Favorite Albums of 2011

[灰野 敬二]

I know the year isn't over yet but fuck it.

1. Tenhi - Saivo
  One of the greatest albums I ever heard, coming from the legendary finnish band Tenhi. It's a very slow grower but it's worth all the time in the world to get into it, as it is the band's finest effort in 15 years of music making. They have been working on this album for 4-5 years and recorded and mixed in an entire year, but don't expect your mind to be blown upon the first listen, it takes a while to fully understand it, even if you are a fan of this genre or the band like I am.



2. Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
  I hate Porcupine Tree, I hate pseudo-progressive alternative rock, I hate this fucking guy! but this album is incredible. It is also very consistent considering it's a double disc release, Deform to Form a Star and Postcard are two of the best songs of the year, and the other tracks are almost just as good. It's also the first album in the world released on a blu-ray disc so if you're an audiophile this will make your ears very happy.



3. Swarms - Old Raves End
  The best dubstep / future garage album ever, period. I have nothing to say about this, let the music speak for itself. Highly recommended for the fans of Boards of Canada or Burial.




Rest in no particular order. Maybe I missed a couple but that's only because I was too busy listening to old music this year.

- Colin Stetson - New History Warfare, Vol II: Judges

- Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de Couleur Libre

- Jacaszek - Glimmer

- Tim Hecker - Ravendeath 1972

- The Caretaker -  An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

- Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

- A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen

- Giles Corey - Giles Corey

[Omma!]

I like the new Nickelback album Here and Now

[灰野 敬二]

I see what you did there.

EDIT: BUT SERIOUSLY NOW. IF YOUR TASTE SUCKS AND YOU LISTEN TO GAY-ASS STUFF MAINSTREAM ROCK LIKE RED, SKILLET AND OTHER SHIT LIKE THAT DON'T POST HERE BECUZ WE DON'T CARE!!!!!!

[Omma!]

I also like new lady gaga album

[RedX]

I liked Tom Waits' album Bad as Me quite a lot.

[灰野 敬二]

I like that album, but the album cover is horrible so that's why I didn't posted it. It looks like Aphex Twin (Richard D. James - his smile actually ), oh well... pretty pretentious of me!

I noticed I haven't posted any metal album. Vektor - 'Outer Isolation' is by far my favorite, it's even better than 'Black Future' which was almost impossible to top, fuck!

[NEM]

Best album of 2011 for me)

[FloW]

1. The Toxic Avenger - Angst



2. Wolfgang Gartner - Weekend In America



3. Justice - Audio, Video, Disco



And some other's I can't decide which I like more

Sebastian - Total
Surkin - USA
Porter Robinson - Spirtfire
Nero - Welcome Reality
Chase & Status - No More Idols
Example - Playing In the Shadows
Camo & Krooked - Cross The Line
Siriusmo - Mosaik
Yuksek - Living on the edge of time
Excision - X Rated
Kill The Noise - Kill Kill Kill
Digitalism - I Love You, Dude
Blue Stahli - Blue Stahli

and some ep's

The M Machine - Promise Me A Rose Garden
Feed Me - To The Stars
Cassius - The Rawkers
Zomboy - Game Time

[Kacknase]

I didn't have the guts to open that topic earlier, thank you!  Gotta post some reviews later.

[Caio]

Almost perfect production. Every single song in this is amazing, took me a while to get into it though but today I consider it their best work. And that's my favorite band


Say what you want, but I love this. Much better than the previous ones, every track sounds unique and I use it to get me pumped up in the gym haha.


Released a few weeks ago, their sound changed a bit from the past two albums, but they still kick ass.


Another great work from them, they style didn't changed at all, but the quality of the songs just grown better. And I'll be seeing them next Saturday

[JustCaus3]

Skindred 

It kinda feels like listening to a long ass song when you listen to their album or hell, even their discography 
But I just love their style 

[Kacknase]

~2011~
In my opinion, it was an absolutely great year for music. Here are my personal standouts.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
-folk, singer-songwriter-

After 3 years of waiting, Vernon nailed it again and probably even surpassed his debut album. The best album of the year, by a long way. And if I'm perfectly honest it's also the best album of the last 3 or even 4 years, atleast in my opinion. The beauty of every song engulfs you in it's own magic and it doesn't even needs to grow on you, it's love at first sight, atleast for me. The only demerit is the quite mediocre production and the last song, which takes much getting used to.

10/10

James Blake - James Blake
-electronica, post-dubstep, downtempo-

It's quite funny that this release took over 5 months to grow on me, but as soon as it did, I couldn't unhand it anymore. Inspiring, beautiful, just crushing... this album blew my mind completely away, it describes electronic music for me because that's what it is.

10/10

SBTRKT - SBTRKT
-electronica, post-dubstep-

Aaand.. here we go again, another self titled album. SBTRKT, also known as Aaron Jerome, performed a fucking masterpiece right here. By far the freshest, coolest and most innovative electronic album I've heard in years. Superb.

9/10

Tycho - Dive
-ambient, idm, electronica, chillout-

After Tycho's past releases I expected something kickass, but this actually exceeded all my expectations. Spectacular sounds, beautiful melodies - simply great.

8/10


~Other standouts~


Thrice - Major/Minor
-post-hardcore, punk-

And I thought i'd be over Thrice, but this album proved me that I'm wrong. Great.

Laura Stevenson and the Cans - Sit Resist
-indie-

Beautiful - Her cute voice causes heartaches, lovely album.

Defeater - Empty Days and Sleepless Nights
-hardcore-

This album crushes you like a bug, just overwhelmingly great.
Especially the lyrics are killers, it really pumps you up while listening to it.

J-Mascis - Several Shades of Why
-acoustic, indie, rock-

Dinosaur Jr's sweet little acoustic production.

Cloudkicker - Let Yourself be Huge
-post-metal, ambient, metal-

Absolutely incredible, Cloudkicker never fails to amaze me.

Amatorski - TBC
-alternative, electronica-

Thanks to that weird pseudo-asian guy for introducing me to this band, great album!

Active Child - You Are All I See
-experimental, chillwave-

Especially the opener.. beautiful shit man, beautiful shit.

M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
-electronica, experimental, chillwave-

Dreamy album, I expected a bit more if i'm honest but it's quite great anyway.

The Middle East - I Want That You Are Always Happy
-indie, alternative-

Just beautiful, I totally love the melodies + lyrics!

Neon Indian - Era Extraña
-electronica, indie-

Another album which takes a while to grow, as soon as it did, it's great tho'.

A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
-piano, ambient-

Dat melodies. It's by far the most beautiful album this year, touching.


~Worth mentioning~



Alessi's Ark - Time Travel
-alternative, folk-

Amon Tobin - Isam
-electronica, ambient-

Andrew Jackson Jihad - Knife Man
-punk-

The Antlers - Burst Apart
-slowcore, alternative, folk, indie-

Apollo Brown - Clouds
-instrumental hip hop-

Arms and Sleepers - The Organ Hearts
-electronica, idm, ambient-

Björk - Biophilia
-electronic-

Blithe Field
-electronica, ambient-

Braveyoung - We Are Lonely Animals
-post metal-

Casper - XOXO
-german hip-hop, rap-

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol.2
-jazz, experimental-

Dumbo Gets Mad - Elephants At The Door
-psychedelic, indie-

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
-folk-

Future Islands - On the Water
-alternative-

Gem Club - Breakers
-indie, alternative, piano-

Giles Corey - Giles Corey
-ambient, folk-

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
-alternative, folk-

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
-folk-

Little Kid - Logic Songs
-beautiful, lo-fi, folk-

Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness
-indie, alternative-

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter One
-jazz-

Modeselektor - Monkeytown
-electronica, idm, electro-

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
-post-rock-

Nicolos Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
-electronica-

Polinski - Labyrinths
-electronica-

Sleepingdog - With Our Heads in the Clouds and our Hearts in the Fields
-indie, alternative, piano-

Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
-ambient, electronic-

Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin On
-alternative, indie, lo-fi-

Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
-dream pop, psychedelic, electronic-

God, now that's a big post! 

[FTO]

I have a strong preference for music involving electronic elements so I really adore Dead by April's Incomparable.It's a damn lame album for pure metal fans but I just like that genre,combining metal and pop music.But I do like Hell Frost from The Unguied,which is a lot heavier than DBA. It's basically Sonic Syndicate.

As for pop music,I really like Mylo Xyloto from Coldplay.

Awakening from Blessthefall and Until We Have Faces from Red are worthy of my favor,too.

Some EPs from bands such as The Birthday Massare(They've always been my favorite band in the world),Renegade Five and Amaranthe are also great for me.

[灰野 敬二]

Fuck your face Kacknase, this is not a blog! but really nice list, I noticed some albums I forgot to mention there.

2011 was so much better than 2010 in music. I'm really glad no one enjoyed the new Opeth and Dream Theater albums - they're horrible... finally progressive metal is going down, thank goodness!

[Reaper]

Fear of Domination - Create Control Exterminate
Sybreed - Challenger ( Only an EP but it's just so fucking awesome. )
Before The Dawn - Deathstar Rising
Children of Bodom - Relentless, Reckless Forever
Dark Tranquillity - We Are The Void
Decapitated - Carnival Is Forever
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony
Insomnium - One For Sorrow
Mechina - Conqueror
Threat Signal - Threat Signal