apkallday:

//Best of 2011: Tracks
  
Well kids, we made it. How’s about we celebrate by looking back at the best music from 2011? Welcome to //ApK’s Best of 2011: Tracks Edition.

No. 5
 
Drake // Marvin’s Room 
With it’s moody tones, it’s muddy beat and it’s vulnerable, almost insecure lyrics, Marvin’s room paints a picture of who Drake is and how he feels about himself and his music. The song, which was released as a single preceding his latest record Take Care, discusses the rarely seen ugly side of fame in which an artist feels repulsed by himself and those with which he associates. From an industry standpoint, leaking a dark and generally self loathing track like Marvin’s Room was a bit of a bold move considering that a record’s pre-released singles are usually club bangers rather than a musical manifestation of a Vicodin and vodka cocktail. For me, this shows Drake’s overall confidence in his work and his unwillingness to play this game any other way that his own.
 
 


 
I’ll be the first to admit I’m a sucker for overly nostalgic, emotional, sultry music. But come on; Lana Del Rey killed this one. Video Games is both unstable and dark, critiquing relationships and highlighting the flaws of men by returning to video games as a microcosmic sign of a dead end relationship. Being a progressive male, I’m ok with a song explaining how much guys suck even though I think she’s just mad that she isn’t very good at Call Of Duty. With the lo-def, strange image heavy video and Del Rey’s awesome live performances of the track, Video Games becomes a solid musical package and certainly worthy of my number four spot.
 
No. 3

Tyler, The Creator // Yonkers


What can be said about this song (and video) that hasn’t already been said? The sluggish baseline, the nails-on-chalkboard sample, the aggressive— to say the least— lyrics, and the gut wrenching imagery gave this song serious staying power. When it came out last February, no mind was left unblown and people craved more OFWGKTA. As an album, Goblin left some people disappointed but Yonkers remained to be the singular track that, when people thought Tyler, The Creator, they thought Yonkers. Best part is, Yonkers is still an incredible song. Like, I still listen to it which is more than I can say for most every other song that came out in early 2011.

No. 2

Fucked Up // Queen Of Hearts


Queen Of Hearts is the first song off Fucked Up’s latest album and the track that begins the hardcore opera that is David Comes To Life. It is also a song that sings to a part of me that had long laid dormant until recently. When I started to get into Fucked Up, a wave of old feelings and memories began rushing back into my head. Sneaking out of my house back in Providence to go see hardcore shows. Walking home from school in the freezing cold, my pace quickened by the insane drums of Lightening Bolt blaring in my headphones. Feeling untouchable in a world that seemed like all it wanted to do was hurt you. It was hardcore, and it was awesome. Sure discovering Fucked Up brought me to a little bit of a weird place mentally, but it was totally worth it and certainly worth the Number Two position.

No. 1

Beyonce // Love On Top


For those who know me, this may have been a bit obvious as I have never been shy about how I feel about Beyonce. However, this was one of the most heart breaking decisions I’ve ever had to make. Well, maybe not ever, but this was really tough. You see, I knew that my number one spot was locked down by Beyonce having just edged out my number two and three picks. What I didn’t know was which Beyonce song I was going to drop in at number one. The entire album is incredible and I could see any song on the album living here. Countdown? 1+1? Party? Best Thing I Never Had? I was in a Sophie’s Choice-esque situation and I didn’t like it one bit. As I was listening to the record trying to decide, Love On Top began to play… and I knew.
Love On Top is the most fun, innocent and underrated song on the record. Using some oldschool R&B tricks and utilizing Beyonce’s pension for the classics, it’s is ego-less and hasn’t an axe to grind on any front. It is simply a great song, and stands out as number one among of sea of songs that don’t quite stack up.

NRTIII
#APKALLDAY
*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this list are that of NRTIII and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of other //ApK employees… for now.