Hark! I am writing a 2011 review and there will be no lists! I also intend to begin all my blog posts with Hark from now on.
No lists? Yeah! Fuck convention! See that rule book? *struggles to rip it up and throws it at closed window*
Instead Im gonna highlight a few tracks I loved in 2011, some soundtracked important moments in my life, some were just great tracks. Some were not even released in 2011 - what was that? A jaw dropping? Yeah! You heard! Some songs in this blog will be OLD, maybe from 2010 or 2009 and shit. Im such a goddamn rebel. But it will be mainly my favourite stuff of 2011, it WILL be informative. Strap in.
So I turned 30 in 2011 and threw a party on a boat on the thames which will go down as one of the best nights of my life, surrounded by the people I love most. I chose all the music all night long and they couldn't escape. It was like a bigger version of having control of the car stereo, that captive audience you've always craved to play your favourite tunes to. It was ace, and a band that ive loved since my last landmark birthday; The Strokes had released an awesome single the month previous - it was played, it was received indifferently.
The Strokes Under Cover of Darkness.
Shame the rest of the album sucked.
This was also played that night and was received a hell of a lot better, in fact it was raucous. Not really known as a party band but what the heck I threw it in there, we sang and we shouted FUCK a lot, I dont remember a great deal from this night, but I'll remember this for a long time :)
The National - Mr November
May came and we went to our favourite festival The Great Escape, in Brighton. Ive already posted a lot of tracks from the bands who played there in this blog (Yuck and Cults went on to make 2 of my favourite albums of the year) but the next track is by a band I didnt get to see due to clashes, but I reckon this could be my favourite track of 2011.
SBTRKT - Wildfire
My favourite artist of the year was Patrick Wolf and he was responsible for some of my favourite gig moments of 2011 as he's someone me and my friends all love and have loved for a while. We stood gobsmacked at the Bloomsbury Ballroom together when he first played some of the new songs and we danced irish jigs to The Libertine at the album release party at The Garage. Its been amazing seeing him grow over the past few years to this happy confident performer. The album Lupercalia celebrated his new found love and happiness. Its a brilliant album and Id recommend it to anyone, this is one of my favourite tracks on it.
Patrick Wolf - Bermondsey Street
In July we saw Pulp reform at Wireless in Hyde Park, it was a cracking line up and by this time I kinda knew Id be moving to the states soon so me and my mate Romi decided to have a lads day. TV on the Radio were playing as well as Foals whom we both adored. It was wicked, I wasnt expecting TV on the Radio to be SO good, it was one of the best live performances of the year and it highlighted how strong the new album is, its definitely in my top 10 if i was doing a list, which im not remember. Foals were sweaty bouncy and joyous as always, but I enjoyed TV on the Radio more as it was unexpected. Pulp.... well lets just say it was emotional :) This day was also the day I paid attention to Metronomy. They were really catchy, I got the album afterwards and it went on to be my favourite album of the year.
TV on the Radio - You (This video is brilliant too)
Metronomy - Corrinne
I guess the reason Im doing my annual music review in this fashion this year is I had two major life changes, turning 30 and moving to America. I'd say moving to the states was probably the hardest decision ive ever had to make it, leaving your friends and family is not fucking easy, but what it did was show me how lucky I am to have them all. Massive outpourings of love were commonplace in the latter half of the year and I wondered if i'd made the right decision a few times. In the first month we were here we went to the CMJ festival, Pitchfork had a free bar on a hotel roof in Brooklyn on a glorious late summer sunshine with DOM and Neon Indian playing. I do miss England and all my family and friends, but it is sexy living in America.
DOM - Living in America
OK some new shit, the first proper gig we went to in the US was at the Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn. You enter what appears to be a storage lock up through the most inconspicous of doorways. There was free vodka for 2 hours and that was the main reason I was there if Im honest, Id trusted the wife with researching the bands and all credit to her, she'd done a stirling job. Dominant Legs are the guitarist from Girls side project so they had some pedigree (not that I know many Girls tracks). They make great 80s hook-laden pop songs, I bought the album from the merch stall afterwards as I was so impressed, I rarely do this in fact I cant remember ever doing it. It may have been the 5 double vodkas I had consumed in 1 and a half hours but I was positive at that time they were the next best thing. It turned out to be a cracking album, not since I had returned from a night out with a 6ft Vinnie Jones cardboard cut out had a split second drunken decision been so rewarding.
Dominant Legs - Hoop of Love
2 quickfire tracks now as Im tiring and Im sure you are too. But stick with me, I got some good un's left.
Discovered these rather lazily in a best of 2011 list, apparently the blog in question hadnt got the memo that lists were passe and there was a new maverick way of reviewing a year musically which would take the world by storm. The Weeknd stopped me in my tracks I hadnt heard anything like them before, the nearest likeness I had was The XX, but people were describing them as Hip Hop, and they were, but more bare and soulful. Stripped down R n B, with some cracking lyrics a great voice and sound. The best thing was all their stuff is FREE. Seriously go here now and download House of Balloons, thats my favourite, if you like that get the rest, theyre good too, especially the Dirty Diana cover on Echoes of Silence.
The Weeknd - Wicked Games
From sublime stripped back R n B Im moving onto a Christmas song, by 2 indie band members. 2 bands (Editors and Razorlight) I couldnt give a monkeys about really, but my friend Keith sent me this album and I dont know whether it was the need for something Christmassy or the christmas drinking sessions but I decided to give it a listen. Funny Looking Angels is a class album, Tom from Editors was made to sing xmas songs and frankly I dont know why hes sat wasting his time with those Editors chaps when clearly he should be carving out a career as the new Nat King Cole. Theres a number of great tracks on the album but this video is recorded right in front of where I used to work in London and it was really comforting hearing a new song i loved, with the video set in a part of the world I love at a time of year I love spending with the family and friends. Happy Christmas everyone!! *This would have had way more impact if I couldve done this blog before Christmas...
Funny Looking Angels - When the Thames Froze
