B&C's Best Albums of 2011

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Here’s my final list with points assigned. Hopefully I’ll find time to add some comments later

1. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes (13)
2. Destroyer - Kaputt (11)
3. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (9)
4. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs (9)
5. Cults - Cults (8)
6. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (8)
7. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (7)
8. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (7)
9. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (6)
10. Panda Bear - Tomboy (5)
11. Yuck - Yuck (5)
12. M83 - Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. (4)
13. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials (4)
14. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo (3)
15. Wild Flag - Wild Flag (1)
 
If you told me in January that two of my favorite artists' new releases wouldn't make my Top 5 (at least), I'd say you were crazy. While THE MALK! and LOS CAMP! both put out good/very good albums, both were missing something that made me fall in love with previous efforts. In the case of Malkmus, too many ideas and not enough classics, and in LC!, perhaps not enough inventiveness and an overall lack of spirit (that's what you get with an album called "Hello Sadness", I guess).

If you also told me my favorite album of the year would be a double album of electronica, I'd be just as flabbergasted. Especially as I enjoyed but wasn't over the moon about Saturdays = Youth.

It should be noted that my #1 here would probably have a tough time cracking the Top 3 of recent years; for comparison's sake I don't think Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is quite on the level of LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening.


1. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (13)
This was an album that I only used to listen to at night, or at dusk. Now I enjoy it any time of day. Each individual track isn't necessarily a stand-out, but it's a very easy and pleasurable listen considering its length. Favorite is Raconte-Moi Une Histoire, followed by New Map.

2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me (12)
I still say this is hismost enjoyable album since Rain Dogs. Mule Variations may get more respect around here (and it's very impressive) but this album is just too damned fun, which is why I compare this to Dylan's Love & Theft (an album I prefer to Time Out of Mind).

3. Stricken City - Losing Colour (11)
Sadly this UK band has disbanded following this, their sophomore effort. I was first turned onto them by a Pitchfork review, and I blind-bought their very cheap but beautifully-designed CD/DVD package for their first album, which I loved. This one is more consistent and diverse and has an mid-late 1980's alternative sound (almost like Siouxie at times?), led by the great voice of lead singer and keyboard player Rebekah Raa. I know it seems futile to try and get people into a short-lived band, but I really encourage fans of the various female-fronted artists this year (Lykke Li, Cults, Tennis) to check this album out. At its best it has a majesty that for me tops the others.

Here's one of the album's more energetic tracks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emSwrZAwNB4

4. Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo (11)
Super Furry Animals frontman hits a home run on his third solo album. "Shark Ridden Waters" is one of the best singles of the year IMO.

5. Tennis - Cape Dory (9)
This one just puts a smile on my face. They pretty much do one thing, but they do it so well. The brevity is likely a plus in this case.

6. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now (8)
Thankfully retains much of the energy of 2008's Accelerate and adds some of the lushness and depth that album lacked. There are still a number of missteps (the groan-inducing Oh My Heart, the Country Feedback-aping Blue), but this album has some really strong peaks.

7. Malkmus/Jicks - Mirror Traffic (8)
Nothing particularly wrong with this album, and only a track or two out of 15 that I'm not into. The production by Beck is clean and sounds great. But there are only a few tracks that really shoot up into the stratosphere for me. Part of this is due to the lack of solos (which featured heavily on the psychedelic predecessor Real Emotional Trash) and the other is that a lot of these songs sound half-baked; from what I read Beck wanted to capture a lot of these little vignette-style stuff but this is a far cry from Wowee Zowee. Whatever, it's still a hell of a lot of fun.

8. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (7)
Once one gets over the disappointment of this not being a classic like their debut or Romance Is Boring, there's still a lot here to like. The album starts off fairly strong, stumbles a bit in the middle, then takes off again before stumbling to a finish. And it's that momentum killing that gives it an overall stink of failure. But still, there weren't many songs better this year than By Your Hand, the title track revs up to greatness, and Baby I Got The Death Rattle recaptures the anthemic LC! of old by its conclusion. To Tundra hints at a new direction very successfully. Subpar LC! is still pretty killer for me as they're my favorite band of the last 10 years.

9. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (6)
I respect it more than I like it, and I don't reach for this as often as I did Stories From The City... the year it came out. But this is still a major achievement in writing. Good to have her back.

10. Craig Wedren - WAND (5)
Former Shutter to Think frontman finally put out his long-gestating album which has a bunch of guest friends (including Conor Oberst and Sleater-Kinney alum Janet Weiss), and it's pretty impossible to categorize. The guy tries so many things here and it's a huge leap forward since his previous effort Lapland. His distinct voice is an acquired taste for some people (especially when he belts it out with heavy vibrato), but he's equally good at going big or intimate (the man has a beautiful falsetto).

11. Cults (3)
Very of-the-moment. 2011 memories soundtrack for sure. Not a whole lot of depth. But it's fun.

12. Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or So What (3)
Perfected simplicity.

13. Wild Flag (2)
This doesn't fill the void left by Sleater-Kinney. But it comes pretty damned close. Corin Tucker's 1,000 Years didn't make my list but it's also very good if less ferocious and vital.

14. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes (1)
This one's a firecracker. Nothing more to add to what's been said above by others.

15. Radiohead - The King of Limbs (1)
Some great tracks. But I can still name at least four on In Rainbows that are better than anything on here, and that album had a grandeur and heart this album for the most part lacks. Throw those non-album tracks on here (The Butcher/Daily Mail/Supercollider) and you have something more substantial but still wanting, and I maintain that three of the album's songs sound like Thom Yorke solo diddling or b-side experimentation. It sounds cool to the ears but I ain't feeling anything.
 
1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (12)
2. dEUS - Keep You Close (12)
3. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs (11)
4. Destroyer - Kaputt (11)
5. Amatorski - tbc (10)
6. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will (8)
7. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient (7)
8. The Antlers - Burst Apart (7)
9. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (6)
10. The Horrors - Skying (5)
11. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (3)
12. The Black Keys - El Camino (3)
13. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (3)
14. Russian Circles - Empros (1)
15. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (1)
 
I really enjoyed 2011 for music, lots of great stuff this year. You'll see from the points which 5 albums were my favorites, but there's no real order or ranking aside from that.

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming 10
It makes me happy to M83 finally getting some long deserved exposure and success, and it makes me happier that they're getting it with a great album.

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake 10
This is the first intelligent sounding political record I've heard in years, great music as well.

Destroyer - Kaputt 10
See my comments on Hurry Up, We're Dreaming and replace "M83" with "Destroyer".

Washed Out - Within and Without 10
I'm pretty sure I love everything this guy has released.

Beirut - The Rip Tide 10
His most accessible and "fun" album to date, includes many of my most listened to tracks of the year.

Okkervil River - I Am Very Far 5
Not the most cohesive or thematic Okkervil River album, but there are a lot of great tracks.

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain 5
Incredibly fun album, probably my overall favorite of theirs to date.

VNV Nation - Automatic 5
The best VNV Nation album in years. If you at all liked alternative dance / electronic bands of the '80's and early '90's, you really should give this a shot.

Mogwai - The Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will 5
They're still better than all the imitators.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver 5
Wish it would have been released in the winter instead of the summer, as it grew on me considerably once the weather got cold.

Danger Mouse & Danielle Lupi - Rome 5
I like westerns, I like this.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues 5
Another great Fleet Foxes release.

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo 5
Rockin' and relaxin', relaxin' and rockin'.

REM - Collapse Into Now 5
My favorite REM album since the '90's. Sad that it will be their last, but glad it was a great one.

Radiohead - The King of Limbs 5
A "disappointing" Radiohead album is still better than a "good" album by most other artists.


Honorable Mentions
Low - C'Mon, TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light, Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 2, The Decemberists - The King is Dead, The Black Keys - El Camino, tUnE-yArDs - WHOKILL, St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
 
Thanks to everyone who's contributed so far, great reading :up:

Here's mine:

Top 15 Albums of 2011

Destroyer – Kaputt (15 points)

Not only the best album of the year, but the best I’ve heard since In Rainbows. After initially ignoring the album due to my misconception it was death metal, it took a few spins for the album to sink in. But once it did, it became firmly ensconced in my head. Now whenever I listen to the album I am transported to a happy place from the moment the Spanish guitars, gentle drums and subtle horns of Chinatown begin. Dan Bejar's lilting vocal is polarising but I can't imagine these songs, under the leadership of anyone else, being half as affecting or alluring. A lot was made of this album's 80s-leaning music – most critics barely containing their distaste for it whilst praising the band for pulling it off – but not for one second is it over the top. Each song has been my favourite at some point, and not one is anything less than eight or nine out of ten. The gorgeous Blue Eyes, the contemplative Suicide Demo For Kara Walker, the brilliant Downtown with its lovely synth washes... and this is not to mention the stellar title track or the ambient-disco-for-one of Bay of Pigs. I love it that much it has cracked my top 20 all-time.

Bon Iver – s/t (10 points)

I give this five less only to demonstrate how far ahead Kaputt was for me this year. Bon Iver's second album is remarkable and really benefits from a full band sound in comparison to For Emma Forever Ago. Nothing here quite jumps out at you like Skinny Love, The Wolves or Re: Stacks but instead the whole album works brilliantly as a cohesive piece. I've had the album for months; I would struggle to name all the songs on the album but that's not a knock. Perth is remarkable, and one of the best songs of the year and like iYup said, Beth/Rest comes along just in time to ensure the album has a memorable finish after it lulls slightly in the second half. There's been a lot of music that sounds like it could have been released decades ago in the past few years but I don't think any song captures this as well as Beth/Rest.

Jay-Z and Kanye West – Watch the Throne (9 points)

Hip-hop's two biggest superstars release an album together hot on the heels of the MBDTF. It's the stuff dreams are made of and Watch the Throne didn't disappoint in the slightest. Hardly a misstep on the album, even if a few of the tracks are somewhat slight, and that's a huge achievement for a hip-hop album. No Church in the Wild is deliciously brooding, whereas Niggas in Paris – an instant classic – even manages to sample Blades of Glory and throw in a bit of dubstep and still makes it work. Otis and The Joy sample two black soul superstars with great success, there's dope spots everywhere. One other thing that needs to be remembered too is that Jay-Z is largely on song for most of the album, a welcome return to form after the spotty Blueprint 3.

Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto (8 points)

Ah, Coldplay. One of the most polarising bands on the internet. I was very excited about this album, having loved most of Viva La Vida and been blown away by songs such as Lost and Strawberry Swing. So when I first heard Every Band On My Finger Represents A Starving Child In The Horn Of Africa I was pretty disappointed. A massive step back, I felt, after the positive signs of Viva La Vida, what with its aggressively annoying synths and piss-poor lyrics. My excitement was tempered even further when it was announced Moving to Mars would not be on the album, and the follow-up single, Paradise, didn't set my world on fire. So boy oh boy was I surprised upon finally hearing the album to discover an incredible catchy album with awesome choruses, soaring guitar riffs, modern r&b production and a whole lot more. Hurts Like Heaven and Charlie Brown are two of the best songs the band has done but the entire thing is just one big, life-affirming joy to listen to, particularly when played loud. In the hands of a lesser band this would an awful album but Coldplay pull it off perfectly. I think the fact I now dearly love Every Teardrop is the biggest testament I can pay this album.

Arctic Monkeys – Suck it and See (8 points)

This album was probably my biggest surprise of the year. I've never been a fan of the band. Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor never did much for me, and I found Turner's voice and their music as a whole quite abrasive. So I was thrilled to find an album full of catchy hooks and great guitar lines. The influences are there for all to hear but I think that gives the album more charm. It's impeccably sequenced, mixing harder tracks like Brick By Brick and Don't Sit Down... with some great pop/rock songs like Reckless Serenade or Love is a Laserquest. A pleasure to listen to from start to finish.

M83 – Hurry Up We're Dreaming (8 points)

Song after song after song of huge, soaring guitars and synths and high-pitched vocals mixed in with some choice slower moments. It is too long but when there's songs like Intro, Reunion, Claudia Lewis, Raconte-Moi Une Histoire, My Tears Are Becoming A Sea, New Map, OK Pal, Steve McQueen, Outro, and, of course, Midnight Fucking City, who cares?

St Vincent – Strange Mercy (7 points)

This proved that I'm not a misogynist (now if only I could eradicate the homophobic and racist tags!!). Annie Clark is one exceptionally talented woman and this was one of the most impressive albums I heard this year in terms of scope and range. Some scintillating guitar work (Surgeon!!), insatiably catchy pop tunes (Cruel) and some more contemplative moments (Year of the Tiger). Clever and sometimes funny lyrics and I can't wait to see her live.

TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light (7 points)

The record itself is a bit all over the place, bouncing from big rockers to piano ballads, but the play counts for most of the songs speak for themselves. Second Song and Will Do are among the best songs of the year, Keep Your Heart, Killer Crane and Forgotten are great too.

Radiohead – The King of Limbs (6 points)

Remember how cool it was when they said “The King of Limbs. Out Friday.”???!!! I didn’t experience the same sense of disappointment most others did because I immediately resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn’t be anywhere near as good as its predecessor. And it wasn’t, but there’s still plenty to like. Bloom is a brilliant opener, the craftsmanship is as good as anything they’ve done to date. The next three do little for me but the second half is pretty great stuff. I think scumbo sums it up best – an ordinary Radiohead album is better than a really good album by most artists. It’s been an exciting time to be a Radiohead fan though; the other tracks have ranged from good to great, Subterranean Homesick Alien is back in the setlist and Thom Yorke is dancing.

Liam Finn – Fomo (5 points)

If someone was to ask me, “what does indie music sound like?” this is the album I would recommend. The Finns are all incredibly talented and Liam brings his own brand of versatility to the table. Fomo (Fear of Missing Out) is not an especially memorable album but you can’t deny the strength of tracks such as Cold Feet, Chase the Seasons, Jump Your Bones… hell, pretty much all of it. If you get a chance to see this man live, do it, because there are very few artists I’ve seen who have a stage presence to match him. Hard to believe he’s not Tim’s son…

Washed Out – Within and Without (4 points)

Banned in Utah for its outrageous cover art and suggestively placed words, this album is one of the most enjoyable to return to. I’ll admit not many of the songs have stuck with me but when the weather is right it has suited perfectly. Feel It All Around remains my favourite of his tunes but the fact this album is such a joy to get through is a credit since chillwave is far from my favourite genre (I enjoyed this a hell of a lot more than Era Extrana). Before is my favourite song and the dude said he wants to work with Outkast. Enough said.

Thundercat – Golden Age of Apocalypse (4 points)

Thundercat appeared on Cosmogramma, which was the best of the instrumental albums to come out last year, so I was always going to listen to this one. While not quite as good it’s still a pleasure to listen to, perhaps even more so than Cosmogramma due to its shorter length and poppier textures. Daylight was one of the songs of the year, and tracks like Jamboree, Boat Cruise, Walkin’ were undeniable.

Gotye – Making Mirrors (4 points)

Second single Somebody I Used To Know took Australia and later the world by storm, what with its quirky-yet-completely-accessible music and Facebook<3-friendly lyrics. But there were plenty of other pleasures on the album for those willing to look. Save Me is as good a pop song as any that came out last year, State of the Art offered some terrific beats and the more contemplative moments were good too. Inconsistent but among the best albums Australia had to offer.

Tyler – Goblin (3 points)

Too long, too offensive and far too much aggrandisement but Yonkers, She, Nightmare, Analog, Her, Sandwitches and AU79 ensured it was a more-than-worthy purchase. If someone can manage to reign in the ugly tendencies of OFWGKTA we may very well see the return of quality mainstream hip-hop.

James Blake – James Blake (2 points)

A lot of boring moments in the second half when Blakey Boi ditches the beats and sits at the piano but the highlights here are proof that the word dubstep needn’t necessarily inspire projectile vomiting. Unluck, I Never Learnt To Share, The Wilhelm Scream, Lindisfarne II, Limit To Your Love… that’s the shit.

Honourable Mentions

Big Scary – Vacation
Yuck – s/t
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Mirror Traffic
Frank Ocean – Nostalgia Ultra
Childish Gambino – Camp


Best 15 Songs, no order, one song per artist

Big Scary – Leaving Home
CunninLynguists – Stars Shine Brightest
Tyler – She (ft. Frank Ocean)
TV on the Radio –Will Do
Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Senator
St Vincent – Cruel
RHCP – Brendan’s Death Song
Jay-Z & Kanye – Niggas in Paris
Neon Indian – Polish Girl
Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise
Cut Copy – Need You Now
Bon Iver – Perth
Junior Boys – Banana Ripple
M83 – Midnight City


Ten Best Albums Not Released in 2011 That I Heard for the First Time In Order

Wu-Tang Clan – 36 Chambers

Not my favourite hip-hop album (Aquemini) but I’m not sure I’ll ever hear a better rap album. A lot is made of RZA’s production so I’ll admit when I first heard it I wasn’t too impressed. But more listens revealed how good it is – he lays down a beat befitting of the rappers and then gets out of the way. Protect Ya Neck is my favourite hip-hop song ever now. It is just one absolutely killer verse after the other. Also one of the very few hip-hop albums I’ve heard where the skits add something. “I’ll fuckin, I’ll fuckin sow yo asshole shut and keep feedin you and feedin you and feedin you…”

David Bowie – Station to Station

Can’t believe it took me this long to get to this album. Definitely one of his best despite there only being six tracks. The title track is everything I love about late 70s Bowie, going from industrial noise to yearning soul to krautrock dance. The final three or so minutes is as good dance music as has ever been released, by anyone, ever. Then you’ve got the fucking awesome Stay, the catchy funk of Golden Years and dance of TVC15 and Bowie at his plastic soul crooning best on Word on a Wing and Wild is the Wind.

TV on the Radio – Cookie Mountain

I was hooked from the second I heard the synth drone in I Was a Lover. Aside from Method there’s hardly a misstep. Wolf Like Me and Blues From Down Here alone place TVOTR in the upper echelon of rock bands making music today and Tonight and Wash the Day Away is a killer combo to finish the album.

Outkast – Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

An absolutely ridiculous amount of fun. Get in your car on a late afternoon, crank the bass up and be transported to a hazy Atlanta dungeon full of blunts and big booty bitches. Could do with an edit (but most hip-hop albums could) but the funk will blow your head off. Sleepy Brown stars.

Destroyer – Rubies

So good it’s ridiculous. Listening to this I am blown because nearly every track is killer. Rubies through 3000 Flowers is almost flawless and the last four tracks are all great as well. Painter in Your Pocket is indie pop/rock perfection, Looters’ Follies is perhaps the best David Bowie song the man himself didn’t write, Watercolours into the Ocean is gorgeous and hearing Destroyer turn themselves into a drunken pub band on the closer Sick Priest Learns to Live Forever is a hell of a lot of fun.

Outkast – ATLiens

Incredible unique. Hard to believe they followed up a straight-up p-funk debut with intergalactic space hip-hop. There’s very little to dance to here, but give it a chance in a car late at night, or in your room with good headphones – and really listen to the lyrics – and you’ll fall in love. The title track features some of the most skilled rapping in the game – Big Boi’s first verse surely rates up there with the classics – and contemplative tracks like Elevators, Mainstream and 13th Floor are irrefutable proof that classic hip-hop exists outside of the tunes everyone knows.

GZA – Liquid Swords

Definitely a grower. You won’t be blown at first but every listen will have you addicted to another song. Swordsman has been my most played song of the year, B.I.B.L.E., rapped entirely by Killah Priest, is a mastercraft, and Shadowboxin’, 4th Chamber and Duel of the Iron Mic feature killer guest spots from other members of the clan. Masterful production from RZA – better than on 36 Chambers in my opinion. On tracks like Cold World you almost want to put a jumper on, such is the landscape he creates.

Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago

Guy gets dumped, gets very ill, goes to live in the woods by himself for months to record solo acoustic album. That screams “stay the fuck away” but Justin Vernon is that talented that he manages to pull it off brilliantly. You can hear him ripping his heart out on Skinny Love, you can see him sitting by the fire staring at the stars on The Wolves and you see him turn a slight corner on Re: Stacks. Timeless.

Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights

I actually didn’t listen to this album more than two or three times but I place it here because I know I loved it and deserved many more listens. Great song after great song proves they were a good band before they became a horrendously boring opening band, a band so boring that sitting down on beer-drenched stadium floors, facing away from the stage, reading a magazine, was far better than watching them perform the same song 10 times in a row.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – s/t

Track after track after track of hip-hop influenced brass. Lengthy, but never outstays its welcome. Highly recommended if you are after skilful but insatiably fun jazz.

Honourable Mentions

Daft Punk – Homework
Dr Dre – The Chronic
Tom Waits – Swordfishtrombones
Pavement – Crooked Rain
Okkervil River – The Stage Names
 
You hadn't heard The Chronic before this year, Cobbler? That surprises me a bit. But damn am I glad that you now have Station to Station in your collection.

By the way, how do you feel about Princess of China?
 
No I hadn't! You would think I'd have all the album covers tattooed on my body the way I talk about hip-hop but there's actually a great deal I've never heard.

I love Princess of China. One of my very favourite Rihanna moments.
 
Not in the mood to rank or write reviews, but I'll list the best albums that I listened to in 2011 that were released in 2011.

The King Is Dead - Decemberists
Bad As Me - Tom Waits
Kaputt - Destroyer
Dye It Blonde - Smith Westerns
Eternal Loop Dream - Inhale
Empros - Russian Circles

I'm sure there's a couple more, but Spotify doesn't store my listening history long enough for me to remember any others. I could do what Cobbler did and list the best albums that were simply new to me this year, but we'd be here all night if I did that.
 
13 lists so far. Still waiting on more (including my own), but I imagine I'll probably take this to the bank within the next couple of weeks.

The current top three are separated by just four points. DRAMA.
 
The problem for me with the Radiohead thing is that about half of it is filler of the kind that might be forgiveable on a longer record, and the odds-n-ends songs put out since then (at least two of which are fantastic) wouldn't have belonged on the album so that discussion is kind of moot. So basically this year Radiohead have, one way or another, put out a number of songs that I really do like a lot - but not much of an album. And I'm not sure they even care.
 
That's a pretty good paraphrase of how I'm feeling.

They probably don't care, and much of the music world seems to be heading in this direction. If the idea of an album is going to continue to exist, it's likely to be more common in shorter versions like this one.

I'm not crazy about it, especially from bands that are capable of grander statements.
 
The problem for me with the Radiohead thing is that about half of it is filler of the kind that might be forgiveable on a longer record, and the odds-n-ends songs put out since then (at least two of which are fantastic) wouldn't have belonged on the album so that discussion is kind of moot.

I'm sorry, but I need to take issue with this. I don't know how you are defining "filler," but to me the term implies that they had no other ideas or somehow deliberately half-assed the album. The quality of the other tracks from the sessions is strong evidence against both of the those ideas. KoL was very carefully-crafted and shows tremendous nuance on almost every track. Not liking the songs is one thing, but calling half of it filler is incredibly unfair.
 
but to me the term implies that they had no other ideas or somehow deliberately half-assed the album.

That's how it sounds like for the majority of the album (Lotus Flower and Codex are good however), in my opinion.
 
I'm sorry, but I need to take issue with this. I don't know how you are defining "filler," but to me the term implies that they had no other ideas or somehow deliberately half-assed the album. The quality of the other tracks from the sessions is strong evidence against both of the those ideas. KoL was very carefully-crafted and shows tremendous nuance on almost every track. Not liking the songs is one thing, but calling half of it filler is incredibly unfair.
I understand: filler is usually used as a word for songs that pad longer albums, sort of just to fill them out when the strength is mainly just the singles. I wouldn't use the word filler for King of Limbs.

That said, the tracklisting could have been so much better. It's not one of my favorites this year, put it that way.
 
For me, 'filler' (admittedly a very open-to-abuse term) is the description which comes to mind when I hear Feral, Little By Little, and sometimes Morning Mr Magpie. There just isn't much there.

Then there's Separator and Lotus Flower, neither of which are filler but both of which are slick in a way that probably prejudices me against a lot of the new music in general. That's my struggle.

But conversely, really really liked Staircase.
 
I think people use the term "filler" more subjectively than you're giving it credit for, iYup. It's not a technical term. I would say theres a number of tracks on Amnesiac that could be considered filler. Others would strongly disagree.
 
I've been putting off writing this post until I had enough material to draw from, but the other night I noticed I had already heard like 160 albums and decided I needed to get my ass in gear. Here's the list I settled on after a month of re-evaluation and last-minute listens, ranked 25-1 because I'm pretentious; 15-1 are assigned points.

25. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Dream pop has been a fairly significant genre in the world of indie rock lately. In fact, folk rockers even implement it now, as best represented by this record right here. It's smooth and beautiful, with one of the loveliest guitar tones around on Brothers. But, right as you're about to let your guard down, a song like Baby Missles broadsides you with its brazen tempo and swaggering vocals. This contrast keeps the album entertaining and makes War On Drugs one of the most exciting new prospects in indie.

24. The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck

John Darnielle has been writing relaibly great tunes since the early 90s, pouring his heart out while charming us with his excellent wordplay and charisma behind the microphone, even as it gave off feedback. He has, however, recorded some weak records in the wake of The Sunset Tree, but this album turns the tide. He was supposed to collaborate with a metal producer on this record, and while the influence isn't entirely obvious, the degree of intensity and fire in this record far exceeds that of the past few, even in its quietest moments, and it exhibits great variety, which albums like Get Lonely could not say for itself. A great comeback.

23. Clams Casino - Instrumentals

Bad news first: this guy produces for Lil B. I like Lil B, but I realize that fact will make his beats a bit divisive from the start. That being said, this album is, as the title says, instrumental, so it's best to adjust your expectations accordingly. This is a very chill experience, and it's definitely not the best party music. But holy fuck is it ever engaging, sonically deep and wildly creative. It's free too, which explains the sort of quality samples he was able to clear.

22. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise

Forget the title: this isn't a space rock album, and it doesn't even float around much. It's actually quite terrestrial, with lots of field recordings and other earthly sounds. The space being explored here is the inner space, and the small quantity of lyrics here are a testament to that. The truly impressive aspect of this album is Jaar's knack for encorporating lots of great sounds and genres into one set and making it cohere into something distinctive and memorable. It's jazzy, it's frightening, it's relaxing, and it's all very unique.

21. The Field - Looping State of Mind

If Nicolas Jaar specializes in genre-hopping under one moody umbrella, The Field is exceptional at sustaining a mood. The beats on this great ambient record are minimalistic and repetitive in nature, but the way these songs are built make the beats more beneficial than dull. Every song builds to an impressive crescendo that swallows you whole and doesn't let you out until the next track starts the cycle over again. And you never once complain, because the melodies here are beautiful. Then It's White is especially haunting and powerful.

20. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See

I'm a huge appreciator of good songcraft, and this album has it in spades. I didn't love Humbug; it was a little slow and sloppy and only occasionally delivered great melodies. This album is more lithe and sharply-written than any AM album to date, which is a surprise considering how sleek and exciting their debut felt way back when. Excepting Brick By Brick - which returns to Humbug's well of dunderheaded riffs and lame lyrics - remarkable, sparkling hooks and songcraft abound here. The slower tunes reveal this more than ever before, and I've never wanted to sing along more to songs I didn't know than I did when I first heard SIAS.

19. The Black Keys - El Camino

This album works for a lot of the same reasons as Suck It And See: Brothers was an undeniably great record, but the Black Keys must have realized their music had retained its soul but lost far too much speed to remain interesting forever. So they decided to name the album after a car and raced past the competition. The sleek, accessible production is a bit of a Achilles Heel for an otherwise superb collection of catchy songs that kick hard and will likely introduce a great number of potential fans to the Black Keys' intoxicating version of the blues.

18. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

The OKK! has come a long way from that winding river of golden dreams, to lush pastures of sound that they have decided to build massive sonic labyrinths on. As time has progressed, their sound has gotten more dense and less reliant on the vocals and lyrics of Will Sheff. One could call this a mistake if not for the unmistakable quality of ther material here, which is so ambitious and unpredictable that it takes multitple listens to get anywhere with this. Does that matter to me? No, because Will Sheff's obtuse lyricism always gives me something to ponder as I wait to be hooked.

17. The Weeknd - House of Balloons

My 2011 listening has taken me down some dark, depressing avenues, but this thesis on drugs, fame and meaningless sex is among the most bleak. Like The-Dream on downers, the Weeknd pairs silky, soulful vocals with crawling R&B that works its way across your body with its beats and through your subconscious with its hopeless lyricism. Three mixtapes in and this one remains his best, the sort of benchmark that hipster R&B needs to get off the ground. Drake took the bait, and a few of their ideas to boot.

16. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Belong

After releasing a fairly soft and twee debut a few years ago, they decided to fatten out their sound a bit and crank up the distortion, but without forgetting to write great tunes. The result is a remarkable sophomore record that contains a handful of excellent singles (generally stuffed into the first half) and greater consistency thanks to the maturation of their songwriting. This album is living proof that Smashing Pumpkins' influence on rock was better than that of most of their contemporaries.

15. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (1)

I could talk all day about how wonderful and refreshing Fleet Foxes' debut was while only spending a paragraph on this one, but the sheer artistry and craft of this record is astounding. The production is crisp and clear, and the band's performances benefit greatly from this. The arrangements have also grown more labyrinthine and complex, and while that does not necessarily result in great tunes, it does mean the record offers much on multiple listens. All in all, in spite of some trepidations I have toward it, Helplessness Blues accomplishes what I expect from a sophomore record: offer some great tunes, get creative in spots and ultimately don't alienate your audience. I am, if anything, more excited than ever to see what they can do next to challenge their established rustic appeal.

14. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver (1)

This one was a tough sell at first for me, and it had a lot to do with expectations. For Emma remains one of the most intimate records I have ever heard, and strangely immediate also, boasting some amazing hooks that resulted in unlikely "hits" like the title track and Skinny Love. Its follow-up is nowhere near as immediate, lacking the standouts and establishing atmosphere (buckets of it) through synths (nearly as cold as that cabin must have been). It's a bit off-putting at the start, but the production is absolutely astounding, and it remains a sonic adventure after multiple listens. Also, the tunes begin to reveal themselves after a while, to the degree that I would now say that there is no weak track. Every track is good, has a purpose and sounds amazing, and that, to me, is the description of a skillfully crafted album.

13. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin' (3)

Sharon Jones may sound a hair more authentic, but in the R&B revival, no one puts more grit in his funk than Raphael Saadiq. This album is jam-packed (that is, packed full of jams), and filled to the brim with punchy, lively dance songs that exhibit a strong hint of psychedelia on tracks like Go To Hell. This isn't a terribly focused recording, hopping from the aforementioned psychedelia to 50s style rug-cutters (Radio) and thick Isaac Hayes style funk (hidden track The Perfect Storm), but it is entirely focused on making you dance like a fool. Well done, sir.

12. Tom Waits - Bad As Me (3)

It's easy to complain when artists sound as if they're beginning to take their talents for granted and mail in the first songs that come to mind, and Tom Waits has indeed found a comfortable groove so often occupied by lesser artists his age. Thankfully, he's Tom fucking Waits and spends this entire album giddily jumping from one of his favorite topics to the next, occasionally scaring the shit out of you (Hell Broke Luce) or making you question how much fun it must be to be him (Last Leaf). The best part is that those two songs happen to be right next to each other, and that degree of schizophrenia, while usually tough to justify, winds up benefiting such a uniformly high-quality and fun record. He's earned the right to do what he does best.

11. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (3)

Like Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Annie Clark chose to put emphasis on her chops as a guitarist and, once again, me likey. This is a scuzzy, feverish record full of compositions (generally not songs) that toe the line between awesome and pretentious successfully through their playfulness and that fucking sweet guitar tone. In short: she melted the twee right off of her music and walked the winding, unkempt path through abstraction that Joni Mitchell once walked in the late 70s. There isn't a lot of music out there like this.

10. Washed Out - Within And Without (4)

The chillwave graveyard coughed up one particularly skilled zombie over the summer. He released this hazy, critically-ignored record full of wonderful tunes and beats obfuscated just enough to leave you wondering if there's more behind the sonic veil. I'll admit to having a difficult time telling the songs apart, but I have a difficult time listening to anything else. A great summer in 45 minutes.

9. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (5)

This is the sound of youthful exuberance and prodigious talent giving each other a warm hug. M83 has always been a ridiculous band, pretentious and entirely French, but this is the point at which they become completely childish and sentimental. This may result in that frog-licking song I like that pisses everyone off, but there is no shortage of strong and highly exciting numbers to go around if that one does not happen to be your thing. And if the album is a bit long, who doesn't sometimes wish that their childhood had gone on a little longer?

8. Wilco - The Whole Love (6)

After laming it up since the spotty but gutsy A Ghost Is Born, TWL shows Wilco getting their shit together, writing some great tunes and playing as if their reputation depended on it. Album opener Art of Almost may not be an all-time classic, but it does a better job than nearly any other opener this year at making you interested in what the band has to say over the course of the album. And it's not a front-loaded album; if anything, it hits its stride somewhere around Black Moon, which has to be one of their most wonderful acoustic tracks in years, lacking the saccharin of Sky Blue Sky ballads past. Stripping the sugar from their music and adding muscle has benefited their songs and performances, which recapture some of their live energy. It's also a great starting point for potential new fans, as it contains many of the sounds and styles that Wilco excels at.

7. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 (7)

After a couple of lukewarm records and a cancer diagnosis to one of the band's original members, you wouldn't expect them to pack it in, not to release a playful return to form. But, again, these guys have been surprising listeners since Paul's Boutique, and this reclaiming of their youth is shockingly not lame at all. In fact, it's their best and most vital record in many years; stripping the lyrics down to the brag-rap essentials and recording the music well into the red has revitalized their approach and overall sound. There are some great punk rock tracks here too, such as Lee Marvin Come Again, that recall their earliest days. Again, great stuff for curious listeners and it should bring back a number of fans to the fold. The critics certainly dug it.

6. The Dodos - No Color (8)

In yet another great example of a band getting better simply by picking up the tempo, the Dodos managed to make their best album this year by doing just that, as well as cranking up their glorious clattering percussion somewhere beyond 11. Whereas its pleasant but forgettable predecessor Time To Die floated gently, assuming it would find its way across some good songs eventually (maybe the listeners would mistake pleasantries for hooks), these are tightly-written songs that flow together brilliantly and feature raw yet melodic vocals. I'm only giving it the nod over 2008's Visiter because it doesn't need over an hour to offer 9 great songs. But, you know, this only has 9 songs on it to begin with.

5. White Denim - D (8)

I don't talk about it much, but I really respect progressive rock bands. Yeah, the music is bloated and ridiculous and no one needs THAT much skill, but occasionally those ridiculous jam band tendencies result in wacky albums like this one. I may not love every song on this fun, shapeshifting album (it's arguable that I even comprehend all of them), but there wasn't a more lithe, exciting record released this year. I swear, these guys will be on a nice groove and then all of a sudden pull into a nicer one. Drug has a chorus so good that it takes the rest of the song and runs it through a shredder. Maybe they're not the greatest songwriters, but I wish more bands could craft a 10-song experience this weird and awesome.

4. CunninLynguists - Oneirology (11)

The best hip-hop album of the year isn't particularly heavy or streetwise. No, it's actually a meditation on dreams. There are also saxophones. Still with me? The hip-hop community actually welcomed this record with open arms, which is great, because any genre could use this degree of creativity. I've already described the lyrical content in brief (this is great stuff for those making sweeping generalizations about hip-hop), but the production is beyond description. It's amazing stuff, with those drums booming as if they're weightless in some giant, empty room, and each song flows together as if they are collectively one stream of consciousness. Kno is a motherfucking bro.

3. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo (11)

As an ex-member of War On Drugs, Vile's drawling vocals have a clear genesis. However, his focus on scrappier (yet echo-soaked) folk rock makes his vocals less a curiosity and more an essential element of his sound. These songs are smooth, but his lyrics have bite, and for every long-winded epic, there's a gentle track like Baby's Arms that communicates much through very few words, in the mold of Paul McCartney's excellent solo debut. This album is also homemade, but except for the brief closing track, this is a tight, swaggering set of tracks founded upon inspired songwriting and steeped in a very cynical delivery. And oh yeah, some people think he sounds like Springsteen. I don't know about that.

2. Destroyer - Kaputt (14)

It's slick, it's calm, it's got saxophones; it's gonna bore some people. That's OK, because I haven't heard the sophisti-pop sound approximated with such joy and realism in, like, ever, and that alone makes this a very unique and exciting release for 2011. Include into that the fact that this is Bejar's most tuneful record and you've got an album you can play on almost any occasion and your mood will be elevated for it. But what really amazes me is that he somehow managed not to sacrifice the intriguing lyrical nuances that cause us to listen to Destroyer in the first place in the name of accessibility. For sheer craft alone, I deem this their best album, and I can't imagine how Bejar will write another album full of 100% quality material again, but he has, and that's why Destroyer got on the map this year.

1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (15)

Contrasting with all of indie rock bands growing a pair and getting more awesome for it, angry rocker badass PJ Harvey moved her voice up about three octaves and wrote songs with music box melodies and ended up making one of her best albums in forever. It's not easy to merge war time percussion and themes with humanistic beauty, but that balance is something only a great songwriter can strike, and considering how late this album came out in her career, it's like an artist throwing out their entire set of supplies and making a classic out of whatever was left. As an added bonus, that squeaky voice of hers makes her sound less like PJ Harvey and possibly more like one of the English villagers of the album screaming about soldiers falling like bags of meat. Maybe Bono should change his vocal approach.

And, because Cobbler does come up with an idea every once in a while that makes him worth keeping around, here are the top 10 albums I was introduced to this year NOT from 2011:

1. Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis
2. Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank
3. The Ronettes - Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes
4. Dungen - Ta Det Lugnt
5. Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Inner Mounting Flame
6. The Sound - Jeopardy
7. Lucio Battisti - Anima Latina
8. Hoodoo Gurus - Stoneage Romeos
9. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
10. Swans - White Light From The Mouth of Infinity
 
Great reading LM :up: I have to say I'm surprised Bon Iver took so long to hit with you. It's not exactly an inaccessible record if I dug it pretty much straight away, though I will agree it's not until a few listens in that it really starts to reveal itself.

Anyone else miss shouter's end-of-year lists? COME ON MAN! Get off Thax Douglas' dick and give the people what they want.
 
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