Thanks to a friend, I recently discovered a cool site where you can rate and organize music, as well as find new bands and artists in a really handy way. I instantly had to join and spent a few nights working on it. Check my profile out here.
I've been really into making lists lately, and I got a few more for you. First, I chose four songs that for me were the best ones released in 2011. To make things easier and fairer, I decided to include just one song per each band/artist. Otherwise Fear And The Nervous System might have taken all the spots, heh.
4. Alcest - Autre Temps
This might come as a bit of a surprise since I haven't mentioned Alcest even once in this blog. Truth be told, I hadn't heard a single song from the one-mand-band prior to this beautiful and fairytale-like masterpiece, which was released as a single and music video just earlier this month. I had been hearing good things though, and for a reason. After a few listens of this song on YouTube, each listen bringing me closer to addiction, I had to get the single as well as the album Souvenirs d'Un Autre Monde. While Souvenirs... wasn't nearly as impressive as the yearning Autre Temps, I look forward to hearing the new album from Alcest in 2012.
3. Evanescence - The Change
Looking back at this year, one thing I will forever remember is re-discovering Evanescence. It's pretty incomprehensible to me that I managed to own a copy of Fallen for 8 years and learned to truly appreciate it, as well as the band in general, just 10 months ago, after accidentally deciding to give it a fresh spin. Eventually this accident lead to obtaining the band's second album The Open Door, as well as their third, self-titled album, but only after anticipating the latter for a decent period of time and totally falling for Amy Lee. Lastly, I was faced with the difficult decision to pick which song from the new album would make this list, because one of them absolutely had to. The Change is the ultimate result, and I'm happy to say that it would be on this list even without all the stuff I just told you. It's one of the most powerful, enchanting and reel-you-in songs I've heard this year, possibly ever.
2. Earthtone9 - Tide Of Ambition
Magnificent track that opened the For Cause & Consequence EP. If the other songs on the release would've been as strong, it would've most likely been the second release of the year to deserve a 5- grade from me. Hard-hitting song, still takes me every time. Brilliant.
1. Fear And The Nervous System - Beautiful Side
Like I implied already, almost any FATNS song could've taken any spot on this list if it wasn't for the rule of having only one song from each band. While Ambien, Choking Victim, No Secrets and Triggers are all fantastic songs, I chose Beautiful Side due to being attracted to it so much in the beginning and still finding it absolutely amazing. In the end, I feel that it's only fair to name it the best song of the year - in my books, at least.
I've also chosen the best albums of all-time (for me), which you can view on Rate Your Music, here. They're the only 10 albums I've rated with 5 stars on the site, and in alphabetical order.
After presenting those two, it's time we wrap this year up just like last year (clickity click for refresh) with me sharing everything that I've gotten out of 2011.
First and foremost, not counting my musical or linguistic endeavors, goes the fact that I confessed my love this year to a girl I go to the same school with. While last year I felt that for the first time I could admit having romantic feelings and do so actually knowing what they mean (nod to the Joona who lived 10 years back... I'm ashamed of you :p) throughout this year I felt the feelings persist albeit switching back and forth a little, and the need to talk and share about them only increase. What's left is a heart that's been broken once, but is beating stronger than ever - and an obession that might never go away entirely, but should never hurt anyone either (including myself, for now) and instead results in good things through art.
Speaking of art, I have never been as creative as I have been in 2011. This might sound odd to some, because this year I didn't eventually put out an EP or an album like I have every year ever since 2008. A year with no releases can be seen as both, a sign of time restraints and one of growth. I have been faced with a lot of stress coming from all over the place, including but not limited to school, love life, my various projects on various areas and the future of where I'm moving as a person. I'm still lazy when it comes down to mixing and have had horrific issues and feelings of dissatisfaction with my recordings and equipment. It is, however, also a sign of maturity in the sense that I am more careful with what I put out, and when I put it out. I have learned that something might sound great at first but after a while it can be dull, and in the same time some of the pieces you hate can come to a whole new life right by your eyes. Who's telling me to finish this and that by the end of that and that month anyway? Me. And the great thing about me being the boss of myself is that work can be flexible. Delay is still not nice, but it's an option - an option not all other people have. Concludingly, I am anxious to put out music from all my four musical projects, possibly a few releases already in 2012, but acknowledge now what the relation of time is to quality. That is perhaps for the first time ever, although I've kept saying before that I understand and execute it.
Of course, this year I did put out my first short story in over a year, called Onchocerca Volvulus. It had a positive response, particularly by a few people who I showed it to outside the internet. For me the significance of the story was more in the general idea of writing it and getting back to the routine of doing something non-musical and non-lyrical on my free time than what the content of the plot was. That's not to say the plot doesn't have any importance to me at all, however. It's very much the opposite, and writing OV was not only fun but therapeutic in relation to my own struggles in the social areas of my life.
Whether anyone wants to talk and read about it or not, there's no denying for my depression in 2011, either. I wish I could say that I was a happy person these past 12 months, or that I was a happy person during most 12 month periods. But that I am not. It could be due to the problems I faced with the things I loved, those being music and one specific person, or just general evolution of my mind and feelings, but regardless there have been times when I've been more down than I could have ever imagined anyone to be. The worst it got was at the end of July, when I felt totally useless - and looking back at it, I can't say that I was all that wrong. Throughout the year I've faced and admitted issues about my life and myself, but I am still not ready to fix them completely or accept the claims that I am worthy of everything everyone else is worthy of. Maybe I never will, who knows - but I do know that while Evanescence's Lithium is lyrically resembling my state of mind and soul more and more, I have plenty of things to live for still. If today's the day I died, no matter how it would happen, I would most certainly be useless, and that is something I could never live with. Oh, but I wouldn't even be alive anymore if I died, right? Oops... :P You get the point. A shout also goes out to my tremendously supportive, all-bearing and patient friends. I am incredibly grateful for the few of you.
The beauty in my state this year is how I've come to appreciate certain joys in life that have always been around me in some shape or form, but haven't even begun to excite me as much as they have recently. My walks, at their best, have been experiences nothing short of divine. The peace and calm of sauna has never warmed my soul as much as it does every time I go there these days. Photography has become a large part of my walks, but also an element at events outside nature. And the music. Ah, the music. I already mentioned Evanescence, Fear And The Nervous System, earthtone9 and others, and the list could honestly go on and on concerning the notes that I have gone crazy to, gotten shivers by, been inspired by, cried to, smiled to, worked to. My own music is very important, but I could live without doing it and instead focus my forces on something else. But others' music? Hell no. And I am not sad, weak or vulnerable at all to admit that.
My annual New Year's Eve playlist can be viewed here. All the songs mean something very special to me, as usual, and most of them also signify a point in my evolution of music and living. There have been disappointments, failure, problems and bleakness, but in the end I wouldn't trade my life, or this year for that matter, for anything. Time has shown time and time again that there are things we can't change or affect. If there was one lesson I would like to point out having learned in 2011, it would be to use the little time we have as individuals very wisely. At least on my end, however, that does not mean forsaking pleasure or relaxation, nor does it mean quitting after the first productive effort leads to a deadend. It's all about balance and perseverance. Us Finns, for one, have plenty of the latter. Hah.
Happy New Year, everyone. :)
I've been really into making lists lately, and I got a few more for you. First, I chose four songs that for me were the best ones released in 2011. To make things easier and fairer, I decided to include just one song per each band/artist. Otherwise Fear And The Nervous System might have taken all the spots, heh.
4. Alcest - Autre Temps
This might come as a bit of a surprise since I haven't mentioned Alcest even once in this blog. Truth be told, I hadn't heard a single song from the one-mand-band prior to this beautiful and fairytale-like masterpiece, which was released as a single and music video just earlier this month. I had been hearing good things though, and for a reason. After a few listens of this song on YouTube, each listen bringing me closer to addiction, I had to get the single as well as the album Souvenirs d'Un Autre Monde. While Souvenirs... wasn't nearly as impressive as the yearning Autre Temps, I look forward to hearing the new album from Alcest in 2012.
3. Evanescence - The Change
Looking back at this year, one thing I will forever remember is re-discovering Evanescence. It's pretty incomprehensible to me that I managed to own a copy of Fallen for 8 years and learned to truly appreciate it, as well as the band in general, just 10 months ago, after accidentally deciding to give it a fresh spin. Eventually this accident lead to obtaining the band's second album The Open Door, as well as their third, self-titled album, but only after anticipating the latter for a decent period of time and totally falling for Amy Lee. Lastly, I was faced with the difficult decision to pick which song from the new album would make this list, because one of them absolutely had to. The Change is the ultimate result, and I'm happy to say that it would be on this list even without all the stuff I just told you. It's one of the most powerful, enchanting and reel-you-in songs I've heard this year, possibly ever.
2. Earthtone9 - Tide Of Ambition
Magnificent track that opened the For Cause & Consequence EP. If the other songs on the release would've been as strong, it would've most likely been the second release of the year to deserve a 5- grade from me. Hard-hitting song, still takes me every time. Brilliant.
1. Fear And The Nervous System - Beautiful Side
Like I implied already, almost any FATNS song could've taken any spot on this list if it wasn't for the rule of having only one song from each band. While Ambien, Choking Victim, No Secrets and Triggers are all fantastic songs, I chose Beautiful Side due to being attracted to it so much in the beginning and still finding it absolutely amazing. In the end, I feel that it's only fair to name it the best song of the year - in my books, at least.
I've also chosen the best albums of all-time (for me), which you can view on Rate Your Music, here. They're the only 10 albums I've rated with 5 stars on the site, and in alphabetical order.
After presenting those two, it's time we wrap this year up just like last year (clickity click for refresh) with me sharing everything that I've gotten out of 2011.
First and foremost, not counting my musical or linguistic endeavors, goes the fact that I confessed my love this year to a girl I go to the same school with. While last year I felt that for the first time I could admit having romantic feelings and do so actually knowing what they mean (nod to the Joona who lived 10 years back... I'm ashamed of you :p) throughout this year I felt the feelings persist albeit switching back and forth a little, and the need to talk and share about them only increase. What's left is a heart that's been broken once, but is beating stronger than ever - and an obession that might never go away entirely, but should never hurt anyone either (including myself, for now) and instead results in good things through art.
Speaking of art, I have never been as creative as I have been in 2011. This might sound odd to some, because this year I didn't eventually put out an EP or an album like I have every year ever since 2008. A year with no releases can be seen as both, a sign of time restraints and one of growth. I have been faced with a lot of stress coming from all over the place, including but not limited to school, love life, my various projects on various areas and the future of where I'm moving as a person. I'm still lazy when it comes down to mixing and have had horrific issues and feelings of dissatisfaction with my recordings and equipment. It is, however, also a sign of maturity in the sense that I am more careful with what I put out, and when I put it out. I have learned that something might sound great at first but after a while it can be dull, and in the same time some of the pieces you hate can come to a whole new life right by your eyes. Who's telling me to finish this and that by the end of that and that month anyway? Me. And the great thing about me being the boss of myself is that work can be flexible. Delay is still not nice, but it's an option - an option not all other people have. Concludingly, I am anxious to put out music from all my four musical projects, possibly a few releases already in 2012, but acknowledge now what the relation of time is to quality. That is perhaps for the first time ever, although I've kept saying before that I understand and execute it.
Of course, this year I did put out my first short story in over a year, called Onchocerca Volvulus. It had a positive response, particularly by a few people who I showed it to outside the internet. For me the significance of the story was more in the general idea of writing it and getting back to the routine of doing something non-musical and non-lyrical on my free time than what the content of the plot was. That's not to say the plot doesn't have any importance to me at all, however. It's very much the opposite, and writing OV was not only fun but therapeutic in relation to my own struggles in the social areas of my life.
Whether anyone wants to talk and read about it or not, there's no denying for my depression in 2011, either. I wish I could say that I was a happy person these past 12 months, or that I was a happy person during most 12 month periods. But that I am not. It could be due to the problems I faced with the things I loved, those being music and one specific person, or just general evolution of my mind and feelings, but regardless there have been times when I've been more down than I could have ever imagined anyone to be. The worst it got was at the end of July, when I felt totally useless - and looking back at it, I can't say that I was all that wrong. Throughout the year I've faced and admitted issues about my life and myself, but I am still not ready to fix them completely or accept the claims that I am worthy of everything everyone else is worthy of. Maybe I never will, who knows - but I do know that while Evanescence's Lithium is lyrically resembling my state of mind and soul more and more, I have plenty of things to live for still. If today's the day I died, no matter how it would happen, I would most certainly be useless, and that is something I could never live with. Oh, but I wouldn't even be alive anymore if I died, right? Oops... :P You get the point. A shout also goes out to my tremendously supportive, all-bearing and patient friends. I am incredibly grateful for the few of you.
The beauty in my state this year is how I've come to appreciate certain joys in life that have always been around me in some shape or form, but haven't even begun to excite me as much as they have recently. My walks, at their best, have been experiences nothing short of divine. The peace and calm of sauna has never warmed my soul as much as it does every time I go there these days. Photography has become a large part of my walks, but also an element at events outside nature. And the music. Ah, the music. I already mentioned Evanescence, Fear And The Nervous System, earthtone9 and others, and the list could honestly go on and on concerning the notes that I have gone crazy to, gotten shivers by, been inspired by, cried to, smiled to, worked to. My own music is very important, but I could live without doing it and instead focus my forces on something else. But others' music? Hell no. And I am not sad, weak or vulnerable at all to admit that.
My annual New Year's Eve playlist can be viewed here. All the songs mean something very special to me, as usual, and most of them also signify a point in my evolution of music and living. There have been disappointments, failure, problems and bleakness, but in the end I wouldn't trade my life, or this year for that matter, for anything. Time has shown time and time again that there are things we can't change or affect. If there was one lesson I would like to point out having learned in 2011, it would be to use the little time we have as individuals very wisely. At least on my end, however, that does not mean forsaking pleasure or relaxation, nor does it mean quitting after the first productive effort leads to a deadend. It's all about balance and perseverance. Us Finns, for one, have plenty of the latter. Hah.
Happy New Year, everyone. :)
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