I probably forgot something, which is kind of what I want my tombstone to say.
Fucked Up – David Comes to Life
Punk rock should always make you want to throw your arms in the air and bang your head around while simultaneously plastering a stupid grin to your face.
tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l
At some point during March of 2011 I could feel myself dying. tUnE-yArDs’ video for the song “Bizness” made me whole again. Why didn’t I put this at number one?
Wild Flag – Wild Flag
Watching Carrie Brownstein perform live made me rethink everything I thought I knew about playing guitar. Ouch.
Shooting Guns – Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976
Local stoner metal dude rockers make getting old both look and sound good. Makes me wonder, what if they just never stopped…
Ohbijou – Metal Meets
Soaring orchestral pop hooks are no match for how incredibly fucking nice these people are.
Shotgun Jimmie – Transistor Sister
One of my favourite memories of 2011 was being on tour and opening for Jimmie’s record release show in Sackville, New Brunswick and getting loser wasted and somehow beating Jimmie at pool and then walking across the pool table. The next morning I woke up to a puppy licking my face and an autographed copy of Transistor Sister.
Foam Lake – Force and Matter
Not sure what I appreciate more: the fuzz on the guitar tones or the fuzz on their faces.
Foggy Notions – Beginning to See
Summer has never felt so lovelorn, hazy or reverbed. Please do this again.
Austra – Feel It Break
Hopefully the next time Austra plays in Saskatoon they play somewhere with lazers – Amigos show was a little lame, says I.
Born Gold – Bodysongs
I liked the name Gobble Gobble a thousand times better than the new moniker. Seriously, try chanting “Born… Gold…” It kind of sucks. Fortunately this album rules, and the song “Wrinklecarver” is worth the price of admission alone.
Library Voices – Summer of Lust
I can’t decide which naked dude on the cover of this record gives me the bigger boner.
Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps
Greg Dulli is my favourite drug addict. But on Dynamite Steps I can’t tell if it was heroin, cocaine or just good old-fashioned booze that inspired this one.
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Second favourite memory of 2011 was pushing to the front of a throng of 2000 people to sit on the stage barrier and watch Mogwai punish a crowd at a U.K. festival while I trembled only 15 feet away.
Hooded Fang – Tosta Mista
Hooded Fang are amazing, but will go down as one of my worst interviews of 2011. “So do your grandparents like the album?” “My grandparents are dead.” “Oh.”
Uncle Bad Touch – Uncle Bad Touch
I think the fact that my shitty punk band got to open two kickass basement shows for this band in Saskatoon has pushed this Dec. 2010 release into the Top Albums of 2011 alone. However, it actually just rules that hard. Also, can some broad please hurry up and marry me and start a whipass garage rock punk band with me already?
The Famines – Collection
It was nice of The Famines to make us buy their 7’”s and then put them all out on one handy record. Of course it maybe just goes to show that the songs are that fucking good that people are actually willing to buy them twice. Yowza!
Drake – Take Care
I wanted to hate this. Can’t.
Bry Webb – Provider
I don’t care what anyone says, I still just really miss the Constantines.
Night Danger – Beach Bods
Night Danger was a Saskatoon band that ruled hard and fast and flew too close to the sun. Members have since gone on to form a band called Soul Mates, who will at least rule by association if nothing else.
Slow Down Molasses – Walk Into The Sea
It’s always dicey writing about your own band, but on Walk Into The Sea I didn’t record a single thing, so I’m allowed to be somewhat subjective. On the other hand I got to hear these songs every day for like the nearly two months of touring we did so I’m actually just a big fat fraud. Oh well.
A resource for people who also have a passion for great music and want to learn more about it is www.onlineclasses.net.