Favorite Album of 2011 (3-1)

I can not stress enough that all three of these albums are worthy of being called my favorite album of the year. They are the epitome of "all killer, no filler." If you are not hip and don't get what that means; each track on the album is a killer song, and none of the tracks are "filler" just to have enough tracks to make an album. Dummy.


3. Viva Brother, Famous First Words

Famous First Words is probably my favorite album name of the year. Releasing your first CD and naming it Famous First Words is a stroke of genius. Not too surprisingly, I happened to be listening to WBRU the first time they ever played Viva Brother on the radio. Their first single, "Darling Buds of May" is such a ridiculous song, but catchy as hell and I found my girlfriend and myself singing along before the song was over. It wasn't long before I purchased the CD and was very impressed. Famous First Words is a perfect mixture of ten beautiful, exciting, fist-pumping tunes, and put together in such a nice neat little package. Maybe it is because it is only ten songs, but this CD always seems to fly by. I pop it into my CD player, NEVER hit the skip button, and way too soon it is back to number one again. I suppose the only problem I have with it is I wish it had two more tracks.
I had the pleasure of seeing them in concert a few months back at The Met, which is a VERY small venue. They killed it, and even though I was probably the only fool singing alone to every single song, they got the small crowd pumped up in no time at all.
I hope the these guys move to the States for good and release another album real soon because if not I may have to fly to Slough, England to get my Viva Brother fix.

BUY THIS ALBUM. Or steal it. I don't care. Just get it.

"New Year's Day" - If this song was officially release, it would probably be my favorite song of the year. It technically still is, but it can't make my favorite songs of the year list because of the strict guidelines that the owner of this site (me) puts on "Top Songs of the Year" lists.
Also, what is the over/under for how many times I listen to this song on New Years Day? I would say about 200.

"Time Machine" - I wish I had a time machine to take me back to October, 18th 2011 at The Met, the Viva Brother concert.

"Darling Buds of May" - "it is what it is" is my least favorite quote of all time, but when Viva Brother sings it, I love it.






2. Foo Fighters, Wasting Light

Unlike Viva Brother, Foo Fighters do not need me to talk about what a terrific band they are. I don't care if you like Rock music or not, if you can't admit how talented Foo Fighters are then you deserve to permanently lose your hearing.
I know this may be a bold statement to make, seeing as Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands of all time, but I think Wasting Light is my favorite Foo Fighters album ever. And I LOVE just about all Foo Fighters albums. Besides "White Limo", which kind of scares me, every single track could be a hit single on the radio. "Rope", "Walk", and "These Days" were three huge radio hits, but it could just as easily have been "Back & Forth" which is impossible to listen to and not start moving your body back and forth, "A Matter of Time" which sounds much like old school Foo Fighters to me, or the epic, Kurt Cobain (Grohl's former band mate in Nirvana.) tribute, "I Should Have Known" which is about the suicide of his friend. The song also features Nirvana's other band mate, Krist Novoselic on bass and accordion, which is the coolest thing ever.
If "Rope", "Walk", and "These Days" still did not convince you to buy the album, you probably are not ever going to buy it, but you are missing out on a future classic album. I actually bought the Vinyl, CD, and downloaded "Rope" before the album was released. I know, I have issues.

I am not sure why, but I am obsessed with all Foo Fighters videos, no matter how simple they may be. "Rope"

"Walk" - OK, this is why I am obsessed with all Foo Fighter videos. I remember now.

"One of these days, your heart will stop and play its final beat" - Foo Fighters, "These Days"

PLEASE, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please watch this. This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The Kurt Cobain tribute song "I Should Have Known" on David Letterman, IN BLACK AND WHITE!!!!!




1. Grouplove, Never Trust a Happy Song

               Grouplove's Never Trust a Happy Song and Foo Fighters Wasting Light went back and forth until the very end for the title. Literally, just this last second I made up my final decision. I think the ultimate reason I decided to put Foo at number two and give number one to Grouplove is because I have known Foo Fighters for so long and knew that I was going to obsess over their album before it even came out. With Grouplove, however, I never knew they existed before they released this debut album. Let's say this: if Wasting Light was Foo Fighters first album, I would have dropped dead of excitement. Never Trust a Happy Song utterly shocked me with how amazing it is.
               It often takes me a very long time to get through the entire album because I usually play each track multiple times. The album is an amazing combination of songs, all of which are quite different, but one is just as mesmerizing as the next.
"Colours" was a huge hit this year, and "Tongue Tied" is now continuing to make its way up the charts.

 

"Colours"

                                                                        "Tongue Tied"

 I personally think the fun clap-along "Naked Kids" will be a top ten song if released. It is modern and sounds very similar to many of the alt. rock tracks that make it in the billboard top ten.

"Chloe" could make Ebenezer Scrooge smile like a little kid on Christmas morning, and make a 95 year old man get up and start dancing.

"Chloe" - Tell me that is not incredible.

And "Cruel and Beautiful World" is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard in my entire life.

I honestly could rave about every track on the album and would not do it justice. Hopefully by me placing the album at number one proves to you how terrific it is and persuaded some of you to pick it up. There is no excuse for you to not own this album. I'll even buy the damn thing for you, you cheap bastards.
GET IT!



Right after Christmas I will return with my highly anticipated, annual list of my top 50 songs of the year. This year, however, there will be a major new twist in the countdown! You'll just have to wait a few days and see what it is!

Merry Christmas all.

Rock on!~