Another compulsory annual list
Previously, I listed my 50 best songs of 2011, now it is time for best albums of 2011
Last year I put 25 for the list of best albums, now I add 5 more anf make it 30. Despite 5 additional spots, there are still so many good albums this year that confused me which ones are the best of the best.
This list is not in a particular order, it's a random one since I love them all.
Okay, here goes the list:
After the dark sounding 'Humbug' album, the Monkeys finally return to their original sound in 'Suck It and See'. This is a particularly light album yet beautifully crafted by Alex Turner. The lyrics may sound absurd, yet it also makes sense since this is Arctic Monkeys we're talking about.
Dave Grohl dives back into the past with this album; Recording with analog tape, with Butch Vig as the producer, and also joined by Krist Novoselic playing the bass in one of the tracks.
This is the best album the Foos have made after the first two albums. Combining three guitars riff blasting throughout the album, the sound is almost as close as it can be to the grunge era in the 90s. And with this album, the Foos have proved themselves worthy as one of the best rock bands in the history of rock.
The Strokes - Angles
We all remember how The Strokes burst into the scene with one of the most memorable indie albums, 'Is This It', 10 years ago. After a few years of hiatus, they come back with an album that comes the closest to the glory of 'Is This It'. A lot of people may disagree, but this album is a good effort by Julian Casblancas and the others to return to the scene and go back to their basic sound.
A magical album. Anthony Gonzalez brings us to the dreamland with this album. 'Midnight City' sounds sexy and smooth, and brings saxophone to another level of awesomeness.
Here goes another saviour of guitar music hailing from UK. The Vaccines' debut album proves that guitar music is not dead yet.
Listening to this album is a personal guilty pleasure. With a song like 'Post Break-up Sex', why not?
Friendly Fires - Pala
When James Murphy announced that LCD Soundsystem quits for good, I'm worried that I will never find another artist that as perfect as LCD Soundsystem in doing dance-punk. But, Friendly Fires erased that anxiety from me. This second album from them proves that they are worth to tear the dance floor with danceable and memorable songs such as 'Hurting' and 'Hawaiian Air'
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
If I were to name my most favorite album of this list, this album would come up on first place. This second album from Justin Vernon gives us a heavenly soft-rock - folk sound which delivers heaven right to our ears.
'Experimental, noisy, and crazy' are the impressions I received after listening to this album. This album is like a physics and mathematical formula. You need to put an effort in understanding this album which is mostly composed of instrumental songs. But the effort is just worth it, and this album is worth to be one of the best of 2011
This Dallas Green's 3rd solo album is another album filled with heavenly folk-acoustic songs that deliver heaven right to your ears
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
A monumental folkrock album. Robin Pecknold and his folks deliver us a harmony of their instruments in each song in this album.
You might imagine yourself laying down by the lake when listening to this album.
Radiohead - The King of Limbs
Radiohead takes a detour with this album and take us to their most experimental efforts ever made. Filled with electronics and digital percussions, this may sound weird if you're expecting such a grand album like 'Kid A' or 'OK Computer'. But this album is still as ambitous as ever, just like what Radiohead always do.
Noah & the Whale - Last Night on Earth
This album is as bright and cheerful as it can be. And like my friend suggested, who is crazy on remix, is a perfectly remixable material
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
This Samuel Beam's fourth album is another perfect folk-acoustic album. Another heavenly tunes delivered to ears.
The Horrors - Skying
The Horrors succesfully haunts me with this album. The beautiful synthesizers, keyboards, and the groovy bass line are the main components to this album. This album take their previous album, 'Primary Colours', to a whole new level.
Brutal and ruthless. This is one killer album. Brann Dailor kicks the whole album with his brutal but perfect drumming, while Kelliher and Hinds compliment it with their heavy riffs perfect guitar melodies.
Machine Head - Unto the Locust
Another brutal and perfectly crafted metal album. The riffs and guitar solos are perfect. It's almost like Robb Flynn unleashed his creative potential in this album.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
The sweetest album of this year. Kip berman sang with a smooth voice accompanied with hard riffing from his guitar and perfected by Peggy Wang's sweet keyboard sounds.
Feist - Metals
Leslie Feist returns with an album that is somehow filled with her anxiety. I love the grand and subtle electric guitar in this album.
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Not the best album they've ever made, but with songs as grand as 'Paradise' and 'Charlie Brown', who could complain? This one is a fun album and worth to listen to.
Another album with an expermental sound. The synthesizers in this album is as psychedelic as it can be. Try listening to 'Switchblade Smiles', the most psychedelic song in this album.
Cults - Cults
A sweet debut by this indie-pop duo. An album filled with jangling pop songs and as carefree as it can be.
Adele - 21
This is no doubt one of the best of this year. God bless whoever broke Adele's heart. A broken heart album and Adele's soulful vocal is a perfect match.
This is another perfect debut album by these indie-rockers. With rough riffs and lo-fi sounds, they make this album a perfect noise-rock album.
A perfect collaboration of Dave Sitek's trippy production and the soulful vocals of Tunde Adebimpe
Lykke Li steps up further with this artful pop album, which could crown her the princess of indie pop
Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind of Fix
A calming album with nice subtle guitar sounds. Though the lead single 'Shuffle' stands out from the rest of the songs in this album, this is still a nice album.
The Black Keys - El Camino
A continuance from their previous album 'Brothers'. The duo accompanied again by the producer Danger Mouse made this album even better than the 'Brothers'. The fuzzy-bluesy guitar riffs from Dan Auerbach, the killer grooves by Patrick Carney, complimented perfectly by the keyboard sounds and the bass lines. It's as rough and raunchy as blues can get.
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Collaborating indie-pop sounds with distorting psychedelic guitar sounds is very unlikely. But Christopher Owens and Chet White made it perfectly possible in this album.
Noel Gallagher'sHigh Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
It seems Noel can't get the past glory of Oasis behind him. Although this album sounds nowhere near Oasis, it is as grand as Oasis'.
The hottest new band around with an album that brings hipster electronic pop sounds into the mainstream. This debut album succesfully brings them to the mainstream world, a fun album and one that can easily lift your mood up
