The Very Tardy Best of 2011

Posted by Will on February 27, 2011

Is it too late to do a “Best of…”?

Probably.

I tried the whole year-in-review for music a some years back. Blah, blah, excuses. At one point, probably early in high school, I fancied myself one day holding down a career either in sports or music journalism. Come to find out, I am not that great of a writer (at least, that C in English 1101 says so).

Aside from the whole birth of Nola episode, I had to actually check to see if I had enough albums to actually constitute a semi-legitimate list (thus the time delay). After many scrolls through my iTunes library, I actually pulled a Top 10. Again, please keep in mind, I have found it incredibly hard to write about music. Thus, you might find the below unnecessary blather.

So, in no particular order of value (but keep it orderly alphabetically) …

The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Favorite Cut: Month of May
Definitely not my favorite album from this Canadian ensemble but it was definitely a solid effort. Their ability to disguise their brooding themes in swelling, catchy anthems and grand statements consistently is a feat unto itself.

Best Coast – Crazy for You
Favorite Cut: Our Deal
There were a handful of surf-rock inspired bands in 2010 (Wavves, Surfer Blood) yet I really liked Best Coast’s debut the best. The lyrics are dopey but there is wealth of enjoyment to be found in this lo-fi, reverb heavy album where every song sounds somewhat the same. Simply put, it’s a fun album and it is a pretty good companion on cheery, sunny day.

The Black Keys – Brothers
Favorite Cut: Everlasting Light
The Black Keys have been hovering on and off my radar ever since college but “Brothers” was the first time I’ve committed a whole album to the duo. Holy blues-rock, Batman! I’m glad I went all in. The album is a complete riff-heavy, grubby, howling stomp. And I mean that in the best way possible. Sure, the lyrics are a bit prosaic but the jams mostly make up for the wordy failings.

The Drums – S/T
Favorite Cut: Let’s Go Surfing
For me, The Drums are a cross between The Smiths and The Beach Boys. Breezy, simple licks with a little bit of woe-is-me theatrics. It’s innocent and a little naïve but quite charming.

Girl Talk – All Day
Favorite Cut: N/A
Sorry, but you can’t just name one cut from a Girl Talk album and be completely satisfied with it. For me, there are lots of little moments that particularly stand out but these song clip amalgamations are meant to be heard as a singular body of work. Another mix mastery from Gregg Gillis.

Johnny Cash – American VI: Ain’t No Grave
Favorite Cut: Ain’t No Grave
The posthumous and final record in the American series, this album is all at once chilling, grim, raw, prophetic, and hopeful. Johnny Cash is one of my favorite artists and this is another great addition to my ever-growing Cash collection.

The Mynabirds – What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood
Favorite Cut: Numbers Don’t Lie
The best way I can describe The Mynabird’s debut is “contemporary throwback”. Laura Burhenn is a little bit country, a little bit R&B. Between the mid and up-tempos there’s a slow-burn in her vocals.

Sleigh Bells – Treats
Favorite Cut: Crown on the Ground
There is something really enjoyable to the odd juxtaposition of gritty power chords, buzzing synth, and sugar sweet vocals. Treats can be a really off-putting record yet a lot of refreshment in the noisy pop.

Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
Favorite Cut: I Walked
The Age of Adz clearly puts an end to the 50 States Project speculation (although, could we ever take that notion seriously?). Perhaps the average or casual fan might have been off-put by the musical direction that Sufjan took with his latest full LP (forewarned in the All Delighted People EP). Honestly, if you look closely at his spectrum of work, from A Sun Came! to Enjoy Your Rabbit to the beloved Illinois it becomes a little more apparent at how his work is constantly changing, evolving, and experimenting. Sure, it took me a few listens to appreciate his latest effort yet there is something very pleasing within the very complex layers. For me, all good artists need to change and evolve. Sometimes it’s harder to stomach and sometimes we quit listening anyway.

The Walkmen – Lisbon
Favorite Cut: Angela Surf City
The Walkmen are a recently discovered (we’re talking late 2009 or so) favorite of mine. The minimalism of the music stripped down to glimmering riffs, straightforward beats, and occasional brass and organ really strikes a chord with me (pun intended). While their previous release, You & Me was a bit bittersweet in tone (still a great album), Lisbon turns out to be a sweeter melody and a really great album.

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