Here it is, gang; I made it! Well, almost. It's nearly 1:00 a.m., February 1st -- so technically, its
The Year of Colossus -- but who would I be if I weren't fashionably late?
I made some complaints about the state of music in 2011 (what self-avowed critic hasn't), but looking back, it really wasn't that bad. Still, it lacked many familiar names and
The Onion AV Club declared it
The Year of No Important Albums. Near the end of the year I found myself scavenging the critics lists and downloading everything I hadn't heard that received some fanfare but when finally piecing this together, it came down to my own personal favorites, anyway. Trust your gut.
I took the liberty of numbering the selections, but they've changed daily leading up to "print." So, really, in no particular order:
11 ALBUMS OF 2011
1. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues
Helplessness Blues is the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's critics list-dominating Fleet Foxes. All the familiar elements are here: the elegiac Beach Boys harmonies ("Montezuma") and the pensive neo-folk guitar ballads ("The Shrine/An Argument"), but this time it's all about the title track. "Helplessness Blues" begins as expected -- folk strumming and crunchy philosophical ponderings ("What's my name, what's my station?"). Then, it suddenly elevates into a lush vibrato electric guitar and cascading harmonies until front-man Robin Pecknold finds solace at last in tending an orchard where he'd "work 'til I'm sore." It's all quite inspiring, actually. I think I'll go plant a garden.
2. St. Vincent, Strange Mercy
Strange Mercy continues
Actor's formula of unapologetic personal lyrics thrust against
Annie Clark's penchant for catchy, fuzzed-out Guitar Anti-hero pop songs.
Clark plays the naïve ingénue card a little heavy this time around, from the source material of opener "Chloe in the Afternoon" to the admission "I've spent the summer on my back" ("Surgeon.")
Clark's string of heroes covers (
Tom Waits,
Big Black) paved the way for an irresistible third outing.
3. Shabazz Palaces, Black Up
Palaceer Lazaro (née Ishmael "Butterly" Butler of Digable Planets) and multi-instrumentalist Tendai Maraire lay down some spaced-out jazzy electro hip-hop ish, channeling Butler's own 90's rap past with cut-and-paste vocal harmonies, exotic instrumentation, and Def Jux beats. But despite its own noir, Black Up is easy, uplifting ("Recollections of the Wraith") and inspiring ("Swerve... The reeping of all that is worthwhile...")
