The Top 12 of 2011: #8 - Washed Out

In years past, I've tended to fret and stress and just about hyperventilate about the whole "so many records to catch up on, so little time" situation that is the creation of those end of year/best of lists. In order to alleviate some of the fretting (and the frown lines!), I've decided it was time to streamline the whole process and make it something beautifully simple. I chose a dozen records that I've really loved this past year, and ranked them. The rankings, friends, come courtesy of the ole iPod. It's practically scientific, y'all! What the iPod says goes. At least, this time anyway.

Why I Decree It To Be So: "This record takes the embers that started on Life Of Leisure and turns into into a forest fire, lighting up the night for miles and miles. The same beautiful chill exists on Within And Without, but the sounds are, if possible, even more beautiful than the preceding EP. "Echoes" bounces along on blasts of icy air, touched with that haunting ache that Greene does so very well. Was Ernest referencing Nietzsche with "Amor Fati?" The song certainly has an air of being a "yes-sayer" and being "one of the ones who make things beautiful," for the song, and the album as a whole, are indeed quite beautiful." (more here)

mp3: Amor Fati (Washed Out from Within And Without)