BEST ALBUMS OF 2011
INTRODUCTION
In a year that saw the death and or downfall of more dictators, terrorists and general all-round global bad guys, 2011 proved to be a musically diverse one. Once again the tough task of shifting through the years musical releases has been done with aplomb by Tim Ritchie, Tracey Ellis, Cameron Barrett, Imran Shahid and Ben Montague. The number of release each year is now staggering, this list not comprehensive, just a snap shot. In end though the choices are easy, these are the albums, amongst the mountains we get, that we keep listening to, and we think you might like to.
Chris Peken
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BEST LOCAL
SLAVA & LEONARD GRIGORYAN; JOSEPH & JAMES TAWADROS – BAND OF BROTHERS
The silken and impassioned guitar skills of the Grigoryan boys, joined by the innovative percussion of James Tawadros and the amazing Oud playing of Joseph Tawadros. To classify this as a classical album is to deny it to a much larger audience, the passion, joy and virtuosity on display here deserves the widest possible audience. (CP)
LANIE LANE – TO THE HORSES
Lanie Lane is totally kicking arse in both the critical acclaim and commercial success departments. Showcasing her wonderful voice, her great writing and her approach to her musical life. And while it might be steeped in Americana from the 30s to the 50s, it is a 21st century gem. What a start to a recording career (TR, BM)
BEST ROCK
THE BLACK KEYS – EL CAMINO
The Black Keys are a two man demolition team. It’s pretty hard to believe that they get such a huge sound with only drums, guitar and vocals but not only do they rock harder than any other rock n’ roll two-piece out there, El Camino shows they do pop, soul and blues as well. This is a feel good party album set to dominate summer. (IS, CP)
BEST BLUES
TOM WAITS – BAD AS ME
This new album is gold. It’s almost like a ‘Best Of’, but it’s all new and all original. Fans of his early work as well as those who appreciate his extreme offerings will get into this release. What makes this collection work so well together is that they all punch in and out, short and sharp tunes that groove. Damn he is good. (TR, CP)
BEST WORLD
SEUN ANIKULAPO KUTI AND EGYPT 80 – FROM AFRICA WITH FURY: RISE
This album takes Afrobeat to the 21st century. While co-produced by Brian Eno, it does not change the focus of the evolution of Afrobeat and makes no allowances for western ears. This album weighs a tonne – if you like a great horn section and driving drumming accompanied by a message about power and freedom – then this will be your album of the year! (TR, CP)
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THE UNTHANKS – LAST
Only the best of artists can take other peoples’ material and transform it into their own (think Nina Simone). The Unthanks are proving that they are indeed so capable. The sound is dark and broody, but the sweet vocals and harmonies give it an otherworldly feel. While not an album to sing along to in a pub, it may well sing in your heart. (TR, CP)
FOO FIGHTERS – WASTING LIGHT
It doesn’t matter how many copies they sell or how much commercial airplay they get, The Fooies are still cool. Pat Smear is back and thickening up the sound, Dave seems a little bit angrier this time around – call it Middle Aged Angst. (BM)
CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES – BABY CAUGHT THE BUS
I think that Clairy Browne and The Bangin’ Rackettes are set to take on the world. Smart, in-your-face and celebrating the hard-hitting sounds of northern soul, jump blues, doo-wop, ska and gospel. Others may sing the songs of the past, this lot also live it. (TR)
SIERRA FIN – CAUTIONARY TALE OF THE BEAUTIFUL BLACKOUT
Sydney’s Sierra Fin really pulled out all the stops in creating their full-length debut. A concept album about a man’s enlightenment, the four-piece enlisted the help of a full symphony orchestra to bring the narrative spectacularly to life. A courageous, bar-raising and inspiring achievement. (CB)
TYLER RAMSEY – THE VALLEY WIND
Band of Horses guitarist’s solo album is akin to Mark Kozalek’s work with its fine acoustic guitar playing. Classic songwriting with the expected country tinges and seventies-style layers of harmonies. Track Stay Gone is pure Neil Young. (TE)
THE WEEKND – HOUSE OF BALLOONS
Imagine you just woke up in a haze on a bathroom floor with smeared make-up after you tried to destroy your broken hearted self with cigarettes, booze and drugs and that’s pretty much the vibe of this album. Its self-destruction beautifully constructed. (IS)
PRIMUS – GREEN NAUGHAHYDE
The incomparable bass master Les Claypool has been busy with many of his side projects, but there’s nothing like his musical home, Primus. With such a long wait there has been much anticipation, but Green Naughahyde does not disappoint. Amazing. (BM)
VAN WALKER – UNDERNEATH THE RADAR
Yes it is a compilation, but one the will bring many to a great talent. Walker’s tunes have that immediate appeal of classic song writing. This is an album that will sound as good in fifty years as it does today, just don’t wait that long to give it a listen. (CP)
REAL ESTATE – REAL ESTATE
Day-dreamy guitar interplay and gentle, melancholy vocals from a bunch of skilful musicians who have been playing together since high school – which probably wasn’t that long ago. (TE)
ROSCOE JAMES IRWIN – THE HUNTING ROAD
A Melbournian doing Folk, County-Rock? You know what? It doesn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter what sound or genre Roscoe wrote and recorded in because his clear talent would be able transcend a style’s boundaries. Being able to shift tone, feel and tempo from track to track (often within a track too) without losing intensity is a gift and pleasure to listen to. (BM)
FOLK UKE – REINCARNATION
When one girl’s dad is Arlo Guthrie and his dad is Woody, and the other girl’s dad is Willie Nelson, you’ve got to think that music will happen. Their harmonies are beautiful and, although their sound is traditional, when this is all put together, they are startling and very contemporary. (TR)
METRONOMY – THE ENGLISH RIVIERA
The English Riviera did more than debunk the long-held assumption that synths and songcraft don’t mix. Each track on Metronomy’s third album is a self-contained gem – nifty riffs, memorable lyrics and an endless variety of synth sounds ensure that interest and enjoyment never wanes. (CB)
SHABAZZ PALACES – BLACK UP!
Seattle avant-garde rap duo Shabazz Palaces’ début album is a left-field take on a genre that filled to the brim with mediocrity. It takes typical hip-hop arrangement, chops it up and spits it out in a fresh new way. Dark and cinematic, Black Up! will creep under your skin and consume you. (IS)
DAVE STEWART – THE BLACKBIRD DIARIES
One of the great guitarists of a generation doing exactly what he wants to do. The bearded former axmen of the Eurythmics has taken 13 years to release The Blackbird Diaries, with duets with Stevie Nicks and other this album is top notch. (BM)
RAPHAEL SAADIQ – STONE ROLLIN’
Raphael Saadiq doesn’t just revisit the soul/R&B music of the 60s he writes it as though Motown never left. With vintage instruments and orchestral sections reminiscent of Quincy Jones’ work you can kick back and listen to an album that makes it sound as though Detroit was still the greatest city in the world. (IS)
RYAN ADAMS – ASHES AND FIRE
Adams’ mercurial skips through musical styles can leave him open to accusations of affectation but Ashes and Fire is a considered and assured album. More mellow and slick than some fans might like, but has all the hallmarks of a classic. (TE)
BJÖRK – BIOPHILIA
An album, iPhone app and interactive experience all in one, Björk’s eighth redefined the ‘album’ experience for the 21st century. But the music was stellar, too – rich, varied soundscapes combined with environmentally-concerned lyrics to create one of Björk’s finest releases. (CB)
LAURA MARLING – A CREATURE I DON’T KNOW
This folk singer weaves a beguiling sound with emotional and evocative lyrics in such a way that the listener forgets her age (she is 21), forgets her nationality (she’s from the UK) and simply gets folded into the blissful stories. (TR)
THE NECKS – MINDSET
Unsettling. Album number 16 from the living legends is intense and exhausting listening. The tension slowly burning and the mood claustrophobic as both pieces here refuses to ever resolve, instead the album just suddenly ends, leaving you both breathing a sigh of relief and hitting play again. (CP)
DICK DIVER – NEW START AGAIN
Melbourne four-piece sound like The Go-Betweens, The Chills and The Smiths blended to great effect and write songs beyond their years. A beautiful and promising debut. (TE)
TAKADIMI – NEW COMMON SENSE
This eclectic debut offering from Sydney outfit Takadimi combines jazz, folk, blues and world music influences to create something distinctive but very accessible. Infectious instrumental hooks make sure that New Common Sense never gets tiresome, and the dexterity of each musician playing on the album is really something to be admired. (CB)
FEIST – METALS
Feists’ album Metals is the probably sweetest album you’ll hear this year. Four albums into her solo career she knows how to endear herself to the listener with her brand of folk-pop without being too cute and Metals has so much subtly going on it’s a slow burner you’ll want to spend time with.(IS)
DEREB THE AMBASSADOR – DEREB THE AMBASSADOR
Dereb Desalegn is well known in his homeland of Ethiopia, but he now lives in Australia. Think afro-beat, think 60s and 70s funk, think Ethiopian jazz, all wrapped in raw power… and listen here. A really great adventure of an album! (TR)
JAMES CRUICKSHANK – NOTE TO SELF
Cruickshank swings you around the musical round-about and back again. No-one will tell you James Cruickshank has a wonderful singing voice, he is capable in all areas; but what he does have is a wonderful and adventurous musical voice you should listen to. (CP)
PHONTE – CHARITY STARTS AT HOME
The most soulful singer-rapper out there is probably one of the wittiest, and Phonte exercises his skills while addressing life’s problems, whether it be the day to day injustices and inequalities of black America or trying to keep faithful to his girl because he’s a guy and guys are jerks. (IS)
VETIVER – THE ERRANT CHARM
San Francisco band Vetiver play sweet acoustic folk and their fifth album is soft as a breeze, but the sweet ambience is elevated with slightly psychedelic instrumentation and nice production and the appeal grows with repeated listens. (TE)
JAMES BLAKE – JAMES BLAKE
James Blake’s debut album did so many things for electronic music in 2011. It revitalised auto-tune, reclaimed dubstep and offered a starkness and poignancy that had rarely been seen in the genre before. James Blake has managed to take synths, sub-bass and auto-tune from the dance floor, and along with a fragile, soulful voice created an immense album. (CB, IS)
WILD NOTHING – GEMINI
Jack Tatum hails from Virginia and sounds like he spends a lot of time tinkering in a bedroom studio trying to recreate the sounds he heard on all the indie albums of his youth. Pretty dreamy tunes underpinned with a shoegaze aesthetic. (TE)
SEBASTIAN – TOTAL
This French electro whiz-kid’s debut was a monstrous masterclass in chopping, distortion and all things synth-tacular. Hugely aggressive yet undeniably funky, Total melded an electronic persuasion with a rock attitude as well as serving as a riotous finale for the 80s-music revival of recent years. (CB)
RADIOHEAD – KING OF LIMBS
Radiohead release an album of scatty blips, beats and beeps much in the same vein as Kid A and Amnesiac and again they manage to push the sonic boundaries like no other ‘rock’ band. (IS)
GABLE – CUTE HORSE CUT
If I had to try and squeeze their sound into a few words, I’d say it is adult nursery rhyme style with 21st century production born from a sense of sonic anarchy but perfectly structured to entertain and amuse. (TR)
STARBOARD – THE NIGHT IN QUESTION
Chris Moller, formerly from Brisbane band Midget, recorded this album of dark stirring tunes several years ago with an excellent band that features cello and violin. Delays and setbacks meant that it was nearly shelved forever. Only available on Soundcloud but so worth discovering. (TE)
THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS – ODE TO NOTHING
Tight black jeans, winkle pickers, Trade Union Club, Valhalla posters…sound familiar? Okay these songs are over two decades old but together on a release for the first time its amazing how good they still sound. Ode to Nothing is a fitting tribute to three short years when a great little band shone brightly without ever breaking through. (CP)
BEIRUT – THE RIP TIDE
On their third album, Beirut continue to combine simple yet effective songwriting with their distinctive instrument line-up – mandolin, trumpet and accordion, anyone? Together with Zach Condon’s irresistibly-honed voice, this is a hard one to avoid. (CB)
EMA – PAST LIFE MARTYRED SAINTS
It’s hard to believe that noise rock singer-guitarist EMA aka Erika M. Anderson isn’t a tortured soul. It’s raw and personal and it’s largely about the split from her creative and life partner but I guess venting on a album this dark is bound to help keep your head screwed on straight. (IS)
ARREBATO ENSEMBLE – ABSOLUCIÓN
Arrebato Ensemble fuse flamenco music with rock and jazz to truly bring the Spanish art form into the 21st century. Their second album expertly combines catchy phrases with virtuosic improvising on the guitar, saxophone, cello and accordion. (CB)
MAJOR CHORD – PSYCHIC CIVIL WAR
Melbourne-based singer songwriter Dan Flynn has created an album that is truly special; capable of doing those rare and special things that all music strives to achieve; to stir emotions, to conjure thoughts and dreams, and make you want to move physically. (BM)
TALL BUILDINGS – LIGHT THE SHALLOWS
Melbourne’s Tall Buildings sound more like small bush shacks with cosy fires and acres or wilderness outside. They have an unpretentious, garage-y ambience balanced with songwriting skill, nice vocals and fine musicianship. (TE)
DUTCH UNCLES – CADENZA
Combining the uplifting delivery of U2 with the math-rock brainpower of Battles, Cadenza was what the latter’s follow-up album should have been. A funky, quirky and catchy rock album filled to the brim with clever ideas, but never to the detriment of the songwriting. (CB)
DESTROYER – KAPUTT
Perfect, timeless pop with a sonic reference to a time mostly forgotten has Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer) finding a niche that allows him to stand out and be heard as if he is a freshly found new sound. (TR)
AA BONDY – BELIEVERS
More acoustic folk, but a slightly darker and more introverted record than those released by Vetiver and Tyler Ramsey – and equally compelling. Achingly beautiful and a little heartbreaking. (TE)
KIMBRA – VOWS
Kiwi starlet Kimbra received a lot of attention and hype in the lead-up to her debut album – and she didn’t fail to deliver. Varying wildly from rich orchestrations to doo-wop-style moments, the whole set was underpinned by her awesome, dynamic voice. (CB)
AGNES OBEL – PHILHARMONICS
Pretty and sophisticated orch pop from precociously talented Danish pianist and songwriter now based in Berlin. Philharmonics is a lush album that marries a kind of straight-backed classicism with artful and more edgy composition, beautiful arrangements and sensitive production. (TE)
LUCIE THORNE – BONFIRES IN SILVER CITY
Lucie Thorne is one of our own, and with this album she makes a firm statement that she is one of our finest. An album of hushed tones, subtle but powerful arrangements and thoughtful lyrics. World-class. (CP)
MEGASTICK FANFARE – GRIT AGLOW
A beautiful blend of technology and traditional rock arrangement Megastick Fanfare push the boundaries with unconventional arrangements and structure. None of the tracks can necessarily be described as “songs” as such and the vocals are looped and repeated and used more like a hook, riff or stamp on each piece. (BM)
