I come across feels like striking gold. To carry that metaphor way too far, 2011 feels a lot like 1849—there’s been so much good music alrea...
I come across feels like striking gold. To carry that metaphor way too far, 2011 feels a lot like 1849—there’s been so much good music already in this first quarter. Here are 25 songs that make me dance like Yosemite Sam. (I told you I was going to take that metaphor too far.)
This list includes songs from albums that haven’t been released yet, as long as the song was released in the first quarter of 2011.
25. Kurt Vile – “Jesus Fever”
The Philadelphia singer/songwriter’s fourth album Smoke Ring For My Halo is full of bright melodies and darker lyrics. It’s a throwback to early college rock that makes me want to play it on cassette.
The Philadelphia singer/songwriter’s fourth album Smoke Ring For My Halo is full of bright melodies and darker lyrics. It’s a throwback to early college rock that makes me want to play it on cassette.
24. The Dodos – “Black Night”
The propulsive drums for which The Dodos have become known are unrelenting in the first single from the band’s fourth album No Color.
The propulsive drums for which The Dodos have become known are unrelenting in the first single from the band’s fourth album No Color.
23. Hey Rosetta! – “Yer Spring”
When Canadian sextet Hey Rosetta! goes on tour, they first have to make the day long drive from their home in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to get to the overnight ferry to the mainland. But through the magic of the Internet, you can listen to the song “Yer Spring”right now!
When Canadian sextet Hey Rosetta! goes on tour, they first have to make the day long drive from their home in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to get to the overnight ferry to the mainland. But through the magic of the Internet, you can listen to the song “Yer Spring”right now!
22. James Vincent McMorrow – “If I Had a Boat”
If it’s simplistic to say McMorrow is Ireland’s answer to Bon Iver, then imagine if an Irishman broke up with his girlfriend, spent some time in the woods of County Wisconsin and wrote this haunting song.
If it’s simplistic to say McMorrow is Ireland’s answer to Bon Iver, then imagine if an Irishman broke up with his girlfriend, spent some time in the woods of County Wisconsin and wrote this haunting song.
21. Typhoon – “The Honest Truth”
I’m a sucker for joyful folk-rock with bombastic horns and a chorus singing the chorus, and this is the best example of that since Elvis Perkins left Dearland.
I’m a sucker for joyful folk-rock with bombastic horns and a chorus singing the chorus, and this is the best example of that since Elvis Perkins left Dearland.
20. Delicate Steve – “The Ballad of Speck and Pebble”
You can hear the guitars smiling on this nearly instrumental, polyrhythmic track from a coupla dudes from New Jersey.
You can hear the guitars smiling on this nearly instrumental, polyrhythmic track from a coupla dudes from New Jersey.
19. Adele – “One & Only”
Adele reaches high on this anthemic ballad. If you have any tolerance for songs that might get played on Top 40 radio (is there still such a thing?), this is good, soulful pop.
Adele reaches high on this anthemic ballad. If you have any tolerance for songs that might get played on Top 40 radio (is there still such a thing?), this is good, soulful pop.
18. The Head and the Heart – “Down in the Valley”
As Andrew Leahey put it in our Best of What’s Next story, “Scruffily handsome folkies are a dime a dozen in Seattle. What differentiates The Head and the Heart from the rest of the flannel-wearing pack is its penchant for mixing rootsy Americana with orchestral, chest-swelling chamber-pop.”
As Andrew Leahey put it in our Best of What’s Next story, “Scruffily handsome folkies are a dime a dozen in Seattle. What differentiates The Head and the Heart from the rest of the flannel-wearing pack is its penchant for mixing rootsy Americana with orchestral, chest-swelling chamber-pop.”
17. Those Darlins – “Be Your Bro”
I liked rockabilly Those Darlins. I love garage rock Those Darlins.
I liked rockabilly Those Darlins. I love garage rock Those Darlins.
16. Tennis – “Marathon”
Absurdist math: Take a couple from land-locked Colorado, add an epic sailing trip and you apparently get a ’50s girl-group with surf-rock guitar.
Absurdist math: Take a couple from land-locked Colorado, add an epic sailing trip and you apparently get a ’50s girl-group with surf-rock guitar.
15. Bright Eyes – “Shell Games”
With his Bright Eyes collaborators in tow, Conor Oberst sounds as energetic as ever.
With his Bright Eyes collaborators in tow, Conor Oberst sounds as energetic as ever.
14. Yuck – “The Wall”
The best don’t-give-a-damn lo-fi guitar rock comes from across the pond with London’s Yuck.
The best don’t-give-a-damn lo-fi guitar rock comes from across the pond with London’s Yuck.
13. The Low Anthem – “Boeing 737”
I fell in love with The Low Anthem’s quiet ballad “Charlie Darwin,” but it’s the rocker off the new record that makes me hit “repeat.”
I fell in love with The Low Anthem’s quiet ballad “Charlie Darwin,” but it’s the rocker off the new record that makes me hit “repeat.”
12. Wye Oak – “Holy Holy”
The way all those "holy"s fall from Jenn Wasner’s lips is righteous indeed.
The way all those "holy"s fall from Jenn Wasner’s lips is righteous indeed.
11. The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”
We wish every band that we declared the Best of What’s Next in 2010 had as good a 2011 as The Civil Wars have had so far, enjoying the highest debut of an independent band in the history of the Billboard charts. They’re great with the ballads, but even better when they take the tempo up a notch.
We wish every band that we declared the Best of What’s Next in 2010 had as good a 2011 as The Civil Wars have had so far, enjoying the highest debut of an independent band in the history of the Billboard charts. They’re great with the ballads, but even better when they take the tempo up a notch.
10. Middle Brother – “Me Me Me”
This year’s superest super-group (with members of Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit) has out-monstered Monsters of Folk.“Daydreaming” and “Blue Eyes” could have also made the list.
This year’s superest super-group (with members of Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit) has out-monstered Monsters of Folk.“Daydreaming” and “Blue Eyes” could have also made the list.
9. Rye Rye – “Sunshine (featuring M.I.A.)”
M.I.A. helped discover Baltimore’s Rye Rye, and she continues the support on this infectious track from the youngster’s long-awaited debut LP.
M.I.A. helped discover Baltimore’s Rye Rye, and she continues the support on this infectious track from the youngster’s long-awaited debut LP.
8. Over the Rhine – “The Laugh of Recognition”
After 20 years, Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiller have only gotten better as songwriters, and the addition of Joe Henry as producer is a match made in the perfect smoky dive.
After 20 years, Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiller have only gotten better as songwriters, and the addition of Joe Henry as producer is a match made in the perfect smoky dive.
7. Seryn – “We Will All Be Changed”
There’s so much restrained joy in this song, it gets exponentially better with every decibel you turn it up.
There’s so much restrained joy in this song, it gets exponentially better with every decibel you turn it up.
6. Iron & Wine – “Tree By the River”
It was difficult picking a favorite from Sam Beam’s latest album Kiss Each Other Clean, but this feel-good sing-along will do nicely.
It was difficult picking a favorite from Sam Beam’s latest album Kiss Each Other Clean, but this feel-good sing-along will do nicely.
5. Lykke Li – “Love Out of Lust”
When I saw Lykke Li years ago at a festival in Norway, I didn’t think she quite lived up to the hype—I saw the as-yet-unheralded Ida Maria right after, and was much more impressed. But the new album is gorgeous, especially this track.
When I saw Lykke Li years ago at a festival in Norway, I didn’t think she quite lived up to the hype—I saw the as-yet-unheralded Ida Maria right after, and was much more impressed. But the new album is gorgeous, especially this track.
4. Peter, Bjorn & John – “Dig a Little Deeper”
Every bit as catchy as “Young Folks,” this song looks to be another summer anthem from the Swedish trio.
Every bit as catchy as “Young Folks,” this song looks to be another summer anthem from the Swedish trio.
3. The Decemberists – “Down By the Water”
Colin Meloy’s ever-more ambitious band stripped away the prog-rock opera for an earthier approach, and it doesn’t get better than this little jaunt featuring Gillian Welch (though “This Is Why We Fight” comes pretty close).
Colin Meloy’s ever-more ambitious band stripped away the prog-rock opera for an earthier approach, and it doesn’t get better than this little jaunt featuring Gillian Welch (though “This Is Why We Fight” comes pretty close).
2. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”
The best song Fleet Foxes has recorded so far is the title track from the band’s upcoming album, due May 3 in the U.S.
The best song Fleet Foxes has recorded so far is the title track from the band’s upcoming album, due May 3 in the U.S.
1. The Belle Brigade – “Losers”
Every so often a song comes around that I need—and thereby the entire office needs— to hear every day for a month. Right now, that’s this anthem from Los Angeles brother/sister, Simon & Garfunkel-loving duo The Belle Brigade.
Every so often a song comes around that I need—and thereby the entire office needs— to hear every day for a month. Right now, that’s this anthem from Los Angeles brother/sister, Simon & Garfunkel-loving duo The Belle Brigade.
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