Abbey’s Favorite (Almost Entirely Local) Songs of 2011

December 14, 2011

Kelli Schaefer ::: photo by Dylan Priest

Having fallen deep down a used-vinyl sized hole this year, I managed to completely miss most of the national blog buzz bands and mp3s making the press release copy&paste rounds of 2011, those things that so often fill end of the year lists. But considering the immense output from our little corner of the country, I don’t feel I suffered or starved for new songs to keep me company. These are the forty songs from 2011 that were my soundtrack and that I played on repeat. I’m not bold enough to say they are the best songs of 2011, but they are my favorites.

While this list is not enumerated, my very favorite song of the year, Kelli Schaefer’s heart-aching-to-the-point-of-breaking “Gone in Love,” is at the top with some other absolute favorites. “Gone in Love” is a song that has not lost its emotional wallop despite hundreds of listens and many live performances over the last 12 months. And every time I see Kelli sing it, I can’t stop my chin from quivering. “Gone in Love” isn’t just one of my favorite songs of 2011, it is one of my favorite songs.

That’s hardly true for every song on this list. Every year has its one-hit wonder and I have no shame in saying I played the hell out of 2011’s. Whether its a song that stays with you for decades or a song you only blast until the end of the year, I hope you might discover a new favorite of your own by taking a listen to some of mine.

“Gone in Love” - Kelli Schaefer
“Before the Night is Gone” - Zoe Muth and Her Lost High Rollers
“Montezuma” - Fleet Foxes
“Letters” - Lemolo
“I’m Not Leaving” - Big Sur

“I Found You” - Alabama Shakes
“I’m Losing Myself” - Robin Pecknold / Edward Droste | download
“Father’s Clothes” - Grand Hallway
“Leaves, Trees, Forest” > “Rows of Houses” - Dan Mangan
“Boys” - Bryan John Appleby

“The Round” (From the Basement) - Pickwick
“Park” - Radiation City
“Twins” - Gem Club | download
“Mute” - Joshua Morrison
“My Silver Hand” - Case Studies | download

The rest of my favorite (almost completely local) songs of 2011

“Blackout Baby” - My Goodness
“And Andrew Too” - Dude York
“Broken Finger Blues” - Richard Swift | download on SoundCloud
“Romance” - Wild Flag
“A Stitch Couldn’t Save the World” - The Globes | download

“Cave Country” - Quiet Life
“Cruel or Kind” - Gold Leaves | download
“Cash on the Barrel” - Cataldo
“Proof” - Shenandoah Davis
“What Good Am I To You Now?” - Curtains for You | download

“Why Is It So Hard?” - Charles Bradley
“Write Me A Letter” - Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
“Sarah” - Posse | download from SoundCloud
“Honest Kind of Luck” - Moya
“Live There” - The Lonely Forest | download

“Spacetime” - Gardens & Villa
“You Motherfuckers” - Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground
“I’m Gonna Try” - Shimmering Stars | download
“Video Games” - Lana Del Rey
“Burn The Boats Part I” - Shelby Earl