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Back to 2011 (Re-Ranking the Best of Lists)

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Melody Bot, Jul 15, 2020.

  1. Melody Bot Jul 15, 2020
    Melody Bot

    Your friendly little forum bot. Staff Member

    This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply.

    I used to think about the idea of ‘re-living’ a year. The mental game of knowing what you know now, and seeing what differences you could make in your life with various changes and the superpower of hindsight. After 2020, I don’t think about that much anymore; there are years that should be burned and the ground they’re buried within salted and forgotten. 2011 is a year like that for me; a year I’d spend years getting over.

    As I look over the AbsolutePunk staff list from 2011, I’m reminded most of all these little dramatic moments this year inspired. Blink-182 finally released their reunion album, Neighborhoods, and it was instantly polarizing. Was it a great return? Was it garbage? Did the band desperately need an outside producer? Should they be forced to all be in a room writing together? It was virtually instant drama, swift speculation, and all of the excess noise seemed to hum louder than any real discussion of the music itself. And that wouldn’t be the only polarizing release this year. Thrice released Major/Minor, the only album of theirs I don’t unequivocally love, and would soon after take a hiatus. Thursday released No Devolución, a record many thought was a departure from their core sound (but one I’ve long championed as their best work), and then would also take a hiatus. Manchester Orchestra would release Simple Math, and to this day, I can’t tell you what the consensus around that album is. Is it loved? Hated? I feel like I’ve read every single take about that album and still don’t know how it’s thought of within the Manchester Orchestra fanbase. Patrick Stump went solo with Soul Punk, and arguments of selling out and comparisons to Fall Out Boy were inevitable. And then there were The Dangerous Summer at peak Drama Summer. They were one of the buzziest, most talked about, and most adored within our community bands. But those assholes just couldn’t seem to get out of their own way. War Paint is an undeniable album, but I look at my list from 2011, and I have it all the way down at number twenty-eight. I just couldn’t divorce the antics from the music and was so sick of their shit.

    At the same time, I am also reminded of getting to experience the coming-out party for Bon Iver. I remember hearing Bon Iver, Bon Iver for the first time and being absolutely shell shocked. It felt like my music world was being turned on its axis. And then we had Brian Fallon operating in a songwriting phase unlike anything I can remember. From The ’59 Sound, to American Slang, to then dropping The Horrible Crowes’ Elsie in 2011. I mean, my god. There are times, with as much as I love The Gaslight Anthem and their entire catalog, that I want to make the argument that Elsie is Brian’s best work. That’s an album that feels like it’s operating on a different level of existence than the rest of us. And 2011 also brought us the return of Yellowcard with When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes, an album that felt like rekindling a summer romance and falling back into all the same grooves. Radiohead would release King of Limbs, which while an apparently unpopular opinion, I still adore. And, speaking of unpopular opinions, this would be the year all the pop-punk bands I never got into became the favorite bands of the next generation of pop-punk fans. The Wonder Years would release Suburbia, Fireworks would release Gospel, The Story So Far would release Under Soil and Dirt, and Transit would release Listen & Forgive. OK, I actually like that last one.1

    In 2011 we’d say goodbye to The Academy Is… and The Graduate. The Spill Canvas and Good Charlotte would join Thrice and Thursday on extended hiatus. And Foxing, Modern Baseball, and The Neighbourhood would all be formed.

    Reading over my list today, I think I’m most surprised by Frank Turner’s England Keep My Bones only being an honorable mention. That album has stayed in constant rotation and is a height I don’t think he’s ever gotten back to. Jack’s Mannequin’s People and Things has also aged well for me, as all of Andrew’s music seems to, but that is also missing from the original list. The biggest miss of all, however, is having How I Met Your Mother in my favorite TV shows. Not only did that show age horrifically, but I’ve never seen a finale of a TV show that retroactively made me hate the entire preceding series. Fuck Barney Stinson, and fuck that show.2

    So let’s re-rank the list. Same arbitrary rules as always apply, I’m not adding too much stuff that I wasn’t actively listening to at the time.

    Best of 2011 (Re-Ranking)

    1. The Horrible Crowes – Elsie
    2. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
    3. Thursday – No Devolucion
    4. Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math
    5. Radiohead – King of Limbs
    6. Marianas Trench – Ever After
    7. The Dangerous Summer – War Paint
    8. Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones
    9. Jacks Mannequin – People & Things
    10. Maritime – Human Hearts
    11. Yellowcard – When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes
    12. Butch Walker – The Spade
    13. Transit – Listen and Forgive
    14. Augustana – Augustana
    15. Thrice – Major/Minor
    16. MuteMath – Odd Soul
    17. Dessa – Castor, The Twin
    18. The Damnwells – Nobody Listens to the Band Anymore
    19. Doomtree – No Kings
    20. Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground
    21. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
    22. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
    23. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
    24. Blink-182 – Neighborhoods
    25. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
    26. The Black Keys – El Camino
    27. The Rosebuds – Loud Planes, Fly Low
    28. Joyce Manor – Joyce Manor
    29. Balance and Composure – Separation
    30. AraabMuzik – Electronic Dream

    I have a ridiculously hard time pinning down this year. It feels so all over the place to me and oddly filled with my least favorite albums from some of my favorite bands. But, that top two is absolutely ridiculous and virtually impossible for me to pick between. I did the same thing I did in 2011, I went with the one I’ve had the more emotional connection with, and by tiniest of margins, Elsie wins out. Barely. Microscopically. Like, it’s so close it’s whatever weird place Ant-Man went to in that only somewhat fine Marvel movie that I pretend I like more than I did because I love Paul Rudd.

    Thursday and Manchester Orchestra both see significant gains. Marianas Trench sees a rocket into the top ten behind one of the better theatric pop-punk albums I can remember, and Frank Turner and Jacks Mannequin get slotted in. That Maritime album fell off a little for me over the years, and The Dangerous Summer gets retroactive credit further removed from the shenanigans. The rest kind of feels like throwing darts at a list. It’s hard to nail down in a way that feels satisfying. It’s hard for me to even get a good grasp on a theme for this year. It’s more like stumbling in the dark, dodging furniture with hazy vision while only seeing the outline of shapes. You know where things kind of, sorta, should be, but nothing’s defined or with the clarity you’d hope. That’s a weird thing to be thinking nine years later. Time refusing to shine the light I expected, so I’m left with a jumbled mess of memories and confusion.

    The top two albums are unassailable to me. Then the top five, maybe top ten, contain a bunch of stuff I still revisit but with diminishing returns. And after that, this list is full of albums I don’t come back to nearly as often as virtually all the others within all of the respective discographies.

    The question I keep asking myself, is why?

    Is it because I just don’t think, with a few exceptions, these albums are on to the same level as others by these artists? Or is it because the year of listening to these albums was one of the more tumultuous and depressing in my life? Do I unconsciously avoid the music of that era in an attempt to block out memories of the misery? I don’t know. I’ve spent most of this morning thinking about it, trying to pull myself back in time, trying to explore where these feelings of blasé originate. The music or the misery? And I’m left wanting. What I do know is that there are various points in my life that I consider important inflection points, points where my life could swing one way or another, and this year ended up being one of them. The result was soon after beginning a reconstruction of self that would take years and remains ongoing, and in many ways, that’s what I take most from looking back at 2011. When I look at the music, it’s almost impossible for me to separate the two. So, I see a couple of albums that remain all-timers for me and then a bunch that when I’m scrolling through an artist page on Apple Music, I go “oh yeah, I remember that one,” before selecting a different album from the band instead. From Blink-182, to Yellowcard, to Thrice, to MuteMath, to Jack’s Mannequin, to Foo Fighters, to Coldplay, to Augustana, to Explosions in the Sky, to even Manchester Orchestra, these are pieces of the catalog with many gems3 amongst albums I have fuzzy feelings around as a whole.

    I started this project as a fun way to get back into weekly writing while stuck in quarantine during a global pandemic. A way to try and revisit the formative years of my life, of AbsolutePunk.net, and to try and bring new ‘content’ to everyone on a semi-regular basis while giving me something to focus on and distract myself (and hopefully you) with at least once a week. The result has also been a personal reflection each week of who I was and seeing the past fifteen years in soundtracked memories. It’s been a reminder for me of how “in it” life can sometimes feel, and it’s only with the passage of time that the bigger picture is revealed. And it’s a reminder that somethings stick with you the rest of your life, imprinting upon you in ways that may never be completely understood. We as a world are experiencing shared global trauma in a way that I don’t think we have even begun to comprehend the ramifications of, and it leads me to wonder what I will be thinking about nine, ten, years from now while looking at my end of the year list from this year. Will the albums feel discolored by the memories of this festering wound of a year? I have no idea. I suppose only time will tell.

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    1. Even as a critic, that’s a cynic, that lacks drive and heart to do what they do.↩

    2. Yes, I’m still angry about it.↩

    3. I still ride for Blink-182’s “After Midnight.”↩

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  2. Phil507 Jul 15, 2020
    Phil507

    Resident NYC snob Supporter

    The whole Blink 182 reunion from 2009-2013 with Tom was kind of fascinating in a way. When the band announced their 2009 tour, everyone thought they were getting the funny happy-go-lucky Blink 182 of the late 90's/early 00's not taking into account that the band members had all gone through various growing pains and traumas over the past decade or so. Neighborhoods was a fantastic snapshot of men at the early onset of middle age dealing with changing and growing older. Unfortunately, the simpleton pop-punk crowd (majority that is) were just NOT into that kinda sound. It's not without its faults but it's definitely a more interesting record than California in 2016 was.

    Also, surprised that a record as undeniable as Adele's "21" is not on the list.
     
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  3. trevorshmevor Jul 15, 2020
    (Last edited: Oct 4, 2021)
    trevorshmevor

    and use a pretty font Prestigious

    Can’t say 2011 was as much of a tumultuous time in my personal life, but I definitely still agree with it being mostly forgettable. Feels like a time that I was having a lot of fun but none of it really transitioned into “lifetime memories” type of fun. Just still in my very early 20’s and likely was centering most of my activities around drinking. What else do people do at that age, I guess? Hah.

    My music taste had become pretty stagnant. I think I listened to (read: was obsessed with) under like 10 different total albums in the entire year. Regrettably basically all pop punk records, and only a few of which I return to much now.

    Balance & Composure - Separation
    The Swellers - Good For Me
    All Get Out - The Season
    Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride
    I Can Make A Mess - Gold Rush
    Bayside - Killing Time
    I Am The Avalanche - Avalanche United
    Letlive. - Fake History
    Yellowcard - When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes
    Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
     
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  4. JRGComedy Jul 15, 2020
    JRGComedy

    Trusted Supporter

    This was a huge year for me. Marianas Trench, Butch Walker, and Frank Turner albums are all my favorites by them. Same with Bayside and The Swellers.
     
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  6. devenstonow Jul 15, 2020
    devenstonow

    Noobie

    It's seriously unreal how good of an album Elsie is. I saw him the day Painkillers came out, and the highlight was 100% hearing a few Horrible Crowes songs.

    I'd argue the only thing Brian Fallon's done that's better than Elsie is the Horrible Crowes live album. Lady-killer w/ Pictures of You in the bridge is holy and the Teenage Dream cover makes it sound like one of the best written songs ever
     
  7. trevorshmevor Jul 15, 2020
    trevorshmevor

    and use a pretty font Prestigious

    Big agree on The Swellers for sure, GFM is their best record and I still return to it all the time
     
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  8. irthesteve Jul 15, 2020
    irthesteve

    formerly irthesteve Prestigious

    My original 2011 list, one of the first lists where I immediately see thing that would shift or leave if I re-ranked

    1. Bright Eyes - The People's Key
    2. MuteMath - Odd Soul
    3. I Am The Avalanche - Avalanche United
    4. The Throne - Watch The Throne
    5. Saves The Day - Daybreak
    6. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
    7. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
    8. The Wonder Years - Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing
    9. Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday
    10. Givers - In Light
    11. Big D & The Kids Table - For The Damned, The Dumb & Delirious
    12. Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud
    13. Feist - Metals
    14. The Dear Hunter - The Color Spectrum
    15. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Don't Say We Didn't Warn You
    16. Blink-182 - Neighborhoods
    17. Drake - Take Care
    18. Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder
    19. Maniac - Mania
    20. Eisley - The Valley
     
  9. Yellowcard2006 Jul 15, 2020
    Yellowcard2006

    Trusted

    This was right in the last couple years of college for me. Thursday's No Devo has aged like a fine wine and I've only appreciated it more as I got older.

    Here's some albums not mentioned yet that I enjoyed in 2011

    Title Fight - Shed
    La Dispute - Wildlife
    The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules

    Also big fan of Horrible Crowes, Balance & Composure, The Swellers, Bayside, Yellowcard, Dangerous Summer,Transit,Fireworks, The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club, TBS

    Pretty solid year for music overall.
     
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  10. Ska Senanake Jul 15, 2020
    Ska Senanake

    Trusted

    Section 80
     
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  11. Craig Manning Jul 15, 2020
    Craig Manning

    @FurtherFromSky Moderator

    One of my favorite music years ever, and probably the greatest "music summer" of my life. Just an avalanche of releases I loved in 2011. Every morning, it felt like there was a new album in the leak thread that I wanted to download and check out. There are probably another 30 albums from this year that I at least love pieces from. War Paint was also the most important album in the world to me for at least six months, and I think I played it every day of that July and August, sometimes multiple times. I can't remember the last album that did that to me, and I miss it. Looking back, it's not necessarily a list that's stacked with all-time favorites (lots of albums on here are my third, fourth, fifth, sixth favorite things from the artists in question), but so many of my favorite artists released something, and I just remember there being a really exciting buzz of discovery going on around AbsolutePunk at this time. It's fun to look back on.

    1. The Dangerous Summer – War Paint
    2. Butch Walker – The Spade
    3. The Horrible Crowes – Elsie
    4. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
    5. The Damnwells – No One Listens to the Band Anymore
    6. Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
    7. Matt Nathanson – Modern Love
    8. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
    9. Adele – 21
    10. Jack’s Mannequin – People & Things
    11. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
    12. Jason Isbell – Here We Rest
    13. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
    14. Yellowcard – When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes
    15. Eric Church – Chief
    16. Transit – Listen and Forgive
    17. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
    18. Augustana – Augustana
    19. Charlie Simpson – Young Pilgrim
    20. Mat Kearney – Young Love
    21. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
    22. Switchfoot – Vice Verses
    23. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
    24. Miranda Lambert – Four the Record
    25. Will Hoge – Number Seven
    26. Stolen Silver – Stolen Silver
    27. The Swellers – Good for Me
    28. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
    29. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – S/T
    30. The Wonder Years – Suburbia
    Also the first year that I did a full list for, blurbs and all:

    Closer to the Truth and Further From the Sky: A Year in Review: The Best Music of 2011
     
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  12. phaynes12 Jul 15, 2020
    phaynes12

    https://expertfrowner.bandcamp.com/ Prestigious

    honorable mentions: ben howard - every kingdom; dawes - nothing is wrong; la dispute - wildlife; russian circles - empros
    25. kurt vile - smoke ring for my halo
    24. drake - take care
    23. young widows - in and out of youth and lightness
    22. o’brother - garden window
    21. the horrible crowes - elsie
    20. kendrick lamar - section 80
    19. radiohead - the king of limbs
    18. explosions in the sky - take care, take care, take care
    17. the civil wars - barton hollow
    16. moving mountains - waves
    15. gil scott-heron & jamie xx - we’re new here
    14. deafheaven - roads to judah
    13. pianos become the teeth - the lack long after
    12. noel gallagher’s high flying birds - noel gallagher’s high flying birds
    11. manchester orchestra - simple math
    10. the war on drugs - slave ambient
    9. wolves in the throne room - celestial lineage
    8. true widow - as high as the highest heavens and from the center to the circumference of the earth
    7. fleet foxes - helplessness blues
    6. mogwai - hardcore will never die, but you will
    5. arctic monkeys - suck it and see
    4. thursday - no devolucion
    3. wye oak - civilian
    2. fucked up - david comes to life
    1. bon iver - bon iver
     
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  13. artbynickferran Jul 15, 2020
    (Last edited: Jul 15, 2020)
    artbynickferran

    nickferran.com

    Jason, you touched on a thought/feeling here that has been simmering in the back of my mind since you started doing these, but haven't really been able to fully grasp until now. Obviously I remember the big things that happened in my life years ago and how they made me feel (graduation, break ups, moving out, etc). But seeing the albums that came out that year takes me back to specific moments and memories listening to these albums. There's really nothing else that can call up those smaller, more specific memories like music does (for better or for worse).

    1. The Dangerous Summer – War Paint
    2. All Get Out – The Season
    3. Mansions – Dig Up the Dead
    4. Transit – Listen & Forgive
    5. Bayside – Killing Time (easily their best album imo)
    6. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
    7. I Can Make A Mess – Gold Rush (another underrated Ace album)
    8. Manchester Orchestra – Simple Path
    9. Fireworks – Gospel
    10. Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
    11. Twin Atlantic – Free (unfortunately haven't enjoyed anything this band has done since)
    12. Yellowcard – WYTTSY
    13. The Wonder Years – Suburbia
    14. Jack's Mannequin – People & Things (probably my least favorite of Andrew's albums, but maybe worth a revisit)
    15. Title Fight – Shed
    16. Blink-182 – Neighborhoods
    17. Mutemath – Odd Soul
    18. AM Taxi – We Don't Stand a Chance
    19. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care
    20. Saves the Day – Daybreak
    21. La Dispute – Wildlife
    22. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
    23. Charlie Simpson – Young Pilgrim
    24. Adele – 21
    25. Thrice – Major/Minor


    I honestly haven't given The Swellers' Good For Me a listen since it came out* – Ups & Downsizing remains one of my favorite albums to this day and I remember being so disappointed by the follow up. But I suppose almost 10 years later, maybe it deserves revisiting.

    * aside from " The Best I Ever Had," that song is an all-timer
     
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  15. The Grey Man Jul 15, 2020
    The Grey Man

    Newbie Supporter

    2011 was the year I graduated from undergrad. Was a pretty rough year. Had to move back home without any solid job prospects and I think I was pretty bummed about the whole college experience. I think I spent a lot of time on absoultepunk.net and on xbox that summer.
    1. The Wonder Years - Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing
    2. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
    3. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
    4. Deas Vail - Deas Vail
    5. Fireworks - Gospel
    6. Mutemath - Odd Soul
    7. Transit - Listen & Forgive
    8. Balance and Composure – Separation
    9. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
    10. Portugal the Man - In the Mountain in the Clouds
    11. I Can Make A Mess - Gold Rush
    12. Thursday - No Devolucion
    13. All Get Out - The Season
    14. Mat Kearney - Young Love
    15. All Time Low - Dirty Work
    16. Blink 182 - Neighborhoods
    17. Blindside - With Shivering Hearts We Wait
    18. The Black Keys - El Camino
    19. Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care
    20. Yellowcard – When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes
    21. August Burns Red - Leveler
    22. Eisley - The Valley
    23. Lights - Siberia
    24. City and Colour - Little Hell
    25. Falling Up - Your Sparkling Death Cometh
    26. Relient K - Is for Karaoke
    27. The Devil Wears Prada - Dead Throne
    28. Panic! At the Disco - Vices & Virtues
    29. Death Cab for Cutie - Codes & Keys
    30. Owl City - All Things Bright and Beautiful
    Some other albums I listened to a ton in 2011 but haven't really gone back to:
    -Emery - We Do What We Want
    -New found glory - Radiosurgery
    -Saves the Day - Daybreak
    -A Skylight Drive - Identity on Fire
    -Sleeping with Sirens - Lets Cheers to This
    -Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder
    -Switchfoot - Vice Verses
    -Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday
    -The Aquabats - Hi-Fi Soup!
     
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  16. trevorshmevor Jul 15, 2020
    trevorshmevor

    and use a pretty font Prestigious

    My girlfriend insists that I have the most insane memory because I’m very good at recalling when events happened — but really it’s just because I’ve linked most memories in my life to what I was listening to at the time and the year whatever that music happens to be came out, haha. Love that music can give that to all of us.
     
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  17. The Grey Man Jul 15, 2020
    The Grey Man

    Newbie Supporter

    I messed up and had Killing Time on my 2010 list but I agree. Killing Time was my first real time listening the band and helped me get into them. I think it's my favorite of their's because of this.
     
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  18. JRGComedy Jul 15, 2020
    JRGComedy

    Trusted Supporter

    Same! That album is great and It's Not a Bad Little War is probably still my favorite Bayside song.
     
  19. Former Planets Jul 15, 2020
    Former Planets

    Aaaachem!

    Can’t believe Jason is the only one showing some love for Maritime.
     
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  20. soggytime Jul 15, 2020
    soggytime

    Trusted

    This is what I refer to as a "lost year" for me - as I was too wrapped up in the college lifestyle of partying/EDM etc and missed out on a lot of great music, movies and games during this time. In 2011 the music I was obsessed with was: Skrillex, Deadmau5, Bassnectar, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Kanye, and Porter Robinson; Most of which was obsessively curated into pregame playlists.

    2011 (Re-Ranked with 2020 eyes):

    1. The Wonder Years - Suburbia, I've Given You All, And Now I'm Nothing
    2. Drake - Take Care
    3. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
    4. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
    5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
    6. The Front Bottoms - The Front Bottoms
    7. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
    8. Bomb the Music Industry! - Vacation
    9. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
    10. Joyce Manor - S/T
    11. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
    12. Bayside - Killing Time
    13. The Dangerous Summer - War Paint
    14. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
    15. Danny Brown - XXX
    16. The Story So Far - Under Soil and Dirt
    17. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
    18. blink-182 - Neighborhoods
    19. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV
    20. Thrice - Major/Minor
    21. Tyler, the Creator - Goblin
    22. Wiz Khalifa - Cabin Fever
    23. The Black Keys - El Caminio
    24. Mac Miller - Best Day Ever
    25. Transit - Listen & Forgive
     
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  21. Craig Manning Jul 15, 2020
    Craig Manning

    @FurtherFromSky Moderator

    This is exactly me. Haha
     
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  22. soggytime Jul 15, 2020
    soggytime

    Trusted

    I've had these exact conversations with my girlfriend as well. My entire memory is based on the movies and music I was into each year - to the point where I'll start a story like "It was the summer of 2008, I saw Pineapple Express with a bunch of friends and..."
     
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  24. FTank Jul 15, 2020
    FTank

    Prestigious Prestigious

    Overall looking at my list for 2011, it's a pretty "scene" collection of albums compared to what I had for 2010. It was the summer before my last year of high school, and I'm pretty sure the first time I visited AP.net, which was a huge floodgates moment for me in terms of starting to seek out new music.

    1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
    2. Transit - Listen and Forgive
    3. The Wonder Years - Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing
    4. The Dangerous Summer - War Paint
    5. Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys
    6. Thursday - No Devolucion
    7. The Summer Set - Everything's Fine
    8. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
    9. All Time Low - Dirty Work
    10. Bayside - Killing Time
    11. Fireworks - Gospel
    12. Marianas Trench - Ever After
    13. Mayday Parade - Mayday Parade
    14. The Swellers - Good for Me
    15. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Plan
    16. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
    17. Saves the Day - Daybreak
    18. Yellowcard - When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes
    19. Balance and Composure - Separation
    20. La Dispute - Wildlife
     
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  25. Jason Tate Jul 15, 2020
    Jason Tate

    liner notes Staff Member

    I think I'd rank both Nine and California over it at this point, I think they're more consistent records as a whole. Neighborhoods just doesn't have the same feel, although there's songs on there that I think are up there with some of their best, there's also too much stuff that is everything I dislike about Angels and Airwaves and why I never connected with the band.

    I didn't really listen to it much in 2011 so it was hard to add it given that it wasn't really a part of my life that year beside talking about how huge it was on the website/podcasts with people.

    Damn, what a throwback!

    I'm always interested in others that track time this way, it's basically how I know my entire life/history is through music and that soundtrack. I assume others that love film or sports can do it with what came out that year, or what a specific sporting event was like, but for me it's always been music and how it's been in my life and what I was doing and listening to during it. For example, I think part of The Horrible Crowes and my continued love for that album will always be attached to listening to it even into the next year, in 2012, in a car sitting in a random parking lot after a date with my now wife.

    Worse things you could be doing. ;-)

    A real gem of an album. Spent a lot of time on a hammock deep in thought with that, Dessa, and Radiohead on repeat. I got my first iPhone this year, the 4S I believe, and that was one of the staples on there for sure.
     
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  26. Jusscali Jul 15, 2020
    Jusscali

    Synth-Bop Enthusiast Prestigious

    This was a much better year for me than 2010 but still not a fantastic one. War Paint is a real big one though. Moving Mountains and B and C got tons of rotation as well. The swellers, transit, deas vail, Augustana...but I think Jason was right with the “id rather listen to another record by some of my usual favorites” side of that year.
     
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  27. Jusscali Jul 15, 2020
    Jusscali

    Synth-Bop Enthusiast Prestigious

    Also losing the graduate and the release of radiosurgery were def lowpoints in my life lol
     
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  28. BenSmith94 Jul 15, 2020
    BenSmith94

    Trusted

    I've thought a lot about how badly HIMYM has aged. I rarely come back to it, but at the time it was my favourite show.
     
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