2012 Year End List- Music

With it being a few days till the end of 2011 I guess it's time to do my end of the years list for top everything of 2011 according to me
Best Music of 2011:

Top Albums that I listened to in 2011

1. Drake- 'Take Care':  This is one of those I can listen to front to back, in any mood, and it was played non-stop in my car for 2 months before I even thought about taking it out.  It's too hard to pick a favorite song since so many of them are good.  There is a different style and pace from his previous release,'Thank Me Later', with tracks like 'Crew Love' that have a house beat to them and would be done well sped up in Ibiza but then brings back the familiar sound with the Nicki Minaj duet 'Make Me Proud'.  Top tracks: Marvin's Room, Over My Dead Body, and Headlines.
2. Jay Z and Kanye West- 'Watch the Throne': Jazy Z and Kanye, what more needs to be said?  Top tracks: Otis, The Joy, and Niggas in Paris
3. My Chemical Romance- 'Danger Days': I still have some early 2000's teeny punk pop style in me and MCR definitely filled the void for me.  Gerald Way's classic angst filled voice combined with a catchy electronic beat was a completely different sound from their previous record but still did the job.  The radio friendly 'Sing' has a good cadence for running and 'Na Na Na' captured the violent tone that drew me into them.  For once I also liked the interludes between tracks with Jet Star and the Kobra Kid.  Top tracks: Planetary (Go!), Destroya, and The Kids from Yesterday.
4. Swollen Members- 'Dagger Mouth': A Canadian hip hop duo that most people won't know.  They are huge in Canada (eh?) and those that listen to Del, Atmopshere, Dialated Peoples and the like will probably have heard their voices on tracks before.  Dagger Mouth was classic Swollen, Prevail and Mad Child had great lyrics and rythum while Rob mixed up some great tracks.  The video for 'Night Vision' gets extra points for their "dia de los muertos" theme.  If Mad Child wasn't banned from entering the US (and I'm banned from Canada for the next 10 years) I would have a few dates in 2012 set to see them in concert, alas... sigh... Top tracks: Bring Me Down, Mr. Impossible, and Night Vision.
5. The Roots- 'Undun'- The Roots defy everything that music has come to be known.  They release a ton of records (11 and counting), are the house band for Jimmy Fallon, and change their sound continuously while still keeping the sound genuine and unique.  I can't really put my finger on what I like about them, Maybe it's Questlove's giant afro, it could be that they play actual instruments, maybe it's their soul influence, possibly that when i listen to them I feel like I'm a better person then when I started, I'm not really sure.  Undun was just released and I already love it- it's amazing.  Top tracks: Make My, The Other Side, and Redford.

Top Songs of 2012

1. 'Seven Nation Army Remix'- The Glitch Mob:  Originally a great song by The White Stripes Glitch Mob took it and made an industrial version of it.  In constant rotation on my shuffle when it comes on during a run I unknowingly speed up with a rush of angry adrenaline.  Leaving Jack White's voice uninterrupted (for the most part) but adding a transformer/ dubstep-esq beat makes this redux fantastic for working out; it's the mental equivalent of downing a 5 hour energy on top of a Java Kona Monster.
2. 'Opposite of Adults'- Chiddy Bang:  This track makes me happy.  When I hear the MGMT kids beat laid down with the lackadaisical kiddie rap style lyrics I smile.  I have to give credit to MGMT as well- the beat is a classic and the 'I once was a kid all I had was a dream' hook reminds me of being some place warm with a beach or lake and everyone dancing and singing having a great time.
3. 'Let's Go'- Travis Barker: This was the year Busta Rhymes KILLED every track he did bars for.  As he comes out and starts the high energy flow you know the track is going to be dope.  Add Twista, TelaWolf, and Lil John doing what he does best (adding a 2 second hype up here and there) with Travi playing drums and you've got gold.
4. 'Look at Me Now'- Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes:  Anyone who was in a club in 2011 heard this jam.  Probably a few time during the night as the track is just that good.  It has a loopy beat, a jazz style insert reminiscent of Wreck N Effects, and Busta Murders his part.
5. Tie 'Right Above It'- Lil Wayne & Drake/ 'Otis' Jay Z & Kanye West.
   I'll tackle 'Right Above It first- Drake has his typical cadence style flow going with Wayne singing the hook.  When Wayne starts in with "Skinny Pants and some Vans call me triple 8 get my advance in advance" the tract escalates to new levels.  The YMCMB family is beating everything else out there in quality these days, this track with Drake and Wayne is one the best examples of it.  It's a catchy uptempo song that starts with Drake bringing some of his best lyrics ever and ends with Wayne.
   
   'Otis'- Another collaboration with some of the best in the music business right now.  Taking Otis Redding's 'Try a Little Tenderness' (which is amazing by itself) and then adding Jay Z and Kayne, speeding up the tempo, and then looping the piano with Otis' voice in the background was genius.  The video screamed excessive waste of money to us as they sliced and diced the doors off Maybauch, added a bumper sticker to it and then turned it into a Mad Max style drifter.  To Jay Z, whose net worth is close to 1 Billion, this was more of a fun experiment.  Which pretty much explains this album- a fun experiment that went so horribly right we're clammering for another.