I also never expected my favorite album to come from someone who held the spot previously, but the iTunes “most played” playlist doesn’t lie. It’s a divisive one, but people who like it really like it.

I picked 15 favorites and several honorable mentions, plus a Favorite Columbus Albums list below — separate but equal in enjoyment and quality. As usual, I limit my lists to albums, so some EPs and 7”s I liked (e.g. Envelope, Sundown, Malefactors of Great Wealth, Dolfish) aren’t listed.

That is all.

15. Wussy – Strawberry

MP3: Grand Champion Steer

As Chip said about Wussy’s Chuck Cleaver, “One wouldn’t expect the heavily tattooed Cincinnati songwriter to produce his best collection of songs this late in his already highly-prolific career, but that’s exactly what he’s done.”

14. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light

TV On The Radio – “Will Do” by Interscope Records

13. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

MP3: Come to the City

12. Tom Waits – Bad As Me

Tom Waits – Bad As Me by antirecords

I’ve never been a Tom Waits fanboy, but this record grabbed me and didn’t let go.

11. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

MP3: Helplessness Blues

10. Crooked Fingers – Breaks in the Armor

MP3: Typhoon

Best songs since Red Devil Dawn.

9. Southeast Engine – Canary

MP3: New Growth

8. Centro-matic – Candidate Waltz

MP3: Only in My Double Mind

7. David Bazan – Strange Negotiations

MP3: Wolves at the Door

6. A.A. Bondy – Believers

MP3: Surfer King

5. Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation

MP3: Cannons

4. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo

MP3: Jesus Fever

3. Bill Callahan – Apocalypse

MP3: Baby’s Breath

2. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & the Harvest

MP3: The Way It Goes

1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

MP3: Holocene

By now, I know every moment on this album, but I’m still continually surprised by its beauty. Seeing Bon Iver in Philly would also make my Favorite Life Occurrences of 2011 list.

Honorable mention:
The Roots – Undun
The Black Keys – El Camino
Dawes – Nothing is Wrong
Joe Henry – Reverie
Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
Richard Buckner – Our Blood
Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
J Mascis – Several Shades of Why
Tim Easton – Beat the Band/Since 1966 Vol. 1
Thao & Mirah – Thao & Mirah
Joseph Arthur – The Graduation Ceremony

Favorite 2011 Columbus albums:
1. The Black Swans – Don’t Blame the Stars
2. Lydia Loveless – Indestructible Machine
3. Times New Viking – Dancer Equired
4. Psandwich – Northren Psych
5. Saintseneca – Last
6. Blueprint – Adventures in Counter-Culture
7. Bicentennial Bear – Lost Summers
8. The Regionals – The Regionals
9. Psychedelic Horseshit – Laced
10. The Lindsay – Deep in the Queue

Honorable mention:
P. Blackk – Blackk Friday
Moon High – Six Suns
Shane Sweeney – The Finding Time
Tin Armor – Life of Abundance
Alyosha Het – The Purgatourist

MP3:Path- Wes Eckmayer 
MP3: Path- Matt Whitehurst
MP3:Path- Keith Lawson
MP3: Path- Ron Barker

Columbus rapper/producer Path made an interesting instrumental album. He titled each song on Peasant LIfe after the government name of someone that influenced him.

Real sweet gesture right? He even made a song called Wes Eckmayer. Thats my real name. I took the name Wes Flexner when I was still writing graffiti and needed a nom de plume when making zines. Nowadays having an alias makes me seem more sketchy than I really am.

“I don’t think I can do this. I don’t even know your real last name. This is going too fast.”

Anyway, My song is alright. It’s got a pitched soul sample. But really it is not as good as Matt Whitehurst. That song has layers and progressions. Overall it just sounds cooler.
Wes Eckmayer is also inferior to Keith Lawson a more haunting, stronger, darker and sinister sounding beat.  I would also like to switch songs with Ron Barker.  That song similar is to Wes Eckmayer but has a more laid back party vibe to accompany the pitched up sample.

Download the Peasant Life at Path’s Shiny New Website.

Flashback: Wes Flexner Interviews Matt Horseshit

Psychedelic Horseshit have signed with Fat Cat Records. They have a new album coming out on the label later this year. Before that, though, you can grab an MP3 of a new song by signing up for their e-mail list.

They also went ahead and released last year’s album, Acid Tapes, as a full free download.

(thx wumme)

I spent the majority of the year hanging out by myself.

But now looking back, I was really fortunate this year.

I got to see the Black Keys spread love and become one of the biggest rock bands in America. RJD2 played our 7 Year Anniversary. Jay Electronica came to town and did a really intimate show then got signed 7-8 months later by Jay-z to Roc Nation. I solicited Wavves’ opinion on Psychedelic Horseshit.  I witnessed  what Dame Dash’s guy, Currensy ,was doing the night Jay Electronica signed with Jay-z.  I talked to Bone after a nationally publicized arrest. Well, read away if you want.

1.The Black Keys Lifestyles Community Center August 13th

photo credit-ME

The image source of this tattoo is  from  the cover of Chulahoma,  an ep by the Black Keys. It is on the body of a female that had a family member die of cancer.   The finger pointing it out belongs to Mary Stormer,  Key’s drummer Patrick Carney’s mother.  Mary Stormer’s son and Patrick’s brother,  Michael created the image that is tattooed on this girl.  The girl got this tattoo because Chulahoma was what got her through hard times.

The tribute to Junior Kimbrough IS a blues record.

Mary Stormer, and I explained to the girl that the band would really appreciate this.  Mrs. Stormer told me to take a picture and send it to Michael. The band was onstage so they couldn’t give the girl a hug.

I told her a story about a friend of the Black Keys in Akron that had passed,  and the Keys perspective on music when it pertains that.

But this is part of the reason why this show was so special and I have love for the Black Keys . The Carney brother’s mom, dad,  step-mom, and quite a few others were hanging around , visibleyhappy at their family’s success. So from the opening moment when the Keys had GZA’s Liquid Swords playing to ,what sounds like the owner of the lonely hearts change up in Tighten-Up , to the show’s finale “Til I Get My Way” it was just a real warm feeling.

It was just a celebration. Made you kind of forget the show sold out a month early and the Keys were in the process becoming one of the biggest rock bands in America. Everyone was just nice.

I caught up with Dan Auerbach backstage. And the illest thing about Dan was that the conversation was about Sean Price and rappers like that. Dan is a straight-up Hip Hop head.

It was like talking to The Catalyst. More on that later.

Everyone was so normal in their happiness. After the show, we all went back to Tip Top.  Everyone was real normal in their happiness. Pat asked about various Columbus things. The Carney brothers’s dad James, asked about weedsteeler.com and told me stories about working with Chuck Klosterman at the Akron-Beacon Journal. On some other circumstances we could’ve all watched a Woody Allen movie together.

2.Jay Electronica-Boma March 5th

Photo credit: Envelope
Jay Electronica..My trifecta in the Other Paper previewing this show said “Treat this like going to see Common or Nas in early 1994, before they became legends.”  This was in March.

Jay-z signed Jay Electrnica to his label Roc-Nation on November 13th.

As for the March show. Read about it here.

3.RJD2 at Donewaiting 7th Annivesary February 5th

photo credit Danielle Kline

Download RJD2′s the Glow Remix EP Here.
RJD2 played our 7th Anniversary in the Middle of the Blizzard. Epic Epic Epic.
OHIO FUN FACT:RJD2 has a new record coming out in a bit. Grammy Nominee Michael Carney did the cover.

4.Waka Flocka Flame @ Karma 4/23

Photo credit Danielle Kline

As the song says..pow pow..Waka is just Bustin at em.. Rowdiest most punk rock show I saw all year.
Please click here for my review and also to find why Waka improved my body image.

And if you want to read a phone conversation that took place outside a Panera Bread in Westerville click here.

.

5.Daymon Day Parade High Street

Click here to view the embedded video.

And Daymon Day is as simple as that.
Read more about this organic tribute to local culture here.

(And for the record Tony grew-up in a strong democrat home. Myself, I’m a vegan whose politics are fairly obvious .

Daymon being a Republican is what made him a unique individual. I once questioned him on it, and I realized it’s fairly racist for white people to project their political leanings on non- whites. The world is way too complex to impose liberal missionary behaviors on your friends.

But it is not a Republican or Libertarian Parade. Unless it offends you then, its actually a T-Party event  And we got Sarah Palin in booty shorts.)

6.Bone Thugs at the Newport-April 1st

photo by Danielle Kline

This show was right after Flesh N Bone got arrested.
I went and accidently got drunk with Bone, and started bringing up things that weren’t my business.
Read more about it here.

7. J Cole- Newport Music Hall November 3rd

photo by me

Jay-z’s protege J-Cole played a BET Music Matters show at the Newport.  The North Carolina Native had two keyboard players providing warmth and melody, he played a beat machine at times and was backed by DJ Dummy.

J Cole’s polished performance really made him stand-out compared to every up and coming rapper I saw this year. It all made more sense why Jigga is investing time in Cole.

After the show, Cole kicked it with me and answered a few questions. The first beat he made, he chopped up a Shyne sample. Things like that.

8.Wavves- Skullys September 15th

Click here to view the embedded video.

We have all read the Psychedelic Horseshit interview about Wavves. So when Wavves played 4 blocks from my house, I figured why not go see what Nathan Williams of Wavves made of all that.  So after the show I stated my name and a couple names, Nathan, Stephen Pope and Billy Hayes invited me to sit at their table.  I asked Nathan if he felt weird about being in Columbus. His response was, “because of Matt(of Psychedelic Horseshit)? Naw. Those guys don’t like me. But they’ve (Stephen and Billy used to play with Jay Reatard) have both toured with all those groups. It’s not a big deal.”

Nathan and I then talked about Curren$y, the first RJD2 album, Aceyalone , and Rick Ross calling himself Big Meech on BMF. I had written on donewaiting that the Wavves song Convertible Cacoon reminded me of  Cali Swag’s “Teach Me How to Dougie”. Nathan told me that was because they added an 808 over the regular drum.

Stephen and Billy made Nathan load all the equiptment which I thought was interesting…

Other notable thing, is that Nathan, Billy, and Stephen were unaware that the booking agent had rejected Psychedelic Horseshit’s offer to open the show.

I’m not saying this to back Wavves or bash anyone.

Just a moment in time.

Anthony Porter, who if you live in Columbus you probably know he is, was there. If not, Anthony allegedly stabbed someone outside of Cafe Bourbon Street. I said allegedly because I am not a lawyer and do not know how to write.

I introduced Nathan Williams and Anthony to each other because neither one of them are popular at Bourban Street.

As far as why I talk to Anthony Porter? I feel like  he turned himself in, and is going to jail. It’s not like there isn’t punishment and reprucussion looming. I am not advocating a human being hurt by any means.

So basic human compassion states don’t leave some troubled person with no one to talk to.  I think its similar to sending books to prisoners or writing someone in jail. Maybe I’ve read the Autobiography of Malcolm X too many times, and actually internalized Upski’s writings.

As far as Nathan Williams, I can see both sides of it. He was influenced by Columbus music, so there is always an idea of what happens when someone takes from you without being involved with what help build it.

And not executing in a manner that you enjoy.

On the flip-side, his new record doesn’t sound like Columbus stuff anymore. And my biggest assumption is both Nathan Williams, and Psychedelic Horseshit are probably more concerned making music,  and doing right by themselves.

Horseshit does have a new album it’s coming out on a good label.

9.Curren$y-Skullys November 12th

Click here to view the embedded video.

This was an interesting show because it was on the night of Jay Electronica signing with Roc Nation. Currensy is down with Dame Dash, so unless Oprah and Farrakhan step in I would imagine this was the public ending of  Center Edge Territory.

Especially with Mos Def already off with Kanye and absent from 24 Hour Karate School. But what do I know? It was funny because from Skullys, Currensy twittered at Jay Electronica, “I dunno boss. I’m staying here”.

Besides the National question of allegiances, there was an Ohio conflict. Currensy  had to navigate his friendships with Cleveland’s Chip the Ripper, and Stalley. There is underlying rumored tension between the two.  The rumor is Chip doesn’t like Williamsburg residant Stalley trying to build his presence in Ohio. Currensy kept saying, “I’m cool with Chip. I swear”.

It is not like this is something that would make people act horrible. Just some Hip Hop on my block type ish.

And the final conflict was that the 3rd and Royal Columbus had a disagreement which led the 3rd jumping off the show.

At the end of the day, Currensy is good at rapping about weed. So his fans came to see him do that and prolly weren’t worried about rest.

11.Jonsi Newport Music Hall

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jonsi’s beautiful sound, and backdrop made the Newport seem like the Wexner for a night. Photos here.

And I don’t listen to Sigur Ross or Jonsi. But I have a hunch Kanye does. Just from some of the magic realism in his Runaway movie.

12.Camu Tao-King Of Heartz Release Party

Metro of Smash, and El-P celebrated this life and music of Columbus rapper/producer Camu Tao at Skullys.

El-P helped put out Camu’s King of Hearts on Fat Possum Records.

I think this was prolly the most high profile Columbus release this year.

More about Camu from ELP here

13.Cannibal Corpse/DRI Scion Metal Fest

Click here to view the embedded video.

During DRI I watched some dude jump real high in the air and elbow drop a bouncer in the head.

During Cannibal Corpse I watch a Cleveland graffiti writer jump off the side railing and crowd surf.

14.Dead Prez Skullys October 22nd

Click here to view the embedded video.

15.Get Right 3rd Year Anniversary Skullys

Blueprint’s latest EP has him sampling the Who EP. So you Rock N Rollerz might light this one. The bulk of the content is Print discussing how he worked hard to get where he is at when other people had different ideas. Donewaiting readers might take note of track 3, “See Thru”, Print’s lo-fi song, where he shouts out DJ Przm, TNV and PHS. Illogic is on Track 5, “Pain” in which Print revisits the Teenage Wasteland sample he used on Illogic’s “1000 Whispers” and then Best Buy told him he wasn’t allowed to when Weightless reissued Celestial Clockwork through Raptivism.
There are three versions of Blueprint Who. This is the free version. To purchase or look for more info please check www.weightless.net.

Blueprint is currently on tour With Atmosphere, DJ Rare Groove, Budos and Grieves
Dates after the jump

Thu 9/9/2010: Milwaukee, WI – To All My Friends Tour
Fri 9/10/2010: Indianapolis, IN – To All My Friends Tour
Sat 9/11/2010: Covington, KY – To All My Friends Tour
Sun 9/12/2010: Grand Rapids, MI – To All My Friends Tour
Wed 9/15/2010: Bozeman, MT – To All My Friends Tour
Thu 9/16/2010: Missoula, MT – To All My Friends Tour
Fri 9/17/2010: Missoula, MT – To All My Friends Tour
Sat 9/18/2010: Spokane, WA – To All My Friends Tour
Mon 9/20/2010: Boise, ID – To All My Friends Tour
Tue 9/21/2010: Bend, OR – To All My Friends Tour
Wed 9/22/2010: Eugene, OR – To All My Friends Tour
Fri 9/24/2010: Chico, CA – To All My Friends Tour
Sat 9/25/2010: Reno, NV – To All My Friends Tour
Mon 9/27/2010: Arcata, CA – To All My Friends Tour
Tue 9/28/2010: Sacramento, CA – To All My Friends Tour
Wed 9/29/2010: Santa Cruz, CA – To All My Friends Tour
Fri 10/1/2010: Las Vegas, NV – To All My Friends Tour
Sat 10/2/2010: Salt Lake City, UT – To All My Friends Tour
Mon 10/4/2010: Rapid City, SD – To All My Friends Tour
Tue 10/5/2010: Sioux Falls, SD – To All My Friends Tour
Wed 10/6/2010: Des Moines, IA – To All My Friends Tour
Thu 10/7/2010: Chicago, IL – To All My Friends Tour

So TNV‘s Adam Elliot and Beth Murphy sat in with Matt Whitehurst for a Psychedelic Horseshit show(s?) a couple weeks ago. I didn’t see it, but I figured it was just a temp thing. They’re all buds. Not really too shocking for them to collaborate once in a while.

But there’s a Times New Viking show at Carabar on Monday with Psychedelic Horseshit (and Drag City’s Cave), and Elliot confirmed Horseshit’s lineup for the show: himself, Matt & Beth (and possibly an appearance by Ryan Jewell). So it seems Adam and Beth are in, and Rich Horseshit has gone the way of Laura B, Jason Roxas, Pink Reason Kevin and other Horseshit alums. The always-official Myspace tells the same tale.

Click here to view the embedded video.

MP3: Kurt Vile – Hunchback
MP3: Kurt Vile – Overnite Religion

Out of all the shows we’ve worked on with BenCo over the past few months, I’m most excited about this one. I can’t see how “Philly’s constant hitmaker” won’t end up in my top 10 of 2010. What’s great about Kurt Vile is how he makes the blending of noisy psychedelia and Neil Young-ish folk-rock sound so natural. I’m excited to see how that unfolds live, and to watch his musicianship in person. (As Vile told me in October, “I’ve been involved in playing music way more than just being a lo-fi punk or something.”)

We’ve got a pair to tickets to give away, of course. Send an e-mail to contestdonewaiting@gmail.com with the subject KURT VILE. A winner will be chosen on 12/29.

One other Columbus-related tidbit: Kurt Vile is a Psychedelic Horseshit fanboy. He sang their praises in that same October interview, saying they were his favorite band at SXSW in 2008, and adding, “They really mean it, they’re confident. Something about it, you just watch them, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this sounds, like, insane.’ But you just look at his face and you know he means every word.”

Should be a good way to wrap up the 2009 Donewaiting.com Presents series.

Highlight:

We made “Wavves Suxx” t-shirts with it spelled S-U-X-X. We got tons of people taking pictures with us in those. People are all into it. And actually Wavves came up to our drummer and our drummer had no idea it was Wavves. And Wavves took like six pictures with Rich with the “Wavves Suxx” t-shirt on. So, you know, that little [expletive]‘s probably into it or something. And is probably like, Oh, it’s like hip-hop, man!

Just about every response is a highlight, so you’re better off just reading the whole thing. It’s also fun to count how many times the writer had to take out the profanity.

PREVIOUSLY: Donewaiting.com Psychedelic Horseshit Interview by Wes Flexner

• Found Magazine and Quack Media have a huge show featuring The Hold Steady, Lucero, No Age, and more. RSVP dudes.

• Urban Outfitters has bands playing in their parking lot every day. It’s a huge list, including Chairlift, Vivian Girls, School of Seven Bells, Telepathe, and more.
• Mile Hi-Fidelity show features Dressy Bessy + more.
• Goner Records Showcase features Nobunny, Digital Leather, more.
• Victim of Time Showcase features Eat Skull, Psychedelic Horseshit, more.
• Can’t Stop the Bleeding has Endless Boogie, Psychedelic Horseshit, The Homosexuals, more.

This time next month you’ll still be hungover.