Best of 2011 - The music.

The songs (in no particular order, and ignoring last year's restriction to five tracks)...


Austra - Beat And The Pulse (official video)
*Technically, the single was released in 2010 already, but the album came out this year.


Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - The Copper Top (official video)


The Antlers - No Widows (live video)


When Saints Go Machine - Kelly (absolutely positively awesome live video, official video version here)


Peter & Kerry - Knees (official video)


Trust - Candy Walls (official video)


J Mascis - Listen To Me (no video)

Very notable mentions:
Alex Ebert feat. RZA - Truth (everyone loves the Ebert song, but the version with RZA is even better).
The Antlers - Putting The Dog To Sleep.
Zola Jesus - Vessel.
Fotoshop - Too little, too late.
John Maus - Believer.
Austra - Darken Her Horse.

...and the shows:

06.04. Belle & Sebastian - Columbiahalle (Berlin).

- and that is that. Unlike last year, there simply weren't enough concerts amazing enough to list here. This is partly due to the fact that I didn't see as many shows in the past months, but there were also enough that should have made this list, but didn't quite live up to my expectations: Austra and Lykke Li come to mind immediately. Some were fine, but not exceptional: We're talking Zola Jesus, iLiKETRAiNS & When Saints Go Machine here. On the other hand, the single concert that stood out this year, Belle & Sebastian's, also stands out as one of best I have attended my entire life. There's nothing quite like one of your most favourite bands ending their show with the very first song of theirs you loved ("Judy & The Dream Of Horses", if you care to know).