FWBA’s Best of 2011
Welcome to FWBA’s best-of 2011. This has been such a meaningful year in music to me that it’s tough to represent in one post. I’m going to be honest, this took me quite a long time. I wanted to do this year justice because personally, it was a total dream: living in San Diego working with some of my favorite artists, going to SXSW and Lollapalooza, seeing Dave Bazan in stranger’s living rooms, Feist play a hometown show, saw tune-yards electrified show at Soda Bar clocking in as one of my favorite performances, watching Zach Rogue and my boyfriend playing in San Francisco together, The Shivers playing in Point Loma caves, Wye Oak playing on a swingset, Frightened Rabbit playing cornhole, Peter Wolf Crier on tour, Mike Fiore of Faces on Film making his first West Coast appearance to play my friend’s attic, and learning about my relationship to music and the world in a deeper context by sitting still with it.
This year brought about a creative vitality seen in the like of St. Vincent: the housewife of our dreams, vocal orchestration from the deranged (tune-yards) to the divine (Julianna Barwick), the peak of flannel-rock (Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Dawes) the indie/rap hybrid (A$AP Rock, BIG K.R.I.T, Freddie Gibbs) the resurrection of the spooky girl (Grimes, Zola Jesus, Austra) the inexplicable popularity of Bradford Cox’s brothafromanothamutha: Youth Lagoon, the return to Springsteen (The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile) and the vital homecoming of our once dormant indie babe of the North: Feist. It’s been a good year. I’ve compiled a series of best-of lists below in an attempt to encapsulate it, dear diary-style. Enjoy!
BEST ALBUMS (in no particular order)
1 David Bazan Strange Negotiations (May 24th via Barsuk)
This was the kind of record that absorbed between my ears and occupied parts of my consciousness that are yet to reveal themselves. I’m looking forward to growing old enough to watch them emerge, but never too old to stop looking for them. This one meant a lot.
2 J Mascis- Several Shades of Why (Marc 15th via Sub Pop)
J Mascis is like a sweet boy wrapped in several shades of grey (beard) this record made me quiet.
3 Fruit Bats- Tripper (August 2nd via Sub Pop)
Fruit Bats made me feel good to feel strange.
4 Bill Baird- Goodbye Vibrations (Aug 1st Self Release)
Bill Baird seems unbearably lonesome, and that makes for good company.
5 The Shivers- More (May 3rd via When The Silence Breaks)
When I saw the Shivers perform “More” in my friend’s living room, I felt the way you do when you first meet a new friend and you’ve got the sense that you’ll really get along well. It was just a moment of- yes, this is beautiful art and I sure am glad I get to be in this room right now.
6 Bill Callahan- Apocalypse (April 19th via Drag City)
Are you noticing a trend here? Much like an English accent, Bill Callahan could tell me just about anything with that voice and I’d believe him. So I hope he tells me, “everything will be alright”.
7 tUnE-yArDs w h o k i l l (April 19th via 4AD)
If there is anyone who has inspired me to exercise whatever lumpy, untoned creative muscle I’ve got- it’s tune-yards. She’s incredibly untamed, yet sharp- she’s a strong woman and fantastic entertainer.
8 St. Vincent Strange Mercy (Sept 13th via Beggars Group)
Jesus, I loved this record- regardless of how ubiquitously favorable it was received, I love it anyway. She has so elegantly built her fortress of electric guitar and soft croon and has given pop music a much-needed tease.
9 The War on Drugs Slave Ambient (Aug 16th via Secretly Canadian)
The cyclical nature of Slave Ambient makes it driving music- evoking Dylan and Springsteen The War On Drugs sound like they’ve got all the time in the world to be ramblin’.
10 Wye Oak Civilian (March 8th via Merge Records)
Both aggressive and minimalist, this record was something special to me. The honesty is cutting, “I wanted to give you everything but I still stand in awe of superficial things”. There is a confessional sorrow in her voice.
11 Peter Wolf Crier Garden of Arms (Sept 6th via Jajaguwar)
Never have I been so intimately connected to the creation of an album. From scratchy demos- hollowed and lacking their percussive guard- to fully formed thoughts and emotions that are so ancient that they are more sounds than words. I’ve never been more proud to watch art grow.
12 White Denim D (May 24th via Downtown Records)
The intricacy and experimentation of White Denim is otherworldly. They hit grooves and nerves located in our collective dance bones.
13 Real Estate Days (Oct 18th via Domino Records)
This is uncomplicated music for Wednesday afternoons when you’re looking for something that does not assault your ears, but eases you.
14 Braids Native Speaker (Jan 18th via Kanine Records)
Braids Native Speaker evokes African women harmonizing in the way that bonds females to each other through their labour. It takes us back to our mothers, and their mothers and reminds us that they were children with higher voicees.
15 Widowspeak Widowspeak (Aug 2nd via Captured Tracks)
Widowspeak was this year’s Warpaint.
16 Julianna Barwick The Magic Place (Feb 22nd via Asthmatic Kitty Records)
Similar to Braids- Barwick’s vocal layers are mesmerizing.
17 Kitty Daisy and Lewis- Smoking in Heaven (Oct 18th via Verve Music Group)
Rockabilly exists in Kitty Daisy and Lewis.
18 The Caretaker- An Empty Bliss Beyond This World (May via Brainwashed)
The churning, crackling sounds of vinyl have never felt more real than, oh, I guess on vinyl itself.
19 The Dø- Both Ways Open Jaws (Nov 5th via Six Degrees)
This year’s MIA.
20 Paleo- Fruit of the Spirit (Jun 1st via Partisan)
Much like Bazan, Paleo’s Fruit of the Spirit is devastating- because there’s a good chance it’s all true. There’s an achiness in the long drawn out sounds his vocal chords make. It’s all suffering. It’s part-enlightened. It’s an absolute relief.
21 You Won’t- Skeptic Goodbye (April 19th via Bandcamp)
This record feels physically good. And like the best possible cold, it’s contagious.
22 Luke Temple- Don’t Act Like You Don’t Care (August 16th via Western Vinyl)
I’m glad that Here We Go Magic ressurected in some form.
23 Floating Action- Desert Etiquette (Feb 15th via Park the Van)
Desert Etiquette is completely genre spanning and offers something for everyone.
24 Gillian Welch- The Harrow and the Harvest (Jun 28th via Acony)
When Welch sang that Times A Revelator- she’s revealed even more depth and honest storytelling with this record.
25 Vetiver The Errant Charm (June 14th via Sub Pop)
This is California coast music.
BEST SONGS
1 Phantogram- Don’t Move
2 Kurt Vile – Baby’s Arms
3 M83- Midnight City
4 Youth Lagoon- July
5 Lana Del Rey- Videogames
6 Kitty Daisy & Lewis- Don’t Make A Fool Out Of Me
7 Alabama Shakes- Hold On
8 Sharon Van Etten- Mike McDermott
9 Peaking Lights- Hey Sparrow
10 Lia Ices- Lilac
11 Unknown Mortal Orchestra- How Can U Luv Me
12 Grouper- Alien Observer
13 Jessica Jalbert Paris Green
14 Oregon Bike Trails- Cayucas
15 Paleo- Holly Would
16 Fountain in Rewind- Blouse
17 No Bird Sing- Afterlife Insurance
18 The Do- Slippery Slope
19 Atlas Sound- Mona Lisa
20 Coeur de Pirate- Les Amoures Devouees
21 The Caretaker- All You Are Going To Want To Do Is Get Back There
22 Morning Thought- Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr
23 I Break Horses- Winter Beats
GIRL CRUSH (a collection of talented babes I pretend to be when I’m singing in the car)

1 Feist
2 Laura Marling
3 Those Darlins
4 Coeur De Pirate
5 Little Scream
6 Grimes
7 Dimbleby and Capper
8 Lia Ices
9 Jessica Jalbert
10 St Vincent
11 Tune Yards
12 Braids
BEST NEWBIES (they might not be new, but they were new to me this year)
1 Steffaloo- Meet Me In Montauk
2 RUN DMT- DREAMS
3 Ricky Eat Acid- Haunt U Forever
4 Bronson- Paper Tusk
5 You Won’t- Skeptic Goodbye
6 Dreampeter- Mason Jar
7 Headaches- I Wasn’t Born Yesterday
8 Monster Rally- Crystal Ball
9 Pandit- Steady Nerves and a Strong Heart
10 Two Bicycles- The Ocean
BEST CANADIAN ARTISTS (homies from the homeland)
1 Born Gold Bodysongs
2 Austra Feel It Break
3 pat Jordache- Future Songs
4 Feist – Metals
5 Timber Timbre- Creep On Creepin On
6 Bry Webb- Provider
7 Daniel Romano- Sleep Beneath the Willow
8 Jessica Jalbert- Brother Loyola
9 Frederick Squire- Friday March 12
10 Sean Nicholas Savage- Flamingo
11 Marine Dreams- Marine Dreams
BEST VIDEOS
1 Beyonce Countdown
2 Peaking Lights Hey Sparrow
3 NewVillager Lighthouse
4 tune-yards Bizness
5 Grass Widow Milo Minute
6 Gotye- Somebody that I Used to Know
7 Phantogram When I’m Small
8 St. Vincent- Cruel
9 Fleet Foxes- The Shrine/Argument
10 Seventeen Evergreen- The Popularity Song
11 Soko- I Thought I Was An Alien
12 Arcade Fire Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
BEST MUSIC BLOGS
1 I Guess I’m Floating
2 YVYNYL
3 This Music Wins
4 Indie Music Filter
5 smokeDONTsmoke
6 Dead As Digital
7 Speaker Snacks
8 verb/re/verb
9 Flashlight Tag
10 Get Off the Coast
11 Rollo & Grady
12 Think or Smile
Special thanks to 2011 for kicking my butt, taking me to new cities, coasts, filling my belly with nothing but beers and burritos for extended months, introducing new sounds, and intuitively pulling me back home again. You’ve been the most bizarre, eventful and uneventful year of my life. I’m grateful to all the musicians who will pull me back to this year whenever needed. Thanks to FWBA readers for your encouragement and for coming along for the ride, your company keeps this all running.






















So honoured to announce that Friends With Both Arms @fwba just announce TMW as #3 Blog Of 2011. Thanks so much Nada! http://t.co/Vjq3EIWP
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
“@fwba: FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/ECZiIEUd best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians” awesome list
RT Our good friend Nada gave us 7th best blog of 2011! We love her. @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/lwQ03w3u
Good stuff! “@fwba: FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 : http://t.co/WfOryuXC best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians”
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
some good goddamn lists RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/qbBccIEa
RT @fwba: FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/RrVdsmgx best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
don't miss @fwba's best of 2011 too (just posted)!!! http://t.co/erA5h2EJ
Check it & make your ears happy RT @fwba: FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/mDe1FWz5 best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
don't miss @fwba's best of 2011 too (just posted)!!! http://t.co/erA5h2EJ
Garden of Arms lands on FWBA's Best Albums of 2011. Read this year's most comprehensive and compelling year in… http://t.co/kF5AXWjs
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/a3lM8YHm
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
http://www.friendswithbotharms.com/2011/12/23/fwbas-best-of-2011/
http://www.friendswithbotharms.com/2011/12/23/fwbas-best-of-2011/
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/Te5ojinR
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/7SlFA1Qf
i made the list! woop! <3 RT @fwba: FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/SiX343vw best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
a nice list of 2011 best indie sounds http://t.co/AZ6rzm2P
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
Merry Christmas from me, via @fwba. Best of 2011: http://t.co/J6WtJeRC Get ready. It's gooood.
BEST OF 2011 – according to @fwba – lots to listen to here! http://t.co/OsyEs6ee
An excellent best of 2011 list from @fwba http://t.co/kZzvrcpy
“@mwjoffe: An excellent best of 2011 list from @fwba http://t.co/tcO6NPy5” haven't heard of a single "best album" #thoughtiwascool #guessnot
ah, thanks! RT @mwjoffe: An excellent best of 2011 list from @fwba http://t.co/kOopY23L
FWBA’s Best of 2011 http://t.co/kXQz2VCV
RT FWBA’s Best of 2011 http://t.co/lDPCJoNn
RT @Jalila FWBA’s Best of 2011 http://t.co/lDPCJoNn
『Friends With Both Arms » Blog Archive » FWBA’s Best of 2011』 http://t.co/vsvnfat3
La mejor selección de musica del 2011 http://t.co/VyHaQynW
FWBA’s Best of 2011 http://t.co/kXQz2VCV
keyifli ♥ http://t.co/wtWq0FSu
I like this list. http://t.co/iPDcTliB @fwba I suspect @smithenberg @Tompson_Girl and @leash_j will like it too.
Trilha sonora rolando entre os coworkers. Para uma semana chuvosa entre Natal e Ano novo: http://t.co/nzYnCpwO
No me gustan los rankings de fin de año. Son odiosos. Pero… hay un par de buenos discos acá. Ojo: http://t.co/eQ9rfbgc
Очень славная музыкальная подборочка, случайно наткнулась, но очень советую! http://t.co/crgTSMsU
Mine is the only self released album up there: RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/wqpXanAh
PS.музыкальная подборочка из моего предыдущего поста – это indie rock. http://t.co/pmmwKykT
Check this out! So good reviewing music from this past year. @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/E22ZIweb
http://www.friendswithbotharms.com/2011/12/23/fwbas-best-of-2011/
@CharlesMacfly mirat el resumen 2011 musical . buenas cosas! http://t.co/L5y1LlkQ
#Bestlistsof2011 RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/11eHds9u
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/WjirbQqr #Uff*
Refreshingly great best of 2011 playlists we've been listening to the past week Chez Rhodes. Lots of dreamy pretties! http://t.co/jfDDOOKI
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/XJg4Aa58
friends with both arms BEST OF 2011 http://t.co/DG1A4RvO #nowplaying #music
The amazing @fwba's Best of 2011 music picks are giving me the motivation I need as I scan & catalog: http://t.co/J0wBGes9
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best Music of 2011 http://t.co/itn8mcGy – Loving it!
Friends With Both Arms » Blog Archive » FWBA’s Best of 2011: http://t.co/Vj3NAGHP
Take a read. Some VERY good stuff here (although I still don't quite understand the hype around M83…) http://t.co/IHtt59U0
Photo: MUSIC TODAY FWBA’S BEST OF 2011 via http://t.co/pEk6MDZO http://t.co/iFJNJmrU
This post from @fwba is so on point for catching up on what you missed in 2011: http://t.co/EeMlmh8I Looking forward to following in 2012.
los mejores albums de 2011 ….Indie en serio…http://www.friendswithbotharms.com/2011/12/23/fwbas-best-of-2011/
if you like your music a little left-field or off the beaten path…take a peek at this
http://t.co/A63VEVgw …#youwillnotfindbieberhere
@yoparami feliz año, oíte esto http://t.co/gUhdUJUz
ENORME post de Friends with both arms sobre la música del 2011 http://t.co/kgKqIdwz
13 minutos es lo que demore en entender como escuchaba la música en http://t.co/DPXajFm1 y eso que me lo explicaron #toypintado
FWBA'S BEST OF 2011 ::: http://t.co/V8yAXPoQ best albums, songs, blogs, babes, videos & canadians
This is amazing…. RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/pgork6pH
Music Music! RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/LCPpkb7i
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/a6VoaC93
best chill underground songs of 2011.
http://t.co/3a2rpy9r
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/fltEhI15
http://www.friendswithbotharms.com/2011/12/23/fwbas-best-of-2011/
good jams easy to listen to, just press play on the page. http://t.co/3a2rpy9r
Listening to Best of 2011 by @fwba. Best albums, songs & girl crushes all to say that the year was real kind | #cool | http://t.co/aGpubUoj
Pretty great music list of the best of 2011 via @Booooooom – http://t.co/3oIVb9VU
Pretty great music list of the best of 2011 via @Booooooom – http://t.co/3oIVb9VU
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/6K1Nkjzr
@NathanNaidu WTF. They all stole our org: http://t.co/WlykD9FS http://t.co/TWTg0Q3F http://t.co/lUQBBN58 http://t.co/NYKWoEOw
http://t.co/slHRLzqb YOU'RE WELCOME
http://t.co/LMnBVahU
英語がよめん。セイントヴィンセント・・・・うう
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/rT8YyU04
http://t.co/YFxiB2fE @dananatera mira este blog! miss youuuuu
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/Fm3IR3cH
some nice tunes from 2011 –> http://t.co/Pu97WW8O
reminiscing the great year that was 2011 for music here >> http://t.co/HLGYXUxS
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/OYvots3s
¡En este blog pueden encontrar música buenísima! http://t.co/BsuqJQN9
http://t.co/sJCd4Oc4 Todos deben callar un segundo y escuchar.
RT @fwba: FWBA's Best of 2011 http://t.co/sPheLOQw
Listenizde olmayanlar varsa bi bakın : http://t.co/8LogMFHL