Best [best] adjective, superl. of good with better as compar.
1. of the highest quality, excellence, or standing: the best work;
2. most advantageous, suitable, or desirable: the best way.
3. largest; most: the best part of a day.
It’s that time of year again – time to dig out the 1987 red roll-neck sweater you vow to replace every Christmas. Time to brave the shopping masses and dust off your cocktail party vernacular. Time to welcome home friends and family from far and near. And time to indulge in one of our favorite pastimes – browsing through dozens of “Best of” lists to see if our lives might still be relevant.
The Great River Radio staff has been sifting through another year of new releases, ticket stubs and playlists to bring our own twist to the Best of 2011 lists. Be sure to listen today from 4:15-5:45 p.m. CST to hear insightful commentary and select cuts from the lists below. So, strap it on, lock it in and let’s get to work.
Best Live Show
Dan: St. Vincent
Brian: St. Vincent @The Walker, Lucero in Alaska, My Morning Jacket @Rock the Garden, @Cloud Cult @St. Thomas
Most Disappointing Release
Dan:
Brian: Bjork, Death Cab for Cutie, Rachael Yamagata
Unexpectedly Strong Releases
Dan:
Brian: Wilco, Ryan Adams, Joe Henry
Trends in 2011
Drumming and too many bands with the word “Black” in the title – Black Box Revelation, Black Lips, Black Kids, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Black Eyed Peas, Sounds of Blackness. Only one band matters in the club: The Black Keys
Best Artists You Didn’t Know About Before This Year
Dan: Other Lives
Brian: Gary Clark Jr, Ólafur Arnalds, Alabama Shakes
Best New Artists (First or Second Release)
Dan: The Civil Wars
Brian: Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd, tUnE-yArDs
Best Young/Neo/Retro Artists
Dan: Alabama Shakes
Brian: Raphael Saadiq, Alabama Shakes
Best Local CDs
Dan: Haley Bonar – “Golder” and 4ontheFloor – “4×4”
Brian: Howler – “This One’s Different EP” and Low – “C’Mon”
Best Albums of 2011
Dan (Alpha Order):
Black Keys – “El Camino
”Haley Bonar – “Golder”
Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”
The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”
Dawes – “Nothing Is Wrong”
The Head and the Heart – “The Head and the Heart”
Amos Lee – “Mission Bell”
Lykke Li – “Wounded Rhymes”
Low – “C’mon”
Other Lives – “Tamer Animals”
Over the Rhine – “The Long Surrender”
Paul Simon – “So Beautiful or So What”
St. Vincent – “Strange Mercy”
Tom Waits – “Bad As Me”
Gillian Welch – “The Harrow and the Harvest”
Lucinda Williams – “Blessed”
Brian (top to bottom):
1) Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”
2) Black Keys – “El Camino”
3) PJ Harvey – “Let England Shake”
4) St. Vincent – “Strange Mercy”
5) Washed Out – “Within and Without”
6) Ryan Adams – “Ashes & Fire”
7) Joe Henry – “Reverie”
8)Girls – “Father, Son, Holy Ghost”
9) Wilco – “The Whole Love”
10) Radiohead – “The King Of Limbs”
11) Low – “C’mon”
12) M83 – “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming”
13) Tom Waits – “Bad As Me”
14) tUnE-YarDs – “W H O K I L L”
15) Wild Flag – “Wild Flag”
16) Raphael Saadiq – “Stone Rollin’”
The Details:
Great River Radio – Wednesdays 4:15-5:45 p.m.
Catch the live stream: http://www.stthomas.edu/ustclubs/kust/KUSTLive.html
Web/Listen Later: https://greatriverradio.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GreatRiverRadio
iChat/AIM: kustradio
Brian & Dan
Playlist
Lost In My Mind-The Head and the Heart
Holocene-Bon Iver
Let England Shake-P J Harvey
Dust Bowl III-Other Lives
Seeing Black-Lucinda Williams
Rich Kids Blues-Lykke Li
Cheerleader-St. Vincent
Lucky Now-Ryan Adams
The World and All I Know-Joe Henry
Whole Love-Wilco
Kid October-Haley Bonar
Especially Me-Low
If I Wanted Someone-Dawes
Infamous Love Song-Over The Rhine
Honey Bunny-Girls
Lotus Flower-Radiohead
Eyes Be Closed-Washed Out
Great River Radio 