Top albums of 2011 lists

Arthur Digby Sellers

I don't listen to too much new music. Too much good old stuff to explore. But this year seemed to have a lot of good albums.

Eddie Vedder, MMJ, and Wilco are all great. I really loved the Foo Fighters album and I have never really been a fan, but this is a really good album. The only new band I liked was Wild Flag. Their album is very addictive. Chris Cornell's album was great, but it was a lot of old stuff. I guess that's why I liked it.

Next year with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden releasing albums should be good.

GTHobbes

Screaming Trees -- Last Words. What a great album I never knew existed.

EV -- Ukulele Songs

Chris Cornell -- Songbook. Hopefully Volume II will have a killer version of Wooden Jesus.

Mirror Ball -- I know this is at least 10 years old, but I finally "discovered" it in 2011, so it goes on my list. Great, great album.

direwolf74

Tom Waits- Bad as Me
R.E.M.- Collapse Into Now
Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
The Black Keys- El Camino
Cuff the Duke- Morning Comes
Hey Rosetta- Seeds
Arkells- Michigan Left
Wilco- The Whole Love
Screaming Trees- Last Words
Greg MacPherson- Disintegration Blues

Honorable mentions:
Social Distortion- Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
Bry Webb- Provider
Eddie Vedder- Ukulele Songs
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit- Here We Rest
Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues

RYEzupSF

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

Adele- 21
Jay Z and Kanye- Watch the Throne
Wild Flag- Wild Flag
MMJ- Circuital
Felice Brothers- Celebration, Florida
Dawes- Nothing is Wrong
Black Keys- El Camino
Tres Mts- Tres Mts
Eddie Vedder- Uke Songs
Dr. Dog- Shame, Shame
Bad Meets Evil- Hell: The Sequel
Tom Waits- Bad as Me
Bon Iver- Bon Iver
Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
A.A. Bondy- Believers
Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
REM- Collapse Into Now
Wilco- Whole Love

I'm still waiting for the release of Dr. Dre's DETOX. Fingers crossed for 2011.

mookeywrench

Alright good to go...Top 25:

25Thee Oh Sees - Carion Crawler/The Dream: Surprise end of year release where the garage rock band brings in their best effort to date.
24Cave Singers - No Witch: The band expands their sound while still holding onto their campfire rock band vibe that is so enjoyable.
23Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer: Pop album for smart people. Album brings plenty of hooks and a finally female vocalist who doesn't have the same ole pretty indie princess sound (feist, Flo and her machines)
22Chad VanGaalen - Diaper Island: Experimental, folk-rock, jack of all trades hones in a more focused sound and succeeds.
21Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Its Guided By Voices meets Beck's Midnight Vultures...what's not to love?

20White Denim - This band continues their streak of prolific creativity with a less aggressive and more polished album. No idea where this energy is coming from. A lot of talent in this band as they play like champs.
19Alexander - Alexander: Solo album from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes front man. Served as the Album of the Summer for me. Plenty of hooks and breazy sounds in this album.
18Psychic Paramount - II: If you're going to do an instrumental album, you better be able to deliver something outstanding. And these guys do it...loudly. It carries the mood and atmosphere of BRMC, with some soaring guitars a la My Bloody Valentine, in a decible level that a Dino Jr. fan could admire.
17Tom Waits - Bad As Me: Nothing new to be found here, but that's no problem since this guy does what he does so damn well. You can't help but get sucked into his lyrics and music.
16Atlas Sound - Parallax: See above and change 'lyrics' with recordings.

15Jack Oblivian - Rat City: In a time when music seems to be fixated on making you cry and shit your pants. Half of the legendary Oblivion brothers reminds us that rocking out with nothing but Drums, bass, and guitars can be equally rewarding.
14Youth Lagoon - Year of Hibernation: This album makes me cry and shit my pants.
13Wilco - The Whole Love: 2 minutes into the Art of Almost and you realize that Wilco still has oomph in their style. 7 minutes into the song and you realize you're about to listen to one of the year's best albums.
12Consignment - New Low: It's gritty, self loathing, rock...Easily reminiscent of a winter that has gone on for too long in Seattle.
11Woods - Sun and Shade: Album reminds me of driving through central Washington with the windows down in the middle of July.

10Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo: Throw verse-chorus-verse songwriting out the window and easily draws you in. When Kurt Vile speaks; you listen.
09Widowspeak - Widowspeak: Yes it copies Mazzy Star's formula, but if Mazzy Star is going to release 3 albums and leave so much untapped potential for 15 years, then someone has to finish the job(and a reunion tour plus a single isn't going to cut it).
08Tammar - Visits: The rock drone of Stereolab is back with Tammar, they can keep a song moving and build on a repetitive rhythm without getting boring.
07Whalebones - Whalebones: These guys sound like it's the 60's and they're hitchhiking their way from Seattle to Woodstock while playing some bars along the way to support their diet of beer and weed.
06Cuckoo Chaos - Woman: Unexpected release that comes out of left-field. It's Math-rock played with restraint and without the pretentiousness of math-rock bands.

05My Goodness - My Goodness: This is everything the Black Keys should be.
04Boris - Heavy Rocks: Art-metal band consistently delivers and releases whatever is on their agenda. With 3 releases this year, this one comes out on top.
03Moon Duo - Mazes: Great album that expands on the frontman of Wooden Shjips's limited sound. Can hear a lot of inspiration from the 80's indie scene and New York art-punk scene here.
02Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital: Anthemic, heart on your sleeve, guitar-driven rock...without guitars! Genious!
01Cotton Jones - Tall Hours in the Glowstream: The familiarity of all the great artists from the 60's shines on this album while still being able to shine bring songs that are beautiful and fresh. If this album were food, it would be the best comfort food out there. This album is a good listen for any time of the year and anyday of the week.

Lifted

i know i'll probably forget at least one album, but i think this is pretty close to my top ten as of now.

1. wilco - the whole love
2. bright eyes - the people's key
3. my morning jacket - circuital
4. the antlers - burst apart
5. the roots - undun
6. bill callahan - apocalypse
7. kurt vile - smoke ring for my halo
8. thurston moore - demolished thoughts
9. gillian welch - harrow and the harvest
10. atlas sound - parallax

he.who.forgets

In no particular order:
Middle Brother - S/T
MMJ - Circuital
Deer Tick - Divine Providence
The Black Keys - El Camino
My Goodness - My Goodness
Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
J Roddy Walston & The Business - S/T
Wilco - The Whole Love
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Portugal. the Man - In the Mountain, In the CLoud

No Coder

EV- Uke Songs
Cornell - Songbook - LOVE, LOVE This album.
Busby Marou - S/T - GREAT ALBUM!!
City and Colour - Little Hell
The Black Keys - El Camino
The Jezebels - Prisoner
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Evil J and Saint Cecelia - Strange Beast

DiRtyFranK38

in no order:

screaming trees - last words
my morning jacket - circuital
chris cornell - songbook
eddie vedder - ukelele songs
jay-z and kanye west - watch the throne
talib kweli - gutter rainbows
radiohead - the king of limbs
the black keys - el camino
foo fighters - wasting light
the roots - undun

and one that i KNOW will make this list comes out in two days...common - the dreamer/the believer

skeetopunk01

My top 10 Favs of 2011:

1). Metallica - Beyond Magnetic
2). Screaming Trees - Last Words
3). Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
4). Face to Face - Laugh Now Laugh Later
5). Machine Head - Unto The Locust
6). Most Precious Blood - Do Not Resuscitate
7). Meat Puppets - Lollipop
8). Chris Cornell - Songbook
9). Hands - Give Me Rest
10). Rival Schools - Pedals

jshin

J Mascis, Several Shades of Why
-Dreamers of The Ghetto, Enemy/Lover
-Wooden Shjips, West
-Bonnie Prince Billy & The Phantom Family Halo, The Mindeater
-Young Widows, In & Out of Youth & Lightness
-Thurston Moore, Demolished Thoughts
-Blitzen Trapper, American Goldwing
-Bitch Magnet reissues(all three in one package)
-Earth, Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1(cant wait for part 2 in Feb.)

So many more that I haven't even had the time or money to get into yet.. It's been a great year for music.

theserialthrilla

have we forgotten

noel gallagher high flying birds
http://www.thekills.tv/ loved this album

ikiT

Eddie Vedder--Ukulele Songs
Paul Simon--So Beautiful or So What
Radiohead--The King of Limbs
Pearl Jam--Live on Ten Legs
Pearl Jam--Pearl Jam Twenty Soundtrack acoustic #1 (demo 1991) WOW
Jay-Z Kanye West--Watch the Throne
Beastie Boys--Hot Sauce Committee Part 2

are these middle of the road selections?
I'm SO OLD...but I got my SWAGGA back

DewieCox

DewieCox wrote:

Puscifer/Conditions of My Parole- my low expectations may have propelled this to the top, but it's really a great album

MMJ/Circuital-easily my most listened to new album from this year, still love it...I've also enjoyed getting into another of their albums a bit more, chiefly At Dawn

Wilco/The Whole Love-Haven't listened to this one a ton, but it's fantastic...also just really started digging into WIlco this year, fell in love with Yankee Foxtrot Hotel and Sky Blue Sky as well

White Stripes/Live In Mississippi-live album from a great live band...I thought their other live album was a let down and the warts-and-all approach of this one is much more appealing.


Some personal faves not released, compiled, or re-released in 2011
Pink Floyd/DSOTM, Wish You Were Here- the live/demo stuff is so cool...I always find this stuff a bit of a letdown ala PJ20 soundtrack.

2010 3rd Man Records Singles compilation-blew me away last year and it delivered again...good variety of tunes that stays pretty cohesive for all the different styles.

Dr. Dog/Shame, Shame- probably the album I listened to most, especially lately...I urge everybody that hasn't to check these guys out, live or studio stuff...They trumped MMJ 2x, Wilco at an amazing venue and PJ20 day 2 as my favorite show of the year

Add Rich Robinson's Through a Crooked Sun to this list....Just now really giving this one time :oops: but man it's good stuff.

eeriepadave

Didn't the Dr. Dog album come out in 2010?

jshin

eeriepadave wrote:

Didn't the Dr. Dog album come out in 2010?

Yeah,it did... Can't wait for the new one in Feb..

jjflash

he.who.forgets wrote:

My Goodness - My Goodness

I hear ya man ! For those that aren't familiar w/ this album...go get it...it's got some serious jams from start to finish. One of the year's best and most overlooked IMHO.

DewieCox

eeriepadave wrote:

Didn't the Dr. Dog album come out in 2010?

Yeah, that's why I put this above those.

"Some personal faves not released, compiled, or re-released in 2011"

intodeep

he.who.forgets wrote:

J Roddy Walston & The Business - S/T

This one came out in 2010. It is a great album though

jjflash

Albums come and albums go. Some stick around like friends you'll always know.

10. Rich Robinson -- Through a Crooked Sun
9. Tom Waits -- Bad As Me
8. Dawes -- Nothing Is Wrong
7. Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues
6. My Morning Jacket -- Circuital
5. The Black Keys -- El Camino (early returns...but, yeah, it's all the hype and then some)
4. Radiohead -- King of Limbs
3. My Goodness -- S/T
2. Bon Iver -- S/T
1. Wilco --The Whole Love

Black Diamond

Off the Top of My Head (No particular order)

MMJ - Circuital
Wilco - The Whole Love
Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
Tres Mts - Tres Mts
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Adele - 21
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
The Black Keys - El Camino
James Blake - James Blake
Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation

LukinFan

In no particular order:

Ben Harper - Give Till It's Gone
Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Black Keys - El Camino
JJ Grey and Mofro - Brighter Days (Live)
Middle Brother - Middle Brother
Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire
RHCP - I'm With You

EZ1221C

Black Diamond wrote:

Off the Top of My Head (No particular order)
Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

good call on these two. Fucked Up is awesome.

PHATJ

1. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
2. Black Keys, The - El Camino
3. Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
4. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
5. Angels and Airwaves - Love pt.2
6. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
7. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
8. Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
9. Chris Cornell - Songbook
10. Blink 182 - Neighborhoods
11. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
12. Mute Math - Odd Soul
13. Soundgarden - Live on I-5
14. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
15. Tapes 'N Tapes - Outside
16. Cage The Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday
17. The Antlers - Burst Apart
18. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
19. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
20. Mike Doughty - Yes and Also Yes

I chose to not include albums that I felt didn't fight the criteria (ie. PJ20 Soundtrack, R.E.M. - Part Lies..., etc.). I still haven't listened to a number of new releases that I would have liked to this year (Richard Ashcroft, Tori Amos, The Decemberists, Robert Plant, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Switchfoot to name some).

Three of the worst albums I heard this year:
1. Owl City - All Things Bright and Beautiful (maybe the worst CD I have ever purchased. WTF was I thinking?)
2. Cake - Showroom of Compassion (This really disappointed me. I used to love Cake. This album sounds tired and boring in every way.)
3. Bush - The Sea of Memories (They should have just called this a Gavin solo album. It has none of the fun punch early Bush had. Terribly lyrically. Boring musically. Totally lame all together.)

goldrush

goldrush wrote:

1. Screaming Trees – Last Words. Just awesome!
2. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2. Way better than I expected it to be!
3. The Black Keys – El Camino. This may have been my #1 if it had come out earlier.
4. R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now. Their best album since New Adventures, easily my most played of 2011
5. Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps. More Dulli gold.

6. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
7. Wilco – The Whole Love
8. The Kills – Blood Pressures
9. Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You

11. Horrible Crowes - Elsie
12. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
13. Eddie Vedder – Ukulele Songs
14. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
15. Tres Mts – Tres Mts
16. Matthew Good – Lights Of Endangered Species
17. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
18. J Mascis – Several Shades Of Why
19. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
20. Shawn Smith – Sunshine

I completely forgot Joseph Arthur's "Graduation Ceremony" album - d'oh! I think Shawn just got bumped from my top 20

jammerfall

1.Foo Fighters
Wasting Light

2.R.E.M.
Collapse Into Now

3.The Decemberists
The King is Dead

4.Adele
21

5.Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs
Alone In This Together

intodeep

1 Middle Brother- S/T
2 Wild Flag- S/T
3 Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
4 Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring for my Halo
5 Boxer Rebellion- The Cold Still

6 Decemberist- King is Dead
7 Dawes-Nothing is Wrong
8 M83-Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
9 Rural Alberta Advantage- Departing
10 Gillian Welch- The Harrow and the Harvest

11 Amon Amarth- Surter Rising
12 We Were Promised Jet Packs- In the Pitt of the Stomach
13 TV on the Radio- 9 alps
14 My Morning Jacket- Circutial
15 Fucked Up- David Comes to Life

samjam

Gotta add Wild Flag to my list earlier, just getting around to listening to them now and I'm in love! So much fun and really very good!