top albums of 2011
This one's a little late but I like to try and get these things down if just so I can look back and see how my tastes change or remind myself to check out a forgotten classic.
I don't think 2011 was a particularly strong year but there was quite a lot of variety, as opposed to some years where there are a lot of excellent albums all from the same genre. Anyway didn't listen to as many albums as I find when busy I like an easy listen.
1) Apparat - Devil's walk I didn't even realise how great this album was until February but it is excellent and very different from his last album (his DJ kicks album is sweet for entirely different reasons but the combo puts it at the top
2) Iron and wine - kiss each other clean - really solid album and I like where he's going with his sound. I think his band will finally have something to do when playing live
3) Coldplay - Mylo xyloto I know I'm not supposed to like them but this album is notedly different. They are actually happy rather than whining and they seem to be having fun playing with all the electronic synth stuff and more than half the album really stikes a chord with me.
4) Bon Iver - Bon Iver The guy is a genius. I prefer "for emma" but the weird mixture of synth with his lyrics/voice are an excellent combo. I'm amazed how he treads the line between cheesy and brilliance and always stays on the right side.
5) Wild beasts - smother - This album is brilliant up until track 9 where it kind of wastes 15 minutes of everyone's time. Another really solid album by them and most of their songs have a leeriness about them that isn't always obvious (case in point, I wouln't be surprised if they also mean "albatross" to have its other meaning)
6) the antlers - burst apart a really solid album that doesn't put a foot wrong
7) Bombay bicycle club - a different kind of fix another slightly embarassing pop album that I loved. This one is even more guilty of going to shit halfway through than wild beast though. But the first 6 songs are excellent.
8) Gang Gang dance - eye contact another late entry but this one is already turning into one of those growers that will be listened to a lot in 2012
9) Kasabian - velociraptor My final guilty entry for the year
10) M83 hurry up we are dreaming. For me this is a classic example of why people shouldn't do double albums. If they had been ruthless and made a 14 track 70 min album they could have had an album of the year on their hands. Unfortunately there's too much self-indulgence between the genuinly great songs over 2 CDs. and while songs like "Midnight city2 are great it's almost the same song as "kim and Jessie".
These albums are ones I know I'll regret not having in the top 10 but I know they still need a few more listens to love and they are;
Tuneyards - whokill
Destroyer - Kaputt
J macsis - several shades of why
Tim Hecker - ravendeath 1972
St vincent
For 2012, shearwater's "animal life" is setting a very high standard.
I don't think 2011 was a particularly strong year but there was quite a lot of variety, as opposed to some years where there are a lot of excellent albums all from the same genre. Anyway didn't listen to as many albums as I find when busy I like an easy listen.
1) Apparat - Devil's walk I didn't even realise how great this album was until February but it is excellent and very different from his last album (his DJ kicks album is sweet for entirely different reasons but the combo puts it at the top
2) Iron and wine - kiss each other clean - really solid album and I like where he's going with his sound. I think his band will finally have something to do when playing live
3) Coldplay - Mylo xyloto I know I'm not supposed to like them but this album is notedly different. They are actually happy rather than whining and they seem to be having fun playing with all the electronic synth stuff and more than half the album really stikes a chord with me.
4) Bon Iver - Bon Iver The guy is a genius. I prefer "for emma" but the weird mixture of synth with his lyrics/voice are an excellent combo. I'm amazed how he treads the line between cheesy and brilliance and always stays on the right side.
5) Wild beasts - smother - This album is brilliant up until track 9 where it kind of wastes 15 minutes of everyone's time. Another really solid album by them and most of their songs have a leeriness about them that isn't always obvious (case in point, I wouln't be surprised if they also mean "albatross" to have its other meaning)
6) the antlers - burst apart a really solid album that doesn't put a foot wrong
7) Bombay bicycle club - a different kind of fix another slightly embarassing pop album that I loved. This one is even more guilty of going to shit halfway through than wild beast though. But the first 6 songs are excellent.
8) Gang Gang dance - eye contact another late entry but this one is already turning into one of those growers that will be listened to a lot in 2012
9) Kasabian - velociraptor My final guilty entry for the year
10) M83 hurry up we are dreaming. For me this is a classic example of why people shouldn't do double albums. If they had been ruthless and made a 14 track 70 min album they could have had an album of the year on their hands. Unfortunately there's too much self-indulgence between the genuinly great songs over 2 CDs. and while songs like "Midnight city2 are great it's almost the same song as "kim and Jessie".
These albums are ones I know I'll regret not having in the top 10 but I know they still need a few more listens to love and they are;
Tuneyards - whokill
Destroyer - Kaputt
J macsis - several shades of why
Tim Hecker - ravendeath 1972
St vincent
For 2012, shearwater's "animal life" is setting a very high standard.