Reformissionary best albums of 2011

Reformissionary has just posted his top 35 albums of 2011.

Although I don’t always agree, I also have learned of a couple bands that I now love from his site.

Therefore when he posts something about music, I usually give it a try.

My list can be found HERE.

Favorite Albums of 2011

Part of the reason making a list like this is so fun is because I go back and listen to all the music I have enjoyed this year. It is also interesting to go back and see what my previous lists were (2010, 2009). Some of the albums have lasted the test of time, and I still turn to them for good music, others have fallen to the point where I never listen to them.

So without further ado, here are my favorite albums from 2011.

1. Bon Iver: Bon Iver | I never thought he could top his first album, but he did. Its like the Pixar story, it just keeps getting better, he can’t slow down. Beautiful melancholic music, with a twist of 80′s in Best/Rest that had me hooked from the moment I heard it.
2. Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues | This alt-folk band has great melodies and are more poetic and thoughtful than many acknowledge. Just check out these lyrics.
3. Foster the People: Torches | Although I am listening to this album less and less, it was an instant hit, great for working out.
4. Cults: Cults | To have a debut album where I don’t skip any tracks is an accomplishment.
5. Telekinesis: 12 Desperate Straight Lines | Sounds a bit like 90′s rock, but I really like it.
6. Wilco: The Whole Love | Classic Wilco, with some great songs, and then songs I have no idea what do with.
7. Jay Z: Watch the Throne | You must listen to this album in the edited version, and that still does not catch everything. However, as far as rap goes, this could be Jay Z’s best.
8. Alison Krauss & Union Station: Paper Airplane | Her voice is so effortlessly beautiful that it cannot sound bad, and Union Station compliments her perfectly.
9. Lupe Fiasco: Lasers | This guy is as good as Kanye, or better, he just does not get the press because he doesn’t say dumb things on TV.
10. The Black Keys: El Camino | I am not sure this is even allowed, because this album is not out for 5 more days. However I am pretty sure this one is going to be great. And it compliments my list so well. I now have some blues, folk, rap, and pop.

Notable Mentions

• Feist: Metals
• The Antlers: Burst Apart
• M83: Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
• Sarah Jarosz: Follow Me Down
• PJ Harvey: Let England Shake

Top Movie Scores

When I first started blogging I listed my Top 10 Movie Scores (they have not changed mainly b/c I have not bought any more).

Treven Wax listed his.

Joe Thorn listed some more recent ones.

The 50 Most Important Albums of 2011

NPR reports.

Some Albums from 2010

It would be hard for me to label these as the “best” albums of 2010 (see list from 2009) because what I constitute best might not even come close to your definition of best.  With that said, here are the albums from 2010 that I found myself listening to multiple times, sometimes over and over again.  Obviously I stick generally to what some would call indie, others alternative, others rock.

(Click on the link to hear the bands most popular song from this album)

1. Arcade Fire: The Suburbs (I have never heard a rock album put together so well from start to finish, its a masterpiece)
2. The National:  High Violet (This guy has the most monotone voice, which makes him sound somewhat like Johnny Cash (somewhat).  It makes for a unique listening experience)
   
3. Yeasayer: Odd Blood (Creative, 80′s sounding work out album)
4. Sufjan Stevens:The Age of Adz (Okay, I almost took this one off, and maybe I will regret putting it on.  There are a couple songs that are really good and a couple that are really bad, but I just kept listening to it)
   
5. Sleigh Bells: Treats (I found Robin Hilton’s description of this album the best so here it is:  I wouldn’t fault anyone for finding this album obnoxious. It’s terribly loud, incredibly brash and full of screaming, and the whole mix is heavily processed and blown-out. The rhythms are explosive blasts more than drum beats, and the synths are piercing and caustic. But every time a song from Treats comes up on my iPod, I just feel so alive! It’s a take-no-prisoners album. Every track makes me feel as if I could rip my house off its foundation. I can’t say Treats is an instant classic or one critics will be talking about a generation from now, but it’s one of the year’s most potent and unforgettable recordings.
6. The Black Keys: Brothers (Just buy this bluesy album, you won’t hear anything like it)
   
7. Delta Spirit: History From Below (The soulful impassioned voice of the lead singer carries this album.)
   
8. Jonsi: Go (You have to listen for yourself.  Can you describe music like this?)

What did I miss from 2010?

Listener’s Pick 2010 Best Music (So Far)

The NPR listener’s have chosen their top 50 albums of 2010 thus far.  There might be some good finds in here.  Here are the top 20.

1. Gorillaz:  Plastic Beach
2. The National:  High Violet
3. The Black Keys:  Brothers
4. Broken Bells:  Broken Bells
5. LCD Soundsystem:  This Is Happening
6. Vampire Weekend:  Contra
7. Beach House:  Teen Dream
8. Mumford and Sons:  Sigh No More
9. Spoon:  Transference
10. Sleigh Bells:  Treats
11. Local Natives:  Gorilla Manor
12. Yeasayer:  Odd Blood
13. The New Pornographers:  Together
14. Flying Lotus:  Cosmogramma
15. She & Him:  Volume Two
16. Band of Horses:  Infinite Arms
17. Jonsi:  Go
18. The Knife:  Tomorrow, In A Year
19. Broken Social Scene:  Forgiveness Rock Record
20. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings:  I Learned The Hard Way

My Top 5 Albums of 2009

I know this is a little late but here are my top 5 albums of 2009.

1.  Mumford & Sons:  Sigh No More / they combine bluegrass with rock to produce an amazing sound…it always builds into an emotional frenzy and the lyrics are brilliant  (First song to listen to:  The Cave)

2.  The Avett Brothers:  I and Love and You / piano and banjo ballads…can’t go wrong here  (First song:  I and Love and You)

3.  Regina Spektor:  Far / a russian-american who always has a knack for writing songs that make you laugh, and then stop and think  (First song:  Eet)

4.  Phoenix:  Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix / as itunes describes it: carefree, buoyant pop, full of snapping tom drums, percolating guitars, and melodic hooks  (First song:  1901)

5.  Animal Collective:  Merriweather Post Pavilion / never thought this one would be on the top 5 but their strange sound grows on you…beach boys influenced vocals and some techno ambient sounds create a unique experience.  (First song to listen to:  My Girls)

Noteable:  The Low Anthem (can’t put it on there because I have not bought it yet) and Muse: The Resistance

Tunes on Tuesday (Movie Scores)

My brothers make fun of me for having so many movie scores on my ipod.  I like listening to them while I study or read.  This is my list of the top movie scores.  I am limiting this list to calssical music.  There are a lot of good movie soundtracks (Garden State, Little Miss Sunshine, O Brother Where Art Thou etc..) but that is for another list.  I have not kept up with the movie scores in the past six months so this list may be a little dated.  Oh yeah and they are in no particular order.  They are all good, and it was too hard to put them in order.  Clearly I have some favorite composers.  Next week I will give my favorite Movie Score individual songs.

The Lord of the Rings:  Howard Shore

Gladiator: Hans Zimmer

Legends of the Fall: James Horner

Edward Scissorshands:  Danny Elfman

The Mission:  Ennio Morricone

Hook:  John Williams

A Beautiful Mind:  James Horner

Braveheart: James Horner

Pirates of the Caribbean:  Hans Zimmer

Glory: James Horner

Notable Mentions:

The Last Samurai:  Hans Zimmer

Pan’s Labyrinth:  Javier Navarette

Chariots of Fire: