2011 Year In Music - Top 15 Albums

As I mentioned in a previous post, 2011 was a year of few stone cold classics, but very deep with good records. Here's the 15 best.

15. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes: my favorite thing about this Swedish import is her mediocre use of English metaphors. Somehow their simplicity makes them more powerful. Stand out track (SOT) = Get Some

14. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs: I hated this album the first time I listened to it. Much more abrasive than the previous In Rainbows, it is dense and rewarding listen after listen. They are true masters. SOT = Give Up The Ghost

13. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin': Really nails the late 60s Motown sound (think Papa Was A Rolling Stone) while still sounding fresh. Also, my favorite album cover of the year. The expressions of his mythical high school gym crowd each create a story. SOT = Go To Hell

12. Washed Out - Within and Without: Chillwave's bible, this album is my soundtrack to the oppressive heat of 2011 in Dallas. My first concert was Howard Jones way back in the mid 80s. This album reminds me of that sound in all it's synth glory. SOT = Amor Fati

11. Drake - Take Care: I wanted to hate this album because I've never cared for Drake's voice when rapping. But the wonderfully dark production, and super catchy hooks make this one great for driving around the city. SOT = We'll Be Fine

10. The Weeknd - House of Balloons: How can a guy in this day and age remain as mysterious as this in our social media society? Hiding in the shadows of fame works so well to make this R&B slow burner that much more decadent. This party does not end well. Just enjoy the train wreck. SOT = What You Need

9. The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love: I'm a total sucker for the DFA sound. So glad these guys figured out how to keep the LCD Soundsystem flag flying after their retirement. While there are some stumbles on the album, it's still worth rockin out to as loud as possible. SOT = How Deep Is Your Love

8. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire: Ashes is a apt title, as this album does feel like a Phoenix rising to its full glory. Ryan was shooting blanks for a few years. This album reminds you that at his best, he spins Americana gold. The way this one sounds different than his classics from the previous decade is he sounds confident and content. That makes for love songs that have a warm, soft grace. SOT = Do I Wait

7. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation: This delicate bedroom hazy dream is just what you need on a lonely night. It takes you floating above the world low enough you can hear the conversations of those below, but high enough no one will ever notice you. Bedroom production at its finest. SOT = 17

6. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming: There are a lot of nit-picky issues I have with this one. It's too long, doesn't exude reckless abandon like precious M83 albums, and suffers some from muddled lyrics. That being said, it was my favorite album to listen to this year while playing with my son. The innocence it conveys is as miraculous as a Yo Gabba Gabba episode. And some of the softer moments really pull at my heart strings, as I hope my kids can hold on to the wonderment on display here for as long as this world will let them. SOT = Midnight City

5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver: This really is a gorgeous album. But releasing it during the hottest summers here in Dallas did not do it justice. It is meant for cold, dreary days, and seems to fall apart when a 100 degree sun hits it. But as we've settled into more fitting days, my love for this album has grown. It's probably the best produced album of the year with layer opinion layer making you feel the madness of winter isolation. SOT = Wash.

4. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead: The best REM album since Automatic For The People. I feel the band finally reached their potential by killing the prog-rock tendencies and just creating straight-ahead American Indie Rock. By keeping this one simple, they made a work much more emotionally charged with both Shiny/Happy and Country Feedback moments that their past rock operas strived for. SOT = This Is Why We Fight

3. Danger Mouse & Daniele Lippi - Rome: I never thought Dallas native Norah Jones would end up on my Best Of list. This is the magic of Danger Mouse. His production is aways so singularly precise in capturing his intended vision, even schmaltzy sold jazz crooners turn into soft sirens. Then, throw in Jack White here and there giving his best vocal performance in years, and you've got a dream come true. Who says you need film to create a great movie? Don't tell that to Danger Mouse. He's proven you don't. SOT = Black

2. Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne: True Story - I was sitting at a red light the other day, going ape shit while listening to N***as In Paris to the point that the woman ahead of me got out of her car to give me a standing ovation. Now, I've been blasting music in my car and making a fool of myself while feeling it for 20 years. But that was a first. That's the moment this album became my second favorite of the year. It may not be either Jay or Kanye's best, but there is something massive about it that makes it feel like the closest thing Hip Hop will ever give us to Led Zeppelin. And to all the critics that moan about it's 1%er tendencies, please take a deeper listen. These guys have made it, and deserve a victory lap to show the path and celebrate black excellence. They are the blueprint. SOT = N***as In Paris (Also best track of the year)

1. Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L: When the history books are written about 2011, if the story is told with an ounce of honesty, it will be one dark, mean, fearful, clusterfuck of a tale. A dysfunctional government looking out for profits over people, shouting from all sides of the political spectrum that was more like pissing in the wind than productive, and true fear we will raise a generation worse off than the previous one for the first time in our nations bright history. That's how I'll remember the macro story of this year, and W H O K I L L will be the quirky, defiant soundtrack I choose to remember it by.
Much like Joel Strummer, Merrill Garbus makes political theater ridiculously fun. Her voice is an instrument in of itself with massive range of highs, lows, aggression and sensitivity. Her songs are anthems for a generation that has lost faith in its leaders, but gladly will take ownership of the future. This album is the definition of the #occupy movement summed up in 40 minutes. So go forth and dance the protest of the 99%. Fear for our future should never sound like this much fun. SOT = Bizness