popwreckoning

Top 3 Albums of 2011:

• Sainthood Reps – Monoculture
• Fullbloods – The Perpetual Machine
• Yuck – Yuck

Honorable Mentions

Into It. Over It. – Proper
Former Thieves - The Language That We Speak
Surfer Blood – Tarot Classics
Mixtapes – Maps and Comparisons

Best Show of 2011:

2011 has been a great year for music. My first year at SXSW which included amazing shows such as the Topshelf Records and Count Your Lucky Stars Showcase, seeing Aziz Ansari, and especially the MidCoast Takeover were all great. I saw Junius and Caspian for the first time and they were incredible. So, to sum it up, SXSW was my best show(s) of 2011.
Most Anticipated in 2012:

Touring more. Also, new albums from:

• Joie de Vivre
• Scouts
• SUNS
• we are voices

Most Overrated in 2011:

• Dubstep
• Google+

Favorite Musical Memory of the Year:

Joie de Vivre’s last show ever that wasn’t actually their last show ever. I was on tour and happened to have a day off before Chicago which landed on the same day as Joie de Vivre’s “last show” in Rockford. So, naturally, I convinced everyone that we should go. And it was definitely worth it.  All of my favorite people and bands in the same place at the same time, best bro-downs, best memories.

Granted they only formed two years ago and didn’t release The Perpetual Machine until this year, but Fullbloods is the type of band you listen to and wonder why you weren’t listening sooner.

Fullbloods, from Kansas City, mixes various eras and styles, from the 60s to present, from western to surf rock influence.

Their sound spectrum is the one of the most broad any band has hit in one album without being merely “experimental.” (This band is made of four trained audio engineers – of course they can play anything – and well.)

They also add some effects, bells and keyboard on “Flowers.” (Is that a xylophone in there, too?) But instead of being a sappy love song like you may assume from the title and its seemingly positive vibe, the lyrics cleverly fight against the symbol of giving, or in this case, receiving, flowers: “Flowers, you think you can win me back with flowers and several notes that say what I’ve done is what everyone wants? Well, that’s a lie/Flowers, I wish you’d have known that I hate flowers. Best case scenario, your water will dry and you’ll watch them quickly die – what a waste.”

Every track is upbeat and fun (with the exception of “Alaska,” which could probably make me cry on a bad day) and filled with sharp lyrics focused on babies, morning sickness, family and the difficulties of adjusting to adulthood.

This band is clearly not going to settle for anything generic or predictable, and they deserve some recognition for stretching such boundaries and taking the time to create their art. But more than that, they make great music that you won’t want to miss out on any longer.

Track Listing:
1. Candy
2. Court Jester
3. Morning Sickness
4. Bourgeoisie
5. Strangers
6. Work
7. Flowers
8. Chastity
9. Alaska
10. The Perpetual Machine
11. Accident
12. Hell: A Narrative