For your listening pleasure...2011 recap

Okay, it officially was a very busy holiday season and this post is long over due.  Thanks to an email from my dear friend Tim Stehman, he prompted me to generate quite a list of not only my favorite music of 2011, but also a list of the music I've been listening to on the road. 

Despite not being blessed with an ounce of creativity (I was the 6th grade flash card champion, playing youth football, knocking out logic puzzle magazines while memorizing the Sportscenter ticker at an early age), I am huge fanatic and lover of the arts.  Music consumes me.  A fan of both creative sound and written lyrics, music to me transcends all languages. Music is genius. Music is power. Music is love.

As many of you know, I'm set to write in Sara Bareilles & Jennifer Nettles on the 2012 election ballot.  I won't bore you with the heavy rotation I gave and continue to give Kaleidoscope Heart and Incredible Machine... errrrrrr... actually I will.  I play them both once a day.  Not a single song on either album doesn't make me smile and/or want to sing out loud.  This post is all about what keeps me sane on the road while I'm driving, and these two albums are that.  Both released in 2010, unfortunately they can't make the list, but are definitely my most played albums of the year.

Moving on... without further adieu...

My list of top albums for 2011 caused me a bit of anxiety.  The top 5 were easy to list, but with 2011 being such a diverse and awesome year in music, listing the second half of my top 10 literally pained me.  I'm sure on any given day, I could replace the second half of my list with any of my runner-ups.

1. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow. This is truly one of the greatest albums I have ever heard (EVER). Shame on Rolling Stone for not including them in the top 50 albums of the year.
2. The Decemberists - The King is Dead. Probably my most played album on this list.  I'm loving the music out of Portland right now.
3. My Morning Jacket - Circuital. Emily's favorite band, and one I've grown accustomed to love. While Barton Hollow is my favorite album of 2011, this will go down as simply the most beautiful album of 2011.
4. Foster the People - Torches. Deserved every overplayed moment on pop radio.  Such an original sound and original album.  Thrilled I got to see them live at the TLA in Philly because they are definitely moving on to far bigger venues after this year's success.
5. Adele - 21. No surprise here at all. Music is absolutely blessed to have her. If my Dad asks "who sings this song", it must be good.
6. Matt Nathanson - Modern Love. I was recently annoyed by his presence on the Bachelor, but his songwriting is off the charts.  I've always been a fan of his songwriting, but something happened to his voice this year that I can't explain. Unbelievable. One of the best shows I saw in 2011.
7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver. Don't get it yet? Keep listening
8. Black Keys - El Camino. They've reached rock star status for a reason.
9. Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels. As a dying fan of the current country music genre, this was a complete breath of fresh air. A brilliant song writer of her own, I was thrilled to hear Ashley Monroe's voice once again.  I will be playing this album for a long time to come, anticipating them making another.
10. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues. Robin Pecknold is...um...brilliant.

Again, so many runner-ups who could have easily been on this list:

Feist Metals / Ryan Adams Ashes and Fire / Wilco The Whole Love /  Lykke Li  Wounded Rhymes /  The Kills  Blood Pressures /  Uh Huh Her  Nocturnes / Fitz & the Tantrums Pickin' Up the Pieces / Florence & the Machine Ceremonials / Blink 182 Neighborhoods / Wild Flag Wild Flag / Ximena Sarinana Ximena Sarinana / Ellie Goulding Lights

(any questions about the above 12 albums? I would love to answer. Ask away)

There's a lot of other great music I'm currently loving and listening to on the road.  Give me time and these albums likely could have made it on the list.  Some are new and some are songs from albums that have intrigued me throughout the year.

Alabama Shakes - You Ain't Alone, I Found You, Hold On, On Your Way (the band I am most excited about this upcoming year)
Desert Noises - Oak Tree
Oh Land - Perfection & Sun of a Gun
TV on the Radio - Will Do & You
Gotye - Save Me (Is anyone NOT listening to him these days?)
Theophilus London - Love is Real (Holly Miranda makes this song)
Airborne Toxic Event - Half of Something Else (not a big fan of the band, but love this song)
Real Estate - It's Real & Out of Tune
Forest Fire - Slow Motion & I Make Windows
Gary Clarke Jr. - Bright Lights (well deserved hype)
The Chevin - Blue Eyes
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Phantogram - Nightlife, Don't Move & 16 Years (my favorite 2011 EP)
Lisa Hannigan - Passenger & Volcano w/ Damion Rice
The Weeknd - Wicked Games
Jessica Lea Mayfield - Our Hearts are Wrong (this album Tell Me was brought to my attention later in the year and probably would have made my list if I had time)
Cults -Bumper
The Duke Spirit - Bruisers
The Wombats - Perfect Disease
AA Bondy - Surfer King
Mute Math - Odd Soul & Blood Pressure
Dum Dum Girls - Bedroom Eyes (also loved He Gets Me High EP from earlier this year)
River James - Dreams
Michael Kiwanuka - Worry Walk Beside Me & I'll Get Along (very excited about this guy)
Lana Del Ray - Blue Jeans (we all know Video Games) 
Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks
Tennis - Origins
Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle (Thank you Tim Stehman)
Atlas Genius - Trojans (Thank you Tim Stehman)

Like Sara and Sugarland, there were also a few albums of 2010 that I couldn't stop playing this year and I would highly recommend, but unfortunately they couldn't make the 2011 list.  The following were included in the great lineup of live shows I was blessed to see last year and are amongst my lists of current favorites. I only suggest songs to peak your interest, but really what I'm saying is, get the entire album.

Elizabeth and the Catapult - The Other Side of Zero (listen to Go Away My Lover and Open Book)
Warpaint - The Fool (listen to Undertow)
Lissie - Chasing A Tiger (listen to Look Away, Little Lovin' & When I'm Alone)
Dylan LeBlanc - Paupers Field (listen to Low & The Creek Don't Rise w/ Emmylou Harris)
Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You (listen to Girls Like You & Punching a Dream)

Okay, there it is. I'd love any feedback you want to send my way.  Looking forward to a great upcoming year in music

Lots of Love from the road,
Erin