Burn Your Hits: Erik Kristjanson

It was cool to have such a hyped band this year with Geese where they caught the collective zeitgeist of indie rock fans and made an ‘important’ album (except for those ticket prices, geez!). This is what good rock music sounds like in 2025, I get major Velvet Underground vibes, and I am good with all of it. They leveled up bigtime!

(2) Wednesday - “Townies”

All the great things about Wednesday on display here. A master class in using your voice as an instrument!

(3) Dijon - “Automatic”

If you sound this much like Prince - and this fresh - you’re on my top songs of the year list, no questions.

(4) Alex G - “Afterlife”

I heard this and thought ‘instant classic.’ Sounds like it’s always existed.

(5) Turnstile - “BIRDS”

I got talked into attending a Monster Truck Rally this year. We were taking turns selecting ‘monster truck worthy’ songs, and I chose “BIRDS,” cranking it full blast into the parking lot. Everything was good and right in that moment.

(6) Water From Your Eyes - “Playing Classics”

This song pulled me in from the first high hat. I committed, and very much enjoyed the ride.

(7) Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band - “Better If You Make Me”

Definitely an album where it was hard to pick one song, but this one spoke to me. His lyrics and delivery are just so good, kept going back to this album time and again.

(8) Jay Som, Jim Adkins - “Float”

All the 90s rock vibes, great production, and it just works. Jay Som is a genius.

(9) Panda Bear - “Ends Meet”

One of my most listened to albums this year, Panda Bear is meeting me where I'm at these days.

(10) Lola Young - “Spiders”

Listened to more Lola Young than I probably would have without my 6 yr old daughter, and this emotional rock ballad struck me. More rock ballads Lola!

(11) Perfume Genius - “It’s a Mirror”

Everything Perfume Genius does is chock full of emotion, and this song is no different. Reminds me that a healthy thing to do every so often is stare into the mirror for a long time (preferably high) and see what you see.

(12) Viagra Boys - “Man Made of Meat”

Hands down the most fun show I went to in 2025 was Viagra Boys at The Fox in Oakland. Their lead singer is a force and every song rocked. I asked my buddy if he thought they would have more fans with a different band name. He said ‘it doesn’t matter - it’s a filtering mechanism to ensure they have quality fans, not quantity of fans’. I nodded my head in agreement.

(13) Addison Rae - “Fame is a Gun”

Listened to more pop in 2025 than probably ever before (Spotify said my listening age is 18 for God sakes!). I thought this track nails the worldview of an up-and-coming pop star with such clarity.

(14) Wet Leg - “catch these fists”

I would not mess with the lead singer of Wet Leg under any circumstances!

(15) Remi Wolf - “Soup”

Singing along to Soup was a thing in our household this year. So damn singable.

(16) Cain Culto, Sudan Archives - “KFC Santeria (Sudan Archives Remix)”

In my day, booty-shakin music just had fun & dumb booty-shakin lyrics. Now booty-shakin music has politically charged, protest worthy lyrics. I guess that’s progress!?

(17) Ribbon Skirt - “Off Rez”

What are the odds of two albums called Bite Down in back to back years that are both good?! Like many great songs, “Off Rez” has deeper, defiant meanings.

(18) Horsegirl - “2468”

Good jangly stuff here, great driving album.

(19) Bon Iver - “Everything is Peaceful Love”

Bon Iver was like “how can we make a song that is the embodiment of grinning ear to ear?”

(20) Ty Segall - “Fantastic Tomb”

We got a new dog this year to go with our two cats and watching that dynamic has been fun. I was singing ‘Get along, little dog, get along’ for days from this song. Good old fashioned classic rock vibes from the prolific Ty Segall.

(21) Spiritual Cramp - “True Love (Is Hard to Find)”

Love these local guys! This is like a love letter to SF and the lyrics really do it for me.

(22) Bill Fox - “Terminal Way”

It’s that John Prine or Bob Dylan simplicity: great lyrics, a guitar, and a harmonica is all you need (a neat whiskey and fire don’t hurt either).

(23) Momma - “I Want You (Fever)”

Sonically sharp and lyrically pointed - almost makes you feel bad for the ‘her’ that she commands you to pick up and leave.

(24) Tobacco City - “Buffalo”

I found myself going back to this Tobacco City album whenever I needed my twangy-country fix this year.

(25) No Joy - “Bits”

Saw this band randomly at Thee Stork Club in Oakland and it went off! This was a standout.

(26) Flock of Dimes - “Defeat”

Some people can just project so much emotion in their voice and Jenn Wasner is one of them. Set against these folk-tronica beats and you’ve got a winner in my book.

(27) Sudan Archives - “Noire”

I love how ambitious this track is, how much is going on sonically, and maybe it doesn't all work perfectly but you gotta love when an artist takes a big swing.

(28) The Belair Lip Bombs - “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)”

Excited to see these Melbourne rockers on their first US tour in March!

(29) Blood Orange, Tariq Al-Sabir, Caroline Polachek - “The Field”

I heard this for the first time on the BART leaving work and it relaxed me like a deep exhale at the end of a long day.

(30) Cory Hanson - “Bird on a Swing”

Not surprised to see the lead singer of Wand branch out, they had a strange on-stage dynamic when I saw them. Thankfully, the guy can still write great songs on his own.

Monday, December 16, 2024

GL.24.05: Erik Kristjanson

100 Songs: Aaron Bergstrom

GL.24.01: Ilana Bergstrom

GL.24.02: Isabel Vermaak

GL.24.03: Megan Swidler

GL.24.04: Curt Trnka

GL.24.05: ERIK KRISTJANSON

GL.24.06: Caseysimone Ballestas

***

Erik Songs for 2024

Rosali - “Rewind”

The Rosali concert was the same week my dog Mojo died this year. The band was incredible and “Rewind” was the last song they played. I sort of lost it thinking about rewinding the last 10 years with my boy Mojo. After the show, I went over to the merch table and (with gummy + beer courage) told Rosali how much I loved the show, and how “Rewind” used to remind me of my wife, but would now always be about my dog. She replied that she wrote the song about her dog and we totally bonded on a love-for-your-dog level!

Based on that experience (and the fact that this song and album was my most played this year, thanks Spotify), “Rewind” is my #1.

Waxahatchee - “Right Back to It” (feat. MJ Lenderman)

Just two great artists at the top of their game and this is damn near perfect.

Hurray for the Riff Raff - “Snake Plant (The Past is Still Alive)”

Lyrics cut hard, my 2nd most listened to album this year.

Nilüfer Yanya - “Binding”

This album is still on heavy rotation for me, so many good ones, went with this slower jam which showcases her silky smooth voice.

MJ Lenderman - “Wristwatch”

Very much looking forward to seeing him at the Independent with Wild Pink opening!

Charli XCX - “360”

There are a lot of people and phenomena to blame for Trump getting back in office, but Charli XCX and Brat are among them.

Good Looks - “If It's Gone”

My wife may or may not have late night footage of me singing along to Good Looks when I thought no one was watching and was feeling no pain. Love this whole album.

Jack White - “Archbishop Harold Holmes”

Designed to get the people going! I will see him at the Fox if it's the last thing I do.

This is Lorelei - “A Song that Sings About You”

Amen, dude. Apparently this guy wrote a shit ton of songs and narrowed them way down for this album - that checks out cause these are all good.

Beyoncé - “Tyrant”

Sure, there's “Texas Hold Em” but this one is so Beyoncé and country and has Dolly Parton on it and how did she do that?!

Vampire Weekend - “Prep-School Gangsters”

Perhaps the most Vampire Weekend-y sounding song on the album, just love that build up and ending so much.

Hana Vu - “Dreams”

If only it was all this simple, Hana. Heard this the week of the election and it was exactly what I needed in the moment.

Sierra Ferrel - “American Dreaming”

You can tell when someone is feeling their song, like Sierra is feeling this one. Has an anthemic quality to it.

Maggie Rogers - “Don't Forget Me”

Top contender for song at my funeral (or if my wife divorces me?) lol

Fontaines D.C. - “Starburster”

Cool to see how Fontaines has progressed their sound, never made a bad album (but I still like their first the best).

Kendrick Lamar - “tv off”

MUSTAAARRRDDD!!! First heard GNX the week of the triple-bomb-cyclone, in the back of an Uber stuck on the flooded hwy in SF with my headphones blasting. All the hypeness culminated into this song for me and I laughed out loud at MUSTAARRRDDD!!! Uber driver was glad I was having fun, and I was glad Kendrick was having fun (Uber driver was not having fun).

Dummy - “Blue Dada”

Delightfully dancy indie, sounds both old and new.

Jessica Pratt - “Life Is”

Sage and cryptic life advice with psychedelic sound, I can dig that.

Hovvdy - “Jean”

Album was a grower for me, this was the gateway drug to go deeper.

Ducks Ltd - “Heavy Bag”

I'm such a sucker for beat drops, the one at the 1:40 mark here really pays.

Adrienne Lenker - “Sadness as a Gift”

I feel like there's not many people that can write a song and sing about sadness better than Adrienne Lenker.

Wand - “JJ”

After seeing them at The Chapel, I went deep on the catalog (as you do after seeing a band live) and unearthed some weird and wonderful stuff.

Justice - “Incognito”

Many a good hazy memory jamming to Justice in the 00s and early 10s, not sure if it's nostalgia but I think this song is awesome.

The Belair Lip Bombs - “Say My Name”

Spotify says this album came out in 2023 but pretty sure it wasn't available outside of Australia till 2024 when they signed with Third Man Records. Full of jams!

DIIV - “Brown Paper Bag”

Just nod your head slowly and chill out dude.

Being Dead - “Rock and Roll Hurts”

This whole album plays like one long song / session so it's hard to cut one out, but this shows the jam, melody, weirdness, and creativity of this band.

Queen of Jeans - “All My Friends”

If you name your song “All My Friends”, it better be good. Thankfully this is.

Floodlights - “Can You Feel It”

Didn't know this band before this song (more Melbourne rockers!), but am now super excited for this album cause it's right up my alley.

Francis of Delirium - “Alone Tonight”

This lyric does it for me: "Been thinking about getting older, what my parents believe in / And I worry about my future, how to make it stop / But all the worrying does is clog up all the love"

Dehd - “Light On”

Love this band, and their simple pop punk harmonies

Asher White - “Symposium (Goodnight Tonight)”

This makes me feel like I'm in some sort of jazz club, rolls along nicely with soft and warm and sometimes piercing sounds.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

GL.23.06: Erik Kristjanson

100 SONGS: Aaron Bergstrom
GL.23.01: Ilana Bergstrom
GL.23.02: Curt Trnka
GL.23.03: Marisa Plaice
GL.23.04: Isabel Vermaak
GL.23.05: Raffa Pantaleo

GL.23.06: ERIK KRISTJANSON
GL.23.07: Lukas Brooks
GL.23.08: Jem Stirling
GL.23.09: Max Einstein
GL.23.10: Tony Schoenberg

***

yeule - “dazies”

“dazies” gets the nod from me because of just how different it sounds. I was blown away the first time I heard it - had to immediately listen to it again - and was like 'what did I just listen to?!' I love when songs sound like nothing else but you hear the inspiration. “dazies” is like if Billy Corgan was a 20 something non-binary Korean person, in their prime, and made a song that sounded fresh.

Sufjan Stevens - “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”

Yes, I do Sufjan. And I love this song, too. Has a beautiful build like many of the songs on this album.

Wednesday - “Chosen to Deserve”

The story-telling here is just so relatable, especially growing up in the South. I may or may not have eaten too much Coricidin one year at Music Midtown and it did not go well (and I've def done it in the back of an SUV, maybe under a dogwood?). Brilliant.

Sofia Kourtesis - “Estación Esperanza”

Really loved this whole album. This one and “How Music Makes You Feel Better” jumped out to me. I chose this one when I learned it samples an actual protest in Peru against homophobia. Can't wait to see her at 1015 Folsom!

Big Thief - “Vampire Empire”

Seems like every year I have a song from Big Thief or Adrianne Lekker on here. Everything they put out is quality.

boygenius - “Not Strong Enough”

Much was said and written about boygenius as they became superstars this year. This one did it for me (and really makes me want to drag race through a canyon).

Mitski - “My Love Mine All Mine”

I'm glad this song got so popular this year - people could use more beautiful, serene, calming sounds in their lives.

Ratboys - “The Window”

Discovered Ratboys this year and loved this album. I picked this song given the lyrics are equal parts beautiful and gut-wrenching.

Slow Pulp - “Slugs”

90s grunge rock influenced with ear worm chorus, yes please!

Young Fathers - “Rice”

This band continues to make music that is both wholly unique and really good - an impressive feat.

L'Rain - “New Year's UnResolution”

Supremely smooth dancy music on top of reflective lyrics always does it for me (“Will you forget me along the way?”). Look forward to getting down to this on NYE.

Courtney Barnett, Chastity Belt - “Different Now”

Do you think good song writers have the ability to relate directly to you? Or we're all so self-obsessed we apply general lyrics directly to our own lives? Probably a bit of both, but Courtney Barnett did that here and I needed to hear what she said. Also, the keyboards sound like a Bruce Springsteen song.

Hotline TNT - “Protocol”

This song and album go squarely in the innovative category, moving music forward is important!

Burna Boy - “Tested, Approved & Trusted”

I'd be willing to bet that when Burna Boy uses the line “jump up on my body like animal,” it works.

TORRES - “Collect”

Bad-ass. Should be every bounty hunter's theme song.

The Tubs - “Illusion pt. II”

Call me a sucker for jangly, post-punk rock songs with a moody Brit voice, but I dig this!

Slowdive - “kisses”

The best of its kind for when I'm in the mood for this kind of stuff (which is pretty much every time I'm on an airplane).

The Clientele - “Claire's Not Real”

Sounds like it could have come out in the late 60s and led me into a deep The Clientele hole for a few days, which was time well spent.

Kali Uchis - “Moonlight”

Undoubtedly the best song to get high to in the moonlight, with your lover.

Carly Rae Jepsen - “Psychedelic Switch”

Whenever you need a pick me up, just crank this little number.

Nation of Language - “Stumbling Still”

Listened to this album a ton this year and bummed to miss them at the Independent. The parallels to LCD Soundsystem are real.

Militarie Gun - “Very High”

Punk rock!! Crisply sums up why a whole bunch of people are getting very high (they are feeling pretty down).

Roosevelt - “Ordinary Love”

Sometimes you just need straightforward, fun music with cheap thrills and easy pay-offs.

Bad Bunny - “MONACO”

This is a bonus track to my 23 song list given my 4 yr old constantly requests Bad Bunny, telling everyone he's her favorite singer. So I listened to him a lot, and although I don't understand any of the words, I recognize the RIZZ.