best of 2011
in no particular order with a brief review:
the babies - the babies - so much fun and such a great summer record. this occupied a lot of my headphones. for fans of anything the vivian girls/woods do, you know since those are the two bands.
minks - by the hedge - such great 80s goth tinged pop, this record is loaded with hooks and great melody.
lake - giving and receiving - not one of their best, but this has a few gems on it. enough to keep me coming back to it here and there.
joan of arc - life like - one of the best joan of arc records of recent memory.
edwyn collins - losing sleep - what a triumphant return from one post punk’s greatest. such an inspiring effort after his stroke, it’s like he never skipped a beat.
spectre folk - the blackest medicine vol. II - fun pop weirdness off of the woodsist label.
gang gang dance - eye contact - this sees the band go in a more pop/dance oriented direction, but some of the weirdness is sill there making it a great avant pop record.
ed askew - imperfiction - great re-release of some “loner” folk of the 60s. there are some real heart wrenching songs on this.
ponytail - do whatever you want all the time - FUN!
skeletons - people - one of my top favs of the year, such a stunning continuation of their catalogue.
julian lynch - terra - this one snuck up on me but really sunk in. great follow up to mare.
nodzzz - innings - fun garage-esque pop. fits right in on the woodsist label
timber timbre - creep on ceepin on - kind of haunted do-wop lounge stuff. very interesting songs, and the treatment of the recording gels them together very well.
com truise - galactic melt - one of my favorite synth records of the year.
thurston moore - demolished thoughts - this was a real simple record song wise, but very pretty overall.
dead drums - human hair - real laid back and mellow ambient pop.
niggas with guitars - ethnic frenzy - terrible name, great relaxing music.
hello shark - break arms - i do know linc, but i would rock this without knowing him. such awesome bedroom pop, and sad enough, too boot.
chad vangaalen - diaper island - i’ve been waiting for more releases and this one, while not 100% awesome all the way through still has enough hooks to land it in my best of.
pygmy lush - old friends - one of my favs of the year. such a surprising album given the history of the bands members.
circle of ouroborus - eleven fingers - totally weird amalgamation of genres but interesting and excellent. one of my favs of the year.
mazzy star - common burn/lay myself down - what a return. only two songs and they are perfect.
hoop dreams - xcpr 7” - captured tracks has got my attention on this band, i can’t wait to see what they do next.
supreme dicks - breathing and not breathing - re-release of their catalogue. i had never heard of them until this year, and this was a favorite find. sad sad sad music.
and other greats from this year without explanation:
wet illustrated - 1x1x1
case mccombs - humor risk
sandro perri - impossible spaces
puerto rico flowers - 7 lp
washed out - within and without
jackie-o motherfucker - earth sound system
woods - sun and shade
city center - redeemer
sundrips - just a glimse
the sea and cake - the moonlight butterfly
little wings - black grass
tim hecker- ravedeath
cold cave - cherish the light years
braids - native speaker
