Best thing you heard all year?

[russycarps]

No need to worry chief.

Aged 52!!

[The Nal]

Are you sure that's recent??

Edited December 6, 2011 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

Here she is from a heavily photoshopped promo shot of the Bangles reunion tour last year.

corrected for you.

[The Nal]

corrected for you.

[russycarps]

wait this is a different girl, hope sandoval wasnt in the damn bangles!

[Wooderson]

Hope has lost a little of the Natasha-Kinski-otherworldly beauty but still a striking and spectral performer.

[Wooderson]

I _adore_ "Yes it Is"

[thegremlin_1999]

Hmm. Might try it again then. Last 2 definitely disappointed me. And Watershed isn't my grail of Opeth albums, that goes to Blackwater Park, definitely.

[Mardy]

This year has been proper exceptional for music, a ridiculous amount of really good albums. I can't remember a year that has had so many good releases

Wild Beasts

Metronomy

Decemberists

Nicolas Jaar

The Head & the Heart

Bon Iver

Beirut

Kate Bush

Tom Waits

The Horrors

Scroobius Pip

Josh Pearson

+ loads more

I know I'll get shouted down for this, cos obviously the best year for music was that one where you had a full head of hair and could fit into a pair of 32" jeans, but seriously this has been a very very good year.

[russycarps]

This year has been proper exceptional for music, a ridiculous amount of really good albums. I can't remember a year that has had so many good releases

Wild Beasts

Metronomy

Decemberists

Nicolas Jaar

The Head & the Heart

Bon Iver

Beirut

Kate Bush

Tom Waits

The Horrors

Scroobius Pip

Josh Pearson

+ loads more

I know I'll get shouted down for this, cos obviously the best year for music was that one where you had a full head of hair and could fit into a pair of 32" jeans, but seriously this has been a very very good year.

[Wooderson]

Mardy have you been drinking?? there are a lot of 5/10 albums in that list.

*struggles to do up 34" jeans*

[The Nal]

Albums of the year for me:

Ry Cooder - Pull Up some Dust and Sit Down

Tom Waits - Bad As Me

Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit

Wilco - The Whole Love

I did like PJ Harveys latest and The Black Keys too. but I've only really heard them once so far.

Also, I gave Bon Iver's album a listen, but its like drowsy formula NyQuil for ears.

Live song of the year:

Art of Almost by Wilco. In Berlin.

Edited December 7, 2011 by The Nal

[The Nal]

only just got the Ry Cooder album... much better than I thought it'd be

Edited December 7, 2011 by The Nal

[russycarps]

that PJ harvey one really grates on you after a few listens I found. Nowhere near her best. Though i'm not a fan of "look at me! look at me! I hate war and stuff!!" albums

[lifelessfool]

I've not had much chance to listen to new bands or the money to go to gigs this year, having becoming somewhat a proper person it became too much a full time job and keeping up with the kids,

However Best live acts

Flaming lips Jodrell bank, possibly best live experience ever

Thurston Moore

The Cure

Chairlift

Best albums

Metronomy

Girls

[lifelessfool]

I've not had much chance to listen to new bands or the money to go to gigs this year, having becoming somewhat a proper person it became too much a full time job and keeping up with the kids,

However Best live acts

Flaming lips Jodrell bank, possibly best live experience ever

Thurston Moore

The Cure

Chairlift

Best albums

Metronomy

Girls

[eFestivals]

a couple of classic oldies from this oldie...

The Abyssinians. Probably the best reggae vocal trio in the world (and there's some stiff competition: the Wailers, The Maytals, etc).

Johnnie Clarke.

[fred quimby]

I have been enjoying Little Dragons Ritual Union this year

Ghostpoet has floated my boat as well

Missed Hope at the Big Chill a few years back, which is to my eternal shame (see what I did there with the bangles reference)

Edited December 7, 2011 by fred quimby

[kaosmark2]

Lyrically its absolutely brilliant. Didn't really get me until the 3rd or 4th listen. Nice to hear it come out of America amid a sea of banality and mediocrity album wise. Mainstream anyway. (Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters etc)

[kaosmark2]

that PJ harvey one really grates on you after a few listens I found. Nowhere near her best. Though i'm not a fan of "look at me! look at me! I hate war and stuff!!" albums

[The Nal]

I quite enjoyed the new Foos album myself, certainly a lot beter than the last couple.

[fred quimby]

a couple of classic oldies from this oldie...

The Abyssinians. Probably the best reggae vocal trio in the world (and there's some stiff competition: the Wailers, The Maytals, etc).

Johnnie Clarke.

[Ed209]

I quite enjoyed the new Foos album myself, certainly a lot beter than the last couple.

[Ed209]

Discovered The Sword while supporting Kyuss in Texas. Its fairly old school but dudes rocked hard. Ear bleeding stuff. New album "warp riders" is really good if you like your music with lot of riffs and lots of hair.

[Wooderson]

Something that captured the imagination during the last month or so was dead.net's "30 Days of Dead". Official & free d/l here for those interested.

http://www.dead.net/30DaysOfDead/

As regards a single memorable song from 2011. "Caramel" by John Grant.