Best Albums of 2011

[twentyshots]

But I don't think PJ Harvey's album can be beat this year.

it's definitely racing for my top spot with about 2 others.....and i'll have to listen to all three in the next week to decide.....

[MissKitty]

I think what matters most is that we maintain our enthusiasm for music in general - new and/or old. I think for most of us it's impossible for us not to be passionate about music. If we lose that, we have a problem.

x2

I think we need a "like" button on R'ville.

[Dan]

I think what matters most is that we maintain our enthusiasm for music in general - new and/or old. I think for most of us it's impossible for us not to be passionate about music. If we lose that, we have a problem.

x2

I think we need a "like" button on R'ville.

But then I wouldn't be able to look forward to your "x2" posts!

[Jen]

I think what matters most is that we maintain our enthusiasm for music in general - new and/or old. I think for most of us it's impossible for us not to be passionate about music. If we lose that, we have a problem.

x2

I think we need a "like" button on R'ville.

x3

Thanks for the recommends CR...I'll check them out! (Great, now my list is even longer  )

[Cockney Rebel]

Don't get me wrong, I still have a huge enthusiasm for music. Just hardly any new music.

I blame Thom Yorke.

[luisterpaul]

I'll most likely compile my list from among these artists. I don't think I forgot anyone...

Youth Lagoon
You, You're Awesome
Yellow Ostrich
Xray Eyeballs
WU LYF
We Are Augustines
The War On Drugs
Vetiver
Vandaveer
The Vaccines
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Thee Oh Sees (twice!)
Tapes 'n Tapes
Superhumanoids
Summer Camp
Still Corners
Soft Moon
Ringo Deathstarr
Radiohead
Pepper Rabbit
Parts & Labor
Panda Bear
Other Lives
Moon Duo
Milk Maid
Mikal Cronin
The Low Anthem
Lia Ices
Jocie Adams
Iron & Wine
Hooray For Earth
Handsome Furs
Grooms
Givers
Future Islands
Fleet Foxes
Esben And The Witch
EMA
Elbow
Dominant Legs
The Dodos
Deerhoof
Dark Captain
Daniel Martin Moore
Dan Michaelson
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Cut Copy
Cults
Cuckoo Chaos
Crystal Stilts
Colourmusic
The Cave Singers
Braids
Blouse
Bell X1
Bass Drum Of Death
The Babies
Atlas Sound
Alcoholic Faith Mission

We Are Trees
Loney Dear
Beach Fossils

[frizgolf]

Don't get me wrong, I still have a huge enthusiasm for music. Just hardly any new music.

I blame Thom Yorke.

Having come into Radiohead much later than most (at least on the woxy boards anyway) I almost feel your detachment from Radiohead's importance. Heck, I love a lot of their music, but the vocal stylings of late (which are seemingly squeezing out any other instrument unless you pop on headphones and strain to hear 'em) are a cure for my insomnia. I some times wonder if folks are hanging on to them from memories, or worse, wonder how the hell they can really like this stuff.  Maybe it's just my ears, I don't know.

And with your impassioned post back there, I now have two records to check out post-haste. (As soon as Pantera purges my rage from other issues first.)
I still feel the need to keep up with the new, but perhaps like you, nothing steps out of the shadow of derivation for me, at least this year. The whole chill/folk movement reminds me of Donovan/Dylan/Baez/Mitchell from the 60s. It's been done.

[euro60]

The whole chill/folk movement reminds me of Donovan/Dylan/Baez/Mitchell from the 60s. It's been done.

yea, but it's fun to listen to the 21st century version of it 

I certainly don't pretend to be "in" on all things new music, but I still like checking out new stuff...

[Butter]

Atlas Sound

Forgot about this one.  This is up there in the top 3.  Wonderful all around.

[luisterpaul]

I certainly don't pretend to be "in" on all things new music, but I still like checking out new stuff...

Same here. Discovering new music, even if it's only new to me, is so much fun. I can imagine how trying to discover "the next big thing" would become a burden before long.

Hearing new sounds is exciting: Sometimes it wears off quickly, sometimes it sticks around and becomes a new best friend. [/schmaltz]

[Cockney Rebel]

I can imagine how trying to discover "the next big thing" would become a burden before long.

I am Cockney Rebel and I approve this message.

[Rafe]

Don't get me wrong, I still have a huge enthusiasm for music. Just hardly any new music.

I blame Thom Yorke.

You and me both. I hate the way his stare seems to follow you around the room, as if to say "How much did you pay for my album? How much did you pay for my album? How much did you pay for my album?"



Butter, are Tennis the married duo that lived on a boat? I heard a pair of Americans doing a 6Music session a few months ago whilst at work, and I think it might have been them. Name rings a bell, the tunes they played were pretty.

[cyclone]

I'll step in and defend Radiohead a bit, especially with frizgolf's opinion about their material sliding downward recently.  I don't think they have released anything too much worse in quality since their last "Important Album" - which would be Kid A.  That being said, I thought HTTT was the worst non-Pablo Honey until this year, and now The King of Limbs occupies that spot, thus resulting in 3 relatively weak albums.  PH is it's own thing, it's the very definition of a debut album from a band who went to achieve at least some sort of critical success (whether that means album sales or simply a following) and the debut basically isn't even the same band.  Anyway, while this was debated ad nauseum on WOXY, I thought In Rainbows was among their very best material ever, and after revisiting the album a bunch this year, I doubt that opinion will ever change.  I used to be all about The Bends, but now I've gotten to the point where I can really only get into 5-6 songs.  It's still a great album, but I've grown to always skipping the singles and a few others.  So I guess IR and OKC battle for the top spot for me.

Also, not sure if Rafe was being sarcastic or not, but while he's obviously a polarizing figure, I've always found Thom to seem pretty humble from what I've seen/heard.

[Juliana]

I have also stoped paying much attention to new music.
I just honestly do not have the time.

That said...
um, was the Adele album this year?  I really like that a lot.

[Bubba McBubba]

I'll step in and defend Radiohead a bit, especially with frizgolf's opinion about their material sliding downward recently.  I don't think they have released anything too much worse in quality since their last "Important Album" - which would be Kid A.  That being said, I thought HTTT was the worst non-Pablo Honey until this year, and now The King of Limbs occupies that spot, thus resulting in 3 relatively weak albums.  PH is it's own thing, it's the very definition of a debut album from a band who went to achieve at least some sort of critical success (whether that means album sales or simply a following) and the debut basically isn't even the same band.  Anyway, while this was debated ad nauseum on WOXY, I thought In Rainbows was among their very best material ever, and after revisiting the album a bunch this year, I doubt that opinion will ever change.  I used to be all about The Bends, but now I've gotten to the point where I can really only get into 5-6 songs.  It's still a great album, but I've grown to always skipping the singles and a few others.  So I guess IR and OKC battle for the top spot for me.

Also, not sure if Rafe was being sarcastic or not, but while he's obviously a polarizing figure, I've always found Thom to seem pretty humble from what I've seen/heard.

Dude, we are so often of the same wavelength that I had to a double-check to make sure you aren't me.

I thought "Thief" would improve over time, but it instead seems to made it worse, in my esteem.  I kept trying to appreciate "Limbs", but I can't seem to find an entry point.  And this is coming from somebody whose fave Radiohead album is "Amnesiac".  I like challenging song structures, and I like noise, but there still has to be something for me to latch onto and I don't think I'll ever find that with "Limbs".

And what you said about "The Bends".  That used to be my favorite album of theirs, but much of it does not resonate with me anymore.  It just seems like some of it is posturing left over from the debut album--like they had not fully gelled into the real Radiohead yet.

And I agree "In Rainbows" is probably their best album.  I still hear a lot of smack about how it plays it too safe.  I just think it pushes all the right buttons, without a false step.