Thursday, December 29, 2011

Favorite albums of 2011

Not as strong as 2010 but the top music was still GREAT!

1.  Cloud Nothings- "Cloud Nothings"
Imagine being on an intense, hook-filled, pop/punk sugar rush for 28 minutes! You will play it again and again and again and again...


2.  Lykke Li - "Wounded Rhymes"
Phil Spector meets Swedish ice queen and sparks fly! From the pounding "Get Some" to the melancholy of "Sadness is a Blessing" it's a glorious trip!

3.  The Joy Formidable - "The Big Roar"
Never has there been a more aptly named album. Guitarist/singer/ human dynamo Ritzy Bryan and co. create a crushingly melodic wall of noise!

4. The Black Keys - "El Camino"
Test drive this van and throw those Grammys out the window! This is the most rockin' Black Keys album in years!


5.  Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Belong"
Their second album is full of more fuzzed-out melodic pop. Just gets better and better with repeated listening (uh-oh, I may have to move it up a place).


6.  Cults - "Cults"
There's enough beautifully souped up retro girl group music here to hold you over until the next "Best Coast" album. Nice!



7.  Yuck - "Yuck"
England's latest indie-rock darlings debut is heavily influenced by Dinosaur Jr. and their 90s like but in the best way with strong songs and buzzing guitar.


8.  R.E.M. - "Collapse Into Now"
My favorite band has never disappointed me and they bow out in style. Thanks for the incredible musical ride guys!


9.  Fleet Foxes - "Helplessness Blues"
Robin Pecknold crafts another set of heartmeltingly beautiful songs in the vein of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

10.  Real Estate - "Days" 
Strong sophomore effort has Real Estate spinning dreamy 6-string pop.


Honorable Mention - Dum Dum Girls - "Only In Dreams", Atlas Sound - "Parallax", Decemberists - "The King is Dead", Death Cab For Cutie - "Codes & Keys", Fountains of Wayne - "Sky Full of Holes", TV on the Radio - "Nine Types of Light"




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