A Very AP Xmas

Merry xmas everyone, now that this year is almost over I feel this is a perfect time to take a moment reflect on 2011 ... Wow yeah that's depressing huh? I imagine most people had a shit year, so let's reflect on something else ... like, say, MUSIC! Indeed music had one hell of a year this year huh? Seriously, this is one of the best years for music I can remember in a long time, this year for music was what 2007 was for movies, as in there's just too much good, too many surprises, and this year I would actually have trouble narrowing my favorite music down to a top ten list. This might not sound like that big of a deal, but usually my favorite music of a particular year only includes a few current selections, and it's not because good music didn't come out that year. It's usually because I'm usually really jamming on things that came out previously, and despite that, I was still obsessed with tons of things that actually came out this year, things that actually surprised me. So, in honor of this wonderful year of music, taking a page from the RPS chaps, I am going to do an Aural Pleasure Presents: The Twelve Days of Xmas Music Extravaganza, where each day of Xmas I gush about an album that came out this year that I fucking loved.

A couple of notes before we get started though. My typical leanings toward the obscure (that is, things you might not have heard of) are still in effect, but not hyper enforced, so as awesome as Cee Lo's new album is, it won't be included, sorry (Oh wait, that came out last year, never mind, you get my point though). Now I know how you internet brats are about other people's opinions, even to the dumbass degree of what order lists like these go, so here's the deal, these aren't in any real order, other than perhaps the order I found them this year. Or they'll be put at a position that will make a good joke with the "12 Days of Xmas" song. Also the theme of this year is surprise, so much music this year thoroughly surprised me, and that will often be the deciding factor of whether a said album is included or not. Did they bring something brand new to the table? did they make me do a double take, or blindside me in some way? Or was it just them releasing something at all that was the surprise? So as much as I really love Rise Against's new album, it kind of fails both of my main criteria. Finally, I'll be linking to songs through Spotify, if you don't have Spotify then I am truly sorry, but seriously, the hassle of finding good videos on youtube that will still be there in a month is a hassle I don't feel like dealing with anymore. Go ahead and get Spotify, you'll love it. Now that all that's out of the way, get reeeady for fuuuun!