The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #86: "Afternoon" -- Youth Lagoon

Youth Lagoon, the brainchild of Idaho musician Trevor Powers, released their first full-length this past fall with The Year of Hibernation, a synth-laden indie pop affair with understated guitar work and songs that sound like they took the Owl City approach and were recorded in the artist's bedroom (which, I'm going to guess, they probably were).

So of course, the end result is an intimate affair, with the DIY aesthetic that has become quite common in electronic indie pop music. It's not as dreamy, nor does it embrace the weird as some of its peers (see: Nightlands), but Youth Lagoon's music is still something fairly pleasant. It's airy, and at times feels quite sparse, but there's a lot going on, and much to appreciate with repeated listens. One of the best aspects of this genre is its tendency to layer quite a few different ingredients into one final product. A few listens later, you may still find something new to appreciate.

"Afternoon" is a strange tune in that it has a nostalgic feel to it, despite the reasons for this feeling not being too apparent. But the moment I first heard this song, I was immediately brought back to thoughts of youth, and of its simplicities.

There could be a number of reasons for this. It could be Powers' voice, which has a childlike timbre in its near-falsetto, a playfulness and immaturity that lends itself well to happier melodies. Or maybe it's the opening notes of the song, brought into being by what could either be bells or even a music box -- it's hard to tell, frankly. And what about the song's occasional whistling, reminiscent somehow of a child's cartoon from long ago.



Whatever the reason for its allure, the attraction of "Afternoon" pulls it above the rest of the songs on Youth Lagoon's debut album, establishing the band as an up-and-comer in its genre. They already have Pitchfork's stamp of approval, and say what you will about the publication, but they're usually right when it comes to pointing out good music. So take that as you will, and check out the rest of the record while you're at it.

The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #87: "The Wait is Over" - We Barbarians

Brooklyn's We Barbarians may not be a household name just yet, but their Headspace EP has the makings of a much larger band, or at least one whose path to stardom is in progress.

ACRN had the EP in heavy rotation throughout much of this quarter, and with good reason. The band's music is chock-full of catchy indie rock riffs and melodies. Listening to them is a relatively straightforward affair -- unlike a lot of music, where one must whittle a band's sound down into a subgenre (or even further... like, "We need to go deeper," some Inception shit or something) to pin it down directly, you don't have to work much at We Barbarians to understand what they're doing.

Some may like this, while others may abhor or be apathetic concerning the spirit of the band. It's true that We Barbarians are fairly straightforward and don't offer too much originality, but it's also quite alright to keep with the status quo, as long as you're doing it right. And that they are.

"The Wait is Over" is the album's centerpiece, beginning with its affecting opening riff. Its jangly disconnect prevails throughout the song, over David Quon's soaring vocals. The music, particularly the production, has the sound of a band early into its career, but if that is the case, then creating something of this caliber at this point in one's career is certainly something to be complimented.



Check out the rest of Headspace for an interesting cover of David Byrne and Brian Eno's "Strange Overtones," among others. But for the best example of a band who may have something big to say in the next few years in indie rock, "The Wait is Over" is the song to check out.

The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #88: "Benfica" - Panda Bear

Noah Lennox, a.k.a. Panda Bear, is said to be the forerunner to the chillwave movement we discussed as part of No. 95 on this list, Penguin Prison's "Don't Fuck With My Money." Call him a participant in the genre or not, but his influence on the electronic indie music scene is certainly laudable. Particularly important was 2007's Person Pitch, which thrust Lennox into the limelight as a solo artist, rather than as part of the highly experimental Animal Collective.

Four years after that album, Panda Bear resurfaced with new music, which was understandably quite a bit deal in March and April. Tomboy is its name, and a departure from earlier Panda Bear material is its game.

If I can be real for a moment, my brethren, it is on Tomboy that Lennox attempts a transformation into Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. Or Carl. Or Dennis. Or, hell, maybe all of The Beach Boys. ALL AT ONCE. Either way, vocally, Lennox has gone full-Wilson. Musically it's anything but, with strange electronic jolts, guitars and enough distortion to feed a colony of Smashing Pumpkins fanatics.

Tomboy ends with "Benfica," a spacy, echo-ey jam that exhibits shades of the chillwave scene Lennox is said to have helped enliven, but with a spin that only a member of Animal Collective could pull off. Without Lennox's vocals, one could imagine the song being set to a montage of pictures or video about certain celestial objects.



But it's the vocals that shine here. The harmony-laden performance from Lennox is captivating, rising and falling over the distortion, electronic blips and sounds of crowds cheering. No, seriously on the last one. At first (or second... maybe even third) listen, the latter may seem out of place, but a look at the lyrics will clear things up a bit.

"Some might say that / To win's not all that it's about / It's just not something to say," sings Lennox. "But there is nothing more true / Or natural than wanting to win."

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The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #89: "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" - The Kooks

English indie band The Kooks have experienced resounding success in their home country, but that notoriety has never really translated in America. The band previously had a few singles that charted modestly on Billboard's Alternative charts, but they had never made much of an impact.

It seemed like the four-piece was destined to follow the trajectory of many other British bands in America -- popular in the native land and to the Anglophiles of the United States, but little else.

"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" doesn't dispel that notion, but it's the most distinct step forward yet for the band in terms of garnering American acclaim.

Coming off the new album of the same name released in September, "Junk of the Heart" begins with a slight retro feel and maintains it throughout the entirety of the song. It emits a chill vibe, helped by its minimal instrumentation and yearning lyrics and vocals.



The chorus is where the song finally comes alive. Prior to then, it's pleasant enough, but nothing to write home about. But here, The Kooks have written what may be their catchiest melody yet, one which will be stuck in your head for quite a bit after listening.

A fuzzed-out guitar solo (if you can call it a solo) complements the vocals toward the end, but it's Luke Pritchard's lovesick vocals that knock this song over the edge. It's The Kooks' most accessible single yet, and that's not a bad thing at all.

The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #90: "Words" - The Farewell Drifters

The Farewell Drifters are a country-tinged folk act based in Nashville that is poised to break out in a big way, and they took a step in that direction with 2011's Echo Boom, which debuted at No. 6 on Billboard's Bluegrass Album chart.

"Words" is hands-down the best song on that record, and perhaps the most beautiful the band has ever sounded, save for their cover of The Beatles' "For No One."

A fairly introspective tune, "Words" presents many of the elements that make The Farewell Drifters artists at the top of their game. A sweet tenor vocal, a lofty, meandering fiddle, and lyrics to which many can relate.



Plus, I'm a sucker for a nice low-tempo song -- you'll see that as a recurring theme in this countdown. The Drifters utilize the instrumentation they possess (here, a plethora of stringed instruments) to full effect in creating a song that exudes simple, pastoral allurement.

"The wicked words just fall out of my mouth / I don't mean to shout," sings Zach Bevill at song's end. Tell me who hasn't felt that way at some point in their lives. The song is apologetic, reflective and altogether endearing -- a recipe for success.

The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #91: "Ode to the Bouncer" - Studio Killers

Sometimes -- though certainly not as much as in the past -- your initial discovery of a song comes from watching its music video. One such example is my No. 2 song on last year's list, Hot Chip's "I Feel Better."

And sometimes, the music video is about all you have to go off for a band. Enter Studio Killers.

The European electropop act surfaced in 2011 with a single, a video, a social networking presence, and not much else. To this day, no one knows the band's origins, or even who makes up its roster -- in real life, that is. Virtually, Studio Killers are made up of singer Cherry, keyboardist/fox/hipster Goldie Foxx, and DJ Dyna Mink.

Studio Killers are kind of the second coming of the Gorillaz, except at least then, we knew Damon Albarn was behind the whole thing. The characters are animated, either in a 2D format or, as with their video, in 3D. Cherry is the only human in the band, a curvaceous thing that, according to first song "Ode to the Bouncer," isn't a big fan of wearing pants.



"Ode to the Bouncer" is the medium through which many know Studio Killers, though the virtual members of the band maintain a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and the like. The song, released in early spring, caught on due to its undeniably catchy chorus and its entertaining music video, in which Cherry prances around and basically sexually assaults a club bouncer. It's awwwwwright!

Musically, "Ode to the Bouncer" is standard dance fair -- but the producers behind it are at the top of their game. There's some disagreement on the Internet concerning whether the vocal is actually female or an altered male voice, but whatever the gender, the voice is very Ke$ha-esque, only British and with a bit more singing talent.

After a year during which dance music came to the forefront in American music -- with varied results -- "Ode to the Bouncer" was a breath of fresh air, despite its simplicity. It's not doing anything crazy, but it's not trying to either.

It's tough to say whether the focus of Studio Killers will be more on the visual or the audio aspect. But one thing is for sure: this is an act to follow over the next few months. They're one of the more intriguing projects to come out of electronic music in the last few years.

The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #92: "Penny" - Duke Junior & the Smokey Boots

Athens' own Duke Junior and the Smokey Boots continued their ascent to a wider audience in 2011. October saw the release of their second album, a self-titled affair, and as always, the band was highly prolific around Ohio, including a first day main stage performance at the Nelsonville Music Festival.

Perhaps the biggest moment for Duke Junior in 2011 -- or at least the moment at which they were the most visible to the general public -- came in March, when the band was selected as a finalist for the Midwest region of Billboard's 2011 Battle of the Bands competition. As part of the contest, one band (out of three) would be chosen by fan votes to move onto a second round, which included the actual band battle performance at Las Vegas' Fremont Street. The winner earned the privilege of performing at the Billboard Music Awards in May.

Despite a respectable showing and heightened support for the band, especially from those in the Athens area, Duke Junior lost out in the first round. But one certainly cannot say that the band didn't gain some newfound visibility. "Penny," from the band's new album, was posted to Soundcloud as part of the Billboard competition, and has garnered well over 2,000 plays to date.

DJSB Penny by aaronlemley

The five-piece has come up with some captivating tunes in the past, but "Penny" is the highest point the band has reached in their relatively short period of existence. From the first notes of the song, an a cappella vocal performed to superb harmonious effect, to singer Jess Kauffman's sweet, smoky vocals to end the track on a slightly calmer note, "Penny" is captivating from start to finish.

The band has never been specifically country, or even alt-country. Though they can at times lean that way, there are other instances in which they take more of a rootsy, Americana rock approach to music. But "Penny" is certainly more of the former, and it suggests that if the band were to create an almost-completely traditional country record, the results would be stunning. Kauffman and fellow vocalist Kyle Martin's tones mix exceedingly well together, reminiscent of today's country superstars Lady Antebellum.

Add in banjo, bluesy country guitar and a train-like drum beat, and you have a song that best exemplifies Duke Junior's talents. I have a good feeling that had Duke Junior gone further in the Billboard competition, we might have been hearing a lot more about them throughout the Midwest, and possibly further. Regionally, they're one of country-rock's rising stars. It will be very interesting to see the career trajectory of this band. But for now, enjoy the sweet, sweet music.