Same selection criteria as last year, but this year is less reading and a special podcast is provided....
_The Fifty Albums of 2011
In the era when everyone is declaring the death of Albums caused by the impatient listener getting bored by the collection of songs which generally sound the same, fair game. However as much as I love the way particular songs make me feel and make me want to share this excitement, albums can have the same impact.
I chose albums I want to listen to when I want get on with some work or chores, these albums retain my interest, allowing me not to get bored and put shuffle on. I understand and appreciate that an album will have the same continued feel to it, however I do not appreciate fillers. I require several moments in an album which make me stop and register that I just heard a voice, a key, a lyric or a musical instrument which makes me want to go back and listen to that album again and again.
An album should also have a meaning to it, and atmosphere, personally I love albums to consist of many layers and textures of sounds. This list is somewhat a personal one, I generally do believe each album listed has its own worth and merit. Some could be placed because they have a sentimental value, perhaps they remind of me a moment during the year or I can recognise an incredible talent within the album. It is true I enjoy music that is generally laid back, lo-fi and synthesized.
Here I present you my top fifty albums from the last twelve months, they allowed me to close my eyes and take myself somewhere else better or even just simply enrich the current situation...
In the era when everyone is declaring the death of Albums caused by the impatient listener getting bored by the collection of songs which generally sound the same, fair game. However as much as I love the way particular songs make me feel and make me want to share this excitement, albums can have the same impact.
I chose albums I want to listen to when I want get on with some work or chores, these albums retain my interest, allowing me not to get bored and put shuffle on. I understand and appreciate that an album will have the same continued feel to it, however I do not appreciate fillers. I require several moments in an album which make me stop and register that I just heard a voice, a key, a lyric or a musical instrument which makes me want to go back and listen to that album again and again.
An album should also have a meaning to it, and atmosphere, personally I love albums to consist of many layers and textures of sounds. This list is somewhat a personal one, I generally do believe each album listed has its own worth and merit. Some could be placed because they have a sentimental value, perhaps they remind of me a moment during the year or I can recognise an incredible talent within the album. It is true I enjoy music that is generally laid back, lo-fi and synthesized.
Here I present you my top fifty albums from the last twelve months, they allowed me to close my eyes and take myself somewhere else better or even just simply enrich the current situation...
50. I Break Horses - Hearts
49. Justice - Audio, Disco, Video
48. Florence and The Machine - Ceremonials
47. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
46. Brett Anderson - Black Rainbows
44. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
45. CANT - Dreams Come True
43. The Field - The Looping State Of Mind
_42. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
41. The Kills - Blood Pressures _
49. Justice - Audio, Disco, Video
48. Florence and The Machine - Ceremonials
47. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
46. Brett Anderson - Black Rainbows
44. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
45. CANT - Dreams Come True
43. The Field - The Looping State Of Mind
_42. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
41. The Kills - Blood Pressures _
40. Cashier No 9 - To The Death Of Fun
39. Cornershop - Cornershop & The Double 'o' Groove Of
38. Joan As Policewoman - The Deep Field
37. James Blake - James Blake
36. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome
35. DELS - Gob
34. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - We’re New Here
33. Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L
32. SBTRTK - SBTRKT _
31. Bjork - Biophilia
39. Cornershop - Cornershop & The Double 'o' Groove Of
38. Joan As Policewoman - The Deep Field
37. James Blake - James Blake
36. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome
35. DELS - Gob
34. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - We’re New Here
33. Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L
32. SBTRTK - SBTRKT _
31. Bjork - Biophilia
27. Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
29. Weeknd - Thursday
28. About Group - Start And Complete
27. Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
26. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
25. Atlas Sound - Parallax
24. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
23. Cults - Cults
22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22222. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 2222. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
21. Walls - Coracle
29. Weeknd - Thursday
28. About Group - Start And Complete
27. Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
26. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
25. Atlas Sound - Parallax
24. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
23. Cults - Cults
22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 22222. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two 2222. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
21. Walls - Coracle
20. Radiohead - King Of Limbs
The Oxford boys did it again! Another long player which sounded great on headphones.
19. Memory Tapes - Player Piano
A magnificent nostalgic, wistful album with from New Jerseys’ Dan Hawk. With its great clean melodies this is a wonderfully bittersweet album.
18. M83 - Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
The best record yet from the excellent French man, inspired and recorded in Los Angles. This is a sweeping bold mixture of sounds and lyrics which is magical and unreal like the American city.
17. Ane Brun - It Starts With One
On her fourth album Ane Brun, a Norwegian transplanted to Sweden, created a grand orchestral statement. With It All Starts With One she made one of the best albums of the year and I attended one of the best gigs of the year.
16. Jay Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
The best superstar record since ‘My Beautiful Dark Fantasy,’ yet again outstanding use of sampling, it made me do that hip-hop dance that we all do.
15. Lykki Li - Wounded Rhythms
A mature sound from the Swedish songstress, an album poised with excellent dark modern pop classics.
14. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
This should had won the Elements, it was way better than that Tory sympathiser Adele. This is what ageing music stars should be producing, great use of lyrics, instruments and most importantly she voiced a great comment on society.
13. Destroyer – Kaputt
Canada’s Destroyer, aka Dan Bejar, produced an extremely bold album which utterly dismissed any previous work. A fantastic voice with superb song writing.
12. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
The New York kids weave together sounds into a seamless patchwork, rich in layers and excitement. This would be put on and left on as its so wonderfully abstract but musically addictive.
11. When Saints Go Machine - Konkylie
A wonderfully crafted album from the Danish lads, two years in the making, but well worth the wait. The album is subtle, emotionally charged and simply beautiful.
_
The Oxford boys did it again! Another long player which sounded great on headphones.
19. Memory Tapes - Player Piano
A magnificent nostalgic, wistful album with from New Jerseys’ Dan Hawk. With its great clean melodies this is a wonderfully bittersweet album.
18. M83 - Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
The best record yet from the excellent French man, inspired and recorded in Los Angles. This is a sweeping bold mixture of sounds and lyrics which is magical and unreal like the American city.
17. Ane Brun - It Starts With One
On her fourth album Ane Brun, a Norwegian transplanted to Sweden, created a grand orchestral statement. With It All Starts With One she made one of the best albums of the year and I attended one of the best gigs of the year.
16. Jay Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
The best superstar record since ‘My Beautiful Dark Fantasy,’ yet again outstanding use of sampling, it made me do that hip-hop dance that we all do.
15. Lykki Li - Wounded Rhythms
A mature sound from the Swedish songstress, an album poised with excellent dark modern pop classics.
14. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
This should had won the Elements, it was way better than that Tory sympathiser Adele. This is what ageing music stars should be producing, great use of lyrics, instruments and most importantly she voiced a great comment on society.
13. Destroyer – Kaputt
Canada’s Destroyer, aka Dan Bejar, produced an extremely bold album which utterly dismissed any previous work. A fantastic voice with superb song writing.
12. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
The New York kids weave together sounds into a seamless patchwork, rich in layers and excitement. This would be put on and left on as its so wonderfully abstract but musically addictive.
11. When Saints Go Machine - Konkylie
A wonderfully crafted album from the Danish lads, two years in the making, but well worth the wait. The album is subtle, emotionally charged and simply beautiful.
_
_10. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen
_I had to look this up this ‘an album drawing from ambient, classical and post-rock.’ It’s is a real genuine orchestral beauty, it will not be matched with any other instrumental record this year in terms of its rich depth of emotion. When this came on I just went into such a beautiful and peaceful place.
_9. The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love
_When I was a young lad at Uni, Raptures’ Echoes really opened my eyes with its brilliant layers and textures of music. In The Grace Of Your Love has divided critics, some questioning the bands relevance, maybe as Echoes was so pioneering they expected too much. I disagree, this year after a long absence their return was strong and they made me dance, dance, dance.
_8. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
_At first I was a bit bored, until the single Wild Man followed by Snowed In At Wheeler Street with Elton John really got my attention. This was enough to get my back until I was addicted to the beautifully enchanted and sublime album. The songwriting is bar to none, in a hundred years time to come 50 Words For Snow will be played in classical concert halls worldwide.
_7. Battles - Glass Drop
__This is another wonderful dance album full of rich layers and textures of music, from the epic opener of Aficastle to the Gary Numan collaborations the album delivered and made me jump and jump doing that dance. The grunting in the opening of Ice Cream is a personal favourite, but I need to watch where I am when I join in.
_6. Wild Beasts - Smother
_Smother, their third album is the best from the Cumbria lads. It’s a clearfully restrained album with the perfect hint of flamboyance – dark and sexy. Another Elements 2011 nominatee and a one of the best gigs I’ve witnessed this year, they actually could sing better live than Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.
_5. My Morning Jacket - Circuital
_One of the few ‘rock’ albums featured on my list, maybe because it is so well crafted with bold confidence. Their first single, was the enjoyably daft ‘Holding on to Black Metal.’ But the stand out were here are the most resplendent. The prime example being ‘Wonderful (The Way I Feel)’, a simple hymn to devotion.
_4. Little Dragon - Ritual Union
_This is just a brilliantly minimal album, I adore the vocals from lead singer Yumi Nagano, which are held up by the electronic wizardry of her fellow bandmates, hinted with a touch of gloriously rewarding melancholy. There is so much bare soul demonstrated on this album which makes it stand out from the electronic music doing the rounds at the moment.
_3. Korallreven - An Album By Korallreven
_Believe the hype. This album is going to be huge from the swedish duo Marcus Joons and Daniel Tjäder. The feel of the album reminds me of Primal Screams Screamadelica, but with extra bliss. The album just takes you on a magical journey and introduces you to wonderful samples and sounds, but it never feels crowded. If anything the duo creates space, allowing the songs to breathe, letting us experience the scenery they create.
_2. Friendly Fires - Pala
_When Pala was released I instantly loved it, it made me dance! All of the good bits from their debut album were there, the rolling, percussion-laden beats, the infectious hooks, the borderline-anthemic choruses. Though the sound was more powerful, with heavier drum and catchier melodies. It came third in the Elements 2011 but it was my personal winner!
_1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
_In my opinion the self titled second album was more satisfying than the break up inspired first album. As a whole Bon Iver is rich with layers and textures of wonderful sounds. Conceptually it is an album about places and traveling, though this is not really recognisable when listening, for me it doesn’t matter as the atmosphere created is beautifully sublime.