DongetsuStarDestroyer (Late to the Game, but 2011 Music)

Text Late to the Game, but 2011 Music

1.Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High
2.Tegan and Sara - Get Along
3.Candy Hearts - Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy
4.Los Campesinos - Hello Sadness
5.Asobi Seksu - Flourescence
6.Lemuria - Pebble
7.Johnny Foreigner - Vs Everything
8.Boris - New Album
9.Cults - Cults
10.Fucked Up - David Comes to Life

What I listened to from this year:

Los Campesinos - Hello Sadness
    A solid effort, but nothing super standout.Better than the last one, but still wish they were more like before.

Johnny Foreigner - Vs Everything
    So it’s like…exactly what they released before. Which is awesome. But

Candy Hearts - Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy
    That intro riff to Tongue Tied? That’s what I want to hear more of. Sugar coated punk pop. Candy Hearts are just an album or two away from something perfect, I can just feel it.

Lemuria - Pebble
    Pleaser is fantastic. Other songs are hit or miss. Really wish I heard it earlier in the year to have a chance to get more familiar with it.

The Answering Machine - Lifeline
    Kind of unfortunate turn for these guys. Went from strongly Stroksian indie (with a wierd thing for phones) and dialed (hehe) it down a bit. A shame!

Asobi Seksu - Flourescence
    Probably my first “2011 Album” if you know what I mean. I really liked My Baby and Perfectly Crystal and the general direction they are headed back in. Hopefully the trend will continue.

Boris - New Album
    Well, you know, I only really made it out to one show in 2011, and it was Boris. It was fun, but louuuudddd. At any rate, really liked hearing some of their “Anime Intro” style rock on this album. Also some more pallatable electronic stuff.

Cults - Cults
    So much hit or miss. Abducted? Great. Most Wanted? Terrible. Hopefully they will break away from the sorta doowoppy stuff next time.

Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High
    I don’t care if it’s just an EP or if they put out a full length or any of that nonsense. There is a Light That Never Goes Out, despite being a cover, is my song of the year, no question.

Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
    This is another “I wish I heard it earlier” album. Queen of Hearts is great, I like how they have the high energy indie punk with the growlly vocals contrasting with the ocassional pretty lady vocals. Great dynamics, you know?

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Couldn’t get into it. =/

Spraynard - Funtitled
    A lot of almost good stuff. Ultimately feels like he is trying too hard, though.

Starfucker - Reptilans
    Didn’t think I would like this, so I never bothered with it, but then it came with some indie bundle and it ended up pretty solid. Oops.

Tegan and Sara - Get Along
    Man, I listened to waaaaaaay too much Tegan and Sara this year. Waaaaaay too much. So this gets an auto in just for being emblematic of that. Not killer in itself, but it was my soundtrack for one to many trips to and from Phoenix.

Ultimately, not the greatest year in music for me. No real stand-out, life changing tracks released this year, but that kind of fits the theme of the year, I guess. More of a filler track than anything life changing, maybe adding something to the whole that won’t get noticed until later, but no huge standout moments to make me stand up and say THAT!

But here’s to looking forward to 2012!

Top 10, in rough order

1.Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High
2.Tegan and Sara - Get Along
3.Candy Hearts - Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy
4.Los Campesinos - Hello Sadness
5.Asobi Seksu - Flourescence
6.Lemuria - Pebble
7.Johnny Foreigner - Vs Everything
8.Boris - New Album
9.Cults - Cults
10.Fucked Up - David Comes to Life