CONFUSED BACHELOR

My favorite songs of 2011

On my blog via The Daily Advertiser, I discuss my favorite songs of the year. 

A collection of the best albums and songs released so far. Also, a look at the biggest flops of the year. 

Best Albums 

Comparing this music already released this year to last year’s is like comparing Michael Jordan’s basketball career to his minor-league baseball career.

There’s no comparison.

So many artists have released great discs this year, 2010 is a blessing for music-lovers. 

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I always rush out a “Best Of” list at the end of the year to stick true to the idea of the year-end list. But, let’s be honest, 2009 wasn’t a great year for movies. In the couple of months since that last list, I took some time to see some of the films I missed from 2009.

Here’s the old list.

Here’s my new list:

10. The Informant!
9. Inglorious Basterds
8. Drag Me to Hell
7. The Hurt Locker
6. Black Dynamite
5. A Serious Man
4. Observe and Report
3. Up
2. In the Loop
1. The Road

Pink Mountaintops — Outside Love
This Black Mountain side project reminds me of Harry Nillson’s adventure with John Lennon, Pussy Cats. Outside Love sounds so carefree (“Holiday”), yet there are moments of undeniable power (the screeching feedback of “Vampire,” and the pulsing drums of “The Gayest of Sunbeams”). The Black Mountain collective makes sweet, sweet music. This is just another example of those never-ending goods.

Lightning Dust — Infinite Light
Another Black Mountain side project. This time from the starry-eyed female singer Amber Webber. The music is built from spare arpeggios from the back shed, and the lyrics are scroll-length. A toss-off to some, but to me, it’s a consistently rewarding, quality disc. Extra marks for making the best Dan Deacon song he could never write in “I Knew.”

White Rabbits — It’s Frightening
Then you have these assholes, making the challenging sophomore album seem so routine. There’s a reason this is called It’s Frightening—because this is a frighteningly good album with top-notch production from Spoon frontman Britt Daniel.
Of course it’s Britt Daniel. How could I have not guessed it? What an asshole.

Mos Def — The Ecstatic
Stop the presses, Mos Def didn’t release a half-assed album this year. No, indeed, the mighty Mos released easily one of the best rap albums of the year. We all knew Mos had it in him, but we didn’t know it would take going through a couple stinkers for him to deliver. Whatever, this album makes me forget True Magic.
And anyone who’s heard that album knows how huge of a statement that is.

Jay Reatard — Watch Me Fall
Clouds endlessly shit on Memphis punk-rocker Jay Reatard. Heck, even his band got tired of his griping and left him. He’s not a man of steel, no he’s pretty wounded these days. But, goddammit if he isn’t making some of the best punk music out there right now. Bonus points for the stalker pop single: “I’m Watching You.”

Times New Viking — Born Again Revisited
Darker and more angular, yet the young Ohio band still records in the red, letting a thick layer of tape-hiss cloak every instrument’s noise. Some may find it annoying, this shit-gaze, lo-fi trend, and, yes, some of it is; but this album is just too irresistible. I’ll just turn up the speakers when “No Time, No Hope” comes on, instead of waiting for them to go into a proper studio.

Bill Callahan — Sometimes I Wish Were An Eagle
The amazing thing about Bill Callahan is that he sings about knowing nothing, and makes it so dramatic with his deep voice. But then he comes to the great revelation on “Rococo Zephyr”: I used to be sorta blind, now I can sorta see.
Here’s to hoping he never has 20/20 vision.

Sunset Rubdown — Dragonslayer
Spencer Krug is the busiest man in showbiz right now. He’s a member of Wolf Parade, Swan Lake, Sunset Rubdown; he’ll release an album as Moonface early next year. And you might think he’ll make a mediocre album or song here and there; but, Dragonslayer continues the amazing trend of Krug’s midas touch.

Alec Ounsworth — Mo Beauty
It’s amazing to me that a Philadelphia singer with a wobbly throat makes the most noteworthy New Orleans-esque jazz-pop album in awhile. Who cares about Clap Your Hands Say Yeah when you’ve got this cool batch of tunes?

Dark Was the Night
The National along with their bevy of best friends made the compilation something worth while this year. There’s barely a bad song on this two-disc set.

“Island, IS”—Volcano Choir
“I Knew”—Lightning Dust
“Quick Canal”—Atlas Sound
“Love”—Air
“Holy Moses (Song for New Orleans)”—Alec Ounsworth
“For Your Lover Give Some Time”—Richard Hawley
“Introducing Palace Players”—Mew
“All the Way Down”—Soulsavers featuring Mark Lanegan
“Young Adult Friction”—The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
“Wounded”—Jay Reatard
“Periodically Triple or Double”—Yo La Tengo
“Fables”—The Dodos
“It Don’t Move Me”—Peter Bjorn and John
“1901”—Phoenix
“Glass”—Bat for Lashes
“Summertime Clothes”—Animal Collective
“Two Weeks”—Grizzly Bear
“Rococo Zephyr”—Bill Callahan
“Soft Shock”—Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“So Far Around the Bend”—The National