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Reissues dominate 2011 'BestOf' list

Tue 22nd Nov, 2011 in Local News

December: a time for Ronan Keating Christmas albums, miscellaneous compilation CDs and lists! Come December 1st ‘Best Of’ lists will start rolling out with more regularity than Snoop Dogg, and if review aggregator Metacritic is anything to go by it seems this year’s most popular releases were almost exclusively albums made in another decade.

Metacritic aggregates and creates a ‘meta score’ for all album reviews throughout 2011 and its top ten is currently made up of reissues, with the 40th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s – What’s Going On sitting in the #1 spot. Also featured in the upper echelons of the list is Nirvana’s Nevermind reissue and the super deluxe version of U2’s Atchung Baby. In fact, the first original album to appear on the list is by Norwegian jazz saxophonist Marius Neset, who comes in at #10, followed by US slide guitarist Ry Cooder’sPull Up Some Dust and Sit Down at #11,and Phonte’s Charity Starts At Home at #13.

At the other end of the scale it seems Metallica and Lou Reed’s Lulu is almost universally the most panned record of 2011, unless you count Richard Ashhcroft’s United Nations Of Sound which, having only been released in the US this year, scored even lower than Loutallica.

Top 10 Metacritic albums of 2011:
#1 Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On [40th Anniversary Edition]
#2 Nirvana – Nevermind [20th Anniversary Edition]
#3 Miles Davis – Live In Europe 1967:Best Of The Bootleg Vol.1
#4 U2 – Achtung Baby [Super Deluxe]
#5 The Beach Boys – Smile Sessions
#6 Michael Chapman – Fully Qualified Survivor
#7 Archers Of Loaf – Icky Metal
#8 R.E.M – Life’s Rich Pageant
#9 Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings – Soul Time!
#10 Marius Neset – Golden Xplosion

Check out the full list on Metacritic

While we can safely say that none of the Top 10 Metacritic albums will make it onto the ‘FL Best Albums of 2011’ – we’d love to know what albums you have scrapped together on your personal Top 10 lists?

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Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

Of course, although even accounting for Metacritics flaws it is a little disheartening to see such a reissue strong list when you look up 2011's best records.

DIsheartening? More like who really cares, it's metacritic. Have you looked at the top 100 for every year previously? Reissues, compilations, deluxe editions, live albums litter each year's list.
If this is worthy of an article I'm surprised it's taken tIll now for someone to notice.

grattan

grattan said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

[URL="http://www.metacritic.com/browse/albums/score/metascore/year?sort=desc&view=condensed&year_selected=2007"]2007 list is all 2007 albums.
Last year's list 5 of the top ten were new - including Janelle Monae, Big Boi, Kanye...

Anyway the article is basically just a way of prompting a bit of forum discussion on the best albums of 2011 - by pointing out that the standardized list of the year's album reviews isn't actually much of a guide to the best of 2011.

Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

Let the prompting continue. I'll go back to my ivory tower.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

i really think metacritic need to bring in a system where the number of reviews an album has effects it's rating/ranking. they go to the trouble of giving each reviewer a weighting (meaning some reviews have a great bearing on the 'metascore' than others) so surely they could come up with something to deal with albums with 4 reviews topping their lists.

i'm happy to confess that i use metacritic a lot and it does have an influence on me. i've never ignored an album cos it got a low rating but i've looked into plenty that have gotten good ratings.

Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

I'm not a fan of metacritic at all, they miss a lot of great albums. Half of my top 10 would be AWOL even though the albums have been lauded on other sites. It's good for what it is though.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 23rd Nov, 2011

have all of them had US releases?? i know they're very late on some albums, mostly ones that have been released every where but the US.

iNegro

iNegro said on the 28th Nov, 2011

Strange Mercy – St. Vincent
Nine Types of Light – TV on the Radio
Father, Son, Holy Ghost – Girls
The Rip Tide – Beirut
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
m83 - hurry up, we're dreaming
Decemberists, The - The King Is Dead
In the Mountain in the Clouds – Portugal. The Man
The King Is Dead – The Decemberists
James Blake – James Blake
The Hunter – Mastodon
Ghost Town – Owen
Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
The Golden Age of Apocalypse – Thundercat
Smile sessions – The Beach Boys

It's been a pretty great year in my opinion. This list is just a quick one from memory, I've probably forgot a bunch. That said, besides Strange Mercy being at the top, it's pretty much unordered.

crob

crob said on the 28th Nov, 2011

My top 10 for the year in no order

Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Big Scary - Vacation
Gotye - Making Mirrors
Girls - father, son, holy ghost
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
JJ - Kills (x-mass eve 2010)
Kimbra - Vows
The Book Of Mormon - Original Cast Recording
Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia
PNAU - Soft Universe

daveyac8881

daveyac8881 said on the 28th Nov, 2011

My Top # of the year

1. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch The Throne
2. Alexandre Desplat - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows part 2
3. The Strokes - Angles
4. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying - Broadway Cast Recording

In no order:
Stanton Warriors - The Warriors
Spank Rock - Everything... etc.
SBTRKRT
Radiohead - King of Limbs
Mastodon - The Hunter
Gotye - Making Mirrors
Britney - Femme Fatale
The Aston Shuffle - Seventeen Past Midnight

Sounding promising but haven't listened to enough yet (in no order):
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Bon Iver
Fleet Foxes

Haven't really listened to as much as I'd have liked to this year...

grattan

grattan said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Uncut's Best of list (which they've dubbed the Uncut Music Award)

#1 - PJ Harvey – 'Let England Shake'
#2 - Paul Simon – 'So Beautiful Or So What'
#3 - Gillian Welch – 'The Harrow & The Harvest'

Then in no particular order:
Bill Callahan – 'Apocalypse'
Fleet Foxes – 'Helplessness Blues'
Bon Iver – 'Bon Iver'
Josh T Pearson – 'Last Of The Country Gentlemen'
Radiohead – 'The King Of Limbs'

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 29th Nov, 2011

So PJ Harvey's LP is pretty much guaranteed to top most if not all lists? If yes, do we already have a bunch of contrarian opinion pieces about how "it isn't that good" and "this is the effect of the hivemind"?

Because this year they'd be really fucking wrong because Let England Shake is flawless.

grattan

grattan said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Loudwire's Top Ten Metal Albums:

10 'Dystopia' - Iced Earth
9 'In Waves' - Trivium
8 'Omnivium' - Obscura
7 'Dead Throne' - The Devil Wears Prada
6 'The Age of Hell' - Chimaira
5 'TH1RT3EN' - Megadeth
4 'Relentless Reckless Forever' - Children of Bodom
3 'Unto the Locust' - Machine Head
2 'The Hunter' - Mastodon
1 'Worship Music' - Anthrax

And their unintentionally comical Best Rock Albums list:

10 'Green Naugahyde' -Primus
9 'American Capitalist' - Five Finger Death Punch
8 - 'This Is Gonna Hurt' - Sixx: A.M.
7 'Staind' - Staind
6 'Endgame' - Rise Against
5 'The Unforgiving' - Within Temptation
4 'I'm With You' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
3 'Wasting Light' - Foo Fighters
2 'Evanescence' - Evanescence
1 'Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray' - Seether

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Congrats Seether, well deserved

iNegro

iNegro said on the 29th Nov, 2011

So PJ Harvey's LP is pretty much guaranteed to top most if not all lists? If yes, do we already have a bunch of contrarian opinion pieces about how "it isn't that good" and "this is the effect of the hivemind"?

Because this year they'd be really fucking wrong because Let England Shake is flawless.

Loudwire's Top Ten Metal Albums:

1 'Worship Music' - Anthrax

And their unintentionally comical Best Rock Albums list:

1 'Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray' - Seether

PJ Harvey's losing some points in the metal and rock categories.

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 29th Nov, 2011

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/show-no-mercy/8717-best-albums-of-2011/

grattan

grattan said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Pitchfork's Top 40 Metal Albums of 2011 - I suspect if you're heard of more than five of these you look like this:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zce50sR2YyI/Rx1WoQxp8LI/AAAAAAAAAC0/DEUbVDvMMtM/s320/hard_core_heavy_metal_midget-758895.jpg

40. Weekend Nachos: Worthless [Relapse]
39. Skeletonwitch: Forever Abomination [Prosthetic]
38. Peste Noire: L'Ordure �* l'État Pur [Transcendental Creations/Tour De Garde]
37. Absu: Abzu [Candlelight]
36. Machine Head: Unto the Locust [Roadrunner]
35. Mournful Congregation: The Book of Kings [20 Buck Spin]
34. Vanhelgd: Church of Death [Nuclear War Now!]
33. Negative Plane: Stained Glass Revelations [Ajna Offensive]
32. Rwake: Rest [Relapse]
31. Sonne Adam: Transformation [Century Media]
30. Mitochondrion: Parasignosis [Profound Lore]
29. Gridlink: Orphan [Hydra Head]
28. Loss: Despond [Profound Lore]
27. Drugs of Faith: Corroded [Selfmadegod]
26. Atlas Moth: An Ache for the Distance [Profound Lore]
25. Atriarch: Forever the End [Seventh Rule]
22. Deafheaven: Roads to Judah [Deathwish Inc.]
21. Thou: The Archer & the Owle EP [Robotic Empire]
20. SubRosa: No Help for the Mighty Ones [Profound Lore]
19. Vastum: Carnal Law [20 Buck Spin]
17. Krallice: Diotima [Profound Lore]
16. Trap Them: Darker Handcraft [Prosthetic]
15. Ash Borer: Ash Borer [Psychic Violence]
14. Autopsy: Macabre Eternal [Peaceville]
13. Morne: Asylum [Profound Lore]
12. Hammers of Misfortune: 17th Street [Metal Blade]
11. Exhumed: All Guts No Glory [Relapse]
10. Primordial: Redemption at the Puritan's Hand [Metal Blade]
09. In Solitude: The World, the Flesh, the Devil [Metal Blade]
08. Yob: Atma [Profound Lore]
07. Circle of Ouroborus: Eleven Fingers [Handmade Birds]
06. Wolves in the Throne Room: Celestial Lineage [Southern Lord]
05. Disma: Towards the Megalith [Profound Lore]
04. 40 Watt Sun: The Inside Room [Metal Blade]
03. Ulcerate: The Destroyers of All [Willowtip]
02. Tombs: Path of Totality [Relapse]
01. Blut Aus Nord: 777: Sect(s) / The Desanctification [Debemur Morti]

Honorable Mention [in no order]:

Branoil: Death of this Dry Season [20 Buck Spin], Young Widows: In and Out of Youth and Lightness [Temporary Residence], KEN mode: Venerable [Profound Lore]; Mamaleek: Kurdaitcha [Enemies List]; Batillus: Furnace [Seventh Rule]; Maruta: Forward Into Regression [Willowtip], Flourishing: The Sum of All Fossils [The Path Less Traveled], Wolvhammer: Obsidian Planes [Profound Lore], Corrupted: Garten Der Unbewusstheit [Nostalgia Blackrain], Thou: To the Chaos Wizard Youth EP [Vendetta], Antediluvian: Through the Cervix of Hawwah [Profound Lore], Cianide: Gods of Death [Hells Headbangers], Immolation: Majesty and Decay [Nuclear Blast], Speedwolf: Ride With Death [Hell's Headbangers], Ravencult: Morbid Blood [Hells Headbangers]; Raspberry Bulbs: Nature Tries Again [Seed Stock], Futur Skullz: Futur Skullz [Kemado], Desolate Shrine: Tenebrous Towers [Hammer of Hate], Rotten Sound: Cursed [Relapse], Bringers of Disease: Gospel of Pestilence [Translation Loss], Locrian: The Clearing [Fan Death], Engineer: Crooked Voices [Black Market Activities], Portrait: Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae [Metal Blade], Noisear: Subvert the Dominant Paradigm [Relapse], Morbus Chron: Sleepers in the Rift (Pulverised), Owen Hart: Earth Control [Vitriol], Gates of Slumber: The Wretch [Rise Above/Metal Blade], All Pigs Must Die: God is War [Southern Lord], False: False [Gilead Media], Cynic: Carbon-Based Anatomy EP [Season of Mist]; Solstafir: Svartir Sandar [Season of Mist]; Glorior Belli: The Great Southern Darkness [Metal Blade], Nunfuckritual: In Bondage to the Serpent [Debemur Morti], Rue: Thorns [Shifty], The Swan King: Eyes Like Knives [Seventh Rule], Craft: Void [Southern Lord], Unkind: Harhakuvat (Relapse), Vreid: V [Indie], Seidr: For Winter Fire [Flenser], Russian Circles: Empros [Sargent House], Servile Sect: Trvth [Handmade Birds], Harpoon: Deception Among Birds [Seventh Rule].

Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Loudwire's Top Ten Metal Albums:

10 'Dystopia' - Iced Earth
9 'In Waves' - Trivium
8 'Omnivium' - Obscura
7 'Dead Throne' - The Devil Wears Prada
6 'The Age of Hell' - Chimaira
5 'TH1RT3EN' - Megadeth
4 'Relentless Reckless Forever' - Children of Bodom
3 'Unto the Locust' - Machine Head
2 'The Hunter' - Mastodon
1 'Worship Music' - Anthrax

And their unintentionally comical Best Rock Albums list:

10 'Green Naugahyde' -Primus
9 'American Capitalist' - Five Finger Death Punch
8 - 'This Is Gonna Hurt' - Sixx: A.M.
7 'Staind' - Staind
6 'Endgame' - Rise Against
5 'The Unforgiving' - Within Temptation
4 'I'm With You' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
3 'Wasting Light' - Foo Fighters
2 'Evanescence' - Evanescence
1 'Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray' - Seether

I am shocked that Evanescence is number 2 there, I have heard it was good...

therat

therat said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Lack of The Haunted in the metal lists and a lack of taste in the Pitchfork list.
Agree on PJ Harvey, Let England Shake is brilliant.

andy_chalmers_102

andy_chalmers_102 said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Q Magazine's top 50 albums of 2011:

1.FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - CEREMONIALS
2. PJ HARVEY - LET ENGLAND SHAKE
3. ADELE - 21
4. BON IVER - BON IVER
5. COLDPLAY - MYLO XYLOTO
6. JAY-Z & KANYE WEST - WATCH THE THRONE
7. ARCTIC MONKEYS - SUCK IT AND SEE
8. ST. VINCENT - STRANGE MERCY
9. WU LYF - GO TELL FIRE TO THE MOUNTAIN
10. ELBOW - BUILD A ROCKET, BOYS!
11. THE HORRORS - SKYING
12. LAURA MARLING - A CREATURE I DON'T KNOW
13. BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB - A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIX
14. THE WEEKND - HOUSE OF BALLOONS
15. BAXTER DURY - HAPPY SOUP
16. KURT VILE - SMOKE RING FOR MY HALO
17. METRONOMY - THE ENGLISH RIVIERA
18. ANNA CALVI - ANNA CALVI
19. CASS MCCOMBS - WIT'S END
20. THE WEEKND - THURSDAY
21. NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS
22. WHITE LIES - RITUAL
23. Bjork - Biophilla
24. REAL ESTATE - DAYS
25. WILD BEASTS - SMOTHER
26. LYKKE LI - WOUNDED RHYMES
27. Ed Sheeran - +
28. GILLIAN WELCH - THE HARROW & THE HARVEST
29. KASABIAN - VELOCIRAPTOR!
38. FEIST - METALS
39. James Blake - James Blake
40. DANGER MOUSE & DANIEL LUPPI - ROME
41. GIRLS - FATHER, SON, HOLY GHOST
42. JOSH T. PEARSON - LAST OF THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN
43. KING CREOSOTE AND JON HOPKINS - DIAMOND MINE
44. DEATH IN VEGAS - TRANS-LOVE ENERGIES
45. Miles Kane - The Colour Of the Trap
46. SBTRKT - SBTRKT
47. Mastodon - The Hunter
48. NOAH AND THE WHALE - LAST NIGHT ON EARTH
49. FRANK OCEAN - NOSTALGIA, ULTRA
50. Justice - Audio Video, Disco

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 29th Nov, 2011

Still detecting a fearsome lack of CULTS in any of these lists.

grattan

grattan said on the 30th Nov, 2011

American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums

1. Wilco – The Whole Love
2. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest
3. Adele – 21
4. Drive-By Truckers- Go-Go Boots
5. Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
6. Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO
7. Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What
8. Pistol Annies – Hell on Heels
9. The Black Keys- El Camino
10. Feist – Metals
11. Tom Waits – Bad As Me
12. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Here We Rest
13. Lucinda Williams – Blessed
14. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
15. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
16. Miranda Lambert – Four The Record
17. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me
18. Ryan Adams – Ashes and Fire
19. Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
20. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
21. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
22. Bright Eyes – The People’s Key
23. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
24. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
25. Sarah Jarosz – Follow Me Down
26. Pieta Brown – Mercury
27. Deer Tick – Divine Providence
28. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
29. AA Bondy – Believers
30. Felice Brothers – Celebration, Florida
31. Robert Ellis – Photographs
32. Decemberists - The King Is Dead
33. Honeyhoney – Billy Jack
34. Joe Henry – Reverie
35. KORT -Invariable Heartache
36. Old 97′s – The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2
37. Steve Earle – I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
38. Real Estate – Days
39. Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
40. The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy
41. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
42. Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
43. Jonny Corndawg – Down On The Bikini Line
44. Tristen – Charlatans At The Garden Gate
45. JEFF The Brotherhood – We Are The Champions
46. Loney Dear – Hall Music
47. Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now
48. Abigail Washburn – City of Refuge
49. Beirut – The Rip Tide
50. Centro-matic – Candidate Waltz

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 30th Nov, 2011

American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums

15. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

a little part of me dies every time i see this.

grattan

grattan said on the 30th Nov, 2011

Too high? Or too low?

berlinchair101

berlinchair101 said on the 30th Nov, 2011

Tom Waits is far too low on that list.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 30th Nov, 2011

the album is called Bon Iver, Bon Iver. Not self titled.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 30th Nov, 2011

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critic-top-ten-lists-best-albums-of-2011 - the place to go for all the lists this year.

grattan

grattan said on the 30th Nov, 2011

The Idolator list has to be a joke, even for a list of the ten best trash pop albums

Foster The People, Torches
Lady Gaga, Born This Way
Beyonce, 4
Will Young, Echoes
Oh Land, Oh Land
Adele, 21
The Sound Of Arrows, Voyage
Patrick Stump, Soul Punk
Ben Folds, The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective
Britney Spears, Femme Fatale

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 30th Nov, 2011

When does P4K usually spit out their end-of-years?

tyler07

tyler07 said on the 30th Nov, 2011

The Idolator list has to be a joke, even for a list of the ten best trash pop albums

Foster The People, Torches
Lady Gaga, Born This Way
Beyonce, 4
Will Young, Echoes
Oh Land, Oh Land
Adele, 21
The Sound Of Arrows, Voyage
Patrick Stump, Soul Punk
Ben Folds, The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective
Britney Spears, Femme Fatale

To be fair, Britney is awesome...

grattan

grattan said on the 1st Dec, 2011

Paste's list:

50 Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones
49 Mates Of State – Mountaintops
48 Drake – Take Care
47 Real Estate – Days
46 Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost!
45 Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
44 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
43 The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
42 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
41 James Blake – James Blake
40 Portugal. The Man – In The Mountain, In The Cloud
39 Gillian Welch – The Harrow And The Harvest
38 Over The Rhine – The Long Surrender
37 The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
36 Mister Heavenly – Out Of Love
35 Childish Gambino – Camp
34 Seryn – This Is Where We Are
33 The Head And The Heart – The Head And The Heart
32 Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
31 Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
30 Tom Waits – Bad As Me
29 Feist – Metals
28 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
27 Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
26 The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
25 The Antlers – Burst Apart
24 TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
23 The Belle Brigade - The Belle Brigade
22 The Black Keys – El Camino
21 Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming
20 Beirut – The Rip Tide
19 Cults – Cults
18 Wye Oak – Civilian
17 The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
16 Yuck – Yuck
15 Deer Tick – Divine Providence
14 Adele – 21
13 Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
12 Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
11 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
10 The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
09 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
08 Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
07 Wilco – The Whole Love
06 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – It’s A Corporate World
05 Middle Brother – Middle Brother
04 tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l
03 My Morning Jacket – Circuital
02 Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
01 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 1st Dec, 2011

Funny how Black Keys is already at #22 when it's not even officially released yet.

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 1st Dec, 2011

So Florence is Q magazine's new Coldplay?

grattan

grattan said on the 1st Dec, 2011

because preview copies don't count as albums?

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 1st Dec, 2011

It'll be like saying to the... two people left in the world who wait until release dates, "Hey, here's a really cool album to hear! Too bad you'll have to wait a week till you can buy it hahahaha"

Those two people are gonna be really annoyed.

grattan

grattan said on the 1st Dec, 2011

The most important list - http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/gallery/snapshot/25641/The-Best-Albums-of-2011

grattan

grattan said on the 5th Dec, 2011

Kingsmill's list:

#10 TOTAL CONTROL - Henge Beat
#9 SBTRKT - Sbtrkt
#8 BIG SCARY - Vacation
#7 FOSTER THE PEOPLE - Torches
#6 JAY-Z & KANYE WEST - Watch The Throne
#5 WILCO - The Whole Love
#4 AUSTRA - Feel It Break
#3 UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
#2 GOTYE - Making Mirrors
#1 LAURA MARLING - A Creature I Don't Know

crob

crob said on the 5th Dec, 2011

haven't listen to LAURA MARLING - A Creature I Don't Know yet... will have to check it out

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 5th Dec, 2011

a little surprised by the inclusion of Foster the People but then again he has shown a keen interest in the band right from the beginning. A Creature... is a brilliant album. she's so far ahead of most other singer songwriters of this generation, it really is incredible.

therat

therat said on the 5th Dec, 2011

"Jebdiah's album Kosciuszko should be on the list!"

hahahaha

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 7th Dec, 2011

[url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/exclusive-interview-korn-frontman-jonathan-davis-on-revolvers-album-of-the-year-the-path-of-totality.html]And the #1 album of the year goes to Korn

Thanks revolver

crob

crob said on the 7th Dec, 2011

[url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/exclusive-interview-korn-frontman-jonathan-davis-on-revolvers-album-of-the-year-the-path-of-totality.html]And the #1 album of the year goes to Korn

Thanks revolver

didn't know korn were still making music*

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 7th Dec, 2011

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 8th Dec, 2011

Best debut albums on Metacritic

1.The Greatest Story Never Told by Saigon
Score: 89 (13 reviews)

2. House of Balloons by The Weeknd
Score: 88 (15 reviews)

3. Space Is Only Noise by Nicolas Jaar
Score 86: (15 reviews)

4. New Brigade by Iceage
Score: 85 (18 reviews)

5. S/T by Sepalcure
Score: 85 (13 reviews)

6. Hell on Heels by Pistol Annies
Score: 84 (9 reviews)

7. Wondervisions by Delicate Steve
Score: 84 (8 reviews)

8. S/T by A Winged Victory for the Sullen
Score: 83 (10 reviews)

9. S/T by Wild Flag
Score: 83 (36 reviews)

10. Black Up by Shabazz Palaces
Score: 82 (35 reviews)

11. Severant by Kuedo
Score: 82 (12 reviews)

12. The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick
Score: 82 (18 reviews)

13. Glass Swords by Rustie
Score: 82 (13 reviews)

14. Past Life Martyred Saints by EMA
Score: 81 (23 reviews)

15. Last Summer by Eleanor Friedberger
Score: 81 (27 reviews)

luxembourgerqueen

luxembourgerqueen said on the 8th Dec, 2011

Rolling Stone's List:
50 The Lonely Island – Turtleneck & Chain
49 Wavves – Life Sux
48 Charles Bradley – No More Time For Dreaming
47 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
46 White Denim – D
45 Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revelator
44 Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin
43 The Kills – Blood Pressures
42 Destroyer – Kaputt
41 Little Dragon – Ritual Union
40 Gary Clark Jr. – The Bright Lights
39 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
38 Mastodon – The Hunter
37 Panda Bear – Tomboy
36 Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks – Mirror Traffic
35 Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
34 SuperHeavy – SuperHeavy
33 Josh T. Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
32 Big K.R.I.T. – Return Of 4Eva
31 Miranda Lambert – Four The Record
30 Tom Morello, The Nightwatchman – World Wide Rebel Songs
29 Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels
28 Das Racist – Relax
27 Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials
26 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
25 Beyoncé – 4
24 Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra.
23 Tom Waits – Bad As Me
22 Drake – Take Care
21 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
20 Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
19 Eric Church – Chief
18 Feist – Metals
17 TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
16 R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now
15 Cage The Elephant – Thank You Happy Birthday
14 Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2
13 tUnE-YarDs – w h o k i l l
12 The Black Keys – El Camino
11 My Morning Jacket – Circuital
10 Robbie Robertson – How To Become Clairvoyant
09 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
08 Wilco – The Whole Love
07 The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
06 Lady Gaga – Born This Way
05 Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
04 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
03 Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What
02 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
01 Adele – 21

oldgregg

oldgregg said on the 8th Dec, 2011

cults are probably my favourite band of 2011, what a gorgeous little album they have. bumper is probably my single of the year.

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 8th Dec, 2011

I've got a good feeling P4K are almost definitelly gonna have it in the top 10 (or at least top 20) of their list.

Such a great album/band, and they seem like such nice dudes.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 8th Dec, 2011

Metacritic best of "best of" rankings after 29 lists.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/6ga9a9.jpg

The Horrors doing surprising well!

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 8th Dec, 2011

[url=http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3172289350&frmid=10&msgid=1197061&cmd=show]Acclaimed Music seem to have a pretty different looking list, although it's compiled from actual reviews and scores rather than lists so far.

oldgregg

oldgregg said on the 8th Dec, 2011

I've got a good feeling P4K are almost definitelly gonna have it in the top 10 (or at least top 20) of their list.

Such a great album/band, and they seem like such nice dudes.

they are lovely, lovely people.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 9th Dec, 2011

Zan Rowe's top 10 (in no order. weak!)

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Real Estate - Days
Gotye - Making Mirrors
AA Bondy - Believers
SBTRKT - S/T
Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - S/T
The Throne - Watch the Throne
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 9th Dec, 2011

Just a point of order, she called Bon Iver's album self titled, was actually listening at the time :/

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 9th Dec, 2011

i fixed it for her. will be issuing a complaint with the ABC first thing monday morning.

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 9th Dec, 2011

My work keyboard has literal burn marks on it I was so fast firing off that email

andy_chalmers_102

andy_chalmers_102 said on the 10th Dec, 2011

TIME's top 10:

1. Adele, 21
2. Florence and the Machine, Ceremonials
3. Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne
4. PJ Harvey, Let England Shake
5. Frank Ocean, Nostalgia, Ultra
6. tUnE-yArDs, W h o k i l l
7. Caitlin Rose, Own Side Now
8. The Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part II
9. Civil Wars, Barton Hollow
10. Black Keys, El Camino

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 11th Dec, 2011

Triple J Listener Poll

1. Gotye - Making Mirrors
2. Foster the People - Torches
3. Boy&Bear - Moonfire
4. The Wombats - Modern Glitch
5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
6.The Jezabels - Prisoner
7. Florence and the machine - Ceremonials
8. Architecture in Helsinki - Moment Bends
9. Art vs Science - The Experiment
10. Ball Park Music - Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs

a couple of decent albums in there which is an achievement for a popularity contest.

crob

crob said on the 11th Dec, 2011

Triple J Listener Poll

1. Gotye - Making Mirrors
2. Foster the People - Torches
3. Boy&Bear - Moonfire
4. The Wombats - Modern Glitch
5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
6.The Jezabels - Prisoner
7. Florence and the machine - Ceremonials
8. Architecture in Helsinki - Moment Bends
9. Art vs Science - The Experiment
10. Ball Park Music - Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs

a couple of decent albums in there which is an achievement for a popularity contest.

Predictable for JJJ... good to see Ball Park Music in there

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 12th Dec, 2011

Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

I am going to put it out there that it is more of a a stylised thing than the album being specifically titled Bon Iver, Bon Iver by Bon Iver.

His official website lists it as Bon Iver, Bon Iver. I have never seen it listed anywhere officially as Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver.

berlinchair101

berlinchair101 said on the 12th Dec, 2011

Looks like Bon Iver has got something new to be sad about.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 12th Dec, 2011

from his interview with Pitchfork.

When I first heard Vernon's follow-up album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver, I was immediately stunned both by his growth-- the swells and intricacies of these new songs are without rival amongst his work-- and the relief I could hear in his voice. [Ed. note: press materials and retail outlets refer to the album as Bon Iver, but Vernon has indicated that the title is Bon Iver, Bon Iver.] When he escaped to make For Emma, he was a sad dude, but Bon Iver, Bon Iver is his confirmation as one of music's boldest young artists, a songwriter with a field of vision much bigger than I could've expected back in 2005, when he was singing from the corner of an out-of-business art gallery.

luxembourgerqueen

luxembourgerqueen said on the 13th Dec, 2011

NME'S Top 50:
50 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
49 SBTRKT – SBTRKT
48 Slow Club – Paradise
47 Real Estate – Days
46 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
45 Austra – Feel It Break
44 Destroyer – Kaputt
43 Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
42 Patrick Wolf – Lupercalia
41 Death Grips – Ex-Military
40 Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years
39 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
38 Björk – Biophilia
37 White Denim – D
36 Iceage – New Brigade
35 TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
34 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
33 Justice – Audio, Video, Disco
32 Alex Turner – Submarine Soundtrack
31 Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials
30 Friendly Fires – Pala
29 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
28 The Field – Looping State Of Mind
27 Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
26 Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
25 Planningtorock – W
24 Big Talk – Big Talk
23 Yuck – Yuck
22 Noah & The Whale – Last Night On Earth
21 Kasabian – Velociraptor
20 Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
19 Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
18 Cat’s Eyes – Cat’s Eyes
17 Battles – Gloss Drop
16 Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix
15 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
14 The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
13 Suuns – Zeroes QC
12 Scum – Again Into Eyes
11 Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
10 WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
09 tUnE-YarDs – w h o k i l l
08 Katy B – On A Mission
07 St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
06 Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
05 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
04 Wild Beasts – Smother
03 The Horrors – Skying
02 Metronomy – The English Riviera
01 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

Top 10 singles:
10 M83 – “Midnight City”
09 Howler – “I Told You Once”
08 tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”
07 Metronomy – “The Bay”
06 Battles – “Ice Cream”
05 Wild Beasts – “Bed Of Nails”
04 PJ Harvey – “The Words That Maketh Murder”
03 The Horrors – “Still Life”
02 Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
01 Lana Del Rey – “Video Games”

I think the albums list is pretty decent. There's lots on there that I agree with.
So good to see The Horrors and Wild Beasts getting in the top 5 and Scum receiving some well deserved recognition.

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 13th Dec, 2011

P4K Top Songs 2011

100. Thundercat - "For Love (I Come Your Friend)"
99. Ill Blu - "Meltdown"
98. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Ffunny Ffrends"
97. Fever Ray - "The Wolf"
96. Peaking Lights - "All the Sun That Shines"
95. Kendrick Lamar - "A.D.H.D."
94. Sepalcure - "Pencil Pimp"
93. Wild Flag - "Romance"
92. Jacques Greene - "Another Girl"
91. Thee Oh Sees - "The Dream"
90. Grimes - "Vanessa"
89. SBTRKT - "Wildfire [ft. Little Dragon]"
88. Cities Aviv - "Coastin'"
87. Zoo Kid - "Out Getting Ribs"
86. Blawan - "Getting Me Down"
85. Junior Boys - "Banana Ripple"
84. Iceage - "You're Blessed"
83. Tiger & Woods - "Gin Nation"
82. John Maus - "Believer"
81. Yuck - "Get Away"
80. Fucked Up - "Queen of Hearts"
79. Kelly Rowland [ft. Lil Wayne] - "Motivation"
8. Sandro Perri - "Changes"
77. Cults - "Abducted"
76. Julianna Barwick - "Prizewinning"
75. Washed Out - "Amor Fati"
74. Dum Dum Girls - "Wrong Feels Right"
73. tUnE-yArDs - "Powa"
72. Britney Spears [ft. Nicki Minaj & Ke$ha] - "Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)"
71. The Men - "Bataille"
70. Holy Ghost! - "Jam For Jerry"
69. Neon Indian - "Polish Girl"
68. The Joy Formidable - "Whirring"
67. Rihanna [ft. Calvin Harris] - "We Found Love"
66. DJ Quik - "Killer Dope"
65. Fleet Foxes - "Grown Ocean"
64. Toro Y Moi - "New Beat"
63. Bon Iver - "Perth"
62. Liturgy - "Generation"
61. Eleanor Friedberger - "My Mistakes"
60. Adele - "Someone Like You"
59. Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire [ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown, andEl-P] - "The Last Huzzah! (Remix)"
58. PJ Harvey - "The Words That Maketh Murder"
57. The Weeknd - "House of Balloons"
56. M83 [ft. Zola Jesus] - "Intro"
55. Destroyer - "Chinatown"
54. Jamie xx / Gil Scott-Heron - "I'll Take Care of U"
53. Real Estate - "Green Aisles"
52. Action Bronson - "Larry Csonka"
51. Todd Terje - "Snooze 4 Love"

10. DJ Khaled [ft. Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne]: "I'm on One"
09. Azealia Banks: "212"
08. Cass McCombs: "County Line"
07. Beyoncé: "Countdown"
06. Destroyer: "Kaputt"
05. Real Estate: "It's Real"
04. Nicki Minaj: "Super Bass"
03. EMA: "California"
02. Bon Iver: "Holocene"
01. M83: "Midnight City"

Pretty gash top 10 in my eyes. [srs] At least MAB will be pleased. [/srs]

Stefan Beck

Stefan Beck said on the 13th Dec, 2011

I've only heard 7,4 and 1 but they all ruled ultimate.

daveyac8881

daveyac8881 said on the 13th Dec, 2011

Guy on my FB re Pitchfork list:

"It's some kind of post-ironic post-racial hip white people thing, we are now supposed to seriously like bad rap music for its meta-value as social commentary"

crob

crob said on the 13th Dec, 2011

Guy on my FB re Pitchfork list:

"It's some kind of post-ironic post-racial hip white people thing, we are now supposed to seriously like bad rap music for its meta-value as social commentary"

hahahahaha

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 14th Dec, 2011

Nicki Minaj > you, so w/e

Some of that stuff is pretty bad, though. I would've thought Pitchfork knew better than this.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 14th Dec, 2011

after 49 lists here's how it's looking

http://oi43.tinypic.com/1zgulpe.jpg

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 14th Dec, 2011

Actually really happy at how well Metronomy are placing. In my top ten, for sure.

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 14th Dec, 2011

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 14th Dec, 2011

grattan

grattan said on the 15th Dec, 2011

All important[URL="http://www.inthemix.com.au/gallery/snap/35317/ITMs_Top_50_Releases_Of_2011#51"] inthemix list

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 15th Dec, 2011

Have heard six of those records.

grattan

grattan said on the 15th Dec, 2011

http://assets.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/no-slug/efa9dd13c88059ffc4775026fa5197a9.jpg

Vice list:

50 – 43. Stuff you've never heard.

42 – 41. Stuff you never want to hear.

40. Band managed by ex-music journalist now furiously milking his old contacts for snippets of friendly press.

35 – 39. Albums bearing the traditional inscription 'feat. Nicki Minaj'.

34. Band on a perennially 'plucky' indie label that has so far managed to avoid anyone noticing the massive cash injections it regularly receives from Universal Records.

33. Million-seller grudgingly voted for because no one wants to be seen as unduly snobby by holding its success against it.

32. Band who've released their record using an innovative web distribution model, three years after anyone last gave a shit about anyone using an 'innovative web distribution model'.

31. Horrible chop'd, screw'd, fuck'd album inspired by 90s RnB, made by basically just twiddling filter knobs over a lot of 90s RnB till it sounds unrecognisable.

30. Metronomy.

29. Act who all the staff are into, forgetting that their readership are a good decade younger, and have therefore never been alive through a period when this band last produced good records, so really couldn't give a crap about this latest supposed "return to form".

28. Album made by hip-hop artist while in jail.

27. Obscure folk album raised almost indiscriminately from a stack of similar such one-man witterings and dubbed 'This year's Bon Iver'.

26. Bon Iver.

25. Chillwaver who already knows his brief ellipsis of fashionability is over, and two years from now will re-emerge with a new name, a pencil moustache and a not-so-shabby attempt to catch the 2013 electroclash revival.

24. 'Supergroup' of people you've never heard of.

23. Album everyone thought would definitely win anyway, so decided to vote for their favourite lesser-knowns, hence its mid-table ranking.

22. Band who have successfully hidden the fact they were all born, raised and formed in Brooklyn, specifically in order to avoid the international market ghettoising them as 'a Brooklyn band'.

21. Someone who says 'swag' a lot for no particular reason.

20. Whatever Damon's latest record of ethnic meandering about a 12th century Persian theologian is.

19. Underground-y stalwart now on twelfth record, whose annual list position varies inversely with the amount of coverage received that year.

18. Act unironically being described in the supporting copy as 'post-James Blake'.

17. Shabazz Palaces.

16. Artist whose record has spiked to prominence mainly because they are dating someone else on the list.

15. Middle Eastern pop record into which writer has weaved copious references to The Arab Spring, despite the artist in question spending the past nine years living in Peckham.

14. Band that are now signed up to a mag-promoted early-2012 tour, so need to be here for promo purposes.

13. Band of ladrockers who think that the sudden rush of year-end critical appreciation is because all those sitars they crowbarred in have made their new album exotic and refined, when in fact everyone just secretly enjoys a bit of ladrock.

12. Paul Simon or Tom Waits.

11. Iceage or Fucked Up.

10. Bjork or Kate Bush.

9. Fleet Foxes or Fleet Foxes.

8. Member of Odd Future.

7. Someone who also used to be in Odd Future, apparently.

6. Dubsteppy album which, to the writer charged with penning its commendation, "utterly sums up a year of discontent, riots and civil disorder".

5. Tune-Yards.

4. Album that had the good sense to be released in mid-October, at the precise point all of these lists were being compiled, thereby marking itself out to forgetful hacks with a fortnight's worth of reasonable release hoopla, despite the fact that, had it been released in May, it would be yesterday's sonic chip paper by now.

3. Band everyone voted for to impress the albums editor cos they know it's one of his personal favourites and frankly they need all the brownie points they can get if they don't want to be sonic journalism chip paper in 2012.

2. Album no one heard, but everyone had heard was really good after it got that 8.5 from Pitchfork, and so voted for to fill the extra space on their ballots when they realised there were only nine albums they actually loved this year.

1. PJ Harvey (Q), PJ Harvey (NME), PJ Harvey (Mixmag), PJ Harvey (Uncut), PJ Harvey (Fresh Produce Journal), PJ Harvey (Classic Rock), PJ Harvey (Source), Steve Jobs (Pitchfork), people humming transcendentally over distorted tape loops of concrete being laid (Wire).

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 15th Dec, 2011

P4K Honorable Mentions List

Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Big Krit - Return of 4eva
Blut Aus Nord - 777 Sect(s) / The Desanctification
Cass McCombs - Wits End
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
Gil Scott-Heron / Jamie xx - We're New Here
Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer / A I A: Dream
Holy Ghost - S/T
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Marissa Nadler - S/T
The Men - Leave Home
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Nguzunguzu - The Perfect Lullaby
The Psychic Paramount - II
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler / The Dream
Wild Beasts - Smother
Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
Yuck - Yuck
Zola Jesus - Conatus

Surprised to see Yuck and Wild Beasts missing out on the Top 50.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 15th Dec, 2011

gratts: Already posted in the 2011 albums thread.

bjw1

bjw1 said on the 15th Dec, 2011

Pitchfork albums top 50-21
50. Youth Lagoon- The Year Of Hibernation
49. Wild Flag- Wild Flag
48. Toro Y Moi- Underneath The Pine
47. Sepalcure- Sepalcure
46. Cults- Cults
45. Kendrick Lamar- Section.80
44. Colin Stetson- New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges
43. Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes
42. SBTRKT- SBTRKT
41. Liturgy- Aesthethica
40. AraabMuzik- Electronic Dream
39. The War On Drugs- Slave Ambient
38. Sandro Perri- Impossible Spaces
37. Iceage- New Brigade
36. Kate Bush- 50 Words For Snow
35. Frank Ocean- Nostalgia, Ultra.
34. Katy B- On A Mission
33. Fucked Up- David Comes To Life
32. Panda Bear- Tomboy
31. Ty Segall- Goodbye Bread
30. Tim Hecker- Rave Death, 1972
29. DJ Quick- The Book Of David
28. Cut Copy- Zonoscope
27. Beyonce- 4
26. The Field- Looping State Of Mind
25. Gang Gang Dance- Eye Contact
24. Julianna Barwick- The Magic Place
23. Bill Callahan- Apocalypse
22. The Caretaker- An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
21. Jay Z/Kanye West- Watch The Throne

top 20 tomorrow.

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 15th Dec, 2011

Nice to see CC and The Field getting a decent look in.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 15th Dec, 2011

Music Australia Guide (ie the monthly MAG you get from JB) it's a top 40 but cbf so here's 20.

20.We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves - John Maus
19.Sun Bronzed Greek Gods - Dom
18. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
17. Velociraptor - Kasabian
16. The King of Limbs - Radiohead
15. Making Mirrors - Gotye
14. Portamento - The Drums
13. Tha Carter IV - Lil Wayne
12. The Errant Charm - Vetiver
11. S/T - Blood Orange
10. Blood Pressure - The Kills
9. Life Suxx - Wavves
8. S/T - Twerps
7. S/T - Cults
6. Bad As Me - Tom Waits
5. Nostalgia, Ultra - Frank Ocean
4. Watch the Throne - The Throne
3. Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2. Underneath the Pine - Toro Y Moi
1. Radical - OFWGKTA

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 15th Dec, 2011

Uhh, pretty sure Radical came out in 2010.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 15th Dec, 2011

from the magazine

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 15th Dec, 2011

What a crock of shit.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 16th Dec, 2011

SMH's best albums of the year.

From beginning to end, 2011 delivered the goods, writes Bernard Zuel.

It's been a great year for music. Unequivocally. Categorically.

This has been one of those rare 12-month periods when album after album has thrilled - from new artists and old artists, surprising artists and both locals and pesky foreigners.

Look at the albums that come close but don't win their categories below - some of them would win the Metro M Award for Album of the Year in just about any other year.

We're only just into the decade but there's no doubt at least two or three, and probably more, of this year's releases will be defining albums when someone comes to do the pick of the ''teens'' in whatever passes for media in 2020.

BEST POP ALBUM

Candidates There was sunshine pop from Real Estate (Days), retro pop from the Stepkids (The Stepkids), warm pop from Husky (Forever So) and brazen pop from Bluejuice (Company). And better yet, the skill and heart of the minimalist pop from Holly Throsby (Team), the three-way harmony pop of Seeker Lover Keeper, the big-swinging ego pop of Kanye West and Jay-Z (Watch the Throne) and the strange designs and wonderful layers of the odd pop from Kate Bush (50 Words for Snow).

Winner Josh Pyke - Only Sparrows (Ivy League).

Why Melody on melody, warmth, striking lyrics, beautiful craft.

Best track Diet of Worms.

BEST HIP-HOP ALBUM

Candidates While Californians Zion I (Atomic Clock) showed you could match the pop appeal of the Kanyes/Jay-Zs with live instruments and variety, locals Drapht (The Life of Riley), Joelistics (Voyager), Phrase (Babylon) and Katalyst (Deep Impressions) were just as smart and even more potent.

Winner Shabazz Palaces - Black Up (Sub Pop/Inertia).

Why Gamelan rhythms, samples, jazz and pride instead of machismo.

Best track Swerve.

BEST FOLK ALBUM

Candidates The veterans, June Tabor and the Oysterband (Ragged Kingdom), and relative youngsters the Unthanks (Last) made outstanding albums that delved into English gothic. Australian diplomat Fred Smith (Dust of Uruzgan) reported from Afghanistan with skill, honesty and great heart.

Winner Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know (EMI).

Why Lyrically, musically and tonally, confirmation she could be one of the greats of her generation.

Best track The Beast.

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Candidates Floatingme (Floatingme) made prog freshly exciting and powerful, Battles (Gloss Drop) found new ways to make your brain work, Sons & Daughters (Mirror Mirror) got harder and meaner but stayed sexy and Mutemath (Odd Soul) swung as hard as they punched. And better than just about everything else was the muscle and groove of Abbe May (Design Desire).

Winner Wilco - The Whole Love

(dBpm/Warner).

Why A band at their peak able to use pop, prog, krautrock and country with class.

Best track Art of Almost.

BEST NON-WESTERN MUSIC ALBUM

Candidates Dereb the Ambassador (Dereb the Ambassador) was earthy, Ethiopian and made in Sydney, Gurrumul (Rrakala) had soul, the islands and ceremony, and Mashasha (Mashasha) was both velvety and slippery.

Winner JuJu - In Trance (Real

World/Planet).

Why Exuberant and wild, it compels you to move no matter how far you are from West Africa.

Best track Djanfa Moja.

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Candidates The experienced Emmylou Harris (Hard Bargain) dug into loss and bittersweet memories, the far younger Lindi Ortega (Little Red Boots) and Tracy McNeil (Fire from Burning) wrote quality and sang delightfully while Sal Kimber (Sal Kimber & the Rollin' Wheel) and latecomer to country Shane Nicholson (Bad Machines) moved you and made you laugh respectively. And how good was the new Ryan Adams (Ashes & Fire)?

Winner Gillian Welch - The Harrow & the Harvest

(Acony/Shock).

Why The queen of the stark and the spare sound found the soul inside the great recession.

Best track The Way It Will Be.

BEST JAZZ ALBUM

Candidates Phil Treloar (Integrations), Keith Jarrett (Rio) and Charles Lloyd Quartet (Mirror).

Winner Paul Motian - Live at the Village Vanguard Vol III (W&W/Birdland).

Why Space, warmth and boundless imagination were still informing the now late great jazz drummer and band.

Best track And So to Sleep Again.

BEST ROOTS ALBUM

Candidates The Pigram Brothers and Alex Lloyd (Mad Bastards soundtrack) were relaxed, Jamie Hutchings (Avalon Cassettes) and Laura Jean (A Fool Who'll) were intense and Tom Waits (Bad As Me) was feeling strangely good about the world but both Fleet Foxes (Helplessness Blues) and Bon Iver (Bon Iver) were unsure.

Winner Ry Cooder - Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down (Nonesuch).

Why Nailed the post-GFC US in a dozen musical styles and savage lyrics.

Best track John Lee Hooker for President.

BEST ELECTRONIC ALBUM

Candidates The Autechre box set (EPs 1991-2002), Planningtorock (W) and Radiohead (The King of Limbs) were never confined to just electronica or just interesting and Seekae (+Dome) wove beauty into the minimalism.

Winner James Blake - James Blake (Universal).

Why The most emotional album made from binary codes and autotune.

Best track The Wilhelm Scream.

BEST ADULT POP ALBUM

Candidates Paul Simon (So Beautiful or So What), Nick Lowe (That Old Magic) and Ron S. Peno (Future Universe) defied the ageists as much as the ages with quality while Ron Sexsmith (Late Bloomer) found the happy gene.

Winner Rumer - Seasons of My Soul (Warner).

Why Elegantly styled music that touched on classic pop forms, sung with the warmest voice of the year.

Best track Aretha.

WINNERS

And the Metro M Award for Album of the Year goes to PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (Universal).

As visceral an album as she's ever made - blood and bone from both past and present wars are at the core of every lyric - Let England Shake is also steeped in the folk music of PJ Harvey's country, from old English airs to reggae and Arabic tones. The combination is compelling, modern and yet timeless.

Best track The Glorious Land.

The Metro M Award for People's Choice for Best Album goes to Adele - 21 (with a whopping 44 per cent of the vote), followed by Gotye - Making Mirrors (15 per cent) and Boy & Bear - Moonfire (7 per cent).

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/a-record-year-20111215-1owhs.html

bjw1

bjw1 said on the 16th Dec, 2011

P4K top 20

20. Nicolas Jaar- Space Is Only Noise
19. Danny Brown- XXX
18. Atlas Sound- Parallax
17. Clams Casino- Instrumental
16. Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring For My Halo
15. Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
14. Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
13. EMA- Past Life Martyred Saints
12. James Blake- James Blake
11. St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
10. The Weeknd- House Of Balloons
9. Real Estate- Days
8. Drake- Take Care
7. tUnE-yArDs- w h o k i l l
6. Oneohtrix Point Never- Replica
5. Girls- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4. PJ Harvey- Let England Shake
3. M83- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2. Destroyer- Kaputt
1. Bon Iver- Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 16th Dec, 2011

It was a full blown conclusion being Bon Iver was the highest rated all year.

Also Pitchfork just had to be the only publication to get the name right.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 16th Dec, 2011

Also Pitchfork just had to be the only publication to get the name right.

they didn't

http://oi40.tinypic.com/35k79yt.jpg

Stefan Beck

Stefan Beck said on the 16th Dec, 2011

I've only heard thirteen of Pitchfork's top 50.
I guess I'm not as hip as I thought I was.

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 16th Dec, 2011

No wu lyf on that pitchfork list either, travesty

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 16th Dec, 2011

To be fair, Bon Iver, Bon Iver is a pretty dumb name anyway.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 16th Dec, 2011

tons of albums have shit names. doesn't mean you don't call them by it. i know i'm being very pedantic (that seems to be my job on here) but it's not very hard to label it as that when you're doing a written piece. in conversation it is very annoying and i tend to call it "his new album" or "bon iver's second album".

Nosyt

Nosyt said on the 16th Dec, 2011

If some said to me have you heard bon iver's bon iver bon iver I'd think they were stuttering

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 17th Dec, 2011

[url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/12/14/143699630/the-20-unhappiest-people-you-meet-in-the-comments-sections-of-year-end-lists?sc=fb&cc=fp]Which one are YOU?

berlinchair101

berlinchair101 said on the 17th Dec, 2011

In order to meet your pedantery half way here I will forever refer to his new record as Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver, but just know that all three times a say/read in my head that sado's name I'm pronouncing it wrong.

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 17th Dec, 2011

berlinchair101

berlinchair101 said on the 17th Dec, 2011

That's the one.

monokhrome_nite

monokhrome_nite said on the 17th Dec, 2011

I would've gone for Bon Ivver, like Vivian

tyler07

tyler07 said on the 17th Dec, 2011

Anybody that actually gets hung up on how it's pronounced needs to EABBD (eat a big black dick)

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 19th Dec, 2011

Music Australia Guide (ie the monthly MAG you get from JB) it's a top 40 but cbf so here's 20.

20.We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves - John Maus
19.Sun Bronzed Greek Gods - Dom
18. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
17. Velociraptor - Kasabian
16. The King of Limbs - Radiohead
15. Making Mirrors - Gotye
14. Portamento - The Drums
13. Tha Carter IV - Lil Wayne
12. The Errant Charm - Vetiver
11. S/T - Blood Orange
10. Blood Pressure - The Kills
9. Life Suxx - Wavves
8. S/T - Twerps
7. S/T - Cults
6. Bad As Me - Tom Waits
5. Nostalgia, Ultra - Frank Ocean
4. Watch the Throne - The Throne
3. Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2. Underneath the Pine - Toro Y Moi
1. Radical - OFWGKTA

Only good thing about this list is that the Twerps are on it.

For the incredibly high signal-to-noise ratio end of year lists create, I now have about 40 albums backed up to listen to, with the five I've heard so far actually being quite awesome.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 19th Dec, 2011

That list might as well be called the 20 Albums we bought too many of that are now on special in time for Christmas.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 22nd Dec, 2011

after 90 lists this is how Metacritics scoreboard looks

http://oi42.tinypic.com/wu1cv4.jpg

they used about 105 lists last year. this is how it ended up.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/2u9jrkn.jpg

andy_chalmers_102

andy_chalmers_102 said on the 22nd Dec, 2011

Here's a pretty interesting piece about why there has been far less consensus this year.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-year-of-no-important-albums-and-many-good-reco,66818/

I don't completely agree though. I'd argue Let England Shake is an 'Important Album' and will probably grow in stature over time. Also, I wouldn't classify Merriweather Post Pavilion as being all that important.

sarcasm_mister

sarcasm_mister said on the 9th Jan, 2012

after about 135 lists this is where the metacritic list sits now.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/s4x95j.jpg

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