You know, if the Mayans are right, this is my last year-ending list, ever.

The original draft for this end-of-the-year synopsis saw a somewhat dissatisfied me attempting to relate the lack of late-December snow on the ground here in the Northeast to the seemingly incomplete feel of 2011 and its musical offerings. For this writer, 2011 ushered in quite a few much-anticipated releases that ended up falling far short of their predecessors (Battles, Lemuria, and Manchester Orchestra, to name just a few). It paid witness to the disbandments of Philadelphia's Snowing and Frank Turner's departure from Gallows, two longtime favorite bands of your ever-humble narrator. In writing this, I very nearly fell into an abyss of textual lamentation, centered around the simple fact that my 2011 top-ten list is but a sad skidmark in the wake of its beefy 2010 counterpart. But really, what good is it to whine and moan about what this year and music could have been? 2012 is already shaping up to be more promising, with scheduled releases from Every Time I Die, Joyce Manor, and Andrew Bird all dotting the early year forecast, not to mention my 21st birthday and yet another installment of summer Olympics (read: publicized females gymnastics) both looming on the horizon. And so, temporarily dropping the resentfulness of the year's more underwhelming moments, I present you with a handful of moments during which 2011 showed no signs of suck: Eric's Top Twelve Tracks of Twenty-Eleven.

Album Review: Bomb the Music Industry! - Vacation

Is there any band out there quite like Bomb the Music Industry? For years the ska-punk collective, led by the ever eccentric Jeff Rosenstock has been tearing up conventions one messy, chaotic song at a time. The group has been so frenetic, so disorganized, that it’s quite shocking to think that they’re easily one of the most consistent acts in music today. From their debut, Album Minus Band in 2005, to last year’s two EP’s, Bomb the Music Industry has astounded with each and every release. Well music lovers, BTMI! have done it again, as Vacation is not only one of their strongest releases thus far, but one of 2011’s defining records.

Bomb the Music Industry - Vacation

Ska-punk collective Bomb the Music Industry! has gained quite a following over their career. Led by the always eccentric Jeff Rosenstock, the band has become a swinging door of artists, seeing many contributors come and go, offering up their talents to make each effort wholly unique. BTMI! will release their newest album, entitled Vacation next month on July 26th.

Vacation came about after a, well, vacation. During his trip to Belize, Rosenstock felt compelled to write the band’s eighth album, which interestingly enough is about “building a home.” Guest Musicians this time around include members from Bayside, Andrew Jackson Jihad, and Fake Problems. Vacation looks to be true to the band’s fun, catchy, and exciting nature, and is sure to be an instant fan pleaser, as BTMI! have really hit their stride with their past few releases.

Be sure to check out Bomb the Music Industry!’s Vacation when it hits July 26th. In the meantime, the ridiculously consistent band has a literal wealth of material to sink one’s teeth into, so what are you waiting for?

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