Wednesday, January 11, 2012

everyone on the count of three!

 
We spent christmas in Arizona. It was so warm! I think the 10-11 hour drive between Salt Lake and Phoenix is so fun. The kids watch some Redbox movies, Jamie listens to a book on his ipod (Crossed - we both hated it but Ky Markham is still a babe), and I listen to music and take the occasional picture of the desert. Somewhere between Beaver and Page, i decided my favorite songs of the year. (Beirut's The Rip Tide was my favorite album.)

1. Shell Games - Bright Eyes (The People's Key)
2. Sante Fe - Beirut (The Rip Tide)
3. The Wolves - Ben Howard (Every Kingdom)
4. Calgary - Bon Iver (Bon Iver)
5. Sparrow and the Wolf - James V McMorrow (Early in the Morning)
6. Lost in My Mind - The Head and the Heart (The Head...Heart)
7. Someone Like You - Adele (21)*
8. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes (Helplessness Blues)
9. Me and Lazarus - Iron & Wine (Kiss Each Other Clean)
10. 20 Years - The Civil Wars (Barton Hollow)

I have yet to even check out the new Feist, Decemberists, Black Keys, or Ryan Adams. Where are my priorities? I'm sure they'd make the list too!

Does anyone else love that Bright Eyes song as much as me? Did anyone even like the new Iron & Wine besides me? Does anyone else listen to the Bon Iver album and think Phil Collins? (Kate brought that to my attention.) It would make me so happy if we could discuss music on my blog. Please and thanks.

ETA: Songs that should also be on this list, high up: Paradise- Coldplay (Mylo Xyloto), Somebody That You Used To Know- Gotye (Making Mirrors), and Golden Baby- Coeur de Pirate (Blonde). Woops!

20 comments:

kylee said...

such a good list of 2011 tunes. so pleased to see bon iver on there! [he's my all time fav] and i'm glad to see the head & the heart toooo! the new ryan adams is bomb. i have yet to listen to the new black keys as well. gosh i hate being behind in music. as great as iron & wine's newest album was i have to admit i love the older stuff better. when i went to the concert a while back i was disappointed becuase i was hoping for some more older stuff. even worse though was missing the head & the heart open - i secretly went for them moreso than iron & wine.

Will @ Bright.Bazaar said...

Your shots of the desert are inspiring me so much as it's very cold here in London! Thanks for sharing them!

kate said...

So here's the deal with Bright Eyes. I'm not a fan (wait wait.) When Graham and I were newly married he listened to it ALL the time. ALL the time. I'm a HUGE vocal person and for some reason Conner's voice drives me crazy. Every now and then I'll listen and think.. "Yep, I like them" and then ask to turn it off.

Black Keys is rocking, Decemberist album was one of their better ones is my humble opinion, and Ryan Adams sounds like all of his other ones.

And I clearly have all my priorties wrong. Music music music. According to my brother I'm superficial because I care about music to much.. Eh. whatev.

(and this computer doesn't give me glaring red warnings with spelling errors so please forgive if there are many.)

whew.. novel of a post!

kate said...

Oh, and beautiful photos! I miss the desert sometimes.

meg said...

Such pretty photos and I'm liking your playlist. You're not the only one who loves that Bright Eye's song! I love that song and the rest of The People's Key album.

From now on I will think Phil Collins when listening to Bon Iver. HA! Such a funny comparison.

abby said...

Kylee- I like the old Iron & Wine better too. If you love Bon Iver I think you would love James Vincent McMorrow. He's like Justin Vernon combined with Ray Lamontagne. Really good!

Will- Thanks! A cold day in London sounds pretty dreamy.

Kate- I am not the biggest Bright Eyes fan that ever lived, but sometimes he gets it SO right. I could listen to that song 15 times in a row and still be excited about it! But I get what you mean. What did you think of my Adele pick? :) I do think she is overhyped, or actually more like overplayed. And I love that you're so in touch with the music scene. I don't think it's superficial at all!

abby said...

Meg- haha. Sorry for ruining it for you! Or making it more amazing...

amyegodfrey said...

The photos are great! Unfortunately for me, I haven't a clue who these musical artists are you mention.

Anonymous said...

Well then Amye, look 'em up.

abby said...

I think Anonymous just dissed you, Mom.

abby said...

Totally forgot about Ellie Goulding's version of "Your Song." That should be on the list.

kate said...

I agree on two points: Bright Eyes get's it right and he get's it SO right. And other times... he's kind of whiney... And I think Iron and Wine's old stuff it better.

This was a interesting year for me musically. I seriously could not get enough Bob Dylan (?) twangy, obscure, banjo music and all... it was weird. I guess he plays in Jackson Hole every summer and I totally want to go...

kelly said...

let's just go back to high school and listen to incubus.
(did i ever tell you i was hardcore incubus?)
their new album is great. true story, one that come with no shame.

robin said...

theoretically i am way into music. theroetically.

but honestly, new music scares me. i know there's so much good stuff out there but i just don't do anything about it. i feel that to truly love an artist or group i have to know EVERYTHING about them and know ALL their songs. so i get intimidated. i am insane.

so i listen to my old favorites. i am LOVING cake's newest album. and the kids dig it too. and the new coldplay. we love it.

i don't know anything about bright eyes except thats they (connor) sing my favorite song ever. first day of my life.

and adele is amazing. another kid favorite.

Archibald Maximilion said...

I have just read through your entire blog from beginning to end! I was completely hooked after discovering you through Amanda Jane's blog and just wanted to say what a delight it has been following your GORGEOUS family and reading your very cool, very funny and very real posts. Greetings from New Zealand and thanks for brightening my day!

carla thorup said...

i'm so glad you included links so i could listen to all of them. it's embarrassing how out of the music scene i've become.

i have a hard time listening to bright eyes because of that whiny voice.

and my favorites from this list were The Wolves, Calgary, and Lost in my Mind.

the desert is so pretty.

Veronica said...

I like your list a lot. Feist is reallly good, so is Ryan Adams (plus Mandy Moore sings with him a little so what's not to like about that). Also Florence + the Machine. If I could remember anything before two months ago I could probably tell you more stuff I liked, but you got most of it listed here anyway. I need to get around to listening to more Civil Wars because that was a good song.

Veronica said...

Oh and I liked Adele's album a lot too, so sue me.

angela hardison said...

that's a really great list. i think beirut was my favorite album of the year too. fleet foxes was a close second. i happened to love a few of the iron & wine songs, a lot, so you're not alone.

i didn't even know bright eyes had a new album?! haven't really listened to them for years but maybe i need to check it out.

and please tell me you've seen the SNL skit for adele's someone like you.

abby said...

yes! i saw it just last night and died!

i think you all have great musical taste.