Your Favorite Music of the First Half of 2011

[Lancemc]

"Exile/Vilify" might be becoming my favorite song of the year, for what it's worth.

 

[LMP]

"Exile/Vilify" might be becoming my favorite song of the year, for what it's worth.

We might be moving into "If The National release an album/song in a given year, it might be the best" territory.

 

[Lancemc]

We might be moving into "If The National release an album/song in a given year, it might be the best" territory.

Holy fuuu...

This is a dangerous and exciting proposal. Anyway, I haven't given "High Violet" a listen too recently. Really need to fix that.

 

[Lancemc]

Also, this is the best so far I've seen of the fan-made videos for the official contest thingy.

YouTube - ‪The National - Exile Vilify‬‏

 

[iron yuppie]

"Exile/Vilify" might be becoming my favorite song of the year, for what it's worth.

Great song, but Think You Can Wait edges it slightly in my book. Track of the year thus far for me would be a contest between Lotus Flower and Codex. Will Do, Slow Motion, and Parentheses (The Antlers) are other contenders.

 

[intedomine]

This year has been all about Cut Copy and Friendly Fires for me, and their two albums are more than adequate follow-ups to their predecessing albums. It probably also says more about where my musical interests lie at the moment

Elbow's was a disappointment of sorts but it was never gonna be a piece of piss to match the perfect Seldom Seen Kid.

Song of the year. Easily Pharaohs and Pyramids by Cut Copy. After the 2.30 minute mark, the song becomes one of the most pleasurable combination of sounds ever put to record. I never tire of it.

 

[PhilsFan]

We might be moving into "If The National release an album/song in a given year, it might be the best" territory.

It's insane that this might be true.

 

[powerhour24]

Must be nice t be able to believe in quick follow up albums.

 

[djerdap]

"Exile/Vilify" might be becoming my favorite song of the year, for what it's worth.

I agree 100%. Some of their catchiest and most poignant stuff they ever released. Amazing track.

 

[nielsgov]

I haven't listened to that many albums this year but here's top 5 anyway.

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
2. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
3. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will
4. Destroyer - Kaputt
5. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It nd See

Other bands that put out good records this year are The Antlers, PJ Harvey and Battles.

 

[bollox]

Is the Lonely Island album funny bollox?

Fo' sho. In addition to having many of the great digital shorts songs from the last year (I Just Had Sex, Throw it on the Ground), the new songs are pretty great as well. 'Trouble on Dookie Island' is particularly awesome, it's a dead-on approximation of Ghostface's style.

 

[LMP]

Holy fuuu...

This is a dangerous and exciting proposal. Anyway, I haven't given "High Violet" a listen too recently. Really need to fix that.

I think that Alligator still edges it out. Can you consider 6 tracks to be standouts if they comprise half of the album? Fuckin' National, how do they work?

 

[Lancemc]

I think Alligator is probably still my favorite. Boxer and High Violet about on even tier below it, though some of my absolute favorite Nash tracks from from the former.

I'll take "Exile" over anything on HV at this point though.

 

[Imperor]

Yes, nutting up and buying the "Exile/Vilify" 7" despite the shipping was one of my better decisions of the year.

 

[iron yuppie]

I think Alligator is probably still my favorite. Boxer and High Violet about on even tier below it, though some of my absolute favorite Nash tracks from from the former.

High Violet is one of the most consistent albums that I have ever heard - definitely a five-star album in my book and their best album to date. Alligator and Boxer are just about even for me. It all depends on my frame of mind as to which I prefer. Both are brilliant, though.

 

[iron yuppie]

One other album from this year that I should mention is Badlands from Dirty Beaches. It is definitely the most unique thing that I have heard this year.

 

[Salome]

Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
Laura Cantrell - Kitty Wells Dresses
Ambrose Akinmusire - When The Heart Emerges Glistening
Gretchen Parlato - The Lost and Found
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1979
De Kift - Melk en Hooi

 

[cobl04]

High Violet is definitely my favourite National album. So glad I came around.

 

[nirniva]

One other album from this year that I should mention is Badlands from Dirty Beaches. It is definitely the most unique thing that I have heard this year.

Just looked this up on YouTube and it already sounds awesome. Thanks for the tip!

 

[If you shout...]

Some great samples on that record.

 

[Dfit00]

Moby strikes again with Destroyed.

 

[the tourist]

Helplessness Blues, Suck It And See, Belong, and Circuital are all just wonderful albums.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

^ Hell yeah, tourist, thanks for the reminder. When I wrote out my list, I knew I was forgetting something and now I remember what it was: Belong by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Love that shit. I really liked their debut, but I think this is even a step up.

"Heart In Your Heartbreak," although it technically came out in 2010, is probably one of my favorite songs of the year.

 

[PhilsFan]

I've been a shitty contributor to this because I was trying to come up with a solid list. That's been derailed. But here's some of what I'm pretty sure I liked, in no particular order:

Destroyer - Kaputt
Tennis - Cape Dory
The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Radiohead - The King of Limbs
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
Cults - Cults

And my favorite song so far this year is "Abducted" by Cults.

 

[u2popmofo]

I have forgotten to make a list as well, so I'm glad you added one, Peefer.

 

[IWasBored]

another year where i am listening to more things that i've missed from past years/going back to stuff i already know than keeping up with new stuff.

 

[u2popmofo]

Excuses, excuses.

 

[IWasBored]

well, i have really been digging the new hudson falcons tracks. not that anyone actually cares about that here, though. but aside from that, the REM and social D albums, i can't remember what other new things i've even heard this year so far. i have the tv on the radio and decembrists albums, as well as the new steve earle, sitting on my tv. haven't gotten around to them yet. and there was something of a new glasvegas album, correct?