Best of 2011

Posted: December 31, 2011 | Author: hayleyffox | Filed under: Features |Leave a comment »

This year has seen a lot on the music front. New bands, reforming old bands, kind of new bands and unheard of bands that need to be heard. The ever-growing ‘cool’ aura surrounding the festival fields just keeps getting noisier and shows no signs to stopping in 2012 (apart from Glasto, but it’ll be back.) I think everyone’s starting to merge boundaries to discover good music that might not necessarily be their cuppa, which is always good. Artists are also doing this and it’s having a big impact on terms of influences on their work.

I’ve been fortunate enough to interview some great people this year and have been to some amazing shows, my personal highlight being Hurts at Somerset House and Example at Brixton Academy. Two very different scenarios, but you know when an artist is worthy when they can have the entire crowd in their clutches for the night.

Looking back over 2011, there’s been some defining records made this year from new artists, showing why they’ve been ‘hyped’ and simply just showing their talent. We’ve also had some albums from older artists, proving that their time is not over yet. For many of these second or third albums made, it’s been some of their best material.

2012 is set to be as exciting, lots of albums due and it will be interesting to see who actually makes the cut. So here’s my top tens…

Top 10 albums of 2011:

1. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? – The Vaccines

2. Pala – Friendly Fires

3. James Blake – James Blake

4. Playing In The Shadows – Example

5. Hunger – Frankie and The Heartstrings

6. Mona – Mona

7. No.5 Collaborations Project – Ed Sheeran

8. Torches – Foster The People

9. Skying – The Horrors

10. Lateness of The Hour – Alex Clare

Top 10 tracks of 2011:

1. All In White – The Vaccines

2. Life Is Life – Noah and The Whale

3. Natural Disaster – Example & Laidback Luke

4. Wax – Theme Park

5. Everything Happens For A Reason – The King Blues

6. You Rascal You – Hanni El Khatib

7. Life On The Nickel – Foster The People

8. I Told You Once – Howler

9. Re-Wired – Kasabian

10. Night Air – Jamie Woon

Tips for 2012:

Spector

Zulu Winter

Outfit

King Charles

Happy New Year one and all x

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