It seems like 2011 was a good year for Oxford music, doesn’t it? Very busy, at least, with some bands doing very well for themselves, loads of new bands forming, some unfortunately splitting up, and all kinds of stuff going on not only in the guitar-based musical landscape but also across metal, hip-hop, dance, folk and other genres that might not yet have names. Here’s a round-up of news that popped up on the pages of this ‘ere website over the year, along with some favourite releases and happenings of the year, from both site contributors and – more importantly – readers.

News in brief

2011, then. Digging through the news archive to see all of the things that we reported on, some highlights made themselves apparent:

Musician stuff: the year saw the sad demise of some much-loved acts, including Huck And The Handsome Fee, ute and The Winchell Riots, with Smilex also announcing their retirement from live performances. More positively, a few bands came into their own this year – Spring Offensive growing in popularity throughout the year, culminating in their exciting secret gig recently… Stornoway, Foals, Jonquil/Chad Valley and Bellowhead bringing the Oxford spirit to every corner of the world… Fixers shooting stratosphere-wards with outstanding performances at not only Truck festival but also the Reading and Leeds festivals (the latter two also being visited upon by The Winchell Riots)… Secret Rivals popping up anywhere and everywhere and refining their sound into something increasingly special (snagging a slot at Bestival along the way, as did Trophy Wife)… Alphabet Backwards, Coloureds, Gunning For Tamar, Dead Jerichos, Phantom Theory, Borderville, The Cellar Family, Black Hats, The Half Rabbits, The Scholars, Mr Shaodow, Half Decent, Richard Walters, Young Knives and Tamara And The Martyrs – at least – bringing out new records, shooting videos, and playing up and down the country to reinforce the huge base of talent we’ve got coming out of Oxford… Message To Bears crowdsourcing the funds for their new album… The Graceful Slicks getting big-time coverage in America and China… Hot Hooves reuniting some of Oxford music’s dons in a fiery noise-pop new group… it goes on and on.

Good stuff, bad stuff: The Oxford music scene documentary movie Anyone Can Play Guitar secured the funding required to turn into a real, actual film, launched with a tour of UK cinemas and now flying off the shelves of DVD shops everywhere. The positivity and self-generating spirit of the local music scene was reinforced throughout 2011 with Cowley Road Carnival morphing into Fiesta In The Park, BG Records becoming the centre of Oxford’s urban/hip-hop community with a café, workshops and no end of inspiring events, Skeletor and Buried In Smoke heading up the local metal scene with ruthless efficiency and success, Oxford Jazz Festival/Jazz Elite Concerts/Oxford Jazz Kitchen making sure jazz is represented in our town, Oxfork following up on their culinary skill with a series of live music events, Ashmolean Museum hosting live music, and the Upstairs at the O2 Academy presenting, in association with BBC Introducing In Oxford, the best local bands at packed-out gigs. Festival-o-rama included Truck, Winter Warmer (after being ‘snowed off’ in 2010), Audioscope, Cohesion, Witney Winter Festival, Charlbury, Cornbury, Ley Lines, Klub Kakofanney’s twentieth anniversary, Blessing Force events, Wood, Harvest and many more. Sad news, though, with the closure of Russell Acott and Oxford Guitar Gallery, the cancellation of Oxford Folk Festival, and Truck festival announcing that this year would be the last. Truck Store remains on Cowley Road, though, hosting tiny little Truck festivals regularly in the form of their in-stores.

Documenting the scene: Along with this website, Oxford’s music was documented diligently by the BBC’s weekly Introducing In Oxford radio show, the effortlessly brilliant Nightshift, and a host of sources like Oxfordshire Music Scene and The Sampler magazines, and the Oxford Music Blog and SNSBL DNCHL websites. Local labels like Big Scary Monsters, Alcopop!, BG, Blessing Force and Rivet Gun Records made sure that bands not self-releasing had a friendly home out of which to punt their goods, and a few compilation albums – Spires, City Of Screaming Spires and We Do Not Have A Dinosaur among them – presenting handy overviews of music being produced in Oxford.

Your favourite releases of 2011

We asked you all to vote on which releases from 2011 you favoured – typically, as you’re a bunch with a wide range of tastes and opinions, a lot of releases got votes! For completeness, here’s the whole list:

• Half Decent: Pieces Of Life (27 votes)
• The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band: Year Of The Rabbit (12 votes)
• Spring Offensive: ‘A Stutter And A Start’ (12 votes)
• Secret Rivals: ‘Make Do And Mend’ (11 votes)
• Fixers: ‘Iron Deer Dream’ (9 votes)
• Secret Rivals: ‘Tonight Matthew’ (9 votes)
• Alphabet Backwards: ‘British Explorer EP’ (8 votes)
• Seabuckthorn: In Nightfall (7 votes)
• The Graceful Slicks: Demo (6 votes)
• Alphabet Backwards: ‘The White Russian EP’ (5 votes)
• The Scholars: ‘Arrival/Departure EP’ (5 votes)
• Von Braun: ‘Folk Devil EP’ (5 votes)
• Deer Chicago: ‘Lantern Collapse’/’Rolling Of The Ocean’ (4 votes)
• Little Fish: ‘Wonderful’ (4 votes)
• The Winchell Riots: ‘Figure 8s’ (4 votes)
• Coloureds: ‘Tom Hanks EP’ (3 votes)
• Listing Ships: ‘Maiden Voyage’ (3 votes)
• Phantom Theory: ‘Delayed And Decayed’ (3 votes)
• Tamara & The Martyrs: ‘Hang My Picture’ (3 votes)
• Tiger Mendoza: Aim For The Head (3 votes)
• Yellow Fever: ‘A Grin That Never Falters EP’ (3 votes)
• Bug Prentice: Demo (2 votes)
• The Epstein: ‘I Held You Once’ (2 votes)
• Invisible Vegas: Demo (2 votes)
• Minor Coles: EP (2 votes)
• Trev Williams: ‘Keep Singing EP’ (2 votes)
• Agness Pike: ‘Mimum Vitae EP’ (1 vote)
• ArtClassSink: EP (1 vote)
• Borderville: Metamorphosis (1 vote)
• Cat Matador: ‘The Address’ (1 vote)
• Cowboy Racer: ‘Love Stationary’ (1 vote)
• Dead Jerichos: ‘Mountains’ (1 vote)
• Dead Jerichos: ‘Please Yourself’ (1 vote)
• Dubwiser: A Crack In Paradise (1 vote)
• Fault Finders: A Dangerous Road (1 vote)
• Fault Finders: Fault Finding (For Beginners) (1 vote)
• Gunning For Tamar: ‘Deaf Cow Motel EP’ (1 vote)
• Manny O: Demo (1 vote)
• Mojo Pins: ‘No Prizes For Guessing’/’Morning Rush’ (1 vote)
• Mr ShaoDow ft. Ghetts: ‘Get Stronger’ (1 vote)
• The Reaper: ‘Don’t Stop The Blood EP’ (1 vote)
• Smile: ‘Closer EP’ (1 vote)
• Spunkle: Music for DXing (1 vote)
• Various: Spires (1 vote)
• Various: We Do Not Have A Dinosaur (1 vote)
• Very Nice Harry: ‘Sugar Lounge’ (1 vote)

Highlights of 2011: Caroline Corke

• 1. Secret Rivals – ‘Make Do And Mend': “This has continued to grow on me ever since I first heard it back in the summer, and I thought it was pretty great back then. The dual vocals complement and contrast perfectly over resolute guitar, solid rhythm and just the right amount of synth to make an album that’s a million times better than most of the rubbish that’s been on the radio this year.”
• 2. Spring Offensive – ‘Between Me And You': “Once again Spring Offensive have perfected that subtle balance between minimalist and massive that they always seem to get right. A brilliantly interpreted Gunning For Tamar remix concludes.”
• 3. Gunning For Tamar – ‘Deaf Cow Motel': “A more melodic and accessible offering sees math rockers Gunning for Tamar at the peak of their song writing abilities. ‘Bonfires’ is one of my favourite songs of 2011, Oxford or otherwise.”
• 4. The Epstein – ‘I Held You Once': “Beautifully understated country-esque guitars accompany heartfelt vocals on the latest EP from Oxford’s favourite Americana band, The Epstein.”
• 5. Fixers – ‘Here Comes 2001 So Let’s All Head For The Sun': “The EP that justified Fixers’ ascendance to the mainstream, ‘Here Comes 2001…’ is a psychedelic mixture of animated synths and harmonious vocals that drew well deserved comparisons to Animal Collective.”

Favourite Oxford band this year: If you were to ask me at the beginning of 2011 which of these would more likely become famous: a YouTube video of an irate posh bloke bellowing ‘Jesus Christ’ at a dog called Fenton while he chased deer into the road, or Spring Offensive, well, I wouldn’t have gone for Fenton. So why aren’t they huge yet? Upon racking my brains, the only reasonable conclusion I can draw is that one of them, in a previous life, gave birth to Hitler/Rebecca Black/that orange guy from Bargain Hunt (delete as appropriate, although, is Rebecca Black’s mother even dead yet?) and being forever on the brink of breaking it is their cruel, but justified, punishment. Relatively though, they have had a pretty good year, an acoustic EP, a single, an opening slot at Underage Festival, a rapturous headlining set for Upstairs at the O2, followed by a two week European tour, before finishing the year with a sold-out-in-about-an-hour secret gig at the East Oxford Community Centre. Yeah, 2011 has been a pretty good year for Spring Offensive. Other Oxford musical happenings: Though in 2011 we’ve seen the end of Truck Festival, The Winchell Riots, Vixens and, most upsettingly in my opinion, the brilliant ute, there have been a slew of new beginnings to lessen the blow. The much needed return of an independent record shop to Oxford, in the form of Truck Store. The formation of Upstairs at the O2, the monthly local band showcase, and the emergence of some new acts on the Oxford Scene – to name but a couple, Kill Murray, who were great at Ley Lines, and Ollie-from-ute’s-new-project The Old Grinding Young, whose rooftop Oxjam set promised we haven’t seen the last of him. Oxford was well represented at this summer’s festivals, as well as numerous local acts appearing at Truck. Some of my favourite festival sets of the summer have come from local bands: Stornoway at Glastonbury, Fixers at Reading (who I still don’t regret missing half of Pulp’s set for) and Foals at Latitude. And Oxford’s music scene got yet more national coverage from Jon Spira’s brilliant rockumentary, Anyone Can Play Guitar. Finally, a controversial new album from Oxford’s most famous musical export, Radiohead, and the promise that they’ll tour the UK next year only goes to reinforce the fact that 2012 will be as exciting for Oxford music as 2011 has been.

Highlights of 2011: Andrew Jones

• 1. Borderville – Metamorphosis
• 2. Dubwiser – A Crack In Paradise
• 3. The Rock Of Travolta – Fine Lines
• 4. Tamara & The Martyrs – ‘Hang My Picture’
• 5. Death Of Hifi – Cold

“Oxford musical happenings of the year? BG Records going from strength to strength, and the launch of Moving Hand Records by Asher Dust and Farjedi.”

Highlights of 2011: Colin Mackinnon

• 1. The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band – Year Of The Rabbit: “Rambunctious, irreverent speakeasy jazz for twenty-year-old punks.”
• 2. Burning Bees – goodseedbadsoil: “Stylish, mysterious psychedelia with heart and intelligence.”
• 3. Cowboy Racer – ‘Love Stationary': “Perfect electronica-tinged pop, laced with self-deprecating humour – how many birds can you feed in one song?”
• 4. Vienna Ditto – EP: “Icy-veined trip hop with nods to classic jazz.”
• 5. The Yarns – ‘Breached': “Gentle, trumpet-punctuated acoustic ballads redolent of drowsy evenings at Parson’s Pleasure.”
• 6. Fixers – ‘Iron Deer Dream': “Blazingly creative psychedelic quintet look set to conquer all vistas in 2012.”

Highlights of 2011: Tom McKibbin

• 1. Von Braun – ‘Folk Devil EP': “Debut EP from one of the very best bands in Oxford – fulfils the promise of their energetic live shows.”
• 2. Listing Ships – ‘Maiden Voyage’/’The 100 Gun Ship EP': “A joy for those pining for the 90s heyday of alternative/post-rock. Now with added Krautrock to boot.”
• 3. Seabuckthorn – In Nightfall: “Beautiful, evocative instrumental music from this enigmatic conjurer of exotic sounds.”
• 4. Agness Pike – ‘Mimum Vitae EP': “Driving punk-metal with a sense of humour and drama – Agness Pike rock harder than most other bands in Oxford and have the best frontman in the city.”
• 5. Spunkle – Music for Dxing: “One of the most unexpected releases of the year is made up of radio transmissions and low-fi keyboards – surprisingly compelling stuff.”

“Favourite Oxford band this year: Von Braun – it’s been a long time coming but the band finally released their debut EP this year and it were right good! Honourable mentions go to Komrad, Desert Storm, The Rock of Travolta, Agness Pike and Listing Ships. Oxford musical happening of the year: The Rock of Travolta + Caretaker + Komrad, The Cellar, 29/10/11 – because it’s one of the most recent gigs in my memory banks and because of the three amazing and diverse bands that played. Komrad, Oxford’s schizophrenic, demented bastard-sons play a dizzying concoction of brutal metal, driving, angular punk, anthemic rock, proggy breakdowns and a bunch of other weird shit and started the night off in riotous fashion. Jimmy Hetherington is, quite literally, Oxford’s guitar hero, shimmying up and down the fretboard with incredible ease but without ever resorting to guitar-wankery. Winchester’s finest band (now there’s an accolade…) Caretaker brought their post-hardcore racket to Oxford once again, combining Neurosis and Drive Like Jehu et al but with their own ferocious energy. They make a tremendous amount of noise for a three-piece. Their new album Providence will be out in March so look out for it because it’s bound to be an absolute corker! Finally The Rock of Travolta, one of Oxford’s longest running and best bands took to the stage for a mesmerising and masterful headlining set. Few bands can whip up a musical frenzy like these guys, with band members switching instruments mid-song and making their beautiful onslaught look so easy. Amazing.”

Highlights of 2011: Simon Minter

• 1. Listing Ships: ‘The 100 Gun Ship’
• 2. The Half Rabbits: ‘Optimists EP’
• 3. The Young Knives – Ornaments From The Silver Arcade
• 4. Various: Spires
• 5. Seabuckthorn: In Nightfall

Highlights of 2011: David Murphy

• 1. Borderville – Metamorphosis: “An octagonal package bursting with pretension, playfulness, performance and pop music. New developments in theatrical rock from the in sect.”
• 2. Coloureds – ‘Tom Hanks EP': “A grubby, confused, no man’s land in the ongoing dance music war between the brain and the feet.”
• 3. Duotone – Ropes: “Perfectly turned studio folk knick-knacks that are as intriguingly mysterious as they are artfully decorative.”
• 4. Fixers – ‘Here Comes 2001 So Let’s All Head For The Sun EP': “A paean to the Beach Boys and Ibiza house music made from pastels, sherbet and reverb. It was even mixed by someone called Bryan Wilson, what are the chances?”
• 5. Spring Offensive – ‘A Stutter And A Start': “Suppliers, along with Fixers, of Truck festival’s other great Oxford set this year, the ever-resourceful Spring Offensive offered us not only a clipped piece of pop yearning, but a neat one-shot video and a colouring book.”

“2011 was, in many ways, a great year for Oxford music: we discovered some fantastic new acts, and saw old favourites grow and mature , all the while enjoying the relaxed, friendly atmosphere of Oxford gigs, even as we turned the corner into undeniable middle age. My only worry is the potential fragmentation of the local scene. It’s great to have a strong metal presence in Oxford after a period in the doldrums, but one can get the impression that this micro-scene is separate from anything else that is happening. Does a town this small really need a dedicated magazine for dance music? Websites for Oxford reggae and folk are wonderful labours of love, but wouldn’t it be nice if they were all part of one big Oxmusic endeavour? In a city whose greatest exports over the past 20 years have been musicians who ignore convention and bravely straddle genre boundaries it can be worrying to imagine the demise of the general music fan. Plus of course, the sting of Truck’s demise has not yet dissipated. And yet, when there is as much great music around as there is at the moment, any complaints sound like miserable carping – and I should save that for my annual New Year’s Eve moanfest.”

Highlights of 2011: Mark Wilden

• 1. Spring Offensive – ‘A Stutter And A Start’
• 2. Fixers – ‘Here Comes 2001 So Let’s All Head For The Sun EP’
• 3. Duotone – Ropes
• 4. The Young Knives – Ornaments From The Silver Arcade
• 5. The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band – Year Of The Rabbit

“Would it be cheating to mention the new records by Asher Dust, Borderville, Hot Hooves and Secret Rivals in a category of records I’m very excited about but haven’t heard yet – an honourable mentions category, perhaps? Favourite Oxford band this year: Spring Offensive. Other bands have done more thrilling, varied, interesting things this year but it’s Spring Offensive’s music I keep coming back to and it’s Spring Offensive’s live sets that got me most excited. Oxford musical happening of the year: Truck Store. It was great to have a new record store open, bucking the trend, and particularly on Cowley Road, in the old Videosyncratic store, and with all the in-store gigs and the excitement about whether or not it was going to close down it feels a bit like Oxford music has a physical hub again, for the first time in a while. 2011 in Oxford music: 2011 has been an extraordinarily active year for the production and promotion of Oxford music, both locally and beyond, led in no small part by Jon Spira’s excellent and high-profile film Anyone Can Play Guitar and solidified by compilations including Aaron Delgado’s Spires, The Psychotechnic League’s We Do Not Have A Dinosaur and The Catweazle Club Volume 1 compilation. It’s been great to see people looking beyond simply recording and gigging to put some really innovative projects together: David Griffiths’s audiobook / album / art project Grey Children, raising awareness of “Pure O” OCD, is one such project, and Blessing Force have built well on the flurry of attention from the national scene tastemakers with multimedia installations and books, supported by very strong music from many of their acts. And, as every year, a few bands on the fringes have seen their hard work pay off in palpable improvement to their music: Tiger Mendoza, Secret Rivals and Listing Ships would be in that bracket for me. It’s been a year of disappointment for festivals, with no Punt or Oxford Folk Festival and Truck Festival going under, but that doesn’t seem to have held anyone back, and if anything it seems to have given individual bands and smaller collectives a push to make things happen themselves.

Want more 2011age?

MusicInOxford.co.uk’s 2011 in pictures

What have we missed?

This round-up will inevitably have missed out on some importants nuggets of Oxford music activity from 2011… So, readers, what did we miss? Let us know, with your comments…