wow, cannot believe 2011 is coming to a close! that might be the same opening we use at the end of every one of these year-end posts, but it’s true! it was a great year, and we cannot thank you all enough for your support!
some 2011 highlights for us
- getting together and doing our first ever east coast shows. not to mention, the only time we all got to hang out together this year. it was just like old times, a bunch of nonsense, with a group of really good friends. thank you all who were able to make it to one of the shows, help set one up, and/or told friends to come! we met a lot of new friends and saw some really great bands.
- writing and recording a new song (bi-coastally) called “van gogh sky”, which we released as a limited edition split 7” with our friends all india radio. there are still a few copies remaining which you can order here! the all india radio song on the split, “rippled” has an amazing video which you should definitely see:
- 2011 also saw the release of a cover of the song the radiator (by ida) as part of the “more hope for japan” compilation. we were incredibly honored to participate in this project, with the proceeds all going to support relief efforts for japan. 37 bands, 37 tracks, available via digital download or physical release in the form of a strictly limited edition (100 copies) 4 disc cd set! stream our tune along with the other 36 jams here: http://morehopeforjapan.com/stream_the_entire_album/
2011 was also a year of some really fantastic music, hence the unavoidable: a top albums and tracks lists from us. but before we get into that, a couple of quick notes regarding what’s next to come.
early plans for next year
mid-feb, the west coast branch will join the folks in the east coast office to finish fine tuning the songs for the new album. at this point, we are looking to begin recording in april and hopefully launching a late summer release! more to come on that. we thought while all together, we might as well play another show! friday feb 17 @ don pedro’s in brooklyn, with north end, calls, and alcian – rsvp by going to the facebook event
lastly, our sincere gratitude for your continued support. warm wishes, season’s greetings, happy holidays etc. with love, signal hill
our top albums and tracks all in no particular order.
brian
top albums
- owen – ghost town
- blue scholars - cinemetropolis
- beware of safety – leaves/scars
- tycho - dive
- m83 – hurry up, we are dreaming
- helios - unleft
- silian rail - (acoustic music)
- the drift - blue hour
- the sea and cake - moonlight butterfly
- sleepmakeswaves - …and so we destroyed everything
top tracks
- m83 - steve mcqueen
- tycho - a walk
- brothertiger - feel
- the water - elf storage
- gorillaz - on melancholy hill
- all india radio - ripple
- owen - an animal
- owen - i believe
- arms & sleepers - kepesh
- blue scholars – cinemetropolis
tim
top albums
- ben howard – every kingdom
- tycho - dive
- white denim - d
- the antlers – burst apart
- iron & wine - kiss each other clean
- motorcycle diaries - soundtrack, gustavo santaolalla
- the north end - atlantica
- beware of safety - leaves/scars
- the besnard lakes - are the roaring night
top tracks
- ben howard – lonely pine
- ben howard - black flies
- white denim - burnished
- white denim - anvil everything
- m83 - intro (ft. zola jesus)
- iron & wine – walking far from home
- iron & wine – godless brother in love
- iron & wine - me and lazarus
- the besnard lakes- like the ocean, like the innocent; pt. 2 the innocent
- gustavo santaolalla - leyendo en el hospital, the motorcycle diaries soundtrack
rishi
top albums
- real estate - days
- washed out - within and without
- bibio - mind bokeh
- owen - ghost town
- the weeknd - house of balloons
- craft spells - idle labor
- the antlers - burst apart
- tycho - dive
- destroyer - kaputt
- beach fossils - what a pleasure (ep)
top songs
- real estate - green aisles
- keep shelly in athens - “okionos negri street
- washed out - “eyes be closed”
- casiokids - elefantenes hemmelige gravplass
- shabazz palaces - swerve… the reaping of all that is worthwhile (noir not withstanding)
- arms and sleepers - i sing the body electric
- john maus - cop killer
- atlas sound - te amo
- the drums - i need a doctor
- toro y moi - how i know
dave
top albums
- teebs – collections 01
- people get ready - ep
- owen – ghost town
- the sea and cake – the moonlight butterfly
- radiohead – the king of limbs
- washed out- within and without
- tycho – dive
- beach fossils – what a pleasure
- the drift - blue hour
- m83 – hurry up, we’re dreaming
top songs
- shabazz palaces – are you…can you… were you? (felt)
- mogwai – letters to the metro
- kisses - kisses
- kuedo – ascension phase
- m83 – echoes of mine
- teebs – verbena tea (featuring rebeckah raff)
- low – especially me
- the drift – luminous friend
- the sea and cake – inn keeping
- beware of safety – moorpark ends
- north end – synergy
- wait what – before one love (Nas/Washed Out Mash Up)
- people get ready - cathedral
- tycho – hours
- radiohead – lotus flower
