Best Songs of 2011: 50-26

50. Zoo Kid “Out Getting Ribs”
Zoo Kid has an eerie knack for persuasion. With Eastern instrumentals, a restless voice, and an awkward message, the lure and pleasure arise with restraint. Yet I find myself listening to a combination between Grizzly Bear’s “Ready, Able” and El Ten Eleven’s “My Only Swerving,” placing me in an unfathomable zone. Let Zoo Kid reconfigure your sanity, as his conviction will certainly puncture your satisfaction. —Max Simon

49. Bon Iver “Calgary”
The first part of “Calgary” sounds quite similar to the rest of Bon Iver’s self-titled album, who has gained such notoriety within the past year that Justin Vernon’s voice has become very distinguishable. What earns this song well-deserved recognition is the change of pace it makes about a minute in. It is impressively subtle, and then about another minute later you hear another pick-up. Although his music is soothing, and Vernon eases us with his brutal honesty, Bon Iver manages to keep listeners on their toes. —Erica Matlin

48. Toro Y Moi “Still Sound”
Chazwick Bundick’s sound has never been aggressive but his shift towards a sharper and funkier sound is clear as day in his single “Still Sound.” The track’s infectious and stuttering groove hooks the listener right away, and Bundick’s lyrics are at their most accessible when compared to the rest of Under the Pines. The sharp drums and swirling keys balance the song’s nostalgic bounce, which lends it an easy intensity that Bundick weaves throughout his sophmore album. —David Ruiz

47. The Weeknd “Wicked Games”
Abel Testfaye, better known as The Weeknd, writes from deep down in his soul, telling a tale of pain, drugs, and, of course, love. The Toronto-based R&B singer compliments the themes in his ballad with low electric beats and consistent acoustic strumming. His talent is not limited to the wicked, as he was commissioned to remix tracks for Florence and the Machine as well as Lady Gaga’s Born this Way album. Yet The Weeknd, on his own, was able to unite the lonely broken hearts of 2011 with “Wicked Games.” —Erica Matlin

46. Lykke Li “I Follow Rivers”
A Beverly Hills Cop synth part throws you into rhythmic drums as Lykke Li builds up this ballad. Some meld of a soulful Britney Spears and M.I.A. sings directly to you, and this song’s calming cadence floats onward blissfully long after the intensity ends, and leaves you yearning for more. —Sam Sklover

45. The Decemberists “This is Why We Fight”
In this recession-ridden world we live in, The Decemberists created a personal, very much appropriate song for their album The King is Dead. The talented band asks every challenge to fall upon us and answers that call with open arms, ready to fight. An ambitious yet sufficiently motivating song, The Decemberists recognized the push people needed to rise up, and aptly did so for this subtle 2011 hit. —Erica Matlin

44. The Head and the Heart “Rivers and Roads”
If you’ve ever wanted to listen to the most honest, heartfelt song about the growing of life and love, this is the closest you’ll get besides writing the song yourself. There is an authenticity of lyric and sound that punches you in the gut and sends your mind on a personal journey of past, present, and future friendships. One listen isn’t enough; “Rivers and Roads” is one of those songs that’s OK to have on repeat because your mind is not done reminiscing past its initial four minutes. —JoAnn Schinderle

43. Generationals “Greenleaf”
The bright piano and playful mood of “Greenleaf” makes Generationals seem like they are pandering for a spot on an Apple commercial, not that that is a bad thing. This chirpy and steady song is influenced by the same sun-drenched pop that has had a huge influence in chillwave music; however, Generationals’ interpretation maintains a fun, optimistic attitude that is often lost with chillwave productions. The song bounces and floats over a lazy bass, before the coda puts a sweet wrapper on this easy track. —David Ruiz

42. Widowspeak “Harsh Realm”
There’s no mistaking the influence of Mazzy Star on Widowspeak’s Molly Hamilton. The Brooklyn trio lo-fi and reverb their way to a dreamy, down-tempo triumph that would make Hope Sandoval proud. —Claire Tiller

41. Peter Bjorn and John “Second Chance”
Everyone whistles synchronously to “Young Folks,” and similar to that classic hit Peter Bjorn and John has us all ayayayay-ing in “Second Chance.” PB&J seems to construct songs that beg for crowd participation, catchiness, and immediate implantation into your head. If you aren’t humming this one on the street, you are wrong. If you aren’t satisfied with the amount of cowbell being played, you are Will Ferrell. You are not Will Ferrell, so this song will fare well with you. —Max Simon

40. Milagres “Glowing Mouth”
“Glowing Mouth” is a shoe-gaze synth-pop dream. Kyle Wilson’s falsetto floats over a pseudo-Fender Rhodes paired with a plink-y piano reminiscent of “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” creating a sound world of interesting juxtapositions. —Claire Tiller

39. The Kills “Satellite”
A killer mash-up of American alternative and classic British acoustic rock completes the sound of The Kills. Their album is credited with only two artists, VV and Hotel. Hotel’s fuzzy guitar creates a dark, smoky, bar-like setting, and VV sings it with a merciless attitude, while simultaneously exuding a sense of vulnerability. “Satellite” could possibly be the most bad-ass song on our list, and it goes to show that maybe all you need is a drum machine to make it big. —Erica Matlin

38. Radiohead “Lotus Flower”
Don’t read any further, go watch the music video! Thom Yorke takes his crown as The King of Limbs (album title) in his display of jostled, on beat, theatrical movements. Part interpretive dance, part flower child channeling, the simple lyrics are directly enhanced through his limbs, face, and defining Radiohead vocals. “Lotus Flower” is a reminder of how candidly correlated sound and movement truly are, and what better of a man than Thom Yorke to demonstrate that to us. —JoAnn Schinderle

37. Vacationer “Trip”
Eliza Thornberry presents you with a pill. “Take this and you’ll be speaking to toucans and orangutans in no time.” Shortly thereafter, you find yourself floating north of your cubicle and prancing through a colorful, vibrant, mystical jungle. Vacationer’s “Trip” lifts you miles away from stress with nature’s beauty ingrained in its earthy sounds and spot-on vocals. —Max Simon

36. Dum Dum Girls “Coming Down”
Dum Dum Girls don’t stray much from their signature reverby sound on “Coming Down,” as the slow-burning first single from album Only in Dreams shows off how much room the band can still explore in their sonic niche. Kristin Gundren’s voice soars and maintains an intimacy that is balanced out by the thunderous backing track. The song’s warm fuzziness and unhurried buildup reflect Gunderson’s painful inspiration for the song, the death of her mother, and help the song sound as epic as the band’s intent. —David Ruiz

35. Atlas Sound “Te Amo”
Bradford Cox’s voice glides over glittering ostinatos, built from a myriad of guitars, keyboards and percussion. The result is a lush tapestry of sound that lends itself to discovery upon every new listen. —Claire Tiller

34. Future Islands “Balance”
There’s something nostalgic in the combination of lead singer Sam Herring’s voice and the swirling, electronic, pop loops that ride out the beat. If you were pretending your life was a movie, this would be the song playing in the montage sequence as you’re growing up. The omniscient voice looks to the future while still being completely in the present reminding that everything takes time to change. —Azaria Posik

33. Tennis “Seafarer”
“Seafarer” is one of those songs that instantly transports you — no matter what time or year or geographic location you’re in, once the song gets going you’re doing the pony on the beach, awash in sunshine, waiting for your love to come ashore. Alaina Moore’s vocals dip over the waves of bandmate/boyfriend Patrick Riley’s guitar, pulling the melody up over the song’s rhythmic churn. —Stacey Lansing

32. Youth Lagoon “Afternoon”
Have you ever heard a song and weren’t sure of the lyrics, but didn’t care? “Afternoon” proves to be the perfect headphone song of 2011 with layers of sounds and rhythm in which vocals take a backseat. Trevor Powers, better known by the stage name Youth Lagoon, used this recipe to create a tune that features tambourine, whistling, and reverb all complementing one another. You may not know the words, but you will definitely find yourself whistling along. —Nick Crow

31. Crooked Fingers “Heavy Hours”
As this lullabye is voiced by the tired, accepting voice of a man in poetic despair, a listener can’t help but catch a glimpse of optimism. The kind of optimism that puts wrinkles by the corner of your mouth. That’s the balance that is wonderfully kept in this ballad that is beautiful in every sense of the word. —Sam Sklover

30. tUnE-yARDS “Powa”
In her solo project, Merrill Garbus uses vocals and instrumental range to take you through a whirlwind of emotions. Beginning softly with lyrics “wait for me honey” and light acoustics, the song then transitions with percussion tapping and a harsher electric bass, until you’re at an all-out vocally-driven rage. tUnE-yArDs brings music expression to a whole new level, singing to the breaking point but taking listeners through each step. It is an emotional roller coaster ride, and if you cannot decide your mood or what type of music you want to listen to, “Powa” can give you a little bit of everything. —Erica Matlin

29. Painted Palms “All of Us”
“All of Us” is a refreshing three minutes of upbeat, intoxicating happiness. Because anything tropical sounds highly appealing, a steel drum sounding preset blends with Reese Donohue’s repeating and echoing voice. Seemingly effortless, Painted Palms constructs a richly textured arrangement of electronic enjoyment to serve as a mini-soundtrack for those days worth celebrating. —Azaria Posik

28. The Rural Alberta Advantage “Stamp”
The RAA’s drummer, Paul Banwatt, is hard at work in “Stamp.” His drum track is dynamic and crucial to the track’s overall coherence and energy. The hard-driven earnestness and tight-production in “Stamp” is reminiscent of the better moments in emo music. The track’s eventual crescendo is powerful, but plays coy by disappearing much more abruptly than it came. Relative to its short length, “Stamp” is quite varied from movement to movement, and all the different elements add up to a gripping and energetic track. —David Ruiz

27. Dirty Gold “California Sunrise”
There’s something about music from California that sounds remarkably… Californian. San Diego’s Dirty Gold is no exception, and “California Sunrise” fits the trademark “eternal summer” sound, with a laid back vibe and bossa nova rhythms. —Claire Tiller

26. Friends “I’m His Girl”
Garage funk basslines plow this ’80s-influenced strobe light love tune right into your ears. A seductive female vocal compliments the powerful bass and rhythmic drum combination. Each verse brings a new musical surprise that keeps this beautiful piece exciting, and its modern tinge brings this retro beaut some well deserved freshness. —Sam Sklover