Top Albums of 2011
DJ DJ - morning show host
Top 5 Albums of 2011
1. Bon Iver- S/T
2. M83- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
3. Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
4. Neon Indian- Era Extrana
5. Youth Lagoon- The Year of Hibernation
Top 5 Tracks of 2011
1. The War on Drugs- Best Night
2. Bon Iver- Calgary
3. M83- Midnight City
4. Youth Lagoon- Cannons
5. Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
Top 5 Reissues of 2011
1. The Beach Boys- The Smile Sessions
2. The Olivia Tremor Control- Music from the Unrealized Film Script
3. Miles Davis- The Bootleg Series Volume 1: Live from Europe, 1967
4. Can- Tago Mago (40th Anniversary)
5. The Radio Dept.- Passive Aggressive Singles 2001-2010
Uncle Jeff - Route 78 West
Top 10 Albums of 2011:
- Gillian Welch: the Harrow & The Harvest
- Pakistani Surf (Sublime Frequencies)
- John Fahey: Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You -- The Complete Fonotone Years Box Set Extraordinaire
- The Alps: Easy Action (Mexican Summer)
- M83: Hurry Up We're Dreaming
- Tinariwen: Tassili
- Hank III- Ghost to A Ghost/Guttertown
- Mark McGuire: Mark McGuire or just about all them LPs he released this year
- Jonas Reinhardt: Music for the Tactile Dome makes synth music that Daniel Lopotkin only wishes..
- Demdike Stares: Tryptych. had to wait to get the 3cd set since
the LPs vaporized
Best show: Atom Heart at the Fox
Best resource for fleshing in holes in the collection: discogs.org
Becca - Street team
Best Albums of 2011 (sort of in order)
- tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
- Akron/Family - S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju
- St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
- Ducktails - Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics
- Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania
- Man Man - Life Fantastic
- Atlas Sound -Parallax
- Real Estate - Days
- Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
- Teleknesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
- Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
- Mister Heavenly - Out of Love
- Starfucker - Reptillian
- Oh No Oh My - People Problems
- The Decemberists - The King is Dead
- Black Keys - El Camino
- Bon Iver - S/T
- Blackout Beach - Fuck Death
- Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Best Local Releases of 2011
Paper Bird - Carry On
Tennis - Cape Dory
Princess Music - Roger Tranquilty
Spirits of the Red City - Hunter Moon
Dovekins - (A)live
Best Reissues of 2011
The Beach Boys - Smile Sessions
The Olivia Tremor Control - Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at
Cubist Castle
Ben -the me generation
My top 5 albums of new material released this year by bands best known for
their work in the 1980's:
5. Charm School - Roxette
4. Red Barked Tree - Wire
3. Sweetheart of the Sun - The Bangles
2. 2011 - The Smithereens
1. I Came Here to Blow Minds - Wendy James (of Transvision Vamp)
Philip - DJ
Best New Hip Hop LP's of 2011
1.) Moka Only & Chief: 'Crickets'. Another example of why I think Moka Only is way too slept on... this is his first collaborative album with Swiss beatmaker [Think J Dilla or 9th Wonder] Chief. Superb beats, smooth production, and Moka's thoughtful and uniquely strange lyrics punctuate this very solid LP.
2.) Strange Fruit Project: 'A Dreamer's Journey.' While not as consistently excellent as previous album's such as 'The Healing' and 'Soul Travelin', this is nonetheless a very solid release from this eclectic Texas-based trio named for a Billie Holiday song. In the standout track, '1,2', S1 rhymes over a Dilla-esque beat: 'And I ain't doing bad but I'm far from doin' good, and I ain't trying to do you lets get that understood.' Amen.
3.) Onra: 'Long Distance' [All City Records] Paris-based beatmaker and producer Onra has managed to seamlessly blend hip hop, neo-soul, dance, and breakbeat influences into this superb LP, featuring collaborative tracks with vocalists such as Dam-Funk, Olivier Daysoul, Reggie B, and T3 of Slum Village. From the feel-good soul swagger of 'High Hopes' to the gritty, urban punchiness of 'Moving', this is possibly the best instrumental-focused hip hop release since J. Dilla's posthumous 'Donuts' or Oddisee's LP 'Traveling Man.' With play counts on some of these tracks approaching the triple digits in my Itunes library, this album will not soon be forgotten.
4.) Oddisee, ‘Rock Creek Park’ [Mello Music Group] While Oddisee is no stranger to critical acclaim in the underground hip hop scene nor the cryptic D.C music culture, this release deserves mention as it blends the wonderful, Dilla or Metaform-esque instrumentals of previous albums like ‘Travelin’ Man’ and more conventional albums like ‘Foot in the Door.’ While lacking the replay-value of the Jazzy Jeff-produced ‘Foot in the Door’, ‘Rock Creek Park’ contains several gems, most notably ‘Mattered Much’, a soulful, introspective jam featuring London vocalist Olivier Daysoul, on which Oddisee raps ‘Mutual friends but we ain’t even the same folk, cuz if your idea of fun is an island and a cruise ship then let me tell ya we ain’t in the same boat.’ Amen man.
House Music Releases of 2011
- Chris Malinchak, ‘Vilette EP’, French Express Records. Chris Malinchak is a promising new house DJ and producer based in New York, and this is his second EP on indie dance label ‘French Express Records’, which features up-and-coming artists in the house scene such as Jonas Rathsman, Moon Boots, and Perseus. The single off this EP, ‘No Secrets’, in the true spirit of New York features soulful vocals by longtime subway performer Damon C. Scott, layered over dreamy, complex synths and drums. This could have been a bit in 1986, but doesn’t suffer from any ‘vintage cheesiness’ or ‘novelty factor’ a lot of ‘New Wave’ synth pop seems to have. The other tracks, ‘Razor’ and ‘Accolade’, are ready for the most discerning dance floor ear and embody the freshness and complexity I see underground house music moving towards these days.
- Dimitri From Paris and DJ Rocca: ‘Erodiscotique’ Parts I & II. Both these DJ’s have been long-time fixtures in the NY and European house scene, back from when Dimitri used to spin at Washington D.C’s legendary Eighteenth Street Lounge alongside Ursula 1000 and Thievery Corporation. Rumors of this collaboration had been circulating for a while, and I was so happy with the results. The first EP features jazzy, classic dance floor fillers like ‘I Love New York’ and ‘Downtown’ that could have been played at Paradise Garage or Studio 54 back in the day. The second EP is the real highlight though, with the superb single ‘Domino Dancing’ featuring Tim Benton, which is the best house track I’ve heard in some time. Various edits of the track ‘A Reason For Living’ [particularly the classic ‘freestyle edit’] suggest the era of bootleg mixtapes made by splicing tape reels together, and are so upbeat and fresh you can’t help but tap your leg a little.
- Tensnake ‘Something About You’, Defected Records. Ok, this is a single and not a full EP, but deserves mention as it’s easily one of the top tracks of the year in house/dance music and comes on the heels of his much-hyped single ‘Coma Cat.’ It builds to a killer break around 3:00 at which point you should be dancing close to someone sexy, as the piano-and-bass driven closing minutes are sure to leave you panting for more. Be sure to check out his recent remixes of Little Dragon’s ‘Ritual Union’ and the Scissor Sister’s ‘Any Which Way’ , some of the frehest dance remixes I’ve heard in a longgggg time.
- Cosmonaut Grechko: ‘Alaska 2100.’ This dreamy, beautiful EP with remixes by Russian DJ and producer Cosmonaut Grechko could have been an underground demo the leaked west in Soviet Times, but instead it’s a brilliant reminder of the young, hardly-known DJ’s out there making their mark in the dance world by spinning a fresh style that isn’t afraid to borrow from the past while using new samples and equipment to create something entirely modern. ‘Alaska 2100’ sounds like a futuristic J-pop power ballad, while ‘Singin’ could have been a single by fellow Russian synth-pop act ‘Tesla Boy.’ A wonderful release by this promising young producer for the new ‘stilyagi’ out there.
- Holy Ghost! S/T, DFA Records. NY-based dance rock group Holy Ghost! Follows in the footsteps of fellow DFA stars LCD Soundsystem and The Juan Maclean on this excellent LP, featuring standout singles ‘Wait and See’ and ‘Do it Again’, fun without seeming trivial, light without being insubstantial, these boys have elevated indie dance music to new heights in the DFA Records tradition.
~Best Albums of 2011~
- Raphael Saadiq, ‘Stone Rollin’ [Columbia] Undoubtedly Saadiq’s strongest solo release, this wonderful and moving LP recalls’ a bygone era in America music while also ushering in a new kind of soul, one with modern production, beats and instrumentation, that isn’t afraid to take a hint from the Motown and Daptone days of past. While full of ‘easy’ singles like ‘Good Man’ that are both radio and music snob-friendly, the real gems are the more subdued pieces, ‘Movin’ down the Line’ in particular has a heartfelt and timeless vibe, while ‘The Answer’ rambles through a boy’s difficult youth for six-odd minutes before a surprise ‘hidden closer’ provides a wonderful icing on this relatively short but stacked 10-track LP. ‘Go to Hell’ cascades through Saadiq’s impressive vocal repertoire with ease, buoyed by timeless rock percussion and brass. An uplifting, yet somehow refreshingly humble album, ‘Stone Rollin’ proves that while America may be lagging behind the rest of the world in other regards, the best music is still made in the good old U-S-of-A.
- M83, ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ [M83 Recordings] M83 is the project of French producer, vocalist, and dream-weaver Anthony Gonzales, who remains somewhat of an enigma in the often fiercely competitive and idolized indie electronica scene. While keeping in the spirit of his previous work- grand, sweeping synth and percussion arrays over which dreamy, disembodied lyrics float lazily, this LP has several characteristics that set it apart. Mr. Gonzales has incorporated some more traditional pop and rock structure into his music, especially on singles ‘Midnight City’ and ‘Steve McQueen.’ Don’t mistake this accessibility for lack of quality though- rather, Gonzales’ brilliant blending of synth-pop, surf-rock, psychedelia, and new wave merely comes through a little clearer amongst the surrounding haze of his production. ‘Steve McQueen’, ‘Ok Pal’ and ‘Reunion’ shine just as bright as ‘Kim & Jessie’ or ‘Graveyard Girl’, and if anything, are a little edgier in that they incorporate more complex drum and bass sections into te same crisp, glossy production Gonzales has become known for. Does this mean we might risk hearing one of his songs in a trendy Apple ad? Certainly, but in this case I think the quality of the music os worth this risk.
- Little Dragon, ‘Ritual Union’ [Peacefrog] Sweden’s Little Dragon seemingly came out of nowhere and yet has escaped the disappointing post-hype slump ofmany other indie electronica groups. On their third studio album, they take their unique style to a new level, with vocalist Yukimi Nagano’s beautiful and clear voice riding over artfully arranged synth’s, percussion and neo-soul bass. While the standout single is definitely ‘Ritual Union’ [love is not like they say, a light that’s hard to make stay, I drowned my feelings in the sea, then dried up over on the beach, ‘Little Man’ and ‘Shuffle a Dream’ are also superb and complex. This album makes me that much snobbier about the time a few years ago when I saw them by myself and the Walnut room in Denver with maybe 40 other people.
Cal - Host of Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy (previously Now Where)
Favorite Songs in General of 2011
"Cowboys in The Void" - Quilt, S/T
"Devils Hearts Grow Gold" - La Sera, S/T
"WHALE" / "Hate Me Soon"- Yellow Ostrich, The Mistress
"Predatory" - Spires, EP (Denver based!)
"Peace On The Rise" - Chad Vangaalen, Diaper Island
"Time Trades" - Jeffrey Lewis, A Turn In The Dream Songs
“Black Night” - The Dodos, No Color
"Coast To Coast" - The Twerps, S/T
"Human Qualities" - Explosions in The Sky, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
"Tulip"- Here We Go Magic, The January EP
"Chem-Farmer" / "Spider Cider" - Thee Oh Sees, Carrion Crawler EP / Castlemania
"Sycamore Tree" - Crystal Stilts, In Love With Oblivion
"Cannibal Courtship" - Dengue Fever, Cannibal Courtship
"Do What I Can" / "Goin' Down South" - Bad Dreams, 7"
"Hushed By Devotion" - Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Marble Son
"Stone, Leaf And Pond" – Six Organs of Admittance, Maria Kapel
2011's Best Psychedelic Albums
Transmalinnia – Lumerians (Knitting Factory)
Sun and Shade – Woods (Woodsist)
Is Growing Faith – White Fence (Woodsist)
Through The Donkey Jaw – Amen Dunes, (Sacred Bones)
Hazed Dream – Psychic Ills (Sacred Bones)
In Love With Oblivion – Crystal Stilts (Slumberland)
Carrion Crawler / The Dream EP – Thee Oh Sees (In The Red)
The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz – Radio Moscow (Alive)
Diaper Island - Chad Vangaalen (Sub Pop)
Getting Paid – Zechs Marquise (Sargent House)
936 – Peaking Lights (Not Not Fun)
Lifeboats and Follies – Tommy Guerrero (Galaxia)
S/T – Quilt (Mexican Summer)
Country Stash – MV & EE (Three Lobed Recordings)
Beyond The 4th Door – Eternal Tapestry (Thrill Jockey)
Pewt’r Sessions Vol. 1 – Causa Sui (El Paraiso)
Stundum – Papir (El Paraiso)
I Wash My Soul In The Stream of Infinity – My Brother The Wind (Transubstans)
Analog – The Re-Stoned (R.I.A.G.)
Master Sleeps – Hills (Transubstans)
Neverendless – CAVE (Drag City)
Other Assorted Releases that Kick Ass
Some Cold Rock Stuf – J.Rocc (Stones Throw)
Odd Seasons – Oddisee (Mello Music Group)
Classic – MED (Stones Throw)
Do Whatever You Want All The Time – Ponytail
Tassili – Tinariwen (Wedge)
Gloss Drop – Battles (Warp)
Maria Kapel – Six Organs of Admittance (Pavillion)
D – White Denim (Downtown Records)
S/T – Gardens and Villa (Secretly Canadian)
Innings – NODZZZ (Woodsist)
Apacalypse – Bill Callahan (Drag City)
Take Care, Take Care, Take Care – Explosions In The Sky
VDSQ Solo Acoustic Guitar, Vols. 4, 5, 6 (Vin Du Select Qualitite)
Of The Days – Grey Reverend (Motion Audio)
Arabia Mountain – The Black Lips (Vice Music Inc)
The Mistress - Yellow Ostrich (Barsuk)
Shadow Sessions – The Webelos (Self-released)
Anything missing? You bet. I think that’s enough though. Enjoy your discoveries.
nowwherepsych.blogspot.com // www.examiner.com/music-in-denver/best-of-new-music