January 2012

Welcome back! Sorry for the lack of updates, but things like buying a house and starting a record label have consumed most of my free time for the past few months. Such is life. I figured the beginning of a new year would be a great time to start up again, and what better chance to start with a list of my 25 favorite records (and 10 favorite EPs) from 2011. This was a great year for music; I probably could have done a top 50 without even batting an eye. As it was, narrowing down my favorites to 25 was not an easy task. Full disclosure: had I not release the Psychic Teens LP myself it would have made the top 10, but that just felt weird. That being said, here is what I came up with:

Top 25 of 2011:
1) Royal Headache - Royal Headache
2) Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
3) Iceage - New Brigade
4) The UV Race - Homo
5) Times New Viking - Dancer Equired
6) Comet Gain - Howl of the Lonely Crowd
7) Total Control - Henge Beat
8) P.G. Six - Starry Mind
9) Puerto Rico Flowers - 7
10) Master Musicians of Bukkake - Totem Three
11) Bobb Trimble - Crippled Dog Band
12) EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
13) The Bats - Free All the Monsters
14) Yuck - Yuck
15) Balaclavas - Snake People
16) Wild Flag - Wild Flag
17) Psychic Paramount - II
18) White Hills - H-P1
19) Grouper - A I A (Alien Observer/Dream Loss)
20) Water Borders - Harbored Mantras
21) Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler
22) True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth
23) Skull Defekts/Dan Higgs - Peer Amid
24) Charalambides - Exile
25) Glands of External Secretion - Reverse Atheism

Top 10 EPs of 2011:
1) Andy Stott - Passed Me By
2) Andy Stott - We Stay Together
3) Leather - Wretch
4) //Tense// - Escape
5) James Blackshaw - Holly
6) Factory Floor - Two Different Ways
7) Lower Dens - Batman/Dear Betty Baby
8) Circle Pit - Slave/Honey
9) Population - Population
10) Esben and the Witch - Hexagons

There you have it! But really, what you’re here for is the associated “selection of great songs from 2011” mix, right? So without further ado:


January 2012 Mix

1. Bobb Trimble – Live Wire (The Crippled Dog Band, 2011)
   Prior to this record, Bobb had released two fantastic solo records, to little notice. Then in 1983 he invited a group of teenage boys to tour with him (The Crippled Dog Band), and they ended up making this record together. The story goes that the band split abruptly and a discouraged Trimble threw out all 500 of the original LPs in an office park dumpster. Generally I don’t include reissues on my lists, however given the story behind this one, and the lack of actual proof that this record was ever previously pressed, this one gets a pass.


2. P.G. Six – Talk Me Down (Starry Mind, 2011)
   You know your one uncle who really likes scotch, hasn’t bought a record since the last CCR LP, and loves his historic car that never leaves the garage? Buy him a copy of this record. When he buys you a bottle of scotch as a thank you, give it to me.


3. Circle Pit – Honey (Slave/Honey 7”, 2011)
   Remember this band from last year? I loved last year’s LP, however this 7” sounds nothing that. There seemed to be a bit of backlash against this record, but I can’t help loving these songs. “Honey” doesn’t even have a guitar track, but if it doesn’t get caught in your head for at least a week then there’s something wrong with you.


4. Comet Gain – The Weekend Dreams (The Howl of the Lonely Crowd, 2011)
   Comet Gain has put out some good records in the past, but this puts them all to shame. Hell this might be the best indie pop/twee record since the second Wedding Present LP. I tried to go see this band a while back, but the jerk in front of me bought the last ticket. Maybe I’m the jerk for not picking up a ticket in advance? Here’s to my weekend dreams of the Comet Gain 2012 world tour.


5. The Bats – Free All the Monsters (Free All the Monsters, 2011)
   The Bats are in my top 5 favorite New Zealand acts of all time. This year marks their 20th anniversary as a band (c’mon anniversary tour), which makes it even more incredible that Free All the Monsters is such a solid effort. Go get this record, and then their first LP, Daddy’s Highway, which has also just been reissued.


6. Royal Headache – Honey Joy (Royal Headache, 2011)
   This was far and away my favorite record of 2011. This album is so full of hits it was damn near impossible to narrow down. After repeated listens (many, many repeated listens), it seems that “Honey Joy” remains my favorite, although “Psychotic Episode” or “Really in Love” could easily have made the cut. They should be touring the US in late spring/early summer, and from what I’ve heard that’s not to be missed.


7. Times New Viking – Ways to Go (Dancer Equired, 2011)
   Yeah I know, I put a track from this record back on May’s mix. But you know what, I think I put the wrong track on May’s mix, so I am making up for my mistake. I will see this band every time they come to town with zero regrets.


8. Total Control – One More Tonight (Henge Beat, 2011)
   If you’ve been keeping track, this is our third track from Australia (after Royal Headache and Circle Pit). Total Control features member of other Australian bands, but that’s barely worth mentioning as Henge Beat stands on it’s own artistic merit. The LP alternates between their earlier electronic-tinged experiments and their live rock show; this track showcases the later.


9. True Widow – Skull Eyes (As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth, 2011)
   True Widow takes the cake for longest album title of 2011, to the point where it’s almost comical. Imagine a heavier, more effect laden Codeine, with female vox, and you’re pretty much there. Great record for the winter months.


10. Fucked Up – Truth I Know (David Comes to Life, 2011)
    I was so sure that this was going to be my favorite record of 2011, that had you asked me in June I would have told you nothing would beat it. That was before Royal Headache. Sorry F’ed Up, you’ll have to settle for second place, which is still admirable.


11. Leather – Idolator (Wretch, 2011)
    Favorite current hardcore band from Philadelphia. They’ve released 3 7”s to date, and they are all winners. The LP that could have been made by all of those tracks would have been unstoppable. I already can’t wait for their next release.


12. Balaclavas – Down and Loose (Snake People, 2011)
    I ranted about this band in 2010’s best of mix. Then they release an LP that was even better than last year - Snake People. What I said last year about the earlier EPs is also not true, re-listens to them have been extremely rewarding. Playing Philadelphia in March somewhere, possibly with a new 12”.


13. Puerto Rico Flowers – Keep Me Around (7, 2011)
    Sharkey’s definitely honed his art of writing moody goth songs with this LP. I can’t get enough of it. I wish there were at least 3 more PRF LPs in the can, but sadly I think the most we can hope for is a final 12”. I guess it is better to burn out than fade away.


14. //Tense// – Disconnect Myself (Escape, 2011)
    I never thought that in 2011 I’d fall in love with a band from Houston that should have been out on Wax Trax in the early 80’s. This whole EP just makes me want to stomp someone in the face, but in time with the music. And while wearing some black eyeliner. They have another LP coming out in 2012, and if it’s anything like this you’ll see it on next year’s list.


15. Grouper – Alien Observer (A I A : Alien Observer, 2011)
    There was really no good place to put a Grouper track on this mix, so I figured I’d just give you some breathing room after that last ripper. She pulled the old “release two LPs at the same time that are really one work” move on us, so I grouped them together for list purposes above. In my opinion, Alien Observer is a head above Dream Loss, but they are both worthy works from an artist who hasn’t let down yet.


16. Water Borders – Even in the Dark (Harbored Mantras, 2011)
    This is one of the first records to come out of the “witch house” scene that I’ve really fallen in love with. A good part of it is that they went out on a slightly different musical branch, and ended up sounding more like Coil than anything else. I love Coil, so no complaints here.


17. Andy Stott – Submission (We Stay Together EP, 2011)
    Andy Stott’s another one with two releases on my year end list, in fact taking #1 and #2 on the EP list. Both of these works are pretty similar aesthetically, but at the same time totally unique. I included the opener to the We Stay Together EP, and I think if you can find something to like in this track it should provide a gateway to the rest of these releases. It’s also worth noting that he’s label mates with Demdike Stare – which if you dig Stott, you need to check out as well.

I will continue to post mixes, but don’t expect them monthly. If you’re lucky, there’ll be about a month and a half between them, but don’t hold me to that!