We like 88Nine Radio Milwaukee around these parts.
The listener-supported station not only keeps the city up to date on up-and-coming indie rock bands, as well as featuring an eclectic variety of sparsely-heard music from around the world. Even better, the station shares our affinity for all things local, especially Milwaukee music. That local love is expressed each year in 88Nine’s RadioMilwaukee Music Awards.
Last year, I posted my ballot in honor of the awards. With this year’s voting deadline set for Friday, I figured I would do the same and encourage readers to cast their own judgments for this, the 5th annual RadioMilwaukee Music Awards. Vote HERE. Winners will be announced March 6, at a Turner Hall ceremony that will also feature performances by The Delta Routine, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades, Jayme Dawicki, Logic & Raze, and Boy Blue.
Milwaukee Album Of The Year – The Fatty Acids Leftover Monsterface
If you look through this blog’s archives, you’re less likely to find a post not mentioning The Fatty Acids than you are to see one of many love letters to this six-piece of Riverwest indie rockers. My exposure to Leftover Monsterface is from where it all stems. It was mentioned among my favorite Milwaukee albums of last year. An excerpt of that post:
“…Leftover Monsterface, shows that TFA is so much more than an elaborate vehicle for filming funny music videos and messing around with drum machines. Monsterface yields a thick, layered and raw Acids capable of, at times, captivating listeners with sad brass and careful harmonies employed in such songs as “Creature” and “Football Team,” only to grant them playful and poppy reprieve when the likes of “Feathers, Beaks and Gills” and “Argentinean Mistresses” come on.”
Album Artwork Of The Year – Sat. Nite Duets One Night Only
Between the male nudity as well as the presence of Hamm’s beer cans and a cribbage board, the other nominees never even stood a chance (album at left).
Milwaukee Song Of The Year – Maritime “Paraphernalia”
Also mentioned among Music Notes’ favorite albums of 2011 is Human Hearts, the latest from Maritime. One of the album’s strongest and catchiest tracks is the album’s single “Paraphernalia,” a jaunty and singalongable song. In my opinion, it’s one of the best songs released by a Milwaukee band all year, and far and away the best of those nominated.
Solo Artist Of The Year – Tony Memmel
This marks the second straight year I voted for Tony Memmel in this category, with the last coming in the write-in variety. The talented and continually upbeat one-armed singer/guitarist is truly coming into his own, as evidenced by Yours and Mine, his fourth release since 2008. Memmel also spent much of 2011 spreading his unique and folky sound beyond Milwaukee’s city limits with a flurry of shows throughout Wisconsin, as well as tours around the Midwest and East Coast.
Milwaukee Band Of The Year – Decibully
Decibully was only a band for about a third of 2011, and even then, the writing was on the wall during those four months of near inactivity. After five albums and a stranglehold on the Milwaukee music scene the band held for almost a decade, Decibully play its final show at the Cactus Club in April. Still, I decided to cast my Band Of The Year vote for the band as a sort of lifetime achievement award. RIP, ‘Bullies. You’re already missed.
Catchiest Song Of The Year – Maritime “Paraphernalia”
See Milwaukee Song Of The Year. Watch this video and tell me this song isn’t catchy.
Music Video Of The Year – Jon Frost “The Make Up Song”
What can I say; I’m a sucker for any video that shows a man slapping a mannequin in the face with bacon. There isn’t enough of that in music nowadays, in Milwaukee or otherwise.
Best Bandcamp/Digital Release Of The Year – Sat. Nite Duets Summer Of Punishment
This category seemed a bit strange to me. Some releases are payment optional and others have a fixed price. A few are EPs, while the rest are of the full-lengths variety. It’s pretty inconsistent. Rather than weighing price, length and quality on this one, I opted to go with the most touted Milwaukee release on the list—Sat. Nite Duets’ Summer Of Punishment.
Best Milwaukee Record/Disc Missed – Get Rad Choose Your Own Adventure
There were lots of great records, albums, discs and EPs not mentioned. This one, with its near-infinite options of worthy vote getters was the most difficult one. So… I went with my gut. Get Rad has never let me down before, and Choose Your Own Adventure—the band’s abbreviated follow up to 2010’s tremendous I Can Always Live—wasn’t about to ruin the fun hardcore band’s perfect track record. Plus, they let people download it for free. Win-win!
