There are 20 tracks on this list, listed in alphabetical order by song title, not order of preference.

“Calgary” – Bon Iver

The first single from Bon Iver’s self-titled second album was flawless. Every time I hear it, my spirit is lifted and I’m put in a good mood.

“Caught a Long Wind” – Fiest

What a strong album Metals is. And “Caught a Long Wind” caught my ear immediately, especially this particular lyric, which almost reminds me of Kate Bush.

I caught a long wind
A long life wind
Like a swallow
A night owl
A little chickadee
Sad sparrow
Good morning bird
Good nightingale
I took a deep breath
And caught a long wind

“Eyes be Closed” – Washed Out

Long Live Chill Wave, especially when it’s as good as Washed Out. See my previous post on this artist.

“East Harlem” – Beirut

Recorded at Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York by New Mexico indie band Beirut was one of my most listened to tracks of the year.

“Hawaiian Air” – Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires Pala is a great ride of an album from start to finish but my favorite song is “Hawaiian Air”, probably because of our trip to Hawaii. Here are our photos from that trip.

“Hearts” – I Break Horses

Swedish newcomers I Break Horses cut their shoegazing chops with “Hearts”.

“Helplessness Blues” – Fleet Foxes

The first single from the band’s elegant sophomore album. Not an official video by the band but a great one that captures the spirit of the song.

“Judas” – Lady Gaga

Upon first hearing “Judas”, I didn’t care for it that much but after a few times listening to it, that caterwaul became too infectious to resist. This and “The Edge of Glory” are my favorites from Born this Way.

“Lotus Flower” – Radiohead

Radiohead continued their amazingly strong output this year and the first single from King of Limbs was classic. Also love the video and seeing Thom Yorke move.

“Ritual Union” – Little Dragon

Swedish group Little Dragon have been around since 1996 but have recently become better known largely because of their lead singer Yukimi Nagano’s collaboration with Gorillaz and other bands. The title track from their last album is performed live on KCRW.

“Rolling in the Deep” – Adele

When I asked my friend Chris why he didn’t like Adele, he said (pun intended) “She’s too big”. It does seem that Adele has indeed become the Alison Moyet of Adult Contemporary British Soul. She is a bit overexposed but I would not say overrated at all. “Rolling in the Deep” is a classic that will sound just as good ten years from now as it would have sounded  ten or twenty years ago.

“Snowed in at Wheeler Street” – Kate Bush

Kate Bush is back, a full 7 years after her last proper album with Ariel. The album is magnificent but one of the most arresting tracks is this duet with Elton John. Note that this is not the official video:

“Still Life” – The Horrors

Anything that sounds like most any new wave band from the 80′s is almost guaranteed work it’s way into my head and heart AND top songs. See previous blog post on their album Skying.

“The Edge of Glory” – Lady Gaga

One of Gaga’s more tame videos but especially bittersweet with East Street Band Clarence Clemons coming in ad the end with his amazing sax. The shooting of this music video with Gaga was completed just days before his passing of a stroke.

“The Look”- Metronomy

Metronomy’s The English Riviera was an album that really grew on me. Every song has a different personality but a clear favorite of ours is “The Look”.

“Under the Cover of Darkness” – The Strokes

The Strokes came back full trottle with a signature single that could sound like no other band today.

“Til the World Ends” – Britney Spears

I kept hearing this at the gym and various random places and somehow it seeped into my consciousness. The only way to get it out was to continue listening to it multiple times until I had enough. Isn’t that kind of the way pop songs are supposed to work?

“Video Games” – Lana Del Rey

Perhaps one of the most loved and hated artists (on blogs at least) of 2011 was Lana Del Rey. How genuine is this upstate New Yorker who stage name is a combination of Lana Turner and a Ford car called “Del Rey”, fitting for someone obsessed with retro Hollywood scenes as shown in the video for her hit single “Video Games”? Her first “proper” and much anticipated album Born to Die will be released next month. We’ll soon determine how many other songs live up to the brilliance of “Video Games”.

“Wait and See” – Holy Ghost

New Order influenced DJs had my ear with a very new-order sounding “Wait and See”.

“We Found Love” – Rihanna

My partner got it right when he said that Rihanna has seemed to eek her way to the top. That’s largely due to the help of her mega hit “Umbrella” and putting out a lot of material—one album every year with the exception of 2008. Despite her potty mouth, she does manage to create some catchy singles. “We found Love” is simple and effective. Great old-school dance beats.

Related posts:

1. Top Ten Songs of 2010
2. Lovin’ You is Easy Cuz You’re Beautiful [2011]

We Should be So Lucky (MadPad Version):

I Should be so Lucky (Original):

Related posts:

1. Lovin’ You is Easy Cuz You’re Beautiful [2011]

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Later that evening I discovered this amazing new app for the iPhone and iPad that is loads of fun. It’s called MadPad. With it, we created our version of ‘Lovin’ You’ sitting on our sofa with Romeo. Here is the result:

The app is $.99 for the iPhone and $2.99 for the iPad and I highly encourage you to just get it. If you’re down, it will certainly lift your mood. Watch these fantastic MadPad creations—House Blend, Twist & Shout, and Beat It—all of which are great demonstrations of the app.

Just got sent this amazing version of Lovin’ You by The Orb:

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Washed Out – “Eyes Be Closed”

Eyes Be Closed

washed out | Myspace Video

Moby’s Porcelain:

Washed out is Earnest Greene and he’s created a great return to chill music without sounding dated. The album, titled ‘Within and Without’ is a grower and great to listen to while driving one the open road—with the volume high—or at night, relaxing at home.

And Earnest is easy on the eyes as well. This video done by Adult Swim give you a peak into his personality, which seems to be as easy going as his music.

Washed out in Georgia with Adult Swim:

Related posts:

1. Your Life Flashing Before Your Eyes

It seems like forever since Fiest’s breakthrough album ‘The Reminder.’ Well she’s finally getting around to releasing a new album ‘Metals’ on which she’s collaborated with many of the same people as on previous efforts. The first single she’s put out from this album is How Come You Never Go There? and you can listen below.

How Come You Never Go There by Feist

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It’s the first single and first video from their third and brilliant album “Skying”, due out August 8/9, depending on which side of the pond you live on.

At the time this was written, you could still listen to “Skying” in its entirety on The Horrors site.

The album stands on its own and does not exist purely for those of us who are 80′s obsessed to play spot the influence. I was first bowled over by their second album, which scored the number 9 spot on my top 10 list for 2009.

From start to finish, ‘Skying’ is consistently good, and will most likely earn a spot on my list of best albums for 2011. BBC Music states:

The Horrors well and truly don’t trade in short-and-sharp shocks these days; rather, their songwriting has found new arenas to grow into, and the results throughout Skying are never less than captivating. Take Endless Blue, which opens with loping percussion and tooting brass – it threatens to meander meaninglessly, albeit prettily; but then the band detonates a couple of unseen grenades just before the two-minute mark, and the piece becomes a nuclear-powered Oasis with Bowie on vocals.

And it gets better: a grunge-like squeal in the guitars cracks and in come the synths, lifting Badwan’s performance to never-before-reached heights. Moving Further Away pulls a similar trick, initially deceiving with Human League keys before transforming into a Neu!-meets-New Order-does-Nirvana stratosphere-popping symphony for analogue-lovers; as it becomes louder, so the layers stack, and the effect is mesmerising. Closer Oceans Burning is the band’s most beautiful number yet, a kind of Cocteau Twins/Echo and the Bunnymen hybrid that glimmers in the album’s final streams of fading light.

You can listen to ‘Still Life’, the first single, on their site, but I encourage you to watch the video to get the full experience.

Here are some of my favorite moments from the video:

And now here’s the video for ‘Still Life.’ Enjoy:

Related posts:

1. Friendly Fires’ Kiss of Life vs. Boney M’s Gotta Go Home

I’ve been told that Grooveshark‘s selection of music is just as good as Spotify’s and it’s also supposed to be free. Perhaps when Spotify starts enforcing its 20 hours per month limit for free, I’ll open up a Grooveshark account. The social aspects of Spotify are one of the things that make it so amazing. Just drag tracks to someone’s Facebook avatar and then it shows up in their inbox to listen to.

So far I’ve listened to the entire Mercury Prize shortlist for 2011 with the exception of Adele, which I’ve already heard multiple times before anyway.

Do I think it will stop me from buying what I want? Absolutely not. I still like to own actual .mp3s of the stuff I like the most. But it will certainly help me appreciate more music than I have in the past, and without having to search to hear it.

Pogue did a great review of the service on the NY Times.

Online Music, Unshackled
By DAVID POGUE

Published: July 27, 2011
This month, via Spotify, the music world took a great step forward toward the holy grail of a free, legal, song-specific and convenient service.

Related articles

• Spotify slapped with patent suit following US entry (geek.com)
• Spotify rolls out Artist Radio feature: It’s nice, but it’s no Pandora (geek.com)

Related posts:

1. Friendly Fires’ Kiss of Life vs. Boney M’s Gotta Go Home
2. Album Previews—Good or Bad? And Do You Have Any Sources?

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The beginning of her story has been experienced countless times before. Kid with an average voice wants to make a record. Kid’s mom pays company to write and produce song for kid. Kid releases song. Friends and family get excited. Song goes nowhere. Kid finishes high school, then college, and then moves on with her normal life.

Well every so often, the stars and planets align just so to bring us a tasty mixture that tips the scale…in a big way. Rabecca Black was presented a choice of two songs. She turned down the one about adult love because she didn’t want to venture into unfamiliar lyrical territory, in terms of her life experience.

Instead she chose “Friday”. “I felt like it was my personality in that song”, claimed Black. Well that personality (or some may argue lack thereof), combined with an auto-tuned nasally voice, lyrics beyond banality, and most importantly—SOCIAL MEDIA— were all elements that made the official video for “Friday” a viral sensation…or is it laceration? Here is a sample of the lyrics alone:

Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday
Today i-is Friday, Friday (Partyin’)
We-we-we so excited

Tomorrow is Saturday
And Sunday comes after … wards
I don’t want this weekend to end

Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?

From the date it was released, March 14, 2011, to March 20, 2011, the  official video for “Friday” has garnered 144.5 million views, and 2.8 million “dislikes” (86% of total ratings) from YouTube users.

I’m not sure what the record is in terms of dislikes but this has got to be near the top. Hurtful, negative comments mounted and some included death threats. Comments have since been disabled. Since its release:

• Tosh.O blogs “Songwriting isn’t for Everyone”
• Countless negative reviews that include quotes “the worst song ever” and “hilariously dreadful”
• Positive comments from Entertainment Weekly, Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, and Justin Bieber (her idol)
• Accolades from Simon Cowell, (via wikipedia):

Anyone who can create this much controversy within a week, I want to meet. I love people like that.”^[44] He observed that “any song to do with the weekend annoys you. It reminds me of ‘Saturday Night‘… It’s what we call a ‘hair-dryer song,’ a song girls sing into their hair dryers as they’re getting ready to go out. But the fact that it’s making people so angry is brilliant.”^[45] Cowell advised Black not to “listen to anyone over the age of 18. I’m being deadly serious. Whatever she’s done has worked. Whether you like her or not, she’s the most talked-about artist in America right now. Nobody over the age of 18 should understand her or like her. So she should just do it her way.”^[46]

• countless Youtube parodies
• acoustic performance on Good Morning America to prove she can sing the song without autotune
• a cover performance on Glee with “Puck” as the lead singer
• Katy Perry covers Friday at a Melbourne concert
• Bob Dylan sound-alike covers Friday
• royalties estimated at more than $26,000 from itunes and $20,000 from Youtube‘s revenue-sharing program (although the mother claims not to have seen any of this)
• Black deciding to donate percentage of earnings to earthquake and tornado victims
• Airplay and charting in Sweden, the U.K, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland
• Jimmy Fallon and Steven Colbert challenging each other to a bet (over something, not sure what). The wager? The loser would have to sing “Friday” on the winner’s show. See more below…

Social Media

“Friday” demonstrates how social media can influence and turn an unknown into the most-talked-about water cooler chatter within as little as a week. Her infamy would never have been possible without it. What’s sad is to see that something as simple as a song could generate death threats. Some say the success of “Friday” could be part of the future of pop music. A call to endless numbers of teenagers across the world that they too can be an overnight sensation or experience overnight defamation. If this is the future of pop music, I certainly hope more great songwriters come out of the woodwork, rather than the likes of Ark Music Factory.

So finally, here are a few videos:

First, the official video for Rabecca Black’s Friday:

http://youtu.be/CD2LRROpph0

And then the performance of “Friday” by Colbert, Fallon, the Roots, and Taylor Hicks:

Originally I was inspired to make fun of Rabecca Black’s (mis)step with “Friday” just like I would and have Paul Verhoeven’s and Elizabeth Berkley’s famous 90′s movie debacle “Showgirls“. But, despite how truly bad I feel the song (and singing) are, I kind of feel for the girl.

Can Rabecca Turn Friday, the 13th, into Black Friday?

Normally the modus operandi for consumers of pop culture is to build someone up so they can be torn down. It seems that the public loves a swift rise to fame but if someone gets too famous too quickly, it’s time to kick ‘em to the curb. Since Rabecca Black has already been kicked to the curb, maybe her story will be a trend in the making? She’s already been beaten down so badly, could she turn the tables on a retching public and win them over?

In all fairness to Black, she is only thirteen, and most thirteen-year-olds don’t have the skill at choosing the best-written songs. A lot of young girls want to become pop stars at some point in their lives and I’m sure many of these have mothers that don’t have such great taste either.

Maybe Simon Cowell is right. Now that she has a following, a great songwriter and videographer could give her license to laugh at all of her naysayers, AND all the way to the bank. What is more likely to happen is that Rabecca Black will enjoy 15 months (rather than 15 minutes) of fame. Then, she’ll then be a kid who finishes high school, goes to college, and lives a “normal” Southern California life.

But if she is built up to stardom, it will most likely be, just so she could then be torn down all over again!

Related posts:

1. Black Friday on SNL. Hilarious!