My 2011 Listening Pleasures, In No Particular Order

The end of the year is coming on fast. Now is the time for every magazine, website, blogger of whatever to come out with their “Best Of 2011” or their “Top 10 of 2011”. One thing about these “Year End Lists” that always made me wonder was the variation of types of music. I could never figure out how a person’s list would have an artists like the Black Keys at #6 followed by Lady Gaga at #5, then Bon Iver at #4 and Kanye West at #3. How do the people writing these lists decide which act should edge the other one out of the higher position? Obviously they play TOTALLY different types of music, probably at the best of each of their genres too. At anytime during the year these two artist’s names will most likely never be uttered in the same sentence much less in the same magazine article or blog posts.

Plus when are these artists going to come out with bad albums? (Most of them at least). If the Black Keys put out an album this year, chacces are it’s going to be pretty good. Why not just assume that it is and let another artists/band who releases and album way better than any they have released before? 

So now that I have lifted that off my chest I bring some of my 2011 picks but not in any “Top Ten” or “Best of”. These are just my favorite releases, which some people may have missed, that I have been “Rockin’ Out” too over the past twelve months. Some of these may look failair since I have been praising many of them all year round.

In no particular order:

SMITH WESTERNS – Dye It Blonde – a little bit of Pop, a little bit of Glam, but all Rock and Roll

THE VACCINES – What Did You Expect? – Pure Pop mixed with a slight surf sound. Toss in a bit of The Who ("Think I Can See for Miles"). Great debut album

BARE WIRES – Cheap Perfume – Power Pop rock and Roll chock full of hooks. You just know they have smiles on their faces while playing.

GIRLS – Father, Son, Holy Ghost- Vocal focused laid back heartbreak rock with great guitar solos.  Not one girl in the band but all the songs are about them.

NIGHTBIRDS – Other Side Of Darkness -  This band makes me very nostalgic for those times when I was 14 and discovering skate punk bands like J.F.A., The Faction, The Crucifucks and many more.  Also make me dance down the street.

FORMING – s/t 7” Ep – Restored my faith in Punk N Roll. Early Replacements vibe. Lots of beer and hooks. Get it free here: http://vitriolrecords.bandcamp.com/album/forming-s-t-7

TY SEGALL – Goodbye Bread – Very young but a veteran of a dozen Bay Area garage bands. On this album Ty becomes a bit more focused. (Full Blog entry on this album in the near future)

PUNCH – Push/Pull – Female fronted, very sincere hardcore band. Imagine a younger Kat Bjelland (from Babes in Toyland)

PSYCHIC BLOOD – Demo, Leaves (cassette) and Strain Ep – It’s good to see a new noisy yet controlled band. They are from Mass but could fit right into Pacific Northwest rock history. Can’t wait to see what they do with a real studio and release. Download all three releases for free here: http://psychicblood.tumblr.com/

CEREMONY – Covers Ep – Usually covers collections wouldn’t make the cut but these tracks really are incredible. Best Pixies cover (“Nimrod’s Son") I have heard. Plus Wire, Crisis and more. Can’t wait to see what CEREMONY does this year now that they are on Matador Records

MR. DREAM – Trash Hit – Heirs to the Big Black, Shellac, Jesus Lizard, Tar and the rest of the (now defunct) Touch and Go Records roster’s throne. Totally ruled opening for Archers of Loaf last July.

MILK MUSIC – Beyond Living – BEST ALBUM  RELEASED THIS YEAR. ‘90’s era Boston fuzzed out rock and roll but these guys are from Olympia, Washington. Nice salute to their heroes in the album title. Vary  hard to find a physical copy but you can get it digitally here: http://ongakubaka.blogspot.com/2011/01/milk-music-beyond-living-12.html

MALE BONDING – Endless Now – This UK band made an album leaps and bounds over their debut album last year, which was one of the best. A bit of a Ned’s Atomic Dustbin vibe. “Channeling Your Fears” is my favorite song of the year.

WILD FLAG – S/T and The Corin Tucker Band – 1000 Years – Two ex-Sleater-Kinney bands that don’t sound too much like their old band. Wild Flag (Carrie Brownstein, also of the TV show “Portlandia”, and Janet Weiss) get a little WIRE-y. Corin Tucker Band (Corin Tucker) gets a little introspective. Both albums incredibly catchy.

VOID – Sessions 81-83 – Compilation of all this very influential hardcore band’s pre Dischord records stuff. Sounds a bit more human then the classic Split album with The Faith. Vital music here from this Columbia, MD (My hometown) band

ROZWELL KID – s/t –Remember when Weezer was in their garage listening to Buddy Holly records and trying not to destroy their sweaters? These guys do. Download it free on Band camp here: http://rozwellkid.bandcamp.com/

THE DUM DUM GIRLS – He Gets Me High EP– Fuzz Pop at its finest with singer Sune Rose Wagner’s dreamy voice up front. My favorite Smith record gets covered at the end. Not telling which one, you'll have to go find out yourself. Get this but be cautious of the WAY too Pretenders sounding album that followed.

COLD CAVE – Cherish The Light Years – Wes Eisold’s (ex-American Nightmare, XO Skeletons, Some Girls and many more) second album sounding straight out of 80’s post-punk/dark wave/industrial dance/almost Goth England. Much improved over the 2009 debut

HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL – Mergers and Acquisitions – Is the new Wilco album too boring for you? Check out this young Florida band’s fresh sound. I love the band’s name too.

TOTAL CONTROL – Henge Beat - Guitar noise with definite pop hooks lurking underneath. Throw in a bit of Kraut Rock and you have this Australian band’s album.

SUNDIALS – Never Settle – very J Church inspired catchy  pop punk. Also check out their earlier stuff on their Band Camp page