The Year in Static: 7 Non 2011 songs that Ricky listened to in 2011

Posted on December 23, 2011 by admin

I’ll shamelessly admit that I thought this year in music, much like the NBA draft class, was particularly weak. By my estimation, there were no standout songs. There were certainly good tracks, heck, there were some great tracks but the ultimate question one has to ask themselves when determining just how good a song is this one:

Will I listen to this song regularly five years from now? Ten years from now?

The “test of time” question is certainly one that is hard to answer but it’s really the only one you need to think about in your own personal search for your favorite songs for 2011.

Instead of boring you with a list of songs that everyone might have potential posted for their favorite tracks of 2011, I will instead bore you with some non 2011 songs I listened to this year and will continue to listen to.

Belle and Sebastian – Sleep The Clock Around

My favorite song from one of my favorite bands, Belle and the Sebastian’s Sleep The Clock Around has slowly climbed up my favorite songs chart to the point where I think it might be #2. This dreamy twee number has a magnificent trumpet solo that is complimented by bagpipes (of all things) as the song reaches its triumphant climax. This track got some prominent plays this year since I saw B&S twice in a short period of time (October in Toronto, May in Barcelona). At some point, I also decided that I would end off any DJ sets I do with this track. And I played it when I reached the top of a mountain in Peru at 4200 m after a grueling 3-4 hour hike.

Erasure – Victim of Love

While I’ve always heard of Erasure and knew of their existence, I had never thought to look too deeply into their discography. This all changed when I was invited to go see the band at the Sound Academy in September. Thinking that I would probably need to familiarize myself with their music to truly enjoy myself at this show, I took a dive into their songs and discovered that their music is quite exceptional. Behind Vince Clark (he of Depeche Mode fame)’s legendary trademark beat and Andy Bell’s endlessly catchy hooks, it’s no wonder Erasure had so much success for such a long period of time. That show was one of my favorite Toronto shows this year and the band has been in steady rotation since.

2Pac – Hit’em Up

This song makes me laugh every time. A diss song targeting Biggie Smalls released in the middle of the East Coast West Coast rap wars, it’s a great representation on the state of hip hop back in the day and the easiest target for any media outlet trying to paint rap/hip hop as a negative influence at the time. It’s so angry and simultaneously funny at the same time. It might have the best opening line to any song ever (“First off, fuck your bitch”). 90′s hip hop, they sure don’t make them like they used to.

Faithless – Insomnia

Faithless’ hit track Insomnia is the perfect example of why you should never compromise with the record company and release a ‘single version’ of your song. The real version of Insomnia is a 8 minute masterpiece that builds up slowly and sets the tone and mood of the song nicely while the single version is a mess of random pieces of the original track thrown together. While this track is not for everyone but at the right time, in the right place it makes perfect sense.

OMD – If You Leave

As chronicled in my article dedicated to this song / The OC on my own blog, I was first introduced to this song via a cover by Nada Surf, who up until that point, was known for the late 90′s semi-hit/one hit wonder track Popular. My fondness for this track can be directly attributed to the fact that I saw OMD twice this year, in a span of two days. This delightful pop track is as catchy as they come.

Imaginary Cities – Hummingbird

This CanCon track would have made my best of 2011 list if it wasn’t released in 2010, which kind of blows since I really liked it. Anyways, the Manitoban group made great strides this year with their debut album Temporary Resident which is actually not an album about illegal immigrants. One of the tracks off this album is Hummingbird, an infectious pop track that features lead singer Marti Sarbit’s bluesy nasaly voice at it’s best. Not many bands can say they opened for the Pixies in 2011, but this group from a little humdrum country town called Winnipeg can.

Imaginary Cities – Hummingbird – Live at CHUO 89.1 FM by nowplayingchuo

Pulp – Disco 2000

For me, 2011 will always be the year I saw Pulp. I know I sound like a broken record, but when you pay over two grand to fly to Barcelona, rent an apartment and go to a music festival primarily to see one band, you should probably waste a few words on it. Clever lyrics, memorable story, great use of a Gloria sample and hook that snatches you and never lets go, it’s pretty much the perfect pop song.

The Year in Static: The funniest people in Yahlehly’s Twitter feed

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Jessica

funniest people in my twitter feed
…according to the number of times i’ve favourited them
by yahloly, comedy ambassador

two musts i look for before i follow someone on twitter:
one must be entertaining
& one musn’t be a feed hog
afterall, twitter is about the art of being concise

Twitter Gold, as defined by me: the sparse thoughts of funny people with only minimal promotional cal

due to my short attention span–look it’s still not snowinggg!–i’ve had to unfollow too many people whose prolifacy was more than i could keep up with. (see @ambertozer, producer of such non-stop hilarity, how can anyone manage enough concentration for it daily!? i mean, at some point i have to let prof. henry rest & turn my affection, erm, attention to sir farnsworth–henry’s the PC, farnsworth’s the t.v)

& i find the prolific are often female comics, which makes my ‘following’ list predominantly male. i’m looking to change this so if you know of any succinct female comics, please recommend some to me @chillcake

these are the five people who packed the most funny in brevity this year
@shelbyfero California
I’m not too crazy about me either

@bazecraze NYC
Cynical shell. Soft, chewy center.

@serafinowicz Earth’s Core
Male actress and comedienne. All content © Peter Serafinowicz.

@demetrimartin is here.
This Is A Book by Demetri Martin is in stores.

@bridger_w N64
Here we are on our third date

The Year in Static: Bhairavi’s Top 10 movies of 2011

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Jessica

Check out contributor Bhairavi Thanki’s top 10 movies of 2011:

10 – The King’s Speech
There is a lot about this movie that I enjoyed. What I loved most was what it brought to the act of swearing. I hardly ever swear but now, whenever I do, I think of how great it feels. It’s like a bunch of endorphins being released. And as if I wasn’t madly in love with Colin Firth already, add a stutter and I want to find him wrapped in a bow under my Christmas tree.

9 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
After obsessively reading all the books at least five times, I was so sad to see the last movie come and go. That’s it. No more quidditch, spells and the whole will they, won’t they scenario with Ron and Hermione. Despite my sadness, I was satisfied with the way the final movie was directed and that final battle scene was pretty rad. Yeah, I said it. Rad.

8 – 50/50
Cancer isn’t funny, you guys. Stop it. You are making laugh. This is exactly what I was muttering as I watched this. I walked out of the theatre feeling pretty great after seeing Joe Levitt shave his head and Seth Rogen make penis jokes. It was typical and yet, somehow, it wasn’t. We might not have reached the phase where we can joke about cancer, but it’s okay to laugh with people who do, right?

7 – Take Shelter
An order of Michael Shannon with a side loony, please! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story and had it not been for Shannon, I probably would not have enjoyed it. Here’s an example of how a good actor can carry an entire movie. You can also witness those swarm of birds on the poster sometime at Dundas Square. I kid you not.

6 – Moneyball
What is it with Brad Pitt and his ability to so flawlessly mimic accents? I can’t say that he is aging well (what is with all the hair?), but I am amazed at his ability to continuously choose amazing films. I don’t like sports films but this was less about playing ball and more about actually playing the game, if you know what I mean. And it wasn’t Pitt that stole the show, it was Jonah Hill. New crush.

5 – Bridesmaids
There is nothing attractive about a bride relieving her bowels in a wedding dress in the middle of a road. But, it is pretty hilarious. I was sold on this movie the moment I saw the poster. Kristen Wiig AND Maya Rudolph in a movie about bridesmaids? Yes, please. And puppies as bridal shower favours?! I want to go to there.

4 – Drive
We saw no shortage of Ryan Gosling this year, whether it was in the form of memes or his blank expression staring you down while you sat there feeling less than worthy of his attention. Due to the sheer tallness of him and the badass-ness of this movie, it stands pretty high on my favourite movies list this year. And the soundtrack, oooh the soundtrack.

3 – The Muppets
I cried. I did. The moment Kermit showed up on the screen all I wanted to do was go back in time to when I used to make myself a blanket fort and watch the musings of these odd but lovable characters on my TV. If it wasn’t enough that I was reliving my childhood, cameos from many of my current favourite celebrities just added to the mix of emotions. Admit it, you loved it too. You even sang when the credits rolled to ‘Mah-na Mah-na.’

2 – The Skin I Live In
There are directors who are twisted and then there is Pedro Almodovar. While there is no shortage of directors who use the human body to convey a message, Almodovar created a way of making sure you never look at the human body the same way ever again. If the sex, nudity, violence or characters in Skin I Live In don’t shock you, the story sure will. I may or may not have said “What the eff?!” about a hundred times while watching it.

1 – Beginners
There are very few movies that focus on the topic of love that I like. Beginners is one of them. It’s been a while since a movie came around that could make me feel so many emotions at once. Everything from the cast (Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent and Christopher Plummer), to the writing, to the production and direction was just so beautiful that the story flowed effortlessly. It made me want to be in love and fall out of it all in one heartbeat.

Honorable mentions: The Ides of March; Crazy, Stupid, Love; The Descendants; Like Crazy; Rango; True Grit; Super 8; Midnight in Paris

Movies that I still have to see (And you should too!): We Were Here; Melancholia; Shame; The Adventures of Tin Tin; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo; Hugo, J. Edgar

The Year in Static: The Places That Made Aviva and Melody Fat

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Melody

Aviva and Melody gained a lot of weight this year. We’d show you a before and after picture but we’d rather not. Just trust us when we tell you that they’ve both gone up a size or two. They regret nothing. They are warriors of food, ready to slay every ‘best of’ list and will stop at nothing until they throw up. (How these two have friends, we do not know)

Here’s a recap of the foods that made them fat this year..

Aviva’s Top 5

Burger’s Priest / Pie Shack

The Pie Shack is a short streetcar ride away from Burger’s Priest. Why is that? What’s their angle? They should have a shuttle bus for when i inevitably get gout in both my feet. I spent my summer going to either or and sometimes both in one day. My heart clenches at the thought.

My order: The Option (the closest we have to Shake Shack’s shroom burger) with fries and then off to get some bumbleberry pie a la mode (i like my pie warm and my a la mode cold).

Holy Chuck

I ordered the Grazer, their veggie option (panko-crusted portobello mushroom burger stuffed with feta and cream cheese) stacked between two grilled cheese sammies. I also had fries, a milkshake and funnel cake. I woke up at 3 a.m. and puked my guts out. You win Holy Chuck, you win.

Morimoto

Iron Chef Morimoto’s restaurant in NYC. This was part of the Treat Your Self ’11 Tour. Most def one of the best meals I had this year. Toro Sashimi and Braised Black Cod with a ginger soy reduction — melt in your mouth piece of fish and so rich I got drunk off the meal or maybe it was all the lychee cocktails I had, who knows.

Bouley

New York Cares: michelin star tasting menus for lunch. NBD! My gentlemen pals required jackets, for lunch! This is how the other half lives. This is the type of place where you would take your wife on your 20th wedding anniversary to hide the fact you are cheating on her.

The Dream:
- Amuse bouch courtesy of the chef
- Jumbo white French asparagus and roasted green asparagus with pencil asparagus, basil dressing, in a comté cloud (A CLOUD!)
- Carpaccio of kampachi, big-eye tuna, and striped amber jack,
- Black cod marinated with pistachio miso, organic buckwheat, ginger aromatic sauce
- Chatham skate with pineapple, anise, sancho pepper, celery root purée, and micro celery salad
- California organic orange flesh melon soup with fresh ricotta sorbet
- Hot caramelized anjou pear with Valrhona chocolate, biscuit breton, hot toffee sauce, lemon verbena, and Tahitian vanilla ice cream

At the end of the meal we stood up, dropped our forks on the floor and walked out like we were better than everyone, because we were.

Bannock

This meal filled me with more emotion than the Bon Iver concert we saw later that evening. Forget everything you thought you knew about tacos. I have been slowly working my way through the cities best fish tacos, but pickerel on steamed soft buns (topped with caviar tartar), you stole my heart.

Honorable Mentions:

Stuff Inside Other Stuff
I baked a lot of stuff inside other stuff this year, maybe I am subconsciously trying to fill the hole inside of me: cookie stuffed cookies, pies inside cakes, mini pies inside cupcakes, cupcakes inside eclairs, etc. In the end, my dog got diabetes.

All Of The Cocktails
You got me through some tough times, boys.

Shake Shack
The Original. Never Forget.

—

Melody’s Top 5

Sky Blue Sky

Delicious (and affordable!) sandwiches, free wifi, good music and the most wonderful owner ever. How am I not secretly living at Sky Blue Sky? I don’t know. Sky Blue Sky is more magical than Disneyland. #weloveyouchad (This is also where Static Zine got to throw its first launch party.)

La Carnita/Grand Electric/anyone that made tacos

I used to work at a Mexican fast food joint almost 4 years ago. It was a terrible job but I got to eat Mexican food every day. Naturally, I got sick of it and for a few years there I couldn’t even look at a taco without feeling sick. 2011 brought tacos back, though. Thanks to pop-up events, new restaurants and BlogTO’s best tacos list – Aviva and I are slowly eating our way through that list – I’ve discovered a new appreciation for these meat-filled shells of deliciousness. And a special kudos goes out to TacoTime ($5 for 5 tacos – it’s as horrible/awesome as it sounds) and Big Fat Burrito for satisfying my taco needs when I’m poor. (Bonus: I even celebrated my birthday this year with a taco night; I deserve an honorary sombrero) #MEWANTTACOS

Mother’s Dumplings

Mother’s Dumplings is a combination of good food and an even better location. Since it’s literally around the corner from the Static HQ, most of our pre/post meeting meals take place there (heck, we’ll even make excuses to have meetings there). And we don’t cheap out, either. Two or more plates per person. Every time. Do the math. And that is why I need to buy a new pair of pants now. (It was worth it) #futuredumplingmakers

Momofuku Restaurants

David Chang, you magnificent bastard. When I went to New York a month ago, I let my sister pick the hotel and, of course, we ended up staying down the street from Milk Bar, one of Momofuku’s chains. I was there every day. Cereal milk, pork buns, cookies galore – just thinking about it makes me drool a little. Toronto needs fifty of these, ASAP. We also went to one of Chang’s other restaurants, Ma Peche. It’s fancier and more expensive but definitely worth every piece of fish I ate that night. Halibut pot pie – that happened. New York knows how to make you fat. #ilovenyc

Swiss Chalet

Look, when your boyfriend lives right next to a Swiss Chalet and you’re feeling lazy, it happens. (And of course, it’s followed by dessert, a nap and hours of watching TV) #relationships

Shout Outs to:

Vanilla Coke
A long time friend and honorary member of the Static team.

La Banquise
Toronto poutine just isn’t the same. Remember that night I had the poutine with 4 meats? Good times, Montreal.

Livewires
Candy that you can only find at 7-11 or specialty candy stores. Sugar highs that last all night. Thanks to these things, I now know what’s on TV at 4am. Answer: nothing.

Everyone who ate with us this year
Yes, we’re trying to drag you down with us.

A special thank you to all the food truck events this year. We showed up early, we strategized and we conquered. Thank you, Toronto, for finally embracing food trucks and pop-ups. You have a special place in our heart of hearts (we now require two hearts).

The Year in Static: Melody’s Favourite Cat Memes of 2011

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Melody

Those who know me know that I love cats. If I could kidnap every cat in the world, I would. (Please don’t call the cops on me, it was just a hypothetical statement!) But since I can’t cuddle with 80 cats in my bed – I actually don’t own any cats – the internet has been kind enough to treat us to some friggin’ adorable cat memes. When I tell people I’m “working on an assignment,” I’m really just drooling over these cute, furry memes of awesomeness. Here’s a recap of some of the finest feline memes of the 2011!

1. The Kitten Covers

I’m glad I’m not the only one who stares at album covers and thinks, “Man, what would that look like with cats on it?” Dear bands, in the future, save us all this work and just put cats on all your album covers. Please and thank you. Okay, dogs too if you want. But that’s it!

2. Ryan Gosling Disneyland Cats

The internet put two of our favourite things together this year in the most magical meme ever (I don’t count Disneyland as a fave because I know crazy-evil people who hate it). Sure, going to Disneyland is fun and all but going with the (unoffcial) Sexiest Man Alive and a bunch of cats? Get out of my brain, internet.

3. The eHarmony Cat Lover

Watching this video is like watching myself. “I want them in a basket and with little bow ties. I want them to be on a rainbow and in my bed. And I just want a house full of them and I just want us to roll around.” ME TOO, DEBBIE. ME TOO. If I was single and a lesbian, Debbie and I would be married in a house full of cats by now.

4. Business Cat

When I finally finish school and get a real job, my co-workers better be cats. Business cats.

5. Nyan Cat

Only on the internet can a three and a half minute video of an animated flying cat be the most captivating thing ever. Some people might find this annoying but I find it adorable. Also worth checking out: MEXICAN NYAN CAT. IT’S A TACO.

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Toronto's DIY magazine

Category Archives: Best of 2011