SO LONG, 2011
Instead of telling you what we thought were the best albums, movies, and all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets of 2011, we're just gonna toss a few things at you that might have flown below your radar.
MUSIC: Part 1
Dan Mangan - About As Helpful As You Can Be Without Being Any Help At All
- FUCKED UP "David Comes Alive" :: Love this band. This is just a huge sprawling concept album and it's full of all the skull-crushing intensity you've come to expect from these guys. It's also got a great little story buried in the lyrics and despite the album's length, once I start it, it's hard to stop.
- STRANGE BOYS "Live Music" :: These guys have cleaned up their sound quite a bit since their 2009 debut, "...and Girls Club" and it suits them very nicely. The songs are just as catchy, but with a little less tin can and a little more instrumentation. They've always had a place in my collection right next to ESP favs, BLACK LIPS, who also exhibited a more polished sound this year on Arabia Mouintain.
- ALKALINE TRIO "Damnesia" :: One of my favorite pop-punk bands of the 90s, AT3 are still chugging and decided to do something a little different with their much earned "best of" collection this year. They completely re-recorded their best songs, and two new ones, fully acoustic and to incredible results. I shared this album with a multitude of fans that have since moved on and it won them over all over again.
MUSIC: Part 2
- WU LYF "Go Tell Fire on the Mountain":: I wrote about these guys a couple months ago, but if you missed it, you have got to give this album a spin. Like nothing else released this year, it combines soaring guitars akin to Explosions in the Sky, marching band percussion, world beat arrangements, and half nonsense vocals delivered with punk rock's hoarse urgency. Truly visceral.
- FOOL'S GOLD "Leave No Trace" :: This LA band is tough to pin down. Since their 2009 debut, they've trimmed the lineup down, and added a new wavey dimension to their signature afro-pop sensibilities. Light synths and electronic blips are now laid under their clean sprinkley guitar licks and hand percussion. The grooves remain, however, and while there might not be a distinct standout like Surprise Hotel off their last album, I think a more rounded package is delivered here and it makes for one of my favorite albums of the year.
- THE STREETS "computers and blues" :: I make no bones about loving The Streets and I'm going to miss this project dearly. After nearly 9 years, Mike Skinner vowed this would be his last release under The Streets moniker. Over the course of his 5 proper albums Skinner has taken us on the journey from being a young London geez that rises to prominence, then on to international celebrity, to self-destructive falling star, and finally inner peace and the new perspective of fatherhood. His output has been spotty since 2004's stellar "A Grand Don't Come For Free," but "computers and blues" ends on a relieving high note with some of Skinner's best material as The Streets.
- Nicolas Jaar "Space is the Only Noise" :: As far as electronic music in 2011 went, it was pretty much James Blake and everything else.... but newcomer, Nicolas Jaar, quietly released an incredibly sparse album that pushes around huge amounts of air and creates haunting soundscapes that I keep returning to. This is an album for quietly working, late at night, all night long and has been a companion to me since its release last January. I can't wait to see what this kid does next.
MUSIC: Part 3
- FOUR TET "Fabriclive 59" :: Legendary club fabric in London has a series of DJ sets from the most notable names on the planet entitled "Fabriclive" and Four Tet was tapped for the 59th installment this year. His seamless set of two-step, house, and the more artful side of dubstep got a ton of spins at the pad this year. Really great, and timely stuff, all on one mix, from one of the world's best DJs. The closing track below is incredible.
- COUNTERPARTS "The Current Will Carry Us" :: The sea of Warped Tour metalcore, nu-hardcore, and screamo acts is one full of mediocrity and down right terrible hair cuts, but I was happy to find a few beacons of hope this year with Counterparts being a standout. Relative newcomers to the scene, and far less douchey than most of their contemporaries, the Ontario act has balls and puts musicianship above image delivering performances with an undeniable intensity. The fact this is only their second album is incredibly promising and while I came across it a little later in the year, I'm confident its gonna remain in rotation well into 2012 and beyond. Can't wait to check these guys out live.
MOVIES
I loved every minute of HUGO and can't believe how many people haven't seen this movie yet. It's also worth every penny to see the film in 3D as Martin Scorsese trades the overused cheap antics of the technology for depth and a pop-up book effect that further immerses you in the enrapturing tale. GO SEE THIS NOW IN 3D. You will not be sorry.
ATTACK THE BLOCK, from the producers of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, was predictably awesome and if you haven't seen it or know little about it, you're in for a treat. I wrote more about it HERE.
My favorite documentary of the year had to be BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK. Another film I wrote about earlier, it follows the career of famed New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham around the city as he ruminates on an amazing career and even more amazing life. A truly touching tale about a living legend.
FOOD
ONE EARED STAG opened this year and not only delivered a couple of our favorite meals, but also accommodated us with impeccable service for a private party we held there. Robert Phalen is a true visionary and his food sings with a passion for fresh ingredients prepared with love. Start with the chicharones with sweet and sour vinegar. Killer.
No. 246 also opened this year, and while the service left something to be desired of on one of our visits, the food is incredible and worthy of having to deal with an inept hostess once in a while. To get the most out of your meal, visit during lunch or off hours to avoid insane crowds and ear-splitting volume. We love drinking wine and eating toasts, but they have top knotch cocktails and virtually no misses on the rest of the menu. I've also heard the porchetta sandwich at lunch is worth seeking out.
BEER
FOUNDERS KENTUCKY BREAKFAST STOUT :: Completely worth the pain in the ass it is to get a hold of and the only craft beer my Ballantine Ale drinking father has ever tasted that made him say, "wow." It's one of the best beers you'll ever have, but so much more than just beer... it's a massive imperial stout brewed with coffee and chocolate and cave-aged for a year in oak bourbon barrels. It's aroma alone leaps out of the glass and the taste... ugh.... it's an unforgettable experience.
BROOKLYN SORACHI ACE :: This one surprised me. It's a saison / farmhouse ale brewed with rare Japanese hops and just about the most refreshing thing I've ever tasted. Effervescent and crisp, the herbaceous taste follows the aroma and finished like a bone-dry champagne. I can guzzle this stuff.
CIGAR CITY JAI ALAI WHITE OAK AGED INDIA PALE ALE :: Cigar City finally made its way to Atlanta this year and while this offering hasn't made it north quite yet, my Tampa-based sister keeps me supplied. One of my personal favorite beers, it improves upon their already seminal Jai Alai IPA by adding the peppery, woody, and almost vanilla like flavors of oak aging in what might not seem like a great combination but proves otherwise upon first sip.
SIERRA NEVADA 30th ANNIVERSARY: FRITZ & KEN'S ALE :: This imperial stout, brewed in collaboration with Anchor Steam for SN's 30th Anniversary celebration was technically released last year, but I didn't taste it until very recently. Some how, some way, Deckard's on Ponce scored a keg of this highly coveted brew during a recent SN tap takeover. I missed the event, but bellied up to the bar several days later, in a particularly shitty mood, only to be blown away. This beer decimates. Massive, complex, and perfectly balanced, it was one of the finest examples of a Russian imperial stout I will ever taste and completely changed my day. Find a bottle of this one time release at all cost.
Well, that's all the time I've got guys. We had an amazing 2011 and are looking forward to an even bigger 2012. Hope everyone has a blast this weekend and we'll be back next week! See ya suckers.
