favorite music of 2011. none of which came from the radio.

Those of you who know me, I mean really know me, know that I am pretty puffed up about my taste in music. Yes, I will admit to that. I have met very few people who have the same (awesome) taste in music that I do. Here, I'll prove it to you. I will give you a sampling of my favorite songs which I discovered this year. If you like just one of them, I will arrest my case.

Shadowland-Youth Group

this song came from a mix which a friend of mine made, someone who happens to have near-identical music as I do. p.s. that was a very strangely worded sentence. my bad.

Calgary-Bon Iver

I don't even care that I have already posted this song on every possible social network site. LISTEN TO IT.

Mykonos-Fleet Foxes

Cool name? Check. Bearded men who also wear plaid? Check check.

Hipster music at its finest.

Little Secrets (Passion Pit Cover)-Chamberlin

The original of this song is good, but duuude. DUDE. Just listen to this version.

Wide Eyes-Local Natives

Once you start listening to Local Natives, you literally cannot stop.

The Girl-City and the Colour

Yeah, this song speaks for itself.

Shiny on the Inside-Leona Naess

As soon as I heard this song, I thought to myself, "Where have you been on my life?"

In the Mirror-Nada Surf

Before this song, I always associated Nada Surf with American Eagle because they used to always blare it from their speakers. But it's been awhile since I regularly shopped there. So I can now listen to Nada Surf with a clear conscience. Ha.

Kim and Jessie-M83

This song sounds like it came straight from the 1980's. Oh well, it's still good.

Oh No, I Tried-Right Away, Great Captain!

I can't help it if a lot of these bands have men with really beardy-beards. And kind of weird, kind of awesome band names.

The High Road-Broken Bells

Oh man, I just love this song so much. It's like a mix of The Shins and Sea Wolf. Or something. It's ok if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Helena Beat-Foster the People

Yeah, I know. Everybody knows who FTP are because of "Pumped Up Kicks," but their other songs are pretty good too. P.S this is the weirdest music video I have ever laid eyes on. And I have seen some of MGMT's. That's saying something.

No Sunlight-Death Cab for Cutie

It takes me awhile to get around to some of my favorite bands' newer stuff. It's just because their older albums are so good, I can't break away. Well it's a good thing I did, because I really love this song. And album. Word.

Good Morning-Rogue Wave

I've been listening to this here band since I was in braces. So...awhile. Anyway. I like to air-drum to this song regularly.

Hold On to What You Believe-Mumford and Sons

For some reason I cannot find this song on Amazon or iTunes. Sniffle. I'm not going to go on about how much I love Mumford & Sons. Just do your ears a favor and turn it up.

Angel in the Snow-Elliot Smith

I wouldn't mind if Elliot Smith lullabyed me to sleep every night.

Storm-Jose Gonzalez

If songs could be onomatopoeias, then this song would be one. Ya dig?

Cover of Night-Steve Reynolds

Every time this comes onto my Pandora, I go to "like" it but I've already done so about fifty times.

Cosmic Love-Florence and the Machine

For once, a song that deserves to be on the radio a jillion times a day!

Heart it Races-Dr. Dog

I might love this song just because the name of it sounds like something Yoda would say. Yeah....moving on.

Arms-Seabear

First of all...a band named Seabear? Get on my iPod. Riiiigh now.

Santogold-L.E.S. Artistes

I'm still not sure if her name is Santigold or Santogold.

Rude to Rile-Horse Feathers

After Nickel Creek broke up, I didn't think I'd ever find another guy-guy-girl band that would live up to them. But luckily I was wrong!

Opie's Funeral Song-Sufjan Song

Apparently this song is "rare," meaning hard to find. But to me, it is also rare in that there are few songs as good as this one. Sha-bam.

Train Song-Feist and Benjamin Gibbard

This song makes me want to be snuggled up by a fireplace on a rainy day. But that's just me.

Two Weeks-Grizzly Bear

This music video scares me so bad. Mostly because their eyes are hugemongus. And I thought they were real the first time I saw it. So freaky...and yet I couldn't look away.

Papercuts-Future Primitive

I find myself head-bobbing to this song without even realizing it.

Weight of Lies-The Avett Brothers

I would very much like to learn this song on my new geetar.

Countdown-Phoenix

Because of Phoenix, I got through the last 4 miles of my leg of the Ragnar.

Light Year-Gregory Alan Isakov

There's not one of his songs that I don't love. Plus, this song is how I got the name for my tumblr. Nifty, eh?

Our Swords-Band of Horses

Once again with the bearded individuals. Sorry.

I think I've given you enough music to make yourself a CD.

Happy New Year!

may you find plenty of stupendous music in 2012.

I think I might be a hipster in disguise

For those of you unfamiliar with the hipster movement, let me enlighten you.

So-called "hipsters" like to wear cardigans, "ugly sweaters," big baggy sweatshirts, etc. But they can't be too baggy. We've gotta stay semi-classy, ok?

Then there's the tea. Apparently hipsters drink a lot of it, preferably in vintage teacups. Whatever that means. Which brings me to my next point--the vintage-ness. This is also known as thrifting, but some hipsters don't want you to know they shop at the thrift store. So when you ask, "Hey, I love that dress!" they can say "Thanks, it's vintage." Now you all know that's code for D.I.

Hipsters love to rock the Harold B. Lee's. Or what others would commonly call the nerd glasses. I have this theory, and it's probably completely wrong,but that's why I'm calling it a theory and not a fact. Ever since the 3-D movies started being the norm, those nerd glasses have become the cool thing to wear. 3-D movies=leftover 3-D glasses-their lens=hipster. Wa-la!

As far as footwear goes, they like to keep it real in Vans slip-ons or any kind of slip on tennis shoe (think Keds). Even better if you can wear these shoes with skinny jeans. Even if you're a boy--if you're a hipster, skinny jeans are ok. Also, if you are hipster, slouchy beanies are a must.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt if you have a mustache. Girls, a fake one will do. In fact, fake ones are becoming even more popular.

In their free time, hipsters like to be out in the wild. Sounds kind of transcendentalist, huh? Well, it's true. They like to gallivant in the woods, climb trees, ford streams, and if they are true hipsters, they read poetry while they do it. Then they take polaroid pictures of themselves doing these activities and they end up on weheart.com with their own category (you guessed it..."hipster").

The most important facet of being a hipster is the music. The music is probably what makes hipsters hipsters. They listen to folk and/or alternative rock. What the junk is folk, you ask? Stuff like Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, Elliot Smith, Damien Rice, Iron & Wine, Jose Gonzalez...getting a feel for it yet? And the alternative rock, well that's Explosions in the Sky, The Naked and the Famous, Phoenix, Rogue Wave, Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, etc etc etc.

Here is my dilemma. That, right there, is the kind of music I listen to. At first when I started seeing these tunes put in a category called "hipster music," I was kind of offended. Until I realized...I might be a hipster. But it was a complete accident, I swear. See for yourself:

Today I wore skinny corduroy jeans. I don't wear skinny anything...but today, I did.

My roommate regularly makes fruit tea and when she offers...obviously, I accept. Because it's tasty.

I like to go to the D.I. all the time. A good Saturday would consist of me cooking, riding my bike, and going to the D.I. Which is probably what I'll do tomorrow. Ack.

I own a pair of grey Vans Slip-ons. They're comfy, ok? I also own a pair of square-lens glasses, a pair of nerd glasses, a pair of fake glasses with the lenses still in them (so they aren't completely hipster, but still...), and a slouchy yellow hat which I wear often. Oops.

I like to be outside whenever possible. I went on a bike ride at least three times this week when I couldn't take the library anymore.

And do I have a little writer's notebook to write down poem/story ideas? Maybe... Okay, I do!

The lesson for today is, it's okay to be a hipster...as long as you are still being yourself. The end.

For more about hipsters, read this! No really...it's kind of funny. And I didn't even read it before I wrote this...that just goes to show you how much I already know about hipsters. Ahh I really am becoming one of them!