Top Ten Albums of 2011

I loved 2011.  From a music standpoint, it was one of my favorite years in recent memory.  I suppose the phrase that comes to mind is something along the lines of "Quantity vs Quality".....or something like that.  I suppose this is meant to raise the question as to whether you'd rather have a large number of something mediocre or a much smaller amount of something fantastic.  It's a fair question/debate/discussion.  But, for 2011 I would turn the phrase around a bit to something like "Quantity of Quality".  I think 2011 gave us a very balanced attack of well-above average albums.

Each year, since 2007, I've put together a list of my favorite albums of the year (ranked 1-10).  This year, however, was easily the most difficult list to organize since I began creating lists.  For example, the albums ranked 2-5 on this year's list could all essentially be interchangeable.  Usually, I have a pretty easy time arranging the top few albums with all the tough decisions coming later in the list.  This year produced quite a jam of awesome records that all were vying for the runner-up slot (#1 was easy for me this year).  In addition to the troubles I had formulating the upper echelon, the lower tiered albums were equally as difficult.  I had a pretty easy time breaking down my overall list to 13.  But it was incredibly difficult to knock off the final three (listed here as Honorable Mentions).  Finally, I also debated where to include three standout EPs I obtained this year.  In previous years, I've lumped the top EPs in with all the other top full lengths.  There were so many great full albums this year though, so I've simply listed three EPs that are certainly worth your time and attention.  So, enough rambling from me on how I constructed a list that most people won't ever read or care about.....here's the list:

EPs (in no particular order)

Surfer Blood - Tarot Classics (buy)
Now, Now - Neighbors (buy)
Dirty Gold - Roar (buy)

Surfer Blood put out one of my favorite albums of last year.  If they had put out a full length that was consistently as good as their 2011 EP Tarot Classics, it likely would've fallen somewhere in the Top 3 range.  Now, Now and Dirty Gold's EPs represent debuts by very young bands.  Now, Now's EP Neighbors is kinda unique in that it includes acoustic versions of the two standout tracks on the EP, which offers a nice contrast to the very not-acoustic originals.  As for Dirty Gold's EP Roar.....you won't likely find a more chill album/EP in all 2011.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

Radiohead - The King of Limbs (buy)
Beirut - The Rip Tide (buy)
Real Estate - Days (buy)

I'm as surprised as the next person that Radiohead didn't make it into my Top 10.  They're essentially #11, which is still pretty good, but I'm guessing this says more about my ridiculous expectations for Radiohead than it does the actual quality of the album.  This reminded me more of a Thom Yorke solo album than a Radiohead album.  Maybe I'll change my tune after I get to hear the songs live.

The list: 

10. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation (buy)

Youth Lagoon's The Year of Hibernation is an album that came along very late in the year for me thanks primarily to my little brother. Because I haven't been listening to it for that long I was hesitant to put it on the list.  But I loved it instantly.  Their album reminds me of another killer lo-fi group from a couple years ago....Grizzly Bear.  If Youth Lagoon go on to make anything else like what Grizzly Bear have proven capable of, we'll be in for a fun ride. 

9.  Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi - Rome (buy)

Daniele Luppi soundtracks spaghetti westerns.  Danger Mouse kinda does everything.....now including his version of spaghetti western soundtracks. This album is very easy to get lost in.  I had to fly a lot in 2011 and I distinctly remember it soundtracking a number of airport visits for me.  Not exactly a western.....but still. 

8.  Wilco - The Whole Love (buy)

I was beginning to wonder if Wilco still had it in them.  Sky Blue Sky was OK, and Wilco [the album] was much less than OK for me.  I wanted another Wilco album that I could really jam out to.....and I finally got it.  The 7+ minute opener "Art of Almost" is exactly that......jam worthy.  Wilco's still got "it".  I was stupid for doubting them.

7.  tUnE-YaRdS - w h o k i l l (buy)

tUnE-YaRdS put out one of the most unique albums I've heard since some of Animal Collective's best work.  Its rare that an album that could very clearly be described as "experimental rock" still manages to have hooks and melodies as approachable as w h o k i l l. 

6.  Tennis - Cape Dory (buy)

This spot on the list begins a series of albums that all sound very reminiscent of the 50's, 60's, and 70's.  The title track is to this album is one of my favorite songs of the year. 

5.  Cults - Cults (buy)

Honestly, I found the 5 and 6 spots on this list to be somewhat interchangeable.  Very 60's inspired 2011 indie rock.  This has been a trend that's been emerging for a while (I was big into the Sandwitches' and Dr. Dog's album the past couple years) and it really seemed to gain even more steam this year.  You won't find catchier songs on any album this year than you will with Cults breakout LP. 

4.  Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (buy)

Every Girls album or EP has wound up on one of my year end lists and Father, Son, Holy Ghost is no different.  The entire album is great, but it simply could've made the list due to its standout track "Vomit".  This track begins with a very crisp lone electric guitar and ends in a gigantic gospel-inspired sing-a-long.  It's my runner up for Song of the Year behind the title track of #1 album on this list.

3.  Bon Iver - Bon Iver (buy)

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver described this album as a "soundscape"....meaning that the music is/was the primary focus of the album with only secondary thought given to the words.  That's exactly how I listen to music.  I focus on (and get lost in) the music and often don't ever pay attention to lyrics.  It was a perfect explanation for a spectacular album that hits right at the heart of what I personally enjoy about music. 

2.  Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine (buy)

Take everything I just wrote about the Bon Iver album and Toro Y Moi did that just a little bit better with his second LP Underneath the Pine.  His second album in as many years....http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1252546758057154439&postID=3697086907173576496Underneath the Pine represents tremendous growth from the first LP Causers of This, which I found inaccessible.

1.  Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (buy)

 2011 was an incredibly special year for me, primarily due to the birth of my son.  Helplessness Blues soundtracked the entire thing.  In fact, the very first time I heard the title track was the exact same day I found out my wife and I were having a boy.  I vividly remember listening to the song a good 10+ times that evening.  To this day, I can't listen to it without a feeling of sheer joy.  Its a special album for a special time in my life.  The opening line to the album, "So now I am older than my Mother and Father when they had their daughter.  Now what does that say about me?".  That's a lyric that I totally understood at the beginning of the year, and thus set the tone for my album experience.  It has since gone on to soundtrack a series of "firsts" for my son.....first holidays, giggles, etc.  Its an album that I will always cherish and cannot wait to listen to with my son 10-15 years from now and explain to him what I think of when I listen to it.

Happy New Year, everyone!