Hey everyone!
2011 has begun to draw to a close and I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at some of the great albums that came out this year that I also reviewed right here on the blog! Overall, 2011 was an extremely good year for music, including the continued rise to stardom for Adele, seeing the return of blink-182 after a 8 year hiatus, Foo Fighters returning with another career defining album, the emergence of brand new artists such as Foster the People and Two Door Cinema Club, and the last discs from Thrice and R.E.M that leave an indelible mark on its listeners. This list represents my 10 favorite albums of the year and a brief overview of each album and what made it so memorable from this past year. And without further ado, here are my top 10 albums of 2011 arranged in no particular order:
Adele - 21
British R&B songtress Adele returned in a huge way this year with her landmark sophomore album, 21. The album was leaps and bounds better than its predecessor, 19 and saw Adele taking her voice to places never before traveled with intense melodic instrumentation and haunting ballads that will leave you speechless and in awe. Expect her to dominate this year's Grammy awards ceremony as no other artist came close to matching the sonic greatness that Adele achieved with this classic album. Some recommended songs for you to check out include the scorching "Rolling In The Deep", "Rumour Has It", and the haunting ballad "Someone Like You".
Foster the People - Torches
Foster the People made a indelible first impression with their amazing debut album, Torches. The album was an eclectic mix of electronic and indie rock influences built upon the amazing vocal abilities of Mark Foster giving the songs an intense, dance oriented flavor that was sparsed throughout the album and is a glimpse into a band that we'll be hearing a lot from further on down the road. They are one of the most creative and dynamic new artists that I've heard in a very long time. Among the plethora of recommended tracks for you to check out include the massive hit "Pumped Up Kicks", "Helena Beat", "Call It What You Want", and "Don't Stop (Color On The Walls)".
The Strokes - Angles
NYC's definitive alt-rock band The Strokes returned after a five year hiatus with their latest release, Angles. Frontman Julian Casablancas and Co. pick up right where they left off with a balanced and sonic achievement that features dynamic garage rock rhythms built around Julian's crooning and familiar vocal presence that ensures that all songs meet the criteria in an effort to recapture the attention of their fanbase who have been clamoring for new material from the band for quite some time. A dazzling and spectacular effort for the band that did not go unnoticed at all this year. Some recommended songs from this effort include the heavily melodic first single "Under Cover of Darkness", "Taken For A Fool", and "Machu Picchu".
Thrice - Major/Minor
Irvine, California's own Thrice returned with a spectacular and career defining achievement this year with Major/Minor. Arguably the best effort of their career, the band blends together intense and gritty post-hardcore melodies that are intricately woven around Dustin's intense melodic persona and makes this album one to listen to again and again to fully appreciate all the hard work and determination that went into making this effort. With the band announcing their hiatus just a couple of weeks ago, this is a damn fine way for the band to go out on top. Among some of the classic tracks found on this release include the gritty "Yellow Belly", "Promises", "Anthology", and "Call It In The Air".
All Time Low - Dirty Work
Baltimore's most well known pop-punkers returned big this year with their major label debut, Dirty Work. Frontman Alex Gaskarth and his bandmates return with a melodic and matured effort that shows the band have come a long way from their roots with melodic, dance oriented hooks that are peppered throughout the album in great abundance that will have you up out of your seat and dancing. The album also shows that you can act grown up and feel like a kid all at the same time with this summer ready album right at your disposal. Some amazing tracks from this disc include the fun and dance floor ready first single "I Feel Like Dancin'', "Time Bomb", "Just The Way I'm Not", and "Do You Wan't Me (Dead)?"
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Portland, Oregon's own The Decemberists returned big this year with their latest effort, The King Is Dead. This album retained the same sound of early Decemberists albums, but infused them with more intricate songwriting and deeper melodic undertones that expanded their audience a great deal as well. With this album debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release, alot more people will be paying attention to The Decemberists now that they have entered the musical radar of thousands of listeners. Some recommended songs for you to check out from this release include the amazing and instrumental "This Is Why We Fight", "Down By The Water", and "January Hymn".
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History
Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club made a great first impression on its American listeners with their debut release, Tourist History. The album is a fiercely energetic effort with sharp, melodic songs built upon brilliant songwriting that makes this band all the more interesting and fun to listen to. With a huge influx of indie rock bands all clamoring for attention in the music scene these days, this band was one of the few who stood out among the pack and will be definitely noticed more prominently in the years to come. Some standout tracks from this release include the inescapable jam "What You Know", "Undercover Martyn", "Do You Want It All?", and "This Is The Life".
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Another indie band from the upper Northwest making it big this year was Fleet Foxes, who released their sophomore album, Helplessness Blues. Frontman Robin Pecknold takes his beautiful and mellow vocal style and interweaves it through lush musical arrangements that makes the disc feel both earthy and homey at the same time. A great band that will only get better in time with each and every album that they make. Standout tracks from this effort include the title track, "The Cascades", "Montezuma", and "Lorelai".
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters returned big this year with their brand new effort, Wasting Light. The band continues to up the ante on each and every album they make, and this one is no exception as the band takes simple and straightforward rock rhythms and puts it on a pedestal that increases in intensity as you listen to the album in order succinctly. A stellar album from one of the only rock bands that truly matter these days. Blistering tracks from this opus include "Rope", "Walk", "These Days", and "White Limo".
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
R.E.M. returned in a huge way with their grand finale, Collapse Into Now. Lead singer Michael Stipe sounds in true form as the band churns through alt leaning, melodic heavy tracks that hearken back to the late 80's heyday era of the band with each track sounding better and better each time you hear it. Sadly, this will be the last we'll be hearing from the band as the band decided to part ways this past September, but this is an awesome way to go out and leave your fans with something great to remember in the process. Some amazing tracks that came from this album include "Mine Smell Like Honey", "Überlin", "Discoverer", and "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter".
