Releases that are, Unconditionally and Factually, the Absolute Best Music of 2011

[BrntO4Life]

Irish has his "Top 21 Albums of 2011". Woy has his "thoughts on 2011 music". Len B is trying to get everyone else to give their opinion as well.

These are all cute, but I'm here to give you absolute, definitive proof of what is and was quality music in The Year Before Our Dear Apocalypse.

Because what I listen to spans albums, LPs, EPs, singles, 12", 10", 7" (Insert dick joke here) ((Insert joke about use of 'insert' and 'dick' simultaneously here)), I refuse to label this anything other than what it is...

Releases that are, Unconditionally and Factually, the Absolute Best Music of 2011

None of this can be argued. There are no opinions. This was perfectly calculated in an objective computational center (my brain) for your consumption. It will guide you all on your journey to becoming Lesser Me.

I'm not sure how many releases will be on here. There are no rules, just right (Outback Steakhouse).

I won't start today because I don't feel like it and I don't want to ruin Irish's fun. In fact, I probably won't start until after Irish has finished. I just wanted to get this out there for your awareness. It's also possible that I may never finish. :troll:

The crystal ball may be cloudy now, but I will reveal all in due time. Until then, bask in your ignorance.

Day One: Dirty Beaches, The Dodos, Orthy, Bon Iver
Day Two: AraabMUZIK, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Big Pink, M83
Day Three: Slow Club, The Rapture, Glass Candy, Destroyer

 

[Irish]

yay!yay!yay!yay!yay!

 

[Woy]

So exciting!

 

[j.hen]

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Creating threads for lists...but no lists?

Such a Scumbag Steve type move.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Creating threads for lists...but no lists?

Such a Scumbag Steve type move.

There will be no lists here. No numbered order to the madness.

This isn't like a certain list for the one-hundred best oiled, muscular men in Speedos who like to tackle each other and grunt a lot.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

There will be no lists here. No numbered order to the madness.

This isn't like a certain list for the one-hundred best oiled, muscular men in Speedos who like to tackle each other and grunt a lot.

Oh, so its more like a certain thread that featured random severed Morrissey heads?

Equal levels of longevity fail.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Oh, so its more like a certain thread that featured random severed Morrissey heads?

Equal levels of longevity fail.

You think I'm going to be rating these releases?

:jonesy:

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

You think I'm going to be rating these releases?

:jonesy:

I give this post three Bob Saget heads

 

[BrntO4Life]

I give this post three Bob Saget heads

Out of how many? I expect it to be rated out of no less than 17.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Out of how many? I expect it to be rated out of no less than 17.

3

 

[BrntO4Life]

3

We're going to hit page two before I post one record.

:davegrohl:

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

We're going to hit page two before I post one record.

:davegrohl:

 

[Houston]

:whut:

Thread needs more music.

 

[EmpireWF]

All I see is :fap:

I want music.

 

[BrntO4Life]

:whut:

Thread needs more music.

All I see is :fap:

I want music.

Then tell Irish to hurry his ass up.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Day One

Day One

Day One​

Artist You Should Know: Dirty Beaches
I'll qualify all of this by stating I absolutely hate the name "Dirty Beaches". The current trend of two word "Adjective + Pronoun" style nomination is stupid. But that has nothing to do with anything. Rage over.
Dirty Beaches is Alex Zhang Hungtai. His music is tough to describe, but I'll try... If Dirty Beaches' music could be anthropomorphized, it would be a leather jacket-clad cowboy out of a spaghetti western filtered through the grainiest black-and-white lens and photographed in the dead of night with only a Maglite providing light.

It's Johnny Cash on a massive heroin bender slow-strutting through a tunnel of dead prostitutes for 12 hours straight, unflinching in gait or expression.

If Tarantino still had balls (instead of his own in his mouth all the time), Dirty Beaches would be the soundtrack to everything he does from now until the end of time. But he doesn't and he won't.

Anyways, had two releases this year as Dirty Beaches. His full-length, Badlands, came out in March to generous praise (Pitchfork gave it an 8.2.) At first, you'll probably despise it. Then, you might just hate it. But by the third listen, at most, you'll say, "This is some cool shit. It reminds of a time when dudes weren't worried about bitches because they were getting shot often and drinking heavily, yet never feeling the effects."

It's an album with a really wonderful second act. The opening is a bit dull, but by the track "Sweet 17", the album is in high gear. It's a driving track, as in actually awesome for when you're driving with a psycho-hot broad screaming about how much she wants to have sex with you (but you won't because you're more concerned with hitting that sweet ramp at max speed).

"True Blue" is the centerpiece of the album, though. A wonderful throwback to the crooners of the '40s. It never changes, but I could listen to that low guitar line for the rest of my line.

The album ends with some weak instrumental tracks, but it doesn't diminish from the middle one bit.

Choice Cuts: "Sweet 17", "A Hundred Highways", "True Blue", "Lord Knows Best"

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?vluhn050tmed2a6

http://soundcloud.com/nmemagazine/dirty-beaches-true-blue

Another release that Hungtai put out later in the year was the Lone Runner 7". It includes "Lone Runner" as the A-Side track and "Stye Eye" on the B-Side.

It's absolutely Hungtai's best work to date. Dirty Beaches' sound has long been found, but this release shows that he has been working on fleshing out tracks and creating structure that doesn't just drone on and on and on and on...

"Lone Runner" starts with a low-rumbling bassline and handclaps. The title is perfectly married to the actual structure of the track, with the bass line mirroring an actual runner perfectly. The sound slowly builds into a wall of guitar, synth, and white noise while the beat jogs on. Guitar stabs and blown-out vocals shrieking, "Don't let the devil catch up" give the song intensity.

The B-Side, "Stye Eye", could almost be confused for a Joy Division demo sans guitar. Synths swell, the drums mercilessly keep pace, and Hungtai's vocal intensity make for a nice compliment to the A-Side's (relative) tranquility.

Choice Cuts: "Lone Runner" & "Stye Eye"

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?h7s87scltc84ff8

http://soundcloud.com/enjoi70/dirty-beaches-lone-runner

2011 Album You Need: The Dodos - No Color

In this writer's humble opinion, this is, far and away, the most overlooked album of 2011.

By now, most people know what to expect from The Dodos. In 2008, their second album, Visiter, set the "indie" world on fire. "Fools" was one of the most inventive tracks to be shoved into the "folk" genre in some time.

With their fourth album (Time to Die came out in 2009), No Color, The Dodos have perfected their sound and moved on. Tribal rhythms, expert fingerpicking, and a perfect blend of shouted and sung vocals are all here, but this albums rocks in all the places where they didn't necessarily before. They also added a third member to their live show, which has really added to their already excellent performances.

The opener, "Black Night" rocks. Plain and simple.

"Going Under" undergoes an awesome shift from verse to chorus, breaking from folk-pop to hip-hop in seconds flat.

The insane fingerpicking intro in "Good" paves way for a march-stomp drumbeat. The yelps that accentuate the end of each verse break into synth/guitar shredding madness. It's an amazing track, especially witnessed in person.

The second half of the album is equally as strong as the first. "Don't Stop" brings the album to an affirming close and you'll want to turn right back around and start from the beginning when you're done.

Choice Cuts: "Black Night", "Good", "Don't Try and Hide It", "When Will You Go", "Don't Stop"

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?x0k2kpj3pl2bs01

http://soundcloud.com/wichita-recordings/untitled-1

2011 Single/EP That Kills: Orthy - Suenos EP

Three tracks. The most life-affirming 13 minutes and 58 seconds you'll spend this year listening to music. So hurry the fuck up and download it already.

The airy synth line in "Suenos" is like watching a herd of hamsters run down a rainbow waterfall. You can't help put fucking smile the entire time. When the piano fully breaks at 3:18, it's like watching a herd of the cutest kittens stumble down a grassy knoll, oblivious to the shitty world around them.

"City Girl" is about, you guessed it, girls in the city. I love city girls, therefore I love this song. If you are country bumpkin, maybe you'll hate it. The bass goes HARD in this one and is the most traditional track track in the bunch. However, there's still plenty there for you non-dancing punks.

"Don't Believe" is the most traditional pop song of the three. Just download this thing below. I'm tired of telling you how amazing it is. You better appreciate the $2.97 I spent to provide this to you, or I'll let DDRGuido force-feed you bread.

Choice Cuts: All of them.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?ayba4a5p40mirr0

http://soundcloud.com/thewurst/suenos

Sweet Music Video of 2011: Bon Iver - "Holocene"

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE"]Bon Iver - Holocene (Official Music Video) - YouTube[/ame]

Haven't you heard? Music videos aren't dead anymore! They're actually a viable source of income for record labels again.

Anyways, most of you know the song by now. Gorgeous song, beautiful video. I must visit Iceland someday. Please watch it in 720p (unless you have a Leapster hacked to browse the Internet like Jay).

 

[Houston]

Glorious.

 

[Irish]

Ooooo what a start! Love the Orthy EP.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Day Two will be posted tomorrow. It's nearly finished, but New Year's Eve is upon us.