Thursday, December 22, 2011

All the Small Things: Best Singles + E.P.'s of 2011




So there's lots to talk about in 2011 but I've got to break it down to avoid overwhelming anyone, including yours truly. The usual warning I offer is that this is a stylistically-narrow list chosen by a biased (and rapidly-aging) amateur musical historian who only listens to a very humble fraction of what's released in a year. Take it as a set of recommendations, rather then as a pronouncements heavy with the stench of omniscient authority (Pitchfuck, I'm looking at you!)




Our first entry in the best-of-the-year derby, is a list of all those things whose brevity disqualifies them from our forthcoming "Best Underappreciated Albums That Rocked 2011". This list is a bit pop-punk heavy, partly because the best pop-punk of the year seemed to come in small packages




1. Jimmy Cliff: Sacred Fire EP
A reggae pioneer enters a potential late-career Renaissance courtesy of producer Tim Armstrong, who sets up Mr.Cliff with one of his Rancid tunes, as well as a Clash song and a Bob Dylan one.
(Listen HERE)

2. Kurt Baker: Rockin For a Livin' EP
With every album Baker did with The Leftovers, he brought the band closer to a classic late seventies power-pop sound but now that he's gone solo he's fully embraced the skinny tie!
(Listen HERE)

3. The New Rochelles: It's New EP
The best new pop-punk band I've heard in years, one that loves love the Ramones, Screeching Weasel, Teenage Bottlerocket but also Green Day (and even Blink 182!)
(Listen HERE)

4. Wilco: I Might 7"
The fuzzy-garage-pop sound of the A-side, sounds great when backed with a rockin' cover of Nick Lowe's "I Love My Label".
(Listen HERE)

5. Adjusters:  Wrong Plae, Wrong Time 7"
To quote myself, "Another shot of backwards-looking, striped-shirt rock n' roll from a set of young lads from the North West of England.
 (Listen HERE)

6. OFF!: Compared to What/Rotten Apples 7"
SoCal punk vet Keith Morris is cranky, stuck in the past and burning like a motherfucker!
 (Listen HERE)

7. Chixdiggit: Safeways Here We Come EP
Calgary's kings of pop-punk aren't kids anymore (kids don't write songs about friendships ruined by dogs!) but they still sound as irrepressible as ever!
(Listen HERE)

8. The Cry: E.P.
Snotty AM-radio fed punk rock that swaggers!
 (Listen HERE)

9. Sharp Objects: 5 Song EP
Catchy-as-fuck blasts of SoCal Punk Roq with with lots of oozin' and aaah's.
 (Listen HERE)

10. Naked Raygun 7" series
Chicago hardcore legends have returned with their final, and underrated, line up to liven up the singles market.

 (Hompeage HERE)

 



Whaddya mak-a da list? Did you hear anything you dug? Did we miss something that might've fit? Let us know in the COMMENTS section!!!!!!

5 comments:

  1. Yo! Jeffun in Winnuhpeg!

    Whaddya gots against dat 'Mutilate Me' single by Teenage Bottlerocket?

    You'se is da man whut turned me ons to thum cowboyz, and now you'se is all, like:

    "Naw, I'm too old or dodderin' an' forgetful to remember that dominating bit of bliss-fulled blasting. Now where is my carbon-fibre record brush? And my bottle of brain pills..."

    ReplyDelete
  2. I liked the songs on the Chixdiggit "Safeways" EP... the mix was kinda weird, though.

    Have you checked out Cold Warps?

    ReplyDelete
  3. thanks for turning me on to new sounds

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really dig those Kurt Baker, New Rochelles and Off! tracks. The Chixdiggit is an absolute fave of mine and might be the only release of theirs I love from beginning to end. Yes, I'm weird like that.

    CallPastorJerkface

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bio
    It made it. just on a different list!

    Brushback
    Thanks for the tip 9and speaking of separate lists...)

    Ano
    Yay!

    CPJ
    I like the fact that each new Chixdiggit release becomes your favourite!

    ReplyDelete

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