Happy 2011!

When at all possible, make lists. Document your thoughts on everything...the grandiose down to the minuscule. Make sure your paper is filled with re-writes, notes in the margins, and scratch outs. Let's start with an easy one.

Rank the following: cookies, cake, cheesecake, pie, candy, ice cream.

My order: 1) cake 2)cheesecake 3)ice cream 4)cookies 5)pie 6)candy

See. Everything in life can be broken down into a carefully crafted hierarchy.

This summer a group of friends and myself sat down to rank our favorite Beatles songs. I'll spare you the details but the number ones include...
Amy: "A Day in the Life"
Elena: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Enrique: "Let it Be"
Taylor: "Don't Pass Me By"

Of course, Tom Bavis, aka the Beatles Maven/Know It All/Aficionado, did not hierarchically rank his favorites, rather, he made up 3 different categories because a simple Top Ten was impossible to fathom.


This lengthy introduction has (finally) lead me to the point of the post; let's take a look back at the past year and all it has to offer musically.

I'll start with MY Top Six Albums of the Year:

1)LCD Soundsystem This is Happening

2)Arcade Fire Suburbs

3)Sleigh Bells Treats
4) Vampire Weekend Contra
5) Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
6) Beach House Beach House

Album Everyone Loves But I Haven't Listened to YET:

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest


The Catchiest Singles of 2010 (In Alphabetical Order)

Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" - Suburbs

Arcade Fire - "Rococo" - Suburbs

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Round, Round" - Before Today

Far East Movement ft. The Cataracs & Dev - "Like a G6" - Free Wired

Beach House - "Norway" - Teen Dream

Best Coast - "Boyfriend" - Crazy for You

Broken Social Scene - "World Sick" - Forgiveness Rock Record
Caribou - "Odessa" - Swim
Crystal Castles - "Not In Love" - Crystal Castles (II)

Die Antwoord - "Enter the Ninja" - 5

Fang Island - "Daisy" - Fang Island

Girl Talk - "Let It Out" - All Day

Gorillaz - "Rhinestone Eyes" - Plastic Beach

Katy Perry - "Teenage Dream" - Teenage Dream

Kanye West - "Runaway" - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

LCD Soundsystem - "Dance Yrself Clean" - This is Happening

Vampire Weekend - "Diplomat's Son" - Contra
LCD Soundsystem - "All I Want" -This is Happening
Sleigh Bells - "Rill, Rill" - Treats
Of Montreal - "Coquet Coquette" - False Priests
The New Pornographers - "We End Up Together" - Together

The Morning Benders - "Excuses" - The Big Echo

M.I.A - "XXXO" - Maya
Matt & Kim - "Good For Great" -Sidewalks
Taio Cruz - "Dynamite" -Rockstarr (2009)
Neon Trees - "Animal" - Habits
Kayne West - "Power" - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Vampire Weekend - "White Sky" - Contra
Rihanna - "Rude Boy" - Rated R (2009)
Kate Nash - "Do Wah Doo" - My Best Friend Is You

The Albums That Just Didn't Deliver

1. MGMT - Congratulations
2. Of Montreal - False Priest
3. Ratatat - LP4
4. New Young Pony Club - The Optimist
5. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager 6. The National - High Violet

The Top 5 Cheesy/Girly Songs Elena Loves and Taylor Hates / AKA Top 40:

1. B.o.B feat. Bruno Mars - "Nothin' On You"

2. Train - "Hey Soul, Sister"

3. Bruno Mars - "Just the Way You Are"

4. The Script - "Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)"

5. Kris Allen - "Live Like We're Dying"

The Most Overrated Artist: Drake

I acknowledge that I may stand alone here, but what's the big deal? Why is it that my student's final exams are riddled with incorrect grammar exclamations stating "Me gusta Drake"? Ok generic male name, you are not sexually attracted to Drake. Minus five points.

It's a tie: "Over" & "Find Your Love"

My Biggest Surprise: I. LOVE. TAYLOR. SWIFT.

Be nice, Kanye.

My Fave: "Mine"

The Most Overplayed 2009 Song on Television Commercials in 2010 but it's still pretty darn catchy:

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - "Home" - Up From Below



I invite you to channel your inner listographer to tear my lists to shreds.