Before we all go running blindly into 2012, I'd like to leave you with a few odds and ends that didn't fit into a year-end list, or that I plain forgot, or that I hope will happen in the new year.

Loving:Violitionist Sessions
The folks at Gutterth have found a creative way to take a local music snapshot without doing the same old song and dance. Band sets up in living room, band plays, band answers questions. They're easy to watch, like the bands are your friends, playing just for you. Darktown Strutters' cover of Grace Jones' "Pull Up to the Bumper" was especially ripe.

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My favorite local album of 2011. What's yours?

​I'm not one for New Year resolutions, but at the beginning of 2011, I made one I was actually pretty excited about keeping. My goal was to listen to more music this year than any other year before. Thanks to the help of some generous publicists, Spotify and some solid purchases over at Good Records, reaching my goal was a breeze. I had it made by summer.

Looking back, though, I only scratched the surface. There were so many records I never got around to checking out. There are only 365 days in the year, dammit. Still, my eardrums took on tons of records, both local and otherwise, from which I've culled together a list of my favorites. Here are my local picks first.

10. The Strange Boys - Live Music
On The Strange Boys' third album, they've put their pop sensibility at the forefront, trading in the gritty sound of their previous efforts for a more listenable, warmer record.

9. Sundress - Sundress EP
The self-titled EP from Sundress represents a fresh start from a band that spent the last few years searching for its musical identity. Tight drum grooves, sunburned guitars and overwhelming psychedelia look to a bright future from this Denton act.
 
8. Seryn - This Is Where We Are
Seryn's passionate performances translate nearly perfectly to tape on their full length debut. The album surges with musical swells, emotionally sung four-part harmonies and interesting poly-rhythms, making it a sort of prog-folk gem.
 
7. The O's - Between The Two
On The O's second full length record, the country/folk duo made up of John Pedigo and Taylor Young took a different approach to songwriting than they had in the past. The resulting record is the band's best yet.
 
6. Burning Hotels - Burning Hotels
On their self-titled record, Burning Hotels were smart not to traipse back through the post-punk territory of their previous records. Instead, they've matured with a slower sound (even on the dancy first single "Beard") and added more electronic elements 
 
5. Old Snack - Everything Is Happening So Fast
The best song titles to come from a North Texas act are on Old Snack's debut album Everything Is Happening So Fast. "The Man With The Golden Snack," "Burt Reynolds IV" and "Sally Field's Butt" are choice cuts on this energetic punk record.
 

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Often, usually after a long night out, in the wee hours of the morning, I find myself fixated on my computer, repeatedly blaring whatever music video strikes my fancy at the time. While there are certain videos I frequently resort to -- I'm a sucker for anything by Thieves Like Us, just about everything made prior to 1990 and anything with neon visual effects, a taste I blame on being raised by Pee-wee Herman reruns -- there are times I stray from my comfort zone, and like what I find.

Coincidentally, the same night Audra Schroeder found herself recreating the video to Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend," I was falling down a rabbit hole of my own. YouTube prompted me to click on a video, which lead to another and the next thing I knew I was watching Rihanna's "We Found Love" for the umpteenth time.

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In case you're already blinded by the golden aura of 2012's major releases -- The Shins, T.I., Soundgarden, Nicki Minaj, Mumford & Sons, Muse, Sigur Ros -- we want to make sure you don't forget about some other sure-to-be-top-notch albums that will see release next year. They may not shine on the iTunes chart, but it won't be for lack of quality.

Kathleen Edwards, Voyageur (Rounder)
The latest album from the Canadian singer shows definite signs she's departing from her alt-country past and heading in the direction of her current beau, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. The songs she played from this album at her September Dallas show made us feel the wait has been worthwhile.

Big K.R.I.T., Live From the Underground (Def Jam)
Another stud who's made a serious name by putting out killer mixtapes and busting out genius collabs with some of the best in hip-hop. The album was pushed from a late 2011 release, so last year's loss is 2012's gain.

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The actual artistry of the album cover has been making a comeback. Of course, over the years, the cheesy head shot has gradually (for the most part) faded away and been replaced by, well, art. Go figure. Anyhow, 2011 was a particularly good year for the album cover. Well, there were a few examples where the art in question was more headache-inducing than awe-inspiring, but let's start with the positive.

Cerebral Ballzy, s/t

​Keep it simple. That's my motto and no band understands more than Brooklyn's Cerebral Ballzy. This skate punk five-piece has a great name, a snotty attitude and an album cover that screams DIY cool. Plus, the drummer's name is Crazy Abe.

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Eric Grubbs

Trashcan Sinatras

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Shows that stuck out for me in 2011

Trashcan Sinatras/Salim Nourallah at the Loft, March 4
This was a very special tour for the Sinatras. Paired down to a four-piece, the mostly-acoustic show was more of a fans-only event. Before the tour began, they solicited song requests on their website. When they played The Loft, they mentioned who requested what. Opener Salim Nourallah was even mentioned, as he'd requested a song. A very elegant evening of Smiths-inspired rock.

Taking Back Sunday/Thursday/Colour Revolt/The New Regime at House of Blues, July 5
Reunited with the lineup that put their name on the map, Taking Back Sunday put on the kind of show that makes you glad you see bands live. Not only did they play a lot of songs (20 to be exact), they played material from when Shaun Cooper and John Nolan weren't in the band. It was a nice touch hearing their take on songs like "A Decade Under the Influence" and "MakeDamnSure." What made the show special was how frontman Adam Lazzara walked to both bars on the ground floor and sang his head off. Yes, microphone cables can stretch that far.

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Bonnie Whitmore

​In 2011, we witnessed a refreshing surge of new talent blend in with some of the scene's long-time favorites. Sure, 1100 Springs offered up yet another blissfully classic album, but Madison King and Gaston Light (aka Jason Corcoran) made their presence known with personal twists on the traditional country sound. Acts such as The O's and Rodney Parker & the 50 Peso Reward aren't exactly grizzled veterans, nor are they the honky-tonk newbies that King and Corcoran are. Regardless, both respected groups used 2011 to showcase an evolution from their previous work. The O's developed a more dynamic sound, while the typically rocking Parker and crew stripped things down for an acoustic evening in their own living room, to wonderful effect.

Perhaps the unifying thread to the songs on this list is that, outside of regional proximity, there really isn't a unifying thread that ties all 10 tunes together. Such stylistic diversity is what confuses some, but excites others.

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Mike Mezeul

Broken Social Scene at the House of Blues

​The number of good shows and exciting, inspiring, heartbreaking moments in the Dallas music scene this year were, to put it SO very mildly...numerous. It probably can go with out saying. Except we're going to say it. We're going to talk about it. Hard. Dude, we're, like, already talking about it so hard.

Anyway, a few weeks ago we combed through the many, many good slide shows of the year in music, including Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Willie Nelson and sweet fancy Moses, so much more. We narrowed it down to 50, and now, for this fancy blog we run, we're picking our favorite 20 shots. Below, in no particular order: the top 20 shots of 2011.

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Mike Brooks

Scratch Acid at Trees

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Since this Sunday is Christmas, we decided to do something a little different with this week's edition of My First Show. Checking back in with a number of the people we interviewed this year, we wanted their takes on the best shows they saw, and to also get a preview of what they'll be doing next year. And we had to ask what they want Santa Claus to bring them.

What was the best show you saw this year?

Darin Robinson (The Mumbles/Regatta de Faux): Without question, St Vincent at The Kessler. It really was the complete experience, an emerging artist who still has a bit of the "maybe you'll like this" in her, yet she's completely confident in what she's doing. She also released what I consider the best album of 2011. But in regard to the show, what went down was possibly what went down when Bowie was playing shows in '72. I was aware of her, but didn't own any of the albums; I think she fulfills the promise of Fripp and The Roaches hanging out with Thomas Dolby and Eno -- everything that's good about blending odd and normal. The word "swirly" applies to her. And that's how I felt the entire show. The only light missing from the show was a neon one over her head that simply said, "Genius at work."

Wanz Dover: Electronic show: Marcel Dettman, Ben Klock and Claude Young at Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit. Soul/funk: Femi Kuti at House of Blues. Possibly the best live show I have ever seen. Rock show: Scratch Acid at Trees. They are my all time favorite Texas band so I am more than a little biased.

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OK, Sexy Sax Man. Just 15 more minutes.

​Tell the world, rock is coming home
This year saw a wave of rock bands catching up to a new generation. We got Soundgarden touring again, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink-182 and even less renowned bands like Urge Overkill and Bush releasing new albums. After living up to its namesake for about a decade, Evanescence appeared out the ether, too.

Every pop star needs a 303
One thing I noticed in pop music is the revival of a distorted bassline resembling the Roland TB-303. Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" and LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" carried the signature sound of acid house. Now all that needs to happen is for today's electronic scene to rediscover its acid house roots.

Gratuitous sax
An ironic nod to the '80s saxophone wave, artists of every genre employed a form of saxophone that fit their mood and style. If you wanted the shrieking solo in Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night" or a warm, smooth massage in Destroyer's "Kaputt," 2011 was your year.

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