Over the past year or so I've purchased or downloaded 14 complete albums. Not including random singles or compilations or stuff I've played on grooveshark.com and not my white panda mashups (which though awesome, I don't quite equate to original content.) I'm not calling these albums of the year for everyone, just me and what I like to listen to.
They are in Alphabetical order.
Awolnation - Megalithic Symphony
Bad Meets Evil - Hell:The Sequel (Eminem & Royce Da 5'9" compilation)
The Black Keys - El Camino
Bon Iver - Bon Iver (Self-Title)
Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
The Killers - (Red) Christmas
Lil Wayne - The Carter IV
Mac Miller - Blue Slide Park
Patrick Stump - Soul Punk
Puscifer - Conditions of My Parole
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Rise Against-End Game
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
I will now rank them from my personal perspective starting with number 14 and then concluding with what was for me, the best album of 2011.
I feel sad with this because I absolutely love the title track as one of the best songs of the year, but overall I felt like the album had nothing else to really give. The sound is typically one really you can tell that Maynerd is experimenting with sound and making what he wants, but often it doesn't evolve into anything resembling a conventional song. Perhaps that's what he wanted, but it mostly wasn't for me. But make no doubt, Conditions of My Parole is a great song and video and is a piece of art unto itself.
'Conditions Of My Parole'
I had high hopes for this one. I've heard him on a few tracks before this feature release and I kept being impressed by the Pittsburgh native. But while he excels on uptempo tracks and sound such 'Smile Back' and 'Up All Night', I found myself kind of bored when the other tracks came on. Not that his skill was any less apparent, but rather the music behind it sounded a bit too generic and failed to create whatever atmosphere he was attempting to create.
'Smile Back'
This ranking has little to do with the actual content of the album, which I know is bizarre. However it's Christmas time and I would like to listen to a little bit of an alternative band doing some happy Christmas music for a good cause and being donated to The Global Fund. It's a great cause, and even a little giving back is important. PLUS, fun, kinda offbeat music. 'Cowboy's Christmas Ball' and 'Happy Birthday Guadalupe!' are probably my favorite tracks.
'The Cowboys Christmas Ball'
Check out more about the Global Fund here
Not bad at all. But I kept listening to the last 5 tracks far more than the beginning 6. 'Will Do' is a great single, but highly underrated are the two tracks 'New Cannonball Blues' and 'Repetition'. I'm overall a fan of the band, but this effort still ranks behind a few others.
'Will Do'
'New Cannonball Blues'
Bon Iver is not for everyone. I'll admit to that off the bat. But. If you enjoy really well sculpted sound structure and harmonies you'll love it. Often songs are difficult to understand the singing or story behind the voice. However, in songs such as 'Perth' and 'Towers' his voice is an afterthought to the drums, strings and horns intertwining and creating something unlike anything you've probably heard in recent years. Soft Album, probably made for solemn evening during Winter break.
'Perth'
'Towers'
'Minnesota, WI'
Really had pretty low expectations for this album, but thought that Eminem was back on track with his last album and wanted to make sure he was still killing it. Yup. Album blasts Eminem at his best. Royce da 5'9" is good, but doesn't come with any memorable verses with the exception of 'Loud Noises', and while they share the same amount of minutes on the record, there is no doubt that the star is still Em.
Unapologetic to his critics while yet admitting to mistakes may seem to still smack of defiance to some, I felt that he continues to sound honest about how he feels about the world and life in general.
That essence?
Fuck You, I'm strong and I can do this. I will be great.
And that is something profoundly human about that attitude. Something that is surprisingly admirable.
'Loud Noises'
'Lighters'
'Take From Me'
I'm a bit of a fall out boy fan. I started with Grand Theft Autumn from the 'Take This to Your Grave' album. It wasn't the only sort of emo band I was liking at the time, but it did have probably the most distinctive voice in what at the time was a pretty crowded arena of emo/pop punk music.
The dude can sing.
So after a while of digging the band as a punk/pop oddity over the next (they played pop, but never really made into a super stardom stratosphere.) The band took a break. They each decided to do, something else.
For his part, Patrick Stump just made more music.
And while as Fall Out Boy the band straddled genre lines, Patrick Stump has gone into a very definitive direction.
His album is decidedly and unarguably pop.
Which he happens to excel at.
While overall the album will satisfy your craving for something easy to digest, it rarely excels to a place that will have you out of your seat. The ones that got my attention, held it for a significant time.
'Explode'
'This City'
'The "I" In Lie'
Rise Against has finally made a bit of transistion from noisy Indie Rock to mainstream rock. My introduction to Rise Against came some time ago, probably around 2003, when I first heard 'Swing Life Away'. Since then only the only other songs that really caught my ear were 'Prayer of the Refugee' and 'Ready To Fall'
Enter Endgame.
With a blistering pace set from the outset in 'Architects' to the title track 'Endgame' the albums message painted is one of hope, and one of starting to build one's own destiny. Unlike some of the other albums that I've listened to over this year, this album does not feature a talented vocalist. Tom McIIrath is not winning American Idol, but he may be writing the lyrics for them.
Musically, expect to be hit with constant drums and ripping guitars. The pace almost never slows and for a band that clearly came with the message of getting up off your ass doing something, perhaps that's the best part about the album.
Best listened to at a high volume.
'Architects'
'Help Is On The Way'
'Endgame'
I knew of Florence and her machine. I knew she had a spectacular voice and that she used it in a I knew about Dog Days being over, but this? This was something really good. A sense of energy and power is exuded all over the album. From her dismantling of her past in 'Shake It Out', to her condemnation of her own actions in No Light, No Light, to a moment of pure joy and triumph on 'Sprectum and everywhere in between. And where as Mac Miller's background beats and music seemed to leave Miller on his own, the score on Ceremonials enhances Ms. Welch's voice to an almost absurd level. Great album. Probably as good a technically as there is on my list.
'Spectrum'
'Shake It Out'
'No Light, No Light'
My introduction to this "Band" (It's really Aaron Bruno's of must be credited to my roommate. Every now and then I get referred to an album, and typically I will like a few selected tracks. That is not the case here. In this case I loved the album from Start to Finish. Except for the weird interludes.
While vocally Bruno isn't where Stump is, maybe not even in the same ball park, his writing and sense of energy within the album is above that of Soul Punk.
In essence, while Stump created a good Pop album, Awolnation's Megalithic Symphony is a great rock album.
Tracks like 'Burn It Down', 'Kill Your Heroes' and 'Soul Wars' crackle with energy, while 'People', and 'All I Need' slow the tempo down enough to give your mind a rest.
'Burn It Down'
'Kill Your Heroes'
'People'
Weezy is free, and Weezy picks up where he left off, and that's on top of the Rap game. While he still has fun energy tracks ('Blunt Blowin', 'MegaMan') he also exposes his human side in more than a few tracks, and even an ode to Michael Jackson in 'Mirror' which also features Bruno Mars
Overall the greater aspect to this record is that you can almost feel Wayne's emotions as he tells his story's. It's an extremely rare talent, and one that Wayne uses to great expertise.
'Mirror'
'Blunt Blowin'
'How To Love'
This is my favorite band of all time. I make no bones about it. I could go on forever why I think they're the best but I'll save that for another post.
With the departure of John Frusciante, many wondered exactly what the next album would differ from previous incarnations.
Not much as it turns out. They still play a hybrid of funk-rock that is second to none. The musical depth on the album is immense, with many different layers to each track.
Kicking off with a scorching track in 'Monarchy of Roses' the album begins with a quintessential upbeat song and from their only a few hiccups kept this album from being higher on the list. While you can't mistake the fact that Josh Klinghoffer isn't Klinghoffer, the new guitarist is certainly no amateur on the guitar. His solo, along with Flea's in 'Goodbye Hooray' is nothing short of extraordinary.
I'm sure my friends are shocked to not see this album not be rated #1 by me, but I couldn't get over my dislike for a couple of specific tracks.
Oh that and Anthony's ridiculous mustache.
'Monarchy of Roses'
'Brendan's Death Song'
'Goodbye Hooray'
This was a very tough call. There's so much packed into El Camino that resonates with me I found it difficult to keep it from the number 1 spot.
From the moment I heard the opening guitar riff on 'Lonely Boy' I knew there was going to be something special to this album. And after that track ended and 'Dead and Gone' began I knew the album was going to be great.
Blues and rock are no longer mainstream, which is too bad, because it's still being crafted and it's still the heartbeat of America.
They even take a song in 'Little Black Submarines' and turn it (though probably unintentionally) into a song comparable to Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven'.
Before anyone starts yelling blasphemy, just listen to the song, and see how it starts incredibly slow and builds and builds into an eruption of distorted electric guitar. It's difficult to not compare the two.
'Lonely Boy'
'Dead and Gone'
'Sister'
'Little Black Submarines'
1. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Never would have guessed that the first album I listened to this year would have been the best. But if you like rock music, if rock music is your favorite genre of music, then this is it.
Dave Grohl has delivered his Masterpiece, addressing one of the most haunting subjects of a lifetime in the suicide of Kurt Cobaine in 'I Should Have Known'.
The whole album is a tribute to what rock should be in this day and age. Punishing drums, screaming guitars, enough melody and lyrics to hold everything together and a man triumphing over all his haunts.
'Arlandria'
'Rope'
'Bridge Burning'
'I Should Have Known'
I would like to say that I purchased all but one of the albums. I don't believe it's right to not pay these incredible artists. I know they get paid, I know they tour and I know record companies are typically the bad guys. I don't care. I believe in showing my support for a band or artist by paying for their work.
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