Album Of The Year (1 Viewer)

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I bought very few new releases this year,mostly used records or reissues.

Cheap Trick-the latest (uk release was this year)
Doom- 7"
Violent Arrest-tooth and nail lp

Reissues by Jameson Raid,Hell,Trouble,Void,Artificial Peace,Rory Gallagher(probably counts as a new release as it's first time), were amongst my favourites


My favourite record of the year was probably the British Lions lp from '77

 

[CinnamonBoy]

AOTY:


Disappointing albums from 2011:




M83 - Whatever it's called. Overblown, bombastic, retreading, filler filled, Arcade Fire wannabe crap.

You have decent taste otherwise, aside from using that dreadful word "chillax", but this is a bizarre assessment of the M83 album. I can hardly think of a single second of it that sounds like it wants to be Arcade Fire or, even that's filler for that matter. A gorgeous sounding triumph of a CD is how I'd describe it which sounds, in the most glorious way possible, like My Bloody Valentine jamming with Level 42 with Brian Eno producing. In fact, it's strength is the sheer variety. Soon, My Friend sounds like they hired in the sting section off Deserter's Songs. It's an amazing album. The "overblown and bombastic" side puts a silly grin on my face and makes me walk around feeling 10 foot tall. And that's my kind of album.
So there.

 

[mark]

Ha

Lou Reed & Metallica — Lulu
That one friend who has to have a contrary opinion on everything. Although this might be a challenge, even for him/her.

i have a pal who's saying he loves this album. i think he's just trying to piss me off.

 

[therealjohnny]

My top albums

JD Mc Pherson/ Signs and Signifiers..modern approach to rock and roll without the usual clichés. North Side Gal was one of the best singles this year.
Pokey LaFarge and The South City Three/ Middle of Everywhere--pre rock and roll inspired jazz, ragtime and jump blues-great musicians,just great fun
CW Stoneking/Jungle Blues- moody atmospheric pre war style jazz- one of the best gigs this year in Dublin
Giuda/Racey Roller -- great catchy, 70's style glam/punk rock. Everyone who hears it loves it. On permanent rotation

 

[therealjohnny]

adding Gillian Welch/The Harrow and The Harvest to this list--it's as good as everyone says it is

 

[GO]

Oh yeah..That Gillian Welch lp is great!

Keep meaning to hear the Guida record..must try find it

 

[Cryptid]

You have decent taste otherwise, aside from using that dreadful word "chillax", but this is a bizarre assessment of the M83 album. I can hardly think of a single second of it that sounds like it wants to be Arcade Fire or, even that's filler for that matter. A gorgeous sounding triumph of a CD is how I'd describe it which sounds, in the most glorious way possible, like My Bloody Valentine jamming with Level 42 with Brian Eno producing. In fact, it's strength is the sheer variety. Soon, My Friend sounds like they hired in the sting section off Deserter's Songs. It's an amazing album. The "overblown and bombastic" side puts a silly grin on my face and makes me walk around feeling 10 foot tall. And that's my kind of album.
So there.

You also have good taste in music CB, we're definitely agreed on Neil Young's On The Beach and probably some of that italo disco too. The M83 album did of course make several end of year lists and was almost universally slobbered over when it was released, so you might have something. I could be a neanderthal with no appreciation for the finer things in life. However, I listened to it three times, which is over three hours spent at least indirectly assessing something and I found it almost painful to listen to, the pain of being embarrassed for somebody who has ability but is parading around in emperor's clothes.

Something I didn't put in my comment was that Gonzalez cannot sing in the higher register - he yelps like a sea lion. He's quite good in a lower register (e.g. Out Of The Flames (although he does get away with the 'Tinaaaaa' bit)), but he rarely sings lower notes on this yoke.

It has quite a few melodies that turned up on previous albums. Also, he uses pretty the same keyboards sounds as ever. Truth be told I didn't notice the string section on that song. He often uses synths for strings so that bit went over my head.

I think in going for the 'big sound' he's ended up making music which sounds like 'No Cars Go' from Arcade Fire (a song I abhor). I think if you're going to go for big, bombastic music you need to have tunes and lyrics to go with it, otherwise it ends up sounding overblown (see what I did there?) like Florence & The Machine.

In terms of filler, I thought the album had a lot of pointless gap filling stuff. I can't actually remember any of it now, which says it all.

The song with the boy talking just made for uncomfortable listening. I could imagine it working in a drugged state, but it sounds naff otherwise.

I wasn't a major fan of Saturdays = Youth, but that had Kim & Jessie, which is a top tune. The closest this had was Midnight City, which was instantly forgettable.

Anyway, I salute you for sticking up for something you like. I have been known to be wrong before, but I'm going to stick my neck out and say this was a steamer, and not in the horseracing sense.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Giuda/Racey Roller -- great catchy, 70's style glam/punk rock. Everyone who hears it loves it. On permanent rotation

Did it not come out last year? otherwise it would be in my best of.

 

[therealjohnny]

you're right, it did

 

[rettucs]

M83 are crap

 

[rettucs]

will get my turretes seen to in 2012

 

[rettucs]

and also my inability to spell

 

[Anthony]

Alright I'm going to name actual albums instead of numbers...

Land Lovers : Confidants
Number 1 Irish record that I didn't play on.

Ill Eat Your Face : Hot Brains Terror
Downloaded and forgot about it then a song came up on random and I had to run across the room to find out what it was, awesome.

Retarded Cop : You Have...
Album itself was a bit of a letdown sonically but the FACKIN TOONS!

The Mountain Goats : All Eternals Deck
Hearing him on The Sound of Young America, getting the album, seeing them live all in the space of a month or so just makes me happy, like the cold side of the pillow.

They Might Be Giants : Album Raises New And Troubling Questions
Rareities compilation that is better than their official 2011 album, Join Us, which is also good.

Sloan : The Double Cross
Just because Sloan are deadly.

Spent a lot of this year making music, listening to old music and finally surrendering to The Beatles (Hard Day's Night still my fav).
The actual album of my year though is Moving Pictures by Rush.

 

[hermie]

J.Masic' list is my favourite

http://pitchfork.com/features/guest-lists/8735-guest-list-best-of-2011/

down the very bottom. Can't beat that kind of honesty.

Toro y Moi's is better. He actually made a list and put his album at the top

 

[Unknown Convict]

The Mountain Goats : All Eternals Deck
Hearing him on The Sound of Young America, getting the album, seeing them live all in the space of a month or so just makes me happy, like the cold side of the pillow.

from a 20yr veteran, i love hearing things like this!

festive tMG cheer:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-mountain-goats-cover-have-yourself-a-merry-lit,66859/

 

[ilovehoovering]

didn't buy much this year but here are the top 5...

Big Monster Love - Game Over
Jape - Ocean of Frequency
Nicola Roberts - Cinderella's Eyes
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Tieranniesaur - Tieranniesaur

also really enjoyed the Yeh Deadlies, Squarehead and Misty's Big Adventure albums.

album from 2010 that I discovered in 2011 and listened to probably more than anything else this year - Allo' Darlin by Allo' Darlin.

 

[therealjohnny]

http://flavorwire.com/243565/stereo...=Day+4+(Thursday)&utm_campaign=Unified+Mailer

[h=2]Stereotyping You By Your Favorite Album of 2011[/h]

 

[Anthony]

Bloggers crawling out of their "sorry I haven't posted in ages" to post their "thanks for all the free stuff" lists these days.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Good post Cryptid, though Scutter topped you. Funnily enough, I couldn't understand the acclaim Saturdays=Youth received because really apart from Kim and Jessie, Too Late, the other single and maybe Graveyard Girl it was shite. Especially that house-y track. The new album has serious variety though, plenty of new ideas (hell, even acoustic guitars) and some moments of sheer beauty....I find it's just what he's been striving for previously but never really achieved. I've been listening to it constantly for the last two weeks so that's why I'm sticking up for it so much here! He's not the best singer though, you're right, he should really draft someone in for vocals more often.

 

[rettucs]

http://flavorwire.com/243565/stereo...=Day+4+(Thursday)&utm_campaign=Unified+Mailer

Stereotyping You By Your Favorite Album of 2011

ha ha, very good