Xixax Film Forum

Non-Film Discussion => Real-Life Soundtracks => Topic started by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 12:11:21 AM

Title: Best Music of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 12:11:21 AM
Anyone have a list yet?

We apparently didn't even have a So Far This Year 2011 thread.

I could definitely use some recommendations. Not entirely happy with what I've heard this year, even after considerable searching.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: O. on December 11, 2011, 12:39:33 AM
What kind of music are you looking for? I've got a few I could recommend, but the spectrum is enormous.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: Alexandro on December 11, 2011, 01:05:22 AM
tom waits - bad as me (rock for lonely bars and souls)
cities aviv - digital lows (hip hop)
primus - green naugahyde (rock)
ema - past life... (grunge rock something)
gang gang dance -eye contact (extraterrestial contact)
girls - father, son, holy ghost (hipster shit)
m83 - hurry up, we're dreaming (ditto)
shabazz palaces - black up (hip hop experimental)
st. vincent - strange mercy (girly cool rock)
stephen malkmus - mirror traffic (jam rock)
unknown mortal orchestra (hipster stuff)
tune yards - whokill (everything)
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 02:24:17 AM
Quote from: O on December 11, 2011, 12:39:33 AM
What kind of music are you looking for? I've got a few I could recommend, but the spectrum is enormous.

I didn't mean to turn this into my own personal recommendation thread, but it would definitely be appreciated. I've been disappointed by so much this year, and it's really getting to me. I'm not so much into what's been appearing in the critical consensus... most of it is either boring or annoying. So far I've loved only 3-4 records this year, which is not normal. Seriously, my top 6 from 2009 would usurp everything I've heard this year.

Okay, to answer your question, generally I put a lot of value in skillful/inventive/melodic songwriting and interesting sounds. Usually not a fan of metal, hip-hop, folk, or lo-fi.

But it's probably better to look at my lists from the last 2 years:

2010 (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=11210.msg299401#msg299401)
2009 (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=10773.msg286686#msg286686)
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: mogwai on December 11, 2011, 02:29:11 AM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fklubbace.se%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FMOGWAI.jpg&hash=bb59085f447f8d4f5d2cb18f4050d5ad34735fab)
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 02:33:43 AM
I started listening to that a few days ago, actually! It's kind of plain for a Mogwai album, but I like it so far.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: squints on December 11, 2011, 04:02:44 AM
best songs/videos of the fucking year:


Grimes - "Vanessa" (http://vimeo.com/22215457)

M83 - "Midnight City"
(http://vimeo.com/30198629)
Azealia Banks - "212"
(http://vimeo.com/31439919)

Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 01:31:27 PM
Quote from: squints on December 11, 2011, 04:02:44 AMM83 - "Midnight City" (http://vimeo.com/30198629)

Definitely... I absolutely love that song. Disappointed with the rest of the album, but I can't complain. It's a bit derivative of Yeasayer, but in a completely forgivable way.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: squints on December 11, 2011, 04:09:42 PM
Yeah i agree the whole album's not really up to par but that song is great. Been trying to think of whole ALBUMS that I really liked this year and not too many are coming to mind. Its gonna take me a sec to put together a good list.

And BTW, M83 have been around about half a decade longer than Yeasayer, so if anyone's being derivative, it's Yeasayer.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on December 11, 2011, 04:38:38 PM
Quote from: squints on December 11, 2011, 04:09:42 PMAnd BTW, M83 have been around about half a decade longer than Yeasayer, so if anyone's being derivative, it's Yeasayer.

Sorry that's not what I meant... I'm talking about "Midnight City" in particular. The toms and the background vocals/yelps are straight out of Odd Blood. But not in a bad way.
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: O. on December 13, 2011, 04:50:21 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8

good ol rock, album "el camino"
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: Reel on December 13, 2011, 10:52:55 AM
Quote from: O on December 13, 2011, 04:50:21 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8

good ol rock, album "el camino"

Run Right Back (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhs5yl9ls44) is my favorite song on the album. I love that riff.
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: malkovich on December 31, 2011, 04:43:37 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chartattack.com%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Fcontent_image-680xauto%2Fchart_global%2Freviews%2Fdestroyer-kaputt.jpg&hash=2423df734a25695585a0606e27885987b29efcb2)

anyone?
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: tpfkabi on January 01, 2012, 03:37:06 PM
Here's what I bought - all albums from artists that I'd bought previous work from:

Adams, Ryan - Ashes & Fire
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Bazan, David - Strange Negotiations
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
Bjork - Biophilia
Black Keys, The - El Camino
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Bright Eyes - The People's Key
Cake - Showroom of Compassion
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Death Cab For Cutie - Codes & Keys
Decemberists, The - The King is Dead
Deerhoof vs. Evil
Destroyer - Kaputt
Eisley - The Valley
Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys!
Elected, The - Bury Me in My Rings
Feist - Metals
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Friedberger, Eleanor - Last Summer
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital
Harvey, P.J. - Let England Shake
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Low - C'Mon
Moonface - Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
Panda Bear - Tomboy
Radiohead - The King of Limbs
Real Estate - Days
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Strokes, The - Angles
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
Wilco - The Whole Love

Now looking over Best Of lists, and other various it seems these are ones I am interested to hear:
oneohtrix point never - replica (showed up on a lot of artist's lists - actually have streamed this and enjoyed it)
kurt vile (showed up on a lot of artist's lists)
cass mccombs (both Christopher Owens of Girls and Jenny Lewis said this was their fav)
youth lagoon
those darlins (actually learned about a new artist via a video on mtvU)
neon indian (enjoyed their Fallon appearance)
antlers
dodos
metronomy
shabazz palaces
watch the throne
pistol annies
battles
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: diggler on January 03, 2012, 12:26:58 AM
Quote from: malkovich on December 31, 2011, 04:43:37 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chartattack.com%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Fcontent_image-680xauto%2Fchart_global%2Freviews%2Fdestroyer-kaputt.jpg&hash=2423df734a25695585a0606e27885987b29efcb2)

anyone?

This music video alone puts it in my top ten:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf-ONpLXzGs
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: I Love a Magician on January 04, 2012, 10:53:13 PM
my top 50 songs of the year (https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150437337616828)

nothing wild but there's enough songs on there that you'll have inevitably not heard some of it
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: squints on January 04, 2012, 11:33:32 PM
man you're lucky i kept reading cause after seeing "2011 sucked. The heat lost in the finals...." well, you know. Go Thunder.

Good list though! However,
Quote from: I Love a Magician on January 04, 2012, 10:53:13 PM
nothing wild but there's enough songs on there that you'll have inevitably not heard some of it

i think you underestimate how much time some of us spend listening to/looking for new music. the only thing i hadn't heard was Nurses (which turns out, is awesome!)

i've been trying to put a list together but i just started a new job and i'm super lazy. over the past few days A$AP Rocky's album has been on freakin' repeat.
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: I Love a Magician on January 05, 2012, 12:17:34 AM
Quote from: squints on January 04, 2012, 11:33:32 PM
i think you underestimate how much time some of us spend listening to/looking for new music.

that's what i was saying. there's nothing on there that's super underground or anything.

and also yeah, go thunder. go heat. go basketball.
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: polkablues on January 15, 2012, 12:27:27 PM
I didn't think anything was going to bump The Head and the Heart for my favorite album of 2011, but I just discovered this album yesterday and was blown away:

Tyler Lyle - The Golden Age & The Silver Girl (http://tylerlyle.bandcamp.com/album/the-golden-age-the-silver-girl)

With Ryan Adams having settled into listenable mediocrity, this kid is his heir apparent.
Title: Re: Best Albums of 2011
Post by: md on January 17, 2012, 12:16:33 AM
Quote from: squints on December 11, 2011, 04:02:44 AM
best songs/videos of the fucking year:


Grimes - "Vanessa" (http://vimeo.com/22215457)

M83 - "Midnight City"
(http://vimeo.com/30198629)
Azealia Banks - "212"
(http://vimeo.com/31439919)



Thank you for sharing that M83 Video!!!  My mind is on rewind.  Consider it blown.
Title: Re: Best Music of 2011
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on March 04, 2012, 03:13:46 PM
I've given up on making a top 10. I seem to hate everything that came out in 2011.

So here's my top 6.


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/satinpanthers.jpg)
1. Hudson Mohawke - SATIN PANTHERS


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/glassswords.jpg)
2. Rustie - GLASS SWORDS
Highlights: All Nite, Globes, After Light


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/kingoflimbs.jpg)
3. Radiohead - THE KING OF LIMBS
Highlights: Codex, Bloom, Lotus Flower


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/crazyclowntime.jpg)
4. David Lynch - CRAZY CLOWN TIME
Highlights: Strange And Unproductive Thinking, Crazy Clown Time, Noah's Ark


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/audiovideodisco.jpg)
5. Justice - AUDIO, VIDEO, DISCO.
Highlights: Helix, Horsepower, Parade


(https://xixax.com/jb/2011music/euphoricheartbreak.jpg)
6. Glasvegas - EUPHORIC HEARTBREAK
Highlights: Dream Dream Dreaming, You, The World Is Yours