Before we dive headfirst into 2012, let’s take a look back at what a great year 2011 was. Let’s just get right to it…shall we?
DUKWHEAT’S 2011 Year In Review !!
2011 EVENT OF THE YEAR
Really, was there a bigger event in 2011 than the BOSTON BRUINS WINNING THE STANLEY CUP?
After a tortuous 39 year drought, the Black and Gold re-captivated millions of New England fans hearts with a thrilling seven game series against the Vancouver Canucks.
Tauntr's Gif tells it all...
Honorable Mentions – Soundgarden reunion show in Mansfield MA, Death of Osama Bin Laden, Chara hit on Max Pacioretty, the worldwide Occupy Movement, Mumia ruling, Red Sox scandal. There were many important events in 2011, but none bigger than the B’s.
2011 Music Of The Year
2011 certainly featured some amazing music, here’s a quick top ten for Dukwheat.
10. H2O – Don’t Forget Your Roots – NYC hardcore vets cover the greats of punk, pop and hardcore.
1) Bad Brains – Attitude
2) 7 Seconds – Satyagraha
3) Madball – Pride
4) Descendents – Get The Time
5) Embrace – Said Gun
6) Ramones – I Wanna Live
7) Gorilla Biscuits – Cats and Dogs
Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Someday I Suppose
9) Rancid – Journey to the End
10) Dag Nasty – Safe
11) Social Distortion – Sick Boy
12) Sick Of It All – Friends Like You
13) The Clash – Train in Vain
14) Verbal Assault – Scarred
15) Warzone – Don’t Forget The Struggle, Don’t Forget The Streets
9. Grateful Dead – Europe 72 The Complete Recordings. They only made 7,200 of these box sets…and they sold out in 4 days. All music editions are available…22 complete shows / 72 CD’s / over 70 hours of music.
8. Life In Your Way – Kingdoms. After breaking up in 2008, Life In Your Way (Manchester CT) went their separate ways and moved on with their lives. That was, until they reformed in 2011, and started a Kicktarter campaign to record a new project. In just 3 days, over 300 fans contributed over $12,000 dollars to the cause and the reunion was underway! Split into three separate EPs (The Kingdom of Man, The Kingdom of Darkness, and The Kingdom of God), Kingdoms is a juggernaut of power, speed and passion – everything we love in our metalcore.
7. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Magic Of Youth. – 28 years in the game and they are still cranking out classic CD’s filled with classic tunes.
6. Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones. The meteoric rise of this man has been incredible since about 2008. He’s the King of Punk, and the King of the UK. Folksy, acoustic punk tunes that are written so well…it’s no surprise Turner rules the world right now.
On “One Foot Before The Other” Turner says:
“On the very day I die
The very last of my desires
Is that you take my broken body
And commit it to the fire
And then when the fire is finished
Scrape the ashes in a tin
Take them down to London’s drinking reservoirs
And throw them in
And then specks infinitesimal of my mortal remains
Will slide down 7 million throats and into 7 million veins
And I will creep through their capillaries to the marrow of their bones
And they will wake to bright new mornings and then wordlessly they’ll know
That I remain.”
Indeed.
5. Soundgarden – Live on I-5. Live tunes from the 1996 tour in stereo soundboard quality? Sign me up! Amazing stuff here from start to finish.
4. Smashing Pumpkins – Reissues of Gish and Siamese Dream.
Yup, another nostalgic 90′s Alt-rock band is cashing in again…and you might as well because this material is worthy of tons of money. This sounds good to my ears, with the original, remastered albums and the plethora of bonus songs. Rawk out!
3. Thursday – No Devolucion In Spanish, the phrase “No Devolución” means “no returns”, and with that Thursday gave us one final masterpiece. More dark and atmospheric that past recordings, these post-hardcore legends end it with grace. Read the review here at Dukwheat.
2. Thrice – Major Minor – Yet another great band who’s final swan song is just what the fans wanted to hear. Bombastic, well crafted hard rock tunes as only Thrice can do. 
And the #1 CD of 2011 belongs to…
1. The Alchemystics – Spread Hope - The Alchemystics (hailing from Western Massachusetts) concoct a potent musical stew of Reggae, Hip Hop, Funk, Soul and Rock which stands as the feel good album of the year! Bravo fellas, can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2012!
2011 Movie of the Year
nuff said…
2011 Biggest Disappointment
Led Zeppelin. In December of 2010 they set the world ablaze with a reunion show that showed the world they old rockers can still crank it up a notch, and the rumor mill began swirling about a full Led Zeppelin reunion tour in 2011. And then…crickets. Damn shame, it could have been monumental. It probably would have bumped the Bruins from the Event of the Year perch, but you know what they say…what is and what shall never be.
Honorable Mention: The Red Sox collapse
Goodbye 2011, you were very good to me and the whole Dukwheat family!
