Best Albums of 2011

Two posts in one day?  You lucky dog, you.  I feel like I've prepared all year to make this year.  I hope it was worth it!  Anyway, here are five albums that just missed the cut:

Underneath the Pine - Toro y Moi
Angles - The Strokes
Watch the Throne - Jay-Z & Kanye West
Nine Types of Light - TV on the Radio
The Fall - Gorillaz

And now the moment I've been waiting for...

10. Belong - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Pretty much every song on this album could be a pop single.  Hooks this good would normally be a guilty pleasure, but the music packs such a punch that it doesn't even matter.  Sonically, Belong is somewhere in between The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine.  The wispy vocals and catchy synth lines are contrasted by pounding drums and driving guitar.  It's indie rock without the irony...at least I think.

9. Goodbye Bread - Ty Segall
I used to think that all garage rock sounded the same, and well, I still do.  But Ty Segall stands out from the pack because he has actual songwriting chops and he proves in on Goodbye Bread.  The songs are much slower than on last year's Melted, but he uses the slower tempos to show off his melodies and arrangements that would normally be too loud and fast to notice.

8. The King is Dead - The Decemberists
I've never hated the Decemberists' sound, I just always felt like I was listening to an Anglo-Saxon fairy tale.  Fortunately, the scaled back their flair for literature in The King is Dead.  It's much more American roots rock than previous efforts, and has a distinct Neil Young influence in the harmonies and harmonicas.  The songs range from bright and sunny ("Calamity Song") to dark and moody ("This is Why We Fight") and makes for one of the years most interesting records.

7. El Camino - The Black Keys
After seeing what Danger Mouse did with last year's "Tighten Up," I was excited to see what he could do with a whole album.  The result is a punchier, sleazier album driven by dirty guitar riffs.  It's a party album for sure, and it ends up sacrificing some of the quirkiness that made Brothers so interesting, but that's not a bad thing.  The unique arrangements (surely thanks to Danger Mouse) help push the Black Keys into thrilling new directions.

6. Circuital - My Morning Jacket
What impresses me most about My Morning Jacket is their ability to pull off so many different styles while still being distinctly My Morning Jacket.  "Outta My System" could have been a Beach Boys song, "Movin' Away" is a sensitive piano ballad, and "Holdin' On to Black Metal" feels like a parade with its brass band and female choir.  They make sure to use a fair amount a restraint on this album, however.  The songs are often epic, but they benefit by not rocking all out when they easily could.  In doing so, they highlight the quirks that make MMJ one of the best bands around today.

5. Neighborhoods - Blink-182
I'll admit, I was skeptical that this album would be a let down.  I was worried it might sound too much like Angels and Airwaves or that Travis might show off too much on the drums.  But the result was even better than I could have imagined.  Tom's melodies make the songs a little bit bigger, Travis' drums are virtuosic but never overwhelming, and Mark keeps the band in its punk roots.  "Snake Charmer" and "This is Home" are some of the album's highlights and show that the band is tighter than ever.  Blink is back.

4. The King of Limbs - Radiohead
Only Radiohead could release an album this eccentric.  It's album that takes multiple listens just to figure out what you're listening to.  But once you get inside it, you can feel all the little details and interweaving parts.  And once you're inside it, you can't get it out of your head.  It's a short album, but it's perfectly self-contained experience into a weird and majestic place.

3. The Big Roar - The Joy Formidable
This is probably the best album for tricking pop fans into listening to metal.  Songs can instantly change from sweet and dreamy melodies to pounding double bass drum breakdowns.  Ritzy Bryan's guitar work is always driving and unexpected, and I have no idea how she gets those sounds out of her guitar.  The Joy Formidable create a ferocious wall of sound when they cut loose, as shown by the instrumental jams on "Whirring" and "The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie," but they also can create tightly constructed power pop songs such as "Cradle," and it's fresh and exciting every time I listen to it.

2. The Hunter - Mastodon
If Crack the Skye was Mastodon's Sgt. Pepper, than The Hunter is their White Album.  After mastering the metal concept album, the band had no where to go but everywhere else.  From psychedelic sludge ("Stargasm"), to quiet acoustic picking ("The Sparrow"), to full on heavy riffage ("Spectrelight"), The Hunter is the band's most diverse record yet.  My favorite track, "Bedazzled Fingernails," even throws in rockabilly-style influences from Brent Hinds' side band, Fiend Without a Face.  Mastodon proves that they can expand their style in multiple directions without sacrificing their brutal force.

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
This album had a lot of hype to live up to.  For Emma, Forever Ago raised a lot of expectations, but Bon Iver exceeded all of them.  Every track is outstanding, from the sweeping "Perth" to the best 80's song ever recorded, "Beth/Rest."  Other highlights include "Holocene," "Towers," and "Calgary."  Bon Iver is a work of art.  It's intimate and epic.  It's spontaneous yet carefully orchestrated.  It's like nothing I've ever heard before, and that's why it gets my pick for best album this year.




I'd say that was a pretty good year in music.  I'm excited to see what 2011 has in store.  Unfortunately, I won't be doing a top movie list because I only saw like two new movies this year.  But in case you were wondering, my favorite this year was X-Men: First Class.  Betcha didn't see that coming.

Happy New Year!

Best Songs of 2011

Here I am up late on Christmas Eve, blogging and playing Age of Mythology like a cool kid.  At least I've finished all my wrapping for tomorrow.  Now, as my gift to you, I'll present my completely arbitrary and self-indulgent Top 20 Songs from 2011.

20. You Are A Tourist - Death Cab for Cutie
Contrary to myth, Death Cab is capable of writing good songs even when Ben Gibbard is happily married.
19. Mein Land - Rammstein
This song reminded me why I loved Rammstein in the first place.
18. Hank is Dead - Red Fang
A surprisingly catchy sludge metal song with a classic Sabbath feel.
17. Second Song - TV on the Radio
I feel like I'm listening to Funkadelic and the Bee Gees at the same time.  And it's awesome.
16. Make Some Noise - Beastie Boys
The Boys made be growing old, but their music hasn't aged a day since License to Ill.
15. The Floor - Ty Segall
This song is all about opposites.  Loud vs. soft, fast vs. slow, acoustic vs. electric.  "The Floor" is always switching up something, making for one of the most interesting garage rock songs this year.
14. Machu Picchu - The Strokes
The Strokes' comeback packs power into their signature sound with some ferocious guitar work.
13. Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West
Two of the most successful rappers of all time rap over an instant-classic Otis Redding sample about how successful at rapping they are.  Not bad.
12. Don't Carry It All - The Decemberists
The Decemberists take a less literate approach and add some vintage Neil Young vibes to create a folk-rock masterpiece.
11. Revolving Doors - Gorillaz
Expanding on Plastic Beach's more electronic sound, "Revolving Doors" is a bouncy, techno gem.

10. Belong - Pains of Being Pure at Heart
An excellent mix of fuzzed-out guitars, synthesizers and pop hooks.  It's indie rock with a punch.

9. Sammy Davis, Jr. - Movits!
So fresh.  The Movits mix swing and hip-hop seamlessly and create one of the most unique sounds I've heard this year.  The horn section adds a funky vibe to the stompin' groove.  Who knew Swedes could have so much swag?

8. Ghost on the Dance Floor - Blink-182
Blink-182's return signaled that they haven't lost their touch, and "Ghost on the Dance Floor" kick starts the album and keeps the momentum going.  It's got one of the best harmonies I've heard in the verses and the main riff packs a major punch.  Travis, as usual, is on fire and puts power behind a more complex song structure with a stadium sized chorus.

7. Circuital - My Morning Jacket
On Circuital, MMJ takes prog-jam rock and puts it on an epic stage.  It builds from a murky guitar riff and eerie vocals to a triumphant fanfare, and back again.

6. Yonkers - Tyler, the Creator
Shut up about the lyrics, cus the shock value will wear off.  What's important here is Tyler's new production style.  It's dark, it's scary, it's creepy.  But most importantly, it's fresh.  The staggering beat, raw vocals and inventive production have paved a new path for underground hip-hop.

5. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
The Black Keys and Danger Mouse make a formidable team.  After last year's "Tighten Up," I was excited to see what else they could come up with.  They struck gold again with "Lonely Boy."  The Black Keys still pack in all of their quirkiness even in a stadium-sized song.  Thrown in a devastatingly catchy chorus, and they've got another hit on their hands.

4. Black Tongue - Mastodon
All the brutality and proggyness of Mastodon packed into a 3 minute song.  Troy's vocals have really grown and become a monster of their own.  "Black Tongue" has everything: powerful riffs that punch your face off, trippy prog sections, and a twin guitar solo to top things off.  It seems that Mastodon can do no wrong.

3. Codex - Radiohead
Though not the obvious hit single from King of Limbs, "Codex" has my vote for most mesmerizing song on the album, if not the whole year.  The atmosphere of the song is so surreal and it takes you to a place where all the sounds and instruments are organic and part of the world around you.

2. Perth - Bon Iver
I had a hard time picking just one song from this album, but the opening track seemed to possess everything that made Bon Iver great.  It's intimate, epic, majestic, and has an inventive guitar lick.  It's a carefully orchestrated song that is always throwing something new at you.

1. The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade - The Joy Formidable
I'll give this song the edge over "Whirring" simply for that monster synth line.  This song is one of the few this year that seemed to be pushing into a new and undiscovered territory.  The Joy Formidable nails the arrangement on this song.  The verses keep the song brewing, the smoldering choruses and the epic coda that builds until the song explodes.  I chose "The Greatest Light" as the song of the year because its had the most impact on my songwriting and guitar tone.  Though I still can't figure out how Ritzy plays guitar, this is one of the most powerful songs to come out this year.


So I'm a little behind schedule, but if you're lucky, I'll give you my top albums of the year as a second Christmas present for you all.

Best Music Videos of 2011

Aloha,

While I finish deciding the order of my best song and album lists for this year, take a look at some of my favorite music videos of the year.  I think they speak for themselves.

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy

Blink-182 - Up All Night

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis

Mastodon - Curl of the Burl

Mastodon - Deathbound

Radiohead - Lotus Flower

Rattlesnake and the Church of Fresh Beats - Swag City (Population Me)

Xenosound - Just Kids

Best Concerts of 2011

For my first 'Best of' list for the holiday season, I'll go over the best concerts I saw this year.  I definitely stepped up my concert game this year, attending 3 music festivals and numerous shows.  All of the photos (except #9) were taken by yours truly.  

10. Mumford & Sons (Bonnaroo)
I was only a mild fan of Mumford before Bonnaroo, as I was with a lot of bands.  But despite a crowd probably 50,000 people, their set was extremely intimate and almost spiritual.  They managed to pack so much power into a show without a single electric guitar or drum set; what other band could do that?  (Also, if you look closely enough, you can see Ron Jeremy off stage.)

9. Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Rhino's)
Finally, an indie band with some balls.  The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, unlike most indie bands, didn't just focus on recreating their records live on stage, but rather on rocking out and putting on an exciting live show.

8. Kylesa (Pitchfork)
Though technically this is the third time I've seen Kylesa, once outside of the Bluebird and the second half of their set at Bonnaroo.  But Pitchfork Festival was the first time I saw them in their full, up-close, glory.  From just outside the mosh pit, I saw one of the best metal bands around kick some major ass...even with a chick in the band.  The best part, however, was their use of the theremin, which added an aesthetic not present in most live metal shows.

7. Best Coast (Bonnaroo)
Best Coast has certainly stepped up their live show since I saw them two years ago.  At Culture Shock, they were a mere timid indie band.  The success of 2010's Crazy for You must have boosted their confidence, because Bethany Cosentino absolutely dominated the crowd.  She led the audience in sing-a-longs and performed like a genuine rock star.  Marry me, Bethany?

6. My Morning Jacket (Bonnaroo)
My Morning Jacket was born to play the headlining stage on Bonnaroo.  They were completely in their element, playing long jams to a field full of fans as the sun set.  They made their album tracks even better than I could have imagined and are one of the best and most unique bands that I have seen.

5. Blink-182 (Verizon Music Center)

Okay, so Blink-182 might not be the best live band in the world.  In fact, you could say that Travis Barker is the only actual musician in the band.  But damn, if it wasn't a fun show.  Clearly having a blast playing, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus drunkenly traded fart jokes throughout the show.  The show was all about having a good time.  And it didn't hurt to have some of the best pop songs of the past decade, too.

4. Deerhunter (Bonnaroo)
Don't let Deerhunter's studio albums fool you, they know how to rock out.  The show was more shoegaze-metal than dreamy, ambient, indie pop.  They often switched between trippy soundscapes and banging the hell out of their instruments.  The show made me a huge fan and was definitely one of the unexpected highlights of Bonnaroo.

3. Movits! (Lotus Festival)
Who knew white guys from Sweden could be so good at rapping.  The Movits mix of swing, jazz and hip-hop was not only unique, but made for the most exciting show at Lotus Festival this year.  Going to Bonnaroo must have boosted my crowd navigating skills, because I managed to get a front row spot and high-five every member of the band during the show.  A band from Sweden probably didn't know what to expect from a small town in Indiana and seemed extremely grateful to have such an overwhelming crowd response, and that just made the show even more fun.

2. Arcade Fire (Bonnaroo/Pepsi Colosseum)
Arcade Fire was another band that I saw twice this year.  The first show at Pepsi Colosseum was incredible, and they even featured members of the National, who opened for them, in a few of their songs.  But the show that took the cake was by far at Bonnaroo, where I got a third row spot for the biggest show at the festival.  The magic of the show was that everyone in the crowd knew every word to every song and sang them at the top of their lungs.

1. Mastodon (Egyptian Room)
I've been waiting since the greatest metal band on earth since Blood Mountain came out in 2006, and I'd been kicking myself ever since I had to miss them on their Crack the Skye tour.  But my time finally came when they played at the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis last month, and it was better than I could've imagined.  These guys are in their peak live form.  I was particularly impressed with Troy's bass playing and his lion-like roar.  I was lucky enough to get a second row view right in front of Brent, where I witnessed his increasingly virtuosic guitar playing.  The show spanned their whole career, playing at least 3 or 4 songs from every album.

Best Dance Band: Toro y Moi (The Bishop)

Best Hip Hop: Odd Future (Pitchfork)

Best Classic Rock Reunion: Buffalo Springfield (Bonnaroo)

Show I should have seen: Bon Iver (Murat)

I could go on to list all the other bands I saw this year, but I won't brag.  Instead, stick around for my top songs and albums of the year!