After a truly great year of music, I sat down for hours re-listening to albums, reading reviews and viewing many top-albums-of-the-year lists. Then, as if God himself (of herself or itself) had miraculously sent me the image, I saw in my head my perfect top 10 albums of 2011 listed in a specific order and full of self indulgence.
1. Bon Iver, Bon Iver– Bon Iver
An isolated guitar line sweeps in and out, distant harmonies back Justin Vernon’s aching falsetto, marching drums enter and then, only then, the song explodes into a multitude of instrumental layering, heavy double bass drumming and soaring vocals.
The first track, Perth, ends softly, only to flow directly into the second song. The continuation present in Bon Iver, Bon Iver is the underlying force that guides and strings all the tracks together to create the most cohesive album of the year. Vernon, the voice and face of Bon Iver, released his second album Bon Iver, Bon Iver in June.
The mastery of lyricism, melodies and minimalism found present in For Emma, Forever Ago carried over to the second record, but with added instrumentation and different genre influences, Bon Iver, Bon Iver is a fresh breath of air for both Vernon and the indie scene.
The upward and downward sweeps demand the album to be heard as one perpetual body, allowing each song to serve as unique parts that sound best when together. Bon Iver, Bon Iver is Justin Vernon’s magnum opus. Its sheer power, beauty and grandness has placed it on numerous album of the year lists, has gotten it Grammy nominated for Record of the Year and has captivated listeners of all genres.
I have no doubt that Bon Iver, Bon Iver will be listened to for years to come and will be recognized as one of the best albums ever released.
2. Undun– The Roots
The Roots set themselves apart from the music industry almost immediately after their beginnings over 20 years ago. Making their way through each period of hip hop and rap, The Roots have always been able to tweak, but keep their signature sound.
After working all over the industry and releasing 12 other records, The Roots have become one of the most well-developed groups in music. The Roots were able to display their ability to continually grow through their release of such a jazzy, heartfelt and beautifully produced album.
The concept, based around a semi-fictional drug dealer, is instrumentally delivered perfectly and portrays just how well The Roots are able to create music that is thought-provoking, but still accessible. Undun is one of the best hip hops albums that has been released in a long time and proves just why The Roots are untouchable in today’s industry.
3. Mind Bokeh– Bibio
Stephen Wilkinson, the British music producer behind Bibio, released his sixth album in late March. Known for his experimental electronica music, Wilkinson did not fail in releasing yet another avant-garde album.
Mind Bokeh is not an accesible record by any means, but inventiveness is a desirable quality in today’s music- something that Bibio absolutely does not lack. That each song can seemingly move from a mellow drift to a bouncy crunch in a matter of seconds is an extremely admirable quality.
Beyond the wonderfully produced tracks and radical engineering behind the album, Mind Bokeh‘s finest characteristic is that it will not, can not, bore.
4. A Different Kind of Fix– Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club released their third, and by far most interesting, album in August. Clearly influenced by the 80’s, the guitars, synth lines and vocals all smoothly drone, cascading the album from start to end.
The high quality production and heavy layering keep even the most repetitive songs interesting, and the choruses of almost every song are utter standouts.
The fourth track on the album, Lights Out, Words Gone, is one of the best songs of the year and encompasses just why the album is so good. Its airiness and ability to captivate parallels the intentions of A Different Kind of Fix as a whole.
Bombay Bicycle Club may be experimenting with their overall sound as a newer band, but if they continue in the manner of their latest record one can only imagine what they will bring to the table in the future.
5. House of Balloons– The Weeknd
Abel Tesfaye, the mysterious face behind The Weeknd, released a trilogy of albums over the course of 2011. The mix tapes share a common theme of lust, drugs and taboo and are linked by Tesfaye’s aching melodies and spacey, but powerful grooves. House of Balloons, the tour de force of the three albums, is filled to the brim with daring melodies, dark lyrics and unexpected sampling (in particular the samples from indie band Beach House). Including The Weeknd’s ultimate high, the fourth track Glass Table Girls, House of Balloons most clearly displays both an entirely new approach to R&B and the potential of Tesfaye.
6. El Camino– The Black Keys
Released near the end of the year, The Black Keys clearly added music genius Danger Mouse into their now trio to create El Camino. With a sexy glam rock sound and fine electronic details, the blues duo has grown significantly from their raw beginnings. The Black Keys have always been an interesting force in the current rock genre, but El Camino elevated them to a whole new level.
7. Helplessness Blues– Fleet Foxes
One of the finest break-up albums to be released in the past decade, Helplessness Blues‘ thought-provoking lyrics and wondrous harmonies display the the biting emotion at the core of the record. Pecknold’s heartbreaking melodies and words captivated Fleet Foxes fans and new listeners alike. Helplessness Blues allowed Fleet Foxes to push their own boundaries and release a piece of art that is both truly innovative and genuine.
8. King of Limbs– Radiohead
Short and to the point, Radiohead’s eighth album clearly depicted the over 20-year-old band in their natural habitat. Full of spacey grooves and warbling vocals, King of Limbs serves as a statement of how greatly Radiohead has grown as a band. Regardless of the ridiculous Thom Yorke dance that accompanied Lotus Flower, King of Limbs was one of the most mature records released in 2011.
9. In Search of Elusive Little Comets– Little Comets
UK-based Little Comets released their debut album early in the year, and though In Search of… was dropped by Columbia Records, the very high quality production, dancy beats and singer Robert Coles’ lovely yelping voice kept the album on the radar. In Search of… let the world become acquainted with Little Comets; a quirky, intelligent band that has much potential to do great things in the years to come.
10. Nine Types of Light– TV On the Radio
With choppy grooves, dance-beats and Adebimpe’s wide range of vocal abilities, Nine Types of Light adds to the already impressive collection of TV On the Radio records. The balance of floatiness and sharpness within each song allows for an album full of electronic ebb and flow. The instrumentation of the album heightens the already high level musicianship of TV On the Radio. Nine Types of Light is a joy to listen to, and coming from a band as well developed as TV On the Radio, it stands out as a jewel in the current music scene.
