Top 18 Indie Tracks from 2011 (so far)

Much like Jerod did last week, and Tyler earlier this week, I have put together a playlist of music. My list is my favorite indie songs from the first half of 2011.

Unlike Jerod and Tyler, you will probably recognize a few of these bands or songs. Even though they may not be as obscure and under the radar as the bands and songs posted last week, they are still out of the mainstream (at least they are here in North Dakota).

The beauty of indie music is that there is so much of it and so many different types of genres. I can almost guarantee that if everyone tried hard enough, they could find a band or three to cling on to. That’s how I started, and now this is really the only kind of music I listen to.

So this is my tentative list of indie songs from the first 6 months of 2011. I am 85% sure these are my favorites anyway. Like I said, there are so many good artists and songs out there that my list could look completely different by the end of the year.

1. April Fool – Manchester Orchestra

Manchester Orchestra was one of the first indie bands I listened to, and I instantly loved them. “Mean Everything to Nothing” was one of my favorite albums of 2009. When they released their new album this spring, I found myself coming back to this song every time I put the CD on.

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2. Aberdeen – Cage the Elephant

Yes, this song is grungy and loud. That’s how I like my music.

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3. Under the Gun – Apex Manor

Apex Manor is signed to one of my favorite record labels, Merge Records. I was cruising through the site one day when I came across their website and a download link for this song. Again, it has a great rock feel to it, and is catchy as hell.

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4. Under Cover of Darkness – The Strokes

Speaking of catchy as hell, The Strokes came back on the music scene after five years with this lead single. If you can listen to it and not have that guitar stuck in your head all day, there is something wrong with you.

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5. Don’t Carry It All – The Decemberists

Known for their folk-style music, The Decemberists switched things up with ‘The King is Dead’ heading for a blue grass/country type feel.  As the opening, and in my opinion the best, song on the album, ‘Don’t Carry It All’ sets the tone for one of my favorite albums this year.

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6. Weekend – Smith Westerns

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7. World News – Local Natives

The simplicity of this song is what attracts me to it. It’s not overly complicated and still manages to keep me listening the whole time.

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8. Spooky Jookie – Man Man

Man Man is the definition of an “experimental band”, no two of their songs sound the same. This can lead to hit or miss songs, but this one definitely did it for me.

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9. Modern Art – Black Lips

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10. Second Chance – Peter, Bjorn and John

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11. Cradle – The Joy Formidable

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12. So It Goes – Akron/Family

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13. Go Outside – Cults

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14. In the Dirt – S. Carey

Sean Carey was hired to join Bon Iver on the road and contributed to their new album. Since then he has been signed to Jagjaguwar, the record label in which Bon Iver is signed to. Not surprisingly, his sound isn’t much different from that of Bon Iver, but still has that touch of personality that (good) solo projects always carry.

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15. Stuck on the Puzzle – Alex Turner

“Something in your magnetism must have pissed them off” might very well be my favorite lyric from this playlist. Alex Turner is also the lead singer for the popular group Arctic Monkeys, who just released a new album.

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16. Coyote – The Lonely Forest

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17. Bizness – Tune-Yards

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18. Wash. – Bon Iver

I’m going to try and keep this one short, because it could easily go 1,000 words. I’ll actually let Ellen Page and Drew Magary do the talking for me.

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Bonus Track: Freaks and Geeks – Childish Gambino

I had to include this song, but because it is a rap song, it doesn’t quite flow very well with the rest of the playlist. Who would have thought that Troy from ‘Community’ could actually rap?

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