Top 100 Songs of 2011 (100-81)
Top 100 Songs of 2011 (80-61)
Top 100 Songs of 2011 (60-41)
And now in the voice of Kasey Kasem....it's time for some special dedications and songs from the year we'll remember....as 2011.
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| Smith Westerns |
The opening song from these Chicago lads' sophomore album "Dye It Blonde" reeks of garage music with a top notch producer. The chorus swoons "Na Na Na Na a girl like you." "Weekend" becomes the lost song of a George Harrison T Rex session nobody knew about. And if "Weekend" worked for you, then you should probably listen to the whole LP...over and over for more of the same smart song craft. Because weekends are really never fun...unless you're around here.....toooooooo!
39. Toro Y Moi-New Beat
Chaz Bundwck is slowly becoming the poster child for chillwave via a light funk vibe. Toro Y Moi showed when they turned up the dance grooves on their September EP "Freaking Out", the band could become a formidable dance outfit. But their main charm remains in cool beats and grooves (like some of the material from their album "Underneath The Pine") as "New Beat" has no problems satisfying your dance needs and a soundtrack for just chilling out.
38. Atlas Sound-Mona Lisa
I wish I could have had maybe a month more to revel in Bradford Cox's latest Atlas Sound album "Parallax" because their are a few songs ("Angel Is Broken", "Te Amo", "Lightworks") that just missed the cut. "Mona Lisa" solidifies Atlas Sound's move away from heavy experimentation as a light acoustic guitar and light swing bring this song to the top of the crop from "Parallax". In a universe that prefers real light pop songs, "Mona Lisa" should be getting airplay...somewhere!
37. Vetiver-Wonder Why
Vetiver's album "The Errant Charm" has some real sublime folk moments perfect for cruising the autumn landscape on a sunny October afternoon (at least that's when songs from this effort began to sink in for me). Just listening to the guitar work that shines throughout "wonder Why" brings to mind young love, school, and The La's "There She Goes" all in one breath. And when lead singer Andy Cabic murmurs at the end of the chorus "I wonder why", it draws you in its corner for good.
36. PJ Harvey-The Words That Maketh Murder
Harvey paints visions of seeing "soldiers drop like lumps of meat" and how she's done and see things she wants to forget. But the ending with Harvey accompanied with autoharp and backing vocals from John Parish brings the song over the top in a good way as they borrow a line from the classic "Summertime Blues" "I'm gone take my problem to the United Nations". It turns out to be the best apocalyptic hoedown on her fantastic "Let England Shake" and of 2011.
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| The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart |
Anyone wish bands today made more music like they did in the 80's anymore out there? Well, here's something to reminisce of that decade. "Heart In Your Heartbreak" rides along an 80's pop groove to
perfection, lead man Kip Berman breathes light life into the verses and the chorus is as sweet as they come..."She was the heart in your heartbreak, she was the miss in your mistake". If that's not enough, check the wicked keyboard solo at the end. Would've been a top 10 hit in that decade, guaranteed.
34. Death Cab For Cutie-You Are A Tourist
"This...fire....burns...higher...." Four words that accompanied one of my favorite guitar lines in an alternative pop song this year. Old fans of the band may argue that "Codes and Keys" is inferior to their previous decade's work. But there is a certain charm and drive to the album's first single that is simply irresistible.
33. The Dodos-Don't Try And Hide It
An acoustic romp with neat percussion, just like about every song on the Dodos' latest effort "No Color", "Don't Try And Hide It" benefits greatly from backing vocals from Neko Case. Amidst the carefree song are references to self confidence and self awareness. Works great as a self help song or a great singalong in the car.
32. Cut Copy-Need You Now
When we saw Cut Copy in Chicago at the Pitchfork festival in July, the whole place turned into the big Aussie dance party I'd never been to before. It was a letting loose after a day of sweltering heat as the evening hours made its way in. One song that got the crowd moving was "Need You Now"..and how can you blame them. A bouncy beat, light dance keys and a chorus that any top 40 band would kill for "Know I'm going crazy, but I need you now" make this one of the finest dance songs of 2011.
31. Washed Out-Amor Fati
If you want chillwave with sensual overtones (maybe ala Moby's softer moments) you didn't need to look any further in 2011 than Ernest Greene's debut album "Within and Without". The mos danceable, pop like moment on the album is "Amor Fati" which has a relentless keyboard groove to get your partner in the mood to dance or do whatever was going down on the album cover.
30. Elbow-Neat Little Rows
Putting all the tender moments aside from Elbow's "Build A Rocket Boys!" you're left with a menacing song called "Neat Little Rows". A grinding bass, tribal like drums and keys that sound like church bells dominate this upbeat treat from the album. and Guy Garvey's lyrics: "Lay my bones in cobblestone, lay my bones in neat little rows" fit the sinister vibe of the song. A keeper.
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| The Strokes |
"Everybody's been singing the song for ten years" is one of my favorite three lines in a song from 2011 (So True, Right!). Julian Casablancas had me believe that 2011 was going to have a 2001 feel all over again when "Under Cover Of Darkness" was released prior to "Angles". Between Albert Hammond Jr.'s guitar reminding me of "Is This It" and Fabrizio Moretti's on time drum fills, it became a favorite of mine regardless of the way I felt about the rest of "Angles".
28. Iron & Wine-Tree By The River
"Tree By The River" is AM gold from the seventies camouflaged as indie folk for the current decade. And I love it. The biggest winner of the song besides the gentle backing vocals is the vibraphone that accentuates the bridge of the song. Nothing else to say but Sam Beam, you're a winner in my book again.
27. Beastie Boys featuring Santagold-Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win
I remember downloading "The Hot Sauce...", throwing it on the IPOD and hitting shuffle. The first song it picked? This dancehall ditty with guest vocals from Santagold. With all the styles the Beastie Boys have messed with in the past, I can't recall them ever dabbling in this genre. But I could honestly take a whole album of this (has to be my love for the Clash). And Santagold? If I was afraid a guest vocalist would throw things off on a Beastie Boys album, she (as well as NAS on another track) proved me wrong. "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" is as youthful as they've sounded in thirteen years.
26. J Mascis-Not Enough
All those years of crunchy Dinosaur Jr. albums didn't have me fully prepared for J Mascis largely acoustic effort "Several Shades Of Why". But deep down, I guess Mascis has more in common with Neil Young than I'd ever noticed before. On "Not Enough", Mascis' vocals are just as effective as the clueless, heartbroken character "She was gone again, And I'm not sure what I knew...". If Mascis is getting older, you'd never know...maybe in acoustics, but that's about it.
25. Wye Oak-Holy Holy
Wye Oak's treatment of songs can be compared to a gentle sky turning quickly tuning into a violent thunderstorm without any notice. As "Holy Holy" grinds along on a nasty, restrained guitar line as Jenn Wasner sounds sounds as if she's drowning in a deep, dark pool of self doubt "Holy Holy Holy...there is no other story..". But the moment near the end where the song just bursts open is euphoric. Here's to hoping they find more inspiration like this on future releases.
24. My Morning Jacket-Holdin' On To Black Metal
If My Morning Jacket was looking for their next witty, Jim James' falsetto laced over the top song, they struck gold with "Holdin' On To Black Metal". With punctures of horns and an all female choir lending an ambiance to the song, James croons about holding on to something you dearly held on to as a child that is not fashionable now. That something? Black Metal. Sure to upset anyone over 30 who still loves their metal from the eighties...
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| Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards |
Another standout from "Whokill" is "Bizness". Merrill Garbus hangs on the last syllable in each verse before busting into an almost jazz like chorus with a saxophones and a jumpy beat repeating the line "Don't Take My Life Away". But Garbus' also holds her own screaming "I'm a victim, yeah". This rallying cry brings a personal statement as someone who's had enough f the world as we know it. Moments like this makes Tune-Yards more than just a one off, flavor of the month band.
22. Wilco-Dawned On Me
Between the tension filled, wait for the payoff opener "The Art Of Almost" through the long gentle suite of the closer "One Sunday Morning", Wilco touched a lot of bases on "The Whole Love". This time out, I was just looking for some joy and took those songs under my wing as favorites. I think when Jeff Tweedy sings in the chorus of "Dawned On Me": "I can't help it if I fall in love with you again/I'm calling just to let you know it dawned on me" he's singing about his love of music, and that's enough for me to fall in love "Dawned On Me". I'm fully on board again with Wilco.
21. The Black Keys-Lonely Boy
The afterthought, December album of the year goes to "El Camino" But leading up to it, "Lonely Boy" served as another slice of hot garage rock that this duo has come to perfect over the past decade. Female backing vocals and an almost ZZ Top like riff ("Got Me Under Pressure"?) makes "Lonely Boy" another Black Keys' winner, even if they're no longer anyone's best kept secret anymore.
Source: http://www.jhostation.com/2011/12/top-100-songs-of-2011-40-21.html
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