2011 has been a very good year for music. While it’s not over yet, I got a jump on my end-of-year mix because of the urgency of the task. I’ve been so saved by much of the year’s music in many ways. I’m also including a nod to some of the nice surprises from 2010, but the balance is all new, all this year.
I used to do a mix every year but haven’t for the last couple of years. I’m happy to be pressing again. This one investigates the qualities and battles of light and dark — inside. We’ve got it all.
- Muppet Show Theme Song • OK Go • Muppets: The Green Album • 2011
- Wake Up Your Saints • The National • High Violet (Expanded Edition) • 2010
- Holy Holy • Wye Oak • Civilian • 2011
- Midnight City • M83 • Hurry Up We’re Dreaming • 2011
- Hair • Lady Gaga • Born This Way • 2011
- The Change • Evanescence • Evanescence • 2011
- Dear Rosemary • Foo Fighters • Wasting Light • 2011
- Stamp • The Rural Alberta Advantage • Departing • 2011
- The Bad In Each Other • Feist • Metals • 2011
- Lily (Director’s Cut) • Kate Bush • Director’s Cut • 2011
- Only If For A Night • Florence + The Machine • Ceremonials • 2011
- Keep Your Heart • TV On The Radio • Nine Types Of Light • 2011
- I Don’t Want Love • The Antlers • Burst Apart • 2011
- Perth • Bon Iver • Bon Iver • 2011
- The Rip Tide • Beirut • The Rip Tide • 2011
- The Devil’s Tears • Angus & Julia Stone • Down The Way • 2010
- Like Me • Chely Wright • Lifted Off The Ground • 2010
- Mercy Of The Fallen • Dar Williams • Many Great Companions • 2010
it’s time to light the lights
wake up your saints
for the blessed
city is my church
this is my prayer
screaming on the inside
you’re part of me you know you are
i will save you and i don’t need you
the good man and good woman
as we journey to thy sacred feet
you came over me like some holy rite
these words are not a bit profound
climb up the stairs
something faint
the waves and i
she’s my home
they’ll love you
we have some of them inside us
PS: hands-down the best musical show of the year and certainly in the top of all time: Beirut at the Independent. Thank you Victor.
Moya Watson 
Bravo, sister.
will we be seeing you to exchange a copy, sir @arwilson?
and i should note the other bestest show was Dar Williams at the Fillmore. and not *just* because she signed my breast.
Great to see your list! It will be fun listening to your picks as I start to think about my comp for my birthday next year. I don’t know most of the songs you chose; between finishing a kid’s comp for my daughter’s birthday and my end of the year comp (jazz, this year), I haven’t been listening to much recent indie pop at all lately. But you’re so right about that Beirut show!
Hey! I just noticed you made a poem at the end using selected lines from each of the songs. Very cool! So well done it took me until now to notice. A great idea well executed/