The Best Music of 2011 (eighth & final installment)

Although 2012 is well along… I still haven’t managed to get through my entire list of what I consider to be 2011’s best indie music! It’s not too late to head back to last year and reflect upon the great music delivered within the year! This will be my final installment, it’s time to wrap it up and focus on current music. I apologize for any worthy artists I have not mentioned because I either overlooked them, or never listened to them because there is an abundance of music so vast one can never listen to it all!

Enjoy!

Of Monsters and Men

Album: My Head Is An Animal, released September, 2011 (Iceland)

This six-piece band from Iceland offers up feel good folk music at a high caliber. They have been compared to Mumford & Sons, as well as Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. In 2010, they managed to win Músíktilraunir, Iceland’s national battle of the bands, no small feat. This band is blowing up and are sure to have great success!

Future Islands

Album: On The Water, released October, 2011

Baltimore Maryland’s synthpop band vocalist Samuel T. Herring has a gritty, gravely voice. One of a kind. The music is often melodramatic, and, at times, theatrical.

Radical Face

Album: The Family Tree: The Roots, released October, 2011

Radical face is Ben Cooper. The 24 year old Floridian’s solo project is a healthy dose of wholesome folk and storytelling. The Family Tree: The Roots, is the first of a trilogy of conceptual albums about a fictional family from the 1800’s, The Northcotes.

Lisa Hannigan

Album: Passenger, released September, 2011

I am an avid fan of Irish singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan! I first discovered the indie folk musician when I was watching the movie Ondine, and heard a beautiful song and mesmerizing voice… I immediately went on-line and discovered that the song is called Braille, by Lisa Hannigan. Braille, to this day, is one of my personal all time favorite songs. I appreciate all of her albums, cover to cover.

Although not released in 2011, I had to share Braille, from the movie Ondine. Forever a favorite song… so beautiful!

The Kills

Album: Blood Pressures, released April. 2011

The Kills are definitely one of my favorite duos in the world of indie music. American singer Alison Mosshart  and British guitarist Jamie Hince make up this indie rock band. Although their relationship is platonic, they have amazing chemistry.

Miracles Of Modern Science

Album: Dog Year, released December, 2011

Formed in 2004 at Princeton University, this American quintet’s sound is self-described as "orchestral space pop,”  using a variety of stringed instruments. Their sound is a fusion of rock and classical music. Love it!

Frightened Rabbit

Album: A Frightened Rabbit EP, released October, 2011

This Scottish indie folk-rock band formed in 2003. A Frightened Rabbit EP was a three track EP offered exclusively to newsletter subscribers as a free download.

FM Belfast

Album: Don’t Want To Sleep, released June, 2011

Quirky indie electro pop band from Iceland, FM Belfast is upbeat and fun! The band members vary from 3 to 8 individuals, depending upon who is available.

Foster The People

Album: Torches, released May, 2011

This uber talented L.A. Cali indie pop band probably doesn’t require much of an introduction! Kudos to them, they’ve been extremely successful, the track Pumped Up Kicks making it to mainstream radio. Have you listened to the rest of the album? It’s great, solid from beginning to end! I must say, watching them perform live on Jimmy Fallon, I observed that Mark Foster, founder and lead singer, does a really weird shrugging - up and down - kind of… “shoulder dance” while singing. It’s rather entertaining and amusing. I love odd people!

The quirky “shoulder dance”

Peter, Bjorn and John

Album: Gimme Some, released March, 2011

Another successful band, Swedish indie rock trio, Peter, Bjorn and John, is named after it’s members. Although I don’t think their 2009 album, Living Thing, can be out-done… Gimme Some has grown on me. Several months ago, they performed in my home town of Madison. WI, and I’m disappointed to have missed them.

Dry The River

Album: No Rest, released June, 2011 (Sweden)

Album: Weights & Measures EP, released November, 2011 (Sweden)

Hard core punk band converted gospel folk, London’s Dry The River certainly doesn’t look the part. “I think people are surprised when they come to see us live.” says Peter Liddle, heavily tattooed frontman. “They expect us to be really calm and quiet but in some ways we’re the opposite.” Their 2011 releases only include a handful of tracks, however a full length album, No Rest, is due out this March, 2012. Something to look forward to.

Wild Beasts

Album: Smother, released May, 2011

What a surprise! Another great band from England. This indie (art) rock band’s sound is also very theatrical, which I tend to be drawn to. Lead vocal Hayden Thorpe is another unique vocalist with an incredible range.

Notable mentions:
Kasabian, Album: Velociraptor, released September, 2011
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Album: s/t, released June, 2011
Rachael Yamagata, Album: Chesapeake, released October, 2011
To listen to my Best Indie Music Of 2011 Playlist, click here: http://grooveshark.com/#/playlist/2011+Indie+Best+Of/52460159

Indie Discoveries: The Maccabees, Niki & The Dove, Laura Gibson, Die Antwoord, Ezra Furman, Imogen Heap

The Maccabees

This band’s name was chosen by flipping through the Bible and picking out a random word. The Maccabees were a Jewish rebel army who took control of Judea. Despite the religious connotation, the band members insist that none of them are religious. The Maccabees are an indie rock band from London, England. As I listened to Given To The Wild, their new album released in the U.S. this January, I found myself comparing some songs to Arcade Fire, and others to Coldplay. The band enjoys making others feel special. They invite kids to see their gigs, allowing them to occupy the front row. Felix (guitarist) explains that their eyes light up and the kids look at them just as he looked at other bands in his youth. Because it means so much to them, it means a lot to the band.

I get an “Arcade Fire” vibe from this song!

Niki & The Dove

There is no Niki… and there is no Dove. This Swedish electro-pop duo is comprised of Malin Dahlström  (vocals) and Gustaf Karlöf (songwriter). They are not a recent discovery, however this new video for The Fox is. This track is from their forthcoming album due out… sometime this year. Love the song, love the video, anxious for the new album!

Laura Gibson

I recently listened to folk singer/songwriter Laura Gibson’s new album, La Grande, released this January. The album is simple, and I found most of it rather redundant, with the exception of the track Skin Warming Skin, which has a cozy, happy vibe and pretty melody. Please enjoy the song by clicking on the following link:

http://secretsignsandlullabies.com/mp3/LauraGibson-04-SkinWarmingSkin.mp3

Die Antwoord

I am very picky when it comes to hip-hop… much of it I find annoying, and I can do without excessive profanity. An exception is my discovery of late: Die Antwoord (The Answer). This dynamic duo from South Africa is extraordinarily unique, to say the least! I am intrigued by female vocalist Yolandi Visser’s youthful voice, punky hair, and vivacious energy. She is petite but packs a punch! Sidekick Watkin Tudor Jones, aka: Ninja, is a strong rapper, his verses delivered with confidence. The two vocalists are backed up by DJ Hi-Tek, who envelops their swagger with electronic/rave style vibes! Recently they performed their latest song, I Fink U Freeky, on David Letterman. 

“There’s your half-time show!”

Ezra Furman

I am a HUGE fan of this quirky artist! You may be familiar with his roll as the front-man for Ezra Furman & The Harpoons. The exciting news is that he is going solo, his first album, The Year of No Returning, dropped this month! 

Imogen Heap

English singer, songwriter, and composer Imogen Heap has a forthcoming album… possibly this September. Here is a new track, Xizi She Knows, filmed in Hangzhou, China! Enjoy!!