Read the rest of our end of the year coverage:

• Favorite Albums of 2012: Eric Kossina [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kevin Tappin [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Will McGee [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kyle Minton [link]

Songs:

Cat Power - “Ruin” 
Chairlift - “I Belong in Your Arms”
Death Grips - “I’ve Seen Footage”
Fiona Apple - “Werewolf”
Icona Pop - “I Love It“ (ft. Charlie XCX)
Menomena - “Skintercourse”
M.I.A. - “Bad Girls”
Mount Eerie - “House Shape”
Pinback - “Proceed to Memory”
Twin Shadow - “Five Seconds”

Burial - Kindred
Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze EP
Icona Pop - The Iconic EP
Ricky Eat Acid & Arrange - Sketches
Yohuna - Revery

Albums:

20. Joie De Vivre - We’re All Better Than This

Ah, Joie De Vivre - once dead, now, so soon, alive again. It’s one of numerous great Count Your Lucky Stars releases (including quality new albums from Annabel, Innards, and others) but one of the few I made extensive time for. It’s full of all the midwestern emo goodness one could hope for from one of the better bands (of the many great bands, make no mistake) doing it, all the more welcome for the fact that we once thought another Joie De Vivre album wouldn’t happen. Let’s all add on a poorly improvised, “and many mooore” to the end of this.

Read More

Read the rest of our end of the year coverage:

• Favorite Albums of 2012: Eric Kossina [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kevin Tappin [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Will McGee [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Tyler Hanan [link]

My activity on Nothing Sounds Better may have been dampened by my scholarly pursuits, but my passion for elaborately (perhaps to a disgusting amount of detail) elucidating on my favorite records of the year can never be stopped. My enthusiasm has led to a creation of a Spotify playlist for my favorite songs of the year, and of course, this sprawling list in front of you. I am certain I have unfortunately missed some of this year’s greatest content (Oh, Swans, how will you ever forgive me?) but I am hoping a break before the new year will give me a chance to rectify these egregious oversights. That being said, I look forward to bringing in the new year with fresh ideas for Nothing Sounds Better. Enjoy the rest of 2012, folks. 

Read More

Read the rest of our end of the year coverage:

• Favorite Albums of 2012: Eric Kossina [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kevin Tappin [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kyle Minton [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Tyler Hanan [link]

I’m new to reviewing and list-making in general; I consider myself wholly unqualified to judge music and every new album I get makes me feel even more so, but I’m doing one anyway, because if I don’t I’ll never get any better at it.  This list might look at a glance like I’m doing one top 10 list for hip-hop, and then my other top 10s by genre will come later, but really, I just need to diversify the kind of music I buy, apparently.

10. Vijay Iyer Trio -Accelerando

If you’ve never heard any of the heavy, high-brow jazz from the last 10 years or so, it can be pretty alienating on the first listen.  It’s never quite easy to pick out what a catchy, pleasant melody, but repeated listens unveil a lot of depth and technique in Iyer’s playing.  The choices of covers on this album are sweeping and seemingly random, but they all fit the overall theme of the study of rhythm and how its use has changed over the years.  Does that sound pretentious?  I don’t imagine Iyer would mind; he’s obviously not aiming for the casual listener.

Read More

Read the rest of our end of the year coverage:

• Favorite Albums of 2012: Eric Kossina [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Will McGee [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kyle Minton [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Tyler Hanan [link]

Let me be honest: I have a hard time assembling lists like these. There’s an overwhelming necessity to not only provide a sound opinion, but to also make that opinion matter. In a year where the top three albums on three of the bigger critic sites are not only the same, but arranged in such a way that each album finds a seat at a #1 spot, it makes one feel sheepish to suggest anything different.

I was at odds with much of this year. Visions and Ekstasis seemed overrated; Moms and Skelethon seemed underrated; channel ORANGE was good, but was it the best? It’s alienating to see critics and peers alike all saying the same thing with such vehemence and consistency that to say otherwise is practically rebellion. Not agreeing with the consensus, I took a backseat on the latter half of the year. I got lazy. But that is no excuse. My list is my own. Take it as you will.

The playlist below is by no means a “Best Of.” Rather, they are chosen as secondary representatives to albums that are found on my list.

Songs:

1. Cloud Nothings - “Wasted Days”
2. Sharon Van Etten - “Give Out”
3. Menomena - “Pique”
4. Frank Ocean - “Bad Religion”
5. Purity Ring - “Cartographist”
6. Aesop Rock - “Gopher Guts”
7. Japandroids - “Younger Us”
8. Death Grips - “Hustle Bones”
9. Kendrick Lamar - “The Art of Peer Pressure”
10. El-P - “$ Vic/FTL (Me and You)”

Albums:

20. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!

Political connotations aside, this is practically the same GY!BE that left us in 2002. With less talk than on previous albums, Ascend! is all about the music. That music is as grating and tireless as ever, making it the sole proprietor of its hopelessly apocalyptic soundscape. Even though that whole stink about the Mayan calendar didn’t pan out (Surprise!), you can still play the album and feel like maybe it happened anyway.

Read More

Read the rest of our end of the year coverage:

• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kevin Tappin [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Will McGee [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Kyle Minton [link]
• Favorite Albums of 2012: Tyler Hanan [link]

10. Symmetry – Themes For An Imaginary Film

     Italians Do It Better are doing so many things right; the fashionista approach, the specific, murderous imagery, and more than anything this year I just wanted to be this sound. I wanted to recreate my image, my gait, my speech, to mirror everything they were doing. Johnny Jewel is revolutionizing correctly, borrowing from the past and adding a stylish new spin, a role model for so many musicians coming out this year, and for so many people just wanting to express themselves. But what made Themes stand out over, say, that key release from Chromatics this year, is the element of mystery; the rush you get from your own night drive, not being able to see through the murk, and never knowing what’s around the corner. Music has been this cool before, but never as thrilling.

Read More

Now that we’re done with our coverage of 2011 [link], it is time to turn our eyes to 2012. Our writers took some time to pick out those releases that they are most excited for and to jot down a few thoughts on each. I must say, it’s a pretty nice list - but I can’t wait to find out how badly we screwed it up by not including what will prove to be amazing albums.

The Appleseed Cast - TBA

Middle States felt like fresh air after the mostly instrumental Sagarmatha; there was something so right about once again hearing those distant, nearly intelligible outcries being yelped over Appleseed Cast’s usual blend of deliberate pacing and a cacophony of reverb and distortion addling the atmosphere. As a result of that, I spent most of 2011 going deaf while testing the decibel levels of every stereo near me and let The Appleseed Cast swallow me up in their wall of emotionally evocative sound. It’s a wonder that a group that have deviated so far from their emo roots still manage to push the same veins they did years before, and Middle States is a sign they have no intent on stopping in the new year.  [Kyle Minton]

Arrange - Five Years With the Sun, New Memory (and likely more)

I can’t say for certain how many releases Malcom Lacey has planned for this year, but I do know that I eagerly await each and every one. His work gets better and better, and the lucky listeners that find all these releases will eagerly devour them. Mark you calendars: said devouring can begin with the release of Five Years on February 14th. [Tyler Hanan]

Stream/Download “Sun Showers”

Bat for Lashes - TBA

Don’t ask me why I’m expecting a new Bat for Lashes release, but I am.  This would be year three since the beautiful Two Suns and if she doesn’t release something by the end of the year, be sure to hear some news regarding an imminent release by then. [Eric Kossina]

Bloc Party - TBA

I don’t think I’m going to shock anyone to their core if I tell you that nothing that Bloc Party has ever done has impacted me like Silent Alarm did. I don’t really think it’ll even be a surprise when I tell you that Intimacy was endearing to me in bits and pieces, and I even had a brief affair with the song “Signs” for several weeks at a time. I do think, however, that you’ll be flabbergasted at the lengthy amount of time I spent married to that song’s remix and its rather bewildering music video (link). My relationship with Bloc Party’s discography is terrifically odd, but that doesn’t stop my curiosity from wondering how their hiatus back in 09’ affects the writing that started in late 2011. Though I’ll do them a favor and wholeheartedly suggest more music videos involving talking sex organs and disco ball-headed women, as those additions certainly wouldn’t hurt. [Kyle Minton]

Ceremony - Zoo

Matador already has the band currently being hailed as the “great hardcore band.” They may have already snagged the next one as well. Rohnert Park is still in regular rotation, and the covers EP still routinely rocks my car’s tape deck. While this full length will be nothing like David Comes To Life, it could very well have the same effect on the music world. [Tyler Hanan]

Cursive - I Am Gemini

Kyle will be providing a few words on I Am Gemini in an audio post of the new song, so I won’t steal his thunder. One of the beautiful things about Cursive is how they span across multiple scenes and genres; you can find fans on just about any site. I’m sure we’ll all have plenty to talk about when this comes out on February 21st. We’re already off to a great start with “The Sun and Moon.” [Tyler Hanan]

Stream/Download “The Sun and Moon”

The Dirty Projectors - TBA

In 2009, Dirty Projectors released Bitte Orca, an unexpectedly beautiful album that received immense critical and public praise. Prior to that album, the music created by David Longstreth and company had moments that hinted at what Bitte Orca would produce but largely consisted of explorations of dissonance and difficult avant-garde pop.  Considering the variety of sounds and structures Longstreth has created in his career (not to mention the ideas that were born out of collaborating with Bjork for 2010’s Mount Wittenberg Orca EP), knowing what to expect with their as-yet-untitled 2012 release is difficult, but that is an important component of what makes Dirty Projectors compelling. Variety and layers are the two words that come to mind when I think of the group, but putting on my headphones and anticipating experiencing auditory ecstasy are what lands their release at the top of my 2012 most anticipated list. [Joe Brown]

Grimes - Visions

Grimes never did anything for me until I heard “Oblivion,” then I was blown away. She went from a small internet phenomenon to one of the most influential and forward thinking artists today.  No doubt she’s going to make her mark on an entire decade of releases by the end of the month, with the release of Visions.  Expect change. [Eric Kossina]

Stream/Download “Genesis”

Islands - A Sleep & A Forgetting

I went into the new Islands album a bit already [link], but a reminder won’t hurt. I adore “This Is Not a Song,” and an album full of songs that are just as delicate or beautiful or introspective (read: just as good), this could be the best Nick Thorburn album we’ve received in a while. How will his work with Mister Heavenly affect it? I think that could be a very intriguing question (or an irrelevant one, with no in between). The album will be out February 14th. [Tyler Hanan]

Download “This Is Not a Song”

Janelle Monáe - TBA x2

Janelle Monáe’s The Archandroid was the best release of 2010 (don’t bother quibbling with me). Her unparalleled ambition hasn’t been stoked in the least - apparently she plans on releasing two new albums this year. The overwhelming combination of creativity and talent she possesses has evolved quickly. If the jump from Suite I to Suites II and III mirrors the one that will be made to Suite IV, Janelle is going to blow our minds. Twice. [Tyler Hanan]

John K. Samson - Provincial

In the always-expanding market of lead vocalists making solo albums, John K. Samson has one of the best pre-release starting possessions of the last decade in my book. It might give away a hefty bias, but my anticipation for this album already has me doing flips, falling head over heels, running in circles, and doing any other excited gymnastics routine. Samson’s work with Propagandhi and The Weakerthans is always high quality at the least; the potential here is enormous. Provincial will be released January 24th. [Tyler Hanan]

Stream “Letter in Icelandic From the Ninette San”

Julia Holter - Ekstasis

Holter’s 2011 full-length Tragedy was an absolutely brilliant composition, a haunted house rife with atmosphere and tension. I expect her ability to arrange sounds so exquisitely has only gotten better; thus, Ekstasis is right at the top of my list of most anticipated albums this year. It’s March 8th release date seems so far away. [Tyler Hanan]

Stream “Marienbad”

Loma Prieta - I.V.

Probably the first album on this list that will be heard by the general public, I.V. will be one of the few albums that every casual skramz bands will hear on January 17th. With the move to Deathwish, Loma Prieta are emerging as one of the most well-known hardcore bands. Will they capitalize on the boosted name recognition from the label move and the members’ participation in other great hardcore bands? We won’t have to  wait long to see (spoiler alert: they will). [Tyler Hanan]

Download “Fly By Night”

Maserati - TBA

I will admit I don’t know much about upcoming Maserati material (although I’m not sure many people do). Most of the info has come from their Twitter, where the band has been teasing with simple-yet-effective tweets like, “Lots of new music coming from us in 2012. Stay tuned.” I mean, did you hear Pyramid of the Sun? It was incredible. How can we not highly anticipate a new album? [Tyler Hanan]

mewithoutYou - TBA

mewithoutYou have taken their fans on quite a ride throughout their career, with the greatest uproar being caused by there most recent full-length. Despite the fear of some that we wouldn’t get another album, those fears have proved unfounded. Whether it will convert back the fans that were rather opposed to the more folksy side of mewithoutYou is yet to be seen; regardless, this will be an interesting release. [Tyler Hanan]

Watch live performance of “The Fiji Mermaid”

Modest Mouse - TBA

Where does Modest Mouse go from here? Though the last full-length was not quite as lauded critically (nor in my own mind, and this all relative to their previous masterpieces), the band has shown a knack for consistent, quality-maintaining evolution. We already know of the collaboration with Big Boi - only time will tell what other tricks they have planned for us. Until then, we’ll be stuck with watching those two Sasquatch videos over and over and over and… [Tyler Hanan]

Listen to live performance of “Lampshades on Fire”

Mount Eerie - TBA

According the P.W. Elverum & Sun, ltd. website:

• new Mount Eerie album in 2012
• new packaging versions of the Microphones albums
• big dump of older Microphones things to the iTunes store

Get excited. [Tyler Hanan]

The Mountain Goats - TBA

The message boards will have plenty of poorly-recorded live videos to poor over in the leadup to this one. The band put the cyborgs on notice with the announcement of their January tour dates. Apparently, they’ll be playing many of the 10-11 new songs before they’re even written, so we should be able to hear a (poorly-recorded) majority of the album via YouTube long before it comes out. Regardless, there are very few bands as consistently great as The Mountain Goats. [Tyler Hanan] 

Mumford & Sons - TBA

I am fully aware that Mumford & Sons are not doing anything that has not been done before and has been done better. The immense popularity of Sigh No More and the realization that for several weeks it was just as likely to be blaring out of a bro’s Hummer as it was to be overheard from a coffeehouse patron’s headphones has created a backlash that left the group out of favor with many of the outlets that initially championed the band. They became the sort of figurehead for lowest-common-denominator folk-ish music. At this point in time you are likely wondering why you should care when I, the writer, “know” these things. Well, I enjoy the hell out of the music this band creates. It is inoffensive and exceptionally straightforward. I know that I will not need a dictionary or my full attention to enjoy their music. It can be thrown on in the background when I am doing other things just as easily as it can be appreciated when it is the only thing requiring my attention. It is the Chuck of music and that is a space that is appreciative to have a band like Mumford & Sons fill its void. The album may not be my most anticipated, but it will likely have the most plays by the time the world ends on December 21, 2012. Hell, it might even be what is playing when we go down in flames (until John Cusack saves us all). [Joe Brown]

Phoenix - TBA

You didn’t go through 2009 without hearing the affably pulsing synth of “1901” at least a few dozen times, and its thumping beat was only the tip of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’s infectious sound. After winning a Grammy with Wolfgang’s efforts I can’t imagine the band doing anything but perfecting those emotionally turgid lyrics so fantastically displayed in darker pieces such as “Lasso,” and “Armistice.” Though I’ll honestly be satiated with anything that manages to stay in my head half as long as Wolfgang did; I’m still scrubbing those singles from the corners of my mind. [Kyle Minton]

Propagandhi - TBA

We only have a few live clips so far, but I think we can safely say that every single Propagandhi fan is wetting themselves with anticipation of this album. Despite the Todd the Rod’s back injury, the band has 18 songs written and are set to record at the end of January. Like a fine wine and an old cliche, Prop have only gotten better with age - they have the market cornered on intelligent, trashy punk, and this album will, in all likelihood, blow all the punk kids’ minds. [Tyler Hanan]

Watch live video of “Failed States”

The Shins - Port of Morrow

While we gotten another taste of James Mercer with his 2010 Broken Bells project, it’s been five years since  the last Shins album. In those five years, The Shins have dismantled and put back together at Mercer’s discretion, which could make the upcoming album feel like a far cry from Wincing the Night Away. [Kevin Tappin]

Sigur Rós - TBA

Inni was a mountainous accomplishment for Sigur Rós in 2011, serving as both the band’s first product after a year of lead singer Jonsi’s superb solo work and the band’s first live album, not to mention being a dazzling spectacle in its own right.  The accompanying unreleased song “Lúppulagið” may not have had the same amount of impact, but the reappearance of the band and promise of a new album in the new year left many of us frothing at the mouth some sign or glimpse of what was to come. How could anyone forget the stunning opening that “Gobbledigook” was? How do you even begin to anticipate a new album that follows Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust? Sigur Rós have years of anticipation to deliver on, and I have faith that the band’s penchant for being aurally larger than life will pull for another incredible chapter in their career. [Kyle Minton]

Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror

Sleigh Bells were a buzz band back in 2010. You either loved or hated Treats, and regardless of which category you fall into, all eyes and ears are on their upcoming sophomore release to see if they have the stuff to become more than just a one-and-done band. So far, single “Born to Lose” is evidence enough that they do. [Kevin Tappin]

Stream “Born To Lose”

Miike Snow - Happy to You

Late in 2011, Miike Snow released “The Devil’s Work,” accompanied by a music video. Whether or not this is a part of the band’s upcoming sophomore album isn’t known, but it’s a hint that the Swedish band haven’t lost their groove. Their 2009 debut saw its best success in the UK, and this release just might make a big splash in the US as well. [Kevin Tappin]

This Town Needs Guns - TBA

With a brand new vocalist replacing Stuart Smith’s sharp, nasal tones, 2012 will find This town Needs Guns having a chance to dramatically alter their usual poignant and angular tones. Though I would have been content to hear Smith drone on about depression and lacking self-esteem, it’ll be intriguing to hear the band’s first new work in three years be dramatically shaped by former Pennines’ singer and guitarist Henry Tremain. So if I’m not sitting in a pool of my own tears by the end of this album Henry, it’s your ass. [Kyle Minton]

Victor Villarreal - Invisible Cinema

This will surely be a must-hear for fans of his many past projects. Having already displayed his considerable skills in excellent bands like Cap’n Jazz, Owls, and Joan of Arc, it seems only natural for Villarreal to give it a go on his own. We’ve already heard one excellent track - here’s hoping the rest are of similar high quality. Invisible Cinema will be out January 24th. [Tyler Hanan]

Download “Enters”

The xx - TBA

The xx took the blogosphere by storm with the release of their debut album, xx, in 2009. Mixing minimalist backing music produced by Jamie xx with the dual female and male vocals of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, the group created an emotional blend of longing and heartache with an undercurrent of sexiness that was the equivalent of a forty minute endorphin rush. Since the release, Jamie xx has been the most prolific member of the band, remixing Gil Scott-Heron, producing the title track of Drake’s Take Care and crafting countless remixes for other artists. His production style has found more upbeat tones in that time, but there is still a moodiness that is always present in his work that works in the group’s favor. The lack of exposure has me hopeful that they’ve been keeping their work under wraps to catch us off guard as they did with their debut. The consistency and staying power of xx has me confident that there will be no sophomore slump here. [Joe Brown]

Stream “Open Eyes” demo

We are just about at the end of 2011 - in a few days, we’ll be sending it off with ball drop kisses and obscene amounts of alcohol. We’ve all been making our lists, scouring our favorites (and, in the case of some lists, least favorites), and throwing as big a bash as we can. Has it been as fun as a Girl Talk show? I wouldn’t know - one of you should take me to one sometime (ahem). It has been a blast, though. Down below are a few links to the pieces we threw together in our joyous spasms, full to the brim with good music for your ears, the best medicine, no matter the year.

Also, surprise! We did a staff list after all! Huzzah! After a series of complicated calculations and figures run through lengthy algorithms - with a little guestimation, failed compromises, and blind finger-pointing spicing up the process - we’ve compiled the albums we largely agree are pretty good, though they’re only a fraction of the number we’d all like to include. We will continue sharing all of our favorite music, though; we make a point to cover the newest music, but we enjoy revisiting past tunes as much as all of you. And now… The End!

• 2011 According to…Tyler Hanan [link]
• 2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
• 2011 According to…Eric Kossina [link]
• 2011 According to…Kyle Minton [link]
• 2011 According to…Joe Brown [link]
• 2011 According to…Kevin Tappin [link]
• 2011: The Underexposed [link]

Wye Oak - Civilian

Balam Acab - Wander / Wonder

tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

Drake - Take Care

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Beirut - The Rip Tide

James Blake - James Blake

Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:

• 2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
• 2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
• 2011 According to… Eric Kossina [link]
• 2011 According to… Kyle Minton [link]

I have always been someone who is unabashedly and irreconcilably susceptible to emotion. Overwrought, cheesy, saccharine emotion endlessly fascinate me. It is a significant part of why I will give almost any romantic comedy a chance. It has nothing to do with whether I do or do not believe in those grand gestures. It fascinates me because of the people who do believe in those things and believe in telling those stories to other people. Along with the sap, and possibly even more, I am a sucker for dark, scary confessionals and experiencing the desperation that coincides with entertainment of that type. The dichotomy of those two things often explains the wild variation in the music I listen to and ultimately see influencing my listening habits. If a song or an album can create a distinct atmosphere, it is almost certain that I will fall head over heels in love with it for at least a week. Beyond that week, the music that continues to resonate and find its way back into my mind is the music that touches on something deeper emotionally, with both me as a listener and the artist who is willing to explore those ideas. Granted, not every album to which I listen or find joy does this (I am a sucker for cheese after all). But, the music that hit me this year more often than not did mange to touch a distinct emotional nerve.

Looking back on what the year in music was for me in 2011, I  see distinct emotional attachments to the music I enjoyed most thoroughly. I realize that for the majority of people, emotion plays more than a passing role in identifying with the most important music in their lives. For me, the emotional attachment almost always means the place that music transports me to get away from the neuroses that plague reality. Fears, failures and unease run rampant in my mind and the music that hits me finds a way to knock me out and lift me into a place of respite and tranquility.

The proliferation of PBR&B/tumblr&b/chillwave music grew into a musical force and struck me with more ferocity than I could have ever anticipated. How to Dress Well and James Blake opened many musical doors for me on that front, which expanded into The Weeknd, Washed Out and Active Child dominating large swaths of time in the airspace of my car speakers and headphones. The unbridled emotion coupled with the intimate nature of the lyrics drew people into a style of music that had typically been reserved for bedrooms and late-night confessionals. The technical proficiency and talent of Pat Grossi (Active Child), Ernest Greene (Washed Out) and Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) have all but ensured the genre will be able to maintain itself for a while instead of flaming out as quickly as it proliferated.

Frank Ocean, Drake and SBTRKT fall under the same general umbrella. Each of these artists’ albums aimed for, and succeeding in, creating a specific artistic vision and mood. All three of these albums explore darker tendencies with the soundscapes and look for the lining that make clear that the darkness is not the ultimate endgame. Frank Ocean’s album has stuck with me most thoroughly (the throwback interludes with old Sega Genesis cartridges being removed and replaced do not hurt) and most unexpectedly. Experiencing the work of an artist seemingly forsaken and shelved by a major record label is intoxicating and exciting and also a reminder of how important the internet has become to experiencing music we likely would never have experienced any other way.

Contrasting the quieter moments of the chillwave movement, The Dangerous Summer and The Wonder Years shared an alternating position in my stereo throughout the summer. Both of those albums shared in a sense of growth and moving on from their predecessors, the albums that have previously defined the sound of each band. The Dangerous Summer refined their sound and took an incredibly personal tone in the lyrics to War Paint to craft an album that was the bleeding heart of lead singer A.J. Perdomo and shared in the struggles of spending a year hoping for the best when all that happens are setbacks and roadblocks. War Paint somehow manages to continue to find hope when giving up may have made more sense. The Wonder Years expanded upon their sound by reacting to a year of success and growing by looking at the pains that go along with those emotions. It is an album that moves quickly and works as a sequel to The Upsides. Both albums are wrought with callbacks and in-jokes that throwing knowing winks to the listeners who have cared about both bands and expands the bond built between the bands and their fans.

The band who had the largest influence on an emotional level and knocked me on my ass time and again was Wye Oak and their album Civilian. The loud/soft dynamic mixed with the often droning nature of the music associates the band, sonically, with The National. Though Wye Oak’s music is more personal and more specific, both bands find a way to do more with less in order to emphasize the big moments and the cathartic nature of our lives in a way that most bands can only dream of achieving. Being a simple civilian and never feeling as though there is anything particularly special or desirable about oneself if fucking hard. It is important to have big dreams and to share big moments with other people and to feel like we really are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Civilian most often encouraged me in a way that reinforced that I am not alone and there are people struggling in the same way I am (first world problems, I know). Regardless of the despair or despondency in the music or the lyrics at times, lead singer Jenn Wasner always seems to believe that there is something in the build and release. In my mind, I always find ways to build, but never to release. Having Civilian this year encouraged me to sing along, get lost and find the cathartic release that makes some days so unbearably difficult.

Having Civilian going forward will function as a reminder that life is for living, both mentally and physically. I have not had an album haunt me as it has in years and it reminded me of what it felt like to be so wrapped in music that I could not escape its influence even if I wanted to try. Throughout 2011 I have felt numbness more than any other emotion. Failing to react to positive moments that should have had me filled with joy or not knowing how to react at the passing of my father have baffled me. I have felt further disconnected from the world and its trappings with every passing moment. The world continues to confuse me and finding my position in the world is ever elusive, but music this year felt as alive as it has been in several years on a personal level. The only time I felt real this year was when the music of my choosing played in the background of what I was doing or when I was quietly immersed in new music or revisiting albums that meant something. Feeling blood rush into my brain and chills run down my back were reminders of life and the feeling of bonding with an old friend and encouraged me to integrate myself back into the world and the lives of others. That is what music has always meant for me and this year was a thorough reminder of what it has meant in the past and what it should continue to be. The hope in knowing I am not alone coinciding with the beauty and resonance prevalent in my favorite music of the year have helped make 2011 into a year of optimism when it should have been unrelentingly bleak and Wye Oak’s Civilian will forever be the crux of that turn.

EPS of the Year

1. Dikembe - Chicago Bowls
2. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself
3. The Republic of Wolves - The Cartographer
4. Childish Gambino - EP
5. Sleeping At Last - Yearbook: July EP

Songs of the Year

1. Active Child - “Hanging On”
2. A$AP Rocky - “Peso”
3. Battles - “Futura”
4. Bon Iver - “Holocene”
5. The Cave Singers - “Swim Club”
6. Childish Gambino - “Freaks and Geeks”
7. City & Colour - “Weightless”
8. The Dangerous Summer - “Everyone Left”
9. David Bazan - “Wolves at the Door”
10. Doomtree - “Bangarang”
11. Frank Ocean - “Swim Good”
12. James Blake - “The Wilhelm Scream”
13. The Joy Formidable - “Whirring”
14. Lia Ices - “Daphne”
15. M83 - “Intro”
16. Maritime - “Air Arizona”
17. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - “Heart In Your Heartbreak”
18. Rachael Yamagata - “Starlight”
19. SBTRKT - “Wildfire”
20. St. Vincent - “Surgeon”
21. The Weeknd - “The Birds (Parts 1 & 2)”
22. Wye Oak - “Fish”
23. YAWN - “Never Knew”
24. Young Galaxy - “Shapeshifting”
25. Zola Jesus - “Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake”

Hear (almost) all of these songs on Joe’s Spotify playlist. [link]

20. Moving Mountains - Waves

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Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:

• 2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
• 2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
• 2011 According to… Eric Kossina [link]

There is nothing I am more tired of in this season of lists than the arbitrary proclamation of having learned something in 365 days’ time, that seething need to present yourself as a changed or revolutionized human being after a year. Rather than justify my changed listening habits, I’ll tell you that in the year of 2011, I was still a resolute slave to the bombast of this year. I spent far too much time listening to that Explosions In the Sky Record, and damn if Wu Lyf’s Go Tell Fire To The Mountain didn’t scratch that itch even better than the post-rock giants managed to. I could tell you how I adored James Blake’s subtle movement in “Lindesfarne II,” but I was truthfully too entangled in the bass drop of “I Never Learnt To Share” to stake that claim. As for Wye Oak’s Civilian, well, let us just say that I spent more time engrossed in the static distortion of the title track than I did hearing the group pay tribute to fellow Baltimore artists Beach House with their slower routine. My point is to not admit some grand transformation at the end of the year, and instead relish in the yesteryear I preserved. These albums may have paved a changing of musical tastes on my end, but I dragged my feet and lagged behind in many others. As a result, you may find a glaring lack of Replica or We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves—it’s true, I didn’t travel that far from the realm of safe indie music. If you have to ask yourself about relative obscurity in observing the past year in music, then you’ve already missed the point of an honest retrospective look. That I didn’t stray far is perfectly fine; because if these albums of 2011 taught me anything, it’s that rushed change is frivolous, and true progression is a meticulously crafted thing. That being said—Replica was pretty damn gorgeous, wasn’t it? 

Favorite EP’s of 2011:

1. Beach Fossils‘ What A Pleasure
2. Memoryhouse’s The Years
3. The Appleseed Cast’s Middle States
4. This Town Needs Guns‘ Adventure, Stamina & Anger
5. James Blake’s Enough Thunder

Hear songs from most of these on Kyle’s Spotify playlist [link] 

Favorite Songs of 2011: 

1. Wye Oak’s “Civilian”
2. M83’s “Intro (feat. Zola Jesus)” 
3. James Blake’s “I Never Learnt To Share” 
4. The Antlers’ “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out”
5. Explosions In the Sky’s “Postcard From 1952” 
6. Bon Iver’s “Holocene” 
7. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart’s “Even In Dreams”
8. Mogwai’s “Rano Pano”
9. Youth Lagoon’s “July”
10. The Joy Formidable’s “The Everchanging Spectrum Of A Lie”
11. St. Vincent’s “Champagne Year”
12. Fleet Foxes’ “Helplessness Blues”
13. Panda Bear’s “Last Night At The Jetty”
14. SBTRKT’s “Trials Of The Past (Featuring Sampha)
15. Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “How Can U Luv Me” 
16. Future Islands’ “On The Water”
17. Shabazz Palaces’ “Endeavors for Never” 
18. Zola Jesus’ “Skin”
19. Handsome Furs’ “Damage”
20. James Blake’s “A Case Of You”

Hear most of these songs on Kyle’s Spotify playlist [link] 

2011 was my female-powerhouse year. I can’t think of a year where I have more relished the sound of the opposite gender screaming in my ear, and with records like W H O K I L L, Strange Mercy, and even the softly spoken, soporific melodies behind Verdugo Hills, who could possibly blame me? While Merrill Garbus proved her ingenuity and Annie Clark thrust her brazen lines on audiences, it was Jenn Wasner and Andy Stacks who struck my heart with Civilian. It’s hard to forget how splendidly Wasner sang my favorite line from “Civilian” while opening for Explosions In the Sky: ”I wanted to give you everything, but I was still in awe of superficial things.” I could tangentially touch upon the subjectivity of these lists, and how I’m not out to prove Civilian to be even the best indie record of the year, but I expect Nothing Sounds Better readers to be keen enough to not need the argument. Mogwai took their instrumental sound to fuzzier, more distorted heights, Trevor Powers revealed his innermost thoughts and memories through Youth lagoon, and none of us can ignorantly hide Justin Vernon away in the closet of indie music ever again; these albums are my favorite bits of progression this year, and now that my loquacious attitude has been satisfied, I invite all readers to dive in. 

Favorite Albums of 2011:

• The Antlers‘ Burst Apart
   

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Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well: 

• 2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]

I’m a twenty-one year old college senior with little direction in what to do with my life and a ton of other problems on the side. I guess I’m no different than anybody else my age. But rather than talk it out with my friends like a normal person, I tend to gravitate towards music to help funnel all my teenage angst and hopeless romanticism into something that’s a bit easier for me to process. In 2011, these were the albums that helped me do that. That probably explains why I can use the word ‘cathartic’ to describe at least 30% of the albums on my list - but don’t worry, I only used it once.

There were a few albums I wish I could have on here, but I had to do the impossible and limit myself to a mere twenty albums. Apologies go out to bands - like City and Colour, Title Fight, Polar Bear Club, and Mansions - that released amazing albums that are nowhere to be found in the list that follows. I became pre-occupied with life other things this year and as a result, I didn’t I follow music as closely as I used to. Or at least that’s how I feel about it and that’s the excuse I plan to use when somebody berates me for not having so-and-so on my list. But looking back, doing that allowed me to really immerse myself in the albums I did hear. I stumbled upon releases that I connected with in a way that reminded me of that connection I had with albums I heard when I was 16. You know, those records we all still love, even if its only for nostalgia’s sake. Those are the records you’ll see in my Top 10.

I’m not expecting everybody to agree with my list and based on what NSB typically covers, most of you will be wondering why I have so many pop punk bands on my list. Hell, you’ll be wondering why there’s even one pop punk band on there. Wait, there’s a metalcore record too. Dammit. But I think that’s what’s so great about the subjectivity of music. We all have our different tastes, but what’s even better is, like life, we all experience music and its effects on us in different ways. It’s more than safe to say the way I lived out my life this year went a little differently than yours and so did the music we both experienced. The songs and albums that made you sing, dance, and cry in 2011 probably didn’t sound exactly like the music that I sang along to, danced to, or cried to this year. 

So here it is, my 2011.

EPs of the Year

1. Transit - Something Left Behind
2. Transit - Promise Nothing 
3. Dikembe - Chicago Bowls
4. Hawkboy - Hawkboy/King Folly
5. Childish Gambino - EP
6. Make Do and Mend - Part and Parcel 
7. Handguns - Don’t Bite Your Tongue

Songs of the Year 

1. Jay-Z and Kanye West – ”Ni**as in Paris”
2. Childish Gambino  – ”Bonfire”
3. The Swellers – ”The Best I Ever Had”
4. The Wonder Years – ”Summers in PA”
5. I Am the Avalanche– ”Holy Fuck”
6. Such Gold – ”The World That You Live In”
7. Title Fight – ”Society”
8. Polar Bear Club – ”Screams in Caves”
9. Yellowcard – ”With You Around”
10. New Found Glory – ”Dumped”
11. blink-182 – ”Ghost on the Dancefloor”
12. Drake – ”Crew Love, ft. The Weeknd”
13. Hawkboy – ”King Folly”
14. Fireworks – ”Oh, Why Can’t We Start Old and Get Younger”
15. Mayday Parade – ”Oh Well, Oh Well”
16. Defeater – ”I Don’t Mind”
17. The Dangerous Summer – ”Work in Progress”
18. Balance and Composure – ”I Tore You Apart in My Head”
19. Touche Amore – ”Home Away From Here”
20. La Dispute – ”King Park”
21. Thrice – ”Listen Through Me”
22. Pianos Become the Teeth– ”I’ll Get By”
23. Hands – ”Give Me Rest”
24. All Get Out – ”Come and Gone”
25. Saves the Day – ”Daybreak”
26. This Time Next Year - “Drop Out of Life”

Hear (almost) all of these songs on Nick’s Spotify playlist. [link]

Albums of the Year 

20. New Found Glory – Radiosurgery

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