smithsocksimon

I do have a spoon in my drawer that reminds me of the kind of spoons my grandparents had. There is only one band on Earth who could possibly have been alive to that fact. They are, quite obviously, among the nominees for 2011’s song-from-each-year-of-my-life.

Any year that sees the release of a new Half Man Half Biscuit LP is a good year. Wirral’s finest released their 13th studio LP in 2011. While 90 Bisodol (Crimond) isn’t as musically inventive as some of its procedures, its lyrics are among the very best that Nigel Blackwell has ever written.

Fix It so She Dreams of Me covers childhood spoons, Jim Beglin, Dick Turpin and the Gok Wan acolytes, references Bladerunner in its title and reveals the location of Martha and the Muffins’ Echo Beach.

Half Man Half Biscuit :: Fix It so She Dreams of Me

None of the above are mentioned by Caitlin Rose, whose 2011 LP is the kind of record that should challenge anyone’s preconceptions about or prejudice towards country music. This is the title track.

Caitlin Rose :: My Own Side

From country to computers and the electronic brilliance of Black Van. I don’t listen to a huge amount of “dance” music cause, frankly, most of it is incredibly dull. If only more of it sounded as good as this.

Black Van :: Express