Mark’s Best of 2011
2011 was truly a blessed year for music. Many of my favorite groups released new records and, as always thanks to NME, I found some fab new ones to geek out over. Without further adieu, here are my Top Ten Albums and Top Ten Tracks of 2011 (Click on the album or track to purchase).
Albums
10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
This Portland, Oregon band have a a combo lo-fi, groovy throwback sound that makes me smile. “Thought Ballune” is a must download.
9. American Revival – The Worst Is Over Now
My fave new local band by way of Pete getting me back into alt.country. Their debut is magnificent. Here is their first video which showcases one of the best local bars, Williams Pub.
8. Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!
Yes, these Ramsbottom, Bury lads sound like Genesis avec Peter Gabriel but so what? Every new release sees treasure after treasure.
7. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
I can’t wait to see all the music this band is going to make over the years. Caught them live in a warm up for the Arctic Monkeys last spring. Bril!
6. Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
It’s about time that Noel did his own thing. I say it all the time – he’s the better singer. This album has been like a comfy blanket to me of late.
5. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding
I was pleasantly surprised to see Liam try on some different musical styles. The results speak for themselves.
4. The Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
Another great fucking record from the Sheffield lads. I don’t think it’s possible for them to make a bad one.
3. The Kooks – Junk Of The Heart
Every three years The Kooks make an album that is seamless from the last one in its perfection. Just a joy to play over and over again…like this Simon and Garfunkel-esque gem..
2. The Original 7ven – Condensate<
This barely missed being the album of the year. The only thing that honestly held it back was it came out later in the year (October) and I haven’t lived with like I did with my #1 pick. Morris, Jerome, Jimmy, Terry, Jesse, Monte, and Jellybean made the best Time album out of the five with this absolute corker of a record. Done without the help of that dude from Chanhassen, the greatest band in the history of funk delivered a stunner that has deepened my desire to be Morris Day.
1. Friendly Fires – Pala
The soundtrack to my summer and, indeed, the entire year. I think I have played this disc at least 200 times start to finish since it came out and I still find layers to it previously unheard. Pala sets a mood that is sorely lacking today, not just in music, but in our culture in general. I’m not entirely certain I can describe it in words but it’s reminiscent of what the most gorgeous flower would sound like as it blooms…in a club at 1:30am with piles of sweaty bodies writhing around to massive and thumping beats. And if it could tell Robert Browning-esque love stories. Like their self titled first release, Pala deserves to be forever enshrined in any Hall of Fame.
Lay back in the sun and listen to the title track…
Tracks
10. “Whirring” – The Joy Formidable
I imagine this song as being the soundtrack to an indie love story. A true gem from this North Wales group.
9. “Endless Blue” – The Horrors
It begins like a gentle kiss from a beautiful woman and switches mid way through into a full on frenetic, saliva-dripped shag…just like love making should be.
8. “Boogabear” – American Revival
“I’m so tired of fighting the battle for who could care less…” singer Thomas Pendarvis croons in my fave from the Mpls alt. country outfit’s debut. This song is now officially the anthem of every bar in every small town for every person having a cold one. (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).
7. “Minnesota, WI” – Bon Iver
The Eau Claire, WI natives perfectly captured that autumnal shimmer that I write about constantly. A nice shout out to my neighborhood of the country.
6. “Wasted” – Glass Rock
I love the mood this song sets and the album cover art is the best of the year. It’s a photo I would take. And it came out on my birthday! (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).
5. “Shuffle” – Bombay Bicycle Club
This Crouch End, London group may become my new Brit Rock darlings. This track struck me as sounding very different from what I normally hear from across the pond. It’s free on Amazon!
4. “Days” – The Drums
This is my son’s best track of 2011. He wanted me to make note of it and it’s funny because it’s appropriate considering the video below. This Brooklyn based guitar pop outfit continues to make great music with their third release, Portamento.
3. “Post Break-Up Sex” – The Vaccines
If Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks is the best break up album of all time, this track holds the best break up song mantle. We’ve all been there, and it’s wonderful.
2. “Junk Of The Heart (Happy)” – The Kooks
A perfect pop song in just about every way. Luke does it again!
1. “Blue Cassette” – Friendly Fires
Not simply the best track of 2011, but one of the best of all time. Friendly Fires really outdid themselves with this stunning song that waxes nostalgic about cassette tapes and lost love. My heart melts every single time I listen to it.
Those are my albums and tracks. What are yours?
How’d You Like That, How’d You Like That, How’d You Like That…I Liked It!!! [The Kooks at First Ave]
“How many bands can you name that have only three albums out and, after a 21 song set, you still want more?
Not many. But that’s the beauty of Brighton’s The Kooks. The recently released Junk of the Heart is yet another example of how Luke and the East Sussex lads are extremely gifted when it comes the composing pure pop songs. Like their first two releases (Inside In/Inside Out, Konk), every track on their third offering is fantastic.
Last Sunday night, the Main Room at First Avenue saw the Kooks bring their uncanny knack for the 3 minute, insta-catchy tune to town. Their set list included tracks from all three of the records.
THE SETLIST
Is It Me?
Always Where I Need To Be
Sofa Song
Matchbox
Rosie
She Moves In Her Own Way
Sway
Runaway
Eskimo Kiss
Killing Me
Seaside (Acoustic)
Tick of Time
See The Sun
How’d You Like That
Mr Nice Guy
Ooh La
Shine On
Do You Wanna
Encore:
The Saboteur
Junk Of The Heart (Happy)
NaïveHighlights for me were some of the new songs (“Rosie,” “Runaway,” “Junk of the Heart”) as well as the ever sturdy “Sofa Song,” “She Moves In Her Own Way” and “Sway.” “Eskimo Kiss,” a track from the new record, was really a treat and managed to capture a Simon and Garfunkel sentiment both thematically and stylistically. Luke ran around the stage doing his best to capture all our attention with his Jim Morrison-esque affectations.
After asking the question posed above at the end of the 75 minute set, my favorite show companion and I started listing the songs we wished they had done as well.
“Eddie’s Gun?”
“Yep.”
“Love It All?”
“Oh, that would have been mega!”
“Jackie Big Tits?”
“No doubt!”We kept going until we had named all their songs on all their albums and singles.
The Kooks are heading out west which includes a stop on December 9th at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, AZ for our esteemed host. Catch them if you can!
Here’s the video I took of the last song of the night, “Naive.” I apologize for the bumpiness…I was dancing around and being pleasantly jostled.
Markadelphia’s Best of the Noughties
The last decade of music was fucking amazing. One would think that being the Brit Rock maniac that I am I would be all about the 90s. While I did enjoy that decade, the music that came out in the last ten years made me wish it was a woman that I could kiss deeply and shower her with love and affection.
So what were the best ones? Here is my Top Ten with comments followed by my other 40 to round out the Top 50 CDs of the Noughties!
10. The Coral – Roots and Echoes (2007). Haunting, beautiful and brilliant. The best album of their career. Also contains my son’s favorite song of all time–“Cobwebs.” A psychedelic kiss…
9. Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires (2008).
Like Ennis Del Mar, I can’t quit this album. They musically illustrate what it’s like to “Jump in the Pool” on the track of the same name. Wow! Every track is a dime. And they are a great live band. See them.
8. Mercury Rev – The Secret Migration (2005). From the first sound of this disc, the listener begins a sacred feminine journey that is a kiss to be cherished forever.
7. Coldplay – Parachutes (2000). Their first album is still my favorite. “High Speed” is the very definition of dream pop. Memories of those I love wash over me when I hear it…
6. The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out (2006).
A stunner of a debut. Pop bliss wrapped in an amorous red bow.
5. The Fratellis – Costello Music (2006). Sometimes you hear a record for the first time and yet you have known it your whole life. This is one of those records. “Her’s is the tonic and mine is the gin”–mega…
4. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am Not (2006).
The heirs to the Beatles and Oasis. This disc is filled with love soaked Brit tales that are guaranteed to warm the heart and make us all Holy Knights of the British Empire.
3. Sterephonics – Just Enough Education To Perform (2001). Their finest album. NME will never forgive Kelly for “Mr Writer” and I think that is fucking wonderful.
2. The Subways – All Or Nothing (2008). The album that has defined my life. I think Billy and I are kindred spirits. Listening to this record is an answer to the question “Just what is Mark’s romance with women and music all about?”
1. Brian Wilson – Smile (2004).
An album 38 years in the making. Even in 2004 (just as in 1966), the concept of this album is light years ahead of its time. Brian Wilson is a genius. He is the American John Lennon. I was fortunate enough to see this album performed live in its entirety. It left me with no doubt that there is a higher power because, in addition to being the best show I have ever seen, Smile is one of the purest forms of beauty I have ever heard.
The rest of the best…
11. The Verve-Forth, 12. Keane-Hopes and Fears, 13. Doves-The Last Broadcast, 14. Snow Patrol-A Hundred Million Suns, 15. The Subways-Young For Eternity, 16. Delays-Faded Seaside Glamour, 17. Joe Jackson-Volume 4, 18. Ryan Adams-Love Is Hell, 19. The Kooks-Konk, 20. Coldplay-X and Y, 21. Snow Patrol-The Final Straw, 22. Stereophonics-You Gotta Go There To Come Back, 23. Doves-The Last Broadcast, 24. Saint Etienne-Finnesterre, 25. Travis-The Invisible Band, 26. U2-All That You Can’t Leave Behind, 27. Todd Rundgren-Liars, 28. Planet P Project-Go Out Dancing Pt.1, 29. The Last Shadow Puppets-The Age of the Understatement, 30. Kings of Leon-Holy Roller Novocaine EP, 31. Tom Petty-The Last DJ, 32. Doves-Some Cities, 33. Stereophonics-Language, Sex, Violence, Other, 34. Phoenix-United, 35. The Libertines-Up The Bracket, 36. Muse-Black Holes and Revelations, 37. Green Day-American Idiot, 38. Neil Young-Silver and Gold, 39. Beck-Guero, 40. Starsailor-Love Is Here, 41. Captain-This is Hazelville, 42. Kaiser Chiefs-Employment, 43. The Strokes-Is This It? 44. The Vines-Highly Evolved, 45. Paul McCartney-Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, 46. Stereophonics-Keep Calm and Carry On, 47. Yeah Yeah Yeahs-EP, 48. Neil Finn-One Nil/One All, 49. John Starkey-Live at Jitters, 50. Oasis-Dig Out Your Soul
You Say You Want a Revolution?
Shh. Be very quiet. If you listen closely you can hear the sound of good music coming from across the pond. Its tough to hear, I know, over the American Music Industrys insistence at flooding our ears with the drivel of Jessica Simpson, Clay Aiken, and the latest plastic pop icon. But if you really want to hear something great, check out the UK music scene.
Most people think that Brit Pop is over. Done. Blur vs. Oasis. Who cares? It all ended in 1997 when Oasis released Be Here Now. The truth is that for the last 4 years there have been dozens of bands that have been churning out music in the UK that is nothing short of spectacular. Sure, American record companies let through some bands occasionally like Coldplay or Franz Ferdinand.
For the most part, however, these nitwits feel that you and I and the American listening public wouldn’t like Doves, The Stereophonics, Starsailor, The Coral, or Snow Patrol. Their support of these bands when they come to America is minimal and many of you probably haven’t even heard of them. And yet, they have made some of my favorite music over the last decade. So how do I learn of this music awash in a land of mediocrity?
I read the UK music magazine NME (New Musical Express). They have been around since Elvis and are very plugged in to what is cool and what is not. Their writers actually go to underground gigs, get to know the bands and their fans, and write about the music that is still making the land of the Beatles radiate sonic waves of grooviness. It is from NME (www.nme.com) that I get most of my information about the latest and greatest UK bands.
The biggest band in the UK right now is The Arctic Monkeys. They have two singles out, Fake Tales of San Francisco and I Bet That You Look Good On The Dance Floor and they are stunning. They sound like a cross between early Who and kick ass funk. They have tons of energy, youth and irreverence, everything a good band should have.
I would also check out The Subways (good power pop trio), Babyshambles (ex-Libertine Pete Doherty, produced by Mick Jones of The Clash), and The Kooks (jangly guitar pop). These are just a few of the many great bands that are jamming away in the UK, making great music unbeknownst to most Americans. I urge you to get plugged in to the UK music scene through NME or staying in contact with me (solidbond@mn.rr.com) to hear about what’s new and cool.
And for the record, I am a fan of some American bands like the Strokes, The White Stripes, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Of course, I read about them first in NME.
Arctic Monkeys:
Fake Tales of San Francisco(mp3)The Kooks:
California(mp3)All you readers in the U.K., what do you think? Any other recommendations?
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