Shrills & Kills

Top 50 Albums of 2011

2011 has been perhaps the most consistently amazing year of music in recent memory. A steady slew of releases that began the year has only gotten better as the year has gone on. And alas, we are finally at the end, and compiling my list of favorites for 2011 has been VERY difficult, far more difficult than any other year. Ultimately, despite having listened to certain albums far more than others, what my list had to come down to was a combination of what I loved most AND what will go down in history as the “best.”

This year is different from past years because my top 10 is almost entirely rock/pop/folk oriented. My highest ranking electronic album of the year is The Field’s brilliant “Looping State Of Mind” at #12. But I can’t ignore incredible releases from the likes of James Blake, SBTRKT, Sepalcure and Nicolas Jaar. My absolute favorite hip hop album of the year is ASAP Rocky’s “LIVELOVEA$AP” at #14, a truly remarkable mixtape. A lot of people talk shit on Rocky, but you can’t ignore his unique ear for beats and a production value not matched by anyone else in the underground scene. Mark my words - 2012 will be a HUGE year for Rocky.

I listened to, and wrote about well over 200 albums this year from various genres (with the exception of pop, mainstream rock/alternative, and country). And although some may argue my lack of hip hop and deep electronic on this list, I listened to a ton of both but nothing besides a select few were good enough to make my top 50. 

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

1. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

If there is one word to describe this masterpiece, it would timeless. This is the best rock album to come out in years, and the best produced rock album in years. Truly an album that could have sounded new 30 years ago but somehow still sounds like 2011. Next to Bradford Cox from Deerhunter, Christopher Owens is arguably the best songwriter alive. Three years in, and three consistent releases and I have still yet to hear a bad song from Girls, hell, even an average song. They rountinely cover every genre, from the sunny pop opener “Honeybunny” to the absolutely enormous and song of the year candidate “Vomit”, Owens makes music that makes you miss someone, even if they are sitting directly next to you. Within less than an hour, “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” evokes every emotion to get its point across and never has Owens sounded so lonely and lost. Still a struggling drug addict, you feel his struggles through every melody. Seeing them live in September only guaranteed this #1 spot, as Owens full band with blaring horns and back up singers make Girls one of the most important bands of my generation.

Must hear now: “Alex”, “Vomit”

2. Atlas Sound - Parallax

Although this album is barely a month old, I’ve already listened to it more than any other this year. Deerhunter’s “Halcyon Digest” was my favorite album last year for a reason - Bradford Cox is simply on another level than any other songwriter out there right now. I don’t know how else to say it. He can write an album in his hotel room in an hour and have it be better than 95% of struggling musicians trying to make it today. “Parallax” shows that completely, as this is without a doubt his most accessible record. Cox has a back catalogue of hundreds of unreleased songs but he has the ability to grab his best stuff to create his albums. He has his best vocal performance ever on the closer “Lightworks” while still maintaining his experimental side in the loneliness of “Modern Aquatic Nightsongs”. Cox is in his absolute prime right now and with a new Deerhunter album expected next year, one can only imagine when he will finally make his “perfect” album…but my god he is getting close.

Must hear now: “Terra Incognita”, “Mona Lisa”

3. Destroyer - Kaputt

When I first heard Destroyer’s “Kaputt” I was astounded. I had always been a fan of Dan Bejar, whether in The New Pornographers or his vast solo catalogue, but he completely took a 180’ on “Kaputt.” Instead of embracing his old folk, art rock background, he decided to embrace the cheesiest part of 1980’s synth rock. I never thought I’d be a fan of this type of sound, but no artist has ever come close to what Destroyer has accomplished with this record. Somehow sounding infinitely listenable yet very experimental at the same time, Bejar transcends different genres without ever leaving the saxophone on the sideline. A monumental album lyrically and musically that no doubt will create an array of followers. But I’d be shocked if any artist even comes close to what Destroyer has stylistically accomplished here.

Must hear now: “Song For America”, “Chinatown”

4. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

“Smoke Ring For My Halo” is an album of mumbling lyrics and weed smoking laziness, but somehow still resonates as one of the most powerful albums of the year. I wasn’t much of a fan of Vile’s earlier work but he really stepped up his game here. Vile is probably the best guitar player on this entire list and he uses his incredibly unique ear for melody to the fullest extent. If you are a fan of acoustic/folk rock, this album is a must listen. Vile uses every tool in his arsenal to create a near perfect work of art here. The closer “Ghost Town” is perhaps my favorite song of the year, where at the end Vile proclaims lazily, “rain drops might fall on my head sometimes, but I don’t pay em’ any mind. Then again I guess it ain’t always that way.”

Must hear now: “Smoke Ring For My Halo”, “On Tour”

5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

I find it very surprising that “Helplessness Blues” is being overlooked by so many year end lists. Musically, it is nearly perfect, matching their debut song for song. Robin Pecknold without a doubt has the most incredible voice of anyone in music right now and he uses it to match his folk rock sensibilities perfectly. Just like Fleet Foxes have always done, this is perfect winter music. Listen to it by the fire or hiking in the mountains. They have always had the ability to provoke so much emotion in their music but “Helplessness Blues” has them swinging for the fences. They’ve grown older and more mature and their music definitely reflects that.

Must hear now: “Grown Ocean”, “Helplessness Blues”

6. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

What is definitely the most overrated album of the year, is still a masterful work deserving of its praise. I don’t find it as perfect as others seem to think (perhaps because of its short run time) but Justin Vernon really benefited from all his time with Kanye West - Vernon takes you on an EPIC journey in just 35 minutes. Where “For Emma, Forever Ago” was a depressing tale of love and loss using very little instrumentation, this album uses so many different variables musically that you don’t catch a lot of it until after a ton of listens. A perfect example of this is “Holocene” which when it is all said and done, really is a perfect song, and is without a doubt the best song of the year (deserving of the grammy nod it received). For his live shows now, Vernon uses a band of 10+ musicians to recreate what is done on “Bon Iver” and it isn’t until you see it live that you see how truly epic this album is.

Must hear now: “Holocene”, “Calgary”

7. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

I initially got turned on to The War On Drugs because Kurt Vile was the original guitarist. But after Vile left to pursue his solo career, I was not expecting an album of such complete brilliance. Gone are the old days of Vile’s catchy hooks and variable melodies but what replaced them is a complete sense of nostalgia and longing for something that you feel is missing. This is the definition of “freeway rock” something you’d listen to over and over on a road trip. This is Bob Dylan or Tom Petty for a new generation, and album that makes you listen to it repeatedly despite having any individual strong singles. You feel Vile’s presence here (and vice versa I might add). “Slave Ambient” screams America, which sometimes can keep me away, but in this case I embrace it with open arms. Truly fantastic.

Must hear now: “Baby Missiles”, “I Was There”

8. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

This foursome from Chicago, no older than 20 are truly trying to be the next Beatles, or perhaps George Harrison cover band? The guitar playing is stunning for such a young band. Their self titled debut album was recorded in the guitar player Max’s basement and although it sounded terrible, the hooks and melodies were always there. Through the graininess of their debut you still heard their HUGE potential and their sophomore release “Dye It Blonde” capitalizes on everything their debut was missing. Incredibly produced, the low fi sounds of their previous work have been replaced by sounds of absolutely impeccable taste. Arguably the best “pop” album of the year, this is an album that after just one listen will have you begging for more. For a young band with such raw talent, one can only imagine where Smith Westerns can be in 10 years, hell… even next year.

Must hear now: “Imagine Pt. 3”, “All Die Young”

9. Real Estate - Days

I typically shy away from “happy go lucky” pop albums. Albums about laying in the sun with your girlfriend watching the sunset - mainly because the lack of honest lyrical content. But Real Estate’s “Days” is a clear exception. A truly beautiful and addicting pop album that combines Beach Boys melodies with the best guitar hooks of any other album this year by a mile. I fell in love with their debut album 2 years ago despite its lack of decent production, but now signed to Domino Records, Real Estate (just like Smith Westerns) deliver on all of the promise of their debut. Their are a ton of bands riding the sunny guitar pop scene right now (Beach Fossils, Craft Spells, Wild Nothing) but none possess the clear brilliance that Real Estate has. “Days” is an album you can listen to at any time of the day because it has such a clear and honest delivery.

Must hear now: “Green Aisles”, “Out Of Tune”

10. Iceage - New Brigade

Let me first say this is not an album for everyone. The only punk album good enough to make my list this year, this four piece outfit from Denmark has barely understandable lyrics, screeching guitars and loud reverb; but what sets it apart from other albums this year is its gleaming confidence and youthful attitude. The band members are barely out of high school but have such raw talent and a knack for capturing what is best about punk music, past and present it is impossible to stay away. At barely over 25 minutes, this album is over before you know it, yet is endlessly replayable. Their live shows send people to the hospital regularly and fans often leave with bloody noses and bruises everywhere - but there is no other way to see this band. When you listen to “New Brigade” you want to fuck shit up - plain and simple, but fuck shit up and have an awesome time doing it.

Must hear now: “You’re Blessed”, “Remember”

And here are the best of the rest. Let me add that all of these albums are really, really good. And I highly recommend checking out all of them if you can. But my Top 25 are fucking incredible. Thanks for reading.

11. Cut Copy – Zonoscope
12. The Field – Looping State Of Mind
13. Panda Bear – Tomboy
14. ASAP Rocky – Live Love A$AP
15. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
16. James Blake – James Blake
17. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
18. Craft Spells – Idle Labor
19. Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
20. John Maus – We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves
21. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
22. Washed Out – Within And Without
23. Eleanor Friedberger – Last Summer
24. Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine
25. Hooray For Earth – True Loves
26. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
27. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise
28. Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
29. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
30. Peaking Lights – 936
31. Korallreven – An Album By Korallreven
32. Death Grips - Exmilitary
33. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
34. Sepalcure – Sepalcure
35. Zomby – Dedication
36. Neon Indian – Era Extrana
37. Tune-Yards – w h o k i l l
38. White Denim – D
39. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
40. Pure X – Pleasure
41. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
42. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
43. Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivion
44. Pictureplane – Thee Physical
45. AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream
46. Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
47. Battles – Gloss Drop
48. Twin Sister – In Heaven
49. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
50. Little Dragon – Ritual Union