Favorite music of 2011?
Posted: 13 Dec 2011, 01:14
I do believe it's *that* time of year again, as I finalize my lists (lots of lists! lots of good things!) and reflect upon how very quickly (quickly, but not painlessly) 2011 passed (and how long it's been since I first heard that The Decemberists would be making a new album and it wouldn't suck) and, er, I don't quite know where I'm headed with this sentence anymore.
So, without further ado, here are my top 25. (I'm no good at writing reviews or anything.) Next to each is a genre, chosen simply from popular descriptions and what I'll file them under in my own head, and a rating, assigned according to my own personal system and adjusted accordingly over time as I become more and more partial to particular pieces. (Basically, anything in parentheses means absolutely nothing, but I like having it there.)
25. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (dream pop/synth pop) [3.1/5]
24. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (indie rock/indie pop) [3.1/5]
23. James Blake - James Blake (art pop/electronic) [3.2/5]
22. Laura Arkana Met Peter Broderick - Lentemuziek (singer-songwriter) [3.4/5]
21. Ane Brun - It All Starts With One (singer-songwriter/art pop) [3.4/5]
20. Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow (art pop/ambient pop) [3.6/5]
29. Peggy Sue - Acrobats (indie folk/indie rock) [3.7/5]
18. Zola Jesus - Conatus (art pop) [3.8/5]
17. Entertainment for the Braindead - Berlin Kitchen Sessions (singer-songwriter/folk) [3.8/5]
16. Feist - Metals (indie pop/indie folk) [3.8/5]
15. Bright Eyes - The People's Key (indie rock) [3.9/5]
14. Cut Copy - Zonoscope (synth pop/indie pop) [4.1/5]
13. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (art pop/indie pop) [4.2/5]
12. The Jezabels - Prisoner (indie pop/indie rock) [4.2/5]
11. Ebba Forsberg - Falling Folding Flipping Feeling (singer-songwriter/folk) [4.2/5]
10. Wye Oak - Civilian (indie rock) [4.3/5]
9. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & the Harvest (contemporary folk/americana) [4.3/5]
8. Björk - Biophilia (art pop/electronic) [4.3/5]
7. Tori Amos - Night of Hunters (classical/baroque pop) [4.5/5]
6. Eisley - The Valley (alternative rock/indie pop) [4.7/5]
5. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On (contemporary folk/blues) [4.8/5]
4. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (alternative rock/singer-songwriter) [4.8/5]
3. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (indie folk/country rock) [4.8/5]
2. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (indie folk/baroque folk) [4.8/5]
1. My Brightest Diamond - All Things Will Unwind (baroque pop) [4.9/5]
☆☆☆ Future Islands - On the Water (synth pop) [5/5] ☆☆☆
I know it's sneaky, but this one goes above number one for me. It's fantastic-fantastic-fantastic, and though it may not rank above their album from last year, it certainly goes straight to the top in this list.
Share yours, if you'd like?
So, without further ado, here are my top 25. (I'm no good at writing reviews or anything.) Next to each is a genre, chosen simply from popular descriptions and what I'll file them under in my own head, and a rating, assigned according to my own personal system and adjusted accordingly over time as I become more and more partial to particular pieces. (Basically, anything in parentheses means absolutely nothing, but I like having it there.)
25. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (dream pop/synth pop) [3.1/5]
24. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (indie rock/indie pop) [3.1/5]
23. James Blake - James Blake (art pop/electronic) [3.2/5]
22. Laura Arkana Met Peter Broderick - Lentemuziek (singer-songwriter) [3.4/5]
21. Ane Brun - It All Starts With One (singer-songwriter/art pop) [3.4/5]
20. Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow (art pop/ambient pop) [3.6/5]
29. Peggy Sue - Acrobats (indie folk/indie rock) [3.7/5]
18. Zola Jesus - Conatus (art pop) [3.8/5]
17. Entertainment for the Braindead - Berlin Kitchen Sessions (singer-songwriter/folk) [3.8/5]
16. Feist - Metals (indie pop/indie folk) [3.8/5]
15. Bright Eyes - The People's Key (indie rock) [3.9/5]
14. Cut Copy - Zonoscope (synth pop/indie pop) [4.1/5]
13. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (art pop/indie pop) [4.2/5]
12. The Jezabels - Prisoner (indie pop/indie rock) [4.2/5]
11. Ebba Forsberg - Falling Folding Flipping Feeling (singer-songwriter/folk) [4.2/5]
10. Wye Oak - Civilian (indie rock) [4.3/5]
9. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & the Harvest (contemporary folk/americana) [4.3/5]
8. Björk - Biophilia (art pop/electronic) [4.3/5]
7. Tori Amos - Night of Hunters (classical/baroque pop) [4.5/5]
6. Eisley - The Valley (alternative rock/indie pop) [4.7/5]
5. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On (contemporary folk/blues) [4.8/5]
4. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (alternative rock/singer-songwriter) [4.8/5]
3. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (indie folk/country rock) [4.8/5]
2. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (indie folk/baroque folk) [4.8/5]
1. My Brightest Diamond - All Things Will Unwind (baroque pop) [4.9/5]
☆☆☆ Future Islands - On the Water (synth pop) [5/5] ☆☆☆
I know it's sneaky, but this one goes above number one for me. It's fantastic-fantastic-fantastic, and though it may not rank above their album from last year, it certainly goes straight to the top in this list.
Share yours, if you'd like?