But seeing as how ERRRRRRRRYBODY is doing their best of 2011 lists.....I figured.....well....MIGHT AS WELL DO IT TOO!!
Here it is....my favorite things in 2011
1. The Muppets. Sat there in a theater full of kids my own age, laughing and crying simultaneously.
2. Adele is the tipping point. Adele's 21 album while not on anything resembling constant rotation in the house of Amy, proves that fodder never sustains, but real talent does.
3. The Lana Del Ray Frenzy. Is she a viable notable artist worth the hoopla? Is she a fraud created by the last vestiges of the Music Industry, who seemingly knew how to get hipster trendmonkeys to jump when they said jump? Who cares? Nothing better than a front row seat at "The Emperor Wears No Clothes..."
4. Peach Melba Shameless self promo of course, but my project with DFA's Juan MacLean was not only my real house breakthrough, but it proved to be a huge influence in a ton of music I'd start working on for 2012
5. Cee Lo- Now I've been a HUUUUUUGE fan of this man since Goodie Mob and since his first solo album Cee Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, but I guess when people really can sing and have viable talent, it takes a little while for the fine people of the globe to notice (see Adele). This man not only wrote the greatest song of the last 10 years (Crazy, for the Gnarls Barkley project) but he followed up said song with another one of the greatest songs of the last 10 years with Fuck You, a pure Motown-esque number in the vein of The Four Tops "I Can't Help Myself" and "Same Old Song" I love Cee Lo. Give me Cee Lo Radio 24-7
6. Bruins win the Cup. Okay, I'm a Noo Yawkah, always have been, always will be, but I do live in Somerville, MA now, and I was a B's fan before I left. To see them bring home the Cup after some 30 years was a huge treat, and watching my husband weep with joy, was a sweet thing to watch.
7. Nicky Digital's CMJ event- It was a horrific day weather wise, the driving was stressful, my group SPF 5000 thought we'd die at least 10 times that day, we didn't eat, we didn't get a chance to rest, but when we hit the stage, half blind with exhaustion and shaking with hunger, WHO FUCKIN CARED? We rocked it, we got to meet awesome people, and we created a theme song for Nicky that will be released in 2012 with an awesome video!
8. SPF 5000 I do a LOT of things musically but my Boston based project SPF 5000 had a really fantastic debut year. Three releases, great collaborations, silly wonderful great makings for a great future, and that our city Boston embraced us so warmly made it all the better. From playing Cool Ranch with the notorious (and awesome) Bodega Girls, to playing the Together Festival, it was a great year to be SPF
9. The Femme MC Army- Not since the 80's and 90's have there been this many women MC's doing their thang from Nicki Minaj to V Nasty, Azealia Banks, Dominique Young Unique, Kreayshawn, etc.... the ladies are back, demanding respect and letting loose with a slew of choice words.
10. Florence Welch's Clothing- I really enjoy Florence and the Machine, and Ceremonials is a great album, but THAT WOMAN CAN DRESS!!!!!! I swear I keep up with what she does just to see what she wears, as much as I enjoy her music!
11. Kelly Osbourne Watching her rise from what could have been your average run of the mill "damanged offspring of a famous person" routine into a style icon, and witty personality has been very enjoyable. She steals the show on Fashion Police away from Joan a lot of the time and THAT is a feat!!!
12. Marc Jacob's S/S 2011 collection- It had to be too good to be true. An entire Marc Jacob's collection which hearkened back to the glory days of Studio 54. Colors were opulent, cuts were incredible, it will possibly go down as one of his greatest ever. Then just like that? Poof. Gone. Sigh.
13. Boehner finally Blinks- We call him John Boner around my house for good reason. But when he finally blinked with regard to extending the payroll tax cuts for the middle class, I stood up and cheered. Obama didn't cave, and maybe he'll actually grow a pair, considering that this time, he played a game of chicken and didn't pull first!
14. OWS- It's kind of a hot mess, disorganized, and leaderless, but that it still continues to grow as a movement and is the best shot we have for the first steps we can take to restore our nation and tip it toward becoming progressive, makes me very happy.
15. Marcus Dowling and anything he wrote- Marcus is a passionate and very savvy music journalist from the DC area, and when he started 32org a virtual manifesto about how EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE, I applauded his intense focus, bravery and unwillingness to follow the fold. Here is a man who will shame you out of your apathy and bad choices. BRAVO!
16. Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon- Fearful that this INTENSELY hard to find product would no longer resemble the Stitzel Weller Reserve product that bourbonheads adore, the new releases of pure Buffalo Trace Whisky prove to be JUST AS GOOD, but still hard to find. Good thing I snagged me two bottles!
17. NCLA NAILWRAPS- foils and slap on decals of already ready to rock nailpolish???? SOOOO THERE!!!!
18. Herman Cain's Fall- Talk about going out with a BANG! Very satisfying to watch a complete dickhead of epic proportions get his clock cleaned publicly
19. Nile Rodgers- My hero since I can even remember, this man fought Cancer bravely, with dignity, traced it's pathology on his blog, wrote his autobiography, and continues to fight and tour with Chic and continues to produce epic amazing music. I have always loved and admired Nile, I love him all the more now.
20. Gay Marriage is approved in NYC- Need I say MORE??????
I GOTTA UPLOAD A SHIT TON OF WHISKYBITCH VIDS TO THIS BLOG, BUT TIL THEN HAPPY NEW YEAR, SEE YOU IN 2012!!!!!!
