Our favourite songs. One per year.

Side A
(curated by Jon)

3. Spoon – "Stay Don't Go"

I first heard Spoon in Mike Kelly's car – "Paper Tiger" caught my ear – and had I not listened to the rest of Kill the Moonlight, it would be my pick.

"Stay Don't Go," however, eclipses "Paper Tiger" by spiking its punch – minimalist keyboard and palpitating synthesizer – with intoxicating loops of beatboxing and guitar.

The resulting cocktail deftly captures how one might feel the day after fatally botching a ransom scheme.

Indie noir?

Side B
(curated by DJ Ben)

3. Justin Timberlake – "Cry Me a River"

It has to be "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake. The song is epic. Timbaland is at his peak (better than "Try Again") with tremendous strings and beats, and Justin fully grows up in the four-plus minutes it takes to complete.

The best moment is when Justin and Timbo take turns – "OH! (oh!) / The damage is done, so I guess I be leavin'" – verbally abusing a girl who so obviously deserved this song to be written about her.

I almost picked "PDA" by Interpol or "Don't Mug Yourself" by The Streets.

Jon: JT or Interpol? – what an odd tough call.

Side A
1. Radiohead – "The National Anthem"
2. Finch – "What It Is to Burn (Demo)"
3. Spoon – "Stay Don't Go"
4. 2003
5. 2004
6. 2005
7. 2006
8. 2007
9. 2008
10. 2009

Side B
1. Outkast – "B.O.B."
2. Gob – "I Hear You Calling"
3. Justin Timberlake – "Cry Me a River"
4. 2003
5. 2004
6. 2005
7. 2006
8. 2007
9. 2008
10. 2009

#decademixtape