What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Ford & Lopatin - Channel Pressure
Destroyer - Kaputt
Cass McCombs - WIT'S END
A$AP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP
Das Racist - Relax

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Best show I saw was Odd Future at SXSW. Eddie Vedder style-stage diving and Puffy showing up onstage was ridiculous. The best one we played was the release show for Moon Killer at Glasslands with Heems, Rostam [of Vampire Weekend] and Heavenly Beat. So much BK Love.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Heavenly Beat. Steel drums are where it's at.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Bert Jansch. One of my favorite guitar players ever passed away. Sad I'll never get to see him play.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Bear in Heaven's and Sharon Van Etten's records are going to rule 2012. Looking forward to more singles from DIVE too.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
The Blue Nile

What's on the agenda for Small Black next year?
Well, we just dropped the Moon Killer mixtape which you can get for free at small-black.com. And we're about halfway done with our next LP which will be out in 2012 on Jagjaguwar.

Any New Year's resolutions?
To produce a track for Robyn. To read and write all 365 days. To survive the apocalypse. (Meet me at the Denver Airport on 12/12/12.)

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Krallice - Diotima
Blut Aus Nord - 777 Sect(s)
Blut Aus Nord - 777: The Desanctification
Zola Jesus - Conatus
Chelsea Wolfe - Apokalypsis

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Grand Openings at MoMA

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Extra Life

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Wasn't paying much attention to any of those really; I'd say the death of Gil Scott-Heron.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
White Ring and Vaura... there are two.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
Nine Inch Nails

What's on the agenda for Liturgy next year?
Writing new material.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Stay healthy while touring.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Zomby - Dedication/Nothing EPs
Spent a good amount of time alone in my room just nodding my head and staring at the wall to this. Which is weird because I usually order take out, cue something up on Hulu/Netflix and flip through a magazine while listening to music. Dedication also wins for best song titles of the year.

Machinedrum - Room(s)
Dreaming of a world where before every major sporting event, athletes and fans place their hand over their heart and pay respect to our country and its heros while "She Died There" blares on the PA system. (wipes tear from eye)

Burial - Street Dog EP
I could listen to this on repeat all day. Mostly because it's an interesting/subtle refinement of a sound that hasn't stopped getting me excited every time I hear it. Also because I don't have a job so doing anything I want "all day" has become an option.

Bang & Works, Vol. 2: The Best of Chicago Footwork There is not one person that I've played this for that hasn't asked me to turn it off after 30 seconds. WHY!? I thought everyone was waiting for music to sound like this.

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - We're New Here
Every album should come with a Jamie xx remix album from here on out.

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
The Larry Fitzmaurice Soundsystem at the Sbarros on Broadway

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Sure.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
I mean, all those bands had peaked (a few times) so none of their loses were too tragic. I feel bad for Mangum though. He HAD to lose that "mystique" and come back so things like Neutral Uke Hotel could stop existing.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
DIVE. I heard some of the stuff that's going on the full-length, and it's nuts.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
The Doors fronted by Keak da Sneak would change a lot of lives.

What's on the agenda for Heavenly Beat/Beach Fossils next year?
I won't speak for Beach Fossils (somewhere Dustin is breathing a sigh of relief), but Heavenly Beat is dropping an LP on Captured Tracks in the first half of the year hopefully. It'll probably make me some dough, which I'll probably blow on magazines and my girl NEEDING to eat at Five Leaves three times a week. CAN'T WAIT!

Any New Year's resolutions?
Make more money doing less work, bone relentlessly, be less antisocial, and do more to show [my girlfriend] that I care about/for her.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
Roberto Cacciapaglia - The Ann Steel Album
Cass McCombs - WIT'S END/Humor Risk
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
William Tyler - Behold the Spirit

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Saw: a four-way tie between Anika, Colin Stetson, Swans and Portishead, all at ATP in New Jersey. Played in: last show of tour with The Rosebuds, Rock N Roll Hotel, Washington, DC.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Glass Ghost, ARMS, Friend Roulette

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
They all had right-minded reasoning behind their decisions, so I wouldn't consider any of them tragic. Though I bet Mr. Murphy still has a few great records left in him...

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Glass Ghost, ARMS, Friend Roulette

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
Prefab Sprout

What's on the agenda for Hospitality next year?
Our first record comes out January 31. Then, Tour City.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Unsubscribe from mailing lists. Go bowling. Make more music.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
German Measles- A German Joke Is No Laughing Matter
Cheveu - 1000
Beach Arabs - Under the Whale
Brilliant Colors - Again and Again
The Beets - Let the Poison Out

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
I saw Beach Arabs play for the first time [at Bruar Falls early in the year], and they blew me away. I have not been that shocked by something new in a long while.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Eleanor, for sure. They are an incredible band from Queens. And Twitchers! So good.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
The death of Christopher Hitchens is the saddest, most unfortunate thing that has happened to this planet this year.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Dad's House and Baseball Arms. Also look out for Rainbow Rainbow; I've heard demos, and they're great.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
CaUSE Co-MOTION!

What's on the agenda for The Beets next year?
In March, we're coming out with the Howard Stern 10-inch on Hardly Art. It's going to be killer.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Start focusing on getting achievements in life and not strictly on Xbox LIVE.

• Kyle Dean Reinford

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
When I imagine myself holing up and writing an introspective, beautiful work of music that will probably make every girl that knew me want to have a child, this is how it sounds. Actually, the songs and production just rule, and I love his voice. "Runner Ups" has the best held single-syllable word of the past 31 years.

CANT - Dreams Come True
Chris Taylor is a great cook, a great friend, and a great musician. You should ask him about ghosts sometime.

WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
The guy's voice is crazy! They have an (actually) cool website! I am intrigued by their mystery! I think about girls whenever this one is playing.

Drake - Take Care
I would LOVE to eat pizza with Drake.

Yuck - Yuck
Exactly the kind of music I would write in the 90s, but better.

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
The best show I saw this year was Erykah Badu when I was in Belgium this summer. Her band is OUT OF CONTROL. Thundercat is my favorite bass player, so watching him from the side of the stage was sort of a religious experience.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Tony Castles. I worked on their upcoming album, and it's awesome. Paul has a fantastic voice, and Willie is a superb guitarist.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
The most tragic loss of 2011 was Korn making a new album, thus my loss of faith in the planet earth.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Team Spirit. Just wait and see.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
The Everly Brothers

What's on the agenda for Fort Lean next year?
We're releasing a 7-inch through Neon Gold and Black Bell in February, then hopefully touring down to SXSW. After that we have plans to start recording a full-length in spring, assuming the timing is right with a tour in the fall. We will also be releasing a signature series of ski goggles and snowboard leashes via a collaboration with Oakley and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Any New Year's resolutions?
I want to go hunting. If I cry upon taking the life of an animal, I will not allow myself to eat meat any longer.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Matt:
Crystal Stilts - In Love with Oblivion
Tim Cohen - Magic Trick
Pure X - Pleasure
Quilt - s/t
Wavepool Abortion - s/t

Peter:
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Cults - s/t
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Gross Magic - Teen Jamz EP
Panda Bear - Tomboy

Joe:
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Yuck - s/t
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo

Maura:
Tough Knuckles - Vanna White
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Woods - Sun and Shade
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Matt: Soundgarden at Prudential Center
Peter: Hunx & His Punx at the Knitting Factory
Joe: Fucked Up at Warsaw
Maura: Deerhunter at Webster Hall / Playing during a crazy blizzard with Yuck at Glasslands

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Matt: Darlings
Joe: Darlings
Maura: Regal Degal

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Matt: The death of Mangum mystique just meant that we got to see him play live! Ain't nothing wrong with that.
Peter: Trish Keenan from Broadcast
Joe: Gil Scott-Heron
Maura: Trish Keenan

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Matt: The Doozies
Peter: Power Plant
Joe: Darlings
Maura: Adel Bengo

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
Matt: Refused
Peter: ABBA with Bill Bruford (yes, King Crimson) on drums
Joe: Darlings. Or Guns N' Roses.
Maura: The Beatles, Spacemen 3, Galaxie 500

What's on the agenda for Darlings next year?
We have a new album in the can, if anyone wants to put it out for us.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Matt: Work on my posture.
Peter: Teach my cat to open the front door when I'm locked out of the apartment.
Joe: The only resolutions I keep are the ones that I don't make.
Maura: Finish Anna Karenina, go to Paris.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Pusha T - Fear of God
White Dolfin - s/t

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
John Maus at Mercury Lounge was one of the more fun nights of the year. And every show we played with The War on Drugs was a blast. What a great band.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
There's this kid Shawn from Bed-Stuy who's totally flying under the radar. Goes by the name Jazzy, I believe.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Tragic? The trading of Raymond Felton to the Denver Nuggets.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Our friends just started a band called Skaters. We went to their first show a few weeks ago, and it was rad. Excited to see what they get into next year.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
Fleetwood Mac, including Christine McVie

What's on the agenda for Caveman next year?
Touring, recording new jams. Seeing new places and trying new things.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Everything from the last question seems applicable. That, and no more soda.

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
The Men - Leave Home
Grouper - A I A
Matana Roberts - COIN COIN / St Vincent - Strange Mercy

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Best show we did was Michael Azerrad's Our Concert Could Be Your Life, if only to see things like Annie Clark doing Big Black, etc. It was really fun to covere Husker Du too. Another of my favorite shows was $keletons at the memorial show for our friend Ariel, in February. Totally beautiful tear jerker.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
$keletons

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Really loved seeing Jeff Mangum live and never loved the other two, so I'll go R.E.M., even though they haven't been R.E.M. in the classic sense in sometime (for me). Their first few records and Automatic for the People are some of my favorites of all time, so I'll go with them.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
The Genesis cover band that I think I'm going to be involved in. Zambri maybe.

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
R.E.M. Just kidding. No idea. I like when bands break up and you have to wish they were still around. Reunions can be a bad form of wish fulfillment.

What's on the agenda for Grooms next year?
We're recording our third album now, so that'll probably see release in some form or another. No real idea what it's gonna be like yet, even though we're, like, one-third of the way through. Poppy, riff heavy, spacey so far.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Maybe to listen to more new music? Be better about saving money? Never ever smoke again?

What are your five favorite albums released this year?
Death - Human (reissue)
Teen Witch - Whoa Whoa EP
The Men - Leave Home
GZA - Liquid Swords (reissue)
White Fold - Feral / Free EP

Isabel: The Metallica and Lou Reed collaboration was definitely the worst.

How about the best show you saw and/or played in?
Hands down The Melvins playing Houdini, Eggnog and Lysol.

Any local band you think deserved more attention this year?
Yeah a bunch. Zulus, Numerators, Yvette, ATM.

The most tragic loss of 2011 was... R.E.M, LCD Soundsystem, The White Stripes or the mystique of Jeff Mangum?
Derek: None of the above.
Isabel: The fact that Sonic Youth might not play again.

Who would you say is a band to look out for next year?
Derek: Other than us?
Isabel: Nu Sensae

Band you'd most like to see reunite in 2012?
Derek: L7
Isabel: The Amps

What's on the agenda for Hunters next year?
Tour, tour, tour; put out a full length.

Any New Year's resolutions?
Derek: Play more shows.