wondershow — Cages (musical) (CJ Baran & Benjamin Romans)
Caroline Spence — Mint Condition
Charli XCX — Charli
Cherry Glazerr — Stuffed & Ready
Chynna — “in case i die first” EP
Cub Sport — “I Never Cried So Much In My Whole Life” (ft Darren Hayes)
DaBaby — “Suge” video
Damien Jurado — In the Shape of a Storm
Deafheaven — “Black Brick”
Delilah Montagu — “In Gold” EP
Derin Falana — Don’t Save Me
Dominique — Peacemaker
Fenne Lily — “Live at Festival №6” EP
Frances Cone — Late Riser
Gabrielle Aplin — “Losing Me” ft JP Cooper
Phoebe Bridgers — “Georgia Lee” (Tom Waits cover)
Gallant — Sweet Insomnia
Girl in Red — “chapter 2” EP
Hannah Georgas — “No Need to Argue” (ft Lucius) (Cranberries cover)
Hazey Eyes — “Love Lost” EP
Haux — “Eight” (ft Rosie Carnie)
Ilgen-Nur — Power Nap
Jamie Drake — Everything’s Fine
The Japanese House -Good At Falling
Jenny Lewis — On The Line
Julia Jacklin — Crushing
Jorja Smith — “Be Honest” (ft Burna Boy)
J.S. Ondara — Tales of America (The Second Coming)
Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Leslie Stevens — Sinner
Lightning Dust — Spectre
Little Simz — GREY Area
Lou Roy — “Your Friend,” EP
Louise Burns — Portraits
Kate Davis — Trophy
KÁRYYN — The Quanta Series
Krept & Konan — Revenge Is SweetLxandra — “Another Lesson Learned” EP
Maeta — “Do Not Disturb” EP
MID CITY — “Die Waiting” EP
Milk & Bone — “DIVE” EP
Miss Grit — “Talk Talk” EP
Miraa May — “Dark” EP
Nate Cole — “Tilt” EP
Novo Amor/Gia Margaret — “No Fun” / “Lucky For You”
OK Button — “Sepia Spectres” EP
Palamino Blond — “Creature Natural”
The Paranoyds — Carnage Bargain
Patrick Park — Here / Gone
Portrayal of Guilt — “Suffering Is A Gift” EP
Robinson — “Don’t Say”
Rose Dorn — Days You Were Leaving
Rufrano — “It Looks” EP
Ruby Fields — Permanent Hermit
Sabrina Claudio — Truth Is
Samantha Sidley — Interior Person
Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
SHHE — SHHE
Siobhan Wilson — The Departure
Siobhan Wilson — “Plastic Grave” EP
slowthai — Nothing Great About Britain
slowthai & Denzel Curry — “Psycho”
SOAK — Grim Town
Sunni Colón — “Psicodelic” video
Sunny War — Shell of a Girl
The Tallest Man On Earth — I Love You. It’s a Fever Dream.
That Dog — Old LP
Tinashe — Songs For You
Tom Brosseau — In the Shadow of the Hill: Songs of the Carter Family Catalogue, Vol. 1
The Wild Reeds — Cheers
Yann Tiersen — Portrait
Favorite Songs of 2010s
Alvvways — “Dreams Tonite”
Big Deal — “Dream Machines”
Cashmere Cat, Major Lazer, Tory Lanez — “Miss You”
Chloe Charles — “Black & White”
Chynna — “Glen Coco”
Cowboy and Indian — “Troubled Tracks”
Cub Sport — “I Never Cried So Much In My Whole Life”
EXITMUSIC — “The Night”
Joy Oladokun — “Poison”
Kwaye — “Paralyzed”
Kitten — “G#”
Lucius — “Dusty Trails”
Lykke Li — “So Sad So Sexy”
Milk & Bone — “Natalie”
Miraa May — “Anger”
Montana Of 300 x TO3 x $avage x No Fatigue — “FGE CYPHER”
Phoebe Bridgers — “Waiting Room”
Purity Ring — “Fineshrine”
Rachaeyl Yamagata — “Full On”
Rainman — “Downtown Long Beach”
Ranger — “These Chains Are Broken”
Ruston Kelly — “Jericho”
Siobhan Wilson — “All Dressed Up”
Squirrel Flower — “Not Your Prey”
Timecop1983 — “Girl” (ft SEAWAVES)
Tom Rosenthal — “Hugging You” (ft Billie Marten) (Acoustic)
Vein — “Virus://Vibrance”
Young M.A — “PettyWap”
Young Thug — “Anybody” (ft Nicki Minaj)
Yseult — “Noir” EP
Top photo was taken in downtown Charlotte, NC where we’ve spent some time in recent years discovering some good barbecue and even gooder indie rock bands and hip-hop artists. Deniro Farrar is our favorite rapper of the decade, just sayin’.
