A whole lot of horse shit.

29th December 2011

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My favorite things of 2011

This isn’t necessarily ranked but I wanted to give a shoutout to the things that made 2011 a tight year for me.

1) Ficcion: Something about this band worked incredibly well. Lots of things didn’t. It started as a basement collaboration between two friends and ended feeling like a three way power struggle featuring maybe the worst communication of any situation I’ve ever been involved with. I learned a lot being in this band. We made some of my favorite music I’ve been involved with, played the biggest show I’ve ever played and (while nothing came of it) got signed to put out records. Shoutout to Tauna and Angela. We did some great shit.

Ficcion - Ships

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX5V9foTCEg

2) Odd Future: This changed shit for me. Real talk. When I first saw these dudes perform on Jimmy Fallon I didn’t know what to think. Lots of screaming and zombie girls. Seemed a little corny, honestly. Horrorcore-esque. Then the song ended and the energy in the room was crazy, even over YouTube. Upon further exploring I found something I’ve wanted to find for years. A hip-hop crew that seemed more influenced by punk than hip-hop, but not in a shitty way. Super talented, super DIY, super rebellious, super honest. Everything. A hip-hop crew with a punk rock aesthetic, into photography and skating and upside-down crosses. Nothing turned me on this year like these dudes. Nothing inspired me this year like these dudes. From free albums on Tumblr to The New York Times and the VMA’s. It made me feel like this shit is possible. A crew that encompasses rappers, artists, singers, writers, skaters and just dudes to hang out with. It’s a dream.

Odd Future at SXSW - French

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vn639m5uyY

3) The Best Show on WFMU: Tom Scharpling is my hero and his radio show is one of my all time favorite things. In the last year this show has done everything from introduce me to great bands to make me feel strong in times of weakness. From two bands breaking up, to fear of losing a house to losing friends to drugs, Tom Scharpling’s spirit has coached me through all of it. Outside of just being funny this show works as a weekly 3 hour motivational speech for me. Tom Scharpling taught me never to give in, never to let the chumps win, never to stop. This show means more to me than almost anything else in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieTdrQHgJs

4) Watch The Throne: Two of my favorite artists in any genre join forces to make probably the most extravagant and perfect hip-hop album I’ve ever heard. The fucking COVER is impressive. The album proper is flawless(sorry bonus tracks). Hov at the peak of his powers, Kanye destroying beats. Frivolous, fun, heartfelt, honest, powerful. This album is a grand statement. The concert was even better. Hands down the best thing I have seen done on a stage outside of maybe The Stooges. These guys found a way to be almost comically extravagant while staying human and touching. I want this duo to go on forever.

Jay-Z and Kanye West - Otis (Live at the VMAs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fdpFkc8tSI

5) Actual Pain: I don’t remember where I found this brand, maybe through Mishka, but the love was immediate. Rad clothes with all sorts of satanic imagery. Duh. What’s not to like. Plus tons of free mixtapes on their site. This didn’t change my life or anything but I love it.

http://store.actualpain.org/

6) Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo: If Watch The Throne hadn’t happened this would be my favorite album of the year. Kurt Vile’s lyrics are crazy. The layers of guitar parts and the lazy, mumbled, childlike vocals. This thing kills me. “In My Time” is my favorite song of the year with “Peeping Tomboy” barely behind it. When I felt stuck with no band Kurt Vile inspired me to do it by myself. I’m very thankful for this record.

Kurt Vile - In My Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ztizmGsFA

7) Foo Fighters - Back and Forth: This documentary became an immediate favorite and made me fall completely in love with a band I always thought was pretty mediocre. This shows Dave Grohl to be the coolest guy ever and a real hero. I watched this every night for a month this summer.

Foo Fighters - Back and Forth (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFxLz5cPsI

8) William S. Burroughs: This gentleman obviously didn’t do anything cool this year as he was still dead the whole time but this is the year I got into his work. Queer immediately became one of my favorite books and everything else is just written with such a dry clinical hatred for the world that I can’t put it down. I’ve currently read his first four books and will probably go through the rest in 2012.

William S. Burroughs documentary (Part 1)

(I haven’t seen this so if it sucks I’m sorry)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-kJ-mVw5U&feature=related

9) Weed/Red Wine/Tequila: The law is making 2012 a sober year for me, so here’s a shoutout to vices. No real need to explain here. These things make me feel good and bring out sides of myself and parts of my brain that I really appreciate. We had a good run, bros.

10) Bob Mould - See A Little Light: The life story of one of my biggest heroes finally told by the man himself. Tons of insight into a personal life that was always kept very private and an inspiration in never quitting the things you love, just finding a different avenue to do them. I read this book in less than a week and was sincerely bummed when it was over. Good work, Bob.

11) Fucked Up - David Comes To Life: This record is enormous. A punk/hardcore/whatever the fuck rock opera. The momentum never lets up and by the time it ends(and it’s LONG) I want nothing more than to start it over from the beginning. The lyrics of Fucked Up have never been this strong, nor the music. This is just a huge and incredible record. One of the handful this year that deserves to be remembered for years as a classic.

Fucked Up - Queen of Hearts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL8fKY9j8ZE&feature=related

12) Walking The Room - 2011 was by and large a pretty cool year but in the midst of the cool shit it was fucking awful. Foreclosures, band breakups, losing two cars, getting screwed at jobs, capping it off with a DUI. But no matter how low things got this podcast was there to remind me, with a hilarious wink, that it can get worse. The total opposite of the inspiration I get from Tom Scharpling, Dave Anthony and Greg Behrendt have found a way to turn the misery and disappointment that is their show business careers into something hilarious and heart warming. Two best friends in a closet talking about their shitty neighbors and shittier auditions. This podcast means more to me than anything that invented “corndoggin” probably should.

13) Drake - Take Care: This album is impressive and sincere and weird and awesome. I came into it as a Drake fan and came out of it excited for whatever he does next. Drake stepped up every element of what he does for this record, rapping, singing and lyrics. The beats are ambient and spacey and the lyrics paint Drake as the biggest asshole who is aware that he’s an asshole. This is art.

Drake - Marvin’s Room

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwyjxsOYnys

14) Late Night Cakes - In the face of disappointment make something awesome. This is truly the project I have been most passionate about in my short time as a musician. The opportunity to do whatever I want and not have to worry about rubbing band members wrong or put up with ideas or attitudes that aren’t mine has been tremendous. Creative freedom, completely. It’s been super fucking fun making songs just to make them and put them out and ending up with something I’m genuinely very proud of. Shoutout to Clarence Hoffman and X3 studios, without either this wouldn’t be possible. The last few months have felt amazing and 2012 is about to be the best year of my life. WFYS WFBS

Late Night Cakes - Same To Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amFXMR8YoNU&context=C3e24635ADOEgsToPDskJxvjaECEa9rFyY-p6NiDvZ