This Music Wins Review Of The Year 2011 on Resonance FM

After writing an albums of the year list longer than probably all my posts across the entire year put together, putting together a 90 minute radio show for Resonance FM seemed like a breeze. So, here it is: 15 or so of my favourite songs of the year in Radio Show format. View the written list here.

DOWNLOAD: This Music Wins Review Of The Year 2011 (MP3)

To air New Years Day 10pm (GMT) on Resonance 104.4FM London, and again Saturday 7th January 10.30am.

1. Kuhrye-OO - Soul Handsome

2. Kurt Vile - Runner Ups

3. Mutual Benefit - Auburn Epitaphs

4. Swansea Recreation Centre - First Time European

5. Youth Lagoon - July

6. Woodsman - In Circles

7. Twin Sister - Kimmi In A Rice Field

8. Deptford Goth - Real Love Fantasy

9. Dead Gaze - Fishing With Robert

10. Evenings - Lo-Velo

11. Little Dragon - Ritual Union

12. Conifers - Legs And Arms

13. How To Dress Well - Here In Heaven (Elite Gymnastics Cover)

14. Ricky Eat Acid ft. Arrange - P.S.L.W

15. Dive - Sometime

16. Porcelain Raft - Amateur’s Feeling

17. Braids - Plath Heart

18. The War On Drugs - Come To The City

19. Fleet Foxes - The Shrine / An Argument

And with these musical highlights of 2011 in mind, we can put it behind us. I wish everyone a great 2012.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR #3 FLEET FOXES - HELPLESSNESS BLUES

A choral and invariably artistic folk album which transcends anything else of its kind this year. What happened to these people which made their voices so perfect? Every intricacy is picked up and displayed here and I struggle to find fault. 8-minuter ‘The Shrine/ An Argument’ is by considerable distance my song of the year 2011, with the anthemic ‘Helplessness Blues’ not far behind; two highlights so clear-cut that it is hard for the album, as an album, to compete.

Fleet Foxes - The Shrine / An Argument (MP3) Buy from FF website

Click here to read the full list / Click here for #2

For this week’s This Music Wins radio show on Resonance FM you can expect the fantastic new Fleet Foxes song, ‘Helplessness Blues’, from their upcoming album of the same name, BBC Sound Of 2011 shortlisters Esben & The Witch with their song, Warpath and a short show review from their slot at the Brighton Pavilion Theatre Tuesday. Also, the new track from London folk-collective Bear Driver, who will be releasing a new song ever week in the lead up to their slot at SXSW in Texas in March. Also a new surfer pop demo from quiet-of-late sun-worshippers Real Estate, as well as the Justin Vernon inspired folk harmonies of James Vincent Mcmorrow - whose album drops March 7th in the UK. The new song from Italian Born, London-based Banjo Or Freakout, closes the show, with his shoegazing bedroom folk anthem ‘Go Ahead’.

[LISTEN TO RESONANCE SATURDAY AT 6.30]

[DOWNLOAD MP3 OF SHOW]

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (MP3)

2. Esben And The Witch - Warpath (MP3)

3. Bear Driver - Fugitive (MP3)

4. Real Estate - Blue Lebaron (MP3)

5. James Vincent Mcmorrow - If I Had A Boat (MP3)

6. Banjo Or Freakout - Go Ahead (MP3)

We all knew that a three year absence from the spotlight for Seattle’s Fleet Foxes would translate into great things - but I’m certainly not the only one a little shocked at just how fantastic their latest effort, Helplessness Blues, turned out to be. That warm and familiar but strangely youthful vocal of Robin Pecknold (who, admittedly, has been busy with his solo project of late) is just as distinctive as ever - the beauty in production allowing for perfectly crisp acoustics to enter underneath the mix as only hinted at before now. Together, both Pecknold’s singing and the guitar sound are fully-realised, and one can’t help but feel the former are a little fuller than on the last effort, whether this be relative to the chorus of backing singers, Pecknold’s projection, or to the reported 9 months studio time allocated to perfecting the Helplessness Blues LP.

The song quickly develops from its reflective, life-affirming introductions in to a quick paced and rejoiceful strum; Helplessness Blues has a one-track mind, the goal of which is a steady ascent, peaking early and taking a few tumbles on the way down. Its a couple of passively-induced choruses, and an extra peaceful minute on top of that before a waltz of a time-signature takes precedence in the middle section. The result is musically disorientating to say the least; the arrangement is bound together solely by that Fleet Foxes power-play, the tight row of reverberant harmonies, as well as some spindly folk guitars which are somewhat of a more recent acquisition to the ever-expanding Fleet Foxes sound-palette.

‘Helplessness Blues’ sets the precedent very high indeed for Fleet Foxes’ eponymous sophomore record come this May - ’Helplessness Blues’ is due 3/5 on Sub Pop.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (MP3)