Top Albums of 2011

This is my first post in over a year, but I figure its probably best to keep the list tradition up if nothing else. So without further adieu, here is my list for the top 25 albums of 2011. I should also note that the first 5-7 albums were HIGHLY interchangeable; meaning 2010 was a highly top heavy music year. Also, sorry this is two months late...

25. The Kills - Blood Pressures

Given that Karen O and Yeah Yeah Yeahs didn't release an album this year, this will be the surrogate hard rocking female lead singer substitute album of the year. All that aside, this is a great album that's made me go revisit their past albums. This isn't going to blow your socks off during the first listen, but after a few listens you start to realize Alison Mosshart isn't faking this, she's damn good.

Top Tracks: Future Starts Slow, The Last Goodbye, Satellite

24. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness

Quickly becoming one of my favorite bands out there by continuing to put out fantastic album after fantastic album, Los Campesinos! didn't quite keep up with their previously established momentum; but this is still a damn good album. I'm not quite sure if it's their proximity, musically, to a combination of The New Pornographers and The Polyphonic Spree, but this collection of Welsh pop stars puts out damn good music...so much so even Budweiser enlisted them for a series of commercials, including this awesome one...for whatever that's worth.

Top Tracks: By Your Hand, Hello Sadness, To Tundra

23. The Strokes - Angles

This is their first album since they took an "extensive break" in 2008, and though this doesn't reach the levels that Is This It and Room on Fire set, it's certainly a step in the right direction. There are some vintage-Strokes songs on this album that remind you they've still got that talent that once crowned them the new "saviors of rock", but it's bogged down by a few filler tracks between. All in all, it's a great album and I'm glad to have one of my favorite bands back together making great music...although Julian Casablancas did put out a killer solo album in 2009.

Top Tracks: Under Cover of Darkness, Taken for a Fool, Two Kinds of Happiness

22. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

This says it's a pie chart, it's shaped like a square. Who did that?

I mentioned before that with Karen O's absence this year Alison Mosshart would be the fill-in this year; however, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs comparisons are probably a lot more accurate to Wild Flag. This album is reminiscent of early 90s punk with a twist of greaser rock, but what really distinguishes them is the fact that Mary Timony can wail on the guitar.

Top Tracks: Romance, Short Version, Endless Talk

21. The Decemberists - The King is Dead

A more Americana album than their typical folk almost-Irish style, however it remains as hyper-literate as ever. It's not my favorite of their catalog, but it remains a great album.

Best Tracks: Rox in the Box, This is Why We Fight, Down by the Water

20. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Let me start by saying this is a great album, and if this was Fleet Foxes first album this would be a hell of a first album. Okay, that's out of the way. This was one of my biggest disappointments of the year, after their self titled album in 2008 (which was #5 on my top 25 that year) I really had high hopes for this sophomore effort. I'm hoping this is one of those cases of growing to love it over time, but I can say that it just doesn't stand up against their first album.

Top Tracks: Helplessness Blues, Grown Ocean, Sim Sala Bim

19. Frank Turner - England, Keep my Bones

Now who'd have thought, that after all, something as simple as rock n' roll would save us all...

Another late comer to my music listening in 2011, but I've had about five tracks from this album in fairly constant replay on the iPhone over the past several weeks. This album reminds me of a British Bruce Springsteen with a twist of Flogging Molly and The Hold Steady. It's really a great album that's pretty hard not to listen to and find at least a few tracks you'd really like.

Top Tracks - I Still Believe, Glory Hallelujah, Peggy Sang the Blues (Acoustic), Wanderlust

18. The Vaccines - What Did you Expect from the Vaccines?

From what I remember this was one of the more anticipated albums of 2011 coming into the year. It's a great rock album that sounds completely familiar and yet completely different at the same time. At one moment its borrowing sounds from Interpol (Post Break-Up Sex) the next song they're borrowing from 60's pop-rock (Norgaard). There's a lot to take in on this album, and it's a pretty satisfying listening experience overall, I'm very excited to hear what their sophomore effort sounds like.

Top Tracks - Post Break-Up Sex, If You Wanna, Wolf Pack

17. Wilco - The Whole Love

What's that? Do I know this is a Wilco album? Yes, yes I do. Come again? Oh, yes I meant to have it outside of my top ten this year. Well, for the first time since I've started with these lists (2006), I've placed a Wilco album out of the top ten. Why you ask? Simple. It sounds like they're running a formula to develop their songs at this point. Now I should clarify as this formula still somehow generates some damn good songs, but come on guys. I long for the days of ELT and Jesus, etc. And I don't know if this is just a really strong year for music, or if I have yet to identify with this album, or something else but for those who don't know Wilco is one of the "Sweet Six" top bands in my life, so this is kind of a big deal...One Sunday Morning is a helluva track still though.

Top Tracks: I Might, One Sunday Morning, Born Alone

16. Das Racist - Relax

"B*tches lickin' on the d*ck like it's Mr. Softee..."

Remember these guys? "I'm at the Pizza Hut, I'm at the Taco Bell..." Then they grew up a little and somehow roped Jay-Z into their first full album. Now here we are with their second full release and while it isn't quite as good as Sit Down, Man it's pretty effing amazing. I can't think of another group like these guys. You can't really tell if they're serious with lyrics like "Yo, I'm good at rapping..." but then they blow you away with songs like Power. They're a pretty polarizing band but I find it pretty hard not to love them.

Top Tracks - Power, Rainbow in the Dark, Brand New Dance

15. Peter Bjorn and John - Gimme Some

The originators of my theory that all you need to do is have a good hook with whistling in a song and you'll have a hit on your hands with Young Folks. Now it seems there's a ton of bands that have adopted that whistle model, the most recent of course being Foster the People. This is a great follow up after what I considered a flop in 2008's Living Thing. It's nice to see them getting back to their melodic roots.

Top Tracks - Dig A Little Deeper, Second Chance, Eyes

14. Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

These guys have been on my radar for a while, and I still to this day regret not seeing them for $7 at the Galaxy Theater last year. This is another solid album from a great rock band that continues to put out good solid rock albums. Mostly a mix of Black Kids with The Black Keys and a little bit of NROP. Another member of the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" philosophy, but maybe the least appreciated member.

Top Tracks: Modern Art, Don't Mess Up My Baby, Raw Meat

13. Sonny and the Sunsets - Hit After Hit

Bow, bow, bow, bow, bow...

One of a few first time entries to the Top Albums of the Year list, Sonny and the Sunsets was a late comer to my listening this year, but since the first listen it has been in heavy regular rotation on Spotify. This is an excellent example of one of the major trends in Pop/Rock music--the "surf revival". It's hard not to hear echoes of Brian Wilson or Bo Diddley when listening to this album.

Top Tracks: Reflections on Youth, She Plays Yo Yo with My Mind, Girls Beware

12. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

It's Radiohead. Really that's about it. It's not my favorite album by them by any means, but I know without a doubt if I ranked it lower I'd want it ranked higher two years from now when this album really sinks in with me. There's certainly some great tracks here but compared to In Rainbows I think it's a step back...for now.

Top Tracks: Lotus Flower, Morning Mr Magpie, Bloom

11. Bright Eyes - The People's Key

Conor Oberst has been a bit off the radar for a while, after going solo and suspending Bright Eyes a year or so back. He's back and basically picked up right where 2007's Cassadaga left off, but reinfused with those great depressing sounding lyrics and crescendos he's been so great at cranking out since Fevers and Mirrors. Anyone who's been a fan of their past albums will be pretty happy with this one, it's good to have them back.

Top Tracks: Shell Games, Jejune Stars, Ladder Song

10. Mayer Hawthorne - How Do You Do?

So long, you did me wrong...

Another solid piece in the growing movement of the modern Motown revival. Pretty hard not to love this album from first listen. Also a great video below, if that's what Mr. & Mrs. Smith was really like I might have been a little more interested the first time around...

Best Tracks: The Walk, You Called Me, Hooked

09. The Features - Wilderness

A great band out of Tennessee that brings a bit of that North Mississippi All Stars southern drawl to a more contemporary style of rock. The lead singer sounds a lot like Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, etc.) so I have a bit of an extra soft spot for this band given my love of Soundgarden in a previous life. These guys should certainly appeal to anyone who's a fan of Tapes N' Tapes, Cold War Kids, Raconteurs, etc. I suggest giving it a few listens before judging it for yourself, I know I had to...yet another "grower". Sorry for the video below, turns out I can't find a music video for them.

Top Tracks: Kids, Rambo, Big Mama Gonna Whip Us Good

08. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

When I first heard this album, I thought this is a guaranteed lock for album of the year, and depending on what type of mood I'm in it really could be. Another member of the "who the hell is this band" club for me prior to this year, this album has been in regular rotation on Spotify for me for a solid year. They don't really sound like any one band in particular, but they do sound like a congregation of a lot of the top bands out there right now. This was one of those good from the first listen albums for me, hopefully you find it the same.

Top Tracks: Weekend, End of the Night, Only One, Smile, Dye the World...(whole album)

07. Battles - Gloss Drop

This was the early contender for my album of the year, not to say that there's anything wrong with it now that would have caused it to drop to #7, as I've said before these top 7 albums really were highly interchangeable. These guys are pioneers in what I coined to be the genre of NROP (Noise, Rock-Pop) with 2007's Mirrored. They're back with Gloss Drop picking up right where they left off. There's some seriously fantastic tracks on this album and it's another great piece in their NROP catalog. Just a warning, the video below looks like it could be NSFW but it's all good.

Top Tracks: Ice Cream, Africastle, Dominican Fade

06. A.A. Bondy - Believers

This was supposed to be Radiohead's spot, where are they and who the hell is this? This, is what I consider to be one of the most talented bands only recently discovered by me. I've been listening to this album for a solid four months and I'll be honest, this will be in my rotation for years to come. I've recently begun listening to their older stuff and I love that too. I'm not sure what it is that really does it for me with this band, but the ambiance and overall feeling you get by listening to them is highly effective. Seriously get out and grab this album ASAP.

Top Tracks: Down in the Fire (Lost Sea), The Heart is Willing, Surfer King

05. Sondre Lerche - Sondre Lerche

This year's award for highest ranked folkish type musician goes to a Norwegian. This is a great album from start to finish, a few overall standouts, but really just solid from track to track. He borrows well from his past contemporaries in Ben Folds that ilk, while managing to keep the songs and overall sound from sounding dated. Also he does a great cover of a Pete Townshend song.

Top Tracks: Domino, Richochet, Coliseum Town

04. Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L

What's a boy to do if he'll never be a gangsta...

Perfect example of why the top seven or so albums on this list are so highly interchangeable--at least to me. This albums f*cking crushes it, BUT I still couldn't convince myself to put it ahead of Watch the Throne. Depending on the week this could be my most listened, or even one week my only listened to, album. This album is like a combination of Vampire Weekend with M.I.A. and Das Racist, in other words it's real f*cking sweet.

Top Tracks: Gangsta, Powa, My Country, Bizness

03. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne

What she order? Fish Fillet?

Really? If you have to ask why this is this high you've got bigger problems and rather than reading this worthless drivel you should be searching on WebMD, going to the ailment discovery section, click on the person's head, and then sort diseases by rarity because chances are you're missing something. From the start of this album it kicks your ass right in the earhole. My ONLY real issue with this whole album is track 2 Lift Off, it's incredibly weak relative to the rest of the songs and is actually highly disruptive to the flow of the rest of the album. If it weren't for the second half of the album's drop off relative to the first half this would have to be the consensus number one album of the year, but either way #3 ain't that cray.

Top Tracks: No Church in the Wild, Ni**as in Paris, Otis, Gotta Have It

02. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

One of my early favorites of the year, I still have it in heavy rotation even several months later. A lot of highly listenable songs and a lot of variety on styling from song to song, this couples very well with their last effort Album but is a much more musically impressive effort. This is most likely a polarizing choice but after spending so much time with this list I couldn't knock this down any lower so this is where she be. I suggest popping this on and playing it loud from beginning to end, then repeating. It's fantastic.

Top Tracks: Vomit, Die, Honey Bunny, Forgiveness

01. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Admittedly I'm a late comer to this band, and given my relative from my old home to his current home (Minneapolis to Eau Claire) this is somewhat surprising. I had mentioned back in 2009 that their song Blood Bank was one of my top songs of the year, #15 to be exact, but either didn't follow up with them much or forgot about them until this year. This is easily my most listened to album of the year, and a highly memorable listen. This album gives me the same listening experience I get when listening to Sigur Ros albums--though not sung in hopelandic. I think the video shown here for Holocene is highly fitting and captures the beauty of the song (and really the rest of the album) with simplicity. It's certainly what I would classify as a "grower" but it's a fantastic album that you'll be grateful you allowed to metastasize into your rotation.

Top Tracks: Perth, Minnesota, WI, Holocene, Lisbon, OH