Weekly Mix #88

Super lucky mix, two 8s's! I got a party on here so get down to it. I can't say there's a rhyme or reason to most of these songs but they are all pretty enjoyable. Actually the first five songs are sort of placed for reasons besides flow.

1. Better Off Dead by The Sounds
More catchy songs from the Swedes! I don't know much but The Sounds were rad in 2011!
2. Walking In L.A.
Oh, did you not know that The Sounds got their sound from an early 80s Boston band that was trying to sound like a West Coast band
3. Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO
Too much fun, too much fun. These guys are funny and bring the party in their songs.

 
4. Looks That Kill by Mötley Crüe
Can you hear the guitars roar like a buzz saw? Anyhow this is an early Crüe rocker that really does kick out the jams and gets the inner teen going.
5. Bring Me Darkness by Black Tusk
modern Metal isn't as catchy as it's predecessors as there isn't even the slightest hint of a vocal melody anymore but this is a badass song regardless of song writing ability
6. Kiss Me by Tom Waits
So desperate and drunk, long live the gravel voiced singer!
7. Marathon by Tennis
Retro in the lounge way, It wouldn't be a shock to hear this on vacation on cruise ship.
8. Hypnotize by The Notorious B.I.G.
Rest in piece bag guy.
9. Naughty Naughty by John Parr
 This is a stupid song but it's so excellent in it's rock n' roll dumbness.

10.Bedroom Eyes by Florence + The machine
Spooky, spooky, spooky
11.If You Have Ghosts by John Wesley Harding
Most people hear the name John Wesley Harding and think of a man who once shot a man for snoring too loud. But this is the British singer song writer and this is a Roky Erickson song.
12.Love Is Blindness by Jack White
This song used to depress the hell out of me when U2 did it  but now that jack White has taken it over it just makes me cold.
13.Shout In Tongues by Gauntlet Hair
Sometimes you hear a song and it strikes you that it was made for getting high to. This has got to be one of them. Echoes galore!

 
14.Tongue Tied by Grouplove
Yeah, it's that song from that iPod commercial. It's a sing along
15.Different Drum by The Lemonheads
Evan Dando being Linda Ronstadt because his attempts to be Don Henley didn't quite work. This is a hard to find song and from an E.P. called Favorite Spanish Dishes which is so very 90s. 
16.Can't You Tell by Vetiver
Nothing wrong with feeling groovy, nothing wrong with a feel good song.

17.Hard To Explain by The Strokes
From their best album if one of the best albums of the past decade, Is This It? The Strokes made me believe in Rock n' Roll for a few more minutes.
18.Fools Gold by The Stone Roses
This was the first song I ever heard from these Manchester guys and I didn't know what the hell to make of it at the time. Now I want to be part of it. These guys are touring again and I don't think that's a good thing.
19.Lonely Boy by The Black Keys
Hey, they got a new album out and it sounds very much like the last one. I do like this song moer than all the others, I hope you do too.

Favorite Songs of 2011

I'm not going to put a flag down like some arrogant A-hole and say that these are the best songs of the past year and if you don't like . . . I'm just say that these are my favorite songs that came out in 2011. I think that's fair. This year seemed to be about being an indie band, having a big comeback and being Swedish, go figure!
Don't worry this is not a list of bands nobody's heard of to make my self feel like a snob absolute. Don't worry this isn't a copy of the top 40 charts to show that those people know what they're talking about.
I don't know if the music that came out this year gave me hope for 2012

25.Lay Myself Down by Mazzy Star
Returning after all these years to sound exactly like one would want, dreamy and half asleep.
24.Olé by Pearl Jam

I love it when Pearl Jam rocks out rather than gets that drone of seriousness. Short and punchy!

23.Open My Eyes by The BanglesMaybe this is the last album we'll ever hear from the girl group and that's okay with me, this song is better than some of the pop they did when they were huge. They have captured that indie sound perfectly.
22.Be Your Bro by Those Darlins
It's funny and catchy. A song about a girl who wants to be friends with a boy who just wants to have sex with her. Tough times.
21.Immigrant Song by Karen O
Maybe this is really Trent Reznor featuring Karen O. On the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo  and the song in the preview it kicks ass and is almost as good as the original Led Zeppelin version.
20.Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO
It's a party jam and I don't mind the party so there's that.
19.Lie Down In Darkness by Moby

He's kind of dramatic and somber and melodious on this soundscape. It's actually quite beautiful.

18.Guilty Girls by Buffalo TomI would be lying if I said that I though I would ever hear anything from this Boston band again but here they are putting out a quality tune.
17.The Boat Song by The Black Angels

Sometimes I wonder who else likes this band. They put out an E.P. and this was my favorite song from it. Dreamy and simple; like a Mazzy Star tune with a dude on vocals.

16.Cocaine Chest Pains by Kopek

I've never had cocaine chest pains personally but it sounds horrible. The song however is a rocker.

15.Rope by Foo Fighters

Back again with more rock that satisfies even if it doesn't change the world

14.The Roller by Beady Eye
Liam Gallagher and some other dudes put out a an album and it sounds exactly like you think it would. Catchy with heavy sixties influence. This was my favorite song from the collection of songs.
13.Seven Devils by Florence + The Machine

Epic and witchy sounding this song swirls into some weird places which is why I like it so much.

12.Standing Still by Eat Sugar

I don't anything about this band but I do know I really think this song is some good old dirty rock.

11.Boogie de la Muerte by Guadalupe Plata

I don't listen to Spanish rock but these roots rock guys make me want to.

10.The No No Song by The Sounds

They should be huge  and maybe they are but because there's no radio or videos I'll never know. Swedish and awesome!

9. Go Outside by The Cults
This was a big song for these guys and their indie rock ways. These guys blew up with this song.
8. Blood by The Dears

These Canadians are making music like it should be, big and emotional. Maybe they sound too 80s.

7. Make Some Noise by The Beastie Boys

Another comeback! This song isn't even that good but it's so fun I can't resist it. Rap for your dad, that's kinda' sad.

6. California by EMA

Is it spoken word or a song? Whatever it's a FU to the golden state which is refreshing once in a while.

5. Otis by Kanye West & Jay- Z

Watch The Throne, this album could have been egos colliding in a mess but it worked so well. Special thanks to Otis Redding.

4. Under Cover of Darkness by The Strokes

They're back and they're sounding good. They don't branch out with a new sound but this time I don't care.

3. Take The World by She Wants Revenge

The 80s have resurfaced in this excellent song full of keyboards and a dance beat with spooky vocals.

2. Breaker, Breaker by Peter, Bjorn and John

It makes me happy when a band who came out with a superior song years ago (Young Folks) can make equal songs. This one is quick and catchy.

1.Gloria by Mando Diao
Epic and almost at show tune level with it's Tom Jones/Neil Diamond verve this song gets me going every time I listen. Some may call it cheese but they didn't get to put this list together.

How does this stack to the experts you ask? Let's be real these people listen to music for a living and are exposed to a lot more stuff than I have and because I am just one man there's a certain type of music that I like. This is why Adele appears nowhere on my list and tops these two, this is why you won't find Pumped Up Kicks or Lil' Wayne. Maybe I'm not concerned with being cool or important or authoritive.


Here's Spin's list.
20. Fleet Foxes, "Helplessness Blues"
19. Eric Church, "Homeboy"
18. Lil Wayne, "6 Foot 7 Foot"
17. Jay-Z and Kanye West, "Otis"
16. Brad Paisley, feat. Carrie Underwood, "Remind Me"
15. Girls, "Vomit"
14. The Weeknd, "Wicked Games"
13. Britney Spears, "Till the World Ends"
12. M83, "Midnight City"; College, feat. Electric Youth, "A Real Hero"
11. LMFAO, "Party Rock Anthem" (Alesso Remix)
10. TV on the Radio, "You"
9. HyunA, "Bubble Pop!"
8. Lykke Li, " Get Some"
7. Clams Casino, "I'm God"
6. Tyler, the Creator, "Yonkers"
5. Frank Ocean, "Novacane"
4. The Rapture, "How Deep Is Your Love"
3. EMA, "California"
2. Beyoncé, "Countdown"
1. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"

or Rolling Stone's
20. Jay-Z and Kanye West, 'Welcome to the Jungle'
19. Lucinda Williams, 'Blessed'
18. Black Keys, 'Little Black Submarines'
17. Wilco, 'I Might'
16. Fleet Foxes, 'Lorelai'
15. TV on the Radio, 'You'
14. Sleeper Agent, 'Get It Daddy'
13. My Morning Jacket, 'Circuital'
12. Lloyd feat. Andre 3000 and Lil Wayne, 'Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)'
11. Foster the People, 'Pumped Up Kicks'

10. The Decemberists, 'Don't Carry It All'

9. Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz, 'Six Foot Seven Foot

8. Beyonce, 'Countdown'

7. Lady Gaga, 'Edge of Glory'

6. Radiohead, 'Lotus Flower'

5. Paul Simon, 'Rewrite'

4. Foo Fighters, 'These Days'

3. Britney Spears, 'Till The World Ends'
2. Jay-Z and Kanye West, 'Ni**as in Paris'

1. Adele, 'Rolling in the Deep'

Best Albums of 2011

It's been a long, boring year for music or has it? I tend to think so but when I look at the year's best albums and songs it looks like it was okay.
2011 ' best albums
Gimme' Some  by Peter Bjorn and John
Watch the Throne by Kanye West and Jay-Z
Valley Heart by She Wants Revenge
Wasting Light by The Foo Fighters
Degeneration Street by The Dears

These are just albums you need to go hear, sorry no samples. Maybe I am boring