The best of 2011- this is a list.

A self-styled contrarian, I've waited until Jan 01 to post my "best of 2011" list.

What follows is a completely arbitrary and subjective list of the 25 best songs from 2011, according only to me.

If i were to recap the state of- and developments within- contemporary music and radio, that would be another post altogether. Rather than do that, I'll share this post from Fred Wilson. I think the first few paragraphs are both tremendously illuminating and indicative of the listening habits of a contemporary music consumer.

I'll also throw this article in for good measure; I think that the implications of this- from a music marketing perspective- could be terrifying. I fear we will see more of this- in a more calculated approach- in 2012. I wonder who the unlucky Rick Santorum artist will be.

25) Serenades- Come Home

This is a Shout Out Louds side project, featuring the dude that looks like Jason Schwartzman. It is appropriate to lead off this list because it is the best Christmas song I've heard in many years.

24) Dutch Uncles- The Ink

I hate this video, but I am a notorious sucker for angular, disjointed indie rock- or anything that sounds vaguely like the Talking Heads or XTC.

23) Scattered Trees- Four Days Straight

This could be a Spoon B-side. And since we didn't have so much as a Spoon A-side this year...

22) Cloud Control- There's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight

Like Local Natives, except I like them.

21) Cuckoo Chaos- Just Ride It

I'm feeling guilty- this is the only local San Diego band that made the list this year. It's not that the local scene is suffering- I suspect 2012 will be huge year for SD bands- It's just that I was less engaged with local music this year. That said, these gents put on a tremendous live show, and are poised to DBT this year.

20) Tycho- Dive

I refuse to use the term "chillwave". How about "bliss-core"? "Winter-core"?

19 a)Nas- Nasty

Our Underground Hip-Hop programmer on Slacker Radio is always talking to me about "boom bap rap". He gets really excited about anything contemporary that features the sound, and it's clearly starting to rub off on me. 

19 b)The Hilltop Hoods- I Love It

Same thing as above- the boom bap. This track features an assist by Sia.

18) Katie Herzig- Free My Mind (RAC Remix)

RAC was everywhere this year. This is one of several songs that I would not have discovered or engaged with if not for it's remix. Most importantly, it reminds me of one of my favorite bands of all time- Dubstar.

17) Dirty Vegas- Little White Doves

I saw Dirty Vegas live this year- on a weeknight, at a dive bar, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 40 or so. It's clear that they are more interested in being The Killers than they are being a House Music collective. With that in mind, they've written several incredible pop songs on their latest record, and this song consistently performs in the top 10th percentile of the listener popularity metrics across multiple genres on Slacker Radio. The fact that this song was not a mainstream pop hit speaks volumes about traditional media's methodology in terms of "picking songs".

16) Nada Surf- When I Was Young

It builds, and it builds, and it pays off. Just like all great Nada Surf songs. The new album is due out in 2012, and it's called "The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy". Radical.

15) Fucked Up- The Other Shoe

There's a good reason that this is a consensus pick amongst the media and taste makers. My only fear is that there is no possible way that Fucked Up could top their epic concept album "David Comes to Life". It's kind of like the thinking man's "American Idiot".

14) Kendrick Lamar- A.D.H.D.

I heard this song for the first time shortly after I had a tremendously depressing encounter with a kid that I grew up with. If not for that, I may have never internalized the profundity of these lyrics.

13) Destroyer- Chinatown

It's been my experience that every song called "Chinatown" is awesome.

12) Little Dragon- Ritual Union

Another completely justified consensus pick.

11) Strange Talk- Climbing Walls

This song is/was absolutely perfect for a commercial sync. That explains the video, which looks like an Old Navy commercial performed by J Crew catalog models.

10) Vetiver- Wonder Why

I'm a sucker for anything jangly; anything that sounds like a vintage Flying Nun release.

9) The Rifles- Tangled Up In Love

I am also a notorious Anglophile, musically speaking. This reminds me of the first time i heard "Babies" by Pulp.

8) Real Estate- It's Real

When she's not on tour with Mates of State, my friend Jen Scaffidi still knows exactly how to call me out. 

7) Roscoe Dash- I Do

So, in the last half of this track, It's clear that K'LA is going to be a big deal in 2012. That's a starmaking verse. Beyond that- I think this song is a perfect flashy, heavily produced hip hop track. 

6) Ha Ha Tonka- Usual Suspects

When all is said and done, I am still a kid from rural Nevada that won 4-H championships, did junior rodeo, and broke horses. Rootsy stuff like this will always appeal to me. Especially when they are so adept at harmonies. I saw these gentlemen out on tour this year with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- their live show is something to behold.

5) The Fruit Bats- You're Too Weird

They own their 70's pop sensibilities by recreating a perfect 80's pop video. Respek.

5) Elephant Rifle- Thursday The 12th

So- full disclosure. This is my little brother's latest band. And it's by far my favorite band he's ever been in. I'm very, very proud of him. All of the dudes in this band are incredible, and their live show is as rad and confrontational as I had hoped it would be. Beyond that, I couldn't possibly be objective, so check out what theAV Club had to say about them:

A far younger band that worships at the sticky alter of The Jesus Lizard is Reno’s Elephant Rifle. Listening to the outfit’s new four-song EP, Teenage Lover, feels like jacking off with a jackhammer; amid strangled guitars and amputated rhythms, the group unleashes all manner of demons, psychic and sonic. But it’s done with an underdog abandon and sordid sense of humor—not to mention a proudly acknowledged debt to the eerie, GSL Records sound of the late ’90s and early ’00s—that distances Elephant Rifle from mere AmRep revivalism. They grow ’em sick and strange in Reno. 

Goddamn right they do.

4) Wye Oak- Holy Holy

Another perfect winter record. This fills the spot held by Land Of Talk last year.

3) Black Lips- Modern Art

Because fundamentally, I want my rock and roll to be the soundtrack to motorcycles, whiskey, and fist fights.

2) The Drums- How It Ended

The Drums' 2011 release- Portomento- is far and away the record that I spent the most time with this year as a whole. There's nothing terribly sophisticated going on here, but its the way that they carefully aggregate so many sounds and influences that makes this a perfect pop album. Really perfect.

1) Touché Amoré- ~ (Tilde)

JUST LOOK AT THIS:

This is what made me fall in love with punk rock. Buying records, identifying with the message politically or emotionally, then going to see the band live and singing my lungs out and discovering a community of like-minded kids. The fact that this video was filmed in 2011, in Berlin, only a month after the album was released, speaks volumes about the connection that people have with this band.

Seeing Touché Amoré at the Che Cafe in San Diego this year, I was reminded of seeing At The Drive In on the In/Casino/Out tour. Different message and ethos, but same energy, same confrontational spirit. 

In a way, the fact that this is my favorite record of the year is a nostalgia play. This is the record I was desperately searching for in 1998. The fact that it still resonates in a major way in 2011 tells me that these dudes are on to something. When I first saw Rise Against in 1999, or Modest Mouse in 1997, or At The Drive In in 1999- I was able to predict that these bands would go on to "mainstream" success and critical acclaim. With that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if Touché Amoré is consistently impacting a much larger audience by the end of 2012. 

Buy the new Touché Amoré record. It's called "Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me". It's the most urgent and honest record I've heard in years.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Captured Tracks put out more good records and reissues than anyone else this year. They've created the kind of culture around their label that makes you want to drop out of your life and go join them in some sort of intentional community- like K Records in the late 80's or something.

With that in mind, they are releasing this in 2012, and it's already made next year's list for me:

Mac DeMarco- Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans

RIP KRZQ.

So- this is considerably sadder than I thought it would be. And it's ironic. On the day that KRZQ is to be laid to rest, I am attending a conference in San Francisco where one of the primary topics of discussion is the rapid migration of listeners from old radio- stations like KRZQ- to new radio- personalized radio services like the company that I currently work for. In that sense, it's not surprising that the crazy circus known as KRZQ has run it's course- but it is still tremendously sad.

I've been working on this post since last Thursday, hoping to do justice to what KRZQ actually meant. My good friend Stephen Kallao wrote a piece about the recent demise of Chicago's long-standing Alternative radio station, Q101. You can read it here. If you read it, you will see the profound effect that one radio station, and one group of individuals can have on the lives of their listeners. KRZQ was my Q101.

At noon today, KRZQ-FM in Reno, NV will cease to broadcast it's "Alternative" format in favor of a "CHR" "Hot AC" radio format.

I worked at KRZQ from 1998-1999ish and again from 2002ish-2006. During that time, I held a variety of positions- starting as overnight DJ and ending as Program Director. I've been lucky- I've had a tremendously rewarding career in this business of music, and it is all due to KRZQ. I mean that in the holistic sense- if not for it's mere existence, I wouldn't have connected with and identified the culture and music that has informed my life up until this point. If I hadn't worked at KRZQ, there's nowhere else that I could have received the experience, education, and perspective that allowed me to proceed and succeed in this business of music. And if it weren't for the people- the family of KRZQ, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I would just be an awkward, unhappy, music-obsessed kid from Gardnerville, NV. I would have never found my calling and my community. I owe everything that I have today to KRZQ. 

And that's what's so goddamn sad about this whole thing- the idea that kids that really need it- as I did- will not be given the opportunities that were presented to me just by virtue of KRZQ's existence.. Whether it's the culture that they are exposed to as a listener, or the guidance that they would be given as a part of the family- it's gone. 

KRZQ really should have never existed in Reno. But the fact that it did had a tremendous impact on the entire culture of the Reno/Tahoe area. It signed on in March of 1992 and announced itself by playing "High" by The Cure. At the time, there were only a handful of radio stations in the entire country doing what they did. It was, at it's inception, an Alternative station in the the truest sense of the word. Not Disturbed, but The Smiths. Not Linkin Park, but Catherine Wheel. Not Godsmack, but The Cranberries. And like I said- there was no indication that Reno was the kind of city that needed or would accept this sort of progressive contemporary cultural outlet. But KRZQ changed all that. It fundamentally changed the entire make-up of Reno and the surrounding area for the better. By bringing concerts that otherwise would have never stopped in that sleepy town, by identifying emerging movements like the snow/skate culture and providing a place for those fans to congregate around. By showing awkward kids that it was OK to be different. Those kids are all adults now, and I shudder to think where they would be without KRZQ's influence and legacy. It's impossible that the mere existence of KRZQ did not have a profound effect on the entire cultural make up of the Reno-Tahoe area.

My personal story is a familiar one- I was raised in a rural area, devoid of the kind of culture and activity that would appeal to a music and literature obsessed 12 year old kid. I was profoundly unhappy, but I had no idea what to do about it. KRZQ represented a beacon of sorts- a connection to a world of culture, music, and art that I desperately wanted to be a part of. More accurately, it represented a community of like-minded people. Prior to the advent of KRZQ, there was no such cultural aggregator in the area- no hub from which that community could rally around.

The best thing about it all- I get the sense that the folks involved didn't really know what they were building or what a profound effect it was having on the entire community. Most of these people have since become friends, and I suspect that they were just working really hard to build...something, and they were having the times of their lives doing it. KRZQ had that intangible "it". It's impossible to articulate, but it was clearly reflected in the product. 

If you were part of the KRZQ family, there was no concept of "leaving your work at the office". No concept of the "9-5" job. We lived together, slept with each other, fought over stupid shit like siblings, and bled for...a radio station. We fought and bled for the cause that this radio station represented. Great music, a place where it was OK to be a freak, and a way out of an otherwise mundane and alienated existence. And what an incredible work ethic we all developed as a result?

We were allowed to fail- in some cases fail spectacularly. That made us all better.

Life will go on- the ignorant knuckledraggers over at the buttrock radio station will continue to perpetuate and reinforce an unfair stereotype of the Reno-Tahoe area, only now they will do it unchallenged by the people that think that the Biggest Little City can be more, and is more.

It's clear to me that music-based terrestrial radio is in the middle of a long decline, with plenty of important questions being raised about it's relevance and long-term viability. Music discovery and content via traditional radio is quickly being supplanted by a myriad of web-based options, including the company that I work for. And that presents people like me with an exciting challenge- how do we recreate that vibe, that sense of community, that music discovery, on a new platform, for a new generation?

Because I don't know what replaces KRZQ for the next round of unhappy and disenfranchised 12 year old kids.

I couldn't possibly call out and thank everyone that was involved with the magic that was KRZQ from my personal perspective. But I do want to thank a few people-

Jayn Said, Ollie, Big Leo (and Vic "The Brick" Brickhouse), Strange Advance Lance, etc.- Thanks for giving me something to aspire to and for being the window in to a cooler world than the one I knew. Most importantly, thanks for facilitating my earliest music discovery. Thanks for playing Adorable, thanks for interviewing Frank Black at a record store, thanks for bringing the Mighty Mighty Bosstones to Reno 500 times. Bonus points go to Leo for later on breaking my heart by revealing himself to be a Neo-Con.

Smiling Marty taught me what it was to be an entertainer.

Marc Young taught me how to be disciplined in a chaotic environment.

Rip taught me to be a great radio programmer and tolerated my considerable shortcomings.

Heather- we all wanted to be you.

Valerie- you made this insane idea financially viable by believing in it.

Homie- the visionary.

Jeremy- became a brother and made me smarter.

Mel- tolerated more crap than anyone reasonably should have to in a professional setting- most of it from me. She took her accumulated experience and became the best human being that many of us will ever know.

El Muchacho, Johnny Karate, Sims- the best partners in crime any PD could ask for.

Blaze- Even though he is more commonly known as Rob Brooks these days, I can't call him anything but "Blaze" any more than I can call my father anything but "Dad". He is responsible for everything that KRZQ is and was more so than anyone else. He's the one that built the thing, stuck it out, went down with the ship multiple times, and fell on his sword for all of us, multiple times. And he is the only one that should be putting KRZQ down, as miserable as that must be for him. He is still one of my closest friends and greatest mentor- and that transcends the existence of any radio station.

Last night, Blaze sent out a text message at 10p or so that made me get into the shower and cry. And c'mon- that's a hilarious image, right? Feel free to make fun of that in a few weeks. After all- one of the greatest lessons that I learned at KRZQ still holds true: Time plus Tragedy equals Comedy.

After KRZQ goes away today, I'm still left with more questions than answers. Like- does anyone know where that fucking blimp is? And what ever happened to Strange Advance Lance? And what will become of the dudes from Barbequed Salad that hosted the original "It Hurts When I Pee"? And where will the Joey Vegas Band go now?

I love you, KRZQ. Thanks for giving me an opportunity that literally changed my life.

SXSW 2011 Wrap up

My trip to SXSW 2011- with my place of employ, Slacker Radio- is a wrap, and the music portion was not without it's share of incidents, accidents, and legitimate questions about it's size and purpose. That said, I had a blast, and more importantly, we did some great business and got a ton of work done. I am pretty sure that is the ostensible purpose for members of the "music business" to attend...right? This was my 8th year at SXSW, my 3rd with Scott Riggs and the Slacker Radio crew, and I must say- I found it exponentially more fulfilling to actually create content rather than stumble around from place to place for 4 days.

My primary objective at SXSW this year was creating content for the Austin 2011 radio station that we have curated and programmed in conjunction with FILTER mag and many other fine companies/products. We had an awesome broadcast setup at the Cedar Street Courtyard. Over the course of 4 days, we interviewed ~50 bands there, and that content is making it's way on to this radio station as fast as I can produce and load it.

So- if you didn't make it to SXSW music this year, or you just want to relive the experience, check it out here:

• Music from the bands that made the most noise this year at SXSW and some that you may have missed
• Interviews and commentary from artists like Gayngs, tUnE-yArDs, J Mascis, Surfer Blood, Brother, The Naked and Famous, Royal Bangs, the Airborne Toxic Event, Datarock, and 50+ more.
• Best of all- the station is hosted by Andrew WK- and it features his SXSW Party Tips throughout...

New content is being added daily- please enjoy! And while you have this station and it's free music as a soundtrack, I've put together a brief "best-of" SXSW music 2011 list...

Best planning:

Catching the earliest flight possible out on Sunday morning. In doing so, we dodged the usual hangover-brigade amateur hour, and a bunch of weather-related delays. Easiest post-SXSW flight out yet, highly recommended.

Best sightings:

I happened to be walking by 4th and Colorado when I stumbled upon Jack White playing White Stripes songs acoustic in a parking lot in front of his Third Man mobile record store. After twitter was alerted and that crowd reached critical mass, I went to meet a friend around the corner, where I found him having coffee with Talib Kweli. Also, it seemed like Tyler from Odd Future was everywhere on his skateboard. Only at SXSW.

Best bands:

This is so subjective, I'd be stupid to make a definitive statement here. I really enjoyed Ted Leo solo at the Brooklyn Vegan party. Maps and Atlases and Little Dragon both did several incredible sets as well.

Best San Diego-related encounters:

Far and away, Lesands. They are already gaining a great deal of national admirers, and because they are sequestered in North County, they are blissfully unaware of SD local music politics and happenings. They will break nationally before most of SD even realizes what these gents are up to.

Also, Dynamite Walls. These guys did it right, playing like 30 shows in 3 days at every possible spot, and looked as sharp as ever throughout. SD music dude (and sometime-Slacker Radio contributor) Andrew Rowley was on the road with these guys documenting the entire experience and putting up daily video recaps. Very, very cool, and very, very smart.

The Burning Of Rome came through with Sammi Skolmoski- my former co-host on the 91-ex Morning Show. They had a high-profile showcase at Maggie Mae's, but they did everything DIY style, going so far as to set up a generator-powered street set before the police shut them down.

Finally, Cults. They played the day show for FILTER mag, and even though they are based in Brooklyn now, they come from Hillcrest and La Costa, respectively. Good catching up there.

Honorable mention goes to O-official San Diego ambassador and all around good-dude, who hooked us up with J Mascis, and Tim Pyles, who looked like a 10 year old on Christmas morning every time I saw him. And of course- Fran and the dudes from Spy Optic.

Best food:

Forget the tourist trip to Salt Lick or any other obligitory BBQ-related excursion- Ranch 616 has become an official Slacker Radio tradition. Best food, best desserts, and craft cocktails on par with the best of the Austin mixologist scene. Dude, fried pie? Insane. I watched our SVP eat a huge rib-eye with a fried egg on top and two cheese enchiladas underneath LIKE A BOSS.

Best discovery (non-music)

We found the elusive spot where all the empty cabs queue up, even during the peak of 6th street insanity. If you ask nicely, I'll share this magical spot with you. You'll never be stuck waiting for a cab again...it was like finding a mythical beast in the wild.

Best bait and switch

I interviewed the guys from The Knux on Friday. They were awesome, and I am a fan of what they do. After the interview, they said something to the effect of "that was awesome, do you want a T-shirt, dude?" to which I replied "sure!". Shortly after, one of the dudes from their crew came up and handed me a shirt, to which I said "thanks!". He looked at me funny and said "yeah...for you, 10 bucks. Normally 20 at the show". I had no intention of buying any t-shirts at SXSW, but I ended up with one...

Best "dodged a bullet" moment

When I was 16, I had 300$ and an idea for a tattoo. I went to a tattoo shop and fed them a line about how I had just moved to Tahoe and didn't have my ID yet, but assured them that I was 18 and ready to get a tattoo. They believed me at first- going so far as to set up the machine and stencil out the tattoo. Just before we got started, the dude got cold feet and told me to come back when I got my ID- he even offered to knock 50$ off when I came back for the inconvenience.

Of course, I didn't go back, because I was 16, not 18. If I had received the tattoo that day, it would have looked like this, on my forearm:

Given what happened at the Screeching Weasel show this year, I probably wouldn't have been very popular for a few days. Little did I know how fortuitous that day was.

Special thanks to the peeps at FILTER mag,  Asics/Onitsuka Tiger and Blue Microphones for the good times.

So, see you in Austin next year?

Questions/Comments? Holler at me @matdiablo.

The best of 2010- this is a list.

Oh boy. I've really neglected this blog over the last few months. My apologies. Much has happened since my last entry, and if you're interested in what I've been up to since May, you can read all about it here and here.

That said, I've made you a mix tape in the form of my "best of 2010" list. I hope you don't hate it.

The top 28 songs of 2010, according to only me and with apologies to everybody else.

28)- Javelin- "Oh! Centra"

Everybody I've ever played this song for hates it.  Like- hates it. I found about these guys while building out the official Lollapalooza station on Slacker. I didn't actually catch them while I was at Lolla, but Perry Farrell was very excited about these guys. Like, visibly excited. This record came out on David Byrne's Luaka Bop record label, and I love it. You'll probably hate it.

27)- School of Seven Bells- "Heart is Strange"

I like this song because I also really, really like the Cocteau Twins. Also, On! Air! Library!

26)- Active Child- "She was a Vision"

My friend Jen Scaffidi has basically condensed all of the music that I've loved over the years into one made-up genre. She calls it "Sad Bastard Music". Obviously, that's not the extent of my interests, nor am I an actual Sad Bastard. That said- this is definitely Sad Bastard Music. A former choir-boy from Los Angeles that records under the name Active Child.

25)- Tame Impala- "Lucidity"

I'm told that I would like this band even harder if I did drugs. I don't do drugs, and I still love this track. From Perth, Australia.

24)- Mux Mool- "Get Better John"

When I was a kid, I would develop allegiances to certain record labels. Like- between 1995 and 1997, Fat Wreck Chords didn't put out one bad record. From 1997-1999 it was Jade Tree records. I would buy every record that these labels put out.

And then the internet happened.

It's been a long time since I felt such affinity toward an entire label, but as of late- Ghostly International out of Ann Arbor, Michigan can do no wrong. They've just put out an incredible compilation- "We'll Never Stop Living This Way".  Mux Mool is part of that crew. Let's call this..."Adult Swim-core".

23)- Bear Hands- "What a Drag"

I like this song because Modest Mouse didn't put out a record this year. 

22)- Mark Ronson and the Business intl. "Bang Bang Bang"

The fact that this song wasn't a "hit" on terrestrial radio is further proof that the radio has failed you.

That said- I actually heard this song for the first time on Tim Pyles' radio show here in San Diego. Kudos, baldy.

21)- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- "Say No to Love"

I like this because I like everything that Slumberland Records puts out. Also, because I love shimmery neo-twee. Also, because Peggy Wang is one of my favorite editors at Buzzfeed.

20)- Ke$ha- "Your Love is my Drug"

Shut up. I don't want to hear it. This is a really, really good pop song. Beyond that, I truly believe that Ms. Ke$ha is 100% in control of her image, her media machine, and her songwriting. That makes her an extremely skilled marketer in her ability to present a perfect distillation of the aspirational lifestyle and image of many, many drunk and reckless teenagers. No irony, no hipster sarcasm. I love this song.

19)- Dinosaur Pile-Up- Mona Lisa

Credit goes to my friend Jeremy Goldstein for tuning me on to this band. They're from the UK, and while they are doing a fairly straight-forward take on Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, and to a lesser extent- the Pixies- It still resonates. I could go the rest of my life without having to hear "Lithium" or "Learn to Fly" again, but this modern take on a genre that's been beat to death is actually really refreshing.

Most importantly, this reminds me of something I would have seen as a kid on 120 Minutes. Nostalgia wins.

18)- Stars- "Fixed"

I feel the same way about this record as I do about the new Shout Out Louds record. Didn't love the whole album, but there was one really good song. This is that song.

17)- Miike Snow- "Burial" (DJ Mehdi Remix)

I know- the Miike Snow record came out in 2009. But this remix is from 2010. At Slacker, I'm working on a new station that will consist entirely of songs that have received commercial syncs or that have otherwise been a part of of a marketing campaign. That's where I heard this song- it was in a Palm commercial. Music Supervisors are truly the new gatekeepers.

16)- The Thermals- "I Don't Believe You"

The Thermals are a lot like Ted Leo for me, in that they represent 100% pure, straight ahead rock and roll with great intelligence and no pretense. Im sick of everybody taking themselves so seriously, including myself. Video stars Carrie Brownstein, cameo by Issac Brock.

15)- Dirty Gold- "California Sunrise"

So, based on what I'm told: This is a band of high school kids from here in San Diego. La Jolla, specifically. They made this record in their bedrooms. They got signed before they ever played a show. They are going to have to be escorted in and out of their first proper show because they are not yet 18.

I found this out from Andrew Rowley, who appears to be the only media dude in San Diego that is paying attention to the incredible debut song from this band. Kudos, tiny hands. Kudos, San Diego.

14)- Land of Talk- "Quarry Hymns"

This whole album is incredible. Reminds me of winter time growing up in the Sierra Nevadas. That's all.

13)- Superchunk- "Digging for Something"

Superchunk, God bless them, did something remarkable this year. They returned after a 9 year hiatus and did exactly what their fans wanted them to do. They made a classic Superchunk record. It's not as good as "Foolish", but because it's highly unlikely that Mac and Laura will get back together, break up again, and write a record about the process- it was unlikely that we were gonna get a record like that again. Second best video of the year from one of my all-time favorite bands. 

12)- Shout Out Louds- " Fall Hard"

Oddly enough, their 2010 release-"Work"- is my least favorite Shout Out Louds record yet. That said, this song is aces. I feel like the video actually kinda detracts from the song, but enjoy nonetheless.

11)- Crystal Castles- "Not in Love"(ft. Robert Smith)

Too many biases here for me to disclose. I love the Crystal Castles record. Robert Smith was my first musical hero. Put them together and it's like hot dogs and spaghetti from Jollibee. This track has been around since October. As soon as radio gets hip to it next year, you'll get totally burnt out on it- so enjoy it now.

10)- Pomegranates- "50's"

At Slacker, we recently gave Jimmy Eat World their own station to curate and host. They turned us on to this band, having toured with them previously. The world needs smarter, less angry rock and roll. This is a good start. Also- I think that they've been based in Cincinnati for many years without ever moving to Brooklyn. So theres that.

9)- Yeasayer- "O.N.E."

I interviewed these guys at Austin City Limits this year, and they were the most unpretentious, down to earth, and honestly funny Brooklynites (via Baltimore and Philly) that I've ever met. They are way more normal and approachable than their videos would suggest. This is a great love song. Or not.

8)-The Radio Dept.- Clinging to a Scheme (Labrador)

Forget "California Gurls", this was the Summer Jam of 2010. Thurston Moore provides the intro.

7) the Soft Pack - "C'mon"

This is a band of real dudes from San Diego that are influenced by The Fall (band) and The Padres (baseball team). In 2010, they put out an incredible Rock and Roll record, toured the world, made people everywhere fall in love with them...and got very little love from the major music outlets in their own hometown. For shame, San Diego.

6)- Freelance Whales- "Hannah"

Owl City ruined everything. Now, anything vaguely twee gets lumped into this "too precious" category. This is certainly twee, and joyful, and somewhat child-like at times...but consider it a necessary cure for the hangover that was brought about by a decade of Papa Roach, Linkin Park, and 30 Seconds to Mars.

5)- Here We Go Magic- "Collector"

I love so many things about this song, but the video! It's another video that reminds me of watching VHS copies of 120 Minutes circa 1994. Also, dude kind of looks like Gordon Gano, no?

4)- the War On Drugs- "Comin' Through"

Music that gets described as "somber" often makes me very "happy". Maybe it's because I grew up in the freezing cold mountains and listened to the Cure all the time when I was a kid. Either way- this song makes me smile. And in the end- that's all you can really ask of music, yeah?

3)- Phantogram- "Mouthful of Diamonds"

I'd like to make it through this entire list without using the phrase "haunting melody"....so instead, i'll say USA! USA! USA! USA! 

2) Ted Leo and the Pharmacists- "Bottled in Cork"

This is the best song that Ted Leo has ever written. That's extraordinary, considering the man's body of work. This is also the funniest video of the year. With the best cameos. Perfect.

1)- Twin Shadow- "I Can't Wait"

I mean- c'mon. This dude basically made an entire album of Smiths B-sides in his bedroom. That is- if the Smiths were super into Talk Talk at the time. Dude's got a wicked sense of humor too. This is my favorite song from my favorite album of the year.

There's yr list. Thoughts? Disputes? Holler at me: @Matdiablo

"...and if the world is ending, then we toast to it..."

Tonight is the night, friend. The 91EX Morning Show, in collaboration with Karl Strauss and the High Dive, is throwing one last "Friday Night Pints" event. This is our chance to celebrate the past, look forward to the future, drink some great San Diego craft beer, and most importantly- thank you in person for all that you've done for us.

The party is tonight at 7P at the High Dive in Bay Park (click here for map). Check it out:

(Thanks to our friends at the High Dive for the sweet Sammi-esque MS-Paint job, complete with comic sans!)

Unbeknownst to us, the crew at Karl Strauss created a beer to commemorate our unemployment. It's called "Black Friday", and they'll be serving it up from casks tonight only. Just an incredible thing for them to do for us, and we are very grateful. I can't wait to try it. 

SO... tonight. High Dive (click for map), 7P. Just like it's always been... we party hard and cry alone. Come party and cry with us, please.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

-Mat

"...if the world is ending, then we toast to it..."