1. 2011 and All That

    Sick and tired of “best of” lists? Me too. Here’s another. Normally I do a Top Ten list for the Music Liberation site each year (here’s is 2010’s list and 2009’s list) but as we’re doing something different on Muisic Liberation this year, it means my personal “Best of 2011” list can go here. At least this anual review is at the end of the year like it’s meant to be. Click below to read the round up.

    The Top 15 Countdown

    FIFTEEN: Yuck - Yuck


    Yuck gathered as much criticism as they did praise for this throwback début. Sounding like any number of early 90s bands - most notably Dinosaur Jr - many felt Yuck were doing nothing new. Granted, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fantastic record. Why do bands have to be innovators? Yuck play with passion and love for their music and that’s probably why it’s so enjoyable.

    Yuck - ‘Get Away’

    FOURTEEN: James Blake - James Blake


    James Blakes’ eponymous début was the most hyped album of 2011 and inevitably it struggled to live up to the expectation placed upon it, despite the fantastic cover of ‘Limit to Your Love’ being touted about before the album’s release. Nonetheless, Blake’s minimalist approach to his music and his experimental daring still gave us a haunting and spacious album that’s different to everything else this year.

    James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream

    THIRTEEN: La Dispute - Wildlife


    More emo than Kind of Like Spitting forming a super group with Fall Out Boy, La Dispute might be considered “dated” with their brand of intricate and bare-faced emo rock, but their commitment to who they are as a band is truly something to admire. With verbose lyrics of self-pity, hate and isolation rambling through twisting and angular guitar lines, Wildlife is a perfect dose of angst that we all sometimes need. They play the London Borderline on 24th Jan 2012.

    La Dispute - I See Everything

    TWELVE: The Antlers - Burst Apart


    Both a hugely popular album and critically acclaimed at every turn, it’s no wonder why ‘Burst Apart’ garnered so much attention this year. The record is beautiful ethereal swirl of introspection that is absorbing as it is subtle. 

    The Antlers - No Windows

    ELEVEN: Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

    It’s no surprise that this alt-country / nu-folk band come from Austin, Texas, the motherland for such music. Yet like the proverbial river, I Am Very Far twists and turns throughout. From quirky, jagged and alternative to traditional sing-along folk, the band traverse many a musical genre on this high quality and perfectly presented record.

    Okkervil River - Show Yourself

    TEN: The Field - Looping State of Mind


    A hypnotic swirl of ambient beats that illustrates that traditional approaches to minimal techno and ambient music can still be utterly enthralling. A warm hug of an album that’s there for total immersion. (Now removed from Spotify but you can listen to the hypnotic title track below):

    The Field - Looping State of Mind

    NINE: I Break Horses - Hearts


    This Swedish duo are masters in creating upbeat shoegaze musicscapes that are a heady mix of synths, pounding drums and ghostly layered vocals. Their single ‘Hearts’ was Music Gob’s Song of the Week back in May 2011 and every song on this album is epic in both beauty and presentation as layer upon layer of harmonies are stacked up to create a blooming fountain of sound.

    I Break Horses - ‘Winter Beats’ (Official Video)

    EIGHT: EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

    An album of true depth and musical adventure. Also I’d say that ‘The Grey Ship’ was the best single to come out of 2011.
    Read my full review of this album on Music Liberation here

    EMA - ‘The Grey Ship’

    SEVEN: The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient 


    Perhaps the perfect name for this album; a dreamy rock record where the ambience is enslaved by the songs (see what I did there), bouncing around a cage made from traditional song structures. A swirling beauty of a record that perfectly balances ambient wails with catchy guitar driven pop.

    The War on Drugs - ‘Best Night’

    SIX: Bon Iver - Bon Iver

    The difficult second album for Bon Iver was probably more difficult than most after the meteoric rise he experienced after his first album and subsequent EP. The world waiting but Bon Iver, aka Justin Vernon delivered a beautiful multi-voiced folk expanse that positively glowed.

    Featured on Music Gob on it’s release, here again is the official video for Holocene.

    Bon Iver - ‘Holocene’ (Official Video)

    FIVE: Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo

     

    A beautiful lazy slur of an album from the former War on Drugs guitarist. Part hippy psychedelia, part melancholic shoegaze, part scrappy new wave, this record is a triumph.

    Kurt Vile - ‘Jesus Fever’

    FOUR: Kate Bush - Director’s Cut

    I’m sure there’ll be some snobbery attached to this album; it’s a collection of reworkings from two of Bush’s former albums released at the peak of her popularity. But don’t let that distract from what is an essential and absorbing album that’s as delicate and emotional as Bush has ever been.

    In my opinion at least, Director’s Cut far surpasses her second 2011 release ‘50 Words For Snow’.

    Kate Bush - ‘Deeper Understanding’ (Official Video)

    THREE: Ben Howard - Every Kingdom


    A glorious and folk offering that is both traditional in it’s approach yet somehow still manages to feel exciting and new. Howard’s silky vocals are full of soul whilst his sparkling guitar chimes out intricate patterns that are truly beautiful. Possibly the best produced album of 2011.

    Ben Howard - ‘Keep Your Head Up’

    TWO: Active Child - You Are All I See

    Perhaps Pat Grossi didn’t chose the best moniker to use for his electro pop pursuits, but this epic album makes up for it. You Are All I See is a swirling choral giant that’s atmospheric, catchy, delicate and beautiful all at the same time. Grossi tips his cap to the 80s but at the same time stands apart from his contemporaries, such as M83 who he is currently supporting on tour.

    Active Child - ‘High Priestess’

    ONE: Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different kind of Fix


    This third album from the North Londoners absolutely surpasses all previous efforts. Clever, intricate, edgy, accessible and addictive, it’s a tour de force in song writing. I didn’t even like this band’s previous material but I was hooked within the first thirty seconds when listening to this album. They make it sound like writing perfect slabs of bitter-sweet pop perfection is effortless. This is a band working at their creative peak. A truly glorious work of art in every way.

    Bombay bicycle Club - ‘Shuffle’ (Official Video)

    Apart from this list, there are a few special mentions. The first being Sea Oleena’s EP Sleeplessness. You can read my review and listen to one of her tracks on Music Liberation or you can visit her bandcamp page to listen to all three of her releases.

    The second is noise-math-metal-whatevers Alright the Captain. You can read my review of their album on Tastyzine for more info. 

    The third is mention is Tim Hecker’s ambient album that he released this year, excellently titled Ravedeath, 1972. Listen on Spotify

    You can listen to all the bands and albums listed above as well as several others (including Manchester Orchestra, And So I Watch you From Afar, Amplifier, Goose, Craft Spells and all the other albums I liked but didn’t know well enough or didn’t make it into the top 15) here:

                          Music Gob’s Best of 2011 Spotify Playlist

    That’s it until 2012. Toodlepip.

    December 30, 2011