JMA's 2011 Year End Favorites

The beginning of 2011 marked the release of two highly anticipated albums: Bright Eyes' “The People's Key” and The Strokes' “Angles.” Although both of these albums had left me disappointed, my spirits were lifted shortly thereafter by experiencing a first hand view of what I know refer to as the “Foster The People Phenomenon.”
I attended Foster's show at Schubas early in the year, having occasionally heard their single “Pumped Up Kicks” on WXRT. I didn't know much of the band, but I didn't have anything going on that night and their single was catchy enough to get me to the show. Schubas was less than sold out that night, there was plenty of elbow room to dance. Within a few songs, my friends and I had fallen in love with the band.
About half a year and a few hundred spins of “Pumped Up Kicks” later, I found myself swimming amongst thousands of fans seeing Foster The People at Lollapalooza. I had never seen such an explosion of fanaticism under such a small time frame. Although this was the year of Adele, the tangibility of Foster The People's development has found a permanent place in my heart.

ALBUMS:
Foster The People – Torches

STRFKR – Reptillians

Smithwesterns – Dye It Blonde

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy

Drake – Take Care

SONGS:
Memory Tapes "Sun Hits"
M83 "Midnight City"
The Strokes "Macchu Picchu"
James Blake "The Wilhelm Scream"
Washed Out "Amor Fati"

SHOWS:
Ratatat – Lollapalooza, 8/5/11

Bright Eyes – Lollapalooza, 8/5/11

Deerhunter – Pitchfork

Foster The People – Schubas Tavern, 4/2/2011

M83 – Lincoln Hall, 11/15/11

Ryan Carey's Year End Picks:

ALBUMS:
Foster The People – Torches

Adele – 21

Glen Campbell – Ghost On The Canvas

Black Keys – El Camino

Little Hurricane – Homewrecker

SONGS:
Adele “Rolling In The Deep”
Foster The People “Pumped Up Kicks”
LMFAO “Sexy And I Know It”
Mumford & Sons “The Cave”
Black Keys “Lonely Boy”

SHOWS:
Adele – Riviera Theatre, 5/24/11
Cage The Elephant – Lollapalooza, 8/7/11
Fitz & The Tantrums – Metro, 2/5/11
Paul McCartney – Wrigley Field, 7/31/11
Girl Talk – Congress Theater, 3/5/11

Chris Wienke's Year End Picks:

I think this was a fantastic year for music. As the industry continues to change, the rules of the past are no more and it’s a free-for-all… May the best band win! Arcade Fire’s Grammy victory serves as a perfect example of the shift we’re seeing from a market dominated by big budget bands back to the listener-driven model of the good ole days. Every band out there has a fair chance of making their impact and that’s the way it should be.”

Disclaimer: The only way to really make one of these accurately would be to keep a running list
throughout the year. Maybe that can be a resolution of mine for 2012….There will be plenty of things
that I leave out/forget on this list, but these are some of my favorite albums, songs, and shows from
2011.

ALBUMS: (in no specific order)
Feist – Metals
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
My Morning Jacket – Circuital
Wye Oak – Civilian
The Roots – Undun
The Black Keys – El Camino
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
The Antlers – Burst Apart
Battles – Gloss Drop

SONGS:
Washed Out "Soft," "Amor Fati"
Fleet Foxes "The Shrine / An Argument," "Battery Kinzie," "Bedouin Dress"
Bon Iver "Holocene," "Michicant," "Perth"
Gary Clark Jr. "Bright Lights"
Wye Oak "Two Small Deaths," "Civilian," "The Altar"
Feist "The Bad in Each Other"
The Black Keys "Run Right Back," "Little Black Submarines"
Ryan Adams "Lucky Now"
My Morning Jacket "Circuital," "Victory Dance," "Outta My System"
M83 "Midnight City"

SHOWS:
James Blake – Lincoln Hall, 5/15/11
Fleet Foxes – Austin City Limits, 9/18/11
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – Galapalooza, 8/4/11
The Arcade Fire – Bonnaroo, 6/10/11
Fitz and the Tantrums – Lollapalooza, 8/6/11
Deathcab for Cutie – Metro, 5/20/11
Ryan Adams – Cadillac Palace, 12/11/11