There is no scientific methodology to picking the best of album of 2011. Every year it does not seem like any good music is on the horizon then the music that matters start to tickle our ears. We go with the gut check versus a pedantic drivel as our motto around here. Sometime music is able to surprise you on first listen -sometimes second but if it does nothing after third pass we just move on along. Other times you respect a few words someone else says and you suddenly see the light. These are the various reasons we like making Best of Lists. Some folks just go for cool, while me try, we’re ok with failing. Hard to do as we recognize the lenses and filters of other as unique to them. So here it goes nothing.
This is a alternatively spooky monster that grows from first stringed note. You wonder why is this violin doing this to me? Instruments and simple beats played with a devilish flare the likes we have not heard in years since the art compositions of Hugo Largo where the bass and cello interplayed and built up so nicely without sounding like some bad brooklyn keyboard experiment gone wrong. This instrumental music is dark like The Velvet Underground with guts spilling in the soundscape of it’s wake.
10) Ruins by Talkdemonic
Download: Revival MP3
We’re a sucker for the psychedelic rock. Give to us this music anyway you want just don’t serve it with no reverb. That would be cruel. The Black Lips shuffle, crank and conquer here in the rockin way they only can. This is probably not on many folks lists. What we like is their consistency and homage to bands The Creation and Psych genre even when they may be arguable a little pitchy in vocal performance we’ve identified as one of the elements we like. Where the best of 12 strung guitar keys are tested on homages to Spiderman.
09) Arabia Mountains by The Black Lips
Download: Modern Art MP3
This is a total NPR lift. We kicked out a record from the list because it was a old release. We dropped the scrubber on this one and then suddenly what De La Soul was trying to do made even more sense all over again. What a total compliment to a pioneering hip band to be mashed up with Fela Kuti. I don’t think musical compliments get higher in the soul universe my brothers and sisters.
08) Fela Soul by Amerigo Gazaway of Gummy Soul [get it]
Download: Ooh (featuring Redman) MP3
This music has guys and is tough as all get-out. As Lee Fields would ask “are they rough”? It’d say hells yes. If you suddenly were inspired to play music from working at a pawn shop and make tunes with guts like this. You’ve got the blues my brothers.
07) Scandelous by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Download: Mustang Ranch MP3
I feel like this record came out of left field for me this year. Nothing like it since The Sophtware Slump has the keyboard pop charm been captured. Funny that such a simple little sound can put out so many luscious little melodies.
06) Aabenbaringen over aaskammen by Casiokids
Download: Det haster!
This is a oddly familiar Feelies record. They have a style that’s never been able to be mimic’d not even the shins who come close to a cover band version. Here Before is a winner. Once your fan of this band you’ll always be a fan because they create these effortless folk-american rock songs that many emulate and pitch right out their playbook. Essential listening that when witnessed live it’s shear manic joy.
05) Here Before by The Feelies
Download: Should Be Gone MP3
We love the re-interpretation of something like the pysche genre when it’s just done so naturally it’s all new all over again. That’s true musical influence. This band boils down the basic ingredients of a organ, bass, guitar and drums and somehow create their magic out of the steam.
04) Lil Daggers – Self titled debut
Download: Slave Exchange MP3 – Right or wrong this is a great song.
We dig this record at the RS blog. We even bought the Looser edition and had the fuckin band autograph the damn thing. Actually had the band carve their names with a ball-point pen on the back cover. They inspected it after I removed the plastic saying I as getting a good deal and they should keep some. Fuck them for making such great record and thank you John Agnello for capturing something as brilliant as bandwagonesque.
03) Endless Now by Male Bonding Bones MP3 – Great long epic closing concert jam.
02) Divine Providence by Deer Tick
This was late comer on our radar but the first time I heard the music it peaked my interest. Then I heard the Westerbergian style party lyrics and I was fan. A band you mates can all mumble or shout at the concerts or in the car. Lets go out to the bar! The Bump MP3 Is this a song about getting in trouble? Does it really matter?
01) Dance Valhalla by British Sea Power
Download: We Are Sound MP3 – A defining sound and song.
SINGLE REVIEW: Record store geeks are aware Tame the Sun kills amps and vinyl stock from Male Bonding’sEndless Now. This is a virtual high-five over to magician/producer John Agnello, or at least until I see him at the Mercury Lounge show this coming August, 29 2011. This track first leaked via Spin and it’s pretty awesome. Sub Pop’s Male Bonding have all the right ingredients and hooks in this tune. Starts-off with a dirty-gritty ampeg bass and just takes off to outer space from there. The vocals have a my bloody valentine mix and execution approach but just up enough and double tracked with swirly oohs and ahhs further adding fuel to this brash pop with a very fine balance of guitar monster riffage. Where’s the previous release Nothing Hurts hid all the details right under the hiss of the cassette at times making us shove our ears to the speakers to imbibe what was going on. From the first melody this one sails you through the tune as the guitars swing and thrash to the end as not to compete to their no frills indie rock and is exactly what I’d hoped for as follow-up. Check it out!
They are fans. We are fans. So you’ll dig it if you like: Come in Alone MP3 by My Bloody Valentine from Loveless (1991) Dare MP3 by The Wedding Present from Seamonsters (1991 The Second Foundation MP3 by The Ergs from Upstairs/Downstairs (2007) Lost in the Woods MP3 by Pete & The Pirates from little death (2008)
There are 5 great toe-tappers on this EP by The Eversons from New Zealand. I am always amazed that young bands can always improve on this genre or keep it fresh. With just the right amount of jam, a dash marmalade reverb and friendly vocal melodies the music becomes instantly familiar like your favorite order at the local deli. Although I would not know what to order in New Zealand eatery I’d imagine it may have to be the lamb with some sort of goat cheese right and side of local chips? Anyway, the point is there is a nice ring to their self narrated style lyrical musings. The music is overly familiar not too far away indeed of the self referential conversational sounds the Modern Lovers created. It would be nice for you to invite them to your next house party as I’m sure they may be just as chatty as they are good band.
You will like them if you like: Year’s Not Long MP3 by Male Bonding from Nothing Hurts (2010) Real Thing MP3 By The Wedding Present from Saturnalia (1996) Ill Love MP3 by Pete & The Pirates from Little Death (2008) Road runner MP3 by The Original Modern Lovers (1973)
Continuing, overall this year was a bountiful one musically with our best of list deserving 13 great albums. Yeah! Shit I cut a bunch just because they would have only eeked in based on the merits of previous releases but in fairness we all have our internal logic (See part I for our Best 2010 Album guidelines) which makes these lists so much fun. So please share yours. We’ll have a separate year in review post about the things that sucked and rocked in the music industry and only go into a few reasons why the music on these records is worthy of your time and money. What I would like to see is a Web Blog equivalent of a Grammy but that whole scene is more splintered. The VMA’s are a joke. So who knows. Might be too many disparate choices. I am interested to know what’s on your list though. Without further ado here’s 2K10 year’s best of albums!
6) Elvis Costello – National Ransom
Some of my favorite pop songs have been written by Costello from This Year’s Model and his whole 70’s era. This one is good old Americana rock and roll with just enough roots and blues to make it a tasty album all the way through and he’s a Brit! Great playing on here making it a great dinner party record to sip some whiskey to with a blaring fire with friends. I can hear the smoke and smell the cinder burning.
Listen: Download MP3: National Ransom [Buy]
5) The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
This is Jersey pride stinging you in the face. These are the rock stories of youths gone wild in the suburban and urban streets. The ability to tell the tales and paint pictures is what catapults this band’s scenes in the tradition of Springsteen and Dylan. Yup close as classic rock as you’ll get without sounding too melancholy for the 60’s. Much respect.
4) Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks
It’s about time that Jersey’s native son is on a New York label again like Matador. Hopefully there will be many more releases like this one. He heaves his voice and modish riffs like he has a millions songs to give and no concern for the future. The record has a nice live feel minus all the emo hand clapping so lets hope that he see’s some bucks so he can keep making music like this for us.
Listen: Download MP3: Gimme The Wire MP3 [Buy]
3) Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
This is one of those bands that came out of the blue for me. Ripped it up in all sorts of interesting ways. They sort of remind me of British Sea Power in their big rock compositions but more Revolveresque vocally with these interesting dream groove space jams. Big Bonham drums that just power you into the future with flanger effects, phasers and small stones. This is near perfect psychedelic rock.
Listen: Download MP3: Desire Be Desire Go [Buy]
2) Male Bonding – Nothig Hurts via Subpop The right mix of trashy bass, Melody and sing-song guitardness is up in this English bands tunage produced by John Agnello. At their heart they remind me of fIREHOSE but sound nothing like them. They use reverb like any proper British group of record geeks should. I don’t know… try it in case you haven’t already. This band has heart.
Listen: Download MP3:All Things This Way [Buy]
1) True Love – ¡Pas Net! via Mainman Records
Besides the fact I’ve known these guys since forever and the various groups they were each in before. They have never faltered to deliver quality rock-and-roll that nods to just the right amount of genres and musical stock. Any lame metaphor would not be perfect enough. They put a lot of care in their pop-rock which is alla The Creation, Nada Surf, Sweet, Bowie,gbv and feel free to insert any weird 70’s references. All three in this trio can sing and play an instrument which makes for better bubblegum chewing for us all at the risk of biting our lips in sobering retarded awe. This is fantastic marathon beer drinking rock music without breaking a swet. A sobering experience for critics and in my humble opinion this is what albums should be like from a start to finish. When it’s over you want more and you don’t know why. This one reaches the finish line breathlessly.
Listen: Download MP3:Bitter Wine [Buy]
Download Bonus: Here’s a track from their first self titled LP. If you don’t like this something is seriously wrong with you and I don’t think we can be friends.
Listen: DOWNLOAD MP3: Over The Rainbow [Buy]
Recent Comments