Dillon With Life: December 2011

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Top 30 Songs of 2011 (10-1)

10. Death Cab For Cutie - "Doors Unlocked and Open"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxeo_N3Z0c
There are songs that make you want to get in your car and drive until the road ends. This is one of them.

9. Portugal. The Man "Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ES2fIBPOLs&ob=av2e

8. Foo Fighters - "These Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q73Jb8ChjuM

The Foo's delivered their best album in years in 2011, and this song captures the emotion of the record well: anger, aggression, acceptance. Awesome.
7. Bon Iver - "Calgary"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd-N6wo8Cwk

6. Needtobreathe - "Keep Your Eyes Open"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWmKYzqZ-54

5. Foster the People - "Houdini"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEVa3jAaweE
While "Pumped Up Kicks" was getting all the radio play this year, this song was running laps around it. I defy you not to catch yourself whistling this hook later today.

4. The Killers - "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNXsjs6ED5Y
Can you put a U2 cover song from 1991 in your top songs of 2011? When it's hands-down the best U2 cover you've ever heard, you sure can.

3. Fleet Foxes - "The Shrine/An Argument"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_XXismYUZs
Two understated, poetic and sometimes bizarre songs sandwich the most powerful 90 seconds of music in 2011. Epic.

2. The Boxer Rebellion - "Both Sides Are Even"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aaACjXX1t0
The Boxer Rebellion describe their music as "cinematic." This song would be a the movie's climax.

1. Reeve Carney featuring Bono and The Edge - "Rise Above 1"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PomErClAIFk
Am I biased? Yes, probably. But this song was, for my money, the best, most memorable and most underrated song of the year. Broadway road-trip in 2012, anyone?

Top 30 Songs of 2011: 20-11

20. Wilco - "I Might"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNs7NLwuHx0

19. The Fray - "Heartbeat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWnXSV6uZps
Yes, I do have The Fray in my top 20. And don't even try to pretend like you don't love this song too.

18. TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9erHKnztSA

17. Sleeper Agent - "Get it Daddy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUF2RDHDtzM
The underdog rock hit of the year. These guys are so young it almost makes me feel like I'm too old to be listening to their music.

16. Real Estate - "It's Real"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWcViTXdYc&ob=av3e

15. The Decemberists - "Don't Carry it All"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEnUp2j8TV4
If you want to have one of your songs land in my Top 30 list, here's a good recipe: heavy drums + harmonica. Love it.

14. Fleet Foxes - "Lorelai"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVyLukxXKIc

13. Augustana - "Shot in the Dark"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gue2tmm8iE
One of the most underrated bands out there today, Augustana turns out a song Bruce Springsteen would be proud of.

12. Lucinda Williams - "Blessed"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubs-9C1zge0

11. M83 - "Midnight City"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE
This is one of those songs where it's hard to explain why it's so good. You just know it is. "Hurry Up We're Dreaming" is one of the year's best albums, as well.