Actually, what I kind of want to talk about is how exhausting the 2598 songs (7 days worth) of 2011 were. I considered stopping as it dragged on and on. I'm still mostly enjoying this project, but this one just had me really wanting to live more in the moment, because this seems like such a critical moment to be present in. But it'll be fine. I did a count for 2012 and there are only 1791 songs, less than 5 days worth. I think 2011 was probably the biggest chunk. And I considered ending it after 2012 since I started this project way back at the beginning of 2013...but then that would cheat me out of all these years I've put into this. Because due to said project, I didn't spend enough time with current music. So everything I've accrued in the past 4 years has gotten not enough attention already. So might as well give it its due here.
Okay, that is out of the way. let's go back 6 years to 2011. Sorry if I'm somewhat brief (and heavy on the footnotey section at the bottom) but I started listening to this back in November and I am going to have a hard time remembering it all that well. I've been on a break (listening to new music) a full month now, and I'm probably going to go another month before I dive into the next one.
Here's what I wrote at the time:
best of the music of the 2011th year since we started counting up
The summer of 2011 was when I was really working on my lawn for my house. Lots of digging holes. I remember this specifically because of a couple songs from a couple albums that came out in 2011.
Peter Bjorn & John's Gimme Some was quite an enjoyable collection of upbeat tracks, and many times I was digging holes with "Dig A Little Deeper" in my head.
My main soundtrack to that summer was Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes though. So much that I made it my album of the year back then. And the title track was my anthem as I worked to make my property into something. It was some sort of a growing up song and album. Trying to figure out what I really should be, what I should do with this land, work 'til I'm sore.
Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues"
Thao & Mirah was my introduction to both Thao Nguyen and Mirah. I checked it out because it was produced by tUnE-YarDs and included a song featuring her. Three awesome, empowered, unique, and incredibly playful voices playing off each other. I wonder if they are going to get back together again. They have both put out some awesome solo stuff before and since then though.
Speaking of tUnE-YarDs, W H O K I L L might be her best album. Bird-Brains (no more stylizing with punctuation, I've put enough effort into getting that right) had hints of W H O K I L L with a few tracks that could be on this one, but this one was this one. The power of looping, the power of the creative energy, the power of the rawness.
Tune-yards "Powa"
Speaking of catchy and creative, let's go further down that road to Deerhoof. Deerhoof vs Evil is one of my favorites from them. I read a review of their most recent album that badmouthed this one a little bit for whatever reason, and it seemed uncalled for. This one is different in that it doesn't rock out as hard as classic Deerhoof, but it just finds quieter ways to be very very weird.
TV On The Radio, man. TV On The Radio. What do I write about Nine Types of Light that I haven't already written about TV On The Radio? I guess at this point their pop is getting poppier without sacrificing any of their inventiveness. The ballady songs are especially heartfelt, and the rockers keep me banging on my steering wheel.
I had a Facebook "memory" the other day from 2011 when I was in the conundrum that new TVOTR and Battles music was available to me at the same time and I didn't know what to listen to first. Because they are two of my always favorites, and new music from either is an event. And then when I heard "Ice Cream," the first song Battles released from their new album Gloss Drop, their first without founding member Tyondai Braxton, I was absolutely blown away. They brought in some guest vocalists to fill in the gap, and while they didn't really need them (as they proved on the instrumental tracks and then the subsequent album), it was a very creative exercise for one of the most creative bands I've heard. I've written about Battles a lot so I won't say much more except that I saw them live that same year and I wrote a blog post about it, so if you want to you can check it out:
Battles 7.19.11: A Deconstruction of Carefully Controlled Noise
St. Vincent won me over with Strange Mercy. I hadn't realized what I'd been missing but checked this one out because I was checking everything out in 2011. And this album is why it is good that I checked so much out in 2011. I didn't realize she was so experimental/art rock! And I didn't know she could wail on guitar so effectively! Those licks pulled me in and then the "in between" slower songs hooked me (with her also awesome vocals).
The Antlers' second one Burst Apart was basically equally devastating as their previous one. A big step forward musically without sacrificing (wow I used the same basic sentence just a couple paragraphs ago...but I'm not gonna change it!) what makes it such an engaging challenge to listen to. I remember worrying it would be less intense when the reviews said it was less raw, but...it wasn't. Not very fair to have a song called "Putting The Dog To Sleep" though.
More indie rock was Bon Iver with his doubly self-titled album Bon Iver, Bon Iver. That one is pretty mind blowing. I remember comparing his trajectory to Kanye West, calling this his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I stand behind that, though I'm not sure if his new one is his Life of Pablo. But as of 2011, totally apt. A combination of all of his tricks he'd accrued over his previous material and put together in fascinating ways. I still can't get behind that Peter Cetera esque last track though.
When the album Wild Flag by the "supergroup" Wild Flag was released, it was exciting because Carrie Brownstein was playing music again after mostly being known for Portlandia for so many years. It was a nice reminder of how great of an artist she was when she was being sincere instead of sarcastic. It was a nice reminder where she gets the credibility to lampoon hipster culture so effectively. And it was my introduction to Mary Timony, who is about to re-release material from her old band Helium and similarly rocked me to my soul with her other newer band Ex Hex. But what about Wild Flag? It's just a great collection of high energy punk, a throwback to Sleater-Kinney, and even though it was kind of a side project (especially now that SK is back together) it will never be a minor footnote release. It stands tall.
M83 caught my ear with Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, a massive double album with massive hit after massive hit (okay maybe the hits weren't technically massive, they just felt that way. Epic hit maybe? I hate overuse of that word, but I think these songs qualify). Synthy, high energy, it just makes me want to see them live and feel the energy of the room on the opening notes of some of these songs.
Remember when The Weeknd was a new, mysterious thing? House of Balloons kind of blew my mind. The rawness, the desperation, that voice, it was very engaging. And I'm not generally into modern R&B unless it's something wild along the lines of Janelle Monae. But The Weeknd came out of nowhere and expressed something very raw and sad in such an engaging way. Side note: I ended up also getting the "remastered" versions of the first three albums/mixtapes/whatever and listened to both. I liked the remaster of House of Balloons but when I heard the original version again I loved it that much more. The rawness!
Charles Bradley came on shortly after the election with his song "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)" and it was so poignant and timely and sad. Most of the rest of the album is not particularly political, more love song based. That man can sing.
Another one that came on shortly after the election was The Ex with Catch My Shoe. This was their first one with the new singer, and while it definitely changed the experience a little to have a different singer, there is so much rhythm to The Ex that I think it would have been weirder if they swapped out the drummer or guitarist.
The Ex "Cold Weather is Back"
The final Beastie Boys album was a very fine Beastie Boys album. Leave it to them to keep pushing musical innovation 25 years into their career, but Hot Sauce Committee Part Two was amazing. Enough of that old school swagger and playfulness combined with forward thinking production. RIP MCA!
Other hip hop was a bunch of things, of course including that Jay-Z & Kanye West collaboration Watch The Throne. I feel the same way now as I did when it came out. They've both done better, they've both done much deeper, but it is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to anyway.
Regarding Kendrick Lamar, I just want to say that what I wrote about in my 2011 write-up (linked above) was "very optimistic about his future." Now, I don't think I could have predicted anything like Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (or of course To Pimp a Butterfly) but I would like to point out that I astutely knew he was capable of better than Section.80. His lyrics and delivery were great (particularly on "Rigamortus") but the production left a bit to be desired. And then he delivered a short year later. In all seriousness though, Section.80 was better than I'd remembered/recognized at the time. But of course now it's all about what he went on to do, isn't it?
The Roots had another brilliant one in undun, a very raw, gritty set that has a certain artfulness, seamlessly incorporating a Sufjan Sevens instrumental track in full before expanding on that with an extended outro.
Of course, all hip hop that came out in 2011 had to be compared to Black Up by Shabazz Palaces. It ended up very close to the top of my list and pretty much ruined all other hip hop that came out because it was so far beyond what I understood hip hop could be. I still don't know how to write about it (see my attempt in 2011) other than it feels like it elevates me, clears some space out, and puts me...somewhere. Up there. Cleared out.
Shabazz Palaces "Recollections of the wraith"
But what about Tom Waits? Bad As Me is still his latest album and it is still as awesome as most of what he's put out in his long career. I love his alternating between banging blues blowouts and sincere bona fide ballads. Nobody does it like Tom Waits. Not even close. It was quite haunting to listen to "Last Leaf" though, in early 2017, so soon after the likes of Bowie and Leonard Cohen left this plane. Stick around forever please!
I had a couple massive, very experimental/heady benefit compilations come up that were made for Japan, and I still feel like the world didn't mourn enough for what happened to Japan in March of 2011. It was a massive catastrophe and so much bigger than some little blog.
And while I was writing this, I googled Fukushima and saw this story from YESTERDAY that there are currently "Deadly Nuclear Radiation Levels Detected" in Fukushima.
Grouper "Cassiopeia"
Other words.
- Explosions in the Sky. I was just getting into them because Take Care, Take Care, Take Care was pretty well received. Quite awesome instrumental post rock.
- Similarly, Mogwai with the best song title of most times: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.
- I Am Very Far was yet another quite good Okkervil River album but this was when I was a little less into it than their predecessors. Still a couple songs I gave 4 stars to though.
- Kind of ditto for The Decemberists/The King is Dead.
- I always remember liking The Dodos but I never decide that I want to listen to The Dodos. But Here came No Color to remind me of why I always remember liking them. Very catchy and creative.
- Iron & Wine just kept getting more and more weird and that's one of the few acts I'd rather hear stick to what they're known for. Still a couple songs I love though.
- Big K.R.I.T. had a breakthrough with Return Of 4Eva, and I ran the turkey trot listening to it. It was very good running music.
- I'm not sure if there's much unique about The Mountain Goats' All Eternals Deck but I do remember getting it at Twist & Shout on vinyl and they had held onto a special limited version of the vinyl for me. That was when I knew I had "made it" as a music fan. My favorite record store knew me! It also, in retrospect speaks volumes to why I had so much damn 2011 music.
- Obits! Still awesome.
- The Lionheart Brothers! Still great. A little more wistful and less poppy on Matters of Love and Nature but I still like them quite a lot.
- Lykke Li seemed to get more bold with her vulnerabilities on Wounded Rhymes.
- Cut Copy made for a good stand in for Hot Chip on Zonoscope.
- I like Smoking Popes, but This Is Only A Test is just an awkward album where he tries to speak for kids much younger than he is. It just doesn't work for me.
- I should probably mention Radiohead so Radiohead! I think I liked the random other tracks they put out more than The King of Limbs but it still has its moments.
- of Montreal put out an EP called thecontrollersphere, which was okay, but its centerpiece, the 8 minute "Holiday Call" was great.
- There were two Buddy Holly tribute compilations for some reason. Lots of variation in quality...
- I usually skip Christmas songs with this project but the holidays actually lined up with it this time, so I had the quite enjoyable Songs for Christmas Vol. X by Sufjan Stevens (including my favorite, "Christmas Unicorn") and A Very She & Him Christmas come up. Enjoyable tree decoratin' music.
- The Lonely Island is pretty great, eh?
- And speaking of funny things, The Book of Mormon.
- Jens Lekman's EP An Argument With Myself has my wife's favorite Jens song (the title track). I prefer "A Promise," a heartfelt song for a very good friend.
- People Under The Stairs are like the Spoon of hip hop. Always great.
- I remember Tinariwen's album Tassili. It featured numerous TV On The Radio cameos and some great guitar work.
- Retox is pretty awesome.
- LP1 got me over Joss Stone. Great voice, but at that point I'd finally had enough.
- Washed Out was the sexier version of the xx.
- Mi Ami went totally electronic on the EP Dolphins. I still prefer the more outrageous guitar-flavored version of them.
- I think I realized while listening to Take Care that I don't really have a personal need to listen to Drake.
- Doomtree Bangarang!
- Feist! Metals! Still great!
- ...And another classic by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Alpocalypse seemed almost like he was trying to be relevant to the 2011 world with songs about Craigslist and ringtones and forwards, but still quite good. And the White Stripes style parody "CNR" is pretty right on. (he did better on the next one though)
The Mix of the time:
Sound is the Blood Between Me and You: It Was 2011
1. Wild Flag "Romance"
2. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake "Hastily"
3. M83 featuring Amy White "Steve McQueen"
4. Beans "Gluetraps"
5. Shabazz Palaces "Recollections of the wraith"
6. Mayer Hawthorne featuring Jimijames "The Walk"
7. Bon Iver "Perth"
8. Lia Ices featuring Justin Vernon "Daphne"
9. Jens Lekman "Waiting for Kirsten"
10. The Antlers "Putting the Dog to Sleep"
11. Deerhoof "I Did Crimes for You"
12. Tom Waits "Hell Broke Luce"
13. Battles "Inchworm"
14. TV On the Radio "Repetition"
15. Tinariwen featuring Tunde Adebimpe & Kyp Malone "Tenere Taqqim Tossam"
16. Tune-Yards "Esso"
17. Colin Stetson featuring Shara Worden "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes"
18. Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues"
Next One is 2012 (eventually):
Dirty Projectors' best maybe? Rock off with Cloud Nothings vs Japandroids! The year of El-P and Killer Mike before they joined forces officially! Frank Ocean! Kendrick Lamar! Call Me Maybe! And much more!
