The 2011 Soundtrack

December 31, 2011 candacemorris 1 Comments

The albums that carried my soul through this year, in order of appearance:

It's been a very electronic year for us.  I wore myself out on indie/folk last year, and have been comforted by the solitary sounds of synth and motherboard.  However, if you've not gravitated towards this type of music, do know that it's not all dance/techno (most of which I despise).  All of this music is very Depeche Mode inspired, albeit a bit less serious.

Empire of the Sun

Walking on a Dream

This album is just good, clean fun.  It will make you feel so very good.  Yet another Australian band!

Macintosh Braun

The Sound

Joel brought this one home and started playing it.  While I didn't appreciate his immature lyrics, I began to resonate deeply with his themes:  a willing loss of control, such determined hope, and damn good mixing!  This album held me close through a very rough summer and fall wherein my soul insisted on challenging my marriage and encouraged me to release my rigid notions of romantic love, as well as coaxing me into the transition of realizing we wanted to start trying for a baby. Such a deeply spiritual and beautiful album.

Chad Valley

Equatorial Ultravox

I am quite proud of this one, because I heard it on KEXP and texted Joel to listen.  We fell in love with it, especially the first song, Now That I'm Real.  It's EPIC.  My one criticism is that the entire album isn't remarkable, only two, maybe three songs.

Craft Spells

Idle Labor

Another KEXP find, this album was on INTENSE repeat for an embarrassingly long amount of time.   THE.ENTIRE.THING.  It is swooingling romantic, intensely sad in its glorious pop-style, and boasts such a filling sound.  It's definitely a summer fling.  If you ever loved the Pet Shop Boys or ABC, you'd love this album.

Beach House 
(super hard to see the album art, but it's there)

Teen Dream

There is nothing like the sound this sister/brother duo puts out.  So calming, distant, and moving.  It is an album to paint to, to drive to, to make-out to, to drink to.  Equally sad and hopeful, it's the perfect soundtrack to a 30-something life.

Bjork

Vespertine

I revisited my love for Bjork right around July/September.  The themes of releasing control (notice a pattern anyone?!) and abandon to the realities of life continue to speak to me, 10 years later.  There is no one like Bjork, nor will there ever be.

Active Child

You Are All I See

I rarely love an album immediately.  From the instant we played it, we both became immediate fans, obsessed and infatuated.  Joel was able to see him play (a total surprise to him) when he opened for M83 in Atlanta.    With his professional harpist skills, this is one of the most hauntingly melancholy albums I've ever loved.  It's musical perfection.  

The New Division

Shadows

I think I saved the last for my favorite!

This album is only available for pre-order, but thanks to Spotify, we've been enjoying it non-stop since October.  An homage to The Joy Division and New Order, this band sounds perfectly 80s with newly existential twists in lyric and theme.  It gives me chills. As Joel says, it's one of those bands that's going to BLOW UP and you'll end up hating yourself for loving.

You can listen to any of these tracks on Spotify, which I highly encourage you to download if you haven't already.  

And you? What has your 2011 Soundtrack done for you?