Monthly Mix: The Playlist, December 2011

     As the last Playlist of the year rolls in, it's nice to take a step back and think about all the joyous tunes that came to us in 2011. There seemed to be a shift in indie rock, from beards & strings to sunglasses & synths. December was no different, and the tone of the music really held ground. The month started out with the return of LA rockers Silversun Pickups. Their track "Seasick" is a haunting, eerie piece of mellow rock that makes for a great way to kick things off. The rest of the mix plays out smoothly, with familiar big name acts like the Black Keys and Foster The People making return appearances. Colorado husband-wife duo Tennis debuted a new tune "Origins" which will appear on their next album Young & Old, scheduled for February. All in all, we were impressed with this months offerings as they bounced off the Christmas lights and made us bob our heads. It was indeed a fitting end to a banner year in the alternative music world.


December 2011 Playlist


1.  Silversun Pickups - Seasick

2.  Pontiak - Lions Of Least

3.  Foster The People - Call It What You Want

4.  The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling

5.  Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights Out Words Gone

6.  Tennis - Origins

7.  Grouplove - Tongue Tied

8.  Snakadaktal - Air

9.  ASAP Rocky - Peso

10.  The Parlor Mob - Into The Sun

11.  Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless

12.  Miike Snow - Devil's Work

IN THE BONUS:
The Top 5 Tracks of the Year:


5. M83 - Midnight City
4. Neon Indian - Polish Girl
3. The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling
2. Toro Y Moi - Still Sound
1. Social Distortion - Diamond In The Rough

There you have it folks, 2011 is in the books. We're looking forward to a huge 2012.


Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.


For more, follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris.