Bunch of Nonsense
Music, Books and Life in the SpiritArchive for Grails
best music of 2011
1. Canary by Southeast Engine
Imagine if The Band were from Ohio and wrote exclusively about the region of Ohio. Timeless, powerful. Great songs. Best Song: “Mountain Child”
2. The Whole Love by Wilco
With this, Wilco’s comeback is complete. Their best album since “A Ghost Is Born.” A solid effort from start to finish, you can hear traces of all their best records in this one while somehow it stands on its own. Best Song: “Dawned On Me”
3. Tamer Animals by Other Lives
Very cool vibe this, kind of a Ennio Morricone potpourri with ghostly vocals and surf guitars. Very original, but best of all, they have great songs. Best Song: “For 12”
No sophomore jinx here, this picks up where the first album left off and tweaks it just right without destroying what was good about the band, lush vocals early 70s cool. Best Song: “Ocean Grown”
5. Kiss Each Other Clean by Iron & Wine
The folky years are long gone now as this album with its wide variety and big-arrangements shows. Face it, Sam Beam is just a great songwriter. Best Song: “Rabbit Will Run”
6. The Crashing Cymbal Clouds by Ben Shive
Unashamedly pop music heavily influenced by several of the greatest pop songwriters of all-time, Burt Bacharach and especially Brian Wilson. Best Song: “Your Secret Smile”
7. No time For Dreaming by Charles Bradley
This debut by American old school R&B singer Bradley made a big splash on the R&B scene this year. Clearly, a total throw back to 70s soul music, but the writing is so good, the music so killer and in the pocket and Bradley is soooo good, this easily rises above anything like nostalgia. He just brings the goods and delivers. For fans of James Brown, Tower of Power and Sharon Jones. Best Song: “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)”
8. Laminate Pet Animal by Snowmine
Big gigantic shoe-gazer-pop with layers and layers of lush vocals, jets and shimmering guitars. Good stuff. Best Song: “Let Me In”
9. Deep Politics by Grails
Epic cinematic lush… this all instrumental album in a sea of similar records, actually seems to go somewhere and make sense. Powerful. Best Song: “All The Colors Of The Dark”
10. Prima Vista by Breezewax and Evan Awake
Electronic musicians from the UK who turn samples and live instruments into funky-jazzy tranquil, beat-driven music that works because they have good melodies. Best Song: “Walk With Me”
11. Love & War & The Sea In Between by Josh Garrels
A hug album of 18 tracks, all of which are solid with some real outstanding highlights. Josh Garrels is the real deal, good songwriting, and of course great and unique vocals. Best Song: “Revelator.”
12. Follow Me by Chalk Dinosaur
Pittsburgh, PA musician John O’Hallaron decided to make an ‘album of spacey and atmospheric songs’ and this is the result. John certainly got in touch with his inner Brian Wilson and let have full reign. These songs the Beach Boys should have written and recorded. The song ‘Caves’ I would say is a near perfect song (it might have just overstayed its welcome), but the song ‘Follow Me’ does the trick, pretty much a perfectly made song. For fans of The Beach Boys, The Botticellis, The Ruby Suns and Miracle Fortress. Best Song: “Follow Me.”
13. Days by Real Estate
Shimmering guitar dream-pop that works very well when the songs are there and fortunately the majority of the songs are there. Best Song: “Municipality”
14. La Sera by La Sera
Katy Goodman, one half of the Vivian Girls, goes out on her own (kind of) and delivers a great little record. I say kind of becuase she gave the songs to Brady Hall who wrote and recoded all the music (with Katy coming back in then and recording the vocals). It’s strange way to make an album, but it works here very well indeed. For Fans of Best Coast, Seapony and girl groups from the 60’s. Best Song: “Devils Hearts Grow Gold”
15. Cowboy’s Prayer EP by Mutual Benefit
Boston’s Jordan Lee has a knack for creating beautiful and lush pop-folk-psychedelic songs that just seemed to float in a world of their own and this EP is no exception. For Fans of Cloud Cult, freak-folk. Best Song: “Auburn Epitaphs”
16. Solstice by Breezewax
The UK DJ/musician Breezeway is the first person to score two releases in the same year in my little ‘best of’ list. This a part of a larger release with other DJ’s, but I’m highlighting only the three Breezeway tracks. He’s has a great touch and understanding on what to do and how to build a good song. Best Song: “Footsteps In The Snow”
Other Favorite Tracks:
- Country Clutter by Dolorean
- Time Spend in Los Angels by Dawes
- Man With The Goodnight Gun by The Califorian
- Give Love A Try by Sunbears!
- Sailing by Seapony
- Scandinavia by Yesway
- Still Sound by Toro Y Moi
- Devils Hearts Grow Gold by La Sera
- Good in Every Word by Cotton Jones
- Leering by The Nothing and The Goldenhorn
- Beneath the Reach Of Light by Yellowbirds
- Honey All Over by Gruff Rhys
- 151 by Ben & The Sea
- Windowsill by Coast Jumper
- New Whaling by Bonnie “Prince” Billy
- Dimming Of The Day by Kerosene Halo
- Fog by Yellow Ostrich
- Just A Growin’ by Young Man
- Italian Girls by The ACBs
- Hung On You by New Shouts
Bunch of Nonsense 