I was originally
going to write this huge diatribe about how this year really sucked for me…I lost
my job, my marriage fell apart you know the whole drill, it was to have 0% musical
content, then I thought no one's gonna want to hear me bitch about my problems,
and truth be told I have my son who's an amazing little guy right by my side so
it can't be all that bad…. onto the music
So this is the time
of year when every Blog/Magazine/Website puts out there year end lists…you know
the lists that try to make you feel uncool for not listening to the bands that
they like …well here's some inside info..most of the writers have never listened
to the records all the way through, they just put them on the list to look as
cool as everyone else around them…or to get on the guest list the next time "that
band" comes through town.
I thought I'd
take a different route and not put mine in any particular order, this is just a
list of records that came out this past year that I really dug , I also won't
bore you with long write ups about them, I'll just make it short and sweet….so here
we go
David's Town- 11
Original Hits From Byrdesdale Spa, UK! (Fucked Up)
As most of you
already know David's Town was a RSD
(Record Store Day) release from our good friends Fucked Up. But if you bought it originally hoping to groove out to
my man Damian's planet smashing vocals you was sadly mistaken. The record was
all over the place from DIY to post-punk to power pop…to be perfectly honest I
have actually listened to this record more than DCTL….it's just such a good
fucking record…and I have to say Damm you Ben
Cook for the line "Do you wanna
go for a curry with me?" I
start singing that line out of nowhere some days….you knows that's a sign of a
good song.
D-Sisive – Run With
The Creeps
When Run…the first track on Run
With The Creeps drops you get this strange feeling that Derek Christoff
has to do this…this being create, just listen to the lyrics and the beats as they're spread across the landscape of the record, it's DIY, it's PUNK, it's HIP-HOP,
it's POETRY…it's beautiful Man….Thanks for giving us one of the best releases
in many years.
Wilco-The Whole Love
This was a record that I could (and still
can) put on and let play…nothing to dangerous or adventurous just a great
Pop/Rock record, and that's very hard to find with the stuff we have to wade
through these days.
Fucked Up-David Comes
To Life
No explanation needed…Thank You Damian, Ben, Jonah, Josh, Sandy and
Mike
Bjork- Biophilia
With Bjork you have to be in a certain groove to enjoy her
music, it's not a day at the beach soundtrack, or something you throw on while
the in-laws are over for dinner….but when the right time strikes Biophilia is one of her best recordings
in a very long time.
The Rucksack Willies-Letter
to Anne
Roots music with a shot of bluegrass and a female singer
that can take on the best of them and win hands down every time best describes Toronto's
The Rucksack Willies debut album Letter
to Anne.
Kurt Vile-Smoke Ring
for My Halo
This record is
the real deal, no phoney bologna for Kurt, he tells stories like he's talking
to a good friend he just ran into on the street. If you like your music folksy
with a blues tint then Smoke Ring for My
Halo is your bag.
Bon Iver-Bon Iver
I was going to
start by saying that you would have to be deaf not to get the beauty and intimacy
of Justin Vernon's voice on Bon Iver's S/T record …but even a deaf person could
feel this……get it, put it on, and lose yourself.
Those are the ones
that really stuck with me and some part's of them moved me enough to be added
into the Playlist that continuously changes in my head.
What do you have for
me 2012?
Joe Cornelisse-SSGS