Lists Back At The Music Of 2011!
Following from The Best Music Videos of 2011, 12 Artists to Watch in 2012, Christmas is All Around and Christmas Is All Around – The Mixtape (not end of the year lists, but something new to check out..) posted a few days ago come The Best Albums, The Best EP’s and The Best Songs of 2011!
2011 was a great year for new music and resulted in some pretty good releases. So, to keep on making this intro short; here’s some of the best:
THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2011
(top ten – in no specific order)
Kimbra - ‘Vows‘
‘Vows’ is the debut record from New Zealand born/Melbourne based singer and songwriter Kimbra. It’s a colourful, upbeat and impressive debut release, that showcases Kimbra’s eclectic style combined with experimental pop, urban pop, soul and funky RnB.
Standout Tracks : Settle Down, Good Intent, Cameo Lover.
Boy & Bear – ‘Moonfire‘
‘Moonfire’ is one of the most anticipated releases from one of the most exciting new Australian bands of the year, Boy & Bear. The core of this album is the lovely, eloquent and decorative melodies with 60’s inspired folk and innovative country folk pop.
Standout Tracks : Feeding Line, Milk and Sticks, My Only One.
Foster The People – ‘Torches‘
Newcomers from 2009, Foster The People have had one of their busiest years in 2011 with constantly touring in Australia, Europe and USA and releasing ‘Torches’, one of the most creative and poppish summer releases of the year.
Standout Tracks : Miss You, Chin Music for the Unsuspecting Hero, Love.
The Trouble With Templeton – ‘Bleeders‘
The Trouble with Templeton is the moniker of Australian Singer/songwriter Thomas Calder. And the man behind ‘Bleeders’, one of this year’s most beautifully dramatic, melancholic and hauntingly delicate debut records.
Standout Tracks : Bleeders, I Wrote a Novel, Home.
Cosmo Jarvis – ‘Is The World Strange or am I Strange?‘
..is Cosmo Jarvis’ second album where he sings cheeky and directly from his heart about things that interests him and the weird world we’re living in. It’s typically Cosmo Jarvis; not easy to pigeonhole, innovative and highly eclectic.
Standout Tracks : Betty, Sure As Hell Not Jesus, She Doesn’t Mind.
Ball Park Music – ”Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs‘
Ball Park Music is a band. There are six people. This is a big deal. Ball Park Music is Triple J Unearthed artist of the year. Also a big deal. They play pop, having fun and are obsessed by The Beatles. The result is ‘Happiness And Surrounding Suburbs’. Fine stuff!
Standout Tracks : It’s Nice To Be Alive, iFly, All I Want Is You.
Awolnation - ’Megalithic Symphony‘
Awolnation are one of those acts who literally come out of nowhere and completely blow your mind! With an amazing combination of rock, urban rock, soul, hip shop, rapcore and electronic, ‘Megalithic Symphony’ is one of the strongest debuts in 2011!
Standout Tracks : People, Not Your Fault, All I Need.
Goodluck – ‘Goodluck‘
Goodluck need no good luck. The talented trio from Cape Town mixes techno, electro swing and jazz-infused beats that resulted in their self-titled debut record.
The album is filled with plenty of soul and an overload of passion and their goal is to take over the dance floors of the world. They’ve already come a long way!
Standout Tracks : Hop On Hop Off, Taking It Easy, Electro Thing.
The Waifs - ‘Temptation’
Australia’s much loved The Waifs know how to create outstanding music. This is their sixth album and is filled with lovely, melancholic and upbeat tunes. It’s well written, personal and charming. And perfect for new and long time fans.
Standout Tracks : Falling, Angela, Day Dreamer.
Abbe May – ‘Design Desire‘
‘Design Desire’ is Abbe May‘s third album and the best to date. Every song is a original piece for itself; you’ll get dirty blues, 60’s psychedelic rock, moody and groovy rock and some haunting and charismatic vocals. This is a grungy, melancholic and 70’s *slash* modern rock and roll album surrounded by groovy and crunchy guitars.
Standout Tracks : Design Desire, No Sleep Tonight, Cast That Devil Out.
OTHER FINE ALBUMS OF 2011
The Jezabels – ‘Prisoner’
Grace Weber – ‘Hope & Heart’
The Janks – ‘Hands of Time’
Bellman – ‘The Curse’
Bellman – ‘Olivia’
Katie Herzig – ‘The Waking Sleep’
Sparkadia – ‘The Great Impression’
Timber Timbre – ‘Creep On Creepin’ On’
Timothy Nelson & The Infidels – ‘I Know This Now’
Timothy Nelson & The Infidels – ‘You Don’t Know What You’re Waiting For’
Braids - ‘Native Speaker‘
M83 - ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming‘
Felix Riebl - ‘Into The Rain‘
Two Spot Gobi - ‘The Sun Will Rise‘
Two Spot Gobi – ‘Guiding Star’
Little Red - ‘Midnight Remember‘
The John Steel Singers – ‘Tangalooma’
Husky - ‘Forever So‘
Lior – ‘3-2-1‘
Lior – ‘Shadow Man’
Jukebox the Ghost – ‘Everything Under The Sun’
The Panda Band – ‘Charisma Weapon’
Eskimo Joe – ‘Ghost of The Past’
Spring Skier – ‘We Were Astronomers’
Spring Skier – ‘Chelsea’
Georgia Fair – ‘All Through Winter’
Smith and Burrows – ‘Funny Looking Angels’
Tennis - ‘Cape Dory’
Gotye – ‘Making Mirrors’
Gotye feat. Kimbra – ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’
Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr. – ‘It’s a Corporate World’
Beni – ‘House of Beni’
Jonas Alaska – ‘Jonas Alaska’
Young Beautiful in a Hurry – ‘Young Beautiful in a Hurry’
Young Beautiful in a Hurry – ‘Everyone Should Know’
THE BEST EP’S OF 2011
Emanuel and the Fear - ‘Hands‘
3 Genres : Classical, alternative pop, baroque folk.
Track listing : Over and Over, Vampires, Purple Sunless Sky, Meadowlands, Song for the Rain.
3 Genres : Alternative pop, upbeat folk, indie pop.
Track listing : In Our Circles, Little Fingers, Botanist, My Lonely Arms, Mothr.
Fort Lean - ‘Fort Lean‘
3 Genres : Alternative, indie, rock.
Track listning : Beach Holiday, Dreams (Never Come True), High Definition, Perfect.
Split Seconds - ‘Split Seconds‘
3 Genres : Indie pop, alternative pop, folk pop.
Track listning : Bed Down, Paper Boy, With All Yr Might, Compassses, What a Week, Elizabeth.
New Navy - ‘Uluwatu‘
3 Genres : Surf, classic pop, indie pop.
Track listning : Zimbabwe, Tapioca, What Was Golden, Oceans.
Umber- ‘Morning’s Pass‘
3 Genres : instrumental pop, instrumental, drone folk.
Track listning : Drawing Curtains, A Song For Two Seasons, Tomorrow We’ll Throw Out Some Old Shoes, The Day We Left For Earth, Spark Mountain, Mellow Drizzle.
Emma Louise - ’Full Hearts & Empty Rooms EP‘
3 Genres : atmospheric pop, indie pop, folk pop.
Track listning : Bugs, Jungle, Al’s Song, Sundowns.
Jens Lekman - ‘An Argument With Myself‘
3 Genres : alternative pop, folk, indie pop.
Track listning : An Argument With Myself, Waiting for Kirsten, A Promise, New Directions, So This Guy At My Office.
The Jungle Giants - ‘The Jungle Giants‘
3 Genres : indie pop, pop rock, folk pop.
Track listning : Mr Polite, No One Needs To Know, All The Wrong Places, Like a Weight, One of These Days.
Foxx on Fire - ‘March Into The Sun‘
3 Genres : surf pop, indie pop, harmonic pop.
Track listning : March Into The Sun, Vicious Satellite, Into The Light, Mission Abort, March Into The Sun (Reprise.
THE BEST SONGS OF 2011
‘Five‘ by Eliza Hull
‘Wanna Run‘ by Kate Vigo
‘51 Swimsuits‘ by The Panda Band
‘China Shop‘ by Montpelier
‘I Love You, Sandra Bilson (The Last Dance)‘ by Our Lost Infantry
‘Hope’ by The Maneken
‘Weathervanes and Chemicals’ by Team Me
‘If I Was‘ by Capra
‘Tell Her‘ by Charlie Mayfair
‘I Believe In Love, Kid‘ by Oh Ye Denver Birds
‘In The Backseat’ by Jonas Alaska
‘Round and Round‘ by Monument Valley
‘Hands of Time‘ by The Janks
‘Bottle’ by Texture Like Sun
‘Evie‘ by Cub Scouts
‘Here’s the Girl‘ by Harmless
‘The Smoke’ by The Tiger and Me
‘Sound of Love’ by M. Jack Bee
‘Strangest Place‘ by I Dream In Colour
‘Barcelona’ by Tinpan Orange
‘Those Who Wait’ by Daley
‘Rock in Space’ by Flap!
‘Freak Flag’ by Here Come The Mummies
‘In Colour‘ by Hunting Ground
‘With Thoughts‘ by Art Vs. Science
‘On The First Time‘ by The Trip
‘Steal Money‘ by The Belligerents
‘All Colours’ by My Own Pet Radio
‘Exertion’ by IVienna
‘Tiger Face’ by Baddies
‘History’s Door’ by Husky
‘In The Summer‘ by Loonlake
‘R.U.M.O.U.R.S’ by Taxidermy Hall
‘(All I Wanted Was) Danger’ by The Milk
‘Saturday Night in Alcatraz’ by LL Cosmoaut
