Top 10 Records of 2011: Rosie Kerr (Ebb and Flow Records)

To celebrate the day that Crazy Arm, Great Cynics, Above Them and Smokey Bastard play Manchester, we've got Rosie Kerr, owner of Ebb and Flow Records, to write about her favourite records released this year. She has the inability to use capital letters so forgive here.
Ebb and Flow have released records by Kerouac and Grazes.

i’m not sure 2011 has been that good for new bands, but for new records by bands i already love then i can commend the year. let’s begin!

1. Joyce Manor - Joyce Manor
this year this record has stood out above the rest. i have not heard something so exciting in such a long time. and it takes a lot to get me excited about music now. if you haven’t already listened to this record, i advise you do, quickly.

2. Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights
Defeater are easily one of my favourite modern hardcore bands. i already knew this record would be as flawless and beautifully done as Travels was and i was still suprised at how much i loved it. the end 4 tracks which make up an acoustic ep are beyond lovely. Defeater can currently do no wrong in my eyes.

3. Bastions - Hospital Corners
this record just proves that UK hardcore can be both interesting and still as passionate as the older generations. Bastions have progressed in such a fantastical way with this record. most bands never achieve that beautiful progression that i look for in debut records, or follow up records. Bastions have proved why they’re where they are and will continue to do so.

4. The Front Bottoms - The Front Bottoms
so almost everyone i know thinks this record is brilliant, and rightly so. it’s the kind of catchy punk rock that everyone can love. it’s accessible, and that’s not to say it’s boring, it’s far from it. containing all the “singles” from the previous ep, this record really is an all the way through listen. no filler. and that’s rare.

5. Laura Stevenson & The Cans - Sit Resist
man, this record is beautiful. breathtaking. i have always been a fan of Laura and her musical style but this just shows how wonderful she can truly be. songs off this record have fast become constant players in my musical musings and rightly so. “Peachy” and “8:08” speak to me in ways most songs don’t.

6. Our Time Down Here - Midnight Mass
despite this record not actually being officially out i’m counting it as a 2011 release personally. i’ve had this record for months now and every listen i hear something new and beautiful. OTDH progress in such a dramatic way with every release that it’s hard for them to continue on with the same fanbase, but they do. loyal fans will appreciate that they make everything new something different. they don’t want to stagnate and be forgotten like most of their peers. when this record finally drops i believe it’ll be recieved with a lot of praise.

7. Touche Amore - Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me
i love this band. record and live are both a wonderful experience i wish everyone could be a part of. despite clocking in 18.9 minutes, this record leaves you with a very definite feeling of satisfaction. i couldn’t have asked for a better follow up record and they deserve everything that comes to them.

8. Rain Over Battle - These Rocks In Our Bodies
i have always, always, championed this band. I honestly do not understand why people don’t appreciate this lot as much as i do. they push the boundaries of music and your perception of it in a really wonderful way. this record was long awaited, but well worth it. expect a summer 2012 UK visit. it’s in the works!

9. Ampere - Like Shadows
another long awaited record that didn’t fail to impress more than i could ever have imagined. Ampere are really their own entire entity that cannot be penetrated or copied, and i love them for this very complex reason.

10. Bangers - Small Pleasures
last but in no way least, are my favourite bunch, Bangers. this record is fantastic. it’s everything you want from a punk rock record. i have listened to this far too much and never once become bored of it, which is a feat, as i have the worst attention span of anyone i know. basically, if you like honest punk rock, by honest genuinely, brilliantly, lovely people. then listen to this record.

i’m sure there will be records i’ve forgotten and plenty of fantastic eps, but as it stands, this is my 2011 list and i am far too over doing this already to continue looking for releases from this year.