Best albums of 2011 / the music of 2011

[Smitty]

top 10
(disqualifying "pulaski", since its been in my fav song list for a couple years now)

1. Some Eternal Spark/Glossary
2. Cartoon Gold/DBT
3. Stars Fell/Lauderdale
4.We All Go Back to Where We Belong/REM
5. Lucky Now/Ryan Adams'
6. Codeine/Jason Isbell
7. Hold On/Alabama Shakes
8. I Might/Wilco
9. Hell Broke Luce/Tom Waits
10. Crazy/Lydia Loveless
11. Sloe Gin/Amanda Shires
12. Mercy Buckets/DBT
13. This City/Steve Earle
14. Down by the Water/Decemberists
15. Punch Drunk/Don Chambers
16. Thankful for Xmas/Hayes Carll
17. One More Dreamer for the Summer/Will Johnson

[Kudzu Guillotine]

The 10 Best Album Reissues & Box Sets of 2011 (Paste)

I'm not sure how R.E.M.'s Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage qualifies as either a box set or a reissue but there it is at #5. I only purchased a handful of reissues this year (Pearl Jam Vs., Pearl Jam Vitalogy, R.E.M. Life's Rich Pageant and the Rolling Stones Some Girls) but out of those four I'd have to put Some Girls at the top of my list.

[tinnitus photography]

that top 10 reissue thing is total horseshit. appallingly so.


btw, if anyone is my FB friend i just posted a Spotify list of my favorites of 2011...if you aren't my friend, i'm not sure how to post a link but i can certainly try!


here goes:
http://open.spotify.com/user/tinnitus_p ... ZSal16GbVW

[tinnitus photography]

btw, this is my favorite reissue of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0WQUVn0dU

[dogstar]

Wasn't sure where to post this but given BTB's professed love of James Blake thought it could find a home here

[beantownbubba]

Thanks for thinking of me, dogstar. So to speak.

[Penny Lane]

that top 10 reissue thing is total horseshit. appallingly so.


btw, if anyone is my FB friend i just posted a Spotify list of my favorites of 2011...if you aren't my friend, i'm not sure how to post a link but i can certainly try!


here goes:
http://open.spotify.com/user/tinnitus_p ... ZSal16GbVW

Sweet! I've been stealing everyone's spotify lists. Will check this out.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

More best of 2011 lists:

10 Best Reissues of 2011 (Rolling Stone)

Spin's 50 Best Albums of 2011

The 75 Best Albums of 2011 (Pop Matters)

[emandrisdad]

http://open.spotify.com/user/123149246/ ... 1Us7F2p8qH

here are some of my favorites. hope this works.

[emandrisdad]

that top 10 reissue thing is total horseshit. appallingly so.


btw, if anyone is my FB friend i just posted a Spotify list of my favorites of 2011...if you aren't my friend, i'm not sure how to post a link but i can certainly try!


here goes:
http://open.spotify.com/user/tinnitus_p ... ZSal16GbVW

Not sure how the bevis frond dropped off my radar, but that is a great song.

[shuffle]

i keep forgetting that spotify is available in the us nowadays too...

[Zip City]

i keep forgetting that spotify is available in the us nowadays too...

Are you compiling a 3DD best of list again this year?

[tinnitus photography]

here's Prefixmag's top 50 (i did the writeup for the Grails and Mogwai records):
http://www.prefixmag.com/features/beyon ... -41/59573/

[Kudzu Guillotine]

American Songwriter's Top 50 Songs of 2011

[Clams]

i keep forgetting that spotify is available in the us nowadays too...

Are you compiling a 3DD best of list again this year?

I was wondering about that too.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Ah, the often overlooked EP of which there were several ones of note released this year such as Lynn Blakey's Meadowview, Jimmy Cliff's Sacred Fire and the Alabama Shakes (which made the list below). Though, I must say I haven't found myself all that taken with the Alabama Shakes' EP. I like it but it was the live show that really sold me on them. Looking forward to their full length debut in 2012.

The 11 Best EPs of 2011 (Paste)

[tinnitus photography]

Reptar is awful.

Mogwai's _Earth Division_ deserves mention.

[Zip City]

I'll go with this (for now)

1. The Decemberists - The King is Dead
2. Wilco - The Whole Love
3. Girls - Father, Son and Holy Ghost
4. Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots
5. MMJ - Circuital
6. Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
7. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Here We Rest
8. Middle Brother - Middle Brother
9. The Black Keys - El Camino
10. The Decemberists - Long Live the King EP
11. Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire
12. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
13. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14. The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
15. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
16. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
17. AA Bondy - Believers
18. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
19. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2
20. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive
21. Lucinda Williams - Blessed
22. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
23. The Bad Examples - Smash Record
24. Bright Eyes - The People's Key
25. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome

[Clams]

Found this on No Depression this morning. Some are from 2010, but still a pretty good list.
http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/bl ... yed-albums

The Americana Music Association has announced its year-end Top 10 & Top 100 Albums of the Year.



The Top 100 albums are based on those records reported to the Americana Airplay Chart during the period of November 16, 2010 through November 14, 2011.


This years’ Top Ten most played albums are:

1) Hayes Carll- KMAG YOYO / Lost Highway
2) Lucinda Williams - Blessed / Lost Highway
3) Steve Earle - I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive / New West
4) Alison Krauss & Union Station- Paper Airplane / Rounder
5) Emmylou Harris- Hard Bargain / Nonesuch
6) Gregg Allman- Low Country Blues / Rounder
7) Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit- Here We Rest / Lightning Rod
8) John Hiatt- Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns / New West
9) Decemberists- The King Is Dead / Capitol
10) Band of Heathens- Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster’s Son / BOH Records



Here is the rest of the top 100 starting with #11 at the top:

Gillian Welch The Harrow & The Harvest
Jayhawks Mocking Bird Time
Buddy Miller Majestic Silver Strings
Joe Ely Satisfied At Last
Tedeschi Trucks Band Revelator
Robert Plant Band of Joy
Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise
Robbie Robertson How To Become Clairvoyant
Robert Earl Keen Ready For Confetti
Sarah Jarosz Follow Me Down
Civil Wars Barton Hollow
Gurf Morlix Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream
Wanda Jackson The Party Ain't Over
Abigail Washburn City Of Refuge
Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers Rare Bird Alert
North Mississippi Allstars Keys To The Kingdom
Old 97s The Grand Theatre
Matraca Berg The Dreaming Fields
Eilen Jewell Queen of the Minor Key
Cody Canada & The Departed This Is Indian Land
Kasey Chambers Little Bird
Black Lillies 100 Miles Of Wreckage
Marcia Ball Roadside Attractions
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings Kings And Queens
Dave Alvin Eleven Eleven
Greencards The Brick Album
Bruce Cockburn Small Source Of Comfort
Foster & Lloyd It's Already Tomorrow
Dawes Nothing Is Wrong
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses Junky Star
Old 97s The Grand Theatre Volume Two
G. Love Fixin' To Die
Hot Tuna Steady As She Goes
Ollabelle Neon Blue Bird
Guy Clark Songs And Stories
Carrie Rodriguez & Ben Kyle We Still Love Our Country
Paul Simon So Beautiful Or So What
Secret Sisters The Secret Sisters
Steeldrivers Reckless
Eleven Hundred Springs Eight The Hard Way
Raul Malo Sinners & Saints
Jim Lauderdale Reason And Rhyme
Marty Stuart Studio B Sessions
Greg Trooper Upside-Down Town
Elvis Costello National Ransom
Levon Helm Ramble At The Ryman
Various Artists Rave On Buddy Holly
Shawn Mullins Light You Up
Chris Thile & Michael Daves Sleep With One Eye Open
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez The New Bye & Bye
Justin Townes Earle Harlem River Blues
Amos Lee Mission Bell
Teddy Thompson Bella
Greg Brown Freak Flag
Lori McKenna Lorraine
Mavis Staples You Are Not Alone
Tara Nevins Wood And Stone
Lynn Miles Fall For Beauty
Ry Cooder Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
Jessica Lea Mayfield Tell Me
Amanda Shires Carrying Lightning
Imelda May Mayhem
Blame Sally Speeding Ticket And A Valentine
Grayson Capps The Lost Cause Minstrels
Jeff Bridges Jeff Bridges
Jamey Johnson The Guitar Song
Los Lobos Tin Can Trust
Kim Richey Wreck Your Wheels
Warren Haynes Band Man In Motion
Tony Furtado Golden
Drive-By Truckers Go-Go Boots
Eric Clapton Clapton
John Mellencamp No Better Than This
Ben Sollee Inclusions
Will Hoge Number Seven
Bridge National Bohemian
Hot Club of Cowtown What Makes Bob Holler
Tejas Brothers Rich Man
Sierra Hull Daybreak
David Bromberg Use Me
Jonathan Byrd Cackalack
Grant Peeples Okra And Ecclesiastes
Ted Russell Kamp Get Back To The Land
Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck Bottom Of The Sky
Elton John & Leon Russell The Union
Blind Boys of Alabama Take The High Road
Sweetback Sisters Looking For A Fight
Gourds Old Mad Joy
Robert Ellis Photographs
Ryan Adams Ashes & Fire

[dee dee]

If Shuffle or no one else wants to compile a 3DD Best Albums of 2011 list, I would be willing to track and compile a list.

[beantownbubba]

Hmmmm, I now realize that nobody else has posted comments. Oh well. Sorry. There's a list in here somewhere.

I think this was a very good year for new music and I actually heard more new music than in most recent years.

Albums I haven’t heard that I suspect would be “list-worthy:” Gillian Welch, The Black Keys, Tom Waits and possibly Wilco. The Ryan Adams album also remains a mystery to me: Based on what people are saying about it and who those people are, I ought to be all over this album, yet it does nothing for me. Then again, I’ve never been much of a Ryan Adams fan. No doubt in this case it’s me. <shrug>

My choice for song of the year is an easy one: “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People is a great single and it passes the acid test: I still love hearing it when it comes on the radio.

Two ep’s deserve special mention: I hope we hear a lot more from Gary Clark, Jr and The Alabama Shakes in 2012 because both ep’s killed it.

Today’s version of the year’s best albums:

25. The Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See – Gets over on title alone For a band often seen as a “one hit wonder,” they’ve been remarkably consistently good.

24. Centro - Matic – Candidate Waltz – Loved it initially but it didn’t hold up at that level for me. Still, probably my favorite of theirs.

23. Ezra Furman & The Harpoons – Mysterious Power – Thanks, dee dee.

22. Fountains of Wayne – Sky Full of Holes - Like DBT, these guys suffer from the extraordinarily high expectations of fans and critics. An album that many bands would be proud to call their best, but only ordinary by their standards.

21. Jason Isbell – Here We Rest - Far better than I initially thought, so thanks to all you 3dd’ers who made me keep at it, but still, not a full album’s worth of first rate material.

20. Foo Fighters – Wasted Light – As discussed elsewhere, these guys have snuck into the “major group” category. A really good rock n roll album.

19. Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What – Taken for granted by many I suspect, but still cranking out the good stuff after all these years.

18. Superheavy – Superheavy - At least Joss Stone has something to brag about this year. I can’t believe how good what I assumed would be nothing more than an embarrassing vanity project actually turned out to be.

17. Greg Allman – Low Country Blues - Exactly what you’d expect, and that’s a good thing.

16. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ - Modern soul that gives props to the “golden age” where props are due, but which is not beholden to anyone.

15. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake - I have to admit I’m being guided by others to a certain extent here. I’ve only heard it a couple of times and it sounds really great and probably really important but I haven’t yet put my finger on the whys and wherefores.

14. Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton – Play the Blues - I would prefer more Clapton, but it’s pretty hard to complain about great players (and not just the 2 principals) playing great tunes and enjoying the hell out of themselves. And unlike Clapton’s Robert Johnson tribute album, the players here are not overly deferential to the originals.

13. White Denim – D - This came totally out of the blue to me and is one of the true pleasures of the year. Just plain fun to listen to.

12. Black Joe Lewis – Scandalous - More fun, soulful music. What’s not to like?

11. J. Mascis - Several Shades of Why – Really disappointed he dropped out of opening for DBT in Boston. Nothing like Dinosaur, jr but excellent songcraft and playing and, equally important, that “certain something” that keeps drawing me back.

10A. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead – A late addition so I’m not gonna bother renumbering the whole damn list. I didn’t like this at first but went back to it partly ‘cause of zip and one of my sons, and I’m glad I did. Perhaps not up to all the indie hype but a very enjoyable album that I’ve been listening to a lot lately.

10. Glossary – Long Live All of Us – I fell for them over Feral Fire, but I think this one is better.

9. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost – Another album that came out of nowhere for me that I just keep enjoying more the more I listen to it. Includes a couple of songs that contended for song of the year.

8. Wild Flag – Wild Flag – Another album that came out of nowhere and hit me over the head especially hard. Power punk for now people.

7. Robbie Robertson - How to Become Clairvoyant – Professional, in the best sense of the term. Significant contributions from Clapton, Winwood and others.

I had all of the following albums as the year’s #1 at some point so this order is somewhat arbitrary, except that 1 & 2 were easily my most played albums of the year:

6 & 5 (tie). Warren Haynes – Man in Motion and Tedeschi/Trucks Band - Revelator - A very good year for good ole fashioned blues based rock n roll. Haynes is a lot more than “just” a jamming axe slinger.

4. Adele – 21 – Proof that popular doesn’t mean bad. She’s the real deal and I’ve been saying so since her first album, so there LOL.

3. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues - A great follow-up to their s/t debut, w/ first rate songs and wonderful atmosphere. They’re not The Band, but they’re also not a bad alternative in The Band’s absence.

2. Steve Cropper – Dedicated – What can I say? I love this album. I haven’t had much luck transmitting my enthusiasm to others, which is very disappointing to me, but so it goes. Great songs, arrangements, playing and contributions from pretty much all the “guest stars.” Did I mention that I love this album?

1. The Drive By Truckers – Go Go Boots – I hate being so predictable and clichéd, but I can’t help it. This is the album I listened to the most this year. I no longer pretend to have any objectivity about this band yet I suspect that it’s a weird combination of the highest expectations and my struggles to not be a simple fan boy that have inhibited me from just coming out and saying that this is a really terrific album. OTOH, I know it’s not perfect so maybe a little restraint is called for  But there are times that I think that if, say, “Fourth Night of My Drinking” were to replace “The Fireplace Poker” this might be a truly classic album. As it is, “Pulaski” and “Cartoon Gold” rank w/ Cooley’s best country songs, “Used to Be a Cop” and “Go Go Boots” are terrific and more or less break new ground for the band (as does the excellent opener, “I Do Believe”), the 2 Hinton covers feature perhaps the best lead vocals on record by Patterson and Shonna and “Mercy Buckets” is a stone cold classic which always ends too soon for me; it’s one of the all-time great album closers. I’m curious to see where this one winds up on my personal ranking of DBT’s albums.

[Zip City]

10A. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead – A late addition so I’m not gonna bother renumbering the whole damn list. I didn’t like this at first but went back to it partly ‘cause of zip and one of my sons, and I’m glad I did. Perhaps not up to all the indie hype but a very enjoyable album that I’ve been listening to a lot lately.

Definitely their least "indie" record. Have you explored any of their back catalog?
The Tain is a great EP to get a better feel for The Decemberists' more "indie" sound

[Zip City]

Okay, now the annotated version:

1. The Decemberists -The King is Dead - This was a band I had heard of for a few years, but never delved into. I read some really good reviews, and the face that this was the band's "alt country" record motivated me to try it out. It turned out to be my favorite of the year, and has given me a year of enjoying the back catalog as well.

FAVORITE SONGS: June Hymn, Rox in the Box, January Hymn.

2. Wilco - The Whole Love - While I didn't hate Wilco (The Album) as much as most, I've definitely been disappointed in their departure from the country roots towards more "mid-tempo rock". The new album totally clicked with me though, with the great acoustic numbers and clever nods to The Beatles. John Stirrat shines on this record, and the songs constantly get stuck in my head. Wilco tops my list of band I've never seen live.

FAVORITE SONGS: Black Moon, Art of Almost, Capitol City

3. Girls - Father, Son and Holy Ghost - Kinda funny how I found this one. A guy on another message board I frequent started talking this one up, but usually our musical tastes clash. For whatever reason, I decided to read the review on Pitchfork, who gave it a glowing write-up. This made me think it would be total shit, until I listened to the song they had streaming ("Vomit") and I was blown away....might be my favorite song of the year. The album is an odd pastiche of California surf rock, psychedlic guitar rock and pop, but it totally works.

FAVORITE SONGS: Vomit, Die, My Ma


4. Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots - Not sure there's much more to say here that we haven't been saying all year. Veterans in their groove. Great storytelling. Breaking new ground. And now, the final chapter in Shonna's fantastic run with the band. Can't think of a better way to go out....

FAVORITE SONGS: Go-Go Boots, Used to Be a Cop, Mercy Buckets

5. My Morning Jacket - Circuital - While it took a while to grow on me, I've really come to love this album. No, it's not Z, but it has some damn fine tunes. Seeing the new tunes live sealed the deal for me. Best live band in the land.

FAVORITE SONGS: Victory Dance, Circuital, Holding on to Black Metal

6. Dawes - Nothing is Wrong - A band I'd seen mentioned in 3DD's "Listening" thread, but didn't really know much about. Saw them open for Bright Eyes in February, but thought they were just okay. Got the album anyhow, and it's really grown into one of my favorites. "If I Wanted Someone" might be my favorite song of the year (top 5 at the very least). "So Well" has a great CSN vibe.

FAVORITE SONGS: If I Wanted Someone, So Well, A Little Bit of Everything

7. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Here We Rest - Here's the greatest compliment I can give this record: it's the first Isbell solo album that has stood on it's own. For the first two albums, I felt myself constantly comparing the songs to Jason's DBT offerings (and being disappointed in how they fell short), but Here We Rest is the true "coming out" of Jason as a strong solo artist. It's full of confidence, an artist who now knows who he is and where he wants to go. Some damn fine songwriting.

FAVORITE SONGS: Alabama Pines, We've Met, Daisy Mae

8. Middle Brother - Middle Brother - Can a collaboration of three little known artists be considered a super group? The lead singers from Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit made a great record, full of throwback rock n' roll and acoustic balladry. Each songwriter's voice shines in different songs, and it's hard to pick who is my favorite.

FAVORITE SONGS: Million Dollar Bill, Daydreaming, Mom & Dad

9. The Black Keys - El Camino - The natural follow up to Brothers, El Camino sees the Keys exploring a fuller band sound. Some say it's more commercial, but the "drum and guitar only" sound was, in my opinion, starting to hold the boys back. Haven't had a lot of time with this one, but the good tracks are really fucking good.

FAVORITE SONGS: Little Black Submarines, Lonely Boy, Dead and Gone

10. The Decemberists - Long Live the King EP - And The Decemberists bookend my Top 10. This just a 6 song EP, but any of the six tracks are strong enough to be on a full length album. From the history lesson of E Watson, to the soul-meets-country of Foregone, the creepy vibe of Burying Davy, and even a Grateful Dead cover of Row Jimmy. This band never ceases to amaze me.

FAVORITE SONGS: E. Watson, Burying Davy, Foregone


11. Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire - A great bounce back album after the dismal "Cardinology" and "III/IV". Sorry I every doubted you, Ryan!

FAVORITE SONG: Dirty Rain

12. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean - Kinda hated this at first, as the sound went from straight-forward acoustic to a more varied/layered sound, but the songs are so good. Definitely a grower.

FAVORITE SONG: Rabbit Will Run

13. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues - I think I hyped this one up a bit too much for myself, as I loved their self-title record so much. Still, it's a strong sophomore effort from the best harmonizers in modern music.

FAVORITE SONG: Helplessness Blues

14. The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart - A new group from Seattle that puts the joy back into folk music. Nothing super deep here, but this album always puts me in a good mood.

FAVORITE SONG: Lost In My Mind

15. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow - This duo met during a Nashville recording session, and their voices sound unbelievable together. While most of the album is quieter ballads, the title song is a great country stomp.

FAVORITE SONG: Barton Hollow

16. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne - I know there aren't many hip hop fans on this board, but this was one of a handful of rap albums I was into this year. While it couldn't possibly live up to the potential of two mega-stars, there are some great tracks on here nonetheless.

FAVORITE SONG: Nigga's in Paris

17. AA Bondy - Believers - Not a lot of AA Bondy love since Cortez went AWOL, but the guy quietly made a great follow up album to "When the Devil's Loose." The record has a fuller sound, with some haunting tracks.

FAVORITE SONG: The Twist

18. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light - These guys have always been solid, but I feel like they've been pretty uneven since The Colour and the Shape. Wasting Light is probably the best pure hard rock record of the year, with great collaborations (Bob Mould, Krist Novaselic). Grohl's long overdue song about Kurt Cobain is the highlight.

FAVORITE SONG: I Should Have Known

19. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 - The thing I love about the Beastie Boys is that they do whatever they want, and they always have a distinct sound. Loved their track with Nas.

FAVORITE SONG: Too Many Rappers

20. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive - A return to a purer country sound, but still the same amazing songwriting from one of the best in the biz.

FAVORITE SONG: Molly-O

21. Lucinda Williams - Blessed
22. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
23. The Bad Examples - Smash Record
24. Bright Eyes - The People's Key
25. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome

[shuffle]

i keep forgetting that spotify is available in the us nowadays too...

Are you compiling a 3DD best of list again this year?

I was wondering about that too.

oh completely forgot about that lol. yeah. i'll do one, probably gonna start the thread tomorrow...preliminary deal is submissions start tomorrow, end on new year's eve and i'll have the result in a day or two after that. comments are appreciated. what should be the minimum amount of albums listed? 15? 20? 25?

[Tequila Cowboy]

25. Roadside Graves- We Can Take Care Of Ourselves 

While this album doesn't have anything on it as good as Liv Tyler (from last year's You Won't Be Happy With Me EP) still it's a solid effort from one of my favorite bands of the last few years.

24. Lucinda Williams- Blessed

I'm nowhere near as big a fan of Lucinda as some around here, but album after album she delivers the goods. This is no exception.

23. Tedeschi Trucks Band- Revelator

Susan Tedeschi is one of the best female blues singers around and Derek Trucks is the best slide guitarist this side of Duane Allman. What's not to like?

22. Ben Harper- Give til it's Gone

Ben Harper has been one of my very favorite artist over the last twenty years but his last few albums haven't really excited me much. This one is different. Heard it for the first time a week ago and it's cracked my top 25. Could go much higher, but for now it's here. Powerfully emotional songs with a heartfelt and sometime anguished delivery. Sorry Ben, I'll never forget about you again.

21. The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow

This one was a grower for me. At first I was put off by the slick production, but on further reflection the production fits the tight harmonies and solid guitar work perfectly. The songs here are solid, if not spectacular, but they show a promise for greater things to come.

20. Robbie Robertson- How To Become Clairvoyant

After a long absence it's good to have a Robbie Robertson album again, plus he brought Eric Clapton along for the ride. This album has dropped a bit on my list over the last several months as I don't find myself listening to it as much as I did the first few months after it's release. It's a solid major label affari though and Robbie is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. He doesn't hit those peaks here but does hint at them from time to time.

19. Wilco- The Whole Love

It took me a while to listen to this all the way through. The obvious Beatles influence rubbed me the wrong way initially but it's subsided to the point that I do put this on from time to time. There really are some good songs here, Black Moon and One Sunday Morning in particular, and the musicianship is, as always, superb. The bottom line is six months from now this one will probably be more likely to rise on this list than fall.

18. Will Johnson- Little Raider EP

Will, an acoustic guitar and six of the most emotionally delivered songs I've heard all year. I don't go three days without giving this a listen. If it had twice as many songs and they maintained the quality of these six, it would be a top 5 record.

17. Lauderdale- Moving on

The DBT and Lucero comparisons are inevitable with these guys but if you really listen they are every bit their own beast. With a healthy dose of the Muscle Shoals sound and a splash of country Lauderdale is a force to be reckoned with. Great tunes, rock solid production and some damned fine performances make this album one of the best of the year. Another that will probably rank higher six months on.

16. Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO

Hayes Carll can write songs like nobody's business. His music is in the old country traditions of Hank, Willie and others but what he sings about is purely his own. I mean ths guy has a song here about a soldier’s journey from an Abilene Dairy Queen to outer space and he sings it like a countrified Bob Dylan. If you don't like this guy you don't like American music.

15. Jessica Lea Mayfield- Tell Me

Jessica Lea Mayfield has the voice of a ragged angel, she's vulnerable and all knowing all at the same time. Her songs are of angst, failed relationships and sleepless nights. She's moving on a bit from her earlier country sound on this record, but it's a good move, She just keeps on getting better.

14. The Low Anthem- Smart Flesh

If you love great lyrics, this is the album for you. This is one you put on and study the words and when you do that you find a rich layered sound backing up some of the best songs of the year. One listen won't do it on this one, much like Centro-Matic you need to absorb this completely to truly love it.

13. Greg Allman- Low Country Blues

I don't know what to say about this one. It's just Greg playing the blues and that's enough.

12. Alabama Shakes- EP

In a year filled with great albums I've included two EP's, but I'm not sure how I could have left either out. Yes this has only four songs on it, but if you want to leave out a recording with a song as good as Hold On you be my guest. Not happening here. How this band manages to channel both Led Zeppelin and Otis Redding at the same time is beyond me. I have yet had the pleasure of seeing them live but I sure can't wait.

11. Steve Earle- I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive

I've been listening to Steve Earle for more than half my life and he never disappoints. This is a gorgeous record with Earle just singing his heart out. Every Part of Me is my favorite on an album without a bad track. He sounds happy these days, but his songs still hold the dark truths that are part of all of us. I guess that's the Yin and Yang of Steve Earle. Works for me.

10. Jayhawks- Mockingbird Time

I love this record. From the first notes of Hide Your Colors I thought I had been transported back to the early nineties to the Jayhawks heyday. The harmonies are as good as ever and the songs stick with me more than any Jayhawks record since Tomorrow The Green Grass. Sometimes you can go home again.

9. Warren Haynes- Man in Motion

Haynes is a masterful guitarist and singer who brings a little of his past to this album as well as looking ahead. This is quite different beast from the Crazy Horse rock of Gov't Mule relying instead on a soulful, bluesy vibe. There are also elements of his other bands from The Allman Brothers Band to his post Jerry Dead excursions. In a year where soul has been a huge part of my listening choices River's Gonna Rise may be the most soulful song I've heard all year. Oh and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the monster basslines from George Porter Jr. Hot damn son!

8. Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring For My Halo

This is a late at night album full of moody and introspective songs like the almost poppy In My Time. Vile is a songwriter's songwriter, the kind where you have to really pay attention but you get there you're blown away. The playing here is sparse, usually just simples guitar parts with bass, drums and some keys allowing the songs to be the stars. This was my first exposure to Vile but I've since become a fan. I probably would never heard of him if not for Patterson Hood's ringing endorsement.

7. Ryan Adams- Ashes & Fire

I love “holy shit” moments. That was exactly the kind of moment I had when I put this record on for the first time. I had seen some serious 3DD love for this one and, despite having vowed to never listen to Adams again, gave this a spin early one Saturday morning. I think I listened to it at least once a day for nearly a month after that. Dirty Rain reminds me of a great lost Grateful Dead song full of soul and American to it's core. That was my gateway drug into getting back into Adam's music again. Still having one good song does not an album make but it was followed by Ashes & Fire which I might like even better. In fact there isn't a bad song on the album. That hasn't happened since Whiskeytown. Usually Adam's is the musical equivalent of Turret’s Syndrome ushering forth occasionally brilliant, often terrible songs with no filter whatsoever. Not this time though. I don't know whether it was the production of the legendary Glyn Johns, the fine backing performances of Benmont Tench, Norah Jones and Adam's pop star wife Mandy Moore or whether it was just a giant step in the maturation process but what is clear is that whatever it was this record delivers in spades.

6. Tommy Stinson- One Man Mutiny

Through his years in Rock & Roll first with my beloved 'Mats all the way through his current fourteen year stint as Axl Rose handler/Musical Director of Guns N Roses, Tommy Stinson has learned a thing or two about Rock & Roll. After The Replacements finally called it quits Stinson formed Bash & Pop which put out one album of rollicking Stone-like rock, which showed he had learned something from Paul Westerberg's songwriting, but after that his subsequent bands never again achieved that spark. Well, until now. I didn't even know this record was coming out but, thanks to the good folks here, I got the word soon enough. The Stones flourishes are still there in songs like on the opening track Don't Deserve You. But Stinson also shows an emotional depth nearly the equal of Westerberg himself on songs like Meant To Be and All The Way For Nothing. Had this album been released last year it would have toppled the Mats influenced Two Cow Garage and taken album of the year honors, but this has been such an amazing year for Rock & Roll that ol Tommy lands just outside my top 5. Still not too shabby. Simply a great album.

5. Jay Mascis- Several Shades of Why

I've been a fan of J Mascis and Dinosaur Jr. for nearly a quarter century. I know the man's talents as a guitarist and as a songwriter and yet this one shocked me with it's brilliance. I was mesmerized by the opening notes of Listen To Me and it didn't let go until the last notes of What Happened (the finest song on the album IMHO). This album is mostly acoustic but that's not to say it's a quieter, gentler version of Dinosaur Jr. It has a feel all it's own and even dips into near country at times. Of all the albums I've turned people on to this year, this is the one I hear back about the most. If you haven't heard it do so now.

4. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit- Here We Rest

To me there is no question that this is Jason's finest work as a solo artist. Sirens of the Ditch had the songs but had zero flow as an album while the self titled Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit had the sound and feel but not the songs. On Here We Rest Jason and his band finally put the whole thing together. If there's was a finer song than Stopping By released in 2010 I haven't heard it and Alabama Pines and Codeine aren't far behind. The pacing and production are stellar as well setting the stage for an album that I don't think I've gone two days without listening to in months. I think Jason earned a lot of new fans this time around.

3. Centro-Matic- Candidate Waltz

These top three records are nearly interchangeable and all of them have spent time in my top spot but I suppose I have to rank them so this one ends up at number three. I love this record, every song, every note every lyric and every vocal inflection. It is pure brilliance from the poppy and nearly literal (for Centro anyway) All the Talkers to the moody slow groove of Shadow, Follow Me. In some ways it's poppier than some of their more recent albums but it doesn't make it any less complex. I hear new things nearly every time I spin it. Oh and it's a revelation on vinyl.

2. Glossary- Long Live All Of Us

I've gushed about this one a lot and have done it recently so I won't repeat myself here except to say that I love, love, love this record. I like it so much that it was nearly my number one choice but that one goes to...

1. Drive-By Truckers- Go-Go Boots

What can I say? I think this album is nearly perfect. The only song I don't love is The Fireplace Poker and I hardly hate it, it just doesn't quite grab me 100%. The emergence of Soul in the Trucker's sound made this album nearly transcendent to me at a time when I wasn't sure DBT could do that anymore. Now, in hindsight, we can look at it as the third record in a three album cycle including BTCD & TBTD. On BTCD they threw everything had against the wall and tried to see what would stick and nearly all of it did. Then TBTD showed the rock side of the 2008-2011 line up and finally GGB wraps it all up nicely with equal parts “murder mystery” and a kindness you don't always see with this band. This record has landed firmly in the number two spot (after Decoration Day) of DBT albums for me.

[tinnitus photography]

some last minute adders to my list:

Elder - Dead Roots Rising
Real Estate - Days
Wooden Shjips - West
The Men - Leave Home
Black Cobra - Invernal

[shuffle]

if anyone here is a post-rock fan you should definitely check this out: http://birdsneedfeet.blogspot.com/2011/ ... lutet.html it's amazing

[StevieRay]

I don't have any live albums or EP's on my list. I loved Alabama Shakes, Will Johnson, and Elmo Buzz "Shit Sandwich." Bottle Rockets & Todd Snider each had terrific live albums. Artists with albums I listened to quite a bit, but, that did not make my list (for various reasons) were: Jayhawks, Glossary, North Mississippi Allstars, My Morning Jacket, Hot Tuna, and Deer Tick.

25. Middle Brother - eponymous
24. Lauderdale - Moving On
23. Girls: Father, Son, Holy Ghost
22. Hayes Carll - YMAG YOYO
21. The Gourds - Old Mad Joy
20. Gregg Allman - Low Country Blues
19. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
18. Wilco - The Whole Love
17. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me
16. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
15. Stephen Malkmus - Mirror Traffic
14. The Steepwater Band - Clava
13. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
12. The Red Hills - I'm a Nightmare
11. Old '97's - The Grand Theatre, Vol.2
10. John Hiatt - Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns
9. Lucinda Williams - Blessed
8. Warren Haynes - Man In Motion
7. Eilen Jewell - Queen of the Minor Key
6. Drive-by Truckers - Go Go Boots
5. Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny
4. Centro-matic - Candidate Waltz
3. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
2. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Here We Rest
1. J. Mascis - Several Shades of Why

[dogstar]

So as not to contaminate the end of year lists

This is the best reissue I've bought this year

[Smitty]

So as not to contaminate the end of year lists

This is the best reissue I've bought this year

She left this house four years ago she was looking for
Some Georgia farm boy

Eight days from Sunday finds me Saturday bound

f'n killer.