Anthropologize

Everyone seems to make “Best Albums of 2011” lists. But, despite my friend Nik’s best efforts, I usually am FAR behind whatever is “new and best” (although, they are still calling the TuneYards Gangsta “new music” on The Current and that shit’s been out for years so… maybe I’m not THAT far behind). Anyway, this was a big year for me musically (loons!) and so I’m making a list of the songs I really HEARD in the last year. The ones that, no matter how old and dusty or new and shiny, made me think and cry and smile and change.

In no particular order (although, beginning with the first moments of January 1):

1. Home – LCD Soundsystem
2. You Make My Dreams Come True – Hall & Oates
3. Today, I Feel Like I’m Evolving – River City Extension
4. Before It Breaks – Brandi Carlile
5. Ghost (live at the Fitzgerald) – Brandi Carlile
6. Love The Way You Walk Away – Blitzen Trapper
7. Don’t Got To Work It Out – Fitz and the Tantrums
8. Space Before I Wake – Dan Wilder (now the Wailing Loons)
9. This Is Why We Fight – The Decemberists
10. Everywhere I Go (live at Basilica) – Lissie
11. Towers, Holocene and Calgary (tie) – Bon Iver
12. The High Road – Broken Bells
13. Lost in My Mind (live at the Varsity) – The Head and The Heart
14. The Traveling Song – The Avett Brothers
15. Salvation Song – The Avett Brothers
16. Home (live at Pelican Lake) – Wailing Loons cover of
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
17. I Follow Rivers (live at First Ave)– Lykki Li
18. Rain – Patty Griffin
19. Free – Zac Brown Band
20. Lucky Now – Ryan Adams
21. Ethiopia – Red Hot Chili Peppers
22. Post-war Blues – Dan Mangan
23. Raise Your Glass – Pink!
24. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
25. Midnight City – M83
26. Money – The Drums
27. Settling it Off (live at Cedar) – Peter Wolf Crier
28. I Feel It All – Feist

29. Shake it Out – Florence & The Machine
30. Junk of the Heart (Happy) – The Kooks
31. Awake My Soul – Mumford & Sons32. Gangsta (live at First Ave) – tUnE-yArDs
33. WHALE (live at 400 Bar)- Yellow Ostrich