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My favourite record this year is special because it is by a band I know personally, but that's not the only reason why I think it's amazing. These songs really hit home for me, they have opened my eyes to the fact that good things can happen over here as well, that there is potential and not everything has to be trite and imitative. Heartfelt personal lyrics and universal references that are up to par with everything I heard this year. Go ahead and listen to it, because there's no point in describing what you can hear for yourselves:

Accept The Change - Escapism Is A Dying Art

Title Fight - Shed
La Dispute - Wildlife
Joyce Manor - Joyce Manor
Balance and Composure - Separation
-
Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys
Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See
Crash of Rhinos - Distal
Former Thieves - The Language That We Speak
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Algernon Cadwallader - Parrot Flies
Bright Eyes - The People's Keys
…

Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, CA
Janurary '12
Fresh Young Minds
Lazer Sword

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
March '12
Creatures
Ecophagy
Low Places
Skinfather

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
Janurary '12
Deafheaven
Wolves in the Throne Room
Worm Ouroboros

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
Janurary '12
Beau Navire
Conquest For Death
Dangers
Ghost Limb
Troubled Coast

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
Janurary '12
Continuum
Larry David
Parasitic Ejaculation
Pathology

Branx & Rotture, Portland, OR
Janurary '12 (NYE 2012)
Addison Groove
Dam Funk
Machinedrum
Sepulcure
Salva

Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA
December'11
Baths
Dntel
Raleigh Moncrief

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
December'11
Mothers
Palmz
Purple Mercy

The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA
December'11
David Bazan
il gato

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
December'11
Full of Hell
Heartless
howdareyou
Leer
Parasitic Ejeculation

105 Pioneer St., Santa Cruz, CA
November'11
…

1.Tera Melos
2.Kickball
3.Anything with Zach Hill
4.Mount Eerie
5.Why? (almost saw Josiah live...)
6.Giraffes? Giraffes! (closest was UNH w/ KYOTY who I've seen live)
7.Russian Circles
8.Paul Baribeau √√ (for real... no lie)
9.Nana Grizol (Missed 'em when they came to P-town) (shame)
10.La Dispute (May have come to the Deering Grange Hall or Windham?)
11.Defeater (Missed 'em in Windham(?))
12.Aesop Rock
13.O'Death (coming to the Space in september)
14.Red Medicine (super nice cats... missed 'em like three times already) √√ (RIP)
15.Chalk Talk (saw Pachangacha!)
16.This Town Needs Guns
17.Deer Tick (Probably have come to the Space/Port City)
18.Fang Island (Came to Port City for RX Bandits)
19.Victor! Fix The Sun
20.Captain Hollow (from Banger Maine) √√√
21.The Tallest Man on Earth
22.The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
23.Good Luck
24.Joanna Newsom (Why the hell not!)
25.If These Trees Could Talk
…

This is my list of the best releases of 2011. This will be updated more and more as I listen to new stuff. If you'd like to suggest anything, go ahead, I'd love to hear it. All of the releases on here are linked to the artist/album and the genre is listed next to it. It you want to hear one of these but can't find it, send me a message and I'll drop you a link.

* = EP/Demo/Split/Comp/Live/Singles

Everything on this list I thoroughly enjoy. That being said, the releases that I find particularly awesome are marked with:
Bold = Really good LPs
Underline = Really good EP/Demo/Split/Comp/Live/Singles

Mountain Man - Grief
Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights
Mother of Mercy - IV: Symptoms of Existence
Lemuria - Pebble
Title Fight - Shed [Emo/Pop-Punk]
Spraynard - Funtitled [Pop-Punk]
Fireworks - Gospel [Pop-Punk]
Balance and Composure - Separation [Post-Hardcore]
Touché Amoré - Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me
…

Best Album

01. Grown Ups - More Songs
Indie / Emo
Myspace

http://img.f.hatena.ne.jp/images/fotolife/o/oioiunkounko/20101209/20101209032335.jpg?1291832893

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWbwJ6RUTM

02. Nana Grizol - Ruth
Folk / Indie Pop
Myspace

http://img.f.hatena.ne.jp/images/fotolife/o/oioiunkounko/20101209/20101209032401.jpg?1291832948

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETDIwca9d40

03. Sonic Avenues - Sonic Avenues
Punk / Powerpop
Myspace

http://img.f.hatena.ne.jp/images/fotolife/o/oioiunkounko/20101209/20101209032416.jpg?1291832906

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZtDVuLdFmc

04. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
Indie / Alternative
Myspace

http://img.f.hatena.ne.jp/images/fotolife/o/oioiunkounko/20101209/20101209032420.jpg?1291832921

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHcxZz5P130

05. The Sugar Stems - Sweet Sounds Of
Powerpop / Pop Punk
Myspace

…

I got to work this morning, and was told. dude. you don’t look alright. you don’t even sound alright.

Correct. I look, smell, feel, sound like ass. All of the senses.

Lets take a quick jaunt at the weekend in retrospect shall we?

Friday morning. Get to the rental car at ATL airport at 11:30. drive fast, because, i was meeting up with guiltyview to provide for him a ticket in exchange for some sweet design work (of which, i have something for you sir. or a request…) got stuck behind a cop north of valdosta (around sparks, ga…) but, because of awful road construction… which is a rather common occurance around there, instead of being stuck doing 70 behind this cop, i got the edge by blocking him behind a slow ass RV and passed him doing 0 miles over the speed limit. cha ching. got from atlanta to gainesville in 4 hours 2 minutes. average speed? 84 miles per hours.

went to the liquor store, grabbed a bottle of kentucky gentlemen, makers mark, and four high life tallboys… and krispy kreme doughnuts.
…

FunkyGoose Milestones1st track: (31 Aug 2006)
Behemoth - Ceremony Of Shiva
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/35972709.jpg1000th track: (12 Apr 2007)
Metallica - No Remorse
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/15311969.jpg2000th track: (11 May 2007)
Birds of Avalon - Turn Gold
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/5847709.jpg3000th track: (26 May 2007)
Lord Gore - Post Coital Eruption
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/561378.jpg4000th track: (01 Jun 2007)
Ulver - Dressed in Black
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/326296.jpg5000th track: (09 Jun 2007)
Art Of Burning Water - Bite off the Genitals of the Intellectuals and Piss Down their Throats
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/3657478.jpg6000th track: (30 Jun 2007)
Hella - World Series
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/22622531.jpg7000th track: (26 Jul 2007)
Jucifer - Lucky Ones Burn
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/19773223.jpg8000th track: (04 Aug 2007)
Assück - 08 - False Dedication
…

Brooke and I went all the way out to North Carolina to partake in what will likely be one of the top most musical events of my life (right up there with the Ben Folds Five Reunion last year.) Granted I have a somewhat sick addiction to North Carolina bands (that does stem out of Ben Folds Five). Anyway, SnuzzFest afforded us to see some bands that I never, ever, EVER dreamed of seeing live. Let alone Master Snuzz himself. Brooke, Mel and I did get a special treat December 2007 when Snuzz played us a few songs in his living room, but for such a musical genius we of course felt blessed (but a little cheated too.) So getting to see Snuzz preform live was. Huge. HUUGGGE. A huge wagering point into making the flight from Chicago to just be in North Carolina for 48 hours. And worth every damn penny. But before we actually get to SnuzzFest itself, let's talk about the night before.

We got to NC without a hitch, despite being a small hitch at the hotel. …