Bears and Bullets Top 25 Songs of 2011: Part I

With less than a week remaining in 2011, it's finally that time again for Bears and Bullets to unleash its 25 favorite songs of the year. As it was for the previous three years, there are certain rules that qualify a song for the list.

1.) The song must have been released during the calendar year.
2.) Even if the song was technically released during 2011, if it was leaked prior to January 1, 2011, then it also does not qualify for the list.

Last year, Vampire Weekend, in a decision that surprised even me, landed the #1 overall spot with "Giving Up the Gun." Something tells me that this time around it'll be a little more predictable. Let's see.

#25: Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire - The Last Huzzah! (Remix - ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown, and El-P)
Maybe it's the extensive collaborative effort put forward by Youtube rapper Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire that makes "Huzzah!" stand out more than anything else. Maybe it's the fact that the aforementioned eXquire lets the more well-known names stand up to the plate first, including El-P, who just flat out steals the scene with his '16-Step' verse that makes everyone take a little more notice. Maybe the points are drowned out through the sheer number of people getting their voice out here, but damn if every voice has something worth-while to say. Having one of the best videos of the year helps too.



#24: Kurt Vile - In My Time
"In My Time" seems split on itself. On one side, Kurt Vile ranges through the memories of his youth, both in a positive light  as "young and crazy"  hinting at "discreet mistakes," but never finding solace in his adult life. On the other, he isn't concerned with why he was who he is. It's the kid in all of us (or at least the adult version of one we try to be), flailing between responsibility and self-inflicted reality. There's no definite answer, as "In My Time" drifts endlessly toward the end, repeating its cycles. The question doesn't need to be answered. It never has.

#23: The Field - Then It's White
Not every good song needs emphatic moments of resound brilliance. For The Field's "Then It's White," the surrounding stills of looping echoes and piano seamlessly gravitate through the nearly eight minute session. There's a feeling of emptiness throughout, but not because the listener is waiting for something else, but because "Then It's White" reminds what those empty moments mean. The people, the sounds, the movement. It's all there without a word to be said.

The Field - Then It's White by Bears and Bullets

#22: The Joy Formidable - Whirring
Everyone's favorite surprise act from last August's Lollapalooza, The Joy Formidable made heads turn (or faces bleed) with "Whirring," a jarring, near-seven minute blast that spends nearly half of its time cruising through wonderfully surprising shoe-gaze. There's a bit of nostalgia here, to more-attuned versions of My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth playing through, but to an audience that doesn't expect it. It may not be the genre's prime anymore, but songs like "Whirring" make you forget what you're missing.



#21: Wavves - I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl
With Wavves Life Sux EP, Nathan Williams (slightly) ditched the super-DIY attitude of the group's previous work to something with a little more form behind it. That isn't to say that the band has completely ditched their "who gives a fuck, let's smoke" sensibilities (they wouldn't be Wavves without it), but just tried to sound them out a little more clearly. The song isn't totally about Dave Grohl, sans the chorus, but rather Williams deferring to his childhood dream while meandering through life's daily misery of living with his mistakes. I'm not gonna go out on a limb and say he's growing up, because I doubt it too, but it sounds like it for a minute.

Wavves - I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl by Bears and Bullets

We'll continue tomorrow with songs #20-#16 ...