The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #20: "Honey Bunny" -- Girls

If you're not a big fan of indie rock, one of the best rock records of 2011 might have passed you over. In a year where pure, straightforward rock was in one of its weakest states to date, bands like Foo Fighters and Cage the Elephant rose to the forefront, with little competition. Thus, it was as good a time as any for San Francisco duo Girls to stand out above the rest.

They definitely took the opportunity and went with it. Father, Son, Holy Ghost may not be as hard-rocking as some of the others mentioned, but it features some of the plain-and-simple best rock songs written all year, including the best Sabbath-inspired fare with "Die."

But it's "Honey Bunny" that resonates most purposefully. It's rooted in the music of the 1960s, with singer Christopher Owens a dead ringer for Buddy Holly.

Throw in a jangly-as-fuck guitar riff and pulsating drums, and you have a recipe for success even before the sunny chorus and surf rock guitar run kicks in.



Indie rock denizens: this was your best summer song of 2011, even though it wasn't actually released during the summer months. Quite simply, nothing was better.