OFF TOPIC - Top 20 of 2011 - The Shortlist

Good evening.  Thanks for dropping in.


This is the post where I'll reveal the (eagerly anticipated) songs that make up my Top 20 of 2011.


A few words before I do.  You won't agree with me.  Some of you will think I'm pretentious for including a raft of songs you've never heard of.  Some of you will think I'm too 'mainstream' in my choices.  Some of you will think this is a massive exercise in showing off.  And that's fine.  My opinion is no better or worse than yours and my choices are no more or less valid than yours would be.  This is just my opinion - you might not like it but I can't help that.


The "rules" are simple - any song that has been released (as a single, on an album or even as demo/give-away) is eligible to be included.  Pick 20 that represent your favourite and don't include more than one per artist.   I added a rule of my own where I'd limit myself to maximum one choice where collaborations had occurred.  So for example, both Arctic Monkeys and Alex Turner individually made the 2011 Longlist but I would limit myself to a choice from one.  This is only to add variety.


The list presented below is given as Track name - Artist (Album).  They are not ranked in order of preference or greatness but rather the order in which I personally think they make a good compilation.  I'd love to hear what you think so get involved in the comments or tweet me @BroomOwl and tag your posts #top20of2011


1. Inhaler - Miles Kane (Colour of the Trap) - I could have picked any one of about 4 tracks off this album and it's one I've really enjoyed this year.  Inhaler is just a good pick me up song and probably my favourite track on the album


2. Lowlife - Skint & Demoralised (This Sporting Life) - a "proper" song in my opinion - full of energy and passion and one that makes me want to shout along - again, arguably my favourite off what is a very good album


3. Mazes - Moon Duo (Mazes) - I love the guitar on this - a good toe tapper and one you can easily get lost in for a while


4. Two Cousins - Slow Club (Paradise) - this was a tough choice but I eventually chose this over 'Paradise' because it stuck in my head more - not a great reason, but probably what a good song should do.


5. Puppet to the Man - Kurt Vile (Smoke Ring for my Halo) - this has some excellent grungy guitar.  Kurt Vile was recommended to me by a friend which I'm very thankful for


6. Only if for a Night - Florence & The Machine (Ceremonials) - I think Florence is someone who'll divide opinion and you either love her haunting voice or hate it.  I'm in the former camp and have been since I saw her on an NME tour a few years back where she was somehow bottom of the bill.


7. Troubles - TV on the Radio (Nine Types of Light) - I've been into TV on the Radio for a while purely because each album is so wholly varied - I don't think 'alternative' even begins to sum them up.  This is a bonus track off the deluxe version of the album and surprised me at the end when I was certain nothing was going to beat 'You' onto the short list


8. Ritual Union - Little Dragon (Ritual Union) - definitely one of my favourite tracks from this year - again recommended to me by a friend and I always seem surprised how good it is every time I hear it - great to listen to at the end of a night out


9. Cat's Eyes - Cat's Eyes (Cat's Eyes) - a side project of Faris Badwan (of The Horrors), this seems really familiar but also quite unlike anything else.  I was convinced something from The Horrors' album 'Skying' would make this list but this pipped it at the end 


10. Under Your Thumb - The Vaccines (What Did You Expect From The Vaccines) - this is also one of my favourite albums of the year - one where picking a mandatory 'weak' track is nigh on impossible.  There were more obvious choices than this track, but I'm forever singing 'Eleanor' for hours after I've heard it


11. Suck It And See - Arctic Monkeys (Suck It And See) - I don't think I'm alone in believing that Alex Turner is probably the finest lyricist this country has seen in a very long time.  A lot of people disliked their fourth album but I continue to be impressed - his ballads are superb and this is one of my favourites


12. The Runner - Boxer Rebellion (Cold Still) I started listening to Boxer Rebellion a while back when iTunes gave one of their tracks away as a single of the week.  I think this is the catchiest track off their second album


13. So Tired In The Morning - Erland & The Carnival (Nightingale) I picked up their first album in an independent shop in Leeds last year and loved it.  They describe their own music as weird and wonderful and it is. But in a good way. Incidentally, this track describes exactly how I feel every day...


14. Demons - Mechanical Bride (Living with Ants) Again, someone turned me onto Mechanical Bride earlier this year.  The instrumentals in this are just amazing - one you should definitely have a listen to.


15. Otis - Jay-Z and Kanye West (feat. Otis Redding) (Watch The Throne) I wouldn't for a second claim to be a rap/hip-hop expert, but like everyone, I know what music I like and what I don't.  This album was everything I hoped it would be but the sample on this one makes it stand out for me


16. Eyes - The Naked & Famous (Passive Me, Aggressive You) Another one that someone suggested I'd like and I'm glad they told me.  It's quite 'floaty' music and one that's easy to listen to whilst being good enough to keep your full attention


17. With Each New Day - About Group (Start And Complete) This album was a revelation for me.  It might be one of those that really only works later at night - I'm not sure.  But I do really like it - possibly the most understated album of the year in my opinion.  I listened to this track 5 times straight the first time I heard it.


18. One Hundred And Thirteen - Middleman (Spinning Plates) This song is really out of character from the rest of the album but it is utterly incredible. More spoken word than singing, but don't let you put that off.  The chorus is outstanding and I wish I'd written the whole thing myself.


19. Welcome To Your Wedding Day - Airborne Toxic Event (All At Once) I heard an old ATE song on the radio about 3 years ago and sought out everything they'd done off the back of it.  I had the pleasure of seeing them live in Sheffield about a year ago and they were phenomenal.  Second album stands up well and this is a great anthem.


20. Everything Happens For a Reason - The King Blues (Punk & Poetry) This isn't the best song off the album (listen to '5 Bottles of Shampoo' because it's incredible) but this particular song evokes some special memories for me and for that reason it's one of my favourites.  The King Blues are exceptional (although you may disagree with their politics, their music is world class) and this album would probably coast into my Top 5 of the year.


Here is the short list as a Spotify playlist - I hope it works as I have no idea what I'm doing.  If not then...make one yourself - you're clever enough.


A couple of final thoughts before I go.  There was some music I was disappointed in this year.  I've always enjoyed the Pigeon Detectives' stuff but I really felt their third album was a way off what they're good at.  Standalone, it's OK, but compared to what they can do, it fell short of the mark for me.  Similarly, Brother (or Viva Brother I think they're called now).  I read an interview with them early this year and they were mouthing off about how brilliant they were.  In my humble opinion, they're deluded.  At best they're average and I was disappointed in what it had to offer.


A lot of good bands didn't make the shortlist and sadly that's the nature of the beast.  Not wanting to show obvious bias to my home city, but Sheffield has some excellent bands coming through (Alvarez Kings and In Helsinki) and hopefully I'll be talking about them in 12 months.  Check out any song on the longlist and I'd hope you wouldn't be disappointed.


Thanks for reading all that - hopefully some of it will give you as much pleasure as it's given me.  If I've got it all wrong, remember, my details are at the top of this post so tweet me and tell me why.


Happy listening


Andy

OFF TOPIC - Top 20 of 2011 - Longlist

Hi

Forgive the off-topic post, but I wanted to share this with you.  Every year some friends and I compile our Top 20 tracks of the year and compare our choices.  It's a bit of fun and often a good way to pick up on some new music.

My approach is to go back through all the albums I've listened to this year and create a longlist of tracks to select my final 20 from.  This longlist is below for anyone who's interested.

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow morning when I'll post what is (hopefully) an interesting update on the marathon training.  Thanks for allowing me this musical indulgence.

Andy

ARTIST	SONG	ALBUM
The Vaccines	Under Your Thumb	What Did You Expect From The Vaccines
The Vaccines	Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)	What Did You Expect From The Vaccines
The Vaccines	Post Break-up Sex	What Did You Expect From The Vaccines
Christoper Rees	Sparks Flying	Heart On Fire
Arctic Monkeys	Love Is A Laserquest	Suck It And See
Arctic Monkeys	Suck It And See	Suck It And See
Arctic Monkeys	Hellcat Spangled Shalalala	Suck It And See
Arctic Monkeys	Reckless Serenade	Suck It And See
Bombay Bicycle Club	Fracture	A Different Kind of Fix
Boxer Rebellion	Step Out Of The Car	Cold Still
Boxer Rebellion	The Runner	Cold Still
Beady Eye	Four Letter Word	Different Gear, Still Speeding
Erland And The Carnival	So Tired In The Morning	Nightingale
Erland And The Carnival	Map Of An Englishman	Nightingale
The King Blues	Everything Happens For A Reason	Punk and Poetry
The King Blues	5 Bottles of Shampoo	Punk and Poetry
Bon Iver	Best/Rest	Bon Iver
Skint & Demoralised	Lowlife	This Sporting Life
Skint & Demoralised	43 Degrees	This Sporting Life
Tiny Ruins and a Singer of Songs	Little Notes	Some Were Meant For Sea
Tiny Ruins and a Singer of Songs	Running Through the Night	Some Were Meant For Sea
Suuns	Gaze	QC Zeroes
Suuns	PVC	QC Zeroes
The Streets	Without Thinking	Computer and Blues
The Streets	Trust Me	Computer and Blues
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks	Tigers	Mirror Traffic
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks	Stick Figures In Love	Mirror Traffic
Slow Club	Paradise	Paradise
Slow Club	Two Cousins	Paradise
Singing Adams	I Need Your Mind	Everybody Friends Now
Nathaniel Rateliff	Shroud	In Memory of Loss
Nathaniel Rateliff	Whimper And Wall	In Memory of Loss
The Naked And Famous	All Of This	Passive Me, Aggressive You
The Naked And Famous	Eyes	Passive Me, Aggressive You
Moon Duo	Mazes	Mazes
Milk Kan	Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Tunes?	The Junkshop
Miles Kane	Inhaler	Colour of the Trap
Miles Kane	Quicksand	Colour of the Trap
Miles Kane	Come Closer	Colour of the Trap
Miles Kane	Rearrange	Colour of the Trap
Middleman	One Hundred And Thirteen	Spinning Plates
Kurt Vile	Puppet To The Man	Smoke Ring For My Halo
In Helsinki	Burden	Wired EP
Frankie and the Heartstrings	Photograph	Hunger
Fair Ohs	Eden Rock	Everything is Dancing
Emily And the Faves	So Long Sucker	Emily and the Faves
Emily And the Faves	My TV	Emily and the Faves
Brother	Darling Buds of May	Famous First Words
Ben Ottewell	Blackbird	Shapes & Shadows
Alex Turner	Stuck on a Puzzle	Submarine EP
About Group	With Each New Day	Start and Complete
Alessi's Ark	The Robot	Time Travel
TV On The Radio	Keep Your Heart	Nine Types of Light
TV On The Radio	You	Nine Types of Light
TV On The Radio	New Cannonball Blues	Nine Types of Light
TV On The Radio	All Falls Down	Nine Types of Light
TV On The Radio	Troubles	Nine Types of Light
The Strokes	Machu Picchu	Angles
The Strokes	Under Cover Of Darkness	Angles
The Strokes	Two Kinds Of Happiness	Angles
Pigeon Detectives	Lost	Up, Guards And At 'Em
Little Dragon	Ritual Union	Ritual Union
Jay Z & Kanye	No Church in the Wild	Watch The Throne
Jay Z & Kanye	Otis	Watch The Throne
Jay Z & Kanye	New Day	Watch The Throne
Florence & The Machine	Only If For A Night	Ceremonials
Florence & The Machine	Shake It Out	Ceremonials
M83	Claudia Lewis	Hurry Up We're Dreaming
M83	Soon My Friend	Hurry Up We're Dreaming
M83	New Map	Hurry Up We're Dreaming
White Lies	Is Love	Ritual
White Lies	Bad Love	Ritual
Mechanical Bride	Demons	Living With Ants
Mechanical Bride	Walk Into The Forest	Living With Ants
Horrors	Wild Eyed	Skying
Horrors	Endless Blue	Skying
Horrors	Dive In	Skying
Airborne Toxic Event	Welcome To Your Wedding Day	All At Once
Airborne Toxic Event	Numb	All At Once
Airborne Toxic Event	Half of Something Else	All at once
Alvarez Kings	Dark Eyed Children	Patience Is Strength EP
Cat's Eyes	Cat's Eyes, Face In The Crowd	Cat's Eyes
Cat's Eyes	Face In The Crowd	Cat's Eyes