The Fifty Tracks of 2011
_I present you the best 50 tracks of 2011 that have graced my radio, ipod
and office. It features some general hits with some not as well known,
those were generally discovered on the internet. Interestingly
Santigold makes two appearances without releasing an album this year and
Little Dragons, Yukimi Nagano, makes three appearances with
different musical outfits. Yes Lady Gaga is featured, however Cumbria's
Wild Beasts have taken a dull song and made it into something very
special and beautiful, this is very difficult as we all know how
unoriginal and mediocre Lady Gaga is. An Eurovision entry also
features, I think that's a rare occurrence.
_10. Little Dragon - Ritual Union
I have an confession to make, the first time Little Dragon came to my notice was on the Gorillaz album ‘Plastic Beach’ released last year. On the telly I saw them performing at Glastonbury with Gorillaz and I thought she was Little Dragon and was some Japanese classical singer than Damon Albarn had discovered. It was only until Little Ritual was released that I found out it was a band and they were actually Swedish. Never mind now I know and this was a sweet introduction one of my favourite acts of the year. I can’t get enough of her R&B voice with the wonderful minimal low-fi dance music.
I have an confession to make, the first time Little Dragon came to my notice was on the Gorillaz album ‘Plastic Beach’ released last year. On the telly I saw them performing at Glastonbury with Gorillaz and I thought she was Little Dragon and was some Japanese classical singer than Damon Albarn had discovered. It was only until Little Ritual was released that I found out it was a band and they were actually Swedish. Never mind now I know and this was a sweet introduction one of my favourite acts of the year. I can’t get enough of her R&B voice with the wonderful minimal low-fi dance music.
_9. Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX - I’ll Take Care Of You
The death of Gil Scott Heron this year was deeply sad news, recently he had started to find his groove and last year released the reflective album ‘I’m New Here’ to critical acclaim. In fact XX member, Jamie XX did a rework of the whole album and created this masterpiece. It has the many hands up in the air moments and has been heard on many trendy television shows for background ambiance.
Drakes version, ‘Take Care’ featuring Rihanna is also pretty special and I suspect it’ll be a huge hit without the majority of its listeners knowing about the original.
The death of Gil Scott Heron this year was deeply sad news, recently he had started to find his groove and last year released the reflective album ‘I’m New Here’ to critical acclaim. In fact XX member, Jamie XX did a rework of the whole album and created this masterpiece. It has the many hands up in the air moments and has been heard on many trendy television shows for background ambiance.
Drakes version, ‘Take Care’ featuring Rihanna is also pretty special and I suspect it’ll be a huge hit without the majority of its listeners knowing about the original.
_8. Mazzy Star - Common Burn
I was extremely excited to hear that the gloriously sublime band from Santa Monica have returned, after releasing nothing since 1996. It was a bit of a shock, a pleasant one. Common Burn is very Mazzy Star, and I guess that's why its in the top ten, they didn’t disappoint. Hope Sandoval delivers beautifully chilling vocals and David Roback provides stunning accompaniment with his classical guitar. I can’t wait for the album early next year and hopefully I’ll get to see them live.
I was extremely excited to hear that the gloriously sublime band from Santa Monica have returned, after releasing nothing since 1996. It was a bit of a shock, a pleasant one. Common Burn is very Mazzy Star, and I guess that's why its in the top ten, they didn’t disappoint. Hope Sandoval delivers beautifully chilling vocals and David Roback provides stunning accompaniment with his classical guitar. I can’t wait for the album early next year and hopefully I’ll get to see them live.
_7. Lana Del Ray - Video Games
Elizabeth Grantis is the new darling of the music industry, for once she’s American, not British. Her stage name is a combination of the late Hollywood actress Lana Turner and the Ford car Del Rey. Its a glorious beautiful sweeping song, here vocals are classic and timeless. There was a worry that her other material was not as strong but the rumors are starting to be quashed. I guess you all have heard it by now!
Elizabeth Grantis is the new darling of the music industry, for once she’s American, not British. Her stage name is a combination of the late Hollywood actress Lana Turner and the Ford car Del Rey. Its a glorious beautiful sweeping song, here vocals are classic and timeless. There was a worry that her other material was not as strong but the rumors are starting to be quashed. I guess you all have heard it by now!
_6. Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Rolling In The Deep is an instant classic and every-time you hear you must dance. What Adele and her producers have created on this track is stunning, both the voice and musical accompaniments are timeless - it’s a pity the rest of the album wasn’t as innovative. I just felt the album had some great some song writing but it dragged and it needed more superb upbeat numbers like this. I’m hard to please.
Rolling In The Deep is an instant classic and every-time you hear you must dance. What Adele and her producers have created on this track is stunning, both the voice and musical accompaniments are timeless - it’s a pity the rest of the album wasn’t as innovative. I just felt the album had some great some song writing but it dragged and it needed more superb upbeat numbers like this. I’m hard to please.
_5. PJ Harvey - Words That Make Us Murder
A protest song about Afghanistan and world wars that makes me jump up and down and do those silly dance move. From the start it builds up to the brilliant chorus (quoting Eddie Cochran) with Harvey’s part time collaborators John Parish and Mick Harvey providing groovy vocals, great use of an autoharp too!
Come on join everyone in, ‘These, these are the Words, the words make us murder.... What if I take my problem to the United Nations, What if I take my problem to the United Nations.’ Love it!
A protest song about Afghanistan and world wars that makes me jump up and down and do those silly dance move. From the start it builds up to the brilliant chorus (quoting Eddie Cochran) with Harvey’s part time collaborators John Parish and Mick Harvey providing groovy vocals, great use of an autoharp too!
Come on join everyone in, ‘These, these are the Words, the words make us murder.... What if I take my problem to the United Nations, What if I take my problem to the United Nations.’ Love it!
_4. Lena - Taken By A Stranger
Yes Eurovision is usually shit, I still love it though. This year was no exception, most songs were shit, only a few had merit, this was one of them. I never liked Lena’s winning entry, and didn’t expect much from her this year. Arguably she is a German Lily Allen, perhaps not with the best english translations. However after giving the album a couple of listens, I found it sweet and endearing, Taken By A Stranger was a confident, sophisticated and a sexy entry, it was not tacky like the UK's or Ireland's entries ;o)
Yes Eurovision is usually shit, I still love it though. This year was no exception, most songs were shit, only a few had merit, this was one of them. I never liked Lena’s winning entry, and didn’t expect much from her this year. Arguably she is a German Lily Allen, perhaps not with the best english translations. However after giving the album a couple of listens, I found it sweet and endearing, Taken By A Stranger was a confident, sophisticated and a sexy entry, it was not tacky like the UK's or Ireland's entries ;o)
_3. Friendly Fires - Live Those Days Tonight
Probably currently the best band in the UK, because of their youth and being down with the kids it’s easy to write them off. However they are fantastic musicians and input wonderful layers of textured sounds into their songs, this track is a prime example making me dance, dance, dance. A song about missing out in the rave scene in the early nineties which made me rave in 2011.
Probably currently the best band in the UK, because of their youth and being down with the kids it’s easy to write them off. However they are fantastic musicians and input wonderful layers of textured sounds into their songs, this track is a prime example making me dance, dance, dance. A song about missing out in the rave scene in the early nineties which made me rave in 2011.
_2. Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale
No, he’s not American or has time traveled from the 1960’s, Michael, 24 is a Londoner with Ugandan parents. Tell Me A Tale is a beautifully reflective track which takes me to a place where I envision large sweeping grasses gently blowing in the wind beside a silent lake - heaven! I just hope he doesn’t sell out and becomes another Adele!
No, he’s not American or has time traveled from the 1960’s, Michael, 24 is a Londoner with Ugandan parents. Tell Me A Tale is a beautifully reflective track which takes me to a place where I envision large sweeping grasses gently blowing in the wind beside a silent lake - heaven! I just hope he doesn’t sell out and becomes another Adele!
_1. Cut Copy - Need You Now
On the release of Need You Now the Melbourne band gave me a sense of excitement, hoping the rest of the forthcoming album was as commandingly strong, unfortunately it wasn’t. However I played this track repeatedly. The definite anthemic power of Dan Whitfords voice commands attention and gets you dancing and thinking of the one that you love. The song is both retro (reminiscent of eighties supergroups) though it is strangely modern at the same time, something which we see that contributes to a great pop song. I love it.
On the release of Need You Now the Melbourne band gave me a sense of excitement, hoping the rest of the forthcoming album was as commandingly strong, unfortunately it wasn’t. However I played this track repeatedly. The definite anthemic power of Dan Whitfords voice commands attention and gets you dancing and thinking of the one that you love. The song is both retro (reminiscent of eighties supergroups) though it is strangely modern at the same time, something which we see that contributes to a great pop song. I love it.