The RP’s Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of Tunes

I haven’t done one of these in a long while, and it’s pretty close to the new year, so here are some songs from 2011 which I think are great and which were not plastered all over commercial radio.  So, if they are new to you and you like them, you ought to check out the artist.

[Iron and Wine – Monkey’s Uptown] This song was very close to being  my favorite album of the whole year.  I have never really dug Iron and Wine, but this album opens up his sound more than any of his previous stuff.  You should check it out.

[The Black Keys – Lonely Boy] Are The Black Keys on commercial radio?  Part of me thinks they are.  This band has been around forever, but their last album was a huge smash hit, so this might be a song you’ve already heard, which doesn’t really jibe with the theme of this post.  I’m sorry.  It’s a good song anyway, and you should listen to it.  The video is great too, as a bonus.

[Quarter Chicken Dark from the Goat Rodeo Sessions] This album was engineered for me to love it.  Chris Thile, who fronted one of my all time favorite bands (Nickel Creek), gets together with Yo Yo Ma and Stuart Duncan to record some epic folk music.  Its a gem.

[Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What] Did you know Paul Simon came out with an album this year?  If you didn’t, you are now.  There is no excuse for not listening to this whole album at least twice.  He’s one of the greatest song writers of all time.  OF ALL TIME.

[Gary Clark Jr. – Bright Lights] I started listening to The Black Keys back in 2005, when their 3rd album Rubber Factory was released.  I loved that album, but wondered 1) why had I never heard of these guys before? and 2) Why wasn’t this album more popular that it was?  Then, a couple of albums later, Brothers was a huge hit.  Gary Clark Jr. is a bit like that.  He’s a phenomenal musician.  His sound is great, and it seems like this guy would be getting more spins on commercial stations.  I figure when he comes out with a full length album (his release this year was just an EP), it will be huge.  Maybe.  Hopefully.

If you think these songs are good and think I might know what I am talking about when it comes to music, I made a list of the top 20 albums of 2011.  You can read it here.