The Top 50 Albums of 2011 January 23, 2012
Posted by Richard Bolisay in Music, Yearender.trackback
Truth: it was the year when I listened to too many albums. I checked my notebook and realized that I listened to five new albums every week in 2011. I couldn’t help it. I needed things to occupy my time and found these records. I devoured them like a madman, re-listening to them on my way to the office or back home, when I had my lunch, waited at airports, traveled on a bus or jeepney, took the train, walked to nowhere. These albums had been wonderful companions through the good and the bad, carrying me through the rough times and keeping me sane. I neglected books and movies because of them, and to what end? A certain kind of happiness, bittersweet, heavy, and forgiving. In Peter Silberman’s words, I was “pulled together but about to burst apart, rolled together with a burning paper heart.” Sappy yet true.
Below is a summary of the finest records I loved and continue to love from last year. Links to songs are provided, as well as a few notes on other stuff. Do listen to them if you have the time.
HONORABLE MENTION
WOLFROY GOES TO TOWN, Bonnie “Prince” Billy
NO TIME FOR DREAMING, Charles Bradley
LAST SUMMER, Eleanor Friedberger
SOUND KAPITAL, Handsome Furs
HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART 2, Beastie Boys
LA JOVEN DOLORES, Christina Rosenvinge
NOSTALGIA, ULTRA, Frank Ocean
YUCK, Yuck
EL CAMINO, The Black Keys
THE KING IS DEAD, The Decemberists
50. NO COLOR, Dodos
49. HEARTS, I Break Horses
48. UNDUN, The Roots
47. OPUS EPONYMOUS, Ghost
46. TAMER ANIMALS, Other Lives
45. 12 DESPERATE STRAIGHT LINES, Telekinesis
44. DYE IT BLONDE, Smith Westerns
43. ONEIROLOGY, CunninLynguists
42. SAFARI DISCO CLUB, Yelle
41. IMPOSSIBLE SPACES, Sandro Perri
40. TOMBOY, Panda Bear
39. TAKE CARE, TAKE CARE, TAKE CARE, Explosions in the Sky
38. GLOSS DROP, Battles
37. CIRCUITAL, My Morning Jacket
36. LAST NIGHT ON EARTH, Noah and the Whale
35. BLANCK MASS, Blanck Mass
34. FADING PARADE, Papercuts
33. SMOTHER, Wild Beasts
32. STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS, David Bazan
31. HELPLESSNESS BLUES, Fleet Foxes
30. THE MAGIC PLACE, Julianna Barwick
29. ARABIA MOUNTAIN, Black Lips
28. TURTLENECK & CHAIN, The Lonely Island
27. SKY FULL OF HOLES, Fountains of Wayne
26. PARALLAX, Atlas Sound
25. A CREATURE I DON’T KNOW, Laura Marling
24. BLACK UP, Shabazz Palaces
23. NOTHING IS WRONG, Dawes
22. SKYING, The Horrors
21. HURRY UP, WE’RE DREAMING, M83
20. THE KING OF LIMBS
Radiohead
[XL]
Listen: “Codex,” “Lotus Flower”
19. LEAVE HOME
The Men
[Sacred Bones]
Listen: “If You Leave…” “Bataille”
18. WIT’S END
Cass McCombs
[Domino]
LSS: “County Line,” “The Lonely Doll”
17. WASTING LIGHT
Foo Fighters
[Roswell]
Listen: “Arlandria,” “Back and Forth”
16. APOCALYPSE
Bill Callahan
[Drag City]
Listen: “America!” “Riding for the Feeling”
15. SUCK IT AND SEE
Arctic Monkeys
[Domino]
Listen: “She’s Thunderstorms,” “Love is a Laserquest”
14. SKYLINE
Yann Tiersen
[Mute]
Listen: “Forgive Me,” “Exit 25 Block 20″
13. DAVID COMES TO LIFE
Fucked Up
[Matador]
Listen: “Queen of Hearts,” “The Other Shoe”
12. RAVEDEATH, 1972
Tim Hecker
[Kranky]
Listen: “The Piano Drop,” “Analog Paralysis, 1978″
11. NINE TYPES OF LIGHT
TV on the Radio
[Interscope]
Listen: “Will Do,” “No Future Shock”
10. ECHOES OF SILENCE
The Weeknd
[XO]
Listen: “D.D.” “XO/The Host”
9. NAPOLEONETTE
Matthew Friedberger
[Thrill Jockey]
Listen: “What A Weird Weird Weird Weird,” “Shirley”
8. AESTHETHICA
Liturgy
[Thrill Jockey]
Listen: “Generation,” “Glory Bronze”
7. COIN COIN CHAPTER ONE: GENS DE COULEUR LIBRES
Matana Roberts
[Constellation]
Listen: “Libation for for Mr. Brown: Bid Em In…” “How Much Would You Cost?”
6. TAPE CLUB
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
[Polyvinyl]
Listen: “Dead Right (Wilmington Demo)” “Cardinal Rules”
5. NEW BRIGADE
Iceage
[What's Your Rupture?]
Listen: “White Rune,” “Remember”
4. D
White Denim
[Downtown]
Listen: “Is and Is and Is,” “Street Joy”
3. PAST LIFE MARTYRED SAINTS
EMA
[Souterrain Transmissions]
Listen: “California,” “Milkman”
2. BURST APART
The Antlers
[Frenchkiss]
Listen: “I Don’t Want Love,” “Putting the Dog to Sleep”
1. LET ENGLAND SHAKE
PJ Harvey
[Vagrant]
Listen: “The Words that Maketh Murder,” “In The Dark Places”
BEST EPs
HALLS EP, Halls
AN ARGUMENT WITH MYSELF, Jens Lekman
OH SUNSHINE, Oh Sunshine
GUARDS EP, Guards
WHAT A PLEASURE, Beach Fossils
QUADRUPLE SINGLE EP, Big Business
BEST OST
DRIVE, Cliff Martinez
SUBMARINE, Alex Turner
THEY’RE OK, BUT….
BON IVER, Bon Iver
FATHER SON HOLY GHOST, Girls
GO TELL FIRE TO THE MOUNTAIN, Wu Lyf
LOOPING STATE OF MIND, The Field
WATCH THE THRONE, Jay-Z and Kanye West
CULTS, Cults
DAYS, Real Estate
METALS, Feist
THE ENGLISH RIVIERA, Metronomy
EYE CONTACT, Gang Gang Dance
BEST SONGS NOT ON THE ALBUMS LIST
“SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW,” Gotye feat. Kimbra
“MEASUREMENTS,” James Blake
“LOTS SOMETIMES,” Glasvegas
“THE DAILY MAIL,” Radiohead
“MEET ME IN MIRAMAS,” Matthew Friedberger
“BABY MISSILES,” The War on Drugs
“QUANTUM LEAP,” John Maus
“ROMANCE,” Wild Flag
“WHERE I’M WAKING,” Slow Club
“I FOLLOW RIVERS,” Lykke Li
“ORIGINAL SPIN,” Mother Mother
“LIPPY KIDS,” Elbow
“BRAIN ON A TABLE,” An Horse
“HOW CAN YOU LUV ME,” Unknown Mortal Orchestra
“SHOULDA,” Jamie Woon
“BUBBLE POP!” Hyuna
“HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE,” The Rapture
“SANTA FE,” Beirut
“UNDERNEATH THE SYCAMORE,” Death Cab for Cutie
“WAKE AND BE FINE,” Okkervil River
“ME AND LAZARUS,” Iron and Wine
“BLUE EYES,” Destroyer
BEST CONCERT ATTENDED
THE NATIONAL at the Esplanade in Singapore, November 6, 2011. A trip worth taking and a dream come true. Everything about it is made of happiness and fun and sad memories and getting high.
Wow. great list Chard. Cults and Girls are in my top 10 siguro. but haven’t heard 5 albums from your top 10.
Thanks, Jay. Let me know when your list is up. Di ba may Youth Lagoon? :P
Which track from the Girls’ album is your favorite?
ang dami mong napakinggan. nakakalula ehhehe
napaghahalataang malungkot at subsob sa pakikinig. haha. post mo na yung iyo!
ayoko. it’s too pop-ish. hahaha. yeah, bakit wala kang YL? I like Vomit the most i think. sa Girls album.
may mas pa-pop pa ba sa songs list ko na may charice at angeline quinto? haha. gusto ko yung honey bunny at die kaso nakakatulugan ko talaga siya. ooops.
napost ko na yung fave songs ko :D
Where is beyonce’s 4? :D
I love cliff Martinez sounds. Kung magkaka-soundtrack ang buhay ko, sana sya ang magscore.
Wow, I didn’t know 2011 was that great for music. Man am I stuck in the past! Very informative post.
Carl: yep, saw it, in parts! The Antlers <3 (can't comment 'cause it's on Tumblr)
Pat: in the spirit of fairness, Beyonce is on the songs list. hehe. ang cool naman ng life mo! love cliff martinez.
Gone flying a kite: it was a great year! by the way, i like your blog :)
shet ang ganda nga ng white denim. i have to re-do my top 12 LOL
YUP GANDA GANDA. Lakas ng tama. It keeps getting more beautiful every listen. Paborito ko yung “Is and Is and Is.”
Wow. Saang sulok mo natagpuan si Matana Roberts. Nakalimutan ko bigla si Esperanza Spalding. Ibang klaseng jazz, whew.
Sa pagbabasa ng mga music sites. Ang galing niya no? Maraming eklat at palabok yung arrangements (to the point na masakit na sa tainga) pero nakakaiyak yung mga kanta.
i like the playfulness. feeling ko nakakalimutan ng jazz artist to be playful and adventurous. after all that’s what jazz is all about diba. or baka di lang talaga jazz yun. hahaha