12.23.2011

Darin's Favorite Albums of 2011

In my humble opinion, 2011 was a pretty damn good year for new music. Because it was so difficult to hone my list down to 20 albums, I'm also adding two more lists for EPs and honorable mentions.

I'm not under the pretension that these are the "best" albums of the year. These lists just reflect my personal tastes and cover the albums I've enjoyed throughout 2011. Feel free to send other suggestions as comments.

2011 Full Length Albums

Battles - Gloss Drop
With Tyondai Braxton leaving during the recording of Gloss Drop, Battles had a huge challenge to re-create this album. The guest vocalist selections worked pretty well for me. My Machines featuring Gary Numan is my favorite track with vocals on the album.

Bjork - Biophilia
This time out Bjork took a more minimalist approach to the song arrangements. This minimalism, the custom-made instruments (Gameleste, Sharpsichord, etc.) and her willingness to dwell on dissonant chords made this record very enjoyable for me.

Capillary Action - Capsized
NSL opened for this band and they made us look like amateurs. By using only acoustic instruments, Capillary Action can no longer be compared Mr. Bungle or other genre-shifting rock acts. Capsized embraces art rock, jazz, world, and tropicalia influences in a set of impressive yet very listenable songs.

Cave In - White Silence
White Silence was both a welcome return-to-form effort and the next evolutionary step for Cave In. Beginning with black metal screeching on the title track and concluding with the Beatles-esque harmonies of the final track, this musically diverse stew makes me hungry for more.

Craig Taborn - Avenging Angel
These piano compositions inspired by jazz, classical, Brian Eno's Music for Airports, John Carpenter's Halloween score, and other soundtracks highlight the versatility and beauty of the piano as an unaccompanied instrument.

Craig Wedren - Wand
Shudder To Think singer/guitarist returns with a DIY recording that covers familiar territory and parts unknown for a diverse set of songs. Wand is a must have for fans of Shudder To Think and/or his more recent soundtrack work (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models).

Grails - Deep Politics
Frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed that I just heard of Grails in 2011. Deep Politics is cinematic post-rock masterpiece. After listening to their back catalog fairly frequently this year, I equally impressed that their sound continues to evolve with each record.

Grayceon - All We Destroy
On their third album, this San Francisco trio continue to prove modern metal knows no gender or bounds. In addition to taking over most of the lead vocals, Jackie Perez Gratz continues to destroy on the cello...the ideal instrument for their prog/classically influenced metal.

Harold Budd - In The Mist
Brian Eno's partner in the 1980 classic Ambient 2: The Plateau of Mirror returns with another blueprint for piano-based soundscapes and meditative music. When I think about this music being created by 75 year old man, it gives me hope for old age.

Helms Alee - Weatherhead
As a fan of both metal and OG indie stuff (mostly on SST, Touch & Go, AmRep, Dischord, etc.), Helms Alee were a welcome surprise. If you imagine The Breeders jamming with The Melvins or Sonic Youth collaborating with Isis, then you might come close to describing their sound.

Jesu - Ascension
Justin Broadrick mastered the Jesu sound on this recording. Acoustic guitars and live drums are very welcome to addition to the sonic palette of Ascension. If Broadrick puts Jesu on hold while re-focusing on Godflesh, this album will satisfy my Jesu craving for a good while.

Kevin Hufnagel - Tranparencies
After opening up for Dysrhythmia, I bough Kevin Hufnagel's first solo album and its been on heavy rotation ever since. Hufnagel is one of the few modern guitarists that truly inspires me. After only a few weeks of listening, these haunting guitar-based soundscapes have quickly become a soundtrack for my everyday life.

Mastodon - The Hunter
Unlike some metal fans, I'm all about bands progressing beyond their "classic" recordings as long as they don't pull a Metallica! Even though The Hunter features more traditional hooks and structures, the songs still balance Mastodon's trademark riffs and prog influences along with some of the best harmonies by the band yet.

Neil Young - A Treasure
Although these songs were recorded during Young's 84-85 tour, it was never released due to record label issues. A Treasure features five previously unreleased tracks along with twangy versions of older songs. Accompanied by a few noteworthy Nashville session musicians, this is an authentic country record by a songwriting legend.

Opeth - Heritage
Opeth is another example of a metal band that continues to evolve with each new recording. While I wasn't too surprised by the more laid back/classic rock vibe of Heritage, I didn't expect the jazz influences, super dynamic drumming and upfront bass parts. There is a good reason why Opeth are one of the most influential bands in progressive music and metal today.

Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Other Lives sound sort of like Ennio Morricone writing modern psychedelic indie rock. This multi-talented group of musicians alternates between keys, guitars, cello, violin, clarinet, castanets, pump organ, glockenspiel, timpani, autoharp and other instruments to create a dense yet at times sparse atmosphere for their songs. Go see them open for Radiohead in 2012!

Russian Circles - Empros
Remember all the instrumental post-metal bands that came out in the last decade? Russian Circles is one of the few bands to transcend that micro-trend for a good reason. On Empros, they continue to improve on their heavy, melodic and atmospheric take on instrumental music.

Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
After just discovering Insurgentes in 2011, the release of Grace for Drowning was one of my most anticipated. Wilson's knack at writing inspired pop songs, 70s prog influenced rock, and soundtrack worthy interludes has made me a lifelong fan. I can't wait for the Mikael Akerfeldt/Steven Wilson collaboration record!

Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
By using all acoustic instruments (guitars, violin, harp, and upright bass), Demolished Thoughts is sometimes like Sonic Youth unplugged. Although most of the tracks are fairly subdued, there are a few surprising dissonant/no-wave inspired sections. This was definitely my rainy day album of 2011.

Zebulon Pike - Space Is The Corpse of Time
With shifting tempos, exotic melodies, spacey sections, dissonant slide and detuned guitar parts, Zebulon Pike have quickly become one of the my favorite heavy guitar-based instrumental band since the early Don Caballero records.

Favorite 2011 EPs/Singles

Cloudkicker - Let Yourself Be Huge
Cynic - Carbon-Based Anatomy
Deathspell Omega - Diabolus Absconditus
Gorod - Transcendence
US Christmas - The Valley Path

2011 Honorable Mentions

Crone - Endless Midnight
The Globes - Future Self
Krallice - Diotma
Liturgy - Aesthethica
Mammifer - Mare Decendrii
Office of Future Plans - s/t
Primus - Green Naugahyde
Radiohead - The King of Limbs
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Zombi - Escape Velocity