STL's Top Songs of 2011:: Part One - 60-41

So here we go again. Another year over means another 365 days (give or take) of musical output has to be recollected, distilled and ranked. I have something of a love/hate affair with these sort of lists because as much as I enjoy looking back on the treats the year has produced (and 2011 has delivered plenty) I find the decision process itself to be a difficult one. Songs have little personalities of their own and our view of them is constantly shifting according to time, occasion and place. A one-time classic quickly becomes jaded with repetitive plays, while a relatively recent discovery is still basking in the after glow of its emergence. On the whole however, I'm pretty confident that this batch of tracks are an accurate account of the year's best music according to my ears and these pages.

Unsurprisingly it is again dominated by the home-grown contingent - with 2011 besting a 2010 that was oft-defined as the best ever for Irish content. It's genuinely exciting to think that this time last year an artist like Moths was just messing about in his bedroom, making the tentative steps on songs that have now been blogged about the world over. As I trace the soundtrack to my 2011 what really excites me is the mound of great Irish music that I know I'll be writing about over the course of the next year. Anyhow, here's the first instalment with the final list to be completed in the coming days...



 60) The Ambience Affair - 'Weeds'

The Ambience Affair - Weeds by statemagazine 


59) No Monster Club – ‘Who Wants A Man'

Who Wants A Man by No Monster Club 


58) The Eulogys - ‘Bouquets'

Bouquets by TheEulogys 


 57) Nouveonoise - 'Believe'

Nouveaunoise - Believe by nouveaunoise 


 56) Tracksuit Warrior – ‘Suit Up and GO’

03 Suit up and GO by Tracksuit Warrior 


55) This Club – ‘I Won’t Worry’

I Won't Worry by This Club 


54) Leaders Of Men – ‘Up Against The Wall’

Up Against The Wall by leadersofmen 


53) Ghost Estates – ‘Paris'

Paris by GHOST ESTATES


52) British Sea Power –‘Mongk II’

British Sea Power - Mongk II by Brett Chapman


 51) REID – ‘Genesis'

Genesis by REID 


 50) SOnance HOtel – ‘Living Is For Dreaming’

Living Is For Dreaming by sonancehotel


49) Patrick Wolf – ‘Time Of My Life’

Patrick Wolf - Time Of My Life by infinityyeah 


48) The Vaccines – ‘Post Break Up Sex’

Post Break-Up Sex by The Vaccines 


47) The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – ‘Heart In Your Heartbreak’

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak by Slumberland Records 


46) Bibio – ‘K Is For Kelson’

Bibio - K is for Kelson (taken from 'Mind Bokeh') by Warp Records 


45) Millionyoung – ‘On and On'

  MillionYoung - On On by DBF Music 


44) We Are Losers – ‘Sunset Song’

We Are Losers - Sunset Song by i-con  


43) The Minutes - 'Black Keys'

Black Keys by The Minutes  


42) Oh Land - 'Sun Of A Gun'
Oh Land - Sun of a Gun by infinityyeah 


41) Dogs – ‘Underbeats'
 
Underbeats by DOGS

STL's Weekly Listening Post (Week Ending 16/1)

There's an awful lot of new music out there...loads like. 

So, with that in mind, here's a little round up of the new tunes which have pleased STLs ears over the last 7 days.

It's far from exhaustive but you may just find something you enjoy and as ever, suggestions are very welcome.
___________________________________________________________________________________


Million Young - 'On On'  

Tucking into Replicants, the new album from Florida based Million Young, has left my ears feeling warm and fuzzy and 'On On' is a stuttering scorcher of a track which seems custom made for a thousand car ads. 
Listen now before you get sick of hearing it along side the latest Toyota model...
  MillionYoung - On On by Vicente P




Oh Land - 'Son Of A Gun' 

Danish popstress Oh Land has been lighting up the blogosphere in recent months with her brand of electro-pop splendour, and this is the opening track from her excellent debut EP.
  Oh Land - Sun of a Gun by infinityyeah 




Moths - 'Blisters' 

17-year-old Jack Colleran has been attracting a bit of attention lately thanks to these sprawling electro numbers, with Nialler9 profiling him during the week. 17? I could barely tie my shoe-laces at that age, let alone make music this good.
  blisters by MOTHS


 
Squarehead - '(-_-)' (Adebisi Shank Cover) 

Anything these Rathmines lads touch as of late seems to turn to gold. This track will feature on the upcoming Quarter Inch Quompilation, which will see a dozen artists covering their favourite songs of 2010. After hearing Kid Karate's brilliant cover of Tinie Tempah's 'Pass Out', we now have this trio adding sun-kissed vocals and a washed out haze to Adebisi's little creation.
  Squarehead - (-_-) (Adebisi Shank Cover) by Quarter Inch Collective


 
British Sea Power - 'Mongk II' 

A jazzed up version of Mongk (which originally appeared on the Zeus EP), from the eternal cult band's latest - Valhalla Dancehall. Valhalla is no "Do You Like Rock Music?" but it's growing on me with ever listen and this driven straight up number is a definite highlight..."I don't believe in you but you believe in me"
  British Sea Power - Mongk II by jpnarc




This Other Kingdom - 'Tears'

A touching piano-led lament from these very new Dublin newcomers.
  Tears by This Other Kingdom 




Battle for 2nd Place - 'Say it ain't So' 
Mayo songstress Orla Prendergast elevates this slice of power pop from the Glasgow four-piece, with soaring, sweeping vocals.
  Battlefor2ndPlace-Say-it-aint-So by StopTheLights 

STL's Top Songs of 2010: 40 - 21

The Morning Benders get prepared for their placement on the list

Following on from Part One, here's the second installment of STL's favourite tracks from 2010, counting down from 40 - 21.


 




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40) Kid Karate – Feel For You

Urgent, synth-rock from a band more renowned for their TV screen debut on Fade St ("and you fuck off") than their music career. It's impact wanes on repeated listens but that first listen is a knock-out blow.
Feel For You by KidKarate

 
39) Morrissey - Happy Lovers United

The re-released Bona Drag album unearthed this gem from the vaults, bringing dry self deprecation, and a jangly, simple tune, all the way from 1988.



38) British Sea Power – Zeus

Rollicking title track from the EP which bodes well for next years new album.

 

37) Broken Bells – The High Road
 
Like The Shins on acid, this is the glorious result of a collaboration between Danger Mouse and James Mervers, the lead singer of ...er...The Shins.

 

36) Avi Buffallo – What’s in it for?

Lo-fi, summery tune from another Sub Pop disciple.

 

35) Perfume Genius - Learning 

Fragile and emotive work from Seattle resident Mike Hadreas. He wrote his haunting debut as a cathartic act to purge his own demons and has deservedly seen it gain international attention as a result.

 

34) Apparatjik - Antlers

Going against the trend that all supergroups need be loud and brash, the members of Coldplay, A-Ha and Mew combine to form a decidedly Scandinavian, tranquil sound.

 

33) Cathy Davy – Little Red

What a voice. Cathy Davey's work doesn't always hit home with me but this is a magical retelling of the childhood classic.



32) Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip – Get Better

If the duo's second album didn't quite reach the majestic heights of the debut overall, it came mightily close on occasion and most notably on the lead single - a call to arms for a broken society from a genius wordsmith, which is engulfed in a sumptuous beat. Their gig at The Workman's Club was a highlight of the year also.


 
31) Darwin Deez - Constellations

The title may allude to vast scope and infinite possibilities but this is in effect a simple, low key and unashamedly funky pop song. Extra points for that tache also.



30) Somadrone – Vapours

Redneck manifesto member Neil O'Conner has been a mainstay in the Irish music scene for quite some time now and the latest release under his Somadrone guise, Depths of Field, has been well received across the board. This is the most accessible slice from an album brimming with texture and intricacies.

Somadrone - Vapours by Somadrone


29) Cults – Go Outside

Arriving with virtually no information, this song swept into our ears with little fanfare, leaving the flowing, joyous melody to do the job instead.



28) Warpaint – Undertow

The all-female indie hipsters attracted equal amounts of love and derision this year but there's no denying the virtue of this hazy, mid-tempo, lead single.



27) Halves – Growing and Glow

Halves debut is an incredibly rich and rewarding experience; akin to finding yourself lost in the most detailed of forests, with a fascinating sight at every turn.

Growing & Glow by halves


26) James Vincent McMorrow – This Dark Old Machine

McMorrow's debut is an alluring affair, and in truth there could be half a dozen songs in this spot. That this song has grown on me so much in recent times is an indication of the album's depth and its enduring appeal from a singer-songwriter whose recent success is well deserved.



25) Tame Impala – Solitude is Bliss

Trippy and symphonic, never has a video reflected the songs content so well.

 

24) Spies – Liars Call Me King 

The finest cut from a triumphant debut EP from this Dublin five-piece, who bear a slight resemblance with The National's heavier output. Brooding and strident riffs combine to underpin a wonderful concoction of baritone vocals and lyrics which are drenched in romanticism and intelligent introspection.

Download their debut EP for free over at Bandcamp

 


23) Pepper Rabbit – Older Brother

The soft strum of a ukulele, sun drenched vocals and a joyous climatic chorus: perfection.

 

22) Deerhunter – Revival

A captivating, sauntering tale from the outstandingly dreamy new LP.

 

21) Morning Benders - Excuses

Beautiful and joyous to the nth degree, this tale of lovers trying to rekindle those precious first moments is as emotive and stirring as it sounds.

New Release: British Sea Power to release new EP

Those wonderful purveyors of artful indie rock, British Sea Power, are back with a new EP - Zeus! Their first release since last year's niche-soundtrack 'Man of Aran', it's good to see BSP back to basics and doing what they do best with the title track arriving as a sweeping, epic anthem.

Billed by the band as a 'wild and wunderbar-wonky precursor' to the band’s fourth studio album' which is set for release in 2011, it's good to see that BSP have enough material under their belt to allow for such a release and if they can go some way to matching 2008's 'Do You Like Rock Music?', then we're in for a treat.

Zeus is out from Monday and you can listen to the title track from HERE now.