Pitter Patter Goes My Heart

As promised, here is our list of our favorite albums from 2011. Back in 2010, we had  some pretty heavy hitters to blow us away but we found ourselves very disappointed by a number of very hyped releases (we’re looking at you Bon Iver, Justice, Death Cab for Cutie, Childish Gambino, etc.). Regardless, this allowed us to discover a ton more music and while our lists don’t necessarily look like anyone else’s, we think it’s one of the most varied ones we’ve ever had. Enjoy!

Once again, we apologize for the lack of a cut. Blame Tumblr, not us!

25. We Are Augustines - Rise Ye Sunken Ships
As we briefly discussed over in our Top 25 singles list, in order to fully understand the significance of Rise Ye Sunken Ships, you must understand what the background of the album was. Rise Ye Sunken Ships was supposed to be the follow up to WAA’s previous group, Pela, and their great record Anytown Graffiti. But with the suicide of front man Billy McCarthy’s brother, the band was put into hiatus and eventually disbanded. McCarthy never knew his father and his mother was also a schizophrenic and an addict who came to a similar demise, overdosing on sleeping pills and cocaine in a homeless shelter. Next to her body they found a business card with her children’s names on it. Such heavy back story helped fuel the personal contribution into Sunken Ships and it can be heard throughout every track. Some parts are dark, some parts of emotional, but most of all, the album is triumphant and uplifting. The entire album works as a means to grieve and overcome sadness and it’s a beautiful and inspirational work of personal tragedy.

24. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
Sometimes we wonder if the Tornoto hardcore group purposefully attempts to alienate potential listeners or if they truly are do-what-they-please musical geniuses. Take the rather difficult to stomach band name, although it would seem that the risque nature of the f-word nowadays seems to be lost in bouncy songs about seeing someone “drive around town with the girl you love”. Take that up one step and announce that the band is writing a rock opera, whose complex plot involves a boy meeting a girl, losing the girl, possibly killing said girl, and somewhere in between ends up becoming an existential evaluation of love and loss. All of this still wrapped around the howling, dense, and sometimes indistinguishable vocals of Damian Abraham and you’ve got one very bizarre yet extremely rewarding album. Fucked Up still has it’s hardcore/punk rock roots, with David they actually have one of their most catchy and accessible albums yet.

23. Drake - Take Care
We’re just as surprised as you are that Drake made it onto our list but there’s no mistake that this Young Money all star has made one phenomenal record. In a world where mainstream hip-hop dominates everything (and Drake being one of the most famous acts out there right now) there was no reason for him to do anything different on his highly anticipated follow up to Thank Me Later. But what Drake accomplishes on Take Care shows that he is a matured musician, blending all sorts of styles, emotions and lyrics hardly seen in mainstream hip hop these days. Drake has gotten a lot of flack from critics for his emotions, his lack of beats, or his flow but on Take Care Drizzy silences all haters. From braggadocios flows on “Headlines”, somber and reflective takes on “Marvin’s Room” (with it’s unsettling use of the voice of someone on the other side of the phone saying “Are you drunk right now?”) and “Take Care”, and the infectious and powerful beats on “Underground Kings” and “Lord Knows”, Drake takes some serious risks for a person in his position. But unlike everyone who has tried before him (Kanye and Lil Wayne, please stop singing), Drake’s heavily emotional and self reflective album, along with his sing-rapping and songs about strippers or getting drunk ever night, Take Care does a lot. But unlike anyone else in the mainstream, Drake easily shows that there is more to hip hop than what’s out there. Even better, he sets a fantastic example.

22. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming
When we saw Charles Bradley back in September, we thought we had seen a ghost. A ghost of some soul legend, perhaps that of James Brown, who Bradley saw back at his famed Apollo show in 1962 and inspired him to become a singer. Bradley’s story is just as amazing as his debut release, No Time For Dreaming. He was unemployed, homeless, lost a brother to murder, and was finally signed to Daptone records - ten years ago. It’s astonishing how much it took for Bradley to get where he is today but it was worth the wait. The live show was something that words cannot describe. The 64-year old singer moves in ways that someone half his age merely dreams of. His howling delivery reminds us of a perfect blend of Otis Redding and James Brown, and while most of Daptone’s most recent releases try to put a modern twist on an old sound, Dreaming spins like it was right out of ‘65. Backed by the phenomenal Menehan Street Band, Bradley’s smooth tracks even have their heavier notes, on “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” and “Why Is It So Hard?” show that Bradley really has seen it all but what a beautiful thing it has become.  

21. Battles - Gloss Drop
Gloss Drop sounds nothing like their debut album Mirrored. Speculation was that a lot of this had to do with the departure of member Tyondai Braxton but regardless of the reason, Gloss Drop’s heavy instrumental sounds along with a barrage of eclectic guest performers made the album much more experimental than Mirrored but incredibly accessible at the same time. Also riding high on the power of “Ice Cream” made it a very fun listen to come back to all year.

20. Drive - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Dare we say that not since Garden State has a soundtrack perfectly captured the feel and emotions of a film than Drive. The soundtrack to Nicolas Winding Refn’s film is as cool and unsettling as the film itself, perfectly balancing slick 80s inspired synth pop on Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” and College’s “A Real Hero” that perfectly contrasted Cliff Martinez’s haunting ambient score perfectly. Like the film, it’s beautiful, stylized, and very unsettling. Thank you Refn for taking the time to focus on the power of a soundtrack and pop on that white jacket, get your toothpick and crank these tunes: you’re set to be one cool dude with a very unsuspecting dark side.

19. Tycho - Dive

Tycho’s Scott Hansen is known for his graphic design work as much as his beautiful, electronic albums under the moniker Tycho, so it comes as no surprise that the cover for Dive is just a gorgeous as the album itself. Sun bleached, dreamy, and sonically soothing tracks bounces genres from ambient and electronic (we’re not really sure what it is at this point) make for an album perfect for a daydream.

18. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Bouncing back from their previous concept album, The Hazards of Love, Portland’s The Decemberists proved that they continue to be a band that can pull some serious punches. Inspired by REM and a want to have more of an American musical influence, The King is Dead does exactly that. While it remains a folksy record, the American influence ranging from Springsteen to REM (whose guitarist Peter Buck is featured on three tracks) is straightforward and along with soaring harmonies and catchy beats, it’s an incredibly matured sound from a band that continues to impress.

17. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
Sadly this record marked the last for the late Gerard Smith, who passed away from lung cancer nine days after the release of the album. But his influence, along with the remainder of the band, is very evident throughout. If anything, with every release the band seems to get smoother, more suave, and Nine Types of Light acts more like an audio seduction than the days of “Wolf Like Me”. Tunde Adebimpe’s croony delivery is highlighted in the best track on the record, the beautiful and sprawling 6-minute track “Killer Crane”. On paper it may sound dull but it goes down very, very, smooth.

16. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
Back when Radiohead’s 2000 album Kid A came out, we didn’t really know who these guys were. However, this must have been what many fans felt like upon the release of that album. In Rainbows was a perfect album in our opinion (our OK Computer) so with the drastic change of sound in The King of Limbs, we were left kind of flabbergasted. Hand it to the genius that is Radiohead, it just took a few listens to really get into what the album was all about and now we just can’t get enough. What really sets this band apart from others is that they continue to try new things, expanding their signature sound to include influences, so that every album sounds like Radiohead but different (if that makes sense). Plus this release gave us the video for “Lotus Flower” which showcases Thom Yorke’s very bizarre (and dare we say it, amazing?) dance moves.

15. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
This self-released album was self-released for free online but don’t let that make you think it’s a throwaway album. The R&B infused chillwave acted more of a guidelines for hip-hop crooners to get their inner XX on, and the heavy samples of artists like Beach House, Cocteau Twins and Aaliyah was so shocking, we didn’t really know what to do with it. Drenched in heartache with sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll all over it, Abel Tesfaye’s heartbreaking croon was infectious beyond belief.

14. Wilco - The Whole Love
We’ll be honest, we haven’t been really wowed by Wilco’s last two records, Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album). Don’t get us wrong, there were some standout tracks on there but as a whole, it just kind of didn’t really do anything for us. Enter The Whole Love and watch our jaws drop. Easily one of the most solid and tight records we’ve ever heard from them, The Whole Love was near perfect in every aspect. We had the catchy folk-inspired rock we’ve come to love from them on tracks like “I Might” and “Dawned On Me” but it was the opening and the closing tracks of the album that really did the trick. The 12-minute closing track “One Sunday Morning” was easily the most beautiful songs we heard all year, soothing and lulling into a state that is perfect for just that, a Sunday morning. However, it was the opening track “Art of Almost” that took our breath away. Starting off with grainy static, a heartbeat of keys and beeps, Glenn Kotche’s strange drum time with a snare/hi-hat beat, and ends in a wild, guitar solo from Nels Cline - so unlike Wilco and yet astonishing and evidence of Cline’s recent (and well deserved) recognition of one of the Top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone. Wilco hasn’t sounded this tightly knit and original since, dare we say it, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Watch them perform the song live here and watch Kotche’s tricky beat and to see Cline go absolutely bonkers on that guitar.

13. Peter, Bjorn and John - Gimme Some
It must be something in the air but it seems like a majority of the albums we’ve liked this year (and singles for that matter) have been the first track. On Gimme Some, it starts with a bouncy beat and sliding bass on “Tomorrow Has To Wait” building to an anthem shouting  “It’s too late/but tomorrow has to wait/it’s the time of your life/so tomorrow has to wait”. Fans were eager to see them recover from the mediocre reviews of their previous album, Living Things. Back to their infectious pop roots, the band whips through quick tracks like “Second Chance”, “Dig A Little Deeper” (complete with whoa-oh chants) and “Breaker, Breaker”, coming back to the sound that made them famous before “Young Folks” got stuck in your head. On our favorite track, “May Seem Macabre” the band even ventures out to a Brian Eno like track, with blistering and echo guitars and a dancing high hat. A very welcome return indeed, the album was perfect for summer nights.

12. Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi - Rome
Danger Mouse’s tribute to Italian spaghetti western score (ala Ennio Morricone) finds him teaming with famed Italian composer Daniele Luppi as well as contemporary singers Jack White and Norah Jones, who all together create one amazing record that easily could have been emerged from the 60s. Rome pays tribute to the now long lost power of a soundtrack, the idea of a “soundtrack without a movie” but what makes it great is that you don’t need to have an appreciate for score (or even listen to the record like it was a score) to really enjoy it. White’s howling vocals, Jones’ soothing cuts (who was long overdue for some worth attention again) and Luppi’s fantastic craftsmanship blend together to make not only a tribute but a truly original album.

11. A.A. Bondy - Believers
With every album, A.A. Bondy continues to expand on his sound that began on his debut album, American Hearts, a beautiful folk album of guitars, spare bass and drums, and a harmonica. With ever subsequent release, Bondy has increased the production behind his tracks, all building into the what Believers becomes. It doesn’t too many bubbly tracks like “I Can See The Pines Are Dancing” (off When The Devil’s Loose) or American Heart’s “There Is A Reason”. Believers is a much gloomier and darker record, droning and repetitive, that welcomes a new kind of gothic Americana. With every release, Bondy becomes more and more profound, yet sadly remains under the radar of a lot of people.

10. M83 - Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is quite an undertaking, a expansive double album built on the ideas of dreams and innocence, and while most artists simply would have crumpled under the large expectations, M83’s Anthony Gonzales makes the 22-track album pass by without any lag. Gonzales is in fine form - with tracks like “Reunion” and “Midnight City” showcasing the characteristics that made M83 famous, it’s shoe gazing sound with a catchy beat and Gonzales’s shrilly delivery, but on slower tracks like “Wait”, Gonzales keeps the record ever changing and fresh. Our favorite tracks, “Reconte-Moi Une Histoire” an incredibly adorable tale spoken through a little girl talking about a frog that builds into a lush, electronic laced number and “Year One, One UFO”, an uplifting track that has a little hint of Arcade Fire/Fanfarlo, just left us completely overwhelmed with joy. While we half expected a double album of shoe gaze rock to be quite boring, we were disappointed when it ended (and even more surprisingly, didn’t realize how much time had passed).

9. Mikal Cronin - Mikal Cronin
This year we got introduced to the San Francisco garage rock scene with its stars Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, and this guy, Mikal Cronin. They all share the same scuzzy, surf rock influenced garage rock sound from back when, but what sets Cronin apart is his craftsmanship. While the others focus more on the noise of it all, Cronin has a much more 60s pop aspect to his music that adds to all the fun. Landing somewhere in between The Beach Boys’ harmonies and the Velvet Underground’s production, plus (more currently) the White Stripes, Cronin’s debut album is a rollicking good time with flute solos (yes, flute solos), saxophone solos, and Cronin’s best buddy Ty Segall on drums. While it still has the thrashing scuzzy veracity as his garage rock buddies, it differs in the sense thatthe album sounds like a dusty old LP from the 60s.

8. Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three - Middle of Everywhere
In a world dominated by loud, over produced music, it’s comforting to know that artists still exist that take simplicity in their music to a whole new level. Enter Pokey LaFarge, a man who looks like he stepped out a time machine, with his slicked back hair, perfectly tailored wool suit and carrying a barrage of instruments that are rarely heard in music today. Pokey’s signature “riverboat soul” sound is a perfect blend of 20s-30s American blues, with a tinge of bluegrass and folk, is simple and honest and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Sure, you can easily brush off this “vintage” sound as just a bunch of hipsters but one listen to Middle of Everywhere and you’ll agree with us, this is very original stuff. Watch the band’s Tiny Desk Concert over at NPR and we think you’ll be just as hooked on these guys as we are.  

7. My Goodness - My Goodness
I’m sure this Seattle group grows tired of the constant comparison to fellow blues garage rockers The Black Keys but sadly (for them), it is very easy to compare. The duo, comprising of guitarist Joel Schneider and drummer Ethan Jacobsen are no Black Keys or White Stripes, they sonically annihilate the listener with blistering guitar licks and Jacobsen’s drums that wipe the floor with anything Meg White could ever do.  The band’s debut album is a rousing good time, raw and scuzzy, and their single “C’Mon Doll” is a great example of just that. We hope to see a lot more attention on these Seattle rockers very soon, they deserve it.  

6. Feist - Metals
Anyone who listened to Feist based on her cutesy, happy pop singles “1,2,3,4” and “Mushaboom” were completely alienated when she released Metals, a much gloomier, more organic sounding record than The Reminder. Metals is incredibly stripped down, relying on rhythms based around clapping hands, stomping feet and jingle jangles of bells and (you guessed it) metals. The gloomy nature of the album is evident in tracks like “Comfort Me” singing “when you comfort me/it doesn’t bring me comfort actually” and the solemn “Caught A Long Wind” that says “little bird/have you got a key/unlock the lock inside of me”. This isn’t something that soccer mom’s want to be blasting in their minivans, unlike the joyous tracks on The Reminder, and in reality, this shockingly stripped down record shouldn’t be an easy listen. But in fact, it is. Like her debut Let It Die, Feist’s talent really lies in her beautiful vocals and guitar, which finally get some solo attention (unless you’ve been able to see her live), joined by a rousing group of call and response background singers, Metals lurches smoothly through tracks, with surprises coming up in “A Commotion” that builds to a chorus of men (literally) shouting “A commotion” back at her. However, the highlight track is “Undiscovered First” that also builds with the jangling of bells and chorus until it literally swoops in with raw guitars and screaming cymbals, with an intensity we never expected from Feist. All in all, Metals genre hops from lo-fi to jazz to avant-garde to pop, and while everyone may be disappointed for it’s lack of accessibility, it is easily Feist’s most thought provoking and original record yet.

5. Middle Brother - Middle Brother
This super group (if you will) consists of John McCauley (Deer Tick), Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes, all combining their individual talents into a truly collaborative experience. On the opening track “Daydreaming”, McCauley’s gravelly vocals sing over beautiful guitars and becomes what we hoped Deer Tick would always become. While tracks sound like b-sides from all three members’ separate bands, the sheer talent and “wisdom” that all three have create an incredibly solid and remarkable listen.

4. tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Originally just based on the obnoxious spelling of Merrill Garbus’ solo project immediately had us write it off as yet another hipster hyped album. Boy, were we wrong. Garbus’ shrilling singing, along with the beats and the style that she records can be a bit off putting. But W H O K I L L bounces through so many different genres it’s kind of impressive that it doesn’t implode on itself. Using loops and layers, Garbus creates an incredibly dense and complex sound, with great support from Nate Brenner on bass and horns a plenty, W H O K I L L demands multiple listens because there is literally so much going on. On top of that, Garbus’ witty lyrics about race, body issues, ethnocentrism, and gender and continues to keep us guessing. Her beautiful vocals can go from a quiet hum to a shattering shrill and all in all, it isn’t an easy listen. But it was easily the most rewarding one all year.

3. Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream [EP]
The San Francisco based garage rock outfit had two releases this year, the second being this stellar EP, scattered, frantic, and unbelievably catchy. On the explosive track “Contraption/Soul Desert”, the band takes it’s signature 60s raw garage sound and adds some serious punch with it’s never ending stream of fun. We even hear a little Fred Schneider (of B52s fame) all over it. The band’s earlier 2011 album Castlemania was our first intro to Thee Oh Sees and while we enjoyed it, it didn’t really do too much for us. Give a few listens into Carrion Crawler and you’ll be an addict, it’s infectious and makes us want to see them live so badly. The album itself is loud, boisterous and crazy, which is exactly what one reviewer described the album as - go figure.

2. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
We’ve said it before, we’ve been aching from some truly original hip hop lately. Sure, we had Drake earlier but enter Seattle’s Shabazz Palaces and be amazed. Their debut album Black Up is unpretentious, perfectly produced and showcases the talent of the two MCs - Ishmael Butler (of Grammy award winning jazz-rap group Digable Planets) and multi-instrumentalist Tendai Maraire. The beats are fantastic and the jazz influence of Digable Planets is very evident, as genres bounce in and out on each track. The standout track “Are You…Can You…Were You? (Felt)” is one of the best hip-hop tracks we heard all year, with the rhymes effortlessly coming out over awesome beats. The record isn’t over hyped or over produced, in fact the members rarely do interviews and little is known about the specifics of them and the album, but none of that is necessary. Every track is different, the whole feel of the album just falls perfectly into place. This is definitely a very positive step in the right direction of hip hop.

1. Wye Oak - Civilian

Wye Oak’s third album Civilian is a lush, powerful record that came out early in 2011 but didn’t hit our ears until just about the time we were finishing this list. If that isn’t evidence enough, this record is absolutely phenomenal. Front woman Jenn Wasner’s gorgeous vocals and guitars are showcased throughout and commands such power in her listens that she easily sucks you in with every track. The album opens with “Two Small Deaths”, ushering in with busy chatter that slowly flows into Wasner’s picking guitar and loose enunciation and builds to a swooning reverb soaked chorus. On “The Alter”, everything stays the same except for a hypnotizing bass line and on “Holy, Holy” the head bobbing simplicity reminds of us Kim Deal would put out. Enter Wye Oak’s multi-instrumentalist (literally) drummer Andy Stack who plays the drums with his right and keyboards with left - amazing. Like a lot of other albums on this list, Civilian demands frequent listens because it just is so textured and amazing, but more amazingly, it will completely suck you in every single time. It’s heavy emotional power reminded us a lot of The National, so it came as no surprise that they opened for the band on a small tour (which also brilliantly featured Local Natives). Out of everything we listened to all this year, Civilian was the one that left us breathless.

Honorable Mentions:
The Kills - Blood Pressures
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 
The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
Gold Panda - Companion
James Blake - James Blake
Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines

Did we overlook anything? Let us know!