Friday, December 30, 2011

A year in retrospect (or my poor excuse to write a 'Best of 2011' music post)

I've moved three times in the last eleven months – DC, Austin, Chicago – and each brings with it some fond music nostalgia. Combined with it being that time of the year for 'Best of 2011' type posts, thus, a 'Best of 2011' blog is born.

Part 1: DC, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the politicos

First, a National Mall/North East Capitol Hill/U st./National Gallery of Art/Lucky Bar/Ben's Chili Bowl/Tryst/9:30 Club/Cherry Blossom Festival/Teddy Roosevelt Island/Prime Meridian Hill-shout out, wha-what!

In the DC phase of this year, I was really into singles, especially ones that made me want to hop around and dance during my morning commutes on the Metro. Sadly, this sort of thing is frowned upon in DC (but all the more reason to do it, in my opinion).

"Animal" - Miike Snow


"Lost in the World" - Kanye West (Feat. Bon Iver)


Part 2: The Lone Star State Strikes Back

First, a Zilker Park/Sonic/Highland Mall/Trivia Night/Spider House/Magnolia Cafe/Barbarella's/Amayas/6th St-shout out, wha-what!

Oh, Austin. I specifically remember riding out one of the worst droughts in Texas history driving in my dad's car with failing AC listening to tUnE-yArDs and public radio. I still get a bit sweaty thinking about how hot that summer was.

"Powa" - tUnE-yArDs


"Kid Logic" - This American Life


Part 3: Is it pronounced Chi-cago or Shi-cago?

First, a Willis Tower/Lincoln Hall/Second City/Deep Dish/Promontory Point/Art Institue/Bourgeois Pig/Fisher Building/Dinkel's Bakery-shout out, wha what!

I've been absorbing as much of the midwest culture as I can. Sufjan is the best example of a muscian who obesses over writing songs about a geographic location, the culmination of this being 'Come on! Feel the Illinoise!' From the album alone, I have enough knowledge about the state to pass a grade school Illinoise history exam, this summarized in the sentence, 'Stephen A. Douglas was a great debater, but Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator.' Love it.

"Jacksonville" - Sufjan Stevens (filmed at ACL - my Austin and Chicago worlds collide)


"The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders" - Sufjan Stevens


2011, it's been a pleasure, an absolute pleasure.

See you next year, folks!