2011: My Most Played Tracks

It’s nearly the end of 2011, so of course it’s time for all of those year-end lists. Some are new tracks, most are old favorites, but all are fantastic listens. Here’s my list of most played tracks of 2011:

1. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – The Death of You and Me

2011 marked the return of my absolute favorite musician to the limelight, Noel Gallagher. As the chief songwriting force behind Britpop mega-band, Oasis, he coined masterpieces like: Live Forever, Wonderwall, Slide Away, Don’t Look Back In Anger, Acquiesce, Champagne Supernova, Stop Crying Your Heart Out and many more.

This past summer, he announced that he’d be releasing not one, but two solo albums in the coming year. “The Death of You and Me” is the first solo single & I think you’ll agree that it’s pretty freaking awesome.  

 2. Belle and Sebastian – Funny Little Frog

Not quite sure exactly what it was about this song to make me latch on to it so much this year. It’s damn catchy, peppy, puts you in a good mood & plus, it’s just about the coolest song about the Virgin Mary. It’ll make you want to dance…while cleaning. 

3. Kula Shaker – Winter’s Call

No song is complete without an organ, and if you can’t have that, then you at least need a gospel choir of some sort. Kula Shaker has long been one of my favorites in regard to adding an organ in a way it seems only the Doors have truly been successful at doing. “Winter’s Call” is so hauntingly beautiful. It’s a dirge that sucks you in and pulls you back out again slowly. And you want out, you’ll find yourself rocking slowly, like you can make it through even the darkest of nights. March on!

4. The Stone Roses – Made Of Stone

It’s official, this is my favorite song. No idea why it’s taken me this long.

Don’t these times, fill your eyes?

5. Pulp – Mis-Shapes

We want your homes,
We want your lives,
We want the things you won’t allow us.
We won’t use guns,
We won’t use bombs,
We’ll use the one thing we’ve got more of - that’s our minds. 

I think that’s pretty fitting for a year filled with revolutions, occupy movements and all sorts of general protest.

6. Chrome Pony – Everything All the Time (Feat. Crystal Vision)

By far, my favorite local act. A friend of mine & I saw Chrome Pony with Crystal Vision at a show in Norman over a year ago. We had no idea who/what they were, but when the music started & we were subject to the incredible stage presence of the Chrome Pony, we knew we’d found something. Truly amazing and damn catchy music, plus, he’s a damn rockstar on stage!

7. Hey Rosetta! – New Goodbye

I can’t remember where I heard this group first (probably from The Spy), but this song has latched on to my soul. The end of this song, with the chorus singing & overwhelming layers of sound envelopes your being and leaves you with a warm fuzzy.

8. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – If I Had a gun

Did I mention that Noel Gallagher released his first solo album this year? Oh, yeah, I did. Well, here’s another single from that album, and my favorite from it, “If I Had a Gun”.

I’m waiting for the moment for my heart to be unbroken by the sea.

9. Born Ruffians – I Need a Life

First heard this song when Born Ruffians opened for Franz Ferdinand at the House of Blue in Dallas. This quirky bunch gave life to one of my favorite albums, Red, Yellow or Blue. It’s definitely a fun song to do a lil dance to.

10. New Order – Age of Consent

I do love me some New Order. Not sure if it’s possible to have too much New Order in your record collection. Joy Division, maybe…I mean there are really only so many versions of “Transmission” one can handle. But New Order always seems to get it right in terms of balance. The right amount of angst and contentment always seems to be present in their recordings.