Favorite Songs of 2011 (part 2)

The Mountain Goats - "Damn these Vampires"


My Morning Jacket - "Circuital"


M83 - "Midnight City"


Noah and the Whale - "Just Before We Met"


Obits - "Shift Operator"


Okkervil River - "The Valley"


Patrick Wolf - "The City"


Portugal. The Man - "So American"


Rise Against - "Help is on the Way"


St. Vincent - "Strange Mercy"


Thurston Moore - "Benediction"


TV on the Radio - "Will Do"


Weedeater - "Long Gone"


WU LYF - "We Bros"

Favorite Albums of 2011 #29: "Go Tell Fire to the Mountain" by WU LYF

It wasn’t difficult to get past the “out there” factor on this album; the vocals were the only thing that took some getting used to. Barely a word can be distinguished without a lyric sheet. The vocalist moans his words spastically, akin to what I imagine a caveman might sound like if he had taken some powerful hallucinogenic drugs. My time with this album hasn’t taxed my mind with worries about words, I just listen in awe of the stunning waves of guitar reverb and synth tones. This isn’t about a message as much as vague emotions and massive sounds. It isn’t hard to find reverb in indie rock, but I like when it’s used this way. WU LYF create walls of noise (pretty noise) that feels like it moves in distinct patterns. I see vivid patterns of light and energy bouncing around in space (kind of like those visualizers most media players have where you can watch patterned colors move around the screen). Slow-motion firecrackers go off in my head when I listen to this album.


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29. WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
30. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math