My favourite artist of the year was Patrick Wolf and he was responsible for some of my favourite gig moments of 2011 as he's someone me and my friends all love and have loved for a while. We stood gobsmacked at the Bloomsbury Ballroom together when he first played some of the new songs and we danced irish jigs to The Libertine at the album release party at The Garage. Its been amazing seeing him grow over the past few years to this happy confident performer. The album Lupercalia celebrated his new found love and happiness. Its a brilliant album and Id recommend it to anyone, this is one of my favourite tracks on it.

In July we saw Pulp reform at Wireless in Hyde Park, it was a cracking line up and by this time I kinda knew Id be moving to the states soon so me and my mate Romi decided to have a lads day. TV on the Radio were playing as well as Foals whom we both adored. It was wicked, I wasnt expecting TV on the Radio to be SO good, it was one of the best live performances of the year and it highlighted how strong the new album is, its definitely in my top 10 if i was doing a list, which im not remember. Foals were sweaty bouncy and joyous as always, but I enjoyed TV on the Radio more as it was unexpected. Pulp.... well lets just say it was emotional :) This day was also the day I paid attention to Metronomy. They were really catchy, I got the album afterwards and it went on to be my favourite album of the year.

Yuck do nothing new, and maybe its nostalgia for early 90s US grunge but the whole album is just so feel good. They have great simple, catchy lo-fi tunes. You could play all the tracks on your guitar within an hour I bet. But you'd be real happy :)

This isnt a single off the album (yet) but its the track that blew me away when I saw them live in Brighton at The Great Escape. The singer has such a good range, from cutesy to belting out soulful wails. Its a great summer pop album, a little bit of soul but not in a naff way. They remind me of Kitty, Daisy and Lewis but have better tunes.

I love when a debut album comes along and has LOTS of great tracks.I first heard Say My Name on a Kitsuné album and loved it. I've kept an eye on them since and looked forward to hearing the debut. It has no duff tracks, its great electro funky pop. Its what I wanted the Friendly Fires second album to sound like (but it ended up sounding like watered down Jamiroquai).

Cemented themselves as one of my favourite bands last week at The Lexington. Just utterly charming, fun and have now amassed such a collection of great songs to see them all live and delivered with the energy that made them ace 4 albums ago is truly inspiring. You could say that they tried something new on this latest LP - singing. But to be fair to Eddie (whom I love) when he tries it just sounds like he's whispering and it detracts from the aceness of the lyrics and great riffs. I think it works on one track which ironically is about his voice - Sexy Sometimes. On the lead single Lost Weekend his voice just sounds weird and it really bothers me. Thankfully the whispering / singing is only on a few tracks and the rest is classic Eddie, in fact very angry Eddie; Bad Comedian sees him spewing about an exes new beau "he dresses like he came free with the NME" and the track Axl Rose is a just a big fuck off to everyone and anything for "when the world grabs you by the fucking throat". Overall its a great album with some classic Art Brut tracks.

If you were put off by Noah and the Whale from the 5 years time song that launched them into everyones consciousness a few years back I urge you to reconsider. This is their 3rd brilliant album now and you're really missing out. For the record I loved 5 years time, and everything on their first album. I loved the the 2nd album too, a completely different mood - misery, but hope for the future. The 3rd album builds on that theme, the misery of the break up is over and now its time to live a little. Its pure joy from start to finish, literally as the last track is called Old Joy and is another of 'the Whales gospel jaunts which ends the album perfectly.

OK some new shit, the first proper gig we went to in the US was at the Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn. You enter what appears to be a storage lock up through the most inconspicous of doorways. There was free vodka for 2 hours and that was the main reason I was there if Im honest, Id trusted the wife with researching the bands and all credit to her, she'd done a stirling job. Dominant Legs are the guitarist from Girls side project so they had some pedigree (not that I know many Girls tracks). They make great 80s hook-laden pop songs, I bought the album from the merch stall afterwards as I was so impressed, I rarely do this in fact I cant remember ever doing it. It may have been the 5 double vodkas I had consumed in 1 and a half hours but I was positive at that time they were the next best thing. It turned out to be a cracking album, not since I had returned from a night out with a 6ft Vinnie Jones cardboard cut out had a split second drunken decision been so rewarding.

From sublime stripped back R n B Im moving onto a Christmas song, by 2 indie band members. 2 bands (Editors and Razorlight) I couldnt give a monkeys about really, but my friend Keith sent me this album and I dont know whether it was the need for something Christmassy or the christmas drinking sessions but I decided to give it a listen. Funny Looking Angels is a class album, Tom from Editors was made to sing xmas songs and frankly I dont know why hes sat wasting his time with those Editors chaps when clearly he should be carving out a career as the new Nat King Cole. Theres a number of great tracks on the album but this video is recorded right in front of where I used to work in London and it was really comforting hearing a new song i loved, with the video set in a part of the world I love at a time of year I love spending with the family and friends. Happy Christmas everyone!! *This would have had way more impact if I couldve done this blog before Christmas...